• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise, with a few reserved for garnish
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• one 8 oz. container Cool-Whip, thawed for 4 hours in the refrigerator
• 2 cups strawberry yogurt (whole milk works great)
• 1 store-bought 9-inch graham cracker crust

Start the clock after you’ve prepped the strawberries.  Place the strawberries in a food processor, sprinkle the sugar on top and pulse a few times until the strawberries are nicely chopped.  If you pulse too much and wind up with strawberry juice on the bottom, spoon it out.

Transfer the strawberries to a large bowl.  Add the Cool-Whip and strawberry yogurt.  Use a rubber spatula to mix until nice and smooth.

Scoop the strawberry filling into the graham cracker crust.  There is no limit to the height of this pie; Just make sure it’s symmetrical.

Set the pie in an open space in your fridge and chill for at least a couple of hours.  If you make it at breakfast time it would be perfect by lunch.

Garnish with the reserved strawberries and enjoy this flavor-packed treat.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large croissants (the wider the better), halved horizontally
• 1/3 pound sliced deli ham
• 1/3 pound sliced provolone cheese

Preheat a waffle iron to medium heat.

In a small bowl, mix the mayo and mustard.  Add a grind of pepper.

Spread the mayo-mustard mix on both cut sides of each croissant.  Next, roll up a piece or two of ham and bend it into a curve.  Set it in the bottom of a croissant, then top with provolone.  Make sure that the top croissant covers all the cheese; if it doesn’t, snuggle the cheese a little further inside the bread or cut it a bit smaller.  Otherwise it’ll leak out (and waffle irons are tough to clean).  Now that the sandwich is built, place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it for 30 seconds, to get the cheese melting inside.  Meanwhile, fill the rest of the croissants.

Place the sandwich on the waffle iron and lower the lid.  Push the lid down a bit to squash it a little, then release and let sandwich cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the croissant is crispy and the filling is hot (if your waffle iron has an alarm, it should go off).  Remove the sandwich and let it cool for 3 to 5 minutes.  Repeat to cook the rest of the sandwiches.

• 1 1/2 cups pretzels, crushed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup margarine, melted
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 9 oz. Cool Whip
• 6 oz. strawberry Jell-O
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 (10 oz.) packages strawberries, thawed

Mix the first three ingredients, pat on bottom and sides of a pie plate.  Soften cream cheese with sugar, fold in Cool Whip.  Layer it on the crust.  Mix the remaining ingredients, pour on top of filling.  Chill.  Any flavor Jell-O or dessert may be used.

(Katie Ruth Esch)

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 can water
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons raw rice
• 3 cups raw cabbage, grated or sliced fine
• 1 tablespoon salad oil

Brown beef in oil until crumbly.  Mix in onion, salt, pepper and rice.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes.  Add soup and water and mix.  Remove from heat.  Place cabbage in 2 quart casserole.  Pour meat mixture on top but don’t mix together.  Cover and bake in slow oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or in slow cooker for 3 to 4 hours on medium heat.  This is also good with ground pork.

(Deb Pedersen)

• 1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb.) broiler fryer, cut up
• 1 1/2 cups ground oat flour (see below)
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika or sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

Coat chicken with combined dry ingredients; dip into combined milk and egg.  Coat again with dry ingredients.  Place in foil lined, large shallow baking pan.  Drizzle butter over chicken.  Bake in preheated hot oven (400 degrees) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.  Makes 4 servings.

Ground Oat Flour:  Place 1 to 1 1/2 cups Quaker oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked) in blender or food processor.  Blend or process for about 60 seconds.  Makes about 1 cup ground oat flour.

Dip ‘N Bake Pork Chops:  Same recipe as chicken except use marjoram or thyme leaves, crushed rather than paprika or sage.  Use 6 pork chops.  Makes 6 servings.

(Julie Benton Sporrer)

• 1 1/2 cups pre-cooked potatoes (has browns or diced potatoes)
• 1 1/2 cups pre-cooked turkey sausage, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups chopped veggies, such as onions, mushrooms or chopped bell peppers (optional)
• 12 eggs (2 eggs per serving)

In the order listed, layer 1/4 cup of each ingredient (except for the eggs) into six pint-sized glass mason jars (or microwave-safe dishes).  Seal and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.  When ready to cook, lightly whisk two eggs and pour into the jar.  Microwave, uncovered, for one minute and give the eggs a quick stir.  Microwave an additional one to two minutes until the eggs are thoroughly cooked.  Let sit for one minute before removing from the microwave.  Caution:  jar and eggs will be hot!

Serving suggestion:  top with chopped tomatoes, scallions, cilantro or salsa.

• Stew meat, cut in 1″ pieces
• 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
• 2 tablespoons tapioca
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon
• 1 small onion, cut in chunks
• 5 medium potatoes (or more)
• 1 cup carrots, cut in chunks
• 1 stalk celery, cut in chunks

Put all of the above in covered casserole and cook at 275 degrees for 5 hours.  For soup, add more tomato sauce diluted with water.

(Judy Denham)

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cans tomato soup
• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• dash of garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Lawry’s season salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• dash of pepper
• 1 lb. macaroni

Brown beef and onion.  Drain well and add rest of ingredients except macaroni.  Simmer while cooking macaroni to package directions.  Pour sauce over cooked and drained macaroni.  Stir well and serve.  Instead of tomato sauce, can use homemade frozen spaghetti sauce.

(Gwen Hayes)

• 1 raw potato, pared and diced for each person to be served plus 1 extra (for the pot)
• 1 carrot, pared and diced (or grated) for each 2 potatoes that are used
• 1 stalk celery, diced for each 2 carrots used
• 1 tablespoon minced onion or 1 teaspoon onion powder
• parsley flakes
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook all together in enough water to cover, until vegetables are tender.  Add milk (about one quart) for 3 to 4 servings, with 2 tablespoons flour stirred in.  Cook until thickened slightly.  Some of potato can be mashed also.  Do not boil after adding milk.  When thickened, add 1 to 2 (6 1/2 oz.) cans of tuna, clams or salmon or equivalent of leftover cooked fish.  Simmer.  Makes a hearty soup.

(Evelyn Nelson)

• 1 lb. ground beef (80% lean)
• 2 large baking potatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 12 oz. jar prepared medium picante sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 slices American cheese, cut diagonally into quarters (or use shredded cheddar cheese
• sliced green onion

Scrub potatoes and prick each with a fork several times.  Microwave on high 8 to 10 minutes, rotating 1/4 turn after 4 minutes.  Let stand while preparing topping.

Topping:  Combine ground beef and onion; microwave on high for 3 minutes.  Stir to break up beef; continue cooking at high for 3 minutes; stir and pour off drippings.  Add picante sauce, stirring to combine.  Microwave beef mixture at high for 1 to 2 minutes until heated.  Cut potatoes in half length-wise, break up and fluff pulp with a fork.  Sprinkle with salt.  Spoon an equal amount of beef mixture over each potato half.  Top each with an equal amount of cheese; tent loosely with foil and let stand one minute.  Garnish with sliced onion.  Makes four servings.

(Shirley Rayl)