• 1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked according to directions on box
• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (a few healthy pinches)
• 1 tablespoon (half a palmful) paprika
• A pinch ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 sprigs fresh marjoram, chopped, or a healthy sprinkle of dried
• 1 can (14 oz.) crushed tomatoes
• 3 rounded tablespoons sour cream
• 2 pats butter or a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
• Chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (Pour a little into the center of your palm and eyeball it)

While the macaroni is cooking, heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Add ground beef and brown.  Grate an onion into the pot with a hand grater.  Add garlic and seasonings.  Mix in tomatoes.  Heat through, then stir in sour cream.  Drain macaroni and toss with butter or oil, parsley and caraway seeds.

Serve scoops of goulash over bowls of macaroni.  Feeds up to 6, go for leftovers if you are fewer in number.  Freezes well.

• 1 medium to large head of lettuce
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 c. vinegar
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 1/3 c. water
• 2 carrots
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1/2 c. green pepper
• 1/4 c. onion
• 1 pkg. lemon Jello

Directions:

Boil the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed and water until the sugar is dissolved, then add the Jello. Let cool. Pour over shredded cabbage. Add diced celery, green pepper, shredded carrots and onion; mix well. Place in Tupperware or freezer containers. This keeps a long time in your refrigerator or can be frozen in your deep freeze.

• 1 large head cabbage
• 3 big carrots
• 2 green peppers
• 2 red peppers
• Onions (as much as you wish)
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 quart water
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups vinegar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed

Mix the first eight ingredients and let stand overnight.  Mix sugar, vinegar, celery seed and mustard seed and bring to a boil.  Let cool.  Drain the vegetables and pour vinegar mixture on them.  Can be kept in the refrigerator for several months.  makes about 1 gallon.

(Harriett Landon)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup mashed ripe banana
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Butter Pecan Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dash salt
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
• additional chopped pecans, optional

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture, beating just until combined.  Fold in banana and pecans.

Pour into a greased 8″ square baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted neat the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter.  Beat in the milk, vanilla, salt and enough confectioners’ sugar to achieve spreading consistency.  Stir in toasted pecans.  Frost cake.  Garnish with additional pecans, if desired.

YIELD:  9 servings

• 16 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup cubed fully cooked ham
• 6 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  in a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk.  Stir in cheese, ham and onions.  Pour into a greased 13″ x 9″ baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes.

YIELD:  12 servings

• 12 wonton wrappers
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup Mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons orange juice
• 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• whipped cream and fresh mint (optional)

Brush one side of each wonton wrapper with butter.  Place brown sugar in a shallow bowl; press buttered side of wontons into sugar to coat.  Press wontons sugared side up into greased muffin cups.  Bake at 325 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Remove to a wire rack to cool

In a bowl, combine the cheese, honey and orange juice.  Spoon about one tablespoon of mixture into each wonton cup.  Top with strawberries.  Garnish with whipped cream and mint, if desired.

YIELD:  1 dozen

• 8 cups sliced peeled tart apples
• 33 caramels, divided
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk, divided
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• dash ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• vanilla ice cream (optional)

Place apples in a greased 13″ x 9″ x 2″ baking dish.  In a heavy saucepan or microwave, melt 25 caramels with 2 tablespoons milk, stirring often; drizzle over apples.  In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, walnuts, salt and cinnamon; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle over apples.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan or microwave, melt the remaining caramels with the remaining milk, stirring often until smooth.  Drizzle over dessert and ice cream if desired.

YIELD:  12-16 servings.

• 8 oz. elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 oz. cream cheese, cubed (1/4 of an 8 oz. package)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese (about 12 oz.)
• 12 large (6″) square egg roll wrappers
• vegetable oil (for deep frying)
• ranch dressing, for serving (optional)

Cook the macaroni to just al dente according to the package directions.  Drain, rinse under cold running water to stop it from cooking and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter and cream cheese over medium-high heat, whisking them together.  Add the flour and mustard powder and give it a good whisk.  Slowly add the milk, letting it heat to just short of boiling, whisking constantly until smooth.  Add the salt and pepper and fold in the cheddar a bit at a time, whisking until fully melted into a nice creamy cheese sauce.

Mix in the drained pasta and stir with a wooden spoon for three to five minutes, until the pasta is coated and the sauce is thickened a bit (you don’t want it too runny as an egg roll filling).

To assemble the rolls, fill a small bowl with water.  Use a finger to wet the edges of an egg roll wrapper, then lay it out diagonally with a corner pointing at you.  Place about 1/4 cup of the mac and cheese in a little horizontal pile just below the middle of the square.  From the bottom, roll the point up and over the filling, then fold the left and right sides toward the middle, making an envelope.  Tuck everything in cleanly and roll until you have a tight log., making sure the edges are sealed (use another wet finger if needed).  Set the roll aside and repeat to make the rest. (YouTube has videos on how to fill egg rolls, and most egg roll packages have diagrams, do don’t let this freak you out.)

Pour about two inches of oil into a Dutch oven or deep pan and heat over medium-high heat.  You’ll know it’s hot enough when you stick the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and little bubbles percolate to the surface.  Working in batches so that the rolls don’t touch, carefully position them in the hot oil, seam side down.  Keep an eye on them, and as they turn golden brown, rotate them gently with a fork until they are a perfectly uniform crispy and crunchy, about 5 minutes total.

Using tongs, carefully remove the rolls to paper towels to absorb the extra oil.  Let them rest about 5 minutes; they will still be hot.

Serve with ranch dressing for dipping if you’d like.

• Cooking spray
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half (fat-free works great) or milk
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• One 9.6 oz. package Jimmy Dean Original Pork Sausage Crumbles or 2 1/2 cups diced cooked ham
• One 30 oz. bag frozen shredded hash brown, thawed overnight in the refrigerator
• One 4 oz. can diced green chilies, drained
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Salsa, for serving (optional)
• Sour cream, for serving (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Crack the eggs into a blender, then add the half-and-half, salt, pepper, garlic powder, flour and baking powder and give it a good medium speed blending until smooth.
3. In a large bowl, combine the sausage crumbles, thawed hash browns and green chilies.  Add 2 cups of the cheddar, then pour in the egg mixture.  Gently stir with a rubber spatula until combined.
4. Pour that mixture into the prepared pan and rock it back and forth on the counter to evenly distribute any liquid on the bottom.  Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar.
5. Bake, uncovered, until the eggs are set and a knife stuck in the center comes out clean, about one hour.
6. Let the casserole rest for at least five minutes, then slice into squares and spatula it up.  The casserole is great served with your favorite salsa, sour cream or whatever you like to add to your eggs to give them a little zing!  And, leftovers are great the next day.

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 large yellow onion, medium diced
• 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4″ chunks
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• one 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• one 5.3 oz. single serve plain Greek yogurt
• cooked rice, for serving
• unsweetened coconut flakes, for serving (optional)

In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and onion and saute until the onion softens and turns a little golden on the edges, 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove the garlic and onion to a plate.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken and flour.  Toss to coat.

Add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to the pan, still over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, season the the curry and ginger, and saute until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock and garlic-onion mixture and bring to a boil for a minute.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When you’re ready to serve, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the yogurt until completely blended.  Serve over cooked rice and sprinkle each serving with coconut flakes if you like.