Chocolate Sheet Cake (Brownie Like)

From Bobbi:

Chocolate Sheet Cake

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/2  tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. cocoa
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1 c. boiling water
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

-Mix together flour, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
-Melt the butter in a pan and add the cocoa.  

-Mix the butter and cocoa well, then add boiling water and let the mixture boil for just a       minute.  

-Remove from heat and mix this in with the flour mixture.

-In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, egg, baking soda, and vanilla.  

-Next, stir this into the chocolate and flour mixture to complete the cake batter.

-Pour into greased and floured cookie sheet (13"x 18") and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Icing:
1/2 c. + 6 TBS butter (equal to 1 and 3/4 stick of butter)
1/4 c. cocoa
6 TBS milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 - 3 1/4 c. powdered sugar

Melt butter in a saucepan, and then add cocoa.  Whisk well until there are no lumps (on low heat). Remove from heat and pour over top of powdered sugar in a bowl or electric mixer.  Add vanilla and milk, and then beat well so there are no lumps.  Poor over the top of the warm (BUT NOT HOT!) cake.

A LITTLE LESS FROSTING:
10 Tbs. Butter (1 stick + 2 Tbs.)
3 Tbs. Cocoa
5 Tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. powdered sugar

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

6 Tbs. chopped onion
4 Tbs butter
Approx. 4 cups cooked butternut squash
3 c. water
1 tsp. chicken bouillion
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/8 tsp. red pepper (cayenne pepper)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 oz. cream cheese

1. Cook butternut squash.  I recommend peeling it, then cubing it into about 1 1/2" cubes.  I then cook it in the instant pot for 5 minutes.
2. Saute onions in butter.
3. Take half of the squash and add it to the blender with 1 1/2 cups water and the cooked onions. Blend well.  Poor into a large soup pot.
4. Put the remaining squash into the blender as well as the boiullion, marjoram, red pepper, salt, pepper, cream cheese, and other 1 1/2 c. of water.  Blend until smooth.  Add this to the soup pot with the other squash mixture previously blended.
5.  Stir all together.
6.  Simmer about 10 minutes.
7. Serve with ritz or saltines and enjoy!

Notes: The original recipe called for 8 oz. cream cheese and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.  This was way too much cayenned for my family, and I felt the full cream cheese made the soup tast too much like cream cheese and not enough like squash.  The cream cheese does give a very smooth texture though.

Cook butternut squash.  I recommend peeling it, then cubing it into about 1 1/2" cubes.  I then cook it in the instant pot for 5 minutes.

Saute the onions in the butter.