#3238 - Scratch Stewed Tomatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

5 fresh, large tomatoes (tomatoes that are home grown or from a Farmer's Market work best)
1 tsp. salt
3 TBSP white sugar
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
water

Wash tomatoes and put them in a large bowl. Cover the tomatoes with boiling water and let them sit for 3 minutes. Drain the tomatoes. Use a sharp knife to cut out the core of each tomato. Peel the skin off of each tomato. Cut each tomato into about six pieces and place all of the pieces into a large saucepan. Turn heat to medium--stir while adding the salt. Cook/stir the tomatoes for about 10 minutes (they will fall apart and become juicy). Add white sugar to the tomatoes while stirring. In a small bowl add the cornstarch and a TBSP of water at a time while stirring--keep adding more water until you have a liquid and the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Turn heat down to simmer--add the cornstarch liquid while stirring and keep stirring until the tomatoes thicken. Serve hot.

#3237 - Fresh Dill Pasta Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. box small pasta shells (cooked and drained according to box direction but DO NOT RINSE)
1 small container cherry tomatoes
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 orange bell pepper (chopped)
1/4 cup chopped red onions
3 TBSP chopped fresh dill
1 - 8oz. bag any flavor shredded cheese
1 bottle Italian salad dressing (chilled)--regular OR reduced calorie

In a large bowl add drained pasta, chopped spinach, chopped orange bell peppers, chopped red onions and chopped fresh dill--toss to mix. Add about half of the bottle of salad dressing--toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve, halve the cherry tomatoes. Add cherry tomato halves and half of the shredded cheese to the pasta mixture--toss to coat. Add more Italian dressing and more shredded cheese if needed.

#3236 - Sweet Corn Pasta Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups raw bowtie pasta
1 cup bite sized cooked chicken pieces
2 ears sweet corn
1 tomato (chopped)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
Italian dressing OR pesto sauce

In a Dutch oven add the bowtie pasta--cover with water and add add 1 tsp. salt--cook/stir over medium heat for 5 minutes, then add the husked sweet corn--cook for 7 minutes or until pasta is tender and corn is cooked. Drain the pasta and the corn, then remove the corn and rinse it under cold water (but don't rinse the pasta). Cut the corn off of the cob using a sharp knife. In a bowl add the corn kernels, drained pasta, chopped tomatoes, pepper and chicken--stir carefully to mix. Separate the whole mixture into serving bowls, top with Italian dressing OR pesto sauce and Parmesan cheese.

#3235 - Vinegar Corn Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15oz. can sweet kernel corn (drained) OR the same amount of cooked fresh sweet corn
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell peppers
1/3 cup chopped sweet onions
1 tomato (chopped)
3 TBSP cider vinegar
2 TBSP white sugar
1 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP water
a pinch of salt
fresh ground black pepper (to your taste)

In a bowl add corn kernels, chopped peppers (green, red and yellow) and chopped onions--toss to mix. In a bowl add cider vinegar, white sugar, olive oil, water, salt and pepper--stir to mix. Pour the vinegar mixture over the corn mixture--stir to coat. If too dry, repeat making vinegar mixture as necessary and adding to the corn mixture--stir to mix. Cover and refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve, add chopped tomatoes--stir well.

#3234 - Garden Tomato Salsa

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups finely chopped fresh garden tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
other seasonings as you wish

If using supermarket tomatoes, peel the tomatoes first before chopping (the skins are much harder than home grown tomatoes). In a bowl add chopped tomatoes, chopped green bell peppers, chopped onions and fresh ground black pepper--stir to mix. Taste--add other seasonings to your taste such as salt, garlic powder, etc., then stir again. Depending on your taste you can also add fresh corn kernels, chopped hot peppers, etc. Recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc.

