Pear Bread

A funny thing happens when you're faced with a large pear tree and lots of really small pears. Yeah. You guessed it. You start baking things you've never ever tasted before. That's okay. I'm thrilled to have the pears. I love to eat them. More importantly, this particular tree got its start from my Gran's pear tree. The tree means a lot to me because it reminds me of the wonderful times spent at her house. Oh, and the bread's pretty good too!

Pear Bread

3 eggs

1 ½ cups sugar

¾ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups peeled, cored, finely chopped pears

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir into the egg mixture just until moistened. Don't overblend because that will make it dry.
Toss pears with lemon juice. Stir pears and pecans into batter. The batter will be really thick.
Spoon the batter into two greased bread loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Pear Cake

There are many thoughts that cross a person's mind when she is staring at three buckets of pears. Desperation. Determination. And a frantic search for pear recipes.

Most folks immediately think of canning pears, especially the hard pears like we have. But why can something we're not going to eat? I could always make a cobbler. And I will before the pears are gone. But I really wanted to make a cake. I'd made a cake with apples. Why couldn't I make one with pears?

I didn't know how it would end up. But the entire kitchen smelled wonderful as it baked in the oven. I served it warm. Wonderful! Moist and delicious. Seconds, please!

Pear Cake

4 cups peeled, cored, chopped pears

2 cups white sugar

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

4 egg whites

2/3 cup Crisco oil

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine pears and sugar. Let stand one hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat 10-inch tube pan with PAM.

Slightly beat egg whites. Add oil, chopped pecans and pear mixture.

Combine flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Add to the pear mixture. Pour batter into the tube pan.

Bake for one hour and 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Fresh Apple Cake

I found this recipe in the Sherwood Baptist Family Cookbook. The church is in Huntsville. I’ve no idea where I got the cookbook, though a yard sale or auction seems most likely.

This cake was wonderful! Moist and yummy. The original recipe gave an option for a cup of nuts, such as walnuts. I decided against them and I’m glad I did. It’s perfect without them.

I used apples from the garden. I’m not sure what kind they are but they taste really mellow. I don’t think a tart apple would taste as well. The recipe also said to sift the flour. I can’t remember the last time I did that. Just whisk it and you get the same effect without the headache.

Fresh Apple Cake

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups Crisco oil
3 full cups diced apples
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk (or sift) flour; add all other dry ingredients. Set aside.

Beat eggs and oil until blended. Slowly add dry ingredients. Add vanilla. Fold in apples.

Pour into a greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Everybody needs a Grilled Cheese Sandwich at some point. There are, of course, different kinds. When I was a kid a cheese sandwich meant two slices of toasted bread and some sliced hoop cheese. Nowadays, I get out the cast iron grill. This sandwich is loaded with calories but who cares? Nothing quite beats the taste.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 slices bread
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread, making sure it reaches all the way to the edges. If you forget or don’t have time to let the butter soften, stick it in the microwave for a few seconds. Just remember you want it soft not melted.

Mound one unbuttered side of the bread with the cheese. Set remaining slice on the cheese, buttered side up, and press together.

Heat large cast-iron grill over moderate heat. If you don’t have a grill, just use a cast-iron skillet. Really the grill is just a skillet without the sides. I’m not even sure it’s called a grill by anyone but me.

Cook sandwich until underside is browned, about 3 minutes. Turn it over and cook until second side is browned and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes longer.

Cut in two and serve.

Mud Hens

Last fall my aunt had ankle surgery and ended up spending some time in rehab. Her friend brought a dessert for her to enjoy and share with visitors. Of course, I had to try it. The bar cookies were really good. I wanted to know what they were. Mud Hens, my aunt replied. I figured either the pain medication was messing up her mind or I had totally misunderstood. I decided to be polite and not saying anything. Just in case.

After we left, I asked my Mother what she’d understood the dessert was called. She’d heard the same thing. Okay. So I started searching. Every recipe I found was basically the same. And no one knows where the name came from. Hey, I’ll have you know I am not the only one who has tried to find out.

I could just make something up. Really. I’m a writer. Fiction is fun. The chocolate chips could be the mud. The eggs -- hello -- come from hens. Or I could play off the brown sugar and egg whites. Maybe that’s where the name comes from.

But I won’t do that to you. I’ll just tell you the truth. I don’t know where the name comes from and nobody else seems to either. I just know that this is a wonderful dessert. Or snack. Or take-off-from-home dish. Whatever. Just sit down with the whole pan and refuse to share. Yeah. Yummy. Enjoy!

