Cinnamon Rolls

Oven 350°
Makes 36

2½ cups warm water
½ cup oil
¾ cup eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup powdered milk
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
9½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup butter, melted
Sugar and cinnamon

Place water, oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk powder in a large mixing bowl and stir vigorously until milk is dissolved. Sprinkle yeast on liquid mixture and add sugar, salt and flour. Put in mixer with dough hook and mix for 10 to 15 minutes. Let rise until double in size. Divide dough in half and roll each half into rectangle shape. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll up rectangle length-wise and cut into one-inch slices. (This is most easily accomplished by sliding a string or thread under the roll of dough and bringing the ends together across the top until it cuts through the roll of dough.) Grease a cookie sheet or line with wax paper. Place rolls on cookie sheet and allow to rise until double in size. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes. After baking, let cool slightly before frosting. Frost with Powdered Sugar Icing or Butter Cream Frosting.

Butter Cream Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
½ cup butter, softened
6 – 8 tablespoons cream or evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Add butter and 3 tablespoons of the cream. Blend on low speed until mixed. Slowly add the rest of the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until creamy and smooth, but not at all runny. Add vanilla and mix again.

Empanadas de Horno

Oven 400º
Makes 36

Masa:
7 cups flour
2/3 cup milk
1¼ cup warm water
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
½ cup oil
egg

Pino:
2 lbs. ground beef
2 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cilantro
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup flour for thickening
1 cup water
5 hard-boiled eggs, divided into eighths
36 olives
144 raisins

Prepare pino by browning ground beef, onion and seasonings. Add flour and water to thicken. Let cool. (It's best to prepare this the day before and refrigerate overnight.) Mix the ingredients for the masa together in a bread mixer. Place in a plastic bag and let rest for 20 minutes. Divide dough into quarters keeping the ones your are not working with in the plastic bag. Divide one quarter of the dough into ninths and roll each into a circle. Fill with 2 T. pino, 1/8 egg, 1 olive and 4 raisins. Fold over dough and seal with water. Place onto a greased cookie sheet. Brush with egg. Bake at 400º for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with egg again. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes more.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Oven 350°
Makes 48 cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1¼ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 large package instant vanilla pudding
1 teaspoon vanilla
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream together butter, eggs brown sugar and instant pudding. Then add the vanilla, flour, salt and soda. Fold in the chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 9 minutes.

Crusty French Bread

Oven 375°

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons salt
3 to 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
Cornmeal
1 egg white
1 teaspoon cold water

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until blended. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 – 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down; return to bowl. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a loaf 16 in. long x 2½ in. wide with tapered ends. Sprinkle a greased baking sheet with cornmeal and place loaf on baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes.

Beat egg white and cold water; brush over dough. With a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes 2 in. apart across top of loaf. Bake at 375° for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to wire rack to cool.

Fresh Apple Cake

Oven 350º

6 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups chopped apple (no need to peel them)
1 tsp. vanilla
1½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. cloves

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 9 inch square baking dish. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes. Serve warm.

1-2-3 Rolls

Oven 400º

¼ cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons shortening
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3½ cups flour
3 tablespoons margarine, melted

Soften yeast in warm water. Set aside. Scald (or heat in microwave) milk, sugar, shortening and salt. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Stir in eggs and 1 cup of flour. Add yeast mixture stirring well. Stir in remaining flour and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double. Punch down and roll out dough to ¼” thickness. Cut into circles, fold over and place onto greased cookie sheet. Brush with melted margarine. Let rise 45 to 60 minutes. Bake at 400º for 10 to 12 minutes.

Country Fair Chicken

Serves 6
Oven 350º

1 envelope Lipton Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
4 potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

In large plastic bag or bowl, add all ingredients. Seal bag and shake, or toss in bowl, until chicken and vegetables are evenly coated. Empty chicken and vegetables into 9x13-inch baking dish. Discard bag. Bake at 350º, stirring twice, 1 hour or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender.

