Awesome Awesome Awesome Slow Cooker pot roast!

To be any easier, the meat would have to put itself in the crock pot !!


Prep time:       5 minutes                                                                             
Cook time:      10 hours
Total time:       10 hours & 5 minutes

Ingredients:

3 to 5 pound pot roast
Baby red potatoes (about 10 potatoes or whatever you can fit)
3 carrots, cut in chunks
1 or 2 onions cut into large pieces
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 packet italian seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 cup water
1 cup red wine

Directions:
1. Put the roast in the crock pot and sprinkle the three packets of seasonings over the top of roast. Then pour in the water and the wine.

2. Arrange the potatoes and carrots on top of the roast. Wait until the last couple of hours or so to put in the onions.

3. Cook on low for 10 or so hours.

4. The flavor is awesome ... take some of the broth it makes and thicken it with flour to make a gravy.

DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Ingredients

• 7  ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3/4  cup butter
• 1/4  cup water
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 3/4  cup packed brown sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8  teaspoon salt
• 1/8  teaspoon ground cinnamon
•   Unsweetened cocoa powder and/or powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square by 2-inch deep baking pan; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate, butter, and the water; cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar to chocolate mixture; beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, and cinnamon. Beat on low speed until combined. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Sprinkle with cocoa powder and/or powdered sugar.
Makes: 20 to 25 brownies
To Bake Ahead: Prepare brownies as directed; do not cut into bars. Cover pan. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, cut brownies into bars and layer between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw brownies; sprinkle with cocoa powder and/or powdered sugar.

CARAMALIZED BAKED ONIONS

slice a  large  onion  into  half  inch  thick  slices....
spread  olive  oil on both  sides..
sprinkle  lightly  with  salt...
put  on  cookie  sheet  making  sure  not to  overlap  and bake in  oven at 350 until   golden  brown  on top
ENJOY!!!!

Diabetic Bacon & Mushroom Bite-Size Quich

Tender, cheesy and savory custards in flaky pastry shells make elegant finger food�and can be made ahead and reheated. Delicious for brunch or evening appetizers.
Makes 3 1/2 dozen.
Serving size: 1 quiche.

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon
• 1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 2/3 cups Swiss cheese, shredded                                 
• Pastry for double-crust pie, (homemade or purchased)
• 5 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups sour cream

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry dough 1/ 16-inch thick.
3. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut out 42 circles; re-roll scraps as needed.
4. Fit circles into bottoms and slightly up sides of lightly greased 2-1/2-inch muffin pans.
5. Meanwhile, fry bacon slices until crisp, drain; crumble or chop.
6. Chop mushrooms, saute in butter until limp and liquid evaporates.
7. Combine bacon, mushrooms, green onion and cheese. Divide filling equally among muffin cups.
8. In large bowl, beat together eggs, add sour cream and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each muffin cup.
9. Bake until puffed and light brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes; lift out.
10. Serve warm or let cool on wire racks. If made ahead, wrap cooled quiches airtight, and refrigerate overnight.
11. Reheat, uncovered, in a 350 degrees F. oven for about 10 minutes. 

ENJOY!!!!

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Calories:	95
Protein:	3 g
Sodium:	87 mg
Cholesterol:	35 mg
Fat:	7 g
Dietary Fiber:	0 g
Carbohydrates:	4 g

COTTAGE CHEESE BREAKFAST ROLLS

quick  and  easy..  for  kids  to make  for  "mom"  on mother's  day...or  any  day
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, softened
1 (12 ounce) carton cottage cheese
2 cups flour

Stir together margarine and cottage cheese; add flour. Blend together and refrigerate overnight.

Divide into two halves and then roll them into two circles. Cut into 10 pie-shape pieces per each circle. Roll up each piece, beginning with wide end, into crescent shape and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Frosting:
3 ounces cream cheese , softened
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered  sugar

Blend ingredients together in a bowl. Frost rolls still while warm.

