2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening
2/3 c. milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (400 degrees for a dark pan). Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add milk, stirring quickly, to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead about 30 seconds. Roll to ½" thickness and cut into biscuits with 2" cutter. Place 2" apart on cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes. Serve hot.

Do not over knead.

These are a "Yankee" style biscuit. The recipe is over 60 years old. I personally could make a meal of them with butter. I use these as a base for strawberry shortcake also.

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup milk
½ cup molasses
¾ cup seedless raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside. Cream shortening and sugar until light: add eggs. Mix well: combine milk with molasses and add to creamed mixture. Stir in the raisins and the flour mixture; mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets: bake in 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes. Begin checking them at about 10 minutes. I lift one a little with the spatula and it should be light to medium brown when done. Remove from cookie sheet to rack to cool. Makes 4-4 ½ dozen.

These are my son, Brett's favorite cookies. This is an old recipe. I heat the oven to 350 degrees if using dark cookie sheets. I use dark molasses and dark raisins.

1 3oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs. butter, softened
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup chopped green onions (with tops)
½ tsp. garlic salt
1 1lb. loaf of French or Italian bread, sliced

Mix the first 5 ingredients well and spread on both sides of each bread slice. Wrap loaf in a large sheet of heavy-duty foil and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, turning one time about halfway. Unwrap and grill 5 minutes more.

You could add other spices such as Oregano, Dill, Paprika or Italian seasoning and you could substitute Texas style bread.

1 cup milk
1 container vanilla yogurt (6 oz.)
1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
5 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients except ice cubes in a blender. Blend for 15 seconds. Add the ice cubes and blend for about 20 more seconds to crush the ice. Serve immediately. Makes 2.

You could, of course, make it with skim milk and low-fat yogurt. Either way, especially if you use the orange juice with calcium, it could be breakfast.

2 cups sliced strawberries
3 Tbs. brown sugar
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup sour cream
Dash of salt
6 whole strawberries for garnish

Sprinkle brown sugar over strawberries and set aside for ten minutes. Fold the marshmallows and sour cream into the strawberries. Add dash of salt and mix altogether gently. Cover and refrigerate overnight. To serve, spoon into six dessert dishes and top each with a whole strawberry.

This is a nice light dessert for after a heavy meal. The combination of ingredients may seem odd, but, you'll be surprised at the pleasant taste.

16 ozs. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 Tb. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
24 Vanilla Wafers
1 can cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin pans with paper cupcake liners and place one vanilla wafer in each cup. Set aside. Beat well the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla and divide among the wafer-lined cups. Bake about 15 mins. Cool. Top with cherry pie filling. Refrigerate until cold before serving.

These are a family favorite. You can substitute peach, blueberry, strawberry or other fruit pie filling for cherry.

2 packages active dry yeast
½ cup warm water*
1 ½ cups warm milk*
5 eggs (at room temperature), beaten
5 Tbs. sugar
½ stick (¼ cup) real butter, softened
½ tsp. salt
5 to 5 ½ cups flour
Vegetable oil for frying
Sugar, pancake syrup, jelly or preserves

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large mixing bowl. Add the warm milk, beaten eggs, sugar, softened butter and salt; beat until smooth. Stir in flour to make a soft dough. Do not knead. Place dough in a large bowl greased with oil and, turn one time to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in size (about an hour). Heat vegetable oil (about 2-2 ½ “) in a large heavy frying pan or electric skillet to 375 degrees. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough, 4-6 at a time, into the hot oil and fry on both sides until a deep golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Roll while warm (or shake in a brown bag) in sugar (with cinnamon added if desired) or serve with pancake syrup, jelly or preserves. Always serve warm.

*(110-115 degrees)

This was one of my favorite treats as a child. They were sometimes served as a meal, at which time, my mother usually made them from the plain bread dough (before the second rising) she had mixed up for a week’s supply of bread. When making them from the bread dough, which is a bit stiffer, she would pinch of golf ball size pieces of dough and pull and stretch the pieces to a kind of fat disc shape so that they would not have partially cooked centers (although, one of my brothers would try to find the ones that did).We, the kids would take turns shaking them in the brown bag with the sugar. These are not as sweet as regular doughnuts, but, definitely comfort food.

I sometimes take the refrigerated canned ready-made biscuits and fry them. Not, quite the same, but, not bad.

1 can (10ct.) refrigerated biscuits such as Hungry Jack
2 ½ large apples, peeled and sliced, into eighths

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate each biscuit in half to make 20 pieces. Wrap each biscuit piece around one apple slice, stretching as needed. Place the prepared dumplings in a baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Melt 1 stick of margarine or butter, with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Stir and pour over dumplings. Bake for 30 minutes.

Good served warm with ice cream.

½ cup shortening
2 sticks margarine
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 ½ cups cake flour*
7 ozs. Mountain Dew
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract

All ingredients should be at room temperature. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan. Cream margarine, shortening and sugar. Add eggs, beating after each addition, until fluffy. Add flour alternately with Mountain Dew. Beat in almond and vanilla flavorings. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about I hour and 10 mins. or until it tests done. Let stand a few minutes before removing from pan.

