Smoky Bacon Bloody Mary

SMOKY BACON BLOODY MARY

1 1/2 oz. bacon flavored vodka
4 oz. tomato juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 dashes of hot sauce
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp. dried ground horseradish
1 slice of cooked bacon
1 celery stalk
A sprinkle of seasoned salt and fresh ground black pepper
Various pickled vegetables, if desired

Fill a shaker with some ice. Add remaining ingredients and give it a good shake. Pour it into a seasoned salt-rimed glass and garnish with a piece of cooked bacon, a celery stalk and your favorite pickled vegetables. Makes 1 cocktail.

*Betty Crocker

Fresh Tomato and Garlic Penne

FRESH TOMATO AND GARLIC PENNE

1 1/4 cups uncooked penne pasta (4 oz)
2 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. plum (Roma) tomatoes (6 medium), coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook garlic in oil 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until tomatoes are soft and sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in basil, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute. Serve sauce over pasta. Makes 2 servings.

*Betty Crocker

Homemade Tomato Salsa

HOMEMADE TOMATO SALSA

3 lg. tomatoes, seeded and chopped (3 cups)
1 sm. green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 med. green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. finely chopped jalapeño chili
2 to 3 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients in glass or plastic bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Makes 3 1/2 cups.

*Betty Crocker

Garlic Basil Tomatoes with Mozzarella

GARLIC BASIL TOMATOES WITH MOZZARELLA

4 med. tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/8 tsp. salt
3 drops red pepper sauce
2 lg. garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Salad greens, if desired

Place tomatoes in glass or plastic dish. Shake remaining ingredients except cheese and salad greens in tightly covered container. Pour over tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours to blend flavors, turning occasionally. Layer cheese alternately with tomatoes on salad greens. Makes 8 servings.

*Betty Crocker

Chocolate Topped Peanut Butter Bacon Bars

CHOCOLATE TOPPED PEANUT BUTTER BACON BARS

1 pouch Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. maple-flavored syrup
1 egg
10 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 9- or 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix, oil, syrup and egg until soft dough forms. Reserve 1/4 cup bacon for garnish. Stir remaining bacon and peanuts into dough. Press evenly in pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; sprinkle with chocolate chips. Return to oven; bake 1 minute. Immediately spread chocolate over bars. Sprinkle reserved 1/4 cup bacon over chocolate. Cool completely, about 1 hour or until chocolate is set. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered in refrigerator. Makes 16 bars.

*Betty Crocker

Mozzarella Stuffed Mushroom Pizza Burgers

MOZZARELLA STUFFED MUSHROOM PIZZA BURGERS

1 1/2 lb. lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
1 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 pkg. (8 oz.) sliced fresh mushrooms (about 3 cups)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 hamburger buns, split
1/2 cup pizza sauce, warmed

In large bowl, mix beef, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Shape mixture into 8 patties, 4 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Press 1/4 cup of the cheese into a ball with hands; press flat into 3 1/2-inch-diameter patty. Repeat with remaining cheese. Place cheese patties on top of 4 beef patties; top with remaining beef patties. Pinch edges together to seal. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Heat gas or charcoal grill. Place patties on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 11 to 13 minutes, turning once, until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160 degrees. During last 2 minutes of cooking, place buns, cut sides down, on grill until toasted. Place burgers on bottom halves of buns. Top with pizza sauce and mushroom mixture. Cover with top halves of buns. Makes 4 sandwiches

*Betty Crocker

Flag Cake

FLAG CAKE

1 pkg. (18-1/4 oz.) French vanilla cake mix
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil
4 eggs

FILLING:
1 pkg. (3 oz.) berry blue gelatin
1 1/2 cups boiling water, divided
1 cup cold water, divided
Ice cubes
1 pkg. (3 oz.) strawberry gelatin
2/3 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
1/4 cup fresh blueberries

FROSTING:
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 Tbsp. 2% milk
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme

Line a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Transfer cake to a covered cake board. Using a small knife, cut out a 5-in. x 4-in. rectangle (1/2 in. deep) in the top left corner of cake, leaving a 1/2-in. border along edges of cake. For red stripes, cut out 1/2-in. wide rows (1/2 in. deep), leaving a 1/2-in. border. Using a fork, carefully remove cut-out cake pieces. In a small bowl, dissolve berry blue gelatin in 3/4 cup boiling water. Pour 1/2 cup cold water into a 2-cup measuring cup; add enough ice cubes to measure 1-1/4 cups. Stir into gelatin until slightly thickened. Scoop out and discard any remaining ice cubes. Repeat, making strawberry gelatin. In a small bowl, combine strawberries and 1 cup strawberry gelatin. In another bowl, combine blueberries and 1 cup blue gelatin. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or just until soft-set. (Save remaining gelatin for another use.) Stir gelatin mixtures. Slowly pour blueberry mixture into rectangle; spoon strawberry mixture into stripes. In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in the confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Add marshmallow creme; beat well until light and fluffy. Spread 1 cup over sides and top edge of cake. Refrigerate remaining frosting for 20 minutes. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert a large star tip. Fill the bag with remaining frosting. Pipe frosting in between rows of strawberry gelatin and around edges of cake. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until gelatin is set. Makes 15 servings.

*Taste of Home