Krista's Tropical Adult Beverage

1 can frozen lemonaid
1 big can of pineapple juice
1 can of crushed pineapple
1 can cream of coconut (with the mixers/ blue can)
1/5 of Vodka (she likes orange smirnoff)

mix and pour into solo cups (fill 1/2-2/3 full depending how strong you want it)

after it freezes qs with sprite and stir into a slushy

Cathy's Chicken Salad

8-Chicken breast halves - on the bone
3-celery stalks or equal trimmings - leaves & all
1-carrot cut in big chunks
1-onion quartered
1 t. seasoned powdered meat tenderizer
Water to cover all of the above

2 1/2 cups chopped celerey*
1 cup toasted sliced almonds
2 t. lemon juice
1/2 t red curry powder**
1/2 t. black pepper
salt to taste
good mayonaise (Hellman's Dukes or Kraft)

Place chicken breasts, celery stalks, carrot & onion in a large dutch oven or stock pot. Cover with water and add meat tenderizer. Bring to a boil and simmer for 90minutes. let cool in broth for 1/2 hour. Take chicken breasts out of cooking broth and let cool on a cookie sheet. When cool enough to handle remove all bones & skin and chop into 1/2 inch dice.

While chicken is cooling toast almonds in a 350 degree oven in one layer for 7-8 minutes until they are golden. Watch them carefully as they will burn in a heartbeat. Place them on paper towels to cool.

To assemble: make layers of 1/3 of chicken, 1/3 of celery and 1/3 or almonds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a bit of the curry, add a hefty cooking spoon of mayonnaise and sprinkle a little lemon juice on the mayo. Keep layering until all ingredients are used. Mix thoroughly. You may need to add more mayo. You want it to be moist but not sloppy with mayo. Add salt to taste if needed. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving to give flavors some time to mingle.

*The celery ratio should be 1 cup celery for every 3 cups chicken. I never measure just eyeball it. The amount above should be ok.

**Use Red Curry powder only. If you can't get Red Curry just leave it out. Yellow curry tastes like acid. Spice Islands makes the red and if you keep it in the fridge it will last for several years and is worth the investment. Walmart has started carrying little packets of some spices and once in a a while they will have Red Curry.

Serves 10 generously!

--Cathy Johnson

Cathy's *why bother with homemade* Brownies

1 pkg Ghiradelli double chocolate brownie mix
1 large egg
1/3 cup water
1 2oz pkg walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup oil

1 tub duncan hines chocolate icing*
1 8X8 disposable aluminum pan**

The only differenece between the recipe on the box and my recipe is the addition of the nuts and increasing the oil from 1/3c to 1/2c. The additional oil is the key. Mix all together and bake at the temperature suggested (I don't have a box on hand and can't remember the temp) for 40-45min. Ice when cool. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes before cutting so the icing won't be a a mess while cutting.

Makes 16 brownies.

*You will only need 1/2 of the tub of icing but it freezes well, or use it all if you make a double batch.

**For some unknown reason these turn out better in an aluminum disposable pan. Plus- no washing. If you make a double batch use 2-8X8 pans. In a 9X13 pan the edges get too done and the middle stays too gooey.

Walmart & Kroger carry Ghiradelli Brownie Mix. Now if I go to Walmart to buy some and it is all gone, I am going to be mad at you guys for buying up all the brownie mix. No Black Market sales of Brownie Mix allowed!

-- Cathy Johnson

Strawberry Topping

Strawberry Sauce: (cheesecake topping)
# 4 cups sliced strawberries (about 1 1/2 pounds)
# 1/2 cup water
# 2 tablespoons sugar
# 1 tablespoon water
# 2 teaspoons cornstarch
# 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Clarissa's Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/4 c Graham Cracker Crumbs 2 Tbls Sugar
1/4 c Butter
Melt butter. Mix into graham cracker crumbs and sugar until everything is moist. Pat into spring form pan.... Read More

Filling
3 (8oz.) Packages Cream Cheese 3 Eggs
1 pt Sour Cream 3/4 c Sugar
1 Tbls Vanilla

Cream together sugar and cream cheese. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well. Pour into spring form pan. Bake @ 350 for 50-60 mins. Cool then chill.

Pizzagna

Ingredients
1 pound pasta curls (recommended: campagnelle by Barilla; short fusilli or cavatappi twists may be substituted)
Salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a couple of handfuls
Handful parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup sliced pepperoni, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded, quartered and thinly sliced
1 onion, quartered then thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
12 crimini mushrooms (baby portabellos), thinly sliced
Black pepper
1 (28-ounces) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Loaf of crusty bread
Directions
Preheat broiler.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add pasta and salt the water.

While the water boils combine ricotta, Parmigiano, parsley and pepperoni in a large bowl and reserve.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the peppers, onions, garlic and mushrooms. Saute 6 to 8 minutes until tender and mushrooms are dark. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Stir in tomatoes and reduce heat to low.

Add a ladle of starchy cooking water to the ricotta just before you drain the pasta. Drain pasta then toss with ricotta and pepperoni mixture. Pour pasta into a baking dish and top evenly with peppers, onion and mushroom sauce. Top with a layer of mozzarella, oregano and red pepper flakes. Place under hot broiler and melt cheese until golden and bubbly. Remove and serve with crusty bread.

****I basically just used this recipe as a jumping off point. I used radiatore noodes, jar spagetti sauce and instead of all of the veggies I used 1/2 pkg pepperoni, 1//4 roll sausage and 1/4 lb hamburger. Sorta like a meat lovers pizza rather than supreme pizza. It would be great to make two batches- one supreme and one meat lovers so you could choose which you prefer. I didn't think of that before I made it the first time.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/pizzagna-recipe/index.html

copper pennies

Directions
1 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato soup
2 pounds carrots, peeled, cooked, and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

Combine the sugar, vinegar, oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the soup. Mix the carrots, onion, and bell pepper together in a large glass dish; pour the sauce over the vegetables, stir gently to combine, and refrigerate overnight. This salad will keep for up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator.