Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

12 servings

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stuck) butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until
tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and
cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine
cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk,
mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir
again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours,
stirring occasionally.

Olive Garden Breadsticks

loaf unfrozen bread -- thaw in
bowl at room temp
Pam
garlic powder
dry oregano leaf -- rub to a
between fingers

When dough is soft enough to knead, spray your fingers with Pam or oil and knead just until you can shape into cigar-sized pieces (about 8 to 10). Place these 3" apart on Pam-sprayed cookie sheets.

Let rise in warm place until doubled - about 1-1/2 hours.

Then holding Pam about 8" from sticks, lightly spray top of each and then dust with garlic powder and oregano.

Bake at 375F about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on rack to serve within a day or two.

Olive Garden Apple Praline Cheesecake

crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
apple mix
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 pounds red delicious apples; peeled -- cored, dice 1/2"
-- pcs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
praline topping
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter -- softened
1 cup pecan pieces
apple cheesecake
16 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream

CRUST-Melt butter. Stir in the crumbs and sugar until thoroughly blended. Press into the bottom of a 9" Springform pan. Set aside.

APPLE MIX-In a Dutch oven, melt butter over low heat, add brown sugar, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Simmer over low heat until apples are soft, but still hold their shape. Cool mixture to room temperature and reserve.

TOPPING-In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together with a fork until well incorporated. Reserve.

CHEESECAKE-In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together sugar and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth. Add the cream and continue beating until the mixture is thick and creamy. Gently stir in the cooled apple mix by hand. Pour into the prepared spring form pan. Spread praline topping over the top. Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature before removing the sides of the pan. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Garnish with whipped cream.

Blackberry Sweet Tea

Makes about 7 cups

3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, thawed
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Pinch of baking soda
4 cups boiling water
2 family-size tea bags
2 1/2 cups cold water
Garnish: fresh blackberries

* 1. Combine blackberries and sugar in a large container, and crush with a wooden spoon; stir in mint and baking soda.
* 2. Pour 4 cups boiling water over tea bags; cover and steep 5 minutes. Discard tea bags.
* 3. Pour tea over blackberry mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Pour tea through a wire-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, discarding solids. Add 2 1/2 cups cold water, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill 1 hour. Garnish, if desired.

Island Fruit Punch

4 cups (serving size: 1 cup)

2 1/4 cups orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup light rum
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons grenadine syrup

Combine first 4 ingredients in a pitcher; stir well, and chill. Fill 4 glasses with orange juice mixture. Slowly pour 1 1/2 teaspoons grenadine syrup down inside of each glass (do not stir before serving).

Blueberry Crisp

4 cups fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Topping:
1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 then place blueberries in oiled square baking
dish then add flour, sugar and lemon juice and mix well.
To make topping in food processor combine all ingredients and using
off-on pulses process until crumbly.
Sprinkle topping over blueberry mixture and bake until berries are
bubbly and top is lightly browned about 35 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes then spoon into dishes and top with
ice cream.

Chocolate Fudge Brownie Extravaganza

1 package fudge brownie mix
2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips divided
1 cup toasted pecans pieces
1 cup toffee bits
4 eggs, or 1 cup egg substitute (recommended: Egg Beaters)
2 cans condensed milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1 quart half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cocoa
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Before baking, stir
in 1 cup chocolate chips. When brownies are done, remove from oven and
spread pecans, toffee and remaining 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips on top.
As chocolate melts, gently mix the topping together. Let brownies cool.
Mix eggs, condensed milk, sugar, cream, half-and-half, salt and vanilla
together. Refrigerate mix for several hours or overnight. In a small
saucepan, mix 2 cups of the milk mix with the cocoa and heat through. In
the top of a double boiler, melt the unsweetened chocolate. Very slowly
stir in the heated cocoa and milk mixture until well mixed. Add to
remaining milk mixture and refrigerate. Chop brownies into small pieces
(1/4-inch) and put in the freezer. Put milk mixture in ice cream freezer
and begin freezing. After 10 minutes add frozen brownie pieces and
finish freezing