Candy Cane Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen
350 degrees F

1 box Devils Food cake mix
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses*

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Batter will be very stiff. Spoon into cups of mini muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. While cookies are baking, unwrap candy and set aside. As soon as cookies come out of the oven, push a Kiss into each one. Finish cooling completely on rack before storing in covered container or zipped plastic bag.

*These are seasonal and may be hard to find after the holidays.

NOTES:
1. Because the batter is stiff, it's a little tricky to work with; I just used my finger to push it off a teaspoon, but a small cookie scoop would be ideal.
2. After putting the candy in the cookies, I stuck the pan back in the oven for about 30-45 seconds to make sure they melted - worked great.

These are the easiest cookies you'll ever make and the ooey gooey candy is wonderful when you eat them still warm!

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Cake:
1 (18-1/4 oz) pkg yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16 oz box powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

To make the cake: Combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Prepare filling.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.* Serve with fresh whipped cream (or not.)

*Fifty minutes is maximum in my oven - longer baking results in a charred outside... ask me how I know this. ;) The center may jiggle a bit and look undone - it's not. It will firm up as it cools.

This is a Paula Deen (Food Network) recipe and of course, contains her signature butter - gobs of it! Not something you'll make every day, but a definite treat once and awhile. It's delicious and absolutely decadent!

Sweet Dills

(recipe compliments of my friend, Sandy)

1 quart kosher dill whole pickles, drained and sliced
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed

Bring the sugar, water, celery & mustard seeds to boil and boil
for 2 minutes. Place sliced pickles back in original jar. Pour hot
syrup mixture over top while still hot. Cool - Refrigerate. Let
stand for 2 to 3 days.

English Pea Salad

1 15 oz. can very young early peas (Le Sueur)
1/4 cup diced onion
2 hard-boiled eggs, crumbled or diced
2-3 T mayonnaise
salt & pepper to taste
chopped pimento (optional)*

Drain peas well in colander. In a medium bowl, place peas, onion, eggs, and mayonnaise and toss lightly to combine and coat peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add pimento, if desired. (this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.)

*I used sun-dried tomatoes instead

Serves 4

Super quick and easy, this makes a nice summer side dish. It lends itself well to a variety of additions: roasted red pepper, crumbled bacon, shredded or cubed cheese, celery, pickle - use your imagination. Adding some chunked tuna, chicken, or turkey would make a nice main dish.

Fruit Dip

1 8 oz. container strawberry cream cheese (or preferred flavor)
1 7 oz. jar marshmallow creme

Combine cream cheese and marshmallow creme with mixer; chill thoroughly and serve with fruit of your choice - strawberries, apple slices, grapes, pineapple chunks, banana chunks, etc.

Simple and delicious! Great for parties, potlucks, or a quick dessert.

Baked Fish Fillets Magnifique

1 lb fish fillets
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons onion flakes, instant minced
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs (I use seasoned)
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated

If necessary, rinse fillets in cold water and drain well on paper
towels.

Stir lemon juice into the butter and add Worcestershire sauce,
instant minced onions, breadcrumbs and cheese. Blend well.

Place fillets in single layer on a greased 9" X 13" pan. Spoon
mixture over the fillets. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F.
for about 20-25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

Serve immediately.

This is really good and so quick and easy. Comes out perfect every time - you can't mess up.

Spicy Black Bean Salsa (Texas or Cowboy Caviar)

1 15 oz can black-eyed peas, drained
1 15 oz can black beans, drained
1 15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 4 oz can chopped green chiles, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion (scallions or red onions are good substitute too)
1/2 cup chopped green or red bell pepper (I use both)
1-1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp cumin
1-1/2 T lime juice
chopped jalepeno peppers to taste
fresh cilantro to taste
sprinkle with lemon pepper
1 cup Zesty Italian salad dressing (see notes)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Season with Zesty Italian salad dressing; mix well.
Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend.

NOTES:
This recipe lends itself to many variations and personal tastes. I like less heat so don't use as much jalepenos as others might; that's why I left the amount open. Same with cilantro. I reduce the amount of salad dressing to 1/2 cup because I think it makes too much liquid.

You can add or substitute ingredients to suit your taste - add diced black olives or a dash of hot sauce or balsamic vinegar; substitute Rotel tomatoes for plain tomatoes - have fun and play around with it until you get what you like.

This also freezes very well - it's nice to have on hand when you get an attack of snack-hunger. I just thaw in the microwave and munch with Frito scoops.