Mud Hens

¼ cup shortening
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 whole egg
2 eggs, separated (egg whites at room temperature)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup mini marshmallows
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. If you’re a traditionalist you can use butter.

In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and sugar. Beat in the egg yolks and whole egg.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Combine the flour mixture with the creamed mixture. Blend thoroughly.

Spread the batter into the baking pan. Sprinkle the nuts, marshmallows and chocolate chips over the batter.

In a large bowl, beat the two egg whites until stiff. I find this works best if the egg whites are room temperature. I hope you have a mixture with that whisk beater. Just turn the mixer on HIGH and watch those peaks form. Or, you could use a hand beater. Either way, when the egg whites are stiff, fold in the brown sugar. Spread this over the batter.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.

Cool completely before cutting. You’ll just be so much happier if you do.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

There is nothing quite like homemade ice cream. I know. It’s much easier to just buy Blue Bell and, really, it is good. But you don’t have that whole experience of mixing the ingredients, poring in the crushed ice and adding the special salt.

As a child, my job was to sit on the hand-cranked ice cream freezer. I was small enough to fit but heavy enough to keep it from moving around while someone much older turned the crank. I was in college when I purchased my very first ice cream freezer -- a really nice electric one. I still have it.

This recipe came from a wonderful man I knew at the University of Alabama. He was a wonderful Southern man who was working on his doctorate in history. Sometimes I imagine him teaching bored students who somehow grow to love history as much as I was did.

I spent many afternoons feeding friends homemade ice cream. It was a wonderful time of laughter and joy. It reminds me of a time when life was filled with hope and endless possibilities. Take the time to give it a try. Remember good times and make new memories.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

6 eggs, separated
3 cups sugar
1 13 oz. can of Pet Milk
½ gallon sweet milk
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites in a bowl. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks separately. Add sugar. Mix well. Add Pet Milk and vanilla. Mix well. Add ½ of the sweet milk and beaten egg whites.

Pour in freezer can. Add remaining milk.

Put cover on container and make ice cream according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Butterscotch Brownies

Sometimes you just gotta use what you have. In my case, it was butterscotch morsels. It wasn't what I intended but, well, things rarely are. In this case, I'm glad it worked out like it did. This ended up being a wonderful recipe. So yummy!

As usual, I started with a recipe and changed it up. A little more of this and a little less of that and it comes out just right.

One big change is how I melted the butterscotch morsels. I'm a big believer in melting things in the microwave rather than getting out the double boiler. It's just faster and easier. The key is to do 1 minute in the microwave, then stir. Afterwards, do 30 seconds at a time until morsels are completely melted. It's super important to stir after each time. They can be melted and not look like it until you stir it. Really.

So here's my version. Hope you enjoy it.

Butterscotch Brownies

12-oz package butterscotch morsels
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 eggs
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Melt butterscotch morsels and butter in microwave. (See instructions above) Do NOT overcook.

Combine eggs and sugar, beating until light and fluffy. I just use a fork to do this but it's okay to get the mixer out if you'd rather.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add slowly to creamed mixture. Stir well. Stir in butterscotch mixture and pecans.

Pour into a greased 15x10x1-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan. Cut into small pieces. Store in airtight container.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Lasagna Bake

This is another on of those great Kraft recipes. I'm not a big fan of leftovers so this recipe is perfect for me. I can cook exactly enough without having to eat it for days and days.

Lasagna Bake for Two

2 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup undrained canned diced tomatoes (about 2/3 of 14.5-oz. can)
2 Tbsp. PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend, divided

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cook noodles as directed on package, omitting salt.

Meanwhile, brown meat with onions and garlic in large nonstick skillet. Add tomatoes and cream cheese spread; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and mixture just comes to boil. Add spinach; cook and stir 1 min. Remove from heat, add 1/4 cup shredded cheese; stir until melted.

Drain noodles. Spoon 1/3 cup spinach mixture into each of 2 (2-cup) ramekins; top with noodle, letting excess noodle extend over rim of ramekin. Top each with 1/3 cup spinach mixture; fold noodle back over dish to cover filling. Repeat until all filling is folded between noodle layers; top with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Four-Cheese Pasta Florentine

This is another one of those wonderful pasta recipes from Kraft. The company also passed along a wonderful guide for preparing the perfect pasta.

