White chocolate raspberry cheesecake

• 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• ~3 oz white chocolate, melted
• 3 TBS raspberry preserves
• crust (e.g., a graham cracker crust or chocolate crumb crust)

Cream together everything except preserves and crust. Pour mixture into crust. Spoon dollops of preserves over cheesecake and cut in with a knife to make swirls.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 min or until center is almost set. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Roasted chicken

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• 6 medium carrots (~ 1 lb)
• 1 large onion
• 6 medium red potatoes (~1.5 lbs)
• 1 TBS olive oil
• roasting chicken (up to 6 lbs)
• 1 lemon

Cut carrots crosswise into 3 pieces.  Cut onion into eighths. Quarter potatoes. Mix vegetables in a pan (maybe 9x13") with olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Put thyme, basil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper into a cup and mix.  Wash chicken and pat dry. Cut lemon in half crosswise. Rub chicken with lemon while squeezing gently. Put lemon inside chicken. Rub thyme mixture onto chicken. Put chicken on a small rack in same pan as vegetables.

Heat oven to 350. Bake 2 hours (internal temperature 175-180), stirring vegetables partway through cooking. Test vegetables with fork for doneness.

Lawyer pudding

• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. corn starch
• salt
• 3 TBS cocoa
• 2 3/4 c. milk
• 2 TBS margarine
• 1 tsp vanilla
  

Mix dry ingredients. Add milk. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil 1 min, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add margarine and vanilla. Pour into bowl(s) and chill until set.

Split pea soup

• 1 lb split peas
• 8 c. water
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ~1 tsp parsley
• ham hock
• salt/pepper to taste

Heat to boiling; reduce heat; cover. Cook ~60 min.

Notes:
Trying to make it more flavorful... I'm making a half recipe. Before doing anything else, I sauteed ~1/3 an onion, chopped, in ~1/2 TBS butter, added 2 garlic cloves, crushed, added 1 handful carrots, chopped very fine, and added a sprinkling of celery flakes. I sauteed all this for a bit, added a slice of ham, chopped, added the split peas, and sauteed it a little more. Then I added the water and other stuff. I reduced the onion powder to 1/4 tsp (for a half batch), omitted the garlic powder and ham hock, used 1/4 tsp pepper, and used ~1/8 tsp salt.

Pumpkin pie

• 1 can pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 1.5 c. sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp allspice
• 2 c. milk
• 2 9" pastries

Mix well beaten eggs, pumpkin, sugar, salt, and spices. Add milk and stir until mixture is smooth. Line two 9" pie pans with pastry. Pour filling into pie shells. Bake at 400F about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean.

Notes:
Works fine as a sugar-free pie if you substitute an appropriate amount of Splenda.

Peach cobbler

Filling:

• ~32 oz can sliced peaches (in syrup)
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 TBS cornstarch

Combine ingredients in saucepan. Bring to boiling. Pour into ungreased 9x13" pan.

Topping:

• 2 c. flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 c. sugar
  
• 1/3 c. margarine (unsoftened)
• 1 c. milk

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk; stir until blended.

Drop dough from a tablespoon onto peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Jam cake

• 1/2 c. sugar
• 4 TBS butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp soda
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/3 c. buttermilk
• 1/2 c. jam

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Mix dry ingredients and add, alternating with the milk. Fold in jam, leaving swirls. Bake at 350F in a 9" square greased and floured pan.

Notes:
Rather dark and spicy. Very good.

Chocolate mint truffles

• 1 12 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 c. butter or margarine, cut into cubes
• 1/4 c. plus 2 TBS sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tsp mint extract
• 4-16 oz. chocolate flavored candy coating
• 4 oz. vanilla flavored candy coating, melted

1. Melt chocolate chips in double boiler.
2. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually stir 1/4 of chocolate mixture into yolks. Add to remaining chocolate, stirring constantly. Add butter, sugar, and mint extract. Beat at medium speed until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Cover with paper towel and let stand in a cool, dry place for 1 hour (do not refrigerate).
3. Shape mixture into 1/2" balls. Chill 1 hour or until firm.
4. Melt chocolate candy coating in a double boiler. Remove from heat but leave over hot water. Dip each ball into coating, letting excess coating drip off. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheets and chill until coating hardens. Drizzle with melted vanilla candy coating. Yield: 6 dozen.

Notes:
We made this once. It tasted good but was very hard to make pretty looking truffles.

Wine baked chicken and artichoke hearts

• 3 lbs chicken breasts
• 2 14 oz. cans artichoke hearts, drained
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 3/4 c. dry sherry or white wine
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp fresh basil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Arrange chicken and artichoke hearts in baking dish. Combine tomato sauce, wine, and spices. Pour mixture over chicken. Bake for 45 min. at 400F.