Breakfast Burritos

Makes 24 burritos

24 medium flour tortillas
12 large eggs
1 32-oz. pkg. shredded hash browns
1 lb. bulk sausage or
1 lb. bacon or
1 lb. steak fajita meat
3 cups grated cheddar or Mexican cheese
salsa
green or red chile
sour cream
guacamole

Brown sausage (or bacon or steak) and cook hash browns. Scramble eggs with a little milk and cook thoroughly. Combine eggs, sausage*, hash browns and cheese in a large bowl. Warm tortillas. Fill each tortilla with ½ cup of mixture and top with salsa, chile, sour cream and/or guacamole.

*If serving people with many preferences, leave the meat out of the mixture and add to each tortilla as requested. Mixing the other ingredients together makes for a better tasting burrito.

Choco-Holic Cake

Oven 350º

Cake:
1 18¼-oz. package chocolate cake mix
1 3.4-oz. package chocolate instant pudding
1 cup milk
½ cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1 cup copped walnuts
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Glaze:
2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
1½ cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 to 3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake:
Grease and flour 12-inch Bundt pan or other tub pan. Combined cake mix, pudding mix, milk, sour cream and eggs in large mixing bowl. Beat on low speed just until blended. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in morsels and nuts. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake at 350º for 55 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick insetred in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes. invert onto wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze:
Melt baking chocolate and butter in small heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar alternately with water until of desired consistency. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour glaze over cake.

Pepper Steak

Serves 8

2 to 3 lbs. top round steak
1 onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 14½-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 14½-oz. can whole green beans
1 10¾-oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 6½-oz. can mushrooms
½ cup flour
seasoned salt, garlic and pepper to taste
vegetable oil

Combine flour and spices. Cut steak into thin strips. Roll in seasoned flour and brown in hot oil. Combine ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Serve over rice.

Chocolate Chip-Applesauce-Raisin-Oatmeal Cookies

Makes 9 dozen
Oven 350º

2 cups applesauce
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons allspice
2 teaspoons cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 cups flour
4 cups oatmeal
1 cup raisins, plumped
3 cups chocolate chips

Mix applesauce and baking soda; set aside. In a very large bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and salt; mix well. Combine spices and flour and add to sugar mixture stirring well. Stir in applesauce mixture, then oatmeal, then raisins and chocolate chips. Drop 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 10 to 12 minutes.

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 8 to 10
Oven 400º

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 10¾-oz. cans cream of chicken soup
2 10¾-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
2 small cans chopped green chiles
2 cups sour cream
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
10 - 12 flour tortillas
¼-½ cup chicken broth

Combine soups, chiles, sour cream and cheese. Set aside about 1½ cups of the mixture. Add chicken to the remaining mixture. Lay tortillas on countertop and distribute the chicken mixture evenly between them. Pour enough chicken broth in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish to cover the bottom. Roll up the tortillas and place them in the baking dish. Spread the 1½ cup soup mixture over the top. Cover with foil. Bake at 400º for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through.

Lemon Snow Balls

Serves 10

5 large lemons
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup sugar

Garnish:
Fresh raspberries
Mint leaves

Cut lemons in half lengthwise to resemble boats. Cut a small sliver of peel from bottom of lemons to stabilize base. Remove pulp from lemons to form a "shell" using a spoon or melon-baller. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze.

In large freezer-safe bowl, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, milk and cream. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 8 hours or up to overnight.

Remove from freezer. If necessary to break up ice crystals, process in food processor or beat with electric mixer until smooth. Do not over process; mixture should hold very firm peaks. Spoon into lemon shells, cover, and freeze until firm, 2 hours or up to 3 days. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint.

Note: This is a very easy homemade sorbet that can also be served in bowls or cups.