#3233 - Ham and Egg Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups shredded hash brown potatoes
1/4 cup butter (melted)
Lawry's seasoning salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham (substitute bacon if you wish)
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4-6 eggs
1/2 to 1 cup milk (1/2 cup is using 4 eggs; 1 cup if using 6 eggs)
salt
pepper

Measure out 3 cups of shredded hash brown potatoes from the bag, then thaw and drain them. Very important--spread a handful of the hash browns in between paper towels and squeeze as much liquid out as you can. Repeat with all hash browns. Once the hash browns are as dry as you can get them, press them into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9" pie plate. Drizzle the melted butter all over the hash browns, then sprinkle seasoning salt over the hash browns. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until browned. In a bowl add ham pieces, chopped onions and shredded cheese--stir to mix. In a separate bowl add eggs, milk and salt/pepper to your taste--beat with a whisk. Spread ham mixture over the bottom of the hash brown crust. Pour egg mixture over the top. Turn heat back to 350 degrees and bake 20-25 minutes or until puffy and well browned. Wait a few minutes after removing from oven before cutting and serving.

#3232 - Cherry Nest Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 12oz. jar maraschino cherries
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg white
1/2 cup Baker's angelflake coconut   
 
Drain the cherries, slice 10 of the cherries in half and place them on paper towels to soak up any leftover cherry juice. Chop the remaining cherries that you didn't slice in half. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add egg and vanilla--beat. Add baking powder and salt--beat. Add chopped cherries--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. In one bowl add the beaten egg white, and in a second bowl add the coconut. Roll the cookie dough into 1" balls, dip each ball in the beaten egg white and then roll it in the coconut before placing it on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with all dough. Spray Pam on your thumb and press each cookie ball to make a well. Place a cherry half (cut side down) into each well. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

#3231 - Coconut Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sticks softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups Baker's angelflake coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups Quaker quick oats

In a mixer add butter, white sugar and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add vanilla, baking powder and baking soda--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add coconut, chopped walnuts and oats--stir with a wooden spoon until mixed. Drop batter by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-14 minutes or until cookie edges are lightly browned.

#3230 - Magic Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. instant coffee mixed into 1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add flour, white sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt--stir to mix. In a mixer add eggs and buttermilk--beat. Add coffee mixture slowly--beat. Add canola oil and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour mixture while beating--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (batter will be runny). Pour batter into a greased and floured tube cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool cake 15 minutes, then loosen cake edges and invert on to a cake plate. Cool completely. Frost with vanilla, cream cheese, peanut butter or chocolate glaze.

#3229 - Cream Cheese Glaze

(by Shirley McNevich)

4oz. softened Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2-4 TBSP milk

In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Add milk
1 TBSP at a time and beat. Only add enough milk until glaze is the consistency that you want. Use glaze on bundt cakes, cinnamon rolls, etc.

#3228 - Sour Cream Raisin Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines Devil's Food cake mix (with pudding in mix)
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
3 TBSP cornstarch
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups Breakstone's sour cream
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
Glaze: 1/3 cup softened butter; 2 cups Domino's powdered sugar; 2-4 TBSP hot water; 2oz. Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate; 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan add the raisins and cover them with water--bring them to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cook/stir them for 5 minutes, then drain and cool them. Prepare and bake the cake mix according to box directions in a 9 x 13 cake pan. Cool the cake completely. In a saucepan (no heat yet) add white sugar, brown sugar and cornstarch--stir. Add sour cream and beaten eggs--stir to mix. Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat--cook/stir until mixture thickens and boils. Once mixture boils, cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat--add drained raisins, chopped nuts and 1 tsp. vanilla--stir to mix. Cool the mixture to room temperature, then stir mixture hard. Spread the mixture over the top of the cooled cake. Glaze: in a saucepan over low heat add butter and baking chocolate--cook/stir until melted. Remove from heat--add powdered sugar and 1 TBSP hot water--stir well. Keep adding hot water 1 TBSP at a time and stirring until the mixture is glaze consistency. Once you have the right consistency, add the 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla--stir well. Drizzle the glaze all over the top of the top of the raisin mixture.

#3227 - Cinnamon Nectarine Cobbler

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 cups nectarine slices
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 TBSP cornstarch
1 TBSP butter
Topping: 1 cup flour; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 cup milk; 1/2 stick softened butter
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Topping: in a bowl add flour, white sugar and baking powder--stir well. Add milk and 1/2 stick softened butter--beat with a spoon until mixed and smooth, then set aside. Batter: in a saucepan over medium heat add nectarine slices, water, brown sugar, cornstarch and 1 TBSP butter--cook/stir 8-10 minutes or until thick and bubbling. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Spread the topping mixture evenly over the top (use the back of a spoon for spreading). Sprinkle cinnamon sugar all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. If serving warm, let it sit for a few minutes before cutting. If serving cold, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.

