Cream Cheese Bacon Crescents

CREAM CHEESE BACON CRESCENTS

1 tub (8 oz.) Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread
3 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cream cheese spread and bacon in small bowl until well blended. Separate each can of dough into 8 triangles each. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise. Spread each dough triangle with 1 generous tsp. cream cheese mixture. Roll up, starting at shortest side of triangle and rolling to opposite point. Place, point sides down, on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 16 servings, 2 crescents each.

Zeus' Favorite Macaroni and Cheese

ZEUS' FAVORITE MACARONI AND CHEESE

2 cups macaroni pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
1 tsp. crushed dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups prepared Alfredo sauce
1 pkg. (10-oz.) frozen chopped spinach thawed and well-drained
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare macaroni according to package directions; rinse with cold water and drain. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add peppers, oregano, salt and pepper, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add Alfredo sauce, reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes. Combine cooked macaroni, sauce, spinach and feta cheese; mix well to coat. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and browned on top. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

PUMPKIN SWIRL CHEESECAKE

25 ginger snaps, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix ginger snap crumbs, pecans and butter; press firmly onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan. Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups of the batter; place in small bowl. Stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the pumpkin and spices into remaining batter. Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half of the reserved plain batter. Repeat layers. Cut through batters with knife several times for marble effect. Bake 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Cut into 16 slices. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Sloppy Joe Meatloaf

SLOPPY JOE MEATLOAF

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/4 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 slices white bread, torn into 1" pieces
2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 egg
3 cups prepared instant mashed potatoes
Butter, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat roasting pan with cooking spray. In bowl, mix sauce, sugar, ketchup, 1 Tbsp. onion, chili powder, vinegar, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and garlic.
Place bread in separate bowl; add 3/4 cup sauce mixture. With fork, stir and mash against bowl until smooth. Stir in beef, green pepper, egg and remaining onion, salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.

Kit-Kat Bundt Cake

KIT-KAT BUNDT CAKE

4 cups + 1 Tbs. cake flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 cups butter or margarine, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk
6 snack-size Kit-Kat candy bars, coarsely chopped, about 1 cup
2 cans (16 oz. each) milk chocolate frosting
Additional candy bars, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Combine 4 cups flour, baking powder and salt; reserve. At medium-high speed beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Alternately beat in reserved flour mixture and milk; beat 1 minute. Toss candy with remaining flour; stir into batter. Pour into pan. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool 25 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool on rack. Spread with frosting and garnish with candy, if desired. Makes 16 servings.

Tuna Stuffed Shells

TUNA STUFFED SHELLS

18 jumbo pasta shells
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 can (6 oz.) light tuna in oil, well drained
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 can(10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
1 large egg
Paprika (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. You'll need an 11 x 7-in. baking dish lightly coated with nonstick spray. Boil pasta as package directs until just firm-tender. Meanwhile mix tuna, bread crumbs, onion, egg, half the parsley and the lemon juice to blend. Drain pasta shells. Rinse gently to cool; drain. Fill each shell with 1 Tbsp. tuna mixture. Place in prepared dish. Whisk soup and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Remove from heat; stir in remaining parsley. Pour evenly over shells. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Bake and serve or cover with foil and refrigerate up to 1 day.
To serve: Bake 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Makes 6 servings.

2-Ingredient No-Knead Beer Bread

2-INGREDIENT NO-KNEAD BEER BREAD

2 2/3 cup self-rising flour (not cake flour)
12 oz. beer, freshly opened, chilled or at room temperature

Heat oven to 375 degrees. You'll need a 9 x 5 x 3-in. loaf pan, lightly greased. Put flour in a medium bowl. Add beer and stir with a rubber spatula just until flour is moistened completely. Scrape into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes until top is lightly browned, the sides pull away from the pan and pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes, then turn out on rack to cool. Cut in 1/2-in. slices to serve. Makes great toast. Makes 1 loaf, 8 slices.

