Don Strange Triple Chocolate Cake

Cake:

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box devil's food cake mix

• 1 (3.5 ounce) box non-instant chocolate pudding and pie filling mix

• 3 Eggs

• 3/4 Cup Water

• 1/4 Cup Evaporated Milk

• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

• 2 Tablespoons Chocolate Syrup

• 1/2 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Frosting:

• 2 (3 ounce) Packaged Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature

• 1/2 Cup (1 ½ sticks) Margarine

• 1 Pound Powdered Sugar

• 3/4 Cup Cocoa

• 1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla

• 5 Tablespoons Evaporated Milk

• 1 Tablespoon Chocolate Syrup (more if desired) 

To make cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cake pan. (3 – 8” pans for a layer cake or a Bundt pan. Adjust baking time accordingly, following the baking directions on the cake box.)

Combine cake mix, chocolate pudding mix, eggs, water, evaporated milk, oil, and chocolate syrup together in a bowl with an electric mixer. Beat at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into greased pan. Bake on the middle rack of a preheated oven according to directions on box, or until tester (toothpick or wooden skewer) comes out clean. Set on a rack to cool. Remove from pan after 15 minutes and cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting: Blend cream cheese and margarine together until soft and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients until well incorporated. Spread on cooled cake.

Don's Original Fried Jalapeño

• 1 Jar Pickled Jalapeño Peppers

• 1 Cup Corn Meal

• 1 Cup Flour

• 2 Teaspoons Seasoned Salt

• 1 Cup Milk

• 1 Pound of Grated Monterrey Jack Cheese

1. Slit jalapeños and remove seeds while leaving the stems on.
2. Dry peppers.
3. Combine corn meal, flour, and salt.
4. Stuff peppers with cheese and close by pressing the sides together.
5. Dip peppers in milk and roll in corn meal mixture until it adheres to the pepper.
6. Set aside on wax paper.
7. Heat  2 cups oil in 2 quart pan until it is at frying temperature.
8. Drop peppers in oil and turn frequently until light golden brown.
9. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel.