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.