Sour cream cakes are a dime a dozen, but using, German-style quark (a low- or nonfat fresh cheese that tastes like a combination of sour cream, yogurt, and cream cheese) takes this ordinary chocolate cake into the realm of the memorable. It's fudgy, yet slightly easier on your conscience. If you can't find quark, which is available in some supermarkets, you can make this cake with sour cream. Since this is a three-layer cake, plan to serve a lot of people or to have a lot of leftovers. This cake is best eaten the day it's made, though it will hold, covered, for twenty-four to forty-eight hours at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.

To make the frosting:
In a medium-size saucepan, heat the cream and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the chocolate and stir until it is thoroughly melted. Remove from the heat, cover, and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Using an electric mixer, mix the butter on medium-high speed until it is smooth and creamy. Turn the mixer to medium-low and add half of the chocolate mixture along with the vanilla. Mix well. Add the remaining chocolate mixture and mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside until it hardens slightly, to become a spreadable consistency, 1 to 2 hours. (Or, you can refrigerate the frosting for about 30 minutes, or until it becomes thickened and spreadable. Bring it to room temperature before frosting.)
To make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously grease three 9-inch round cake pans. Cut a piece of waxed paper to fit the bottom of each pan and place inside the pans. Grease the waxed paper, and dust the pans with cocoa powder until well coated. Set aside.
In a small heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over the 1/2 cup cocoa. Stir until the mixture is very smooth, and set aside to cool.
Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler or in a stainless-steel bowl set over a pan of hot, but not boiling, water. Stir occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat.
Into a medium-size bowl, sift together both flours, the baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups of the sugar and beat until well blended, about 5 minutes. Beat in the whole egg and egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in the cooled cocoa mixture until very smooth, scraping down the sides as you go. Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the melted chocolate, beating until well incorporated. Add the vanilla. Turn the mixer to low and add half the dry ingredients. Then add the quark, mix well, and add the rest of the dry ingredients. Beat until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a copper or stainless-steel bowl, and using clean beaters, beat the egg whites at high speed. When frothy, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks, 5 to 6 minutes.
Using a large rubber spatula, fold about 1 cup of the chocolate mixture into the egg whites. Then gently fold that mixture back into the chocolate mixture, just until the egg whites are well incorporated. Do not overmix.
Distribute the batter evenly among the pans, and bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Cakes are done when the tops are just beginning to crack and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it. Let cool on a rack for about 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.
To assemble:
Place the first layer on a serving plate and frost the top only. Place the second layer on top of the first and frost the top. Repeat with the top layer. Spread the remaining frosting along the sides until the cake is completely covered with frosting. Cut and enjoy!


Cocoa Cake

Ingredients
2 cup flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp cocoa
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp soda


Directions
COMBINE FLOUR, SUGAR, SALT AND COCOA IN A LARGE BOWL. MIX IN A SAUCE
PAN, WATER, OIL AND BUTTER. BRING TO A BOIL. POUR INTO DRY MIX AND
BEAT UNTIL SMOOTH. ADD BUTTERMILK, EGGS AND SODA. BEAT; BATTER WILL
BE THIN. POUR INTO WELL GREASED JEELY ROLL PAN. COOL ON A WIRE RACK;
WHILE STILL A LITTLE WARM, FROST WITH ROCKY ROAD FROSTING (SEE RECIPE
ON PAGE XX).

Cut each chicken into 16 squares. In a bowl combine the yogurt, salt, tumeric, mustard, curry powder, cardamom and lemon juice, add the chicken and mix well and let stand for a few hours. Thread on skewers 2 chicken pieces, 1 slice of onion, 2 chicken pieces, 1/2 tomato. Repeat till all ingredients are used. Cook slowly, turning occasionally and brushing with the marinade, over hot coals until the chicken is tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a hot platter, sprinkle with lemon juice and garnish with fresh tomatos, green pepper rings and fresh mint or parsley.

Red Barbecue Sauce

Without a doubt, the red or tomato-based barbecue is the most popular. It can be made with ’most any tomato product (ketchup, tomatoes, puree, or paste). Then vinegar or citrus is added for tartness. After that, sweetness, heat, and spices are added, depending on preference.

There are a couple of things to remember when making this sauce. You want to cook the sauce for about 30 minutes to eliminate any raw tomato taste. This includes ketchup. Cooking will also help dissolve and blend any sweeteners you add.

If you use alcohol in the sauce, reduce it by at least half by cooking it over medium-high heat. You only want the flavour.

Make sure you make this sauce at least a day ahead so that all the flavours have time to mellow and meld together.

The ingredients below are enough to make about 3 cups.

2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp sorghum molasses
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Barbecue Beans

Ingredients
3 tsp canola oil
2 can pinto beans, rinsed & - drained
3 medium onions, 2 chopped, 1 sliced
2 large green bell peppers, diced
4 each garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp prepared mustard
2 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
8 oz tomato sauce
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp hot sauce
2 cup vegetable broth


Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat 2 ts of oil in skillet. Saute chopped onion, garlic and green
peppers until onions are lightly browned, about 10 mins.

Add all the other ingredients except sliced onions.

Pour mixture into lightly oiled roasting pan using the remaining 1 ts
of oil.

Arrange sliced onions on top. Bake for 1 hour uncovered. The beans
should look nice and brown.