YUM YUM ...
ENJOY!!!!! 

MOTHER'S DAY FRENCH TOAST

Angel Food French Toast

Simple  and Quick...  and  so  YUMMY!!!!

Yield: Serves 10

Ingredients:
1 angel food cake
6 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg (or use a total of 4 whole eggs)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter


Slice cake into thick wedges. In a shallow dish, beat egg yolks and egg (or eggs) slightly, then whisk in milk and vanilla. Soak wedges in egg mixture for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side.
Melt butter in a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook cake wedges in batches, a minute or 2 per side, until golden brown. Serve with syrup, fresh fruit and yogurt or whipped cream.

ENJOY!!!!

PER SERVING: 144 calories, 5 grams protein, 5 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 18 grams carbohydrate, trace fiber, 153 milligrams cholesterol, 237 milligrams sodium
-- Adapted from recipezaar.com

MOMISMS

 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

As a kid and even during our growing up years, we receive some sound scolding from our mothers time and again. These sharp comments and directives raise our indignation and irritation and we love to dismiss them as "unnecessary criticism" or "momism". But the fact is, we would not have mended many of our wrongdoings and grown up to be socially amiable without many of these timely utterances from our mothers. Amusingly, most of us grow up to mouth the same sayings of our mothers when we find ourselves in her shoes. This mother's Day, let us take a look at some well known "momisms". With little variations, these phrases have been repeated again and again by mothers around the world, irrespective of race, caste, social standing and religion. You may even find some of your own mother's  sayings here....

1. What if everyone jumped off a cliff? Would you do it, too?
2. If I talked to my mother like you talk to me....
3. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
4. "If you see a penny pick it up, put it in your drawer and it will grow".
5. "Peel one potato per person, and one for the pot".
6. "What goes around comes around."
7. What's meant to be, is meant to be.
8. I've got eyes in the back of my head, that's how!
9. You tell that bully to cut it out or you'll tell the teacher...
10. You have enough dirt behind those ears to grow potatoes!
11. Honestly... You'd lose your head if it wasn't screwed on!
12. Who'll end up walking, bathing and feeding it...?
13. Get that thing out of your mouth!
14. You'll understand when you have kids of your own.
15. I hope that when you grow up, you have kids "Just Like you"!
16. I've told you a thousand times not to do so.
17. If you hurt yourself, don't come running to me.
18. Work hard! You were not born with a silver spoon in your mouth.
19. Close that door! Were you born in a barn?
20. It doesn't matter what you accomplish, I'll always be proud of you

feel free  to  add any   of  your own   in   a comment....

MAY DAY... different things to different people

May 1 is many things: A reason to turn the page on your calendar, the day after April 30, It’s also…a holiday? Huh? May 1—May Day—is a holiday? What is it, one of those Hallmark holidays like Sweetest Day (October 16) and Bosses Day (isn’t that every day? They’re bosses, they can do whatever they want!)? No? It’s a real holiday? And there’s multiple holidays celebrated? OK then.
May Day has origins dating back thousands of years to when the Romans paid tribute to Flora, the goddess of flowers. Other lore ties it to the Walpurgis Night, a celebration in parts of Europe of Saint Walpurga. In other parts of Europe, May Day signifies crowning a girl the May Queen; she then begins the May 1 celebrations, which include dancing around a maypole. In different parts of the world, aspects of paganism are heavily rooted in May Day festivities and tradition.
Around these parts, May Day doesn’t get the attention holidays like Thanksgiving and Halloween receive. But another holiday is celebrated on May 1 in these United States—Law Day. Coined in 1958 by then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Law Day was started to recognize and remember the importance of written rule in our country’s founding and it’s role in maintaining order.
Don’t think lawyers deserve an entire day in their honor? Keep it to yourself—they’ll sue you if word gets out. In seriousness, there’s still another reason to call in sick on May 1, 2012, (the next time it doesn’t fall on a weekend)—International Workers’ Day. IW Day casts a light on organized labor and remembers the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago, where police shot workers striking. The holiday is celebrated on May 1 all over the globe, except here, where it’s moved to the first Monday in September, renamed Labor Day and is celebrated by everyone storing their white clothes away until Memorial Day.
So whatever your reason for breaking out the party hats and kazoos on May 1, make it a good time.