"Follow the package directions to ensure that enough water is used for cooking the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (tender but still a little firm to the bite), stirring frequently. To prevent pasta from sticking, add it slowly to plenty of boiling water and stir frequently while cooking. Adding oil to the cooking water is not recommended because some sauces may not cling to pasta coated with oil."

Four-Cheese Pasta Florentine

3 cups mostaccioli, uncooked
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese


Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package; drain well. Place in large bowl. Add cream cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cottage cheese and eggs until well blended.

Drain pasta. Add to spinach mixture with mozzarella; mix lightly. Spoon into 8- or 9-inch square baking dish; top with Parmesan.

Bake 25 min. or until center is set.

Makes 4 servings.

Creamy Baked Ziti

This is yet another recipe for Kraft. I latched onto it because I love baked Ziti. Yummy! Kraft also lets us know that you can prepare this recipe for up to eight hours before you need it. Just put it in the refrigerator until you're ready. Just increase the baking time to 30 or 35 minutes or until heated through.

I've never had a problem finding ziti past. If you do, Kraft suggests using other types of tubular pasta, such as penne or rigatoni.

Creamy Baked Ziti

4 cups ziti pasta, uncooked
1 jar (26 oz.) marinara sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
6 oz. (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
3/4 cup sour Cceam
1 pkg. (8 oz.) shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt. Remove from pan; drain. Meanwhile, add marinara sauce, tomatoes and cream cheese to same pan; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Return pasta to pan; mix well.

Layer half the pasta mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella and remaining pasta mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake 20 min. or until heated through.

Makes 8 servings.

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

This is one of those easy meals -- and no, quiche is not just for women. I don't really know where that got started but it's just not true. Making men don't think it's "substantial" enough for them. Whatever. Just serve it with a nice salad and it's a great meal. If you really want to make it festive, Kraft suggests adding 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers to filling before pouring into the pie crust.

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup each chopped onions
1 cup chopped broccoli
5 eggs
1/3 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
1/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 frozen deep-dish pie crust (9 inch)


Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place vegetables in skillet sprayed with cooking spray; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.

Beat eggs, dressing and milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in vegetable mixture and cheese; pour into pie shell. Place pie shell on baking sheet.

Bake on baking sheet 40 to 45 min. or until center of quiche is set and top is golden brown. Let stand 10 min. before cutting into slices to serve.

Makes 6 servings

Chicken Divan

This recipe comes from the Pillsbury kitchens. It just seems so easy. I love that all the ingredients are items I usually have around anyway. And I love broccoli. That's always a good sign. But the real advantage is that you can put a wonderful mean on the table in a very short period of time. Of course, I'd probably add some carrots and maybe a salad. And bread is necessary because in the South you always serve bread with dinner or supper. Folks might think you've been slaving away all day. Now, that would be a laugh wouldn't it?

Chicken Divan

1 bag (12 oz) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ Select® frozen broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups cubed deli rotisserie chicken
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (18.5 oz) Progresso® creamy chicken and wild rice soup
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1/4 cup Progresso® Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs

Heat oven to 375°F. Cook broccoli as directed on bag 4 minutes. Place broccoli and chicken in ungreased 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle with pepper.

Pour soup over broccoli and chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and bread crumbs.

Bake about 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Makes 4.

Sausage & Cheese Crescent Squares

This reminds me of a Breakfast Pizza I make sometimes, only without all the extra ingredients and work.

The recipe comes from the Pillsbury folks. I always check out their site. I especially love recipes featuring Crescent Rolls because they're one of my favorites.

Pillsbury says the sausage and two kinds of cheese turn crescent dough into a rich and tasty appetizer. I can't wait to try it.

Sausage and Cheese Crescent Squares

2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls OR 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury®     Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 lb spicy or mild bulk pork sausage
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)

Heat oven to 375°F.

If using crescent rolls: Unroll 1 can of dough into 2 long rectangles. Place in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish; press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust. If using dough sheets: Unroll 1 can of dough. Place in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish; press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust.

In 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently, until no longer pink. Remove sausage from skillet; discard drippings. To same skillet, add cream cheese. Cook over low heat until melted. Add cooked sausage; stir to coat. Spoon evenly over crust in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.

If using crescent rolls: Unroll second can of dough on work surface. Press to form 13x9-inch rectangle; firmly press perforations to seal. Carefully place over cheese. If using dough sheets: Unroll second can of dough on work surface. Press to form 13x9-inch rectangle. Carefully place over cheese.

