Easy Tuscan Pasta

*Submitted by Kathryn C.
*Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 TBSP Olive Oil
• 3/4 cup Carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 28oz. jar Garlic & Onion Spaghetti Sauce ( don't use a sauce with cheese in it)
• 1/2 tsp. Crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 19oz. (1 use 15oz) can white beans - drained & rinsed
• 3 cups Penne Pasta ( I use 1 lb. of what I have - my family likes Fusilli or Rotini)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large skillet over medium, heat oil: add carrots and onion. Cook 5 min stirring occasionally, or until tender.
2. Stir in pasta sauce (and crushed red pepper), heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer covered for 5 minutes.
3. Add beans - heat through.
4. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.
5. Spoon sauce over hot pasta, grate Romano or Parmesan cheese over the top. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Treasure Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup uncooked quick rolled oats
• 1 cup corn flakes
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream together shortening and sugars.
2. Beat in eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla.
3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda - mix thoroughly.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients.
5. Drop by rounded spoonfuls on un-greased baking sheet.
6. Bake at 375 F for about 10 min.
7. Do not over bake!
8. Remove immediately from baking sheet.

No Bakes

In a medium bowl, combine:

• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 cups Quick Oats Oatmeal

(It doesn't have to be mixed together. It will blend better with the other ingredients. Just have it to the side ready to go.)

Bring to boil over medium heat the following:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter

Stir constantly. Allow to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat. Combine all ingredients. Stir until it's well mixed. Quickly scoop out onto foil or waxed paper to allow to cool.

Chocolate Snowball Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup shortening
• 4 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup cocoa
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 2/3 cup milk
• 3 1/3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream shortening and sugar then add all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Put in fridge for two hours or overnight.
2. Roll into balls and then roll into powdered sugar.
3. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 2/3 cups (10 oz) cinnamon chips
3/4 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 350F
2. Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla: beat well. Combine flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in oats, cinnamon, and raisins (batter will be stiff)
3. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute: remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Yield 4 dozen
Variation: try with golden raisins and toasted pecans

Russian Tea Cakes

Submitted by Jocelle Burdett

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter softened
12 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups almonds (finely chopped)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Mix butter, sugar and vanilla. Add flour, salt and nuts to the other ingredients until dough forms. Shape dough into 1" balls and place approx 1" apart on an un-greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until cookies are set and just starting to brown.
When cookies come out of oven, roll in sifted powdered sugar. After cookies are completely cool, roll in sugar again.

Jocelle's tips: Always put these cookies on top rack of oven. Then tend to burn on the bottom.

Caramel/Chocolate Fondue

• 8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used Nestle Ch. Chips and some random melting chocolate mixed together- you can use any kind and it's all good)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz can)
• 1 jar caramel topping (12 oz jar)

Directions:

Melt the chocolate in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat, stir in constantly. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping; heat through. Transfer to a fondue pot and keep warm over a fondue burner. (for best results, use water in the fondue pot, put your ceramic fondue bowl on top of that, and pour the chocolate into the ceramic bowl so the water is what's keeping the chocolate warm.) The great thing about this fondue, though, is that it stays liquid even if you just transfer it to a table bowl because of the caramel in it... so if you don't have a fondue pot, you can still make it!

*submitted by Ela