Sugar Free Peach Almond Upside Down Cake

Sugar Free Peach Almond Upside Down Cake

1 8 1/4 ounce can light peaches in fruit juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
5 1/2 teaspoons Equal® Measure or 18 packets Equal® sweetener or 3/4 cup Equal® Spoonful
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Fruit Topping, recipe below
1 cup cake flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Cut peach slices into thirds; arrange in bottom of lightly greased 8 inch cake pan. Mix applesauce, Equal® , egg and vanilla until smooth in medium bowl. Mix in combined cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Pour batter over peach slices in pan. Bake in preheated 350F oven until cake is browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Invert cake immediately onto serving plate. Spread Fruit Topping over warm cake and sprinkle with almonds. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Fruit Topping

3 tablespoons light apricot preserves with NutraSweet® brand sweetener or apricot spreadable fruit
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 3/4 teaspoons Equal® Measure or 6 packets Equal® sweetener or 1/4 cup Equal® Spoonful
1/4 teaspoon maple extract

Mix preserves, lemon juice and cornstarch in small saucepan; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in Equal® and maple extract.

Food Exchanges:
1 bread, 1/2 fruit

CRUSHED PINEAPPLE CAKE

BEAT TOGETHER:
1/4 c. margerine
1 c. sugar
1 teas. vanilla
2 eggs
FOLD IN:
2 c. flour
1 teas. soda
1 teas. salt
1 can crushed pineapple
Pour into a 9x13 greased pan
MIX TOGETHER:  ( then sprinkle over  batter)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut
BAKE: 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes
TOPPING:
Bring the  following  ingredients to a boil ...stirring  constantly
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 teas. vanilla
1/2 c. granulated  sugar
1/2 c. soft  margerine
Pour over  hot cake...
ENJOY!!!!!

ZINGERMAN'S CHICKEN ALFREDO

Chef Alex enjoying his delicious culinary creation

Chicken Alfredo with Mushrooms and Heirloom Tomatoes

created by Chef Alex Young, Zingerman’s Roadhouse.

1 bag (10-12 oz of pasta)
1 lb. chicken breasts, sliced into strips
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
8 oz mushrooms of choice, sliced
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup parmigiano, grated
1 tomato, seeded and diced
¼ cup fresh herbs of choice, chopped
Season chicken strips with salt and pepper and sauté in 2
tbsp. olive oil over medium heat until cooked and lightly
browned. Remove chicken but keep warm. Add 2 tbsp.
olive oil, garlic and shallots to pan and sauté for one
minute. Add mushrooms, sautéing for 3 minutes. Add white
wine. Reduce by half. Add heavy cream simmering until
cream has thickened. Cook the pasta in boiling salted
water for 3 minutes. Drain, then toss pasta and chicken with
sauce. Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Garnish
with tomatoes and herbs.

Enjoy!!!!

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Chocolate truffles are traditionally made with ganache shaped into rough spheres by hand and covered in cocoa powder. The powdery coating and imperfect shaping of the confections make them appear similar to dirt covered truffles - the famed culinary fungi. Chocolate truffles are easy to prepare at home and make irresistible desserts that will make you a welcome guest at any holiday party.

Even though the center of a truffle is traditionally ganache, truffles can be made with a variety of fillings ranging from nuts to caramel to nougat. When not made with ganache, these truffles are generally coated in a thin shell of hard chocolate. The truffles in this recipe will be made with a ganache center.