Pasta and Vegetable Carbonara

1 lb. farfalle (bow tie pasta), cooked
1 lb. bacon, chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 16-oz. package frozen broccoli
4 teaspoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1½ cups half-and-half
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook bacon over medium heat in large skillet until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside. Add bell pepper and broccoli to drippings; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Stir in bacon and cooked pasta. Cook 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. In small bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and half-and-half; using wire whisk, stir until smooth. Add to mixture in skillet; cook until mixture is thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Fudge Puddles

Makes 4 dozen
Oven 325º

Cookie:
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups flour

Filling:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cookie:
Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir in dry ingredients. Chill for 1 hour. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place in lightly greased miniature muffin tins. Bake for at 325º for 14 to 16 minutes. Make a depression in the center of each with a melon ball scoop. Allow to cool and remove from tins.

Filling:
Melt chocolate chips with condensed milk in saucepan. Stir in vanilla. Spoon into depression.

Mexican Crock Pot Chicken

Serves 8 to 10

3 to 5 frozen chicken breasts
1 15¼-oz. can corn, drained
1 15½-oz. can black beans, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 1¼-oz. package (or ¼ cup) taco seasoning

Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours. Once cooked, shred the chicken and return it to the mixture. Serve over tortillas, chips, lettuce, rice or baked potatoes. Garnish with cheese, salsa, sour cream, olives and/or guacamole.

Chicken Enchilada Braid

Oven 375º

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
¼ cup olives, chopped
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
¼ cup tortilla chips, crushed

Take rolls out of packages and unroll, but do not separate into triangles. Place four sections of dough rectangles on a cookie sheet right next to each other. Use a roller to connect dough sides together.

Combine everything and put into braid. Place ingredients down the middle of the dough. Take a knife and cut slits about 1½ inches apart starting in the middle and moving out to the sides. Starting at one end pull a strip of dough over the ingredients to the opposite side. Pull a strip from the alternating side and cross over strip of dough that is already there. Finish doing this with the rest of the dough to crate a braid effect. Bake at 375º for 25 to 30 minutes.

Bread Sticks

Oven 400º

3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons yeast
4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons honey or sugar
2 tablespoons malted milk powder
8 cups flour
beaten egg
Parmesan cheese or sesame seeds

Soften yeast in ½ cup warm water. Set aside. Combine remaining water, salt, honey, malted milk powder and 2 cups flour mixing until smooth. Add yeast mixture stirring well. Stir in remaining flour and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double. Punch down and divide dough in half. Roll out each half to 1/4” thickness. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or sesame seeds. (I use garlic bread sprinkle and Parmesan cheese.) Cut into 1” by 6” strips and place on greased cookie sheets. Let rise 45 to 60 minutes. Bake at 400º for 10 minutes.

Cream Cheese Chicken

Serves 4 - 5

4 to 5 chicken breasts
½ cup margarine
1 envelope dry Italian dressing
1 10¾-oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 8-oz. package cream cheese

Mix dressing and melted margarine. Put ½ in the bottom of a crock-pot, place chicken on top, pour remainder of dressing on chicken. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Remove chicken from crock-pot and add soup and cream cheese. Cook until melted. Pour over chicken and serve.

(You can also prepare this dish in a conventional oven by preparing a 9X13-in dish the same way you would the crock-pot and baking at 400° for one hour. Heat the cream cheese and soup in a saucepan and stir until melted and mixed well. Then add the juices from the chicken and stir until smooth. Pour over chicken and serve.)

Rice

Serves 3

1 cup white rice
½ onion, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups boiling water

Fry rice, onion, salt and pepper in oil until onion is transparent and rice is completely coated with hot oil. Add boiling water, stirring well. Put on lid and reduce heat to low. Allow rice to simmer for 20 minutes or until water has evaporated. Remove from heat and let steam for 10 minutes.