Bake 21 to 26 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Cut into small squares.

Makeas 32.

Spinach Pull-Apart

This is another recipe from Pillsbury. It even came with a short video. I loved that. The woman (I think she may have created the recipe) illustrated how to make the little balls. She held each small triangle in the palm on her hand and used a metal spoon to push the dough and make the triangle larger. Good idea.

She takes this to football parties and serves it as an appetizer. I think it would be perfect for any gathering. What do you think?

Spinach Pull-Apart

3 tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Garlic Salt
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz)
1 box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Basil Leaves, if desired
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper
2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated garlic butter crescent dinner rolls (16 rolls)
1 cup marinara sauce, heated, if desired


Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with no-stick cooking spray.

In small bowl, mix butter and 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic salt. Set aside.

In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, spinach, basil, pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon garlic salt until blended. Set aside.

Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise to make a total of 32 small triangles. Stretch or press on triangle slightly, being careful not to tear it. Spoon 1 tablespoon spinach mixture onto center of triangle; pull dough around mixture into a ball. Press edges to seal. Repeat with remaining triangles.

Roll each ball in butter mixture; layer in pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. Cool 10 minutes longer. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Serves 8.

White Chocolate-Raspberry Pie

White chocolate and raspberry? Sounds like a winning combination to me. It comes from the Pillsbury site. Apparently, this recipe is for the top prize-winning pie from the 2010 State Fair Pie Contest.

White Chocolate-Raspberry Pie

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
5 oz white chocolate baking squares
3 tablespoons milk
5 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
3 cups fresh raspberries

Heat oven to 450°F. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell, using 9-inch glass pie plate. Cool completely.

In microwavable bowl, microwave 4 squares of the white chocolate and the milk uncovered on MEDIUM about 2 minutes or until almost melted. Stir until melted. Cool to room temperature.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange peel with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Beat in white chocolate mixture. Fold whipped cream into white chocolate mixture. Spread in bottom of cooled baked shell. Arrange raspberries on filling.

Melt remaining square of white chocolate; drizzle over pie. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until set. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Beef Burrito Skillet

Found this recipe on the Kraft foods site. I think it sounds wonderful. And easy. And quick. My kind of meal!

Quick-Fix Beef Burrito Skillet

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (19 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed
1 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 cup water
4 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large green onion, chopped

Brown meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain.

Add seasoning mix, beans, salsa and water; stir. Bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 5 min.

Stir in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and onions.

Makes 4 servings.

Extra-Easy Spinach Lasagna

This is another wonderful recipe from the folks at Campbell's Kitchen.  If you'd like, you can substitute the mozzarella cheese with a blended Italian cheese. It's one of those personal taste kind of things.

Another tip is for thawing the spinach. I'm big on the microwave for those types of things. Campbell's apparently agrees. Microwave the spinach on HIGH for 3 minutes, stopping half way through to tear apart with a fork. Don't forget to drain it.

Pepperidge Farms makes a wonderful Texas Toast that is perfect with lasagna. Five minutes and you're done.

Extra-Easy Spinach Lasagna

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce
6 uncooked lasagna noodles
1/4 cup water


Stir the ricotta cheese, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.

Spread 1 cup sauce in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles and half the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining sauce. Slowly pour water around the inside edges of the baking dish. Cover.

Bake at 400°F. for 40 minutes. Uncover the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Makes: 8 servings (1 cup each).

Skillet Vegetable Lasagna

This recipe comes from the folks at Campbell's Kitchen. It's a quick, easy meal that perfect for a cold, winter day -- like this one.

Campbell's suggests serving the Lasagna with Pepperidge Farm Texas Toast. I wholeheartedly agree. I'm a big fan of Texas Toast. The Pepperidge Farm brand only takes 5 minutes to cook (any longer and it gets hard) and also great for spaghetti. I'm particularly fond of the garlic version. It's a freezer staple for me. But they've got other versions as well.

Skillet Vegetable Lasagna

Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time: 15 min.


2 3/4 cups Swanson® Vegetable Broth (Regular or Certified Organic)
15 uncooked oven-ready (no-boil) lasagna noodles
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1 can (about 14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)


Heat the broth in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat to a boil. Break the noodles into pieces and add to the broth. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 3 minutes or until the noodles are tender.

