Squash Casserole

 I needed a recipe -- fast. I know. There are hundreds and probably thousands of Squash Casserole recipes. I have quite a few of them. But I have a secret to share: I had never cooked a Squash Casserole. Ever.

Crazy, right? In my defense, I never needed to bake one. My Mother did that. Friends baked it. Relatives too. I always liked it. I just never baked one myself.

Then came the day I had squash that were about to ruin. I didn't have the time, or the Crisco Oil, to fry them up. So I needed a Squash Casserole recipe. I found one in a senior citizen center cookbook. The bonus is that I know the woman who submitted it. She's a really good cook!

It calls for 2 lbs. of squash. I didn't bother to weigh them out. I used the ones I had and it seemed to work out just fine. We loved it! I hope you do too.

Squash Casserole

2 lbs. yellow squash

2 eggs

8 saltine crackers

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

1/2 stick butter

1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 onion, chopped

Wash the squash and cut the ends off. Chop it up and boil in water until tender. Drain. Return to pan and mash the squash into a batter consistency. Add salt and pepper.

Add butter and cheese to the squash. Stir in the other ingredients. Place in a casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Pie

 My husband is a chocoholic. And he loves pies. What's more natural, then, than baking (something I love to do!) a chocolate pie.

Except I couldn't find a recipe that I liked. I know. There are SO many chocolate pie recipes. Everywhere I looked.  I don't know how many I tried. Finally, I did what I always do in these circumstances. I put a little bit of this one, and that one, and then another one, and so on until I got one that seems just right. I hope you enjoy it!

Chocolate Pie

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 stick real butter, melted

1 teaspoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons Hershey's Cocoa powder

2 tablespoons flour

1 unbaked, thawed pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into the unbaked pie shell.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream or Cool Whip.

Cookies and Cream Brownies

 Have you ever served a dessert and had people coming back for seconds ... and thirds? This is one of those desserts.

I found this recipe years ago in an All Recipes magazine. Of course, I tweaked it a little. But it sure is yummy and will certainly satisfy those chocolate lovers in your life.

Cookies and Cream Brownies

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup Hershey's Cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup real butter, melted

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon McCormick's Pure Vanilla Extract

1 package of Oreos (36 count)

1 (8 oz.) container of Cool Whip, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use extra butter or Pam to grease a 9-inch square baking pan.

Mix sugar, flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder in a bowl.

Combine butter, eggs and vanilla. I whisk with a fork.

Pour egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir only until just mixed. Don't over do it!

Crush 16 Oreos.

Pour half of the batter into the greased pan. Sprinkle the crushed Oreos over this. Top with remaining batter.

Bake for 30 minutes or until edges are browned and the center is set. (No jiggling!)

Let brownies cool completely. This will take an hour or so.

Crush another 14 Oreos.

Mix the Oreos with the Cool Whip. Spread this over the brownies.

Crush remaining 6 Oreos and use these to sprinkle on top.

Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.