Fast and Easy Lasagne

Serves 12
Oven 375º

1 1-lb. package lasagna, uncooked

Sauce:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
1 32-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup water


Cheese mixture:
2 16-oz. containers cottage cheese
2 beaten eggs
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
4 cups mozzarella cheese

Brown meat with onion. Drain fat. Add parsley, oregano, salt, spaghetti sauce and water. Heat through. Combine cottage cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Divide the noodles and cheese mixture into thirds and the meat sauce into fourths. Layer the meat sauce, noodles and cheese mixture in a 9x13-inch pan finishing with a meat sauce layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375º for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Parmesan Chicken

Serves 6
Oven 400º

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons margarine
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup plain bread crumbs
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons parsley flakes
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
spaghetti sauce
linguine, cooked

Combine cheese, bread crumbs and spices. Melt margarine and coat chicken by dipping in margarine, then in crumb mixture. Place in foil-lined, greased pan. Bake at 400º for 25 minutes. Remove chicken to a serving dish. Warm spaghetti sauce in a saucepan and pour over chicken. Serve with linguine.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Serves 6
Oven 400º

6 halved boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 thin slices cooked ham
6 slices Monterrey Jack cheese
½ cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup Corn Flakes, crushed

Lay each chicken breast on the cutting board and, with the knife parallel to the cutting board, cut through the middle of the chicken making an open pocket. Wrap each cheese slice in a slice of ham and slide into the pocket in the chicken breast. Dip each chicken breast in melted butter, then coat with corn flake crumbs. Place chicken breasts in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400º for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown.

Chicken Broccoli Braid

Serves 4
Oven 375º

2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup tomatoes, chopped
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup cooked broccoli, chopped

Take rolls out of packages and unroll, but do not separate into triangles. Place eight sections of dough rectangles on a cookie sheet right next to each other. Use a roller to connect dough sides together.

Combine everything and put into braid. Place ingredients down the middle of the dough. Take a knife and cut slits about 1½ inches apart starting in the middle and moving out to the sides. Starting at one end pull a strip of dough over the ingredients to the opposite side. Pull a strip from the alternating side and cross over strip of dough that is already there. Finish doing this with the rest of the dough to crate a braid effect.

Bake at 375º for 25 to 30 minutes.

Beef and Mozzarella Bake

Serves 6
Oven 400°

1 lb. ground beef
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder or clove garlic, minced
1 10¾-oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 10¾-oz. can condensed tomato soup
1¼ cups water
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
4 cups cooked medium shell macaroni

In 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef and seasonings until browned stirring to separate meat. Spoon off fat. Stir in soups, water and 1 cup mozzarella cheese; add macaroni. In 2-quart oblong baking dish, spoon mixture. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400º for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

Apple Betty

Serves 6
Oven 375°

4 cups sliced pared tart apples
¼ cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup butter

Mound apples in buttered 9-inch pie plate; sprinkle with orange juice. Combine sugar, flour, spices and salt; cut in butter till mixture is crumbly; sprinkle over apples. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or till apples are tender and topping is crisp. Serve warm with cream.

Parmesan Potatoes

Serves 6 - 8
Oven 350°

1 32-oz. package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1½ to 2 cups heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Thaw potatoes. Mix potatoes, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Add heavy cream and mix. (Potatoes should be quite wet.) Place in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350° for 1 hour.

Beef Stroganoff

Serves 8

2 to 2½ lbs. stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons shortening
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups water
1 6½-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 10¾-oz. cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups sour cream
cooked rice or noodles

Brown meat in shortening in hot skillet. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add water and mushrooms. Cover with tight fitting lid and simmer for 2 hours, replenishing water if needed. Drain off excess water saving some to thin soup. Add soup and enough water (about ½ cup) to make a thick sauce. Gradually blend in sour cream just before serving.

Pizza

Serves 6
Oven 425°

2¾ to 3¼ cups flour
1 tablespoon yeast
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Pizza sauce
Pizza toppings (pepperoni, ham, pineapple, green pepper, etc.)
4 cups mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl combine 1¼ cups of the flour, the yeast, and salt. Add water and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Divide in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Grease two 12-inch pizza pans or baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with cornmeal. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough into a 13-inch circle. Transfer to pans. Build up edges slightly. Do not let rise. Bake in a 425° oven about 12 minutes or till browned. Spread pizza sauce over hot crust. Sprinkle toppings and cheese. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more or till bubbly.

