Cookbooks

I love cookbooks.  I read a cookbook like people read novels.  I have a good collection of them and some are just plain useless and others I can't live without.  One that I can think of that is useless is one by Martha Stewart titled Martha Stewart's Dinner At Home.  Here is one meal from her summer menu collection:  Broiled Black-Pepper Tofu, Soy-Lemon Dipping Sauce, Soba Noodle Salad and Baked Apricots with Almond topping for dessert!  Yum...NOT!  The only use for this book is as a wedding gift for someone I don't like!  Yeah..I would do that. 
One of my favorite cookbooks is called Country Fair Cookbook.  I looked it up on amazon.com and you can purchase it there.  I highly reccomend it.  I have never been disapointed in any recipe I have tried from this book.  Tonight I baked mini cupcakes for Marlyee to take to her class tomorrow for her birthday.  I used a chocolate cake recipe that I had written ''good, real moist" in the margins.  Indeed it is most delicious!  I was too lazy to take pictures but I will share the recipe. 

Moist Chocolate Cake Supreme
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups warm water
2 1/4 cup flour
Combine sugar, cocoa, salt and oil in bowl; beat until well blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.
Combine baking soda and water.  Add flour to cocoa mixture alternately with soda mixture, beating well after each addition.  Pour batter into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan .  Bake in  350 oven 45 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes.  Remove from pan; cool on rack.  Frost with Chocolate Satin Frosting.  Makes 16 servings. 
**I have never removed it from the pan!***
Chocolate Satin Frosting
Combine 3 tbsp butter or regular margarine and 1/3 cup milk in 2 qt saucepan.  heat until butter melts.  remove from heat.  Sift together 3 cups sifted confectioners sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa.  Stir into hot mixture; beat until smooth.  Beat in 1 tsp vanilla.  Spread quickely on cooled cake.