10 Tbl. butter, softened (1 stick & 2 Tbl.)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tbl. light-colored corn syrup
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, beat together butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Mix in corn syrup. Add nuts and flour and mix well. Using a teaspoon free drop onto baking sheet 3" apart. Bake 9-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Slid cookies, still on parchment onto the counter top to cool. Repeat until all used. Makes 3 dozen.

The original recipe took a bit longer. I eliminated one step that appeared to make no difference in these cookies. The eliminated step called for the dough (which is about the consistency of thick cake batter) to be rolled in plastic wrap, frozen and sliced. By-passing this step has made no difference in the outcome of these cookies. For changes, use different nuts such as pecans or walnuts. Add a little cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice for flavor changes.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup melted butter
2 2/3 cups flaked coconut
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese softened
2 1/2 cups cold milk
1 pkg (6 oz.) vanilla instant pudding
1 container (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, 1/2 cup of the pecans and butter. Mix until flour is moist and crumbly. Press evenly into the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool completely. Toast remaining pecans and 2/3 cup of coconut on a baking sheet for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Beat cream cheese until very soft. Gradually add 1/2 l cup of milk and blend until smooth. Add remaining milk and pudding mix. Beat on low speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining coconut. Pour over crust. Stir whipped topping and spread evenly over pudding. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and pecans. Chill at least 2 hours. Cut into rectangles to serve. Makes 12 servings.

Changes - for the holidays eliminate the second 1/2 cup of pecans and don't toast the coconut. Sprinkle the coconut on after adding the whipped topping and sprinkle with red and green M&Ms or red and green maraschino cherries. This can also be done for other holidays using different colors of M&Ms i.e. pastel candies for Easter, red for Valentine Day, etc.

3 Tbl. butter or margarine
1 med. onion, chopped
3 Tbl. minced garlic
1 lb. ham, cooked & chopped
1 lb. lentils, cleaned and rinsed
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ham. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft 8-10 minutes. Add peas, broth, water, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until lentils are soft, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Makes about 3 quarts.

Changes - Use Polish sausage instead of ham. Add carrots and/or celery to veggie mix. Add chopped potatoes to beans about 20 minutes into their cooking time.

1 lb. shrimp, shelled
1 pkg (6 oz.) long grain & wild rice
1 med. onion, cut into thin strips
1/2 bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 tsp. Chef Paul Prudhommes Seafood Magic
(or any seafood seasoning you like)
1 Tbl. olive oil
1/4 cup almond slivers

In a large frying pan saute peppers and onions in olive oil. Remove from pan. Cook rice according to package. Add peppers and onions, seasonings, almonds and shrimp. Turn heat to medium and cover. Stir a couple of times and cook until shrimp are pink.

Changes - If you don't like shrimp this can be made with chicken, pork or beef. If I change the meat, I still use the seafood seasoning. It gives a flavor to the rice that is simply wonderful. The almonds give a little crunch but can be omitted.

12 frozen, unbaked dinner rolls, thawed
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 Tbl. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish. Evenly sprinkle apples over sauce. Mix pecans and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over apples. Cut dinner rolls in half. Place over sauce, cut side down. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter.

Changes - The only thing I would change in this would be to add a glaze made from powdered sugar and milk. The amount will depend on how much glaze you want or if you want to actually ice completely. If you decide to ice and want a quick method, use a container of pre-packaged cream cheese icing or make your own. I haven't tried it yet but I really think pineapple in place of the apples would be great!

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 cups chopped raw apples (about 3 large)
1 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup caramel chips
1 tsp. water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pour oil into a large bowl. Add sugar and eggs. Beat until creamy. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add allspice and beat until blended. Remove electric mixer and fold in apples and nuts. Pour into a tube pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake 1 1/2 hrs.

After removing your cake from the pan, melt caramel chips and water on med. high heat, stirring constantly. While cake is still hot, drizzle over cake. Before the caramel cools, sprinkle with chopped nuts and lightly press in.

Changes - This is one that worked perfect on my 1st attempt and the only changes I would suggest would be to change the nuts. You could change the spice to cinnamon or apple pie spice and you might even add some raisins but I don't think I would make too many other changes. It's too good as it is.