Cookie Ice Cream Pie

COOKIE ICE CREAM PIE

10 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
14 whole cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

Filling:
1/2 gallon raspberry ripple ice cream, softened, divided
1/2 cup prepared fudge topping, divided
Fresh raspberries, optional

Combine crushed cookies and butter; mix well. Press onto bottom only of a 9-in. pie plate. Stand whole cookies up around edges, pressing lightly into crust. Freeze 1 hour. For filling, spread half of ice cream over crushed cookies. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of fudge topping. Freeze 1 hour. Spread remaining ice cream on top. Drizzle with remaining fudge topping. Freeze several hours or overnight. Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired. Let pie stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 8 servings.

Parmesan-Spinach Dip

PARMESAN-SPINACH DIP

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
1 can (14 oz.) hearts of palm, drained and chopped
1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers
2 Tbsp. bread crumbs
1 large clove garlic, peeled and chopped

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In bowl, stir together mayonnaise, cheese, spinach, hearts of palm, red peppers, bread crumbs and garlic. Spoon mixture into 1 qt. casserole dish. In microwave, cook 10 minutes, or until heated through. Bake in oven 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve with bread slices and vegetables, if desired.

Ham & Mushroom Strata

HAM & MUSHROOM STRATA

1 Tbsp. stick butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
10 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 piece (8 oz.) boneless smoked ham, cubed
1 bag (16 oz.) broccoli florets, steamed
8 slices sandwich bread, cubed
6 oz. fontina cheese, shredded )1 1/2 cups)
6 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp. pepper

You'll need a shallow 3-qt baking dish lightly coated with nonstick spray. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion; sauté until tender. Add mushrooms; sauté until browned and dry. Stir in ham and broccoli. Spread half the bread cubes in prepared baking dish. Top with ham mixture and half the cheese. Scatter remaining bread over top. Whisk eggs, milk and pepper in a large bowl until blended. Pour evenly over bread; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake and serve, or cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. To serve: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered 1 hour or until top is puffed and lightly browned, and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out dry. Makes 8 servings.

Creamy Chocolate Cupcakes

CREAMY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add eggs, water, oil, vinegar and vanilla; mix well. Pour into 18 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. For filling, beat cream cheese and sugar in another mixing bowl. Add egg and salt; mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls into center of each cupcake. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Cheesy Meatball Skillet

CHEESY MEATBALL SKILLET

1 Tbsp. oil, preferably olive
1 large onion, chopped, 1 1/2 cups
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with mushrooms and garlic
1 cup marinara pasta sauce from a jar
1 pkg. (12 oz.) fully cooked turkey meatballs
1 1/2 cups elbow pasta
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend, 4 oz.
Chopped fresh parsley, optional

In large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, 1 1/2 cups water and marinara; stir in meatballs. Cover; bring to boil. Stir in pasta; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, 15 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Olive-Parmesan Bread

OLIVE-PARMESAN BREAD

1 lb. frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 to 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
White from 1 large egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. cold water
2 Tbsp. flour

Heat oven to 375 degrees. You'll need a baking sheet dusted with flour. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 10-in. circle. Sprinkle with olives, cheese and pepper; fold dough over and knead until well incorporated. Form into a 6-in. oval. Place on prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 45 to 60 minutes until doubled. Brush with egg-white mixture. Decoration: Draw design on a 5-in. square of wax paper. Cut out; spray 1 side of paper with nonstick spray. Place on loaf. Dust with flour. Cut four 1/2-in.-deep slashes in dough, 1 at each side of paper; carefully lift off paper. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom. Cool completely on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf, 8 slices.

Tex-Mex Snack Mix

TEX-MEX SNACK MIX

MAKES 32 CUPS
1 bag (3.5 oz.) microwave popcorn, freshly popped
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 bag (22 oz.) small fun-shape pretzels (about 15 cups)
1 box (15 oz.) nacho-flavored cheese crackers
1 can (12 oz.) cocktail peanuts

Pour popcorn into very large bowl or pot. Immediately sprinkle with chili powder and toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients; toss to mix. Let cool completely, then pack in airtight containers. Store at room temperature up to 2 weeks. Makes 32 cups.

