3 quarts popped popcorn, unpopped kernels removed
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup Fleischmann's Original Margarine
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Place popcorn in a 14 X 10 X 2 1/2-inch roasting pan; set aside.

Heat sugar, margarine and corn syrup in heavy 1 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat to a boil. Boil 5 minutes without stirring.

Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn; stir to coat evenly.

Bake in preheated 250°F oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread mixture onto baking sheet to cool, stirring occasionally to break apart. Store in airtight container.

Makes 3 quarts


Helpful Tips

Store unpopped bulk popcorn in an airtight container for about 1 year. For best results, keep the container in the refrigerator or freezer so the kernels retain more or their natural moisture and pop up larger and fluffier.

Mix 'n' Match

Nutty Caramel Popcorn:
Follow the above recipe adding 2 1/2 cups peanuts to popcorn.

2 1/2 cups wagon wheel pasta
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups hot milk
1 Tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterey Jack or White American cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat over to 400°F. Grease a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

Meanwhile, heat butter in large saucepan and add the onion; cook 1 minute until onion is soft. Stir in flour until combined. Whisk in hot milk and cook over medium heat until thickened; stir in mustard.

Add chesses to sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add the pasta and stir to coat. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and melted butter; sprinkle over pasta mixture in baking dish.

Bake until bubbly and topping is browned, about 30 minutes.


Helpful Tips

For best flavor, drain, but do not rinse, pasta after cooking. Add pasta to the cheese sauce as soon as it is drained so pasta won't stick together.

Mix 'n' Match

Use penne, elbow or other short pasta in place of the wagon wheels.

2 cans (8 ounces each) crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, undrained
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated piecrusts
1 Tablespoon milk

Combine, cornstarch and 1/4 sugar in a small saucepan. cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and turns clear, about 5 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Cool pineapple mixture to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out each piecrust on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch square. Cut each into four 6-inch squares.

Spoon about 1/4 cup pineapple mixture along diagonal of each square; fold dough over filling to form a triangle. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. Place on ungreased baking sheets.

Brush turnovers with milk; cut vents on top of each. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake turnovers until golden, 20-25 minutes. Remove from baking sheets; place on wire racks to cool.

Makes 8 turnovers


Helpful Tips

The pineapple filling becomes extremely hot; be sure to let the turnovers cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Mix 'n' Match

For a colorful tropical dessert, use the cooled pineapple mixture as a topping for your favorite sundae.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (1/4 oz.) dry yeast
1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup pizza sauce
12 ounce mozzarella, sliced
1 3/4 cup pepperoni slices (about 25 slices)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat ove to 400°F. Lightly grease a 12- x 9-inch baking sheet. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir in yeast. Make a well in the center and add olive oil and 1 cup lukewarm water. Mix until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 5 minutes.

Roll out dough and press into prepared baking sheet. Cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, then bake for 5-7 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven and spread pizza sauce on top, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Arrange the mozzarella on top and then the pepperoni. Sprinkle with oregano and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden, 15-20 minutes.

Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, slice the pizza into 6 square slices. Server hot.

Makes 6 servings


Helpful Tips

Plan a pizza night with your family! Offer different toppings like sliced veggies, diced ham and a variety of cheeses and let them make their own.

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup sliced onion (1 medium)
1 package (1.35 ounces) dry onion soup mix
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 package (32 ounces) frozen potato nuggets

Preheat oven to 350°F. Crumble ground beef into a 10-inch skillet; add onion. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is well browned and thouroughly cooked, 5-7 minutes.

Stir soup mix and flour into beef in skillet. Add water; continue cooking, stirring constantly, until thickened. Spoon beef mixture into 9-inch square baking dish.

Sprinkle Cheddar over beef mixture. Arrange frozen potato nuggets over cheese. Bake until potato nuggets are golden and mixture is bubbly, 30-40 minutes.