4 pork chops
2/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbl. garlic & herb seasoning, non-salt
1 egg
2 Tbl. water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking dish, with enough room to lay all 4 chops without touching, with non-stick spray. In one dish combine bread crumbs, cheese and seasoning. In another combine egg and water. Beat egg with water until well blended. Dip chops into egg mix and then bread crumb mix pressing crumbs into chops to coat heavy. Place in prepared dish. Bake 20 minutes or until chops are done and crumbs are browned.

These chops are so tender, moist and tasty. Changes can be made with the seasoning. You might want to use Italian blends or even Mexican blends of seasonings. This dish can also be made with chicken instead of chops.

1 frozen pkg spinach, thawed, liquid squeezed out
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 Tbl. minced garlic
1/2 cup shredded white cheese
2 tubes pizza crust
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Roll out pizza dough. Slice into 2" x 3" strips. Roll spinach mix into 1 - 1 1/2" balls. Place in the center of each crust square. Roll sides over to seal. Seal ends. Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray, seam side down. Cut a slit across the centers of each.

I used a coupon to buy what turned out to be some really wonderful spinach cheese appetizers. Even with the coupon they were still expensive. I won't give the brand but I will tell you that these are so close and so much cheaper.

1 pound cake (1 lb.)
1 orange (med. size)
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 Tbl. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Grate the peel from the orange and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the orange into a small saucepan. Add the cornstarch and mix until dissolved. On medium-high heat bring the juice to a boil. Boil for about 1 minute stirring constantly. Juice will thicken. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla and grated orange peel. Using a skewer poke holes into your cake. While sauce is still warm, drizzle over cake allowing to seep into cake. Serves 8 - 10.

Changes - Use lemon or tangarine instead of orange. Or you can use 1/4 cup of pineapple juice and very well drained crushed pineapple instead of orange. This cake can be made with homemade pound cake that has completely cooled or store bought pound cake. This makes it perfect for a quick dessert.

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 cup dried cherries or cherry flavored cranberries
1 Tbl. sugar
1/4 cup almond slivers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" springform pan with non-stick spray. Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Using your fingers, work butter into the cake mix until well blended. Stir in buttermilk, egg, vanilla and lemon peel. Fold in cherries. Spoon mixture into pan. With moistened hands, pat out the edges. Sprinkle with sugar. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove sides. Serves 8-10

Changes - use orange peel instead of lemon. Use raisins instead of cherries. Sprinkle cinnamon over sugar.

6 eggs
2 sticks butter
1 pkg. (7 oz.) coconut
1 box (12 oz.) vanilla wafers
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream eggs, sugar and butter. Add milk, coconut, nuts and CRUSHED vanilla wafers. Mix well. Pour into a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake 60 minutes.

I made a glaze of 3 oz. cream cheese which I microwaved for about 45 seconds to soften and 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. I poured this over the cake as soon as it came out of the oven.

This cake comes out moist and so good but it is rich. It can be made ahead and frozen. Place your cake in the freezer for a quick freeze. Cut in half and gently take out of baking dish. Wrap in parchment paper then place in a freezer bag. The parchment paper helps control the moisture.

Changes - Use a different flavor of wafers such as lemon or chocolate.

1 lb. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an 8 x 8 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray, evenly spread broccoli over bottom. Combine sour cream, cottage cheese, flour, butter and eggs. Beat in med. speed until well blended. Pour over broccoli. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake 50-60 minutes or until center is set.

This recipe came from a friend and is simply wonderful. My NJ son-in-law loved it. The texture has a light breading on top with a pie type texture inside. And yes you can make changes. Use asparagus or squash instead of broccoli.

3 Tbl. Minute tapioca
2 Tbl. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice
1 3/4 cups milk
1 egg, beaten
4 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a non-stick medium size saucepan combine tapioca, 2 Tbl. sugar and cinnamon. Stir in POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice, milk and egg. Let stand 5 minutes. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil. Remove from heat and stir in 4 tsp. sugar and vanilla. Cool 20-30 minutes. Stir and spoon into serving dishes. Serves 4

3 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbl. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbl. pumpkin pie spice
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and spice. In a large bowl beat eggs, butter and applesauce until well blended. Add flour mixture 1/3 at a time. Stir in nuts. Pour into a tube type pan sprayed with non stick spray. Bake 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The original recipe was sent to me by a friend. I increased the ingredients to make a larger bread. I also changed the spice to pumpkin pie spice because I love the blends and the flavor isn't quite as strong as using straight cinnamon. This "bread" comes out moist, not too sweet, nutty and goes great with a cup of coffee, especially if you toast a slice with just a little butter spread on while hot.

