Puffed Wheat Cake

I'm sure just about everyone knows how to make puffed wheat cake, but sometimes it can turn out to be rock hard. This is a recipe that I've had luck with. And it's a quick and easy (and delicious) thing to make when you need something to put in a lunch. A little different from the norm, with a bit of honey and peanut butter in it.

• 1/3 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp cocoa
• 8 cups wheat puffs

Melt butter in saucepan, add sugar, syrup, peanut butter, honey, vanilla and cocoa. Mix. When the mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat and add wheat puffs. Mix well. Put in greased 9 x 13 inch pan and press down firmly. Cut into squares once cooled and enjoy.

Elvis Cupcakes

The first time I ever had these, my sister-in-law Christine made them. Oooooh are they good. Banana muffin, with a chocolate kiss hidden inside, topped off with peanut butter icing. Mmmm...

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/3 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 18 milk chocolate kisses

Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3-4 tbsp milk
• milk chocolate chips (optional)

In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the mayo, bananas and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients until just combined. Spoon one tbsp full of batter into each paper-lined muffin cup. Top each with a chocolate kiss, pointed side down. Fill cups 2/3rds full with remaining batter. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, icing sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve a spreadable consistency. Frost cupcakes. Garnish with chocolate chips if desired.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen

Turkey Cheese Ball

Turkey Cheese Ball

• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese
• 6 oz deli smoked turkey, finely chopped
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

DECORATIONS:

• 3 packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons milk
• brown, orange and yellow paste food coloring
• 6 large oval crackers
• 1 large sweet red pepper
• 1 small yellow summer squash (i used a carrot for this decoration)
• 1 cup pecan halves
• assorted crackers

In a small bowl, beat the first six ingredients until combined. Shape into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

In another bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Divide among four small bowls. With food coloring, tint one bowl brown, one dark orange, and one light orange (using yellow and orange); leave one bowl plain.

Transfer each mixture to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of each bag. For turkey tail feathers, decorate the top halves of large oval crackers with tinted cream cheese.

Using the red pepper, form the turkey head and neck. For beak, cut a small triangle from summer squash (carrot); attach with cream cheese. Add eyes, using brown and plain cream cheese. Insert pecan halves and decorated crackers into cheese ball. Serve with assorted crackers.

Yield: 1 cheese ball (3 cups)

Editor's Note: This recipe was tested with Townhouse Oval Bistro crackers

*The editor is not me! I had an extremely difficult time finding oval crackers but did manage to find a small box of cracked pepper crackers at Sobeys. I made this for a Thanksgiving gathering and everyone absolutely loved it! It was a lot of fun to make too!

Pistachio Dessert

A favorite at our house!

Pistachio Dessert

Base:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2 tsbp sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350. Let cool.

On base spread mixture of:

• 2/3 cup icing sugar
• 8 oz pkg cream cheese
• 1/2 large tub cool whip

Mix:

• 2 pkgs pistachio pudding
• 2 1/2 cups cold milk

Spread on cream cheese layer. Cover with remaining 1/2 tub cool whip. Can be sprinkled with shaved chocolate. Delicious!!

Cheesy Potatoes

A great side dish with steak or chicken breasts

Cheesy Potatoes

• 4 large potatoes, boiled
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup miracle whip
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 4 crispy cooked bacon slices (crumbled) or bacon bits

Mash potatoes and add all ingredients. Beat until fluffy and spread into a casserole dish. Top with a little cheddar cheese and green onions. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Anna's Squares

Anna's Squares - Quick and easy to make.

• 1 1/2 cups graham wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Press into 9 x 13 pan. Add remaining ingredients in layers.

• 6 ounces butterscotch chips
• 6 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 cup coconut
• 6 ounces nuts (optional)

Pour over 1 can of sweetened condensed milk. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Chef's Salad

1 head romaine lettuce

1 bunch of radishes sliced

1 pkg. cherry tomatoes sliced in half or you can use about 4 Roma

1 carrot sliced

1 cucumber sliced

1 red and or green onion sliced

1 stick of celery sliced

1 red pepper or your fav. color or a combination of peppers

cheese sliced or cut into cubes

a couple slices of ham sliced into slivers or cubes or use turkey breast

Dressing - Thousand Island or your fav.

tradionally it is served with Thousand Island Dressing, but you can use your favorite salad dressing for it. This salad makes a huge punch bowl full. This is one of my all time fav' salad's. This is what i brought for one of our Easter gatherings, and it all disapeared