* You can substitute all-purpose flour by removing 2 Tbs. from each cup. You can also add 1 tsp. cornstarch for each cup if you wish.

3 oz. box lemon instant pudding mix
1 box lemon cake mix
4 eggs cup
1 cup oil
10 ozs. Mountain Dew

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13”x 9” pan. Mix all ingredients and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 mins. Or until it tests done.

1 box chocolate devil’s food cake mix
3 eggs
1 ¼ cup Cheerwine
½ cup oil
1 tsp. almond extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13”x9” pan. In mixer bowl, combine all ingredients and beat on Low for 1 min., then for 2 mins. on High. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 mins. or until cake tests done. Set aside while preparing the frosting.

Cheerwine Chocolate Cake Frosting

1/3 cup Cheerwine
1 stick margarine
¼ tsp. almond extract (optional)
¼ cup cocoa
1 lb. box confectioner’s sugar

In a saucepan, heat all ingredients except the confectioner’s sugar and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the confectioner’s sugar. Beat until smooth. Pour over warm cake.

Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored soft drink available primarily in the South. Any cherry-flavored drink may be substituted.

2 sticks butter
½ cup shortening
2 ¼ cups sugar
6 lg. eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
¾ cup crushed pineapple (undrained)
3 cups flour, sifted

Grease well, a tube or Bundt pan. Do not preheat the oven. Cream together butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the flour (sifted with the baking powder) to the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk. Add vanilla. Stir in the undrained pineapple and blend well. Pour batter into greased pan and place in cold oven. Turn oven to 325 degrees and bake 1 ½ -2 hours or until top springs back when touched lightly. Let stand a few minutes before removing from the pan. Glaze while still hot with glaze below.

Pineapple Pound Cake Glaze

¼ cup butter
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple (drained)

Combine and pour over hot cake.

3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup Tang powdered breakfast drink
1 graham cracker pie shell
Cool Whip topping

Blend together all ingredients (except the graham cracker pie shell). Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until well chilled. Serve with Cool Whip topping.

Sometimes called "Astronaut Pie" (because of the Tang), this pie is light, fluffy and has a taste reminiscent of Creamsicles. One of my personal favorites.

1 lg. (6 serving size) pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 (9") graham cracker crust

Combine the first three ingredients well and pour into the crust.

Refrigerate and chill for several hours.

Could it be any easier? Light, fluffy and can be topped with Cool Whip, if desired.

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
3 Tbs. cocoa
1 cup Coca-Cola, at room temperature
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk*
2 eggs, well-beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Grease and flour a 13" x 9" baking pan. Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl. set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter, add cocoa and cola; heat until just boiling. Set aside to cool slightly. Pour over the flour/sugar mixture and stir until blended. Dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk and gradually add to the flour mixture along with the eggs and vanilla. Mix gently, but, well. Fold in the marshmallows. Pour into prepared pan and bake 35-40 mins. Ice while still hot with the following icing. Allow cake to cool, uncovered.

* If you do not have buttermilk, put 1 1/2 tsps. of either vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and fill to 1/2 cup line with milk and allow to sit for 5 mins. Use as you would the buttermilk.

Icing For Coca-Cola Cake

1/2 cup butter
2 Tbs. cocoa
3 Tbs. Coca-Cola
1 lb. box confectioner's sugar
2 tsps. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Melt butter with cocoa and cola in small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Add to remaining ingredients and pour evenly over the hot cake.

This is a deliciously moist cake with rich chocolate flavor. Michael's favorite cake.

1 cup shortening
1/2 stick butter,softened
2 3/4 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups flour,sifted
1 cup Orange Crush, at room temperature
1 tsp. orange extract
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 9" tube (or Bundt) pan. Thoroughly cream together the shortening, butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add orange drink alternately with the sifted flour. Stir in the flavorings. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 mins. or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 mins. before removing cake from pan to wire rack. Prepare frosting.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 stick butter, softened
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. orange extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and flavorings. Spread over warm cake. It will cover the top and drizzle somewhat down the sides.

My favorite. Visions of "Creamsicle". So good and well worth the purchase of the orange extract. You can use any good orange drink in place of Orange Crush.

2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 cup 7-UP, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease well and flour a 9" tube (or Bundt) pan. Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, one cup at a time mixing after each addition. Add 7-UP and lemon extract and stir in. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 mins. or until cake tests done. Cool in pan for 5-10 mins. before removing to rack to cool. Frost, if desired, or drizzle with a simple glaze flavored with a little lemon extract.

You can substitute any other lemon or lemon-lime flavored soft drink for the 7 -UP.

2 (1 lb.) boxes confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup chopped nuts
8 ozs. Velveeta cheese (original flavor, of course)
2 sticks margarine (1 cup)
2 tsps. vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine thoroughly, the confectioner's sugar, cocoa and chopped nuts. Butter a 13" x 9" pan and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Microwave on High for 4 minutes or until melted, stirring every minute. Remove from microwave and pour into sugar mixture and stir until completely combined ( you may have to use your hands to complete mixing if the mixture cools too quickly).Spread into the prepared pan and refrigerate until set. Cut into squares. Enjoy!