Changes - use chunky applesauce, change the spice.. allspice, cinnamon, apple pie spice or create your own blend. You can also bake your bread in loaf pans or muffin tins. Just remember to adjust your cooking time accordingly.

1 pkg yellow cake mix
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 9" cake pans with non-stick spray. In a large bowl ix cake mix, sour cream, water eggs and spices. Beat at low speed until all ingredients are moistened and then turn to high speed. Beat 2 minutes. Stir in pecans. Pour evenly into 2 cake pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
8 Tbl. evaporated milk

Heat butter in a heavy 1 qt. saucepan over medium heat until butter melts and it starts to turn amber in color. Stir frequently. Cool slightly. Combine butter, sugar, vanilla and cream in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed until frosting is smooth and spreadable. If the frosting is too stiff, add another tablespoon of evaporated milk.

Changes - The 1st time I made this I made a mistake. I used butter rum flavoring instead of the vanilla in the frosting. The flavor was too strong for my taste. The next time I used vanilla and I also increased the nutmeg to 1 tsp. I love the nutmeg flavor. You can experiment with your favorite spices to come up with the perfect flavor for you. You can also change the nuts to walnuts and have a wonderful spice cake. I've also tried adding about 1/4 tsp. of nutmeg to the frosting. This is a cake that you can easily add dried fruit to for added flavors. Raisins would be good or maybe dried cranberries.

Lemon Bars

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup cottage cheese
2 eggs
3 Tbl. lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 Tbl. flour
1 Tbl. grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer cream butter and brown sugar. Stir in flour and nutmeg. Pour into an 11 x 8 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake 15 minutes or until slightly browned. Place cottage cheese, eggs and juice into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Add sugar, flour and peel. Process until well blended. Pour over crust. Bake 30-35 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool in refrigerator for 1 hour. Cut into squares.

Changes - Of course you can add coconut. If you want a little tartness use key lime juice instead of lemon. Add raisins or nuts after pouring over crust. You can also make up a glaze of 1/2 cup powdered sugar mixed with lemon juice. And of course if you don't like nutmeg try allspice or cinnamon in the crust.

1 cup finely chopped onions
1 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
1 can (13 oz.) evaporated milk
2 egg yolks
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
1 lb. crab meat
1 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13x9x2" casserole dish with non-stick spray. In a large skillet melt butter. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir constantly for about 2 minutes. Add cream, soup and milk. Cook over medium heat until thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in crab meat. Pour into casserole dish. Cover with cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese has melted.

Changes - Yes you can use imitation crab meat. You won't get the exact flavor nor texture but believe me, it's still good. You can also add a little Old Bay to spice up the flavors or add chopped green bell peppers to the onions. This dish is rich in flavor and so good. Leftovers are still good the next day but the dish won't be as fluffy. You can also leave off the cheese and use this dish as a spread for party bread and crackers.

2 cups sugar
2 sticks of butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
4 cups cherrios
6 eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix sugar and butter until creamy. Crush cherrios until very fine. This can be done in a food processor or by placing them in a plastic bag and rolling with a rolling pin. Mix into butter mix. Add eggs 1 at a time mixing after each. Add milk and bananas. Mix well. Fold in nuts and coconut. Pour into a tube pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake 90 minutes.

This dish has a story. I found a recipe that used vanilla wafers in place of flour. I decided to add bananas to give it an even better taste. When I opened my box of vanilla wafers I found there were only a few left in the box. Since the oven was already preheating plus I really didn't want to go to the store for more wafers I decided to try using something else. That's when I spotted the box of cherrios. Why not? It was perfect! This cake comes out moist and full of flavor. It is very sweet so I've decided to cut the sugar content down to about 1 1/2 cups. Also, it doesn't rise but these measurements make enough batter to fill a tube type pan.

Changes - change the cereal. You can even use raisin type cereal but you may want to crush them with a rolling pin instead of the processor to keep the raisins from being ground.