Stir the soup, tomatoes and spinach in the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Spoon the ricotta cheese on top and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.

Tip: You can try using 4 ounces mozzarella cut into very thin slices instead of the shredded mozzarella.

Makes: 4 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each).

Frosted Fudge Brownies

I needed a dessert. Quickly. Something that would appeal to a mostly male population. That meant chocolate. Not enough time for a cake. Brownies. That would be perfect.

I found a recipe that sounded good. That means all the ingredients were present and accounted for. Don't you just hate finding a recipe, getting excited, then realizing you'll have to make a trip to the grocery store or choose something else? Not today. No time.

The original recipe came from The Southern Living Cookbook. I've had this cookbook for more years than I care to admit. It's still my favorite. You can tell. Drops of this and that litter some of the pages. Hey! I never said I wasn't messy.

The only problem with the recipe is that it involved a double boiler. I really didn't want to deal with that. So I did what I do. I used the microwave instead of the double boiler. It worked great so those are the instructions I'm giving you.

Another tip I'll pass on involves sifting. Dont't do it. Yes, the recipe calls for it but a faster way is just to whisk the powdered sugar. It works just as well and with a lot less mess and effort.

Enjoy!

Frosted Fudge Brownies

1 cup shortening
4 (1-oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Frosting (recipe follows)

In a microwave bowl, combine shortening and chocolate. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir. Chocolate should be fully melted. Microwaves vary so you may have to put it back in for another few seconds. Just be careful not to do too much.

Slowly stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Microwave on HIGH for 10 seconds. Stir.

Add the eggs and vanilla. Stir thoroughly. Stir in flour and salt, mixing thoroughly. If you choose to add pecans, stir those in now.

Spread batter in a well-greased 13x9x2-inch pan. Be sure to grease the sides of the pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool. Spread with frosting. Cut into squares. Store in refrigerataor.

Yield: about 3 dozen.

Frosting

2 (1-oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 tablespoons boiling wataer
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg

Combine chocolate and boiling water, stirring until chocolate melts. Blend in butter. Using a mixer, slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add the egg and beat until blended.

Yield: Enough for 3 dozen brownies

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip

This recipe comes from Kraft Foods. Everyone needs a really good dip recipe. Kraft suggests serving the dip with cut-up fresh vegetables or Tortilla chips. Of course, I'll always go for the chips. I know it's not the most nutritional but they are my weakness.

Kraft also suggests that when you serve this dip at a party, pour the prepared dip into a small slow cooker and set the temperature on low. This keeps the dip warm for several hours. Just be sure to stir it every now and then to avoid hot spots.

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb. (16 oz) VELVEETA, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz pkg) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1 can (10 oz) RO*TEL diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
8 slices OSCAR MAYER bacon, cooked, crumbled

Microwave ingredients in microwaveable bowl on HIGH for 5 minutes or until VELVEETA is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 3 minutes.

And it's only 70 calories per 2 tablespoons (not counting the chips!).

Jif Peanut Butter Cookies

I am a recipe collector. I have all these scraps of paper, newspaper clippings, magazine pages and handwritten notecards. Some have nothing more than a list of ingredients and, perhaps, an oven temperature. Others are so old that I have no idea where they originated. But there they are, valuable to me for the endless possibilities.

This recipe comes from the Jif peanut butter people. I think it was an ad, probably around Christmas. The photo reminds me of the peanut butter cookies I ate as a child. I can almost taste them. I guess that means I'm off to bake a fresh batch. How about you?

Irresistible Jif Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup Jiff Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine Jif, Crisco, light brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.

Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie baking sheet. Flatten slightly in criss-cross pattern with the tines of a fork.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Hershey's Perfect White Chip Chocolate Cookies

It all started with an amazing sale on white chocolate chips. I can never resist a really good buy. And I love white chocolate. Oh, I know. It's not really chocolate. Maybe that's why I love it so much.

There are so many wonderful things to bake with white chocolate. But I needed something quick and easy and yummy. And there's nothing quite like the recipe on the back of the bag. My only complaint? Make the words LARGER folks!

The cookies are wonderful and have a taste that makes you want to eat another one and another one and another one and...well you get the picture. Give them a try. You'll love them.

Hershey's Perfect White Chip Chocolate Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12-oz package) Hershey's Premier White Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat into the butter mixture.

Stir in white chocolate chips.

Drop teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (I recommend spraying lightly with Pam!)