#3226 - Chocolate Chip Graham Cracker Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 stick softened butter
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips (more if you wish)

In a mixer add butter and brown sugar--beat. Add egg--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Add baking soda and salt--beat. Add graham crackers--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chocolate chips--stir with a wooden spoon until mixed. Drop batter by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes (cookies will be soft but will get firm after they sit).

#3225 - Waldorf Cake

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups flour (sift after measuring)
1 tsp. salt
2 TBSP water
1 TBSP cider vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup softened butter
2 tsp. Hershey's cocoa
2 TBSP red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda

In a mixer add white sugar and butter--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add salt and water--beat. Add vanilla and cocoa--beat. Add buttermilk and red food coloring--beat. Slowly add flour--beat for 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixer. In a small separate bowl add baking soda and cider vinegar--stir until mixed. Pour vinegar mixture into batter--stir just until mixed. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired (normal Waldorf cake is frosted with cream cheese frosting and topped with chopped walnuts).

#3224 - Vanilla Peanut Butter Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 3oz. box Jell-O vanilla INSTANT pudding
1 3/4 cups cold milk
1/4 cup Jif smooth peanut butter
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
24 Honey Maid graham crackers
6oz. Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate (broken into very small pieces)
3 TBSP butter

In a bowl add vanilla pudding powder and cold milk--beat with a whisk until thickened. Add peanut butter--stir until well mixed. Add thawed Cool Whip--stir until mixed and smooth. In the bottom of a glass 9 x 13 baking dish make a single layer of 8 graham crackers (breaking them where necessary). Spread 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers. Make another layer of 8 graham crackers on top of the pudding mixture, spread the last 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers, make a final layer of 8 graham crackers over the pudding mixture. In a microwave safe bowl add the semi-sweet chocolate pieces and the butter--microwave on high until melted, then stir until smooth. Spread the chocolate mixture all over the top of the graham crackers. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.

#3223 - Quick Nut Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 TBSP canola oil
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1 cup chopped nuts

Grease and flour a 9 x 5 x 3 bread loaf pan. In a mixer add salt, canola oil, milk and egg--beat. Add baking powder and white sugar--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Add chopped nuts--beat. Pour batter into the greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely before removing and slicing.

#3222 - Meatloaf Glaze

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
4 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
3 TBSP white vinegar (more if you wish)

Make your favorite meatloaf recipe. Just before putting it in the oven, make this glaze and spread it all over the top/sides of the meatloaf. In a bowl add ketchup, brown sugar and white vinegar--stir well until mixed. Spread the glaze all over the top and sides of your meatloaf, then bake normally. Glaze recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc. You can also make an extra serving of the glaze to spread on the meatloaf after you remove it from the oven.

#3221 - Peach Punch

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 64oz. carton Dole Orange Peach Mango juice (cold)
12oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)
1 - 2 liter bottle 7UP soda (cold)
1 fresh orange (sliced)
1 jar maraschino cherries

In a punch bowl add the orange peach mango juice and the thawed orange juice concentrate--stir with a whisk until dissolved, then stir well. Add the jar of maraschino cherries including the juice--stir carefully until mixed. When ready to serve, add the whole bottle of 7Up--stir well. Float the orange slices on the top of the punch.

#3220 - Breaded Spaghetti

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 1lb. box raw spaghetti
1 large jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 cup 4C Italian breadcrumbs (more if needed)
grated Parmesan cheese
optional: any meat pieces you want to add to the sauce

If adding any extra meat to the sauce (sausage, etc.) cook/brown the meat, then drain before adding it to the sauce. In a pot add the spaghetti sauce and drained meat--cook/stir until mixed and hot, then turn heat back to simmer. Prepare spaghetti according to box directions but DO NOT DRAIN--leave it in the water. When spaghetti is done, remove it from the stove and place the pot on a pot holder on your counter. Spread all of the bread crumbs on a dinner plate. To make each serving plate, ladle a large scoop of spaghetti sauce on each serving plate and sprinkle Parmesan cheese all over the sauce. Use tongs to get some spaghetti (still wet and dripping), dunk the wet spaghetti all over the bread crumbs, then place the coated spaghetti on the plate of spaghetti sauce. Repeat with all serving plates.