4-6 boneless pork chops
1 Tbl. vegetable oil
1 packet butter flavored instant potatoes
1 cup shredded cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1/2 - 1 can (2.8 oz.) French fried onions
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Salt and pepper chops. In a large skillet heat oil and brown chops on both sides. In a large bowl mix together potatoes, cheese, soup, sour cream and milk. Pour into 1 1/2 - 2 qt. baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Place chops on top of potatoes. Bake 20-25 minutes or until chops are done and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with French fried onions and bake another 5 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Changes - The potatoes are perfect without the chops and make a wonderful side dish. You can use boneless, skinless chicken instead of the chops. If you want to make potatoes without chops, add some cooked, crumbled bacon for added taste. If you like potatoes you will love this dish!

2 graham cracker crusts
2 (3 oz. each) strawberry jello
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (10 oz.) sliced frozen strawberries (or fresh)
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar

Mix 1 pkg. jello with 1 cup of boiling water. Add 1/2 of the pineapple. Spoon 1/2 into each crust. Top each with 1/2 of the sliced strawberries. Refrigerate until firm. Blend sour cream, cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Spoon into 1/2 of sour cream mix into each well set crusts. Mix remaining pack of jello, boiling water and pineapple. Spoon over top of sour cream mix. Top with remaining strawberries. Refrigerate until set. Top with whipped topping and strawberry (optional).

Changes - change flavor of jello and/or fruit. I would think cherry jello with cherries, a scoop of whipped topping and a drizzle of chocolate might even be appealing.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices prosciutto ham
4 slices Provolone Cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 small onion, diced
1/4 cup chicken broth (or white wine)
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. can sliced mushrooms (drained)
1 Tbl. basil
1 tsp. lemon juice

Cut chicken breasts to form a deep pocket, not cutting all the way through. Bake, grill or broil the chicken until done. Cool chicken. Fold the cheese and wrap prosciutto around the cheese. Stuff into the pocket of the chicken. Secure with a toothpick. Set aside.
In a large frying pan melt butter on med. high heat until most of the "water" cooks out of the butter. Stir often and don't let your butter burn. Add onions and garlic to butter and saute on med. heat until done. Add chicken broth (or wine). Add salt, lemon pepper, mushrooms, lemon juice and basil. Cook 1-2 minutes. Place chicken in skillet. Spoon sauce over chicken. Cover with a tight fitting lid and turn heat to simmer. The dish is ready when the cheese has melted.

I went to an Italian restaurant the other day with a couple of friends and ordered a dish similar to this. My friends had both gotten their food but mine had not come out. The waitress came over to tell me it would be out shortly and told me how sorry she was that it was late and that she wasn't going to charge me. A few minutes later the chef came out bringing my meal. He to apologized and wanted to know if he could get me something else to make up for the delay. I asked for the recipe. The dish was well worth waiting for. Of course he couldn't give me the FULL recipe with measurements but did give me a list of the ingredients. I was on my own after that. This is the dish I came up with from his list of ingredients and the taste is so close. I made 3 changes in the ingredients. I changed the cheese to Provolone, I cut down the amount of lemon juice and I used chicken broth instead of wine. I served my dish over rice but it would be equally as good over pasta. Enjoy!

1 cup sugar cookie mix, dry type in box
2 cups blackberries
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick butter, cut into thin slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8" baking dish with non-stick spray. Evenly spread blackberries in the bottom of baking dish. Mix cookie mix and milk, should look like thin pancake batter. Pour over berries. Evenly top with butter. Bake 45 minutes or until sides are slightly browned.

Changes - Use strawberries, blueberries, peaches, cherries, etc. or use a blend of peaches & cherries, etc. If using cherries you might want to use chocolate cookie mix. Think with your taste buds on this one.

1 cup seasoned mashed sweet potatoes (refrigerator section)
2 cups corn flake cereal, crushed
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
12 large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray. Mix sweet potatoes, corn flakes and pecans until well blended. With your hands, wrap enough potato mix around each marshmallow. Place on foil. Bake 6 minutes.

If you like a little spice in your sweet potatoes, add just a touch of nutmeg or cinnamon. You can also add a little coconut or shredded pineapple that has been drained completely, you don't want to add any more moisture. To dry your pineapple, pour it into a strainer and with the back of a spoon press as much liquid as possible out of the pineapple. To get it even dryer, press it with a couple of paper towels. The towels will absorb the liquid. These are really good, they are pretty and not too sweet. Perfect as a side dish.

