• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 quarts water
• spaghetti sauce, warmed

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender.  Drain and mash.

Place 2 cups mashed potatoes in a large bowl (save the remaining mashed potatoes for another use).  Stir in the egg and 1 teaspoon salt.  Gradually beat in flour until blended (dough will be firm and elastic).

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 15 times.  Roll into the 1/2″ wide ropes.  Cut ropes into 1″ pieces.  Press down with a lightly floured fork.

In a Dutch oven, bring water and the remaining salt to a boil.  Add gnocchi in small batches; cook for 8-10 minutes or until gnocchi float to the top and are cooked through.  Remove with a slotted spoon.  Serve immediately with spaghetti sauce.

YIELD:  6-8 servings

• 8 none-in country-style pork ribs (8 oz. each)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place ribs in a 5 quart slow cooker.  Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over ribs.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or until meat is tender.

YIELD:  8 servings

• 2 cups crushed pretzels
• 3 teaspoons plus 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 packages (3 oz. each) orange gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cans (8 oz. each) crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups whipped topping
• additional whipped topping, optional

In a small bowl, combine pretzels and 3 teaspoons sugar; stir in butter.  Press into an ungreased 13″ x 9″ baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

Ina large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Add pineapple and oranges.  Chill until partially set, about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spread over crust.  Gently spoon gelatin mixture over cream cheese layer.  Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until firm.

Cut into squares.  Garnish with additional whipped topping, if desired.

YIELD:  15 servings

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 medium pickling cucumbers, sliced 1/4″ thick (3 cups)
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

Stir together sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds and turmeric in a microwave-safe bowl.  Add cucumbers and onion; toss to coat.

Microwave on high, stirring every 2 1/2 minutes, until cucumbers are tender and onion is translucent, 7 to 8 minutes.

Transfer to containers or jars.  Chill pickles, covered, about 20 minutes or up to 3 weeks.

• 18 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 package of Cream Cheese (8 oz.)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 container whipped topping, thawed (8 oz.)
• 1 can of Lucky Leaf Premium Cherry Fruit Filling (21 oz.)

Step 1:  Mix crushed cookies and butter.  Press cookie mixture into bottom of an 8″ x 8″ baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Step 2:  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and almond extract until smooth.

Step 3:  Melt white chocolate in a microwave according to package directions.  When melted, pour into cream cheese mixture and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

Step 4:  Fold whipped topping into cream cheese mixture.

Step 5:  Pour evenly into crust.  Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

Step 6:  Spoon cherry fruit filling on top just before serving.

• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 unbaked pastry shell (9″)
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken
• 1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup each milk and mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese into the pastry shell.  In a large bowl, combine the chicken, 1/2 cup spinach, onion and the remaining cheese (save remaining spinach for another use).  Spoon into pastry shell.  In a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk, mayonnaise, salt and pepper; pour over the chicken mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

YIELD:  6-8 servings

• 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium apples, peeled and shredded
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 can (8 oz.) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
• 1 package (16 oz.) smoked Polish sausage

In a large skillet, saute the onion in butter for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, toss the apples with lemon juice.  Add apples, sauerkraut, apple juice, caraway and fennel to the onion.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat sausage according to package directions; cut into slices.  Serve with sauerkraut.

YIELD:  4 servings

• 3/4 to 1 pound sliced bacon
• 6 cups frozen shredded has brown potatoes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 jar (4.5 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Place bacon on a microwave-safe plate lined with paper towels.  Cover with another paper towel; microwave on high for 5-7 minutes or until crisp.  Cool; crumble and set aside.

In a 2.5 quart microwave-safe dish, combine the potatoes, onion, green pepper, mushrooms and butter.  Cover and microwave on high for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring once.

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, basil and pepper; stir into vegetable mixture.  Cover and cook at 70% power for 4-6 minutes or until eggs are almost set, stirring every 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese and bacon.  Cook, uncovered on high for 30-60 seconds or until cheese is melted.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

YIELD:  6-8 servings

This recipe was tested in a 1,100-watt microwave.

• 1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
• 1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 package (8 oz.) milk chocolate English toffee bits, divided
• 1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Beat in cream until blended.  Fold in whipped topping and 1 cup toffee bits.

Spoon into crust; sprinkle with the reaming toffee bits.  Cover and freeze overnight.  Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving.

YIELD:  6-8 servings

• 4 cups cubed cooked turkey breast
• 1 can (8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper blend
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 lettuce leaves
• 8 croissants, split

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, water chestnuts, pecans, celery and onions.  Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic pepper and salt; pour over turkey mixture and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.  Spoon onto lettuce-lined croissants.

YIELD:  8 servings