Ganache is simply a mixture of chocolate and cream. For the centers of these truffles, we'll make hard ganache - utilizing significantly more chocolate than cream. A ratio of about 2 to 1 of chocolate to cream by mass will yield a dense ganache appropriate for making truffles.

Obtain 1 pound (455 g) of dark chocolate and 1 cup (235 mL) heavy whipping cream. Be sure to select a chocolate that you enjoy the flavor of.


Cut the chocolate into pieces using a large serrated knife (like a sturdy bread knife). Cutting the chocolate into strips about 5 mm apart with the serrated knife will cause the chocolate to break into small pieces. Pieces of chocolate will fall all over the place, so I like to place the cutting board in a sheet pan to catch the chocolate shards.


After breaking down the whole pound of chocolate, you should have a bunch of similarly sized pieces. Small, uniformly sized pieces will make melting the chocolate evenly easier. Pour all the pieces into a medium heat proof bowl.


Bring the cup of heavy whipping cream just to a boil. (This is called scalding.)


Pour the scalded heavy cream onto the chocolate and allow it to sit for five minutes.


Stir the now melted chocolate with the cream. Chocolate and small amounts of aqueous solutions (liquids containing water) do not mix well - the chocolate clumps up in what is called seizing. However, when a substantial amount of liquid is added to the chocolate, we can make chocolate syrup. A ganache is simply a syrup of chocolate and cream that does not contain enough cream to be liquid at room temperature. Once this mixture cools, it will form a hard ganache that can be molded into shapes.


The melted ganache should be smooth in texture without lumps. If not all the chocolate has melted, you can heat the ganache gently over a hot pot of water. Stir until the chocolate melts and the ganache is smooth.


You can transfer the ganache into a smaller bowl to cool. When the ganache is solid, it may be easier for you to scoop out when working with a smaller bowl. Let the ganache cool down and chill for about an hour in the refrigerator to harden. Cold ganache is harder to scoop, but easier to form into a ball.


Using a melon baller or small ice cream scoop (such as a #70), scoop out balls of hard ganache and place on a cookie sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. As the ganache gets warmer, it will have a tendency to stick to the scooping device. You might find it easier to work with after rechilling the ganache, dipping the utensil in ice water, or simply using your hands to form rough spheres.


After forming all the balls, chill the pan in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes to allow the ganache to harden back up and set into their shapes.


Scoop a little cocoa powder into a small bowl. Use a pair of spoons to pick up and roll each ganache ball in the cocoa powder to coat.


If you prefer a hard chocolate shell, then you'll need to melt and temper some chocolate (usually, a couple ounces will be more than enough to coat the truffles). Once the chocolate has been tempered, use a spatula to spread some onto the palm of one hand. Place the ball of ganache into the layer of chocolate and rotate, coating the ball. Place the truffle on a sheet of parchment paper or silicone baking mat or other nonstick surface for it to cool and set. Repeat the spreading of chocolate on the palm and coating for each truffle. The tempered chocolate will shrink slightly as it cools and clad itself to the ganache. Because of this shrinking action, if it cools too rapidly, the shell can crack, so don't immediately chill them in the refrigerator - allow the truffles to set in a cool room. The ganache should also be allowed to warm up a bit before you coat them. After the chocolate has hardened, chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator and then remove and store at room temperature. The chocolate coated truffles should not be allowed to touch each other (touching the truffles together can mar the hard surface of the truffles) - so divide them with small paper cups or paper muffin liners.


The cocoa dusted truffles can be packed together without harm. These truffles can be stored at cool room temperature in an airtight container for at least a month - but good luck keeping them from being eaten for that long!

HOMEMADE BISCOTTI

Biscotti are long and hard cookies that many enjoy by dipping into coffee, hot chocolate, or wine. As fancy coffee shops become more and more popular in the United States, biscotti have also become more fashionable (and expensive). It turns out, biscotti is easy to make, and a whole batch costs the same as a single biscotto at Starbucks. Here's my recipe for an Almond and Orange Zest Biscotti that can be enjoyed as is or chocolate dipped.

