KID FRIENDLY SWEET CORN

RECIPES THAT TURN ORDINARY DAYS INTO SOMETHING SPECIAL AND THEN SOME.

If you are one of those mothers or grandmothers (or fathers or grandfathers) who struggle to get your children or grandchildren to eat their veggies, here is a sure-to-please way to turn ordinary corn into something they will eat willingly and want seconds, guaranteed! I ran into a version of this recipe in my Family Fun cookbook, so it has been tested previously on numerous children with nothing but positive results. As a result, I am confident in presenting it here with my full approval. In fact, it is not only kid-friendly but husband-friendly, too. I should have made more because it disappeared in the blink of an eye followed by, "Is that all the corn there is?" Sometimes you just need a few tricks up your sleeve to stay one step ahead of getting something nutritious into little stomachs even if you have to fudge a little and add sugar to do it. Oh, well--you can justify it by telling yourself that you're giving them three vegetables (corn, onion and pepper) to the sugar so it outweighs it three to one. Or, you don't have to tell yourself anything; just make the corn, serve it and watch it disappear. Be sure to make enough, though, because they will definitely want more. Here's the recipe:

1 bag of Birdseye Steamfresh corn

1/2 C. chopped onion (can be either red or green scallions)

1/2 C. chopped pepper (again can be either red or green, just as long as it's opposite in color of the pepper)

2 T. butter

2 T. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1. Chop the pepper and onion and set aside.

2. Steam the corn in the microwave, following package directions. Pour into a colander and drain after it has finished cooking.

3. Melt the butter in a skillet.

4. Add the chopped onion and pepper and cook until softened.

5. Add the corn and brown sugar. Continue cooking for 2 or so minutes.

6. Add the curry powder (sorry this picture is blurry), stir well, then put the corn into a nice serving dish and serve hot. This goes with just about anything. Yum! Serves 3-4. Enjoy!

GOOD THINGS MADE WITH EGG NOG

RECIPES THAT TURN ORDINARY DAYS INTO SOMETHING SPECIAL AND THEN SOME.

We all know about egg nog and how good it is and how much fun it is to buy and have around during the Holiday season, but we also know how fattening it is and how dangerous it is to have it sitting in the fridge just waiting for someone to come along and drink it all up. This is why I decided that it was better to make use of the egg nog in some other way than having it around as a temptation to keep sneaking a drink of it each time I opened up the fridge and saw it sitting there just waiting there. As it turns out, there are lots of different ways of using up egg nog and these recipes are only a few. You can get very creative and come up with lots of different ways of your own or just use these recipes which I must say turned out better than I expected. The first is a cake, as you can see, and the second is a quick bread that is very flavorful, versatile and easy to make, to boot. So let's get the egg nog out of the fridge and use it for something besides adding on the pounds. The first is EGG NOG CAKE:

1 white cake mix

3 eggs

1 C. egg nog

2 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg

(Notice no oil or melted butter. It doesn't need it.)

1. Start with the mix in a large mixer bowl.

2. Add the egg nog and the eggs.

3. Grate the nutmeg (of course you can use regular nutmeg, but fresh grated is better). Add to the batter.

4. Spray one of your fancy bundt cake pans with Pam Baking.

4. Pour in the batter and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until it looks golden brown on top and springs back when you touch it.

5. Remove it from the pan onto a round plate. Allow it to cool for about 20 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and decorate with a fake snowflake, just to look pretty. Serves 8-10. Enjoy!

EGG NOG PECAN QUICK BREAD

This next recipe is from "scratch" and not a mix, but it's practically fool-proof so don't be intimidated by it. You don't even need to use a mixer to make it, and it turns out great, anyway.

1/2 C. softened butter

1 C. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. soda

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C. flour

1 C. egg nog

1/2 C. chopped pecans

Optional: 1 C. mini chocolate chips

1. Mix the sugar, butter and eggs together well with a wire whip.

2. Stir in the flour and other dry ingredients.

3. Add the egg nog

4. Chop up some pecans and add them to the batter.

4. Stir it all together well. Spray a loaf pan with Pam Baking. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. Spoon the batter into the bread pan. Bake for approximately one hour or until it tests done with a toothpick.

6. Cut into slices and serve warm with butter or softened cream cheese. Delicious! Serves 6-8. Enjoy!

CHICKEN CASHEW PASTA SALAD

RECIPES THAT MAKE YOUR EYES LIGHT UP AND YOUR STOMACH SAY, "HOWDY!"

Who says you can't enjoy a delicious cold chicken salad in December or that it won't taste as good as it would in July? Not me! This wonderful salad is good any time of the year and for any occasion. The first time I was served this salad, I definitely knew it was a recipe I wanted to have and to use whenever I needed something that would look good, be easy to make and make me look like a first-class hostess. It would seem that the combination of ingredients would not go together at all but, in fact, they compliment each other perfectly. You can fudge a little and change a few of the ingredients, but don't mess with the recipe too much because it's perfect the way it is. For example, in place of the cashews you can use almonds, but the cashews are simply better. In place of the green onions, you could use a red onion, but I prefer the green. Also, in place of iceberg lettuce you cold use romaine or spinach or whichever kind of salad greens that you prefer, but other than that you should pretty much leave well-enough alone. Here is how it's done:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.

2. Add 3 C. dry rotini pasta. I think the garden variety is better only because it's more colorful. Cook until soft, then drain well. Put into a large bowl.

3. To this add 1/2 C. roasted cashews.

3. Add 2 C. chopped apples. Any kind will do, but I like a good sweet apple like red or golden delicious. Granny Smith apples might be a little too tart, but you can use them if that's what you like.