Turkey-Biscuit Pot Pie

TURKEY-BISCUIT POT PIE

Filling:
2 1/2 cups baby-cut carrots (12 oz)
2 cups cut-up fresh broccoli
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. dried sage leaves
2 cups cubed cooked turkey

Biscuits:
4 slices bacon
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup water to boiling. Add carrots and broccoli; cook about 4 minutes or until carrots and broccoli are crisp-tender. Drain. Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Beat in flour with wire whisk. Gradually beat in broth and sage. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Stir carrots, broccoli and turkey into sauce. Spoon turkey mixture into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Place bacon on microwavable plate; cover with microwavable paper towel. Microwave on High 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp. Crumble bacon; place in medium bowl. Add remaining biscuit ingredients; stir just until blended. Spoon biscuit batter around edge of turkey mixture. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until biscuit crust is golden brown.

Alaska Seafood Cobb Salad

ALASKA SEAFOOD COBB SALAD

Green Goddess Dressing:
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. white wine
2 Tbsp. green onion, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients into food processor. Pulse processor 5 to 6 times to chop the herbs. Run processor for an additional 60 seconds, or until the herbs are puréed and dressing is green. Pour dressing into a jar with a lid and refrigerate.

Salad:
4 cups mixed baby greens
1 lb. Alaska Surimi Seafood (Imitation Crab), chunks or mini-cuts
1/2 cup avocado, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped

Toss greens in a large bowl with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the dressing. Arrange dressed greens on four plates. Lay a row of Alaska Surimi Seafood across the center of each salad. Arrange remaining ingredients on both sides of surimi. Drizzle dressing over each salad to serve.
Serves 4.

Crockery Pot Sausage and Potatoes

This one is very good!!! I have made it plenty of times. I have noted after having made it, that it works great with shredded hash browns if you are going to cook it for the approximate 6 hours. If it is going to sit longer before you eat, then it works best with a southern style hash brown. This also works really well with southern green pepper, onion hash brown mixture. Enjoy!!!

CROCKERY POT SAUSAGE AND POTATOES

1 1/2 lbs. Polish sausage links, sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 lbs. frozen hash brown potatoes
1 can Cheddar cheese soup
1 can milk
1 bunch green onions, sliced
Pepper, to taste
Garlic, to taste

Combine sausage, potatoes, onions, and seasonings in a well-buttered crock pot. Stir to mix. Whisk together soup and milk. Pour over ingredients in Crockery Pot. Cook on low for about 6 hours.

Chesapeake Crab Cakes

CHESAPEAKE CRAB CAKES

1/4 cup minced yellow bell peppers
1/4 cup minced red onions
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, divided
1 lb. lump crabmeat, shells removed
1 jar (2 oz.) sliced pimientos, drained
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. seafood seasoning, like Old Bay
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup, plus 2 Tbs. dry bread crumbs, divided
24 slices cocktail rye bread
1/2 cup prepared remoulade sauce

In skillet, cook minced yellow bell peppers and red onions in 1 Tbs. butter 2 min. In bowl, combine next 6 ingredients, 2 Tbs. bread crumbs and cooked vegetables. Using '/4 cup measure, form 24 crab cakes. Dip each crab cake in remaining bread crumbs, turning to coat. In skillet over medium-high heat, cook 12 crab cakes in 1 Tbs. butter 4 min., turning once. Repeat. Top bread with remoulade sauce. Add baby greens, if desired. Top with crab cakes. Makes 24 servings.

Fettuccine with Ricotta, Tomatoes and Basil

FETTUCCINE WITH RICOTTA, TOMATOES AND BASIL

1 pkg. (9 oz) refrigerated fettuccine
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook and drain fettuccine as directed on package. Return to saucepan. Stir together butter, ricotta cheese and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Toss with hot fettuccine. Top pasta with tomato, basil and remaining Parmesan cheese. Makes 3 servings.

