/ Accesso Club Events

2023 Mother’s Day Recipe Contest

When it comes to things we love about our mom, “Cooking” invariably tops the list. This year on Mother’s Day, make your mom feel special, share her unique, original recipe and win a $50 Gift Card!

Contest Rules:

  • Recipe deadline is midnight May 14, 2023
  • All recipes must be original and not from a third party site or your own.
  • By submitting your recipe, you allow Accesso Club to use your submission for the newsletter, social media, and website
  • Anything considered offensive will not be displayed and will be excluded from the contest
  • The post with the most votes will determine the winner for a $50 Gift card
  • The voting Deadline is midnight May 17, 2023
  • The winner will be announced May 19, 2023
  • Contest open only to tenants of Accesso properties
  • Participants must work in an Accesso building
  • Participants must be Accesso Club registered members
  • Only votes from Accesso Club social media account followers will be counted

AND THE WINNER IS…

Entry #3:

Name: Cassandra Gomez
Company: IAT Insurance
Building: Park Plaza-Naperville
Mother’s Name: Maria Cruz
Recipe Name: Polverones (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

CONGRATULATIONS CASSANDRA!!!

ALL ENTRIES…

Entry #1:

Name: Kim Murray
Company: Accesso
Building: 10333 Richmond-Houston
Mother’s Name: Carole Kasper
Recipe Name: Chocolate Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

Chocolate Sheet Cake:
• 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped.
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed coffee or freshly boiled water.
Chocolate Frosting:
• 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 ounces (170g) quality dark chocolate, melted and cooled for 10 minutes
Sprinkles optional.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°(F). Generously spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside until needed.
1. In a large glass bowl, microwave the chocolate, butter, and oil in 30 second increments, stirring between each increment, until butter and chocolate are completely melted. Whisk smooth and set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine cocoa powder, both sugars, flour, baking soda, and salt until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, yolk, sour cream, milk, and vanilla, beating until well combined.
4. Pour in the chocolate mixture and stir until combined. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Carefully add in hot coffee (or water) and let sit for 1 minute. Then gently stir until completely combined. The batter will be very thin.
6. Pour batter into pan and smooth the top. Bake in preheated oven for 38 to 45 minutes, or until wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
7. Place cake on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool, spread frosting on top of cake.
For the Chocolate Frosting:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-speed until completely smooth. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar, beating until all of the sugar is completely combined. Add in the salt, cream, and vanilla extract and beat smooth.
2. Add in the melted chocolate and beat smooth. Once all of the ingredients have been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a minute.
3. Spread frosting on top of the cooled cake. Top with chocolate sprinkles or pecans.

Entry #2:

Name: Robert Mathson
Company: Ballard Spahr
Building: IDS Center-Minneapolis
Mother’s Name: Vera Mathson
Recipe Name: Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup salad oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 15oz canned Libbys pumpkin
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 package cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp cream or milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 cups powered sugar
  • 3/4 stick of butter

Directions:

Mix 4 eggs, salad oil, 2 cups sugar and one can Libbys pumpkin in a large bowl and beat well. Sift in the following flour, baking soda , soda , salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and mix well.

Pour into a greased 9×13 floured pan or larger pan if want thinner bars. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes .

After bars are cooled make frosting.
Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and milk or cream together until soft. Add powered sugar too desired consistency for spreading. I find 4 cups powered sugar is perfect.

Note : This recipe also works fabulous to make pumpkin muffins ( don’t even need the frosting) or pumpkin bread . Do not freeze the Pumpkin bars

Entry #3:

Name: Cassandra Gomez
Company: IAT Insurance
Building: Park Plaza-Naperville
Mother’s Name: Maria Cruz
Recipe Name: Polverones (Mexican Wedding Cookies)

Ingredients:

  • 4 ½ Cups Flour
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons Cinnamon
  • 2 sticks soft butter
  • 1 Cup soft shortening
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Melt butter and shortening together in a bowl. In a larger bowl mix all dry ingredients; Sugar, cinnamon and flour. Beat egg separately and add vanilla to it while you are beating. Add egg mixture to melted butter and shortening and mix slightly. Once all liquid is mixed together, add to bowl of dry ingredients. Dough will have to be worked with fingers as it becomes slightly crumbly. The shortening will continue to keep it moist as you work it. Roll into balls about teaspoon full for smaller cookies. Press down with fingers making lumpy look to cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Oven times vary. You want to bake your first batch until the bottoms are golden brown. Then bake remainder batch based on that oven time. You want cookie to be crisp not soft. While the batch is baking, place another cup of sugar and another 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon on to a plate. Mix them together. Once the cookies are out of the oven, cool them slightly then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Don’t put them into the mixture too soon or the sugar will melt. Yields 3 dozen.

