Meg's Cheesy Potatoes

Prep: 40 minutes
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS
1 (30 oz) pkg of shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 stick of butter
2 cups half and half
8 oz Velveeta

DIRECTIONS
1. Melt butter in sauce pan on low. Mix in sliced Velveeta and half and half. Completely melt cheese, stirring constantly.
2. Put hash browns in 9x13" pan that has been buttered and sprayed. Pour sauce over potatoes.
3. Bake for 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Optional: broil while watching if you want to brown it on top.

Pumpkin Whole Wheat Pancakes

*Adapted from here.

Prep: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch ground clove (optional)
1 1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. (For less seasonal flavor, add just a dash of cinnamon instead of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.)
2. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Fold wet ingredients into the dry.
4. Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop out batter and pour into a warmed griddle.
5. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with butter and syrup.

Notes: These can be very thick, so spread the batter as needed to help the pancakes cook evenly. You're going to want to double this recipe and eat these all week!

Andrea's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

PREP: 10 minutes
SERVES: 12-18

INGREDIENTS:
1 box (15 oz.) spice cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
2 cups chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Combine dry cake mix and pumpkin and mix well. Add chocolate chips and mix. Spoon mixture into paper-lined muffin tins. If you're making 18 muffins, fill to about 2/3 full. If you're making 12 muffins, fill just above the top. If you're making 4 dozen mini-muffins, use a scoop like this one--one scoop per muffin cup. The batter is very thick and doesn't settle, so you may want to smooth out the tops. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll

*Adapted from allrecipes.com; originally from Libby's canned pumpkin.

SERVES: 10
PREP: 45 minutes (plus 1 hour to chill in refrigerator)

INGREDIENTS:
*CAKE*
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
*FILLING*
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

DIRECTIONS:
FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan (cookie sheet with rim); line with wax paper (trim any excess). Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel or paper towels with powdered sugar (do not use a terry cloth towel).

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

COOKING TIP:
Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Serving Size: 1" slice
Servings Per Recipe 10 servings

AMOUNT PER SERVING

Calories	370
Calories from Fat -	150

Total Fat - 16 g
Saturated Fat - 10 g
Cholesterol - 105 mg
Sodium - 280 mg
Carbohydrates - 52 g
Dietary Fiber - 1 g
Sugars - 43 g

Homemade Creamed Corn

*Adapted from Real Simple magazine, August 2010.

SERVES: 4-5

PREP: 30 minutes (prepping the fresh corn kernels takes longer than the actual cooking)

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup diced onion

4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 8 ears)

1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tsp. sugar

Kosher salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 4-5 minutes. Add the corn, half-and-half, sour cream, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and simmer until the corn is tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

TIPS:

Fresh corn is the best, but thawed frozen kernels also work in this recipe. To achieve a similar creamy consistency, add 1 Tbsp of flour to the softened onions and cook for 1 minute before adding the frozen corn and half-and-half.

When cutting corn kernels from ears, keep the kernels from going everywhere by laying down a dishtowel around/under a small cutting board. This will keep the kernels from bouncing as far.

SUGGESTION:

Serve with Cajun skirt steak and a simple salad of mixed greens with tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette.

Fruit Kabob Centerpiece

INGREDIENTS:
3 cantelopes

1 honeydew melon

3 pineapples

3 lbs. strawberries

1/2 lb. red grapes

1/2 lb. green grapes

60 bamboo skewers

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse grapes and strawberries and set on a paper towel to dry. Cut the honeydew melon, cantelopes, and 2 of the pineapples into pieces approximately 1" pieces. Choose a pattern to skewer the fruit and leave about 3" on each end of the skewer (the sharp end will enter a pineapple and the blunt end will be used to serve). A recommended pattern: strawberry, cantelope, green grape, pineapple, red grape, honeydew. Skewer the fruit and set aside until ready to serve. When ready to serve/display, slice off the bottom of the third pineapple so it sits securely on a sturdy platter. Then insert the skewers, spacing about 1" apart, moving around the bottom and working upward toward the top of the pineapple.

Grown-Up Rice Krispies Treats

PREP: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp butter or margarine
5 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup sunflower kernels, pre-roasted and salted
1 cup dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add cereal, sunflower kernels, and cranberries. Stir until well coated.
3. Using a buttered spatula or fingers, evenly press mixture into a 8x12" pan coated with cooking spray. Let cool for 15 minutes. Cut into 2" squares.

Athene's Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Crackers

DIRECTIONS:
Spread peanut butter between pairs of Ritz crackers (or use store-bought peanut butter crackers). Dip them in melted chocolate or white chocolate and allow to cool on wax/baking paper.

Mmmmmm...yum!

These can easily be decorated with white chocolate that's been colored for holidays or special occasions.

Gail's Spiced Tea

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of Tang

1 cup of instant tea

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cloves

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
Use 3 Tablespoons of mixture per cup of hot water.

Aunt Jan's Peppermint Pound Cake

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 tsp. butter flavoring
1/2 tsp. red color
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. soda
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well. Add peppermint extract, butter flavoring, and red food color (or add last and swirl through batter), and salt. Alternate flour and buttermilk. Mix soda and vinegar in small bowl then add to above mixture. Blend well. Fold in crushed peppermint candy. Pour into a bundt pan, greased and floured. Bake at a325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake.

Serve with cool whip with crushed peppermints mixed in.

Gail's Hot Chocolate Mix

Serves: 4+ dozen (store in a large tupperware container)

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds of Nestle's Quick (Gail's note: Nestle's Quick does not sell in 2 pounds packages anymore, so I bought whatever they had that came close to 2 pounds)

1 box of powder sugar

1 small package Dream Whip dry

1 16 oz coffeemate

1 8 qt powdered milk package

3 teaspoons cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together. Use 1/3 cup mixture per cup of hot water. Serve with marshmellows.

Easy Decadent Truffles

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 1 Hour
Yields: 60 servings

"Insanely easy, but oh so rich! Recipe makes a large amount but you can vary flavorings and coatings to make several different varieties."

INGREDIENTS:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls, coat with topping, refrigerate overnight.

*Recommended toppings: crushed peppermints, powdered sugar, crushed almonds, cocoa powder, melted milk or white chocolate.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com
Printed from Allrecipes.com 12/26/2008

Apple Cranberry Cider

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings

"Spiced with cinnamon sticks and cloves, this warm-you-up sipper from our Test Kitchen is sure to chase away winter's chill. Serve brimming mugs of the hot beverage with your family's favorite cookies, muffin or bread."

INGREDIENTS:
1 quart apple cider or apple juice
2 cups cranberry juice
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large saucepan, combine the cider, cranberry juice and brown sugar. Place cloves and cinnamon sticks on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag. Add to pan.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Discard spice bag before serving.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com
Printed from Allrecipes.com 12/26/2008