Chunky Guacamole

Ingredients
4 ripe avocados
3 limes or lemons, juiced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp cumin
Salt and Pepper
Directions
Halve and pit the avocados. Scoop out the flesh with a tablespoon into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork, leaving them somewhat chunky. Add the remaining ingredients, and fold everything together to gently mix. Lay a piece of plastic wrap right on the surface of the guacamole so it doesn't brown and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Fudge Stripes Cookie Salad

My MIL gave me this recipe and it is so yummy! This is the one I made for Christmas Eve!

1 pkg. Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies (off brands don't seem to work as well)
1 lg. pkg. INSTANT vanilla pudding
2 lg. cans each
Mandarin Oranges (drained)
Pineapple Tidbits (drained) Not crushed pineapple
1 C. buttermilk
12 oz. Cool Whip (sometimes I even add more if there is left over in the carton).

Mix pudding mix with 1 C. buttermilk and stir with wire whip etc. Mixture will be kinda lumpy until Cool Whip is added. Fold in thawed Cool Whip. Blend until smooth and add drained fruit. Break up cookies and add at the very last before serving as the cookies will get soggy.

Sparkling Virgin Cosmo

from delicious recipes blog:
Ingredients:
Ice
2 ounces cranberry cocktail juice
1 ounce sweetened lime juice
5 ounces club soda
lime wedges
lime juice
sugar
maraschino cherries
Directions:
Mix Cranberry juice, lime juice, and club soda together. Add ice and put in refrigerator.
Cut lime wedges . Rub the rim of the glass with lime juice and dip in sugar to cover. Pour drink w/out ice in chilled glass then add lime wedges and cherry for garnish!

Aunt Karen's HOMEMADE GRANOLA (no sugar)

4 C Old-fashioned Rolled Oats
2 C Shredded Coconut
2 C Slivered Almonds

Toss the oats, coconut,& almonds together in a large bowl. Then whisk together the following ingredients:

1/2 C Vegetable Oil
1/2 C Honey
1 Tsp Cinnamon
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Tbsp Hot Water

Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a *325 degree oven, stirring every 15 minutes until the mixture turns a nice golden brown - about 40 minutes. Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool stirring occasionally. Then add your choice of all or any of the following:

Small diced dried apricots
Dried Cherries
Dried Cranberries
1 C Roasted Salted Cashews
1 C Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
1 C Roasted Pistacio nuts

Serve Granola with berries and yogurt.

Lemon Jello Salad

This salad was made only once a year at Christmas when I was growing up! I love it!

Mix Lemon Jello as directed on package. Add 1 Can Crushed Pineapple (Save Juice) Add 1 cup chopped walnuts, Cut up 1 small bottle of marachino cherries (save juice), 1 1/2 cup marshmellos, 2 cut up bananas.
Mix all together in a 9 x 12 glass pan and let set.

Topping:
1 cup of juice (pineapple jc and cherry jc combined) add water to make a cup if not enough.
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp corn starch
1 well beaten egg
Mix over heat until thickened.
Then mix into 1 cup of Whipped Cream (cool whip won't work)
Spread over jello salad.

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 T butter
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
5 chicken breasts
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained
3/4 stick butter
1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/8 cup half and half
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried rosemary

Saute mushrooms in 2 T butter and set aside. Pour 2 cans chicken broth in large pot and add water to cover chicken breasts. Bring to a boil. When chicken is cooked through, shred with two forks. Remove from broth and save 1 1/8 cups. Cool. Arrange chicken in casserole dish. Top with artichoke hearts (I like to chop them into smaller pieces.) Set aside. Melt 3/4 stick butter, stir in flour, salt and pepper and cook until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually stir in 1 1/8 cup reserved chicken broth and light cream. Cook and stir as mixture boils and thickens. Blend in Parmesan cheese and rosemary. Pour over artichokes. Sprinkle mushrooms over the top. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes and serve over rice. If you have more Parmesan, sprinkle it on top just before baking. This recipe freezes well- just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze before you bake it.

Kneaders Rasperry Bread Pudding

Kneaders Raspberry Bread Pudding
(I found this recipe on the sister cafe blog & it sounds so great!)

Cream Mix
1 1/2 loaves aged, white bread
1 quart heavy cream
3 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

In large bowl combine cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. Cut bread into 1 1/2" cubes and add to cream mixture, coating bread well. Let stand 30 minutes stirring every 5 minutes to allow cream to absorb completely.