Chocolate Chip-Toffee Cheesecake

CHOCOLATE CHIP-TOFFEE CHEESECAKE

Crust:
1 1/4 cups finely crushed chocolate graham crackers (18 squares)
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling:
2 pkg. (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate-coated toffee bits (from two 8-oz bags)

Topping:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. whipping cream

Heat oven to 300 degrees. In medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, 2 Tbsp. sugar and the butter. In ungreased 9-inch spring-form pan, press crumb mixture in bottom and 1 to 1 1/2 inches up side. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the toffee bits for garnish; gently stir remaining toffee bits into cream cheese mixture. Pour mixture into crust. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until set. Turn off oven; leave door open 4 inches. Cool cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; place on cooling rack. Without releasing or removing side of pan, run metal spatula carefully along side of cheesecake to loosen. Cool 30 minutes. Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen again. Refrigerate uncovered until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and whipping cream uncovered on High 20 to 30 seconds or until chips are melted and can be stirred smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Spread topping evenly over top of cheesecake. Sprinkle reserved 2 Tbsp. toffee bits around outer edge. Refrigerate until topping is set, about 15 minutes. Remove side of pan before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Beef and Mushroom Roll

BEEF AND MUSHROOM ROLL

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1/4 cup dill pickle relish
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water

PASTRY:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. milk, divided

GRAVY:
2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups milk

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the mushrooms, relish, salt, mustard and pepper. Combine flour and water until smooth; stir into beef mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Set aside. For pastry, in a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and poultry seasoning. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 3/4 cup milk to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; pat dough into a 12-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Set aside 1/4 cup of meat mixture. Spread remaining mixture over dough to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet; brush with remaining milk. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. For gravy, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in reserved meat mixture; heat through. Slice roll; serve with gravy. Makes 4-6 servings.

Reuben Braids

REUBEN BRAIDS

6 oz. cooked corned beef brisket, chopped (about 1 cup)
1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
3/4 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
1 small onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. Thousand Island salad dressing
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dill weed
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Unroll one tube of crescent dough onto an ungreased baking sheet; seal seams and perforations. Spread half of corned beef filling down center of rectangle. On each long side, cut 1-in.-wide strips to within 1 in. of filling. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling; seal ends. Repeat with remaining crescent dough and filling. Brush egg white over braids; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks for 5 minutes before cutting into slices. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 2 loaves (8 servings each).

French Onion Soup

FRENCH ONION SOUP

2 Tbsp. Butter
1 lg. Sweet onion, halved, thinly sliced
1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Dried thyme
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup white wine or beef broth
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. Each) beef broth
12 (1/2" thick) slices french bread, toasted
6 oz. Deli-sliced Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, sugar, thyme, pepper and salt. Cover; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring every 5 minutes, until tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Add wine (or broth). Bring to boil; cook 1 minutes. Add broth and ½ cup water; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Position oven rack so that soup will be 7" from broiler; preheat broiler. Evenly divide soup among 6 (10 oz.-12 oz.) soup crocks or broilerproof bowls; top each with 2 slices bread and 1 oz. cheese. Broil until cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Slow-Cooker Chicken & Dumplings

SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

1 1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
2 cups whole baby carrots
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) cream of chicken soup
1 cup water
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose baking mix
2/3 cup milk

Place chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery in 6-qt. slow cooker. Mix soup, water, thyme and black pepper. Pour over all. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hr. (or on high for 4 to 5 hr.) or until chicken is done. Mix baking mix and milk. Spoon batter over chicken mixture. Tilt lid to vent and cook on high 30 min. or until dumplings are cooked in center. Makes 8 servings.

