Chopped Italian Salad

1 head romaine lettuce (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch squares (about 3 quarts)
2-3 ounces sliced pepperoni, chopped
1/3 cup drained sliced pimientos (one 4-ounce jar)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup pepperoncini
1 1/2 cups drained, rinsed, and chopped canned artichoke hearts (one 15-ounce can)
3 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Mix together all ingredients except lettuce.  Top lettuce just before serving.

Pear Upside-Down Gingerbread Cake

3 peeled small pears, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 pound) 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine pears, 1 tablespoon ginger, and lemon juice. Coat a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Arrange pears in bottom of pan in a circular pattern.

Combine brown sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Beat in egg. Add buttermilk, molasses, and 1 tablespoon ginger; beat until well-blended. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through nutmeg). Add flour mixture to batter; stir until well-blended. Pour over pears. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pan 20 minutes on a wire rack. Place a plate sprinkled with powdered sugar upside down on top of cake pan; invert cake onto plate.

Serves 8

Calories 244 Caloriesfromfat 26% Fat 7.1g Satfat 1.5g Monofat 2.9g Polyfat 2g Protein 3.3g Carbohydrate 43.3g Fiber 1.2g Cholesterol 28mg Iron 1.7mg Sodium 323mg Calcium 66mg

Chocolate Pound Cake

3 cups flour

4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups sugar

1 cup butter

1/2 cup crisco

5 eggs

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk together dry ingrdients.  Cream butter, sugar and crisco.  Add eggs one at a time.  Mix milk with vanilla.  Alternate flour and milk, mixing well after each.  Begin and end with flour.  Bake in greased and floured pan at 325 degree for 90 minutes.

From Mom who told me it was from a neighbor when she was growing up.