• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup nuts, chopped

Mix first four ingredients.  Add final ingredients.  Pour into two greased 9″ x 13″ pans.  Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool; frost with cream cheese frosting.

(Stephanie Garner)

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup sugar
• Rind of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup nuts
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• enough lemon juice to make thin paste

Mix oil, sugar, lemon rind and milk; add beaten eggs.  Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.  Add nuts.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.  Use a 5 x 7 inch loaf pan (or two 3 1/2 x 5 inch loaf pans).  While still warm, drizzle with frosting.  Let run down sides of pan.  Remove from pan when cool.

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound mild Italian bulk sausage
• 2 cans (16 oz. each) Italian plum tomatoes
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup dry red wine or beer
• hot cooked spaghetti
• grated Parmesan cheese

In a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat, saute onion and carrot in oil for 3 minutes or until onion is transparent.  Transfer to a slow cooker.

Place beef and sausage in skillet and stir with a spoon to break up pieces.  Cook over high heat just until beef loses its pink color.  Drain off fat and place meat in slow cooker.

To slow cooker, add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, basil, salt, bay leaf, garlic powder, pepper and wine or beer (do not stir).  Cover and cook at low heat for 8 to 10 hours or at high heat for 4 hours or until vegetables are tender.  If mixture is boiling hard on high heat and needs stirring, resume timing when mixture returns to a boil.

Serve over spaghetti and sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 12 (1/2 cup) servings

• 1 package (18 1/4 oz.) yellow cake mix
• 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup flaked cocnut

Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 to 2 drops coconut extract, optional
• 2 tablespoons flaked coconut, toasted

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients.  Beat on low speed just until moistened.  Beat on high for 2 minutes.  Stir in coconut.  Pour into two greased 8″ x 4″ x 2″ loaf pans.  Bake at 325 degrees for 44-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted neat the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.  For glaze, in a mixing bowl, combine sugar and milk until smooth.  Add extract if desired.  Drizzle over loaves; sprinkle with coconut.  YIELD:  2 loaves.

• 12 oz. bulk pork sausage
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, cubed
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion tops
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 tube (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

In a skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, onion, celery, green pepper and garlic until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain.  Add cream cheese, green onion and parsley.  Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted; set aside.

Unroll crescent dough on a greased baking sheet; press perforations together.  Roll into a 12″ x 10″ rectangle.  Spoon sausage mixture to within three inches of long sies and one inch of ends.  On each long side, cut 3/4″ wide strips three inches into center.  Starting at an angle, forming a braid.

Brush dough with egg.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

YIELD:  8-10 servings.

• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cups diced potatoes
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
•  2 to 3 cups corn
• 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
• 1/2 pound Velveeta or processed cheese

In a soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the sausage and onion.  Slowly add the potatoes, carrots, water, parsley, basil, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Add remaining ingredients, cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until heated through.  You can replace whole milk for the evaporated milk, if you prefer.

• 1 can Kraut (squeeze out juice)
• 1 can tomatoes, diced
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 1 cup brown sugar

Cut bacon into small pieces – crisp with onion – drain well.  Mix with remaining ingredients.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour.  If using whole tomatoes be sure and mash into small pieces.  Great served with spare ribs, pork or over hot dogs.

• 2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Divide the bread dough into 20 portions; shape each into a ball.  In a shallow bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese and the soup mix.  Place butter in another shallow bowl.  Roll each ball in butter, then in cheese mixture

Arrange in a greased 13″ x 9″ x 2″ baking dish.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from pan to a wire rack.  Serve warm.

(Anne Prince, Elkhorn, WI)

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 slices canned pineapple
• 4 maraschino cherries

Filling:

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup crushed pineapple, well drained

Crust:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1.  Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  Sprinkle brown sugar into an 8-inch ovenproof skillet.  Arrange pineapple in a single layer over brown sugar; place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple slice.

2.  For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.  Beat in flour and vanilla.  Add egg; beat on low speed just until blended.  Fold in crushed pineapple.  Spoon over fruit.

3.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.  Loosen sides from pan with a knife.  Cool one hour longer.  Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled.

4.  For crust, in a skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat.  Add cracker crumbs and cinnamon; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until toasted.  Cool.  Just before serving, top cheesecake with toasted crumbs; pres to adhere.  Invert cheesecake onto a plate.

(Marilyn McGinnis, Citrus Heights, CA)

In a skillet, cook until crumbly and nearly done one pound of ground beef and 1 1/4 cup chopped onion.  Stir often and drain.

Stir in:

• one small can stems and pieces mushrooms (optional)

Mix together:

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

Put meat in greased 1 1/2 quart casserole; add soups and mix.  Sprinkle 1 can chow mein noodles over top.  Bake uncovered 30 to 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

(Dorothy Wagner)