1 lb. broccoli chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup French fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine broccoli and soup and pour into a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with onions. Place back into the oven for another 10 minutes.

This is the "green bean casserole" dish made with broccoli. I love it with green beans so I thought it might be good with other veggies too and it is. For changes, before adding the onions, cover with cheese. Add sauted onions. Instead of topping it with cheese mix 1/2 cup of cheese into the soup mix. Use cream of broccoli soup instead of mushroom. Get brave and try this with other veggies. I would think that mixed veggies might even be good. Think with your taste buds.

1 cup chopped broccoli
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup self rising flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Cayene pepper
Oil for cooking

Mix all ingredients except the oil for cooking. Heat oil on med. high. Spoon fritters into hot oil, pressing with a spatula to flatten and brown on each side. Fry about 1-2 minutes on each side. Makes 8-10 fritters.

The original recipe used fresh corn cut off the cob. I changed that to broccoli and added the cheese and cayenne pepper. I also used self-rising flour and eliminated the baking soda. Now, for changes, use a small can of well drained corn, white or yellow. Use a small can of any pea that you might like, well drained. Or try changing the dish completely and use a can of well drained salmon instead of the veggies. If buttermilk isn't something you normally keep on hand use sour cream instead. Be creative with this one.

3 T butter or margarine
6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

Melt butter in a non-stick skillet on med. heat. Cook potatoes until barely tender and browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour milk over all. Boil gently until the milk is absorbed. Sprinkle with cheese and allow to melt. Stir and serve. Serves 6-8

This one is a fun one to work with and change. Brown ground beef and fold into the potatoes before serving. Saute and add onions and/or bell peppers. Change the cheese. Add garlic. Add cooked, cubed ham or chicken. How about some broccoli? If you like it with potatos and cheese, why not add it? I like to use a combination of beef, onions, peppers and garlic. Have fun with this one.

1 pkg (24 oz.) frozen, cubed sweet potatoes, thawed
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg or ground cloves
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
Marshmallows

Microwave sweet potatoes according to package (12 minutes). Mix all ingredients together using an electric mixer. Pour into a 2 qt. casserole dish. Top with marshmallows. Broil in oven until marshmallows are browned and melted, 2-3 minutes

This can be changed by using the different spices or by adding pineapple, coconut and/or nuts. I personally like using the nutmeg or ground cloves and adding chopped pecans.

2 pie crusts, unbaked (not deep dish)
2 T butter
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
3 T bell peppers, diced
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, drained and chopped
4 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1 1/2 cups Swiss cheese, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 (1 lb) pkg. imitation crab

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray 2 sheets of foil with non-stick foil. Line both crusts with the foil placing the sprayed side against the crust to prevent sticking. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. In the butter, saute onions, peppers and mushrooms. In a large bowl beat eggs. Add onions, peppers, mushrooms, sour cream and both cheeses. Arrange the imitation crab on the bottom of both crusts and pour mixture over the crab dividing evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting.

My friend Dusty loves my "crab" dishes and keeps telling me she will "work for food" so I make 2 of these and send one to her. This dish can be changed by using REAL crab meat but due to the strong taste and cost of the real thing, I prefer the imitation. If I were making this with real crab I would only use 1/2 lb. divided between both crusts. You can also change this by using shrimp, you can add some very well drained spinach. I would use 1 frozen pkg for both and make sure you get all of the water out before adding. An easy way to do this is to place the spinach onto 5-6 sheets of paper towels, rolling it up and twisting to remove the water. And of course, you can change the flavor by changing the cheese you use.

1 lb. Imitation crab, shredded, water squeezed out
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 pkg (16 oz.) shredded cheese
1 T pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 - 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

In a food processor (or by hand) chop crab until shredded. Add pepper and lemon juice and mix well. Add cheese and mix well. Blend in cream cheese. Add mayonnaise a little at a time until it's the thickness you like in a dip. If you like it firm add enough mayo for that thickness. If you like it thin, add enough for a thinner dip. Chill for about an hour and serve with crackers or chips. Make sure you squeeze as much water from your crab as possible or your dip will be too thin.

For changes, use well drained, water squeezed out salad shrimp (1 - 2 cans), add sliced olives (black or green), add chopped water chestnuts or chopped green onions. Using the imitation crab gives you the flavor of crab dip without the high cost.