Entry #4:

Name: Elisha Johnson
Company: Brown & Brown
Building: IDS Center-Minneapolis
Mother’s Name: Brenda
Recipe Name: Mom’s Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

  • 3 C sugar
  • 1 C salad oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1-1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 T. nutmeg
  • 3-1/3 C flour
  • 2 tsp soda
  • 2 C pumpkin – 1 can
  • 1-1/2 C raisins (soaked in hot water 10-15 min before using)
  • 2/3 C water (use raisin water after soaking raisins)

Directions:

Mix moist ingredients, then dry, add pumpkin and water
Bake at 350 degrees in a loaf pan until center is no longer gooey

For a few generations, my family made it in small metal coffee cans/tin cans. Fill about 2/3 full so it has room to expand. I wish I had more directions on this process! Guessing you could check it with a toothpick, but the bread just stays so moist and it’s one of my favorite things from my childhood!

Entry #5:

Name: LisA Knust
Company: Tri Pointe Assurance
Building: Atrium at Park Ten-Houston
Mother’s Name: Donna Findley
Recipe Name: Chicken Spaghetti

Entry #6:

Name: Sarah Gomez
Company: Lathrop GPM
Building: IDS Center-Minneapolis
Mother’s Name: Joy
Recipe Name: Cherry Winks

Ingredients:

  • 2 ¼ cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
  • 2 2/3 cups corn flakes, crushed to 1 1/3 cups
  • 15 maraschino cherries, cut into quarters

Directions:

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Stir in milk and vanilla. Add flour mixture. Mix until well combined. Stir in nuts and chopped cherries. Portion dough using level tablespoon. Shape into balls and roll in crushed corn flakes. Place about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Top each with a cherry quarter. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove immediately from baking sheets. Cool. Makes about 5 dozen.

Entry #7:

Name: Amanda Campbell
Company: Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company
Building: Innovation Park-Charlotte
Mother’s Name: Sandra Small – late
Recipe Name: Chocolate Pie

Ingredients:

Makes 2 regular pies or 1 deep dish pie

  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 eggs-separated
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 4 tbsp flower
  • 1 cup sugar

Directions:

Use pie crust directions to preheat oven.
1-mix all ingredients together in a double boiler – *Except egg whites
2-slowly, cook and stir constantly until thickened
3-pour in browned pie crusts
4-use mixer to make meringue (1tbs sugar to each egg white, until stiff peaks form
5-bake on pie crust temp until the meringue is golden brown

Entry #8:

Name: Kelly Huntsinger
Company: Wells Fargo Bank
Building: Innovation Park-Charlotte
Mother’s Name: Nell Wallace
Recipe Name: Strawberry Pudding

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries about 32 oz
  • 1 3 oz package strawberry jell-o
  • 2 3.4 oz packages instant vanilla pudding
  • 3 cups cold milk
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 box vanilla wafers
  • 1 8 oz Cool Whip

Directions:

Place strawberries in saucepan and sprinkle with dry jell-o powder. Stir gently to evenly coat berries. Heat over medium to low heat until jell-o is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl beat together milk, sour cream and dry instant vanilla pudding until well combined. Fold in half of the Cool Whip.
In a glass bowl make layers in this order, vanilla wafers, half of the pudding mixture and half of the strawberry mixture. Repeat layers once more. Top with remaining half of the Cool Whip.
Cover and chill overnight.
At serving time, garnish with additional whole or sliced strawberries if desired.

Entry #9:

Name: Crystal Ray
Company: Wells Fargo
Building: Innovation Park-Charlotte
Mother’s Name: Sandra Ray
Recipe Name: Blackberry Wine Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1 cup of Manischewitz Blackberry Fruit Wine
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 box blackberry jello or wild berry jello
  • Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons Blackberry Wine

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees
Mix cake mix and jello powder
add 4 eggs, oil and wine mix until blended, dont over mix
Place in greased bundt pan
bake 35-45 minutes
remove from pan, while warm pour glaze over the cake, garnish with fresh blackberries.