Makes 4-6 servings


Helpful Tips

Ground beef can be stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days, For longer storage, it can be frozen, wrapped airtight, up to 3 months.

Mix 'n' Match

For added nutrition and a more complete meal, add 1-2 cups frozen mixed vegetables with the water.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup uncooked rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoons margarine, softened
1/2 cup Mott's Cinnamon Apple Sauce
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Mott's Chunky Apple Sauce
1/3 cup raisins
1 Tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder and salt.

In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and margarine with electric mixer at medium speed until blended. Whisk in 1/2 cup cinnamon apple sauce, egg and vanilla.

Add flour mixture to apple sauce mixture; stir until well blended. Spoon half of batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

In small bowl, combine 1 cup chunky apple sauce, raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour evenly over batter.

Spoon remaining batter over filling, spreading evenly.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes; cut into 16 bars.

Makes 16 servings


Helpful Tips

Using a combination of margarine and apple sauce instead of butter significantly reduces the amount of fat and cholestrol in baked goods. Apple sauce adds flavor and moisture, so your healthier treats won't taste dry.

1 can (10 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
1 can (8 ounces) pizza sauce
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (about 3 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper (1/2 small)
2 Tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a large baking sheet lightly with cooking spray. Unroll pizza crust dough on work surface; cut into 4 equal pieces. Place dough pieces 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.

Cut a 1-inch slit in center of one short edge of each dough piece. Shape each into a 6- x 6-inch heart shape. Pinch dough to form rim around edge. Bake crusts until edges are light golden, about 5 minutes.

Remove crusts from oven. Spread pizza sauce on crusts. Top with mushrooms, bell pepper and onion. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake pizzas until crust edges are golden and cheese is melted, 7-9 minutes longer.

Makes 4 servings


Helpful Tips

When shaping the dough, make a deep, exaggerated "V" in each heart, as the shape will fill in a bit during baking.

Mix 'n' Match

To satisfy your sweeties, add their favorite pizza toppings, such as pepperoni, Canadian bacon, olives or pineapple chunks.

2 Tablespoons of Butter or Margarine
6 ounces frozen shredded hash browns
2 slices Oscar Mayer Boiled Ham
2 slices of Kraft Singles cheese

MELT butter in small skillet on medium heat. Add potatoes; cook 15 minutes or until golden brown on both sides, turning over after 8 minutes.

TOP with ham and Singles; cover. Continue cooking until Singles begin to melt.

Makes 2 servings

1 can (11 ounces) Pillsbury refrigerated breadsticks
1 egg
3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup Progresso plain bread crumbs
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup

Heat oven to 375°F. Separate dough into 12 breadsticks. Cut each into 4 pieces; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; place on wire racks. Cool 5 minutes or until slightly cooled. Split each in half, keeping tops and bottoms together to form miniature buns.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Beat egg in medium bowl. Add onion, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir in bread crumbs. Add ground beef; mix well. Press ground beef mixture into thin layer in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan.

Bake at 350°F. for 14 to 16 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Cut into 48 rectangles (8 strips crosswise and 6 strips lengthwise). Fill buns with miniature burgers. Place ketchup in small bowl for dipping sauce. Serve immediately.

Makes 48 burger bites

8 hot dogs
4 slices (3/4 ounces each) American cheese, each cut into 6 strips
1 can (8 ounces) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Heat oven to 375°F. Slit hot dogs to within 1/2 inch of ends; insert 3 strips of cheese into each slit.

Separate dough into triangles. Wrap dough triangle around each hot dog. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, cheese side up.

Bake at 375°F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened baking chocolate
2 large eggs
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups M&M's Chocolate Mini Baking Bits, divided
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted and divided
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside.

In small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat; stir to blend. Remove from heat; let cool.

In medium bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar until well blended; stir in chocolate mixture and almond extract. Add flour. Stir in 1 cup "M&M's" Chocolate Mini Baking Bits and 1/4 cup almonds.