1 (14 oz.) can salmon, drained and skinned
2/3 cup instant potatoes
2/3 cup boiling water
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp. chopped chives
1 egg
cooking oil

Mix instant potatoes and boiling water. Mixture will be thick. Mix sour cream into potatoes. In a large bowl combine potatoes, salmon, bread crumbs, chives and egg. Refrigerate at least 1 hr. This really works best if mixed up the night before cooking. Shape into patties. Heat oil on med. high. Place patties in hot oil, reduce heat to med. and browned on both sides. About 6-8 minutes on each side. If they start browning too quickly, reduce heat. You want the egg inside to cook completely. Makes 8 patties.

I found a recipe for salmon patties that used mashed potatoes and simplified it by using instant potatoes. I also added the sour cream and chives to give them added flavor. Dehydrated onions which would moisten back up while being refrigerated can also be used. I found, quite by accident, that making these the night before makes them easier to work with and enhances the flavor. I have also found that using tuna instead of salmon is also really good. This is a really moist patty due to, I'm sure, the potatoes.

1 can (71/2 oz) minced clams, drained
2 tsp. chopped parsley
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese softened
2 T mayonnaise
2 tsp. chopped onion
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
dash of hot pepper sauce

Combine all of the ingredients mixing well. Chill for several hours to blend the flavors. Serve with crackers or heavy chips.

With this recipe you can substitute minced shrimp for the clams. &If you don't like seafood, replace it with meats such as dried beef, corned beef (I use the small pkgs. found in the lunch meat section) or if you are a vegetarian, try minced ripe olives.

1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1 lb flounder
1/3 cup mayonnaise

In a shallow dish combine crumbs, cheese and salt. Brush both sides of fish with mayonnaise. Coat with crumb mixture. Arrange in single layer in shallow baking pan and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily.Serves 4

Changes - make this dish with any fish.

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled, divined
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 T minced garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
Hot Sauce to taste

Melt butter, saute garlic and add lemon juice and hot sauce. Arrange shrimp in a single layer in shallow pan. Pour garlic butter over shrimp and salt lightly (optional). Broil 2 minutes, turn shrimp and broil 2 more minutes.

This recipe can be changed by adding chopped green onion tops, a light sprinkle of seasoned bread crumbs, lime juice instead of lemon juice or use imitation crab meat in place of the shrimp. The shrimp can be used as an Appetizer, serving the juice for dipping. The shrimp and juice can be poured over rice and served as a Main Dish or serve the shrimp separately and serve just the juice over rice. Serves 4-6 (depends on how much you like shrimp).

8 oz. spaghetti
1 Tbl. minced garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1 can (14 3/4 oz.) boneless, skinless salmon
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup minced parsley
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into pieces
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup sliced black olives
salt to taste

Boil spaghetti according to package. In a large skillet heat oil. Add garlic and saute. Add salmon, broth, parsley, cream cheese, milk and salt. Heat on med. heat until cream cheese is melted and everything is well heated. Serve over spaghetti. Garnish with olives. Serves 4-6

This is a recipe that was entered on another site by a young man who is called CRS101271. It's his Salmon Linguine. I really liked it but wanted to make some changes. With his permission, this is what I came up with. I added the cream cheese and evaporated milk to give it a thicker, clinging sauce. I added the olives for color and taste. I put it over spaghetti simply because I was out of linguine. This dish has a wonderful taste. It was rated 9 by 3 of my food testers that were lucky enough to try it. But it's also a recipe that has possibilities. You can use clams or shrimp instead of salmon. You can add sauted onions and/or green peppers for an entirely different taste. This one is fun to play with. Thanks CRS101271 for allowing me to play with your recipe.

1 can (10 3/4oz.) cream of celery soup
1/3 cup milk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup flour
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Italian style with garlic stuffing mix (1 cup crushed)
2 T margarine
1 cup water
1/4 cup Italian blend cheese shredded
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix soup and milk in wide opening dish. Place the cup of crushed stuffing mix in a wide opening dish. Salt and pepper chicken. Lightly coat chicken with flour, dip in soup mix and then into crushed stuffing. Place in baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Place in oven and cook 20-25 minutes or until chicken is done. With remaining dressing mix margarine, water and cheese until moist (add more water 1 T at a time if needed). Place dressing mix in a small baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Place in oven with chicken. Dressing will need to cook 15-20 minutes.