Bake 8 to 9 minutes (8 minutes in my oven).  Do NOT overbake. Cookies are supposed to be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten when cooling. Let the cookies cool slightly, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Store in an airtight container.

Grandma's Cookie Jar Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe comes from the Land O'Lakes butter company. They have a wonderful website with some super recipes. I love oatmeal-raisin cookies! Give this recipe a try.

3 cups quick-cooking oats
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup Land O'Lakes Butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all ingredients except flour and raisins in a large mixer bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping the bowl often, until well mixed. This will take 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour. Continue beating until well mixed, another 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in raisins by hand.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Greek Pasta and Beef

I clipped this recipe from a magazine more years ago than I can possibly remember. Naturally, I have no idea which magazine it came from. This is just one of those recipes you hold on to. I like that it feeds alot of people.

Greek Pasta and Beef

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 taspoon pepper
1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Sauce
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain.

Stir in tomato sauce, water and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine macaroni, egg and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Sauce: In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour and cinnamon, until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in cheese.

In a greased 3-quart baking dish, spread half of the macaroni mixture. Top with beef mixture and remaining macaroni mixture. Pour sauce over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake

 I found this recipe on Mary Kay Andrews website. She writes fiction and she can cook. Who knew? She apparently uses this recipe to bake poundcakes and sendv them to New York. Can't believe they don't have poundcakes in New York. She says folks up there think of poundcake as a Southern Thing. She may be right. I've been trying to remember but I don't think I ever saw poundcake listed as a dessert option. They sure are missing out!

Here's what Mary Kay Andrews says: Turn off the phone and shut out any other distractions when making this cake. It’s a bit of work, but the results are definitely worth it. I usually bake two cakes at a time when I get started, one to serve (or give as a gift) and one to pop into the freezer. Since it’s such a large cake, you can always slice and serve half, and freeze the other half for later. Another note: the whipped egg whites mean the cake batter may spill over the edges of the pan, so make sure you have a large bundt pan--or place your pan on a cookie sheet to catch any overflow.

LEMON CREAM CHEESE

POUND CAKE

Preheat oven to 325.
Spray bundt pan with floured baking spray

2-1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
¼ cup vegetable oil
3-1/4 cups granulated sugar
5 egg whites
7 egg yolks—yes, this means you’ll discard the two extra egg whites unless you’ve got plans for ‘em.
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups cake flour
¼ tsp. salt

Beat five egg whites until stiff and set aside

In mixing bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese and vegetable oil. Add in sugar and cream well. Beat in lemon extract and vanilla. Add egg yolks one at a time and beat well. In smaller bowl combine flour and salt, beat into batter, adding flour mixture by thirds. Fold in beaten egg whites, pour into prepared bundt pan and bake for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes—check for doneness with wooden toothpick. Let cool 5 minutes, then remove from pan onto cooling rack and finish cooling.

Wrap tightly with plastic wrap or store in large ziplock bag for freezing.

You may choose to add a lemon glaze, made with one cup of confectioner's sugar and 1-2 Tbsp. of fresh lemon juice.

Apple Biscuit Custards

This is another one of those awesome Pillsbury recipes. I love that it only makes two servings. You can, of course, double that easily. Sometimes I only want something for one meal. This is perfect.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Pillsbury® Grands!® Frozen Buttermilk Biscuits (from 25-oz bag)
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup diced peeled tart apple
1 teaspoon sugar
Dash ground cinnamon


DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 (10-oz) custard cups or ramekins with cooking spray.

Place biscuits on microwavable plate. Microwave on Medium (50%) 30 to 45 seconds, turning over halfway through microwave time. (Biscuits should still be cold for easier handling.) Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces. Place 8 pieces in each custard cup.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar and egg yolk until smooth. Beat in milk and vanilla; stir in apple. Pour mixture over biscuit pieces in custard cups; stir gently to mix well. In small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon sugar and the cinnamon; sprinkle over custard mixture.

Bake 23 to 25 minutes or until custard is set and tops are light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Makes: 2

Triple-Threat Coconut Cream Pie

This recipe comes from the Pillsbury website. They have wonderful recipes. It was apparently submitted by Angie Battle of Des Moines, Washington. And, yes, that is Washington. She won the state farm pie competition in 2010. I can understand why.