#3219 - Lemon Lime Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 1 cup flour; 1 stick butter; 1/4 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. ginger; 1/3 cup Domino's powdered sugar

Batter: 2 tsp. lemon extract; 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice; 3 beaten eggs; 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 2 TBSP flour; 1 1/4 cups white sugar; a few drops of green food coloring

In a bowl add 1 cup flour, powdered sugar, ginger and salt--stir to mix. Cut the butter into pieces and add to the flour mixture--mix with a pastry blender to make crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into a greased 9" square cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Filling: in a bowl add white sugar, 2 TBSP flour and baking powder--stir to mix. Add lime juice, beaten eggs, lemon extract and food coloring--beat with a whisk until smooth. Pour the filling mixture over the warm crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely. Cut into squares. Optional: dust the whole top with powdered sugar before cutting.

#3218 - Lime Glazed Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 tsp. + 2 TBSP fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. lime zest
1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1 egg
limes (for the juice and zest)

In a bowl add milk and 2 tsp. lime juice--stir to mix. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add egg--beat. Add lime zest--beat. Add milk mixture--beat. Add baking powder and baking soda--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Drop batter by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Cool slightly, then transfer cookies to paper towels to cool. In a bowl add 2 TBSP lime juice and powdered sugar--stir to mix. If glaze is too thick, add a little more lime juice and stir again. If glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar and stir again. When you have the right consistency, glaze the cookies with the lime glaze. If the lime glaze is too strong for your taste, substitute milk for lime juice when making the glaze.

#3217 - Lime Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 1 cup softened butter; 1/2 cup Domino's powdered sugar; 2 cups flour; a pinch of salt

Batter: 2 cups white sugar; 4 eggs; 6 TBSP flour; fresh limes

In a mixer add softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar--beat. Add salt--beat. Slowly add 2 cups of flour--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Squeeze limes so you have a heaping 1/4 cup of fresh lime juice, and scrape the outside of the lime to get 2 tsp. of lime zest. In a mixer add eggs--beat. Add white sugar--beat. Add 6 TBSP flour, heaping 1/4 cup lime juice and 2 tsp. lime zest--beat until smooth. Pour the batter over the top of the warm crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until batter is set. Cool completely. Dust the whole top with powdered sugar before cutting into squares.

#3216 - Vanilla Stovetop Frosting

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Nestle's white chocolate chips
1/4 cup Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
2 TBSP butter
1 or 2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Domino's powdered sugar (more if necessary)

In a saucepan over low heat add white chocolate chips, Carnation milk and butter--cook/stir over low heat just until melted and smooth. Remove from heat--add vanilla--stir to mix. Add powdered sugar--stir quickly with a whisk until smooth and spreadable. Let is sit a few minutes, stir vigorously, then frost any cooled cake.

#3215 - Stovetop Chocolate Frosting

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet or bittersweet)
1/4 cup Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
2 TBSP butter
1 or 2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Domino's powdered sugar (more if necessary)

In a saucepan over low heat add chocolate chips, Carnation milk and butter--cook/stir over low heat just until melted and smooth. Remove from heat--add vanilla--stir to mix. Add powdered sugar--stir quickly with a whisk until smooth and spreadable. Let is sit a few minutes, stir vigorously, then frost any cooled cake.

#3214 - Raspberry Coconut Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups crushed ginger snap cookies OR crushed Nilla wafers
4 TBSP melted butter
3/4 cup regular milk
4 TBSP cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 - 15oz. can coconut milk
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup Baker's angelflake coconut
2 2/3 cups fresh raspberries