Spread batter evenly in prepare pan. Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until firm in center. Cool completely on wire rack.

Prepare Chocolate Glaze. Spread over brownies; decorate with remaining 1/2 cup "M&M's" Chocolate Mini Baking Bits and remaining 1/4 cup almonds. Cut into bars. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes 16 brownies


Chocolate Glaze:

In small saucepan over low heat, combine 4 teaspoons water and 1 Tablespoon butter until it comes to a boil. Stir in 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Remove form heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Let glaze cool slightly.


Helpful Tips

Stored in a cool, dry place, cocoa powder can last up to 2 years. If the cocoa seems lumpy, run it through a sifter before using (but always measure if before sifting).

2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
1 package (4 ounces) mini graham cracker crusts (6 crusts)
1 can (15 ounces) sliced peaches in heavy syrup

Preheat oven to 300°F. Beat cream cheese, egg and 1 Tablespoon sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Divide cream cheese misture among graham-cracker crusts. Place pies on a baking sheet.

Bake pies until filling is almost set but slightly jiggly in center, 12-14 minutes. Remove pies from oven; place on wire racks to cool slightly.

Drain sliced peaches, reserving 1 Tablespoon liquid. Top each pie with 2 or 3 peach slices. Combine reserved peach liquid and remaining sugar in a small bowl; whisk until blended. Drizzle mixture over each pie. Serve pies warm.

Makes 6 mini pies


Helpful Tips

Canned peaches come packed in varying types of syrups. It is best to use a heavy syrup in this recipe to achieve the most flavor.

Mix 'n' Match

Substitute your favorite canned fruit for the peaches in this recipe. Try pear slices, mandarine orange segments or even crushed pineapple.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup grape jelly


Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; mix well.

Combine butter and peanut butter in a medium bowl; mix well. Add milk, egg and vanilla to butter mixture; mix well. Add peanut butter mixture to flour mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Divide half of batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Spoon about 1 teaspoon jelly onto batter in each cup. Top jelly with remaining batter.

Bake muffins until golden, 15-20 minutes. Cool muffins in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan; place on wire rack to cool completely.

makes 1 dozen muffins


Helpful Tips

To place the correct amount of jelly in the center of each muffin with ease, transfer jelly to a pastry bag or small resealable bag with a hole cut in the corner. Purchasing jelly in a squeeze bottle is always an option, too.

Mix 'n' Match

For a fun snack cake to serve at a child's birthday party, just use an 8-inch square baking pan instead of muffin cups. Prepare and bake as recipe directs.

1 can (12 ounces) refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)
1/2 pound ground beef
1 Jar (14 ounces) Ragu Pizza Quick Sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces)


Preheat oven to 375°F. In 12-cup muffin pan, evenly press each biscuit in bottom and up side of each cup; chill until ready to fill.

In 10-inch skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat; drain. Stir in Ragu Pizza Quick sauce and heat through.

Evenly spoon beef mixture into prepared muffin cups. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and biscuits are golden. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently remove pizza cups from muffin pan and serve.

Makes 10 pizza cups


Helpful Tips

Fresh Italian mozzarella cheese is traditionally made from buffalo milk. However, cow's milk mozzarella is the product that is most common in American supermarkets. You can purchase whole or shredded mozzarella cheese, either in full-fat or part skim milk versions.

1 package (2-layer size) yellow cake mix or cake mix with pudding in the mix
4 cups cold milk
2 packages (4-serving size) Jell-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for 13 X 9-inch baking pan. Remove from oven. Immediately poke holes down through cake to pan at 1-inch intervals with round handle of (Or poke holes with a plastic drinking straw, using turning motion to make large holes.)

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes. Quickly pour about 1/2 of the thin pudding mixture evenly over warm cake and into holes. Let remaining pudding mixture stand to thicken slightly. Spoon over top of cake, swirling to frost cake.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until read to serve.