The name "biscotti" is Italian and literally means twice baked - which is exactly how we'll prepare it. Biscotti can be found in all sorts of flavors, but the most common contain anise, hazelnuts and filberts, and almonds. In this recipe we'll join the flavors of almond and orange (and chocolate). (I should probably also mention that the singular form of biscotti is "biscotto".)

Start by assembling the ingredients: 1 cup (200 g) sugar, 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup (80 g) slivered almonds, 2 tablespoons minced orange zest (about half an orange's zest), 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups (250 g) flour.


For removing the zest from an orange, I find that when using a Microplane Zester upside down (with the orange under the zester), the zest stays in the device making it much easier to judge how much you've collected. If not using a Microplane (or a zester that produces comparably fine zest), you'll need to mince the zest for this recipe.


Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.


Select a mixing bowl that is large enough to hold all the ingredients and still provide enough room to fold them together without making a mess.

Break two large eggs into the large mixing bowl and add the sugar. Whisk to combine.


Continue whisking the sugar and eggs until the color has lightened to a pale yellow. I like using a spare piece of mesh cabinet liner to keep the bowl from shifting while I'm whisking.


Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, orange zest, and slivered almonds to the egg and sugar mixture. Using a spatula, stir once or twice to combine.


Working in batches, pour enough of the flour mixture to cover the surface of the egg mixture. Use a spatula and fold in the flour using as few strokes as possible. Add more flour and fold until all the flour has been integrated. Folding is performed by using a spatula to scoop from either the side or the middle of the mixture and lifting and "folding" (basically movign the spatula laterally and then flipping it over to drop the mixture) onto another part of the mixture. Rotate the bowl each fold.


The key is not to stir or mix the flour with the liquid too much. Gently folding helps prevents the formation of too much elastic gluten. The presence of too much gluten will defeat the delicate and crisp texture we are trying to achieve and result in a possibly chewy product.


Split the batter in half and place the two rough balls onto a non-stick baking sheet (such as a silicone baking mat or parchment paper set in a half sheet pan). With your hands, form the batter into two loaves of approximately 10-in. (25 cm) by 2 in. (5 cm) each. Wetting your hands just a bit may help with molding the loaves since the batter will be fairly sticky.


Bake the loaves at 350°F (175°C) for 40 minutes (rotating the pan once after twenty minutes). The loaves should have just started to crack. (Don't wait for big cracks or you might overcook the biscotti.)

Remove the loaves from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool for at least ten minutes. This cooling step is extremely important to your non-dominant hand as it will be holding the loaf while you cut it in the next step.


After some cooling, move a loaf to a cutting board and cut diagonally into 3/8-in. (1 cm) thick pieces. Do the same to the other loaf. The interior of each biscotto should still be just a little moist (while the exterior is nice and hard). The crust of the loaf will probably be quite hard, so use a large serrated knife such as a bread knife for this job.


Place the biscotti with a cut side facing up on a half sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan and flip all the biscotti over so the other cut side is now facing up. Bake for another 7 minutes. Set all the pieces on a wire rack to cool making sure that none of the biscotti are touching each other. If the biscotti are placed too close together, they could get a little soft or soggy as they cool.


Once the biscotti have fully cooled, they can be consumed as is, or chocolate dipped. To chocolate dip, simply break up the chocolate of your choice (dark chocolate is Tina's favorite) and place in a large metal mixing bowl. I find it easier to dip biscotti in large quantities of chocolate, so I usually make two batches of biscotti (4 loaves), and melt about 250 g (a bit more than 1/2 pound) chocolate. For one batch, 125 g (about 1/4 pound) chocolate should be enough. Using a flat bottomed mixing bowl also makes it easier to dip (otherwise you may need to transfer the chocolate to another container after melting to dip the biscotti).


