APPLE-BUTTER PECAN COBBLER

2 cans apple pie filling

1 box (2-layer) butter pecan cake mix
brown sugar
butter
cinnamon
pecans halves

Place pie filling in a casserole dish or cake pan.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top then sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar over cake mix. Dot with some thin pats of butter over the top and sprinkle a little cinnamon overall.

Place pecans over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.

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PARMESAN HERB CLOVERLEAF ROLLS

NOTE: This is an easy recipe but not a quick one. Your active time on this recipe is around 20 minutes. However, there is thawing and rising times that make the total time almost 3 hours. You cannot just come home and pop these in the oven, unless you have done thawing and rising while you are going about your other business.

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

2 tbsp dried garden herb seasoning blend

2 (1-lb) loaves frozen bread dough, thawed

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Coat 18 muffin cups with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan and herb seasoning blend. Cut dough into 18 pieces; cut each piece into 3 pieces. Roll pieces into balls. Roll each ball in butter, then in the Parmesan mixture. Place 3 balls in each muffin cup. Let rise in a warm place (85-degrees) free from drafts, until doubled in size, about 2 hours. 

Heat oven to 375-degrees. Bake rolls until golden brown and baked through, 12-15 minutes. Cool in pans 2 minutes. Transfer from pans to a basket or bowl and serve warm.

Yield: 18 rolls

file photo of a very similar recipe for reference only

STUFFED CHEESY PEPPERS

This recipe was given to me by a friend several years ago. Quick, easy, and healthy!

6-8 green, orange, or yellow bell peppers
1-2 pounds ground beef
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 garlic wedges, minced
1 cup of cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut the tops off the peppers and remove all the seeds and white stuff. Simmer peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, garlic and diced tomato and fry for about 3 minutes. Stir in ground beef. Cook the meat until it is no longer pink.

Stuff the mixture into the hollowed-out peppers. Place stuffed peppers onto a baking tray

Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese and bake for 5 additional minutes. 

Note: I believe my friend got this from Carmen's Kitchen.

CRANBERRY RELISH

Note: This recipe is quick to make but it does require at least 4 hours.

1 cup chopped pecans

2 (16-oz) cans whole-berry cranberry sauce

1 1/2 tsp grated orange zest

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

1 tbsp lemon juice 

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 

 In a small nonstick skillet, heat chopped pecans over medium-low heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant and toasted. Scrape out of pan onto a plate to stop cooking.

In a small saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice and cinnamon over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

recipe and photo Sandra Lee Woman's World 2025

QUICK AND EASY BRAN MUFFINS

I love this recipe from King Arthur Flour as it will keep in the refrigerator for a week. You can scoop out as much batter as you want at a time allowing you to make anywhere from one to twelve muffins at a time.

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup bran cereal (not flakes, preferably a wheat bran)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups bran cereal (not flakes)

1) In a small mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the half cup of cereal. When cooled, mix in the vegetable oil and egg.

2) While the water/bran mixture cools, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the raisins.

3) In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and brown sugar, and stir into the dry ingredients. Stir in remaining cereal, then the softened bran mixture. Cover the batter and refrigerate it overnight.

4) When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F for 15 minutes. Line a muffin tin with papers and spray the insides of the papers. Or just grease the muffin cups themselves, if you like a crustier muffin edge.

5) Stir the batter once or twice, then scoop a heaping 1/4-cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup.

6) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

7) Remove from the oven, cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan.

Baking Note: 

• If you only want to bake one or two muffins, you can use greased custard cups instead of the muffin tin. If you use the muffin tin, put an inch of water in the empty wells to keep the pan from warping.

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FIGGY PHYLLO TRIANGLES

1 pkg (8-oz) dried figs, chopped

1 cup orange juice

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

2 tbsp honey

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 (1 lb) pkg frozen phyllo dough, thawed 

Butter-flavored spray

Heat oven to 400-degree. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a skillet, combine figs and juice; cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until juice is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Place the fig mixture and walnuts in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Add the honey and salt; pulse. On a clean, dry, surface, unroll the phyllo. Cut into thirds lengthwise. Cover the phyllo with a damp cloth.

Stack 3 phyllo strips, coating strips with the spray. Place 1 heaping tablespoon filling on one end of stacked strips. Fold 1 corner of short edge over, leaving 1-inch border; continue folding to end of strip, forming a triangle. Repeat with the remaining phyllo, spray and filling. Place triangles, seam side down, on the lined baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 12 servings

file photo for reference only

EASY CARAMEL STICKY BUNS

This is another of my favorite Kraft recipes.

16

 KRAFT Caramels

2

Tbsp.  milk

3/4

cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans, divided

1

can (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1/4

cup sugar

1

tsp.  ground cinnamon

2

Tbsp.  raisins (I omit because I don't like raisins)

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

MICROWAVE caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after each minute. Pour into 8-inch round pan sprayed with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup nuts.

UNROLL crescent roll dough; separate into 2 rectangles. Press perforations in each rectangle together to seal. Mix remaining nuts, sugar, cinnamon and raisins; sprinkle over dough. Roll up each rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at one short end; cut into 4 slices. Place, cut sides down, in prepared pan. (Sprinkle with any sugar mixture that may have fallen out of rolls.)

BAKE 17 to 20 min. or until lightly browned. Immediately invert pan onto plate; remove pan. Spread any caramel from pan over buns. Cool slightly.

SMOKED GOUDA MAC & CHEESE

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp salt

9-oz smoked Gouda cheese, shredded

4-oz white cheddar, grated

12-oz macaroni, cooked and drained

Heat broiler. Grease a 2-qt heatproof dish.

Add butter to a pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour and stir until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, mustard and salt. Bring to a simmer and whisk in 1 cup of the Gouda and the cheddar. Cook, whisking until smooth, about 5 minutes.

In a bowl, mix macaroni and sauce until combined then spoon into the greased heatproof dish. Top with the remaining Gouda and broil until melted and golden, about 3 minutes.

Yield: 8 servings

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LAYERED FIESTA CASSEROLE

This is a Kraft Foods recipe and photo.Therefore their brands are listed in the ingredients.

1

lb.  extra-lean ground beef

1

 green pepper, chopped

1

 red pepper, chopped

1

jar  (16 oz.) TACO BELL® Thick & Chunky Salsa

1

can  (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1

pkg.  (10 oz.) frozen corn

12

 corn tortillas (6 inch)

1-1/2

cups  KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided

HEAT oven to 375°F.

BROWN meat with peppers in large skillet; drain. Return to skillet. Stir in salsa, tomatoes and corn.

SPREAD 1 cup meat mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with 6 tortillas, overlapping as necessary. Cover with layers of half each of the remaining meat mixture and cheese; top with remaining tortillas and meat mixture. Cover.

BAKE 25 to 30 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining cheese; let stand, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted. 

FRESH CITRUS SALAD

2 small-size red grapefruits

2 large size navel oranges
1/4 cup orange marmalade
2 tbsp raspberry vinegar
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup diced avocado
1/2 cup diced strawberries

Peel the grapefruits and oranges; cut into rounds and arrange on a serving platter.

Whisk together the marmalade, vinegar, and ginger; toss with the avocado and strawberries. Pour over the citrus slices.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

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