In a bowl add crushed cookies and melted butter--stir until mixed. Press the cookie mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9" pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool completely. In a bowl add 1/4 cup regular milk and the cornstarch--stir with a whisk, then set aside. In a separate bowl add egg yolks--beat with a fork, then set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat add 1/2 cup regular milk, all of the coconut milk and the white sugar--cook/stir just until hot and mixed. Turn heat back to simmer, then measure out and pour 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the beaten eggs while stirring--stir with a whisk until mixed. Pour all of the egg mixture into the simmering milk mixture in the saucepan--stir. Add cornstarch mixture to the simmering milk mixture in the saucepan--cook/stir with a whisk until boiling. Once boiling, cook/stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat--add the vanilla and 1/2 cup of the coconut--stir to mix. Scrape the whole mixture into the cooled crust. Place Saran wrap over the top of the pie, making sure the Saran wrap is touching the whole top of the pie. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. The next day, carefully peel off the Saran wrap. Arrange the raspberries all over the top of the pie, pressing them lightly into the pie. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup coconut over the raspberries.

#3213 - Muffin Pies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - refrigerated unbaked pie crust doughs (or make your own)
2 cans of your favorite flavor pie filling
1 egg
white sugar for sprinkling
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (only if using apple pie filling)

Grease all of the cups of a muffin tin. Roll out one of the pie doughs and use a 4" cookie cutter to cut out dough circles. Carefully press one dough circle into the bottom and up the sides of a muffin cup (with a little bit left sticking out of the top). Repeat with all the dough circles and muffin cups. Grease your finger and gently flatten the dough that is left hanging over the top edges of the muffin cups. Fill each dough with pie filling (almost to the top). Roll out the second pie dough and cut out more dough circles. Spray Pam on the top edges of the doughs in the muffin cups. Place a dough circle on top of the pie filling in each muffin cup. Use your fingers to gently press the top dough circles into the edges of the first dough circles. Make sure they are all completely closed or the filling will bake out through the gaps. Use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the top dough of each pie. In a bowl add the egg--beat. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of all the pies with the beaten egg. Sprinkle some white sugar over each of the pies (if you're making apple pies, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar instead). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-27 minutes or until the top crust is golden brown. Cool completely. Gently remove each pie (it's tricky!).

#3212 - Fresh Blueberry Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup white sugar
4 TBSP butter (melted)
2 TBSP canola oil
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries

In a bowl add white sugar, melted butter and canola oil--beat. Add egg and vanilla--beat. Add sour cream--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add flour, baking powder and salt--stir just until mixed. Add blueberries--stir just until mixed. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill each liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#3211 - Pickled Red Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 large red onion
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup cider vinegar
boiling water

Thinly slice the red onion, then separate the slices into rings. Place all of the onions rings into a sieve and place the sieve in your sink. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, and slowly pour the boiling water all over the onions. Let the onions drain completely. In a bowl add cider vinegar, salt and white sugar--stir until mixed. Place the drained onions into a glass jar and pour the vinegar mixture over the onions--place the lid on the jar and shake gently. Refrigerate overnight before eating. Note: recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc.

#3210 - Fresh Blueberry Shortcake

(by Shirley McNevich)

5 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 TBSP lemon juice
a pinch of cinnamon (OPTIONAL)
2 1/3 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
3 TBSP white sugar
3 TBSP butter or Parkay margarine (melted)

In a bowl add Bisquick, milk, 3 TBSP white sugar and melted butter--stir until dough forms. Press dough into an 8 x 8 greased cake pan (OR a 9" round cake pan). Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. In a bowl add blueberries--mash them with a potato masher. Add 3/4 cup white sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and cinnamon--stir until well mixed. Taste--if too sour add a little more white sugar and stir again. If too sweet add a little more lemon juice and stir again. To serve, cut a piece of the cooled shortcake, crumble the shortcake piece into a bowl, drizzle it with the blueberry mixture and add a little cold milk. Repeat.

#3209 - Microwave Chocolate Pecan Fudge

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
12oz. Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tsp. vanilla

Line a fudge pan with foil. Grease a microwave safe glass bowl. Use a knife to finely chop all of the chocolate and place the chopped chocolate, chopped pecans and condensed milk in the greased bowl. Microwave on high until chocolate melts. Add vanilla and stir until mixed and smooth. Pour the fudge batter into the lined fudge pan, then pick it up slightly and drop it to the counter (to remove air bubbles). Repeat this a few times. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold. Remove from refrigerator, dump on to a cutting board and peel off the foil. Cut into squares.