Dear Abby’s Chocolate Cake

½ cup margarine    3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 cup water    2 cups sugar

2 cups flour    2 tsp. vanilla

1 ¼ tsp. baking soda    1 cup sour cream

2 eggs    1 tsp. salt

Directions:  Grease and flour 8” cake pans.  Combine chocolate, margarine, water in 

double boiler and melt. Cool.  Sift flour, soda, salt into bowl and set aside.  

Beat eggs with sour cream until blended, beat in sugar, vanilla.  Stir in cooled 

chocolate mixture. Beat in flour mixture, half at a time, until smooth.  Pour evenly 

into pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Check with toothpick.

Comment:  The go-to chocolate cake.

Chicken & Mushrooms in Phyllo

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved crosswise

1 lb. sliced mushrooms ½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup margarine 2 T. sour cream

2 T. Sherry ½ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper Dash ground nutmeg

16 slices phyllo dough ¾ cup melted margarine

8 slices Swiss cheese

Directions:  Pound chicken breasts until even thickness.  Saute sliced mushrooms 

and onion in margarine in large skillet.   Stir in sour cream, Sherry, salt, pepper, and 

nutmeg.  Divide mixture on chicken breasts and roll up. 

Place two sheets phyllo dough on work surface.  Brush one side with melted 

margarine.  Fold in half.  Brush exposed dough with margarine.  Place rolled chicken 

breast and one piece cheese at short end of phyllo; fold edges in and roll up.  

Repeat with remaining phyllo and chicken.  Place seam sides down in shallow, 

greased baking dish.  Brush tops with melted margarine.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35-

45 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Serve plain or with gravy.

Comment:  Phyllo dough dries out quickly.  Be sure to keep dough covered with 

damp cloth while preparing other ingredients.  Feel free to add more cheese – 

whatever kind you like.  

Very good, very filling.  A Becky Sensky favorite.

Lemon Ricotta Waffles

1 ½ cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt

3 T. sugar 1 T. fresh lemon zest

1/3 cup unsalted butter 2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla 3 T. lemon juice

½ cup Ricotta cheese ¾ cup water or milk

2 tsp. poppy seeds (optional)

Directions:  In a medium bowl, which together flour, baking powder, baking soda, 

and salt.  Set aside.  

In a small bowl, rub together granulated sugar and lemon zest until the sugar is 

scented with lemon.  Add the lemon sugar to the bowl with the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, ricotta and 

water/milk.  Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and stir to 

combine.  Add poppy seeds if desired.  Try not to over mix the batter.  Okay to have 

Heat waffle iron.  Dollop batter into the waffle iron and cook until golden brown.  

Serve immediately.

Comment:  Small batch.  Usually double the recipe.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine/butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup sugar 2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla 1½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

3 cups Quaker Oats, uncooked

1 cup raisins or chocolate chips

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat together margarine and sugars until 

creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.  Add combined flour, baking soda, 

cinnamon, and salt; mix well.  Stir in oats and raisins or chocolate chips.  Drop by 

rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until 

golden brown.

Comment:  

French Toast

4-6 pieces bread  3 eggs

½ cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla

Touch cinnamon powdered sugar

Maple syrup

Directions:  Spray flat griddle with cooking spray.  Place the griddle over medium 

heat.

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Stir together with 

a wire whisk.  Dip each piece of bread in the bowl and be sure to coat both sides with 

the batter.   Place the bread on the griddle.  Cook for about 3 minutes for the first 

side and 2 minutes for the second.  Each side will be golden brown when ready.  Top 

with powdered sugar and maple syrup. 

Comment:  This is Michael’s recipe!  The better the bread, the better the toast.