Coca-Cola Cake

COCA-COLA CAKE

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 sticks margarine
1 cup Coca-Cola
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 1/3 cup miniature marshmallows

Icing:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
6 Tbsp. Coca-Cola
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 lb. box powdered sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped

CAKE: Combine flour and sugar. Heat margarine and Coca-Cola to boiling point; pour over flour mixture. Mix well. Add buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, vanilla, cocoa, and marshmallows. Pour into greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

ICING: Combine butter, Coca-Cola, and cocoa. Heat mixture, pour over powdered sugar. Use more or less powdered sugar as needed. Beat well. Ice cake while cake is still hot. Sprinkle chopped nuts over cake.

Orange Creamsicle Pie

ORANGE CREAMSICLE PIE

1 can (15 oz.) mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained, syrup reserved
1 pkg. (0.3 oz.) orange Jello
1 cup ice cubes
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
4 cups Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
1 pkg. (6 oz.) graham cracker pie crust
Orange fruit slice candies, optional

In large microwave safe bowl, microwave reserved orange syrup on high in 10 second intervals until hot. Stir in gelatin mix until dissolved. Add ice cubes; stir until slightly thickened. Remove and discard any remaining ice. Whisk in milk; let stand until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Fold in 1 cup Cool Whip and zest. Transfer mixture to crust; smooth top. Refrigerate until just set, about 2 hours. Top with orange segments in single layer; refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. Just before serving, spread with remaining 3 cups Cool Whip. If desired, garnish with candies. Makes 12 servings.

Flavored Mocha Drink Mix

FLAVORED MOCHA DRINK MIX

1-1/2 cups powdered nondairy creamer
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup instant coffee granules
1/2 cup baking cocoa
Dash salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3/4 cup boiling water
Whipped cream, optional

In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Divide mixture in half. Stir in vanilla to one portion and almond extract to the other. Store in airtight containers in a cool dry place for up to 1 year. Makes 14-16 batches (7-8 batches vanilla mocha mix; 7-8 batches almond mocha mix), about 3 cups total.

TO PREPARE BEVERAGE: Dissolve about 3 tablespoons mix in water; stir well. Top with whipped cream if desired. Yield: 1 serving per batch.

Key Lime Cheesecake

KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

2 limes, divided
1 box (1 lb.) glazed doughnut holes
2 boxes (3 oz.) lime Jell-0
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 containers (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed

Juice 1 lime; halve and slice remaining lime. In food processor or blender, pulse doughnut holes 4 times, or until fine crumbs form. Press crumbs into bottom of 9 inch springform pan. Chill 20 minutes. In bowl, stir gelatin mix into 1 1/3 cups boiling water 2 minutes, or until gelatin is dissolved; let cool slightly. In clean food processor or blender, puree gelatin, cream cheese and 2 Tbsp. lime juice for 1 minute, or until smooth; transfer to a large bowl. Fold in 4 cups Cool Whip. Stand lime slices around edge of prepared crust in pan. Spoon gelatin mixture into pan; using spatula, smooth top. Chill 2 hours or until set. Spoon remaining whipped topping into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe on cake. Garnish with lime slices and raspberries, if desired. Makes 10 servings.

Spinach Triangles

SPINACH TRIANGLES

1 pkg. (17.3 oz.) frozen puff pastry sheets (2 sheets)
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 pkg. (about 10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Thaw pastry sheets at room temperature 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix 1 egg and water and set aside. Mix remaining eggs, cheese, spinach, onion arid parsley. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll each pastry sheet into 12" square and cut each into 16 (3") squares. Place 1 tbsp. spinach mixture in center of each square. Brush edges with egg mixture. Fold squares over filling to form triangles. Crimp edges to seal. Place on baking sheet. Brush with egg mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 32.

Parmesan Cheese Ball

PARMESAN CHEESE BALL

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup finely chopped nuts
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Coarsely chopped nuts
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

Stir together all ingredients except coarsely chopped nuts until well blended. Shape into ball; roll in coarsely chopped nuts. Wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 48 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
Makes 12 servings.