Fruit Filling
5 cups frozen raspberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple juice

Combine raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Layer a 9x13 dark baking dish 3/4 full with bread mixture, pour fruit filling over bread mixture, spreading evenly, top with remaining bread. Bake 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve warm. Top with vanilla sauce.

Vanilla Sauce
1 1/3 cup butter
5 tablespoons flour
3 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup sugar

Over medium heat melt butter, and add flour stir 10 minutes until it has a nutty aroma, do not brown. Add salt, cream and sugar and boil till mixture is thick, remove from heat adding vanilla. Serve this wonderful sauce cold.

Cranberry Salsa

You will need:
* 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple
* 1 can of cranberry jelly with berries
* 1/4 cup of sugar
* 2 green peppers
* 1 jalapeno pepper
* 1 bunch of green onions
* 1 bunch of fresh cilantro

Chop green peppers, jalapenos, green onions, and cilantro very finely. In a serving bowl mix cranberry jelly, crushed pineapple, green peppers, jalapeno, green onions, cilantro and sugar. Once well mixed refrigerate for at least 1-3 hours before serving. Serve with chips or in a warm crockpot on top of "lil smokies"

Mom's Happy Birthday Baked Pasta!!

I make many "versions" of this baked pasta dish...
here is the recipe for the one I made for my mom's 50th birthday!!

2 T EVOO
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz ) Italian diced tomatoes
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 oz fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
16 oz penne rigate pasta
15 oz ricotta cheese
12 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a large pot of water to boil to cook the pasta. While the water is coming to a boil, sauté the garlic with 2 T EVOO. Stir in tomatoes, brown sugar, and seasonings. Simmer 5-10 minutes then stir in basil and turn off heat. While sauce is simmering, add salt to boiling water and cook the pasta to just under al dente – it should have a nice bite left to it. Drain pasta and add ricotta cheese to the hot pasta pot. Mix in the tomato sauce and pour into large baking dish. Top with the fresh mozzarella and bake until top is brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
Preparation

Bake sweet potatoes at 400° for about 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash sweet potatoes.

Beat mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, and next 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.

Combine cornflakes cereal and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle diagonally over casserole in rows 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marshmallows; bake 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.





Southern

Breakfast Christmas Wassil

20 ounces cranberry juice
10 ounces apple juice
3 3/4 ounces pineapple juice, frozen concentrate -- thawed
3 3/4 ounces lemonade, frozen concentrate -- thawed
3 cinnamon sticks

Directions:
In a large saucepan combine juices, concentrates and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add water if desired. Serve hot or cold

Thanksgiving ACORN Cake

Prep Time: 10 min.
Bake Time: 50 min.
Decoration Time: 20 min.
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: Makes 2 acorn cakes (each acorn serves 8).
2 boxes (18.5 oz. each) Devil’s Food Cake mix 1 can (16 oz.) vanilla frosting Brown food coloring (or green and red to make brown) 1 can (16 oz.) chocolate frosting 3 cups SNICKERS® Brand Miniatures 2 pieces TWIX® Brand Caramel Cookie Bar Minis 1 1/2 quart oven-safe glass bowl 1 (9"x13") cake pan Waxed paper 1. Prepare both cake mixes according to box directions. Divide batter between buttered oven safe glass bowl and buttered and waxed paper lined oblong cake pan.
2. Bake both cakes in a preheated 350°F oven for approximately 40 to 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely.
3. Cut both cakes in half. Use photo as guide to cut the flat cake into bottom portion of acorn. Use half moon shaped cake as acorn top. Push cake against the straight edge of flat cake to form acorn.
4. Tint vanilla frosting beige with several drops of brown food coloring. Cover bottom of acorns. Cover acorn tops with chocolate frosting. Arrange SNICKERS® Brand Miniatures around acorn tops, using a TWIX® Brand Caramel Cookie Bar Minis for the stem.

Coconut Cupcakes
adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

makes about 36 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

For the Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 pound powdered sugar, sifted
3 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted witht he paddle attachement, mix the oil and sugar on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes, until thouroughly combined. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well in between each addition. Scrape the bowl down once during the mixing of the eggs. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.

Fill the lined cupcake pans 3/4 full. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Souffled Pumpkin Pancake

Ingredients
5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup pecan halves
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Maple syrup, for serving
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar begins to melt. Add the pecans and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer the pecan mixture to a small dish and set aside. Reserve the skillet for the pancake.