Chicken Parisienne

Serves 6
Oven 400º

6 skinless, boneless halved chicken breasts
paprika
2 tablespoons margarine
1 6½-oz. can sliced mushrooms
1 10¾-oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream

Place chicken breasts in oblong baking dish and sprinkle with paprika. Cover with foil and bake at 400º until done (about 25 minutes). In a saucepan, melt margarine and sauté mushrooms. Add soup and sour cream and heat thoroughly. Remove chicken to serving dish and spoon sauce over the top. Serve with hot rice.

Spanish Rice

Serves 6

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 14½-oz. can chopped tomatoes
1½ cups water
1½ cups rice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
dash hot pepper sauce
olives, sliced
shredded cheese
sour cream

After frying bacon, remove from grease and set aside. In grease fry onion and green pepper. When tender, add tomatoes, water, rice, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, chili powder, black pepper and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for 30 minutes. Garnish with olives, cheese, bacon and sour cream.

Manicotti

Serves 7

Oven 400°
1 lb. ground beef
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
4 cups cottage cheese
4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon parsley
½ teaspoon pepper
3½ cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
1 package (14 pieces) manicotti, uncooked

Brown ground beef and add tomato sauce. Combine meat mixture with cottage, mozzarella and paremsan cheeses, eggs, salt, parsley and pepper. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine spaghetti sauce and water and heat through. Pour one cup of the sauce in the bottom of a glass 9" x 13" baking dish. Stuff the uncooked manicotti shells with the meat and cheese mixture and lay on top of sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 400° for 50 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 10 more minutes.

Potato Bacon Chowder

1 lb. bacon, cut up
2 cups chopped onion
4 cups frozen hash browns
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
   pepper
2 10¾-oz. cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
3½ cups milk
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Cook bacon. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Drain off grease. Add hash browns, water, salt and pepper. Cook until tender. Stir in soup, sour cream and milk and heat until warm. DO NOT BOIL! Sprinkle parsley on top.

Chicken Mushroom Risotto

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1½ cups uncooked regular long-grain rice
1 medium carrot or small sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cups chicken broth
1 10¾-oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup
⅛ tsp. black pepper
½ cup frozen peas

In a 10-inch skillet or 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, in 1 tablespoon hot margarine, cook chicken until browned, stirring often. Remove; set aside. Reduce heat to medium. In same saucepan, in remaining 1 tablespoon hot margarine, cook rice, chopped carrot and onion until rice is browned, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, soup and black pepper. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas and reserved chicken. Cover; cook 5 minutes more or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.

Macaroni Cheese

(adapted from a recipe of Roxanne's)

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Blend in flour and salt to make a smooth paste. Add milk all at once and stir well using a wire whisk to get the lumps out. Allow to thicken. Stir cheese into hot white sauce until melted. Combine cheese sauce and cooked macaroni in 1½-quart casserole dish. Toss lightly to mix. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Oven 400°

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked
1 6-oz. box chicken Stove-Top Stuffing, prepared
1 12-oz. jar classic chicken gravy

Cut cooked chicken into 1-inch cubes. Stir in stuffing and gravy and mix well. Turn into a 3-qt. casserole dish and bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Peppermint Pattie Brownies

Use the brownie recipe already posted. Instead of frosting, place unwrapped York Peppermint Patties on hot, baked brownie and return to oven until melted. Remove from oven and spread until even.

Mother Lode Brownies

Use the brownie recipe already posted. Instead of frosting, use the topping below.