This can be changed by changing the dressing and soup flavors. You might want to try regular dressing with cream of mushroom, cream of broccoli or cream of chicken soup. You can add finely chopped almonds or pecans to the dressing that goes on the chicken as well as the side dressing. You can add mushrooms or chopped broccoli to the side dressing. I haven't tried it yet but if you use cream of broccoli soup a little extra finely chopped broccoli might be good.

4 thin sliced pork chops
1 pkg. (6 oz.) stuffing mix
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 T butter or margarine
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
salt & pepper

Salt and pepper the pork chops. In a non-stick pan lightly brown the chops on both sides, cover with a lid and cook until completely done and tender. Mix stuffing mix, water and butter in a bowl. Pour into 8 x 8 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Place pork chops on top of stuffing, cover with soup and bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until soup is starting to bubble. Serves 4

This dish with a side salad and rolls makes a quick and easy meal. You can always spice it up by adding sauted onions, bell peppers and/or more mushrooms. You could even add a little celery to the stuffing or saute it with your other veggies. A little cheese sprinkled on top adds a twist to the flavor. I like to mix a little cheese in my stuffing, usually blends of Italian or Mexican. This dish can have you in and out of the kitchen in under 45 minutes. It's a tasty looking dish and is great for the working cook.

Made with leftover roast beef

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 onion, sliced into lengthwise strips
1/2 bell pepper, sliced into strips
4 Tbl. margarine
2 Tbl. flour
1 1/2 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups of leftover beef roast cut into thin strips
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cooked Rice

Lightly saute mushrooms, onions and peppers in margarine. Add flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Dissolve bouillon cubes in water and add to vegetables. Cook over med. heat until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add leftover beef. Heat thoroughly. Serve over rice.

Changes - Add a little garlic, use pork instead of beef. Serve over noodles instead of rice. Serve over toast. Make it a meal in one dish by adding cooked carrots, potatoes, celery. This makes a tasty, easy dish that will make you hope you have leftovers the next time you cook a roast.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 can (14.5 Oz.) diced tomatoes
2 cans (16 oz.) Kidney beans
1 pkg (1.25 oz.) dry taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup water

In a med. size pot crumble and brown the ground beef. Drain if needed. Add tomatoes, beans, taco seasoning and water. Simmer 30 minutes. Serves 6-8

In the old days, chili making was an all day event. You cooked dried beans and let your chili cook all day. Today, with canned beans and dry packaged seasonings, it's so easy to make great tasting chili in just a few minutes. If you like a mild chili use the dry package of chili mix but if you want a taste with a kick use the taco seasoning. I also like to use diced tomatoes that are fire roasted with garlic. This adds even more flavor. You can also add extras such as chopped onions and/or bell peppers but saute them before adding them to the pot. If you want a smoother texture in your chili use Pinto Beans instead of the Kidney Beans. This dish is ready to eat after 30 minutes of cooking but the flavor is even better the next day.

24 cocktail sausages
1 cup self rising flour
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan (small size muffin tins) with non-stick spray. Place 1 sausage in each tin. Mix flour, eggs, milk and cheddar. Mix will be consistency of cake batter. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon on top of each sausage. Bake 6 minutes or until slightly browned.

This recipe is named after a young lady who bought my cookbook. She and her mother have e-mailed me to tell me they have already made my Cracker Bars and will be making other dishes from my book Stir, Laugh, Repeat. I love to see young people learning to cook. For changes to this recipe you can add mustard to the batter, maybe add a few chives or dried onions. For serving I would use a dish of mustard and/or horseradish sauce. These are easy, quick and perfect for entertaining.

2 cups uncooked noodles
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1 jar (14-15 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 container (8 oz) cream cheese with chives & onion
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
3 T milk
1 box (9 oz.) frozen spinach, thawed, water squeezed out
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 2 qt. casserole pan with non-stick spray. Cook noodles according to package and drain. In a frying pan cook beef and Italian sausage until done, drain well. In a large bowl mix meat, spaghetti sauce and cooked noodles. In a medium size bowl mix cream cheese, sour cream and milk until smooth. In the bottom of the casserole dish evenly spread the cream cheese mixture. Top with spinach. Pour the beef noodle mix over the spinach. Cover with foil and bake 30-25 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese. Bake another 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