In a small bowl mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and salt. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. In a large bowl, add egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla and melted butter and whisk until blended. Gradually whisk in flour mixture. Stir in the pumpkin puree.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and gently fold into the pumpkin mixture. Gently spoon the batter into the reserved skillet. Sprinkle the top of the pancake mixture with the reserved pecan mixture. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Dust the pancake with confectioners' sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup
(Food Network)

1 butternut squash, peeled
Nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve. At Thanksgiving Point Harvest Restaurant they serve roasted pumpkin seeds on top of this soup.

Coconut Swirl Brownies (too good to pass up!)

Coconut Swirl Brownies
from Martha Stewart's Cookies

Makes 9 large or 16 small

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/7 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 large egg white
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang. Butter lining (not overhang).

Stir together 1 tablespoon of sugar, the condensed milk, coconut, egg white, and 1/4 teaspoon of the vanilla in a bowl.

Put butter and both chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Whisk remaining 3/4 cup sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs; whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add flour mixture; stir until well combined.

Pour one-third of the chocolate batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly with an offset spatula. Drop dollops of the coconut mixture (about 1 tablespoon each) on top of batter, spacing about 1 inch apart. Drizzle remaining batter on top, and gently spread to fill pan. Drop dollops of remaining coconut mixture on top.

Gently swirl coconut mixture into batter with a butter knife, running the knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs, but is not wet, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

PRETTY LUSCIOUS CUPCAKES

I got this recipe from my friend Stephanie's blog! Thanks! They look really yummy and I think I will try them for Olivia's birthday!

White Cupcakes

1 white cake mix (with pudding in the mix)

1and1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter melted

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

vegetable cooking spray

1. Beat first 6 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer justuntil dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium, andbeat 2 minutes or until batter is smooth, stopping to scrape bowl asneeded.

2. Place paper baking cups in muffing pans, and coat with cookingspray; spoon batter evenly into baking cups, filling each two-thirdsfull.

3. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes outclean. cool in pan on wire racks 10 minutes; remove cupcakes frompants to wire racks and cool completely.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup soft butter

3 oz. soft cream cheese

16 oz powndered sugar

1/4 cup cream of coconut (or heavy cream)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond flavor

1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixeruntil creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speeduntil blended. Increase speed to medium, and slowly add milk andvanilla, beating until smooth.

Chocolate Cupcakes ( The recipe calls for a German Chocolate cake mixbut i am going to try a regular chocolate cake mix)

1 chocolate cake mix ( pudding in the mix)

16 oz. sour cream

1/4 cup melted butter

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

vegetable cooking spray

1. Bead the first 5 ingredients about 3-4 minutes.

2. Put baking cups in muffin tins and spray with cooking spray. Spoonbatter into cups until 2/3 full.

3. Bake at 350 for 25 min.Cool the same as white cupcakes

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Prepare Vanilla Buttercream as directed, (don't use cream of coconut,use whipping cream)Microwave 1 cup.dark chocolate (recipe used Nestle Chocolatier DarkChocolate Morsels), until melted. Gradually add melted chocolate toVanilla buttercream until smooth.

Baked French Toast Casserole

This recipe is DEADLY and DELICIOUS! It's a Paula Deen dish... so eaters beware! I've tried making this with 1/2 the eggs, milk, and half-n-half. It's good that way, too -- a little less bread pudding, a little more french toast. I also HIGHLY recommend adding a huge dollop of fresh whipped cream on top with maple syrup. Delicious!

Casserole:

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the casserole and bake for 40-60 minutes (it turns out differently every time for me -- just watch it), until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping: 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Use entire mixture to cover french toast casserole.

Sweet Sushi

Something's fishy about this sushi -- maybe because the only fish in it comes from the candy aisle!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
Pound cake, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
White frosting
Fruit leather (we used FruitaBü Organic Smoooshed Grape Fruit Twirls)
Flaked coconut
An assortment of candies and jellies for sweet toppings and sushi sides

1. Sushi bases: For rolls, use a knife to cut 1 1/2-inch circles from a slice of cake. Frost the tops of the circles, then wrap a 6-inch strip of fruit leather seaweed around each one, using a dab of frosting to secure it. Press coconut rice into the frosting. For individual sushi, cut a cake slice into rectangles and round the edges, as shown. Frost the top and sides of each oval, then roll it in coconut.