Helpful Tips

Invite the kids into the kitchen to help you whip up this scrumptious dessert. What fun to poke holes into a cake, frost it with pudding and discover the yummy surprise inside!

Mix'n'Match

To make a chocolate pudding poke cake substitute the yellow cake mix for a chocolate cake mix and the chocolate instant pudding for vanilla instant pudding.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 ripe bananas mashed
3/4 cup milk
5 Tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
Cinnamon sugar (optional)


Preheat oven to 400°F. Fit 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Coat each with cooking spray.

Mix flour, walnuts, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. Stir in bananas, milk, butter and egg. Mix just until blended.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill muffin cups evenly with batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired.

Bake muffins until a skewer inserted into centers comes out clean, 20-22 minutes. Cool 1 minute, then remove from the muffin pan and cool on a wire rack.

Makes 1 dozen muffins


Helpful Tips

Overmixing muffin batter can cause "tunnels" and pointed tops; mix just until dry ingrediants are moistened.

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
10 slices French bread, about 1-inch thick
2 cups milk
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 quart fresh strawberries, cleaned, sliced
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Confectioners' sugar


Place brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat until mixture comes to a boil; boil 1 minute. Pour into 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange bread in single layer over sauce.

Combine milk, eggs, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth. Pour over bread in dish. Cover; chill overnight.

Combine the strawberries, honey and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook casserole until knife inserted in center comes out clean and bread is browned, 45-55 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm with strawberry mixture.

Makes 5 servings


Helpful Tips

To judge the doneness of any egg dish, insert a knife into the center. It should come out clean-that is, without any egg mixture clinging to it.

Mix 'n' Match

Make a slit in the side of each slice of bread and insert a small piece of ham or cheese for a heartier breakfast.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 envelope (1 1/4-ounce) taco seasoning mix
1 cup salsa, divided
1 cup refried beans
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 large hamburger buns
1 medium tomato, diced
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 small purple onion, sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded zesty Mexican cheese or Cheddar cheese
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)


Combine beef and taco seasoning mix; shape into 4 patties. Cook in a large nonstick skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until done.

Combine 1/4 cup salsa, the beans, and cilantro; spread on cut sides of buns.

Stir together remaining 3/4 cup salsa and the tomato. Serve patties on buns with salsa mixture, lettuce, onion, and cheese. Garnish if desired.

Makes 4 servings


Helpful Tips

For spicier Taco Burgers use hot salsa.

4 cups white corn tortilla chips
1 egg white, beaten
1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup tomato salsa
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 medium tomato diced
Sour cream and guacamole (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 10-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Crush tortilla chips into small pieces.

Mix tortilla chips with egg white and press evenly into the pie plate to form a crust. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes.

Brown the beef, onion and garlic in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Mix in the kidney beans, salsa, chili powder and salt. Simmer 10 minutes.

Stir 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar into the beef mixture; pour the mixture into the baked crust. Top with the remaining Cheddar, lettuce and tomato.

Serve with sour cream and guacamole, if desired.

Makes 8 servings


Helpful Tips

To crush tortilla chips, place in a bag and crush with palms of hands. Tortilla chip pieces should be no smaller than 1/2 inch for best texture.

6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups (11 1/2-ounce package) Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips
Frosting (optional)
Ice cream (optional)


Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch round baking pans with foil, extending foil over edges of pans.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vailla until fluffy. Add egg; beat well. Stir together flour and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in milk chocolate chips, Spread one half of batter into each prepared pan, spreading to 1 inch from edge. (Cookies will spread to edge when baking.)

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until lightly browned. (Baking cookies on the middle rack of the oven one pan at a time will prevent uneven browning) Cool completely; carefully lift cookies from pans and remove foil. Frost, if desired. Cut each cookie into wedges; serve topped with scoop of ice cream, if desired.


Helpful Tips

Sugar will keep indefinitely stored in a container in a cool, dry place. Brown sugar dries out and hardens if exposed to air. Add an apple slice to the container to return moisture to the sugar.