The noodles in this dish can be most any type but I've found that the "Fiori" noodles which look like small wheels or flowers are the best. Unlike some noodles they pick up all of the ingredients inside their little openings. This dish is easy to change just by using different flavors of spaghetti sauce or adding a few extra ingredients such as garlic, mushrooms or onions (I would saute the mushrooms and onions before adding). And if you don't like spinach I suggest you just try it once or put it on just half of the dish for those who do. The spinach adds just the perfect touch of flavor and makes the dish really pretty when served. Serve this with a salad and garlic bread and you have a great meal that really took no time to make. Serves 6

2 cups biscuit mix
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 lb. sausage, crumbled, browned and well drained
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix biscuit mix, egg and buttermilk until well blended. In your muffin tins sprayed with non-stick spray place 1 tablespoon of the bread mix into each tin. Top with cheese dividing it equally. Next add the sausage dividing it equally between the tins. Top with another tablespoon of bread mix. Bake 18 to 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins

This is a combination of meaty muffins and biscuits. Thus the name Muffcuits. I've tried this with paper cupcake liners. The liners were hard to peel away from the bread. You can still use liners but only if you spray them with the non-stick spray. This helps them to peel away easier but you won't have the golden browning like you will without liners. There are many changes that can be made. Change the meat to bacon or ham. Use cheese cubes instead of shredded. Change the dish completely by using fruit instead of meat. When doing this, add about 1/2 cup of sugar to your bread mix and sprinkle a little sugar over your fresh fruit such as peaches and apples. You can also mix up a quick drizzle to pour over the top by mixing 1/2 cup powdered sugar and just enough milk (start with 1/2 tsp.) to make the mixture thin enough to drizzle. To this you can add spices such as cinnamon when using apples. Have fun with this one.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 cup uncooked macaroni
1 med. onion chopped
1/2 bell pepper chopped
1 (16 oz.) jar Roasted Garlic Parmesan
1 Tbl. olive oil or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook macaroni according to package. Crumble and brown ground beef. Drain and remove ground beef from pan. Add olive oil or margarine, onions and peppers. Saute until tender. Add ground beef back to pan. Add Roasted Garlic Parmesan and mix. Place in a 2 qt. casserole dish and bake 20 minutes. Serves 6-8.

If you want something with flavor that's quick and easy, this recipe is for you. The flavor from the roasted garlic along with the onions and peppers make this a really tasty dish. Changes - add mushrooms, serve over spaghetti, add water chestnuts for a little crunch. This can even be done with ground chicken or turkey. It's simply good.

6 boneless pork chops (boiled until tender)
3 Tbl. flour
3 Tbl. margarine
2/3 cup pork chop broth (from boiling of chops)
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2/3 cup half & half (or 1/3 cup evaporated milk & 1/3 cup water)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 med. onion chopped into large chunks
1/2 bell pepper cut into large chunks
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbl. margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix broth, bouillon cubes and half & half in a small bowl. In a frying pan on med. heat melt 3 Tbl. of margarine, add flour and mix until blended. Gradually stir in broth mix, salt and pepper to taste. Stir constantly until thickened. It should be the consistency of gravy. Remove from the heat. In another frying pan saute onions and bell peppers in 1 Tbl. margarine. In a 2 qt casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray spoon a thin layer of sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese over sauce. Lay pork chops over cheese. Evenly spread onions and peppers over chops. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the onions/peppers. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes.

This is so good! And so easy! The dish turns out pretty. I serve it over rice spooning the sauce so it seeps down into the rice for flavor. Changes could be chicken instead of pork chops, add mushrooms with the onions and peppers. If you want to really make it simple, cut out the making of the sauce and use a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. It will be good but not as good as being made with the sauce. You can also add some chopped broccoli as another layer if you like. If you think with your taste buds, I'm sure you can come up with other additions.

3/4 cups chopped ham
2 3/4 cups water
2 Tbl. dehydrated onion
1 rib celery, chopped
4 med. potatoes, cubed small
2 cups milk
5 Tbl. instant roasted garlic potatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
extra cheese for garnish (optional)

In a large saucepan combine water, celery, dried onions, salt, pepper and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 min or until potatoes are tender. Add milk, ham and instant potatoes. Add cheese and stir until melted. Garnish with more cheese when served.

Changes - add some broccoli. If you don't want the garlic taste use plain instant potatoes.