2. Sweet toppings: From left to right, starting with the top row, we used orange nonpareils, apricot preserves, and pieces of Twizzlers Rainbow Twists. In the middle row, we used a green gumdrop slice, diced Swedish Fish, and gumdrop wedges. On the bottom row, we topped the sushi base with a Swedish Fish, then wrapped it with a strip of fruit leather.

3. Sushi sides: To make wasabi, warm a green Starburst candy in the microwave for 10 seconds, then use your hands to work it into a mound. For pickled ginger, microwave and flatten an orange Starburst candy, then bunch it up into a pile, as shown.

Recipe from Family Fun.

Yummy Tea Party Scones

These are the best scones for Tea parties that I have found!! And so EASY!! ~Mindy

1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 egg
Course sugar for top of scones
In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in the butter. Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened.
Separate dough into 12 circles and coat with course sugar.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.

Orange and Arugula Salad with Marmalade Dressing

Mindy Powell
Adapted from Rachael Ray show

1 tablespoon orange marmalade
1 lemon (juice and zest)
3 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 oranges, skin and white outer pith removed, then sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
5 cups arugula (or mixed fancy greens)
Whisk together the marmalade, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, and EVOO. I let people make their own salad by arrange arugula and orange discs on plate and drizzle with dressing.

Broccoli & Cheese Quiche

Mindy Powell

1 pie crust (frozen or refrigerated)
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped broccoli thawed (I freeze my own or you can use frozen from store)
4 eggs
1 cup cream
½ cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t Italian Seasoning or 1 T fresh herbs
Preheat oven to 400°F. Let frozen pie crust thaw while preheating oven and then cook for ten minutes. Remove from oven and turn oven to 375°F. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly onto bottom of crust and top with broccoli. Beat eggs, cream, milk and seasonings until well blended; pour over ingredients in crust. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 45 minutes and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Cauliflower Pasta

Mindy Powell
Adapted from Rachael Ray

8 T butter
1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
1 pound linguine
10 fresh sage leaves or ½ teaspoon dried sage
2 T fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 T minced garlic
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

½ cup breadcrumbs & more Parmesan to serve at the table

Boil large pot of water for pasta. In a large skillet, melt 2 T butter over medium-low heat. Add cauliflower florets and 1/4 teaspoon salt and sauté for 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water; cook until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 5 minutes. Cook linguine in salted boiling water until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
In pasta pot, melt remaining 6 T butter over medium heat. Stir in sage, thyme, and garlic; cook until butter is golden brown, 3 minutes. Add pasta, cauliflower, parsley, and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and add reserved cooking water if pasta seems dry. To serve, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and more Parmesan.

Spring & Summer Ziti

Mindy Powell Family
Adapted from Rachael Ray

2 T EVOO
1 T onion flakes
3 large garlic cloves minced
2 14 oz cans stewed tomatoes
1 T Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
10-12 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced
1 pound ziti with lines
1 pound thin asparagus (trimmed and chopped into 1 1/2 inch pieces on an angle)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup freshly grated parmigiano cheese
½ pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil to cook the pasta. While the water is coming to a boil, sauté the onion flakes and garlic with 2 T EVOO over medium heat. Stir in tomatoes and crush them with a potato masher. Season the sauce with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to your taste. Cook five minutes more then stir in basil and turn off heat.
While sauce is simmering, add salt to boiling water and cook the pasta to just under al dente – it should have a nice bite left to it. After the pasta has been cooking for 5 minutes, add in the asparagus. Add frozen peas a minute before draining. Drain pasta and veggies, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Add ricotta and half the Parmigiano cheese to the hot pasta pot. Add the hot pasta and veggies back to the pot and stir to coat evenly. Add the pasta water.
Pour half the sauce into a large baking dish. Add all of the ziti to the dish and top with remaining sauce. Dot the top of the ziti with mozzarella and remaining Parmigiano. Place in oven until top is brown and bubbly, about 12 minutes.

Our Favorite Buttermilk Brownies!

Buttermilk Brownies

1 cup margarine
1 cup water
1/3 cup cocoa

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ tsp vanilla

Set oven to 350 degrees. Bring water, butter, and cocoa to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.’
Mix flour, sugar soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add cocoa mixture and mix until well blended. Pour into greased
15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Frost when still warm
Frosting
¼ cup butter
3 Tbsp cocoa
1/3 cup buttermilk
heated until warm and soft.

Mix in 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)