Triple-Threat Coconut Cream Pie

Filling

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
1 can (13 1/2 oz) coconut milk, shaken well
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sweetened shredded or flaked coconut, toasted
1 cup whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into four pieces
 
Topping
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, well chilled
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2teaspoons dark rum (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)
1/4cup sweetened shredded or flaked coconut, toasted
1oz white chocolate, shaved
 
Directions

Heat oven to 450°F
 
Unroll pie crust onto cooking parchment or wax paper. Brush a small amount of coconut milk onto dough (just enough to moisten it). Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of the toasted coconut evenly on dough, then press it lightly into dough, just enough to make it stick.
 
Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon toasted coconut onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate, then form dough into plate. Prick bottom and side with fork. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool.
 
Heat the remaining coconut milk, the whole milk, 1/2 cup toasted coconut, vanilla bean, 1/3 cup of the sugar and the salt to a simmer in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes to dissolve sugar.
 
In a separate large bowl, with whisk, beat the egg yolks, remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the cornstarch until well combined. Gradually beat the simmering liquid into the yolk mixture to temper it, then return the entire mixture to saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Discard vanilla bean.
 
Heat the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, beating constantly with whisk, 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture is thickened.
 
Remove from heat; beat in the coconut extract and butter. Pour into the cooled crust; press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling and refrigerate until the filling is cold and firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
 
Just before serving, beat the cream and sugar in a chilled bowl using electric mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the rum and continue to beat until slightly stiff peaks are formed. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled filling. Sprinkle 1/4 cup toasted coconut and shaved chocolate over the top. Store in refrigerator.
 
Serves 8.

Two-Layer Fudge

The Kraft foods website has some of the best recipes around. This is one of theirs. I needed a recipe that used white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. What can I say? The grocery store had a huge after-Christmas sale on chocolate. I couldn't pass it up. Besides, who needs an excuse to create something yummy? I copies the recipe from the Kraft site however I prefer pecans over walnuts. It's what we do in the South.

Two-Layer Fudge

prep time 20 min
total time 2 hr 20 min
makes 24 servings

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk, divided
1/2 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER'S White Chocolate


MICROWAVE semi-sweet chocolate and 3/4 cup milk in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

ADD nuts and vanilla; mix well. Spread onto bottom of foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Set aside.

MICROWAVE white chocolate and remaining milk in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread over semi-sweet chocolate layer.

Refrigerate 2 hours.

Kraft Kitchens Tips Special
Prepare and refrigerate as directed above. Place 1 additional square BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate in small resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until chocolate is melted. Fold down top of bag tightly; snip tiny piece off bottom corner of bag. Holding top of bag tightly, drizzle chocolate through opening over uncut fudge. Let stand until set.

How to Prepare Dried Beans

I found this wonderful info bit in Relish magazine. I'm the one who usually soaks beans overnight to prepare them for cooking. Of course, that requires that I actually think ahead. I can usually accomplish this on New Year's Eve so that I can eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. So I was excited to find there's an alternative for the other days of the year.

Dried beans must be soaked before cooking. I hope everyone already knows this. I don't know what happens when you don't do this. I've never tried it. I wouldn't imagine anything edible would come from it though.

Soak beans overnight. You want to first rinse and check the beans. Sometimes there are discolored or broken beans in the bag. Remove those. Then place the beans in a large bowl with cold water. Let them stand (or sit?) overnight. Relish suggests 6 cups of water for 1 pound of beans. I simply make sure that the beans are fully covered. Be sure to drain the beans before you cook them.

Quick-soak beans. Rinse and check the beans. Remove the discolored or broken beans. Place the beans in a large pot with 6 cups of cold water. Cover, bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour. Drain. I look forward to trying this method. I just hope the water doesn't boil over. That would be a mess.

Pie Crust Tips

I wanted to pass on these tips for making a wonderful pie crust. The Crisco Pie Hotline offers lots of help. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions, as reported in Country Living magazine.

Is there a trick to making my crust extra-flaky?
Cold ingredients. Refrigerate everything -- from flour to shortening to your rolling pin -- for at least an hour before you start.

What can I do to prevent my crust from shrinking too much in the oven?
Roll our the dough two inches larger than your pie plate, the position it in the plate. Let the unbaked crust settle for 10 to 15 minutes before you trim. Then leave a half-inch border to fold over the edge of the pan.

How can I avoid a soggy pie crust?
Well, it's going to happen to some extent because of the fruit juices. It helps to thicken up your filling by cooling it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before using it.