Costco Connection

RECIPE Member

BEN FINK STEPHEN DANELIAN

A Lighter Stacy’s
Chocolate Chip Cake
Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pan
Flour, for dusting the pan

1 bar ( 4 ounces) German’s sweet chocolate

1 package ( 18. 5 ounces) plain butter recipe golden cake mix

1 package ( 3. 4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix

11/2 cups milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup ( 6 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly mist a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust it with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pan aside.

Break the German’s chocolate bar into four pieces. Finely grate the bar using a food processor or a hand grater (if you are using a food processor, insert the steel blade and drop the chocolate pieces into the processor one at a time). Set the grated chocolate aside.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil,
eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat
with an electric mixer on low speed until the
ingredients are incorporated, 30 seconds.
Stop the machine, fold in the grated German’s
chocolate and scrape down the side of the
bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the
mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 min-
utes longer, scraping down the side of the
bowl again if needed. Fold in the chocolate
chips. Pour the batter into the prepared
Bundt pan, smoothing the top with the rubber
spatula, and place the pan in the oven.

Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pan Flour, for dusting the pan

1 package ( 18. 5 ounces) plain butter recipe golden cake mix

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional) 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly mist two 9-inch (or one 13-by-9-inch) metal cake pans with vegetable oil spray, then dust them with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pans aside.

Place the cake mix, sour cream, oil, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated,

30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the mixture lightens and is smooth, 2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. Pour half of the cake batter into the 2 prepared cake pans, dividing it evenly between them. Smooth the tops with the rubber spatula.

To make the topping, combine the brown sugar, pecans (if using) and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spoon half of the topping over the batter in the cake pans. Pour the remaining cake batter over the topping in the two cake pans, dividing it evenly between them. Spoon the rest of the topping over the cake batter.

Place the pans in the oven side by side. Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the cake pans to wire racks and let the cakes sit until nearly cool, 20 minutes. Slice and serve the cakes while still a bit warm. Makes 16 to 20 servings.

Nancy’s Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon lavender or fennel seeds Salt and pepper, to taste

1 Costco rotisserie chicken

1 pound asparagus

2 cups Kirkland Signature™ Olive Oil 8 ounces Mountain Gorgonzola

7 ounces Bellwether Farms Fromage Blanc

14. 4 ounces Lincet Délice de Bourgogne 2 fresh La Brea Bakery baguettes

1 cup Kirkland Signature Balsamic Vinegar

2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed fresh herbs, chopped (optional)

2 cups olives

4 fresh tomatoes Fresh basil, mint or feta cheese Assorted fruit (optional)

Dry sausage, prosciutto, salami, and nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix the lemon juice, honey, lavender (or fennel seeds), and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Brush the chicken with this glaze and reheat in the oven for 10 minutes.

Trim the asparagus; spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of water and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Bake for about 10 minutes at 400 F ( 5 minutes if the asparagus is pencil thin), turning the asparagus once. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slice the cheeses and bread (cheese should always be served at room temperature; it has less flavor when cold). Fill 4 small bowls with about ½ cup of olive oil and ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar mixed with crushed garlic and any chopped fresh herbs you like for dipping bread, and put olives in a bowl.

Slice tomatoes about ¼-inch thick and drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and dipping oil. Julienne fresh basil or mint and sprinkle on top, or try some crumbled feta.

Serve the chicken, asparagus, bread and cheese plates and tomatoes, along with the bowl of olives and the individual bowls of dipping oil. You can also offer fruit, cured meats and/or nuts. Makes 4 servings. C