I love pasta. I love cheese. This has both. Enough said. The recipe comes from the wonderful folks at Pillsbury.

Three-Cheese Rotini Bake

8 oz. (3 cups) uncooked rainbow rotini (spiral pasta)                        

3  tablespoons margarine or butter                        

1  garlic clove, minced                        

1/4  cup all-purpose flour                        

1/4  teaspoon pepper                        

2  cups milk                        

4   oz. (1 cup) shredded American cheese                        

4  oz. (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese                        

1 oz. (1/4 cup) crumbled blue cheese 

 

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Cook rotini as directed on package. Drain.
• Meanwhile, melt margarine in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in flour and pepper; cook and stir until mixture is bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Reserve 1 tablespoon each American and mozzarella cheese for top. Add remaining cheeses to sauce; stir until melted.
• Add cooked rotini to cheese sauce; stir gently to coat. Pour into sprayed casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheeses.
• Bake at 350°F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly around edges.                    

Expert Tips

This recipe easily adapts to your favorite cheese. Instead of American and mozzarella cheese, try Cheddar, colby, Asiago, fontina, provolone or Swiss.
For kids, omit the blue cheese and add hot dogs. Slice one or two hot dogs and stir them into the cheese sauce with the rotini.
Serve this cheesy rotini dish with a green salad tossed with any vinaigrette. Crusty Italian bread and fresh apple and pear wedges complete the menu.

Pina Colada Salad

The newspaper clipping is old. Yellowed. I have no idea which newspaper it came from. I've kept it for a long, long time just waiting for the moment when I found it at the same time I actually needed it. Know what I mean? So I'm sharing it with everyone so that we all can enjoy it.

 

Pina Colada Salad

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
One 15 1/2-ounce can unsweetened pineapple chunks, drain and reserve syrup
water
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Two 3-ounce packages cream cheese
1 orange peeled, sectioned and chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup coconut

Soften gelatin in cold water. Let stand 5 minutes.

Add enough water to pineapple syrup to make 1 cup. Heat to boiling, add gelatin and stir. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, lemon juice and cream cheese. Blend, then chill until partially set.

Add pineapple, orange, pecans and coconut. Spoon into lightly greased (use  non-stick spray) 1-quart mold. Chill.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Nita's Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have a sweet friend who thinks that all cookies should be crunchy. Well, I'm someone who likes soft cookies and that's usually what I make. Except Nita wanted Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies for her birthday. Seriously. It's all she asked for. Well, that and a card.

So I got busy searching. Do you have any idea how many Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes there are out there in cookie recipe land? The recipe I finally settled on comes from the folks who make Ghirardelli chocolate. It was a winner. She loved the cookies!!!

Here's the recipe. Well, my version of the recipe. I didn't add nuts. And I didn't shift the baking pans around. That's way too much trouble. I baked them like I always do and they turned out fine. If you like crunchy cookies, you'll probably really love it. If you don't, I've got plenty of other recipes you can choose from.

 

Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 1/3 all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly greased and flour two making sheets.

Mix the flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the butter, both sugars, corn syrup, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. (Add nuts at this time if you want to.) The dough will be very soft.

Divide the dough in half. Divide one half of the dough into 10 equal pieces (each a scant 1/4 cup). Place 5 pieces of dough at least 3 inches apart on each baking sheet. Use your fingers covered with a piece of plastic wrap to flatten each scoop until it is 3 inches in diameter. (Cookies will spread even more as they bake.)

Bake about 15 minutes, watching closely, until the cookies are evenly dark golden brown all over. (Pale cookies will not be crispy). Let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Makes about 16 4-inch cookies.

Classic Angel Flake Coconut Cake

 Thank you Kraft for sharing this recipe!!! It's in my stack of magazine recipes to be added to this blog. And you even included a beautiful photo! Simple. Easy. Love me some Coconut Cake!

photo by kraft

 Classic Angel Flake Coconut Cake

   

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

2-2/3 cups  BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut (7-oz. pkg.), divided

1-1/4 cups  cold milk, divided

1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Coconut Cream Flavor Instant Pudding

1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1/4 cup  powdered sugar

1 tub  (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

 

HEAT oven to 350°F.
PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 2 (9-inch) round layers, stirring 2/3 cup coconut, 1/4 cup milk and dry coconut pudding mix into batter before pouring into prepared pans. Cool cakes in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
MEANWHILE, beat dry vanilla pudding mix, sugar and remaining milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. (Pudding will be thick.) Stir in COOL WHIP. Refrigerate until ready to assemble cake.
STACK cake layers on plate, filling with layers of 1 cup of the pudding mixture and 3/4 cup of the remaining coconut. Frost top and side of cake with remaining pudding mixture. Press remaining coconut into pudding mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Makes 18 servings.

Hearty Sausage Mini Quiche

This recipe comes from the April 2014 issue of All You magazine. It's actually an advertisement from Jimmy Dean sausage, something I use when I make Breakfast Pizza. The little mini bites just look yummy and would be perfect for a brunch or for those of us who prefer breakfast at supper.

The cook's tip suggests using parchment paper for cupcake liners.

Hearty Sausage Mini Quiche

1 pkg Jimmy Dean Regular Flavor Pork Sausage Roll
1cup fresh chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
10 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook sausage, mushrooms and bell pepper in large skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until sausage is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.