Place the mixing bowl with the chocolate over a saucepan containing about an inch of water (but not so much that the mixing bowl will actually make contact with the water). Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Once the chocolate begins to melt, you can turn off the heat and let the residual heat and steam continue to heat the bowl and melt the chocolate.


Stir occassionally to check when the chocolate has completely melted. Once the chocolate has melted, you can leave the mixing bowl over the hot water to keep the chocolate warm and melted as you dip the biscotti.


Dip each biscotto in the chocolate by inserting the flat bottom into the chocolate. Use a spatula to remove any excess chocolate and then lay the biscotto (chocolate side down) on a silicone mat or sheet of parchment paper. Repeat until all the biscotti have been dipped. The biscotti can then be left to cool on its own or placed in the refrigerator.


The biscotti tastes best during the first few days, but will keep for up to a month in a sealed air-tight container.

BAKED REUBEN BRAID

if you love a Reuben you will love this impressive concoction. It has all of the flavor braided into a great looking table trophy.

Servings: 8
Skills: Intermediate
Prep Time: 20 min (not including thaw time)
Bake Time: 30-35 min

Ingredients
1 Loaf Rhodes™ Bread Dough, or 12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature
1/3 cup light Italian cheese salad dressing
1/2 pound thinly sliced turkey pastrami
8 slices Swiss cheese
2 cups sauerkraut, drained
1 egg white, beaten
2 tablespoons caraway seeds

Instructions
Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Roll loaf or combined dinner rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10-15 minutes. Remove wrap from dough and pour dressing lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down center of dough. Top with pastrami, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. Make cuts 1 1/2-inches apart on long sides of dough to within 1/2-inch of filling. Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid.

Lift braid with both hands and place on a large sprayed baking sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake at 350°F 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.
 YUM!!! YUM!!!

BANANA CREAM PIZZA

This variation of banana cream pie is so good and easy and is always a pleaser

Prep Time: 15 min
Bake Time: 20 min
Skill Level: Beginning
Servings: 6

8 Rhodes Texas™ Rolls, thawed and risen
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 cups banana cream pudding (made from small box directions)
1-2 bananas, sliced
1 cup whipped topping

Press rolls together and roll dough into a 13-inch circle. Place on a 12-inch sprayed pizza pan. Turn up edges of dough to form a ridge. Let rise 10 minutes. Combine brown sugar, butter, and pecans. Sprinkle evenly over crust. Bake at 350°F 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

Cool crust completely. Arrange bananas on crust. Spoon prepared pudding over bananas. Top with whipped topping.
ENJOY!!!!

UNCOOKED WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

this frosting is creamy like whipped cream and not sugary sweet like so many frostings are...

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. margerine
1/2 c. milk`
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 teas. vanilla
7 tablespoons flour

the shortening margerine and milk must be at room temperature...place all ingredience in a mixing bowl and beat on high speed for 5 minutes .. do not underbeat or frosting will separate
i add about 1/2 cup powdered sugar to mine and beat it in after the first five minutes
makes lots and freezes great...

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

this recipe makes makes 1 cup
double the recipe to make the equivilent of a 14 oz.can.... it can be used in any recipe calling for sweetened condensed milk ... for a fraction of the cost of a store bought can...

3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. water
1/4 c. margerine ( 1/2 stick)
1 c. powdered milk

in a glass bowl add sugar...water and margerine.. microwave on high 1 1/2- 2 minutes.. until mixture boils..stirring every 30 seconds... pour into blender with powdered milk..process until smooth..refrigerate until needed...

FORGOTTEN COOKIES

2 egg whites
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. chocolate chips
1 teas. vanilla
pinch of salt

heat oven to 350...beat egg whites...add sugar gradually
continue to beat until egg whites are stiff
fold in remaining ingredients.. drop by teas. on foil covered cookie sheet
place in oven and TURN OVEN OFF
leave cookies in oven overnight DO NOT OPEN OVEN AHEAD OF TIME or cookies will fall and be sticky
ENJOY!!!

