Fettuccine With Cheese Sauce

This recipe is one I clipped from a magazine some time ago. I don't know which magazine. I only know that I love pasta and cheese. Yeah.

Fettuccine With Cheese Sauce

12 oz. fettuccine pasta
2 cups frozen green peas
2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach leaves (5 oz.)
1 1/4 cups bottled Alfredo sauce
1/3 cup milk
1 quart cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half (if desired)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Put frozen peas in colander set in the sink.

While pasta cooks, coat a large skillet with nonstick spray. Heat over medium-low heat, add garlic and cook 1 minute or until soft. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted. Stir in Alfredo sauce and milk. Cook 1 to 2 minutes to heat.

Drain pasta over peas in colander. This helps thaw the peas. Transfer to a large serving bowl and add sauce and tomatoes. I don't like tomatoes, so I skip that step. Toss to mix and coat.

Makes 4 servings.

Caramel Apple Cake

This is another one of those great Bisquick recipes.

Caramel Apple Cake

1 1/2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 medium cooking apples, pealed and sliced (2 cups)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup boiling water
Ice cream or Sweetened whipped cream, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix Bisquick and granulated sugar in medium bowl. Stir in milk until well blended. Pour into ungreased 9 x 9 x 2-inch square pan. Top with apples; sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples. Pour boiling water over apples.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Frosted Pumpkin Cake Squares

I love recipes with pumpkin and spices. It makes me think of cool weather and gatherings with family and friends.

Frosted Pumpkin Cake Squares

1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch square pan.

Beat sugar and eggs for two minutes with mixer at medium speed. Beat in pumpkin and oil. At low speed, add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Beat one minute.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

With mixer at low speed, beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract for two minutes or until fluffly. Frost cake.

Yields nine servings.

Little Potato Trees

This recipe came from a magazine. You guessed it. I don't know which one. I think I was intrigued by the photo of the little  potato trees, all decked out with peppers and parsley. They just looked festive and, frankly, quite impressive.

Little Potato Trees

2 1/2 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
2 tablespoons shredded onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Garnish: finely chopped red and yellow bell pepper and parsley and little stars cut from yellow pepper

Grease a large rimmed baking sheet. Have ready a large pastry bag or ziptop bag fittted with a large star piping tip.

Cook potatoes in a large pot in water to cover for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well in colander; return to pot or large bowl.

Add sour cream, butter, onion, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Beat with mixer until smooth. Beat in egg until well blended.

Spoon potatoes into bag with piping tip. Pipe 16 mounds on the baking sheet, each about 2 1/2 inches wide at the base and 3 inches high. They should resemble small Christmas trees. Sprinkle them with the cheese.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Bake 15 minutes or until potatoes just begin to brown.

Remove trees with a wide spatula to serving platter. Sprinkle with chopped peppers and parsley. Top with stars.

You can prepare the potato mixture a day early. When you're ready, just create the trees, bake, decorate and serve.

Peach Shake

This recipe came from McGraw Farms up near Clanton, Alabama. They grow the best peaches! I'm not sure how we found them the first time. I think we just followed some signs. They have a booth where you can buy peaches by the basket or you can actually go out and pick your own. It's a fun experience for kids or older folks with lots of energy.

Peach Shake

1 cup fresh peaches
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Blend in blender until smooth.

Makes two cups.

Breakfast Sausage Casserole

This recipe comes from the Jimmy Dean sausage people. I'm really not a morning person so I like being able to assemble this the night before and bake it in the morning.

Breakfast Sausage Casserole

1 pkg. Jimmy Dean Roll Sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained
10 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups light cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon dry mustard
16 oz. day old bread, cubed
4 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
4 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
              

                  
Grease 9 x 13-inch pan.

Place bread in pan. Sprinkle with cheeses and sausage.

Combine rest of ingredients together and mix well. Pour over bread.

Refrigerate overnight. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until golden brown.

Serves 6-8.

Fudge

This is another one of those wonderful recipes companies give us so we'll (hopefully) use their products. Okay. It worked. This is a recipe for some serious chocolate!

Toll House Famous Fudge

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 oz.) Carnation Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspooon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line 8-inch-square baking pan with foil.

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted.

Pour into prepared pan; refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces.

Makes 49 pieces.