Oven 325°

Caramel Layer
1½ cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons water
½ cup heavy cream, scalded
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Toppings
2 cups coarsely copped macadamia nuts
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups milk chocolate chips

In a small heavy saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water over low heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then let boil without stirring until the syrup turns a deep amber. While the syrup is boiling, brush down the sides of the pan from time to time with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the hot cream (be careful, it will bubble rapidly). Continue stirring, over low heat if necessary, until all of the caramel is dissolved into the cream. Stir in the butter until smooth. Set the caramel aside until it has cooled slightly but is still spreadable. (Note: once you pour the caramel onto the brownie, it cools very rapidly so don't wait too long or you won't be able to spread it.)

Preheat the oven to 325°. Spread the caramel over the cooled brownie. Sprinkle the toppings--macadamia nuts, semisweet chips, and milk chocolate chips--over the caramel layer and place the brownies in the oven for 5 minutes to set the topping (do not let the chips melt completely). Set on a wire rack to cool, then cut into squares.

Reese's Brownies

Use the brownie recipe already posted. Instead of frosting, place unwrapped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on hot, baked brownie and return to oven until melted. Remove from oven and spread until even.

Macaroni Cheese and Hamburger Casserole

I

(My mom created this recipe--it has to be our family's all-time favorite dinner.)

1 lb. ground beef
½ onion, chopped
1 teaspoon parsley
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Brown ground beef and onion; add spices as meat is browning. Add tomato sauce and heat through. Combined cooked macaroni, meat sauce and 1½ cups of the cheese and mix well. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and allow to melt.

Candy Crunch Pudding Pie

(I made this with a toffee bar and it was great but I want to try it with Snickers next time.)

2  3.9-oz. packages Jell-o Chocolate Instant pudding
2  cups cold milk
1  8-oz. tub Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed and divided
2  1.4-oz. milk chocolate English toffee candy bars, chopped and divided
1  6-oz. Oreo Pie Crust
1  1-oz. square Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in half of the Cool Whip and all but 3 tablespoons of the toffee candy. Pour into crust. Top with remaining Cool Whip and candy. Drizzle with chocolate.

Twisty Dinner Rolls

Makes 24

1⅔ cups milk
½ cup butter
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
2¾ teaspoons salt
1½ tablespoons active dry yeast
5 to 6 cups bread flour
1 egg, beaten

Place milk and butter in a mixing bowl and warm milk and soften butter (about 2 minutes on high in the microwave). Add sugar, salt, 2 eggs, yeast and two cups of flour and mix using a dough hook at low speed until ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Decrease speed to low and add remaining flour. Dough should be soft but not sticky. Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover and let rise till double (about 1 hour).

Portion dough into 24 balls. Roll each ball to form a rope about 15 inches long on a lightly floured surface. Braid into a knot and place on a greased baking sheet.

Let rolls rise 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. Brush rolls lightly with beaten egg. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Cheese Empanadas

4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
¼ cup vegetable oil
1½ cups warm milk
½ lb. Monterrey Jack cheese, cubed
oil for frying

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add egg yolks, ¼ cup oil and milk. Stir to form a soft, elastic dough. Roll out ¼" thick and cut into 4" circles. Place a small square of cheese in the center of each circle. Fold the dough over and seal with water. Fry in hot oil until golden brown on each side.

Potato Chip Casserole

Mom calls this Mock Chicken Casserole but my kids would never recognize it by that name.

Oven 400º

2 cups coarsely crushed potato chips, divided
1 10¾-oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 6½-oz. can grated tuna
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced

Combine soup and milk. In a 9-inch square pan, layer 1 cup chips, soup mixture, tuna, eggs and 1 cup chips. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes.

Banana Bread

Oven 350º

6 bananas, mashed
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
5 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
½ cup nuts dredged in flour
1 cup water

Blend mashed banana with soda and baking powder; set aside. Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add salt, flour and nuts and mix well. Gradually add water mixing until smooth. Add banana mixture to batter and stir until well blended. Immediately pour into 3 well-greased pans. Bake at 350º for one hour. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then turn onto sides to cool completely. Store in foil.