Entry #10:

Name: Evelyn Ostheimer
Company: Equitable
Building: Innovation Park-Charlotte
Mother’s Name: Margaret Nielson – late
Recipe Name: Grandma’s Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 c flour
  • 1 c sugar
  • 3 T cocoa
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1 c water
  • 1/2 c oil
  • 1 T vinegar
  • raisins, optional

Directions:

Sift and mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together. Combine the two mixtures by hand, do not use an electric mixer. Add raisins if using. Bake in a 9×13 pan at 350 for 25-35 mins.

Can top with Grandma’s Mocha Frosting:
1 T butter
1 T cocoa powder
1 c Confectionary sugar
2 T strong coffee
1/2 t vanilla
Cream all together.

Entry #11:

Name: Robert Graham
Company: Accesso
Building: 1776 Yorktown-Houston
Mother’s Name: Dolores
Recipe Name: Mom’s Pinto Beans

Ingredients:

  • Small bag of pinto beans
  • Water
  • 2 ham hocks
  • Small Salt Pork
  • 1 can Rotel (pick from mild, regular, and Hot)
  • 2 garlic cloves, large dice
  • Some jalapenos if desired
  • 1 can of refried beans
  • Cilantro leaves 1/2 to 1 cups as desired

Directions:

  • Check beans and rinse.
  • Put beans in large pot and cover with 2 inches of water.
  • Boil the beans for 5 minutes then set aside for one hour. This helps dissolve the starch that will reduce “intestinal rumbling”.
  • Add the ham hocks, salt pork, and can of Rotel chopped garlic.
  • Set stove on low with the lid slightly open and cook until tender. Check regularly as it may cook for a few hours. If water reduces too much from boiling, add very Hot Water slowly to cover the beans. Cold water will split the beans. If has too much water, use a latel and put in a bowl. Set aside just in case you need to add more back.
  • Beans are done when you can squeeze between finger and thumb gently.
  • Remove ham hocks and cut meat into bite-size. Toss the bones, they did their job.
  • Remove salt pork, cut off any meat and toss the rest.
  • Take the can of refried beans, put in a pan or microwave with some bean juice. Warm up and stir until creamy.
  • Add to beans and slowly mix.
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Add the Cilantro at the end.

Entry #12:

Name: Melissa Grabowski
Company: Wells Fargo
Building: Innovation Park-Charlotte
Mother’s Name: Denise
Recipe Name: Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 Cups Italian Breadcrumbs
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
  • 1 LB Cubed Chicken
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1-2 Cups Shredded Lettuce
  • 1-2 Cups White Rice
  • Green Onion (Optional for extra flavor)
  • 1.5 Cups Water
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
  • 1 TBLS & 1/4 TSP Cornstarch
  • 1 TBLS Soy Sauce

Directions:

  • Sauce: ½ cup water, ½ cup sugar 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1 TBLS & 1/4 tsp cornstarch, 1 TBLS soy sauce.
  • Mix all in pan before you turn heat on.
  • Cook on medium low, until sauce thickens.
  • Start rice + TB oil (2cups water for every 1 cup rice) high heat to a boil, then turn heat to low & cover. 20- 25 min
  • Add breadcrumbs and additional seasons if you’d like, including Parmesan cheese (I usually add about a half cup) to a bowl and mix well.
  • Cut chicken into small chunks & mix into bread crumb mixture. Cook in air fryer (spray chicken with spray oil before cooking) on 350° for 9-14 minutes depending on how small cubes chicken is, flip halfway through. Or you can pan fry in oil or butter, on a medium heat. Similarly flipping halfway through. Ensuring there is enough butter/oil to crisp the breadcrumbs.
  • Cut lettuce (shredded)
  • Cut pepper into thin strips and dice green onions – cook in olive oil or butter, cook on low until peppers are al dente (partially cooked, but still somewhat crisp).
  • Once chicken, rice and sauce is done cooking, layer rice, lettuce, peppers/onions and chicken. Pour sauce over all ingredients (as much as you’d like) and squeeze lemon over top that.

This was a recipe my Mom and I concocted when I was a little girl. She has since passed away, but my family makes this often in her memory. Delicious summer meal!

Entry #13:

Name: Catherine Clark
Company: Accesso
Building: Encore Commons-Alpharetta
Mother’s Name: Jackie Stewart
Recipe Name: Meatloaf

Ingredients:

  • 1.25 lbs. ground meat
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
  • 1/4 tsp. celery salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 8 oz. canned diced tomatoes w/juice
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup Ketchup
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Stone Ground Mustard

Directions:

Mix all meatloaf ingredients thoroughly in a bowl with hands to combine. Shape into a loaf in a 9×13 pan leaving edges clear.

Mix topping ingredients and spread on top.
Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for one hour.