Chocolate Oatmeal Cake and Pasties Recipes

By request of Jessica, here are the recipes for Chocolate Oatmeal Cake, and Pasties. Enjoy!

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake is pretty much the favorite in our household! Almost everyone asks for it for their birthday! =)

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake
3 3/8 cups hot water
2 1/4 cups oatmeal
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
3 jumbo eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/8 tsp. salt
9 Tbsp. cocoa

Pour hot water over the oatmeal and let stand. Cream the sugar and butter. Beat the eggs into creamed mixture. Sift flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, then stir in the oats; beat well. Turn into a greased and floured 9x13x2" cake pan. Bake at 350* for 35 minutes.

Pasties are also a family tradition! They are my favorite food, and many of my family's as well. They're a Finnish recipe, and we got them from my dad's side of the family. They're really good! We usually make one pasty per person, which is half of a pie. Not everyone always eats that much, but leftovers are good! We usually get a lot of helpers when making them as well, to do all the chopping. I've included the recipe we use for pie crust as well.

Pasties
Inside per pasty:
1/4 lb ground beef
1/2 cup diced carrots (quite small)
3/4 cup cubed potatoes (larger)
1/4 cup diced onions (optional)
salt and pepper

Put in half of the potatoes, salt, half of carrots, salt, half of meat, salt, pepper, then repeat. Finally sprinkle on onions. Close crust (1/2 of pie). Crimp. Bake at 350* for 1 hour. Serve with ketchup.

Never Fail Pie Crust

3 cup white flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. ice water
1 beaten egg
1 Tbsp. vinegar

Place flour and salt in mixer bowl. Cut shortening into flour until mixture is the size of peas. Remove 1 cup of mixture, and place in medium size bowl. Add water, egg, and vinegar. Stir with a fork. Add to the mixture in mixer bowl, and mix just until dough stickers together.Divide dough into four equal portions. Place one portion in the center of a 12x15 inch piece of waxed paper. Place another piece of waxed paper on top. Roll with rolling pin to 1/4 inch thick. Remove top sheet from dough. Crimp edges of crust.
*For an unfilled pie shell, prick dough with a fork every 1/4 inch. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
**Freeze unused portions of dough either in balls or rolled out and placed on cardboard to keep flat.

Hope you enjoy!