Beat eggs, milk and black pepper in large bowl with wire whisk until well-blended. Stir in sausage mixture, cheese and green onion. Line cupcake pans with 16 baking liners. Spoon mixture evenly into baking cups.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Lemon Lime Pound Cake

This recipe comes from the February 2014 issue of Southern Living magazine. The notes say it is based on a class Southern favorite called 7UP Pound Cake. It sure works for me.

Lemon-Lime Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup lemon-lime soft drink (such as 7UP)
Shortening
Lemon-Lime Glaze (recipe follows)
Candied Lemons (optional
Garnish: Lime rind twists

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar. Beat at medium speed 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in lemon zest and extracts.

Add flour to butter mixture alternately with lemon-lime soft drink, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased (with shortening) and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 45 to 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack.

Spoon Lemon-Lime Glaze over warm or room temperature cake.

Top cake with Candied Lemons, if desired.

Makes 12 servings.

Lemon-Lime Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and lime juice in a bowl until blended and smooth. (For a thinner glaze, stir in an additional 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, if desired.)

Makes about 1 cup.

Oreo Cheesecake Bites

This recipe comes from one of my favorite sites: Kraft. That company simply has THE best recipes. I can't wait to give this one a try. It makes 36 bite-size servings. That's perfect when you need to take something off and you're entertaining at home. After all, who can possibly resist anything that includes OREO cookies?

Oreo Cheesecake Bites

36 OREO Cookies, divided

1/2 cup  butter or margarine, divided

4 pkgs.  (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup  sugar

1 cup  BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

1 pkg.  (4 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

HEAT oven to 325°F.
LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Finely crush 24 cookies. Melt 1/4 cup butter; mix with cookie crumbs. Press onto bottom of prepared pan.
BEAT cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Chop remaining cookies. Gently stir into batter; pour over crust.
BAKE 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool.
MICROWAVE chocolate and remaining butter in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted; stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Cool slightly; spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours.
USE foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting into bars.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Size Wise

Sweets can be part of a balanced diet but remember to keep tabs on portions.

How to Make Mess-Free Cookie Crumbs

Crushing cookies into crumbs can be a messy task. To keep the mess to a minimum, place the whole cookies in a resealable plastic bag. Flatten bag to remove excess air, then seal bag. Crush the cookies into crumbs by rolling a rolling pin across the bag until the crumbs are as fine as you need.

How to Neatly Cut Dessert Bars

When cutting creamy-textured desserts, such as cheesecake, carefully wipe off the knife blade between cuts with a clean damp towel. This prevents the creamy filling from building up on the blade, ensuring clean cuts that leave the edges intact.

Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake

Yesterday I found strawberries in my strawberry patch. Really. Already. Of course, they're still green and there's only a few of them but I am super excited. Then last night I saw this recipe. There it was, looking yummy in the April issue of Southern Living magazine. Guess what I'm planning to make with some of those strawberries when they ripen. Yep. That's right. This very cake.

Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons strawberry-flavored gelatin
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries
shortening
parchment paper
vegetable cooking spray
Strawberry Frosting (recipe follows)
Garnish: fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla.

Stir together flour, gelatin, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in strawberries.

Grease (with shortening) and flour a 13 x 9-inch pan; line with parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over long sides. Lightly grease paper with cooking spray. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift cake from pan, using parchment paper sides as handles. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove parchment paper. Cool completely(about 1 hour). Spread Strawberry Frosting on top and sides of cake.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Strawberry Frosting

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 drop pink food coloring (optional)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add strawberries and food coloring (if desired). Beat until blended.

Beat cream and juice at medium speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high and slowly add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold half of cream mixture into cheese mixture; fold in remaining cream mixture. Use immediately.

Philadelphia Double Lemon Cheesecake Bars

I found this recipe in the April issue of Family Circle magazine. It's actually part of an advertisement for Philadelphia Cream Cheese. It sounds absolutely wonderful and perfect for someone like me who loves cheesecake and lemon. One thing to remember: You must start this early. It needs time to cool, then refrigerate.

 

Philadelphia Double-Lemon Cheesecake Bars

2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
4 packages (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, 1 separated
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 13 x 9-inch pan with foil. Mix wafer crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add 1 egg white and remaining 3 whole eggs, beating after each just until blended. (Reserve yolk for later use.)

Pour batter over crust. Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool 1 hour. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Mix cornstarch and remaining sugar in saucepan, Gradually stir in water and remaining lemon juice. Bring just to boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until clear and thickened. Lightly beat reserved egg yolk until blended. Stir in 2 tablespoons hot cornstarch mixture. Return to remaining cornstarch mixture in saucepan. Cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened. Cool.

Spoon glaze over cheesecake. Refrigerate 1 hour. Use foil handles to remove cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

Makes 16 servings.

Three Cheese Strata with Ham

This recipe was in a recent issue of Relish. It's an insert in our local newspaper. I love that it seems yummy and something that really won't take a lot of time. The original recipe gave cheese options but I only included those cheese I'm mostly likely to have on hand. I don't know about you, but I'm not real big on having to make extra trips to the supermarket just to get one or two items for a new recipe.

Three Cheese Strata with Ham

14 oz. onion rolls, cubed (from the supermarket   bakery)
3 oz. cubed ham
2 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
2 oz.. shredded Cheddar cheese
2 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional)
2 cups 2 percent reduced-fat milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

Place cubed rolls in pan. Top with ham and cheeses. Combine eggs, mustard and milk; whisk well. Pour over roll mixture.

Bake 30 to 45 minutes, until set and puffed. Let cool 10 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.