We love of a schmear of goat cheese, but any spreadable cheese will work.  Try Boursin or a triple cream Brie.

Total time: 30 min.

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 slightly beaten egg
• Milk (optional)
• Goat cheese or Quark (European-style fresh cheese)
• 1 batch Berry-Fig Chutney
• Fresh blueberries, blackberries, and/or mint leaves

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk boiling water into cornmeal.  Whisk in melted butter until smooth; whisk in egg.  Add flour mixture and whisk just until combined.  If necessary, whisk in milk (up to 4 Tbsp) to thin batter.
3. Heat a greased griddle or skillet over medium heat.  Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto griddle.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.  Transfer to a platter.  Cover; keep warm.  Repeat with remaining batter.  Top with cheese, Berry-Fig Chutney, berries, and mint.  Makes 16 cakes.

Berry-Fig Chutney

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups blueberries and/or blackberries, 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup finely chopped dried figs, 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, 1 Tbsp honey, and 3 sprigs fresh thyme.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 cup fresh blackberries and/or blueberries.  Cool.  Remove; discard thyme stems.  Makes 2 cups.

• 1 package guacamole
• 24 oz sour cream
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 package finely shredded Mexican cheese
• green onions, diced thin
• grape tomatoes, diced thin
• sliced black olives

Layer bottom of dish with the guacamole.

Spread a thin layer of sour cream on top of the guacamole.

Mix remaining sour cream with the taco seasoning and spread on top of the sour cream.

Top with the shredded cheese, as much as you like.

Top with green onions, then tomatoes and olives.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Depending on how thick you want the dip will determine what size dish to use.  9×9 is probably appropriate, 9×13 will be a bit large until the recipe is doubled.

• 1 boneless pork roast
• 15 whole cloves
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 bottle barbecue sauce
• 1 tsp sugar

Place onion slices into the bottom of a large crock pot.  Dot roast with cloves; place roast in crock pot along with water.  Cover and cook at least 8 hours (or overnight).  Take roast from crock pot, remove cloves, and shred pork.  Discard liquid and onions from crock post.  Place shredded pork, barbecue sauce and sugar in crock pot and cover.  Cook at least 2 more hours.  Serve on toasted buns.

• 1/4 of a red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 large jalapeno, chopped in half (optional)
• 2 tbsp diced onion
• 1 cup mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 dash garlic powder
• 1 dash cumin

Using a food processor, puree pepper and onion

Mix 1 cup mayo and 4 teaspoons of the vegetable puree in a bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Chill for several hours to blend flavors.

• 4 sheets (12×18 inches each) heavy aluminum foil
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1/2 inch strips
• 1 package (16 oz) frozen stir fry vegetables

Preheat oven to 450° or grill to medium-high.  Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.  Add chicken and vegetables, toss until evenly coated.

Center 1/4 of chicken mixture on each sheet of foil.

Bring up foil sides, double top fold and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside.  Repeat to make four packets.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes on a cookie sheet, or grill 12-14 minutes in a covered grill.

Serve over rice.

• 2-3 tsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 medium to large onion, finely diced
• 2 lbs ground round
• 2 cans Brooks Mild Chili Beans (15 oz each)
• 1 can Contadina tomato paste (6 oz)
• chili powder (optional)

Heat oil in large pot.  Saute onions until they are clear (a couple of minutes), stirring to avoid sticking.

Add ground beef to onion and brown meat, breaking it into small pieces.

When meat is browned, add the beans and tomato paste.  Fill one bean can 3/4 full with water and pour water back and forth between the two bean cans, rinsing out the spices.  Add spice water to the pot.

Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.

• 1-1/2 cups butter
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 6 eggs
• 3 cups cake flour

Preheat oven to 325°.  Grease 10-inch tube pan.

Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light.  Stir in the vanilla and the almond extracts.  Add the flour and eggs alternately, beginning and ending with the flour.  Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

From allrecipes.com

• 1 Jiffy cake mix (yellow)
• 2 cups milk
• 8 oz cream cheese
• Some kind of pudding???
• 2 cups crushed pineapple, drained
• 9 oz Cool Whip

Bake Jiffy cake in 9×13 pan for 15 minutes at 350°.

Blend milk, cream cheese, and pudding mix together.  Pour over cooled cake.  Sprinkle pineapple over pudding layer and frost with Cool Whip.

Can top with nuts or coconut if desired.  Refrigerate.

• 12 oz can evaporated milk
• 1/4 lb butter or margarine
• 4 cups sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 7-1/2 oz jar marshmallow fluff
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Place the evaporated milk, butter (or margarine), sugar, and salt in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Boil until contents reach 238°.  Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, marshmallow fluff, and vanilla.  Stir until blended.  Add chopped nuts if desired.  Pour into a greased 9×13 pan.  Let cool and cut into squares.

• 2 cans Campbell’s Beefy Mushroom soup, divided
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/8 cup minced, dried onion
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• pepper to taste
• 1 lb ground round
• 3-4 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp oil (not necessary with non-stick pan)
• 1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional)

In a bowl, mix egg and onion.  Add bread crumbs and pepper.  Add 1/4 cup soup and mix.  Add ground beef and mix well.  Divide into 6 oval patties.  Brown on both sides in oil (if not using non-stick pan), approximately 4-6 minutes per side.

In large frying pan, mix water, remaining soup, and mushrooms.  Blend well.  Add beef patties and cover.  Heat on low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn the patties over after 10 minutes and spoon gravy over patties.

Makes 6 patties, serves 5-6.