This is not a joke. The fudge is light and creamy and very good. You do not taste the cheese.

It can be frozen.

1 1/4 cup flour, sifted
1 cup cornmeal
1 Tb. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-16 oz.) can cream-style corn

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray sixteen 2 1/2" muffin cups with Pam. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, oil and eggs, mixing only enough to moisten the dry ingredients. Fold in the creamed corn. Fill muffin cups to the brim. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until they test done. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing.

Do not overmix. These will come out high, light and delicious.

1 loaf French bread
1 (8 oz..) pkg. sliced Swiss cheese
2 Tbs. finely chopped onion
1 Tb. dry mustard
1 tsp, seasoned salt
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 Tb. poppy seeds (optional)

With a serrated knife, cut diagonal slits into the bread almost all the way through.

Place on a large sheet of aluminum foil placed on a baking sheet. Place cheese slices into the slits. Combine the onion with the remaining ingredients. Drizzle over the bread. Wrap the foil around the bread and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve hot.

1 stick butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4 Tbs. cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and milk in a 2 qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in the oatmeal, mixing well. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet covered with a sheet of waxed paper (or plastic wrap). Place in refrigerator to cool.

Once they are cool and firm, they can be stacked in layers with waxed paper or wrap in between (if they last that long).

2 cups peeled, sliced peaches
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsps. baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 cup milk

Mix the sliced peaches with 1 cup sugar and set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in 2 qt. baking dish. Set dish in oven just long enough to melt the butter. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Pour over the melted butter in the baking dish, but, do not stir. Put the peaches on top of batter, again, without stirring. Bake about 1 hour, until batter has risen to the top and is crisp and browned.

This is great served with vanilla ice cream.

2 (8-8.5 ozs.) boxes corn-muffin mix (like Jiffy)
1 (8 oz.) can creamed corn
1 cup shredded jalapeno Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese

Prepare corn-muffin mix according to package directions. Spread half the batter into a greased 11"-by-7" baking pan. Sprinkle with the cheese. Mix the creamed corn into the remaining batter and pour over the cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes or until set in the center and golden brown.

You can use your own favorite cheese variety or a mixture.

1 (3 oz.) package instant pistachio pudding mix
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in syrup (do not drain)
1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix together the package of instant pistachio pudding mix with the entire can of crushed pineapple in syrup. Gently fold in the whipped topping, miniature marshmallows and chopped nuts. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Often called "Watergate" salad, this dish can be used as an excellent light dessert as well.

The colored miniature marshmallows can be used in place of the plain white ones and you can adjust the amount of nuts.

1 (3 oz.) package orange-flavored gelatin
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin orange slices
1 (8 1/2 oz.) can crushed pineapple
1 (16 oz.) container small-curd cottage cheese
1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Drain the oranges and pineapple well. Combine the gelatin and cottage cheese.

Fold in the drained fruit and whipped topping. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Can also be served as a light dessert.

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups whole milk
2 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 tsps. vanilla extract

Combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a 2 qt. glass measuring cup (or other 2 qt. microwave-safe bowl). Slowly whisk in the milk and stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Cook in microwave on High for 7-10 minutes, stirring every two minutes, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from microwave and stir in the butter and vanilla. Pour into serving dishes and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with whipped cream or ready made topping, if desired.

This is super easy and very good. You will find that you can use the same method for many other puddings that usually require stove-top cooking and constant stirring and have similar ingredients.

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced very fine
3 green onions (including tops), finely chopped
1 loaf French bread

Combine all ingredients, except the bread. Mix well. Slice the French bread in half horizontally and spread the cheese mixture thickly on cut sides of both halves. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees until golden, about 10-15 minutes. Makes 12-16 servings.

This is very good with any pasta dish.You could use sharp Cheddar, but, the mild seems to allow the other flavors to come through.

3/4 cup cold water
1 Tb.cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbs. strawberry-flavored Jell-O powder (1/2 pkg.)
Strawberries for one pie (about 1 qt.)
1 ready to use crumb pie crust (or prebaked pie shell)

Cook the water, sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thickened and clear. Remove from heat and stir in the dry gelatin powder. Set aside while you rinse and cap the strawberries. Place the strawberries tip side up on paper towel as you cap them. When the strawberries are prepared place them in the pie crust, using as many whole strawberries as possible and then slice or cut into chunks the remaining berries to fill in. Ladle the cooked mixture evenly over the strawberries .Refrigerate until set. Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip topping (original or the new Strawberry flavor).

This is very similar to the famous Shoney's pie. You can use either the shortbread or graham ready to use crumb crusts (such as Keebler's). I suppose the chocolate flavor would be good too. The clear plastic part of the package makes a great cover when turned upside down. The reason for placing the hulled berries on the paper towel is to dry them some. If they still seem quite wet, I dab them a little with a dry paper towel before placing them in the pie shell.

I use the same recipe (substituting peach flavored Jell-O and fresh sliced peaches to make peach pie.