7-up Scones

these scones are simple quick and light as a feather

1 cup 7-up or other lemon lime soda
1 cup cream
3 cups self rising flour

put all ingredients in mixing bowl... mix gently with a knife until a soft dough is formed ... put onto floured surface and pat into a circle until it is 1/2 inch thick... cut into triangular wedges and put on floured baking sheet bake for 15 minutes at 250 degrees,, till tops are a tan color...remove from oven put on platter to cool..
ENJOY!!!!

BACON ONION PAN ROLLS

'These buttery bacon-filled rolls are a favorite item at family get-togethers,' reports Liz Vaughn of Mt. Prospect, Illinois. 'We have to hide them from our two sons-in-law or there wouldn't be any left for dinner!'"

 Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound) loaf frozen bread dough, thawed
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, divided
• 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup chopped onion

Directions

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter; brush with 3 tablespoons butter. Place 1 teaspoon of bacon and onion on half of each roll. Fold over and pinch to seal. Place, pinched edge up, in a greased 9-in. square baking pan, forming three rows of six. Brush tops with remaining butter. Let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

FRENCH ONION PAN ROLLS

 "A crusty topping of Parmesan cheese and onion soup mix adds lots of flavor to these golden brown rolls from Anne Prince of Elkhorn, Wisconsin. 'They're great with a bowl of soup or a salad,' she says. 'I sometimes use frozen rolls to make preparation even easier.'

Directions

1. Divide the bread dough into 20 portions; shape each into a ball. In a bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese and soup mix. Place butter in another bowl. Roll each ball in butter, then in the cheese mixture. Arrange in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Caramalizing Onions...yummm yummmm

Caramelizing Onions, Step-by-Step

By:   Allrecipes Staff
A step-by-step tutorial for sweetening and bringing out the amazing natural flavor of onions.
You can caramelize any type of onion, but depending on their sugar content, some might caramelize more quickly than others. A standard yellow onion is just fine--it actually contains more sugars than "sweet" onions. (Vidalia onions contain fewer sulfur compounds, which makes them taste sweeter when they're raw.) Caramelized onions are terrific served as a garnish in soups, on sandwiches, or served aside an appetizer platter to add a bit of life to your party!

1. To caramelize an onion, we used 1 medium onion, 3 tablespoons cooking oil or butter, a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper (optional), and a pinch of sugar (optional).

2. Slice the top off of your onion. Cut the onion in half from top to bottom and peel it.

3. Place half of the onion, flat side down, on a clean, flat cutting surface. Slice the onion into half-rings. The thickness of the slices is not important, although thinner slices will cook faster. If you prefer a more rustic look and feel, make the slices very thick.

4. Place a large skillet or saucepan on the stove and add a small amount of fat. Heat the oil to a medium-high temperature.
We used 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Butter is also delicious, but it tends to burn more easily, so be sure the pan doesn't get too hot.

5. When the fat begins to ripple, the oil is hot enough.

6. Add the onions to the hot oil.

7. Stir the onions until they are coated with oil.

8. Adding a pinch of salt seasons the onions at the same time it speeds up the caramelizing process. The salt will suck moisture out of the onions and eventually evaporate. Be cautious not to add too much salt. If you would like, add a pinch of ground black pepper and a very small amount of sugar.

9. Continue to stir the onions. After a minute or so, you will notice that they might have begun to stick to the bottom of the pan and turn dark in color. This is okay--in fact, it's what should happen.

10. Continue stirring and watch as the onions' color turns darker and darker.

11. If you feel that the onions are sticking to the bottom of the pan too much, add a very small amount of water, broth, or wine to the pan and stir vigorously; this is called "deglazing." The water will evaporate almost immediately while loosening the onion slices.

12. Continue this process of cooking and deglazing until the onions have reached the color, flavor, and texture you desire. Caramelized onions are perfect to use as the flavor-base of an onion soup, or to garnish sandwiches and other dishes.