1 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup sliced mushroom (about 3 ounces)
Vegetable cooking spray
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
3 1/2 cups cooked tri-color or plain corkscrew-shaped pasta
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups Prego Traditional Italian Sauce or Prego Tomato, Basil & Garlic Italian Sauce


Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook until tender and almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat. Spray 12" pizza pan with cooking spray.

Mix egg, milk, pasta and 1/2 cup cheese. Spread pasta mixture in an even layer on prepared pan.

Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.

Spread pasta sauce over pasta crust. Top with onion mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 18 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is hot. Let stand 5 minutes.

Serves 4.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons chili sauce
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 can (12 ounces) refrigerated biscuits


Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until beef is bronwned and crumbly and onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.

Add ketchup, chili sauce and vinegar to beef and onion; mix well. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Cool 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat over to 375°F. Separate dough into 10 bixcuits. Press or roll each biscuit on lightly floured surface to a 6-inch round.

Spoon about 1/4 cup beef mixture onto half of each round. Fold round in half over filling. Press edges together carefully to seal. Place on baking sheet.

Bake turnovers until golden, 15-18 minutes. Serve warm.


Helpful Tips

It is important to let the beef mixture cool; if the filling is too hot, it can melt the biscuits.

Mix 'n' Match

For and easy casserole, pour the ground beef mixture into a 2-quart baking dish and top with prepared corn bread batter. Bake at 350°F until corn bread is golden, about 15 minutes.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 squares (2 ounces) semisweet chocolate, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups boiling water


Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; mix well.

Combine half-and-half, butter, melted chocolate and vanilla in a medium bowl; blend well. Add chocolate mixture to flour mixture; mix until well blended. Spread in prepared dish.

Combine brown sugar, cocoa powder and remaining salt in a small bowl; mix well. Sprinkle over batter in pan. Pour boiling water over top of mixture in pan.

Bake until pudding starts to bubble around edges and top is set, 40-50 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings


Helpful Tips

No need to dirty a bowl or pan to melt the chocolate. Keep squares in their paper wrappers and microwave the chocolate on Medium (50 percent power)-2 squares will take about 3 minutes.

Oil for frying
1 (8 ounces) package mozzarella cheese
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)


Pour oil into medium-size heavy saucepan or deep skillet to depth of 1 inch. Over medium heat, bring oil to 365°F on cooking thermometer, about 12 minutes. If oil is hot before cheese sticks are ready, turn off heat and bring back to temperature when ready to fry.

Meanwhile, cut cheese into strips 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch. Line baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. Place flour on paper plate; roll cheese strips in flour to coat.

In shallow bowl, combine egg and water. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder.

One stick at a time, coat cheese sticks in egg wash, then in bread crumbs. Repeat process to coat each stick. Place sticks in single layer on paper plate.

Frying in small batches, carefully place sticks in hot oil. Cook until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon to lined baking sheet. Let oil return to 365°F between batches.


Helpful Tips

To speed up preparation, use string cheese bars cut in half across the length. For variety, strips of any firm cheese such as sharp cheddar or pepper jack can be used.

2 medium tart baking apples
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 sheet refrigerated pie crust (1/2 box)


Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel, core and chop apples into 1/4-inch pieces. In medium bowl, combine apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon, tossing gently. Set aside

Open and unroll pie crust flat onto work surface. Using 4-inches-wide bowl or cup, cut out five circles, reserving scraps. Press each circle inside 5 spaces of muffin tin.

Evenly divide apple mixture into each prepared muffin cup. Cut reserved dough scraps into strips 1/4 inch wide. Top each pie with strips. Fill remaining empty muffin cup 1/4 way up with water.

Bake until bubbling, about 18 minutes. Let pies cool in muffin tin, then remove.


Helpful Tips

If you're a family that loves apples, opt for the less expensive bagged apples rather than the more pricey per-pound varieties. The savings can be significant and they keep well.