Fast Creamy Tomato Penne

1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 large white onion, chopped
1/2 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 pound ground pork
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

2. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground pork, and cook until evenly brown. Drain excess fat.

3. In a large pot, heat spaghetti sauce until bubbling. Stir in pork mixture, pasta and sour cream. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

California Dream Bars

* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup margarine, melted
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* 1 cup brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup chopped walnuts
* 1 cup flaked coconut
* 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch square baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 cup flour. Stir in the melted margarine and vanilla until well blended. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Prepare the filling while the crust bakes. In a medium bowl, beat eggs until light and foamy. Blend together the brown sugar, flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the eggs. Mix in the walnuts and coconut. Pour over the crust and return to the oven.

4. Bake for 15 more minutes in the preheated oven, until set. When cool, cut into squares. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Coffee Cake

3/4 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sour cream
Filling (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 cup bundt pan. In large mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt alternately with sour cream. Spread 1/3 of batter (about 2 cups) in pan and sprinkle with 1/3 of filling (about 6 tablespoons). Repeat twice.

2. Bake 60 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. This is my best coffee cake recipe and the one that always gets the most compliments.

3. FILLING: Mix 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.

Black Forest Cheesecake

3/4 cup sugar
11 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup whipping cream (un-whipped)
graham cracker crust
cherry pie filling

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350º
beat sugar and cream cheese together well; add cocoa, beat; add eggs, add vanilla, beat

2. fold in whipping cream

3. pour into crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes

pie will be soft in the center, chill well; top with cherries

Cat Litter Cake

CAKE INGREDIENTS

1 box spice or German chocolate cake mix
1 box of white cake mix
1 package white sandwich cookies
1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix
A few drops green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Rolls or equivalent

SERVING "DISHES AND UTENSILS"

1 NEW cat-litter box
1 NEW cat-litter box liner
1 NEW pooper scooper

Directions:

1. Prepare and bake cake mixes, according to directions, in any size pan.

2. Prepare pudding and chill.

3. Crumble cookies in small batches in blender or food processor.

4. Add a few drops of green food coloring to 1 cup of cookie crumbs.

5. Mix with a fork or shake in a jar. Set aside.

6. When cakes are at room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl.

7. Toss with half of the remaining cookie crumbs and enough pudding to make the mixture moist but not soggy.

8. Place liner in litter box and pour in mixture.

9. Unwrap 3 Tootsie Rolls and heat in a microwave until soft and pliable. Shape the blunt ends into slightly curved points. Repeat with three more rolls. Bury the rolls decoratively in the cake mixture.

10. Sprinkle remaining white cookie crumbs over the mixture, then scatter green crumbs lightly over top.

11. Heat 5 more Tootsie Rolls until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle with crumbs from the litter box.

12. Heat the remaining Tootsie Roll until pliable and hang it over the edge of the box.

13. Place box on a sheet of newspaper and serve with scooper.

Crockpot Apple Streusel

8 apples -- tart
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 can milk
2 tablespoons butter -- softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups biscuit mix -- or Bisquick divided
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter -- cold
1/2 cup nuts -- chopped

Directions:

1. Peel and slice apples, to make 6 cups. In a large bowl, toss apples with
cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Place in a large (4-6 qt.) greased crockpot.

2. In another bowl, combine milk, butter or margarine, sugar, eggs, vanilla,
1/2 cup Bisquick. Spoon over apples.

3. In another bowl, combine 1 c. Bisquick and brown sugar, cut in until crumbly butter. Add nuts. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or until the apples are tender.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Stir in the eggs. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. In a small bowl, stir together the 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the cinnamon. Roll dough into walnut sized balls, then roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar. Place them onto an unprepared cookie sheet, two inches apart.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be slightly brown. Remove from sheets to cool on wire racks.

Up and Coming

1 quart heavy cream
1 cup apple cider
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a half gallon container, mix together the heavy cream, apple cider, milk, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg with a whisk. Serve immediately, or refrigerate overnight. Whisk again before serving.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Cookies

* 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 1/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
* 18 large marshmallows
* 36 walnut halves


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

2. Sift together flour, soda and salt and set aside.

3. Cream shortening and gradually add 2/3 cup brown sugar. Blend in 1 unbeaten egg. Beat well. Stir in HALF of the flour mixture.

4. Add 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice and 2 tablespoons milk. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients and mix well.

5. Blend in 2 squares of melted chocolate, walnuts, and maraschino cherries. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets.

6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

7. Cut the marshmallows in half and place cut side down on hot cookies. Cool on rack, frost and top each with a nut half.

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Frosting

* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/4 cup butter
* 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar


DIRECTIONS:

1. In double boiler, over boiling water, cook the milk, butter, chocolate and salt until thick.

2. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and confectioner's sugar until of spreading consistency. Spread on cookies.