4. Add to this 1/2 C. chopped green onion.

5. Add 1 1/2 C. chopped celery.

6. Add 1/2 C. dried cranberries. You can use split green or red grapes if you would rather, but again, I think the cranberries are much better (and easier!)

7. Add to this 1 can white chicken breast, drained.

8. Finally add 1 can of pineapple tidbits or crushed pineapple, either one. I think the tidbits work better and definitely make the salad look better.

9. Add 1/2 bottle of coleslaw salad dressing (more or less to taste) and toss together well.

10. Wash and chop some lettuce or spinach and put on plates. Put the chicken and pasta mixture on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with rolls, fresh bread or whatever tastes and looks good. This is a perfect "ladies luncheon" salad or one that you can use to feed a large crowd. With rolls, dessert and a fancy drink it is a perfect light meal. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!
There you go!

VEGETABLE CHICKEN MAKE AND BAKE

RECIPES THAT MAKE YOUR EYES LIGHT UP AND YOUR STOMACH SAY, "HOWDY!"

Here is a recipe you may want to keep under your belt and make sure you have all the ingredients on hand because it makes a wonderful dish of something different that will fill the bill when you want to impress or make something fast and good or just make something, period. I heard about this recipe from someone who was explaining it to someone else--or maybe I should say "overheard" it, but it sounded good to me at the time and so I stored it away in my Recipe Memory Bank until I remembered it while I was shopping one day and bought all of the ingredients. I kept them on hand until the perfect time came for me to try it out. I was skeptical at first because it didn't sound like something that anyone would want to eat, but it worked. Consequently, I've decided to make sure I always have the ingredients on hand because it's so easy to make and it really does taste good. Even children will like this casserole, or I should say "most" children because there are always a few who turn up their noses at anything except macaroni and cheese or chicken tenders. I would say that it does come close to hitting the mark as far as getting them or anyone else to eat their veggies. I wouldn't say it was the healthiest way to do it, but at least it will help to get them off the plate and into their mouths and hopefully into their stomachs. I would call this recipe a good "filler" because it can fill people up or fill in with another main dish to even things out or both. It can also stand on its own as the main dish with a salad and bread of some kind. You don't even need potatoes or rice to go with it and they won't be missed. How great is that? Here is the magic combination:

2 cans Cream of Celery soup

1 C. sour cream

2 cans French-style green beans (I used frozen, but it takes too long for the beans to cook in the oven which is why I recommend canned.

1 pkg. frozen white corn (you can use canned if you prefer)

2 C. cooked chicken, cubed

2 C. crushed Asiago cheese cracker crumbs

1. Start with the soup which you put into a large bowl. Add the sour cream and blend together well.

2. Add the green beans and the corn. If you decide to use frozen, put them in a colander first and run hot water over them. This will help in the cooking process.

3. Now add the cubed chicken. Get a 9" X 13" casserole dish ready and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

4. I know you are wondering if you couldn't just use raw chicken. The answer is yes, but it doesn't work as well. It is much better to use chicken that has already been baked previously. Then you don't have to worry about making sure the chicken is cooked enough before serving the casserole. This is what I meant by having all the ingredients ready. Also, you can use canned chicken if you prefer or leave the chicken out entirely and just use the veggies. It's up to you.

5. Now crush up the crackers using the whole box and sprinkle them on top of the casserole. You can use a different kind if you prefer, but the Asiago really does give it a wonderful flavor that you wouldn't get from a plain old cracker like Ritz. Since it's rather bland without the cracker crumbs, it needs something sharp to jazz it up a little.

6. Now bake the whole thing for 30 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Serve immediately. Serves 6-8 generously. Enjoy!

BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST CAKE

RECIPES THAT HAVE A UNIVERSAL APPEAL TO EVERYONE, YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE, RICH AND POOR, SHORT AND TALL, OPTIMIST OR PESSIMIST.

Every now and then or once in a while it's nice to have something a little nicer for breakfast than the same old same old thing. Here is something that fills the bill and qualifies nicely as something a little nicer. It can be made in a flash (well, almost--more like a semi-flash), and it is delicious when you serve it hot right out of the oven. No need to wait for it to cool down. The hotter it is, the better it tastes. Life is good even on an ordinary day, but with the Blueberry Breakfast Cake sitting on the table, life is even better. In fact, it's wonderful! If this doesn't make you want to stay home all day and just eat hot Blueberry Breakfast Cake, then nothing else will. Here is the recipe:

1/2 C. (1 cube) butter

3/4 C. sugar

2 eggs

3/4 C. oat flour

2 C. Bisquick

2 teasp. baking powder

1/2 C. fresh washed blueberries

1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then put 1 C. of oatmeal in the blender and put it on high or until it becomes a fine flour. 1 C. then becomes 3/4 C.

2. In a small bowl, whip the eggs until they are frothy.

3. In a larger bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Then add the eggs and mix thoroughly.

4. Next, add the Bisquick and oat flour plus the baking powder. Mix it all together nicely. Then gently fold in the blueberries. Don't mix the batter after that.

5. Spray a 9" square baking dish with Pam baking spray.

6. Spoon the batter into the baking dish until it evenly covers the bottom and all sides.

7. Next, sprinkle on a crumb crust. Here is the recipe:

1 C. flour

1/4 C. oats

1/2 C. brown sugar

1/4 C. butter

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix these all together in a small bowl until the butter is almost completely absorbed into the dry ingredients.

7. Bake approximately 45-50 minutes until it is well browned on top. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings. Enjoy!