No Bake Fruit Cake

Ingredients
8 ounces candied cherries, cut up
1 (12 ounces) box vanilla wafers, crushed in blender
6 slices candied pineapple, cut up
1/2 box golden or dark raisins
4 cups chopped pecans
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 cup coconut shavings

Directions
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except milk and coconut shavings, stirring to mix well. Add milk and mix thoroughly.

Divide dough into three balls. Roll each ball into a log shape. Roll in the coconut shavings. Wrap in foil and freeze overnight. Then slice to serve.

Broccoli and Mushrooms

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 heads broccoli, cut into flowerets
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced

Directions
In a large skillet or wok, heat olive oil. Add garlic, broccoli, and mushrooms and stir for about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover and cook over low heat until broccoli is just tender (about 5 to 10 minutes).

Creamy Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients
2 lbs. (about 6 medium) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3/4 cup Nestlé® Carnation® Evaporated Milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine (we recommend Land O Lakes® Butter)
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Place potatoes in large saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender; drain.

2. Return potatoes to saucepan; add evaporated milk and butter. Beat with hand-held mixer until smooth. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook's Notes: Chopped green onions, chopped parsley or cooked, crumbled bacon may be added to mashed potatoes.

Turkey Roll-Ups Firenze

Ingredients
2 cups breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
6 turkey cutlets
10 ounces fresh spinach or 1 pack frozen spinach, thawed
1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons margarine, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine breadcrumbs, garlic, thyme, and oregano. Or chop garlic in food processor, then add breadcrumbs and spices. Pound cutlets between 2 sheets of wax paper until thin. Squeeze liquid out of spinach. Combine spinach, cottage cheese, mushrooms, and onions. Place 1/6 spinach mixture on one side of each cutlet. Roll up cutlets. Dip in melted margarine. Roll in breadcrumbs. Place rolled cutlets in a shallow casserole greased with margarine. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Almond Cookies, Biscotti di Mandorle

Ingredients
5 ounces Peeled almonds
5 ounces Unsalted butter
Flour 1 1/4 cup/ 150 g
Sugar 3/4 cup/ 150 g
Egg yolks 2
Light rum or Amaretto 2-3 tablespoons
Confectioners' sugar 1/4 cup
Ground almonds 1/2 cup
Softened butter 1 cup
Confectioners' sugar for garnishing

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F/ 160 degrees C.

A food processor may be used to make these cookies, if desired. However, be careful not to overprocess.

Finely chop the almonds. Cube the butter.

Place the flour on a work surface and make a well in the center. Spoon the sugar into the well. Add the ground almonds and mix well. Add the butter and mix with your fingers until it is a homogenous paste.

Roll the dough into large, thin circles (1/8 inch/ 4 mm thick and 3 inches/8 cm wide) or cut into shapes. It may be easier to roll the dough between sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking. Gather the remaining dough and repeat until all the dough is used.

Place the cookies on baking parchment lined baking sheets at about 2 inches/5 cm apart. Bake for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the custard:

A prepared custard may be purchased, if desired. Whisk the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and yolks and continue to whisk until it is light and fluffy. Add the alcohol and whisk until well-combined. Stir in the almonds. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.

When the cookies are cool enough to handle, spread a layer of custard or chocolate over one cookie. Press another cookie over the top and gently seal it with your fingers. Top each cookie with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

Fennel and Cucumber Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Ingredients
Dressing
10 ounces green peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs fresh mint
6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
salt and white pepper to taste

Salad
1 fennel bulb, sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
4 scallions, white and tender green parts, chopped
2 cups shredded carrots
1 pound mixed salad greens, washed and dried

Directions
1. In a food processor or blender, puree peas, soy milk, lemon juice, garlic, mint, basil, salt and pepper. Chill.
2. Combine fennel, cucumber, scallions, carrots and greens. Pour dressing over and toss lightly. Serve immediately.

Italian-Style Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients
2 lbs. large mushrooms (about 2-in. ea.)
1/2 cup (1 stick) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Spread
1/3 cup chopped onion(s)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2-1/2 oz.)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Remove and chop mushroom stems.
2. In 12-inch skillet, melt I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spread over medium-high heat and cook mushroom stems and onion, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. In medium bowl, pour mushroom mixture over bread crumbs. Stir in cheeses, parsley, vinegar and pepper.
3. Sprinkle mushroom caps with salt. On baking sheet, arrange mushroom caps; evenly spoon mushroom mixture into mushroom caps. Bake 25 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and golden.

Linguini with Artichoke Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
For garnish: capers, chopped fresh parsley and sliced black olives
16 ounces linguini

Directions
Cook oil, butter, flour and chicken broth until it thickens. Add garlic, artichoke hearts, lemon juice and cheese. Continue cooking until flavors blend, about 5 minutes. Add capers and parsley.

To cook the linguini: Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 teaspoons salt. Add the linguini and keep boiling until tender but firm (al dente), 8 to 10 minutes, or as directed on package. Drain pasta and immediately toss with artichoke sauce. Sprinkle each dish with olives.

Zesty Beans and Rice

Ingredients
2 cans black beans, drained
2 cans chili beans, undrained
1 14.5 oz can Mexican stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup salsa
1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
cooked rice

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except rice in a large saucepan. Cook on medium heat until heated through.
2. Spoon bean mixture over cooked rice, serve.

Variations: Serve with long-grain brown rice for a delicious, high-fiber, high protein meal with only a trace of fat. You may choose to add blackened chicken tenders for an extra hearty main dish. May also be served wrapped in flour tortillas with light sour cream for a delicious power-snack.

Brie and Mango Quesadilla & Mango Jicama Salsa

Ingredients
2-3 slices good quality Brie (I prefer without rind)
1 ripe, peeled, pitted mango, diced
1 roasted bell pepper, skinned and diced
1 roasted pasilla pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, sliced julienne, fine
1 tortilla
1 tablespoon of butter for pan
1 squeeze of lime juice
Omelet pan needed for this recipe

Mango Jicama Salsa
2 mangoes, pitted diced
1 jicama, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon canola oil
coarse grain salt to taste

Directions
Mix together mango, red bell pepper, pasilla pepper, and onion. Add lime juice. Add butter to omelet pan over medium high heat. Place tortilla in pan, then add mango-pepper-onion mixture on one half of tortilla.
Place brie slices on top of mixture. Fold half of tortilla over cheese. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Then turn over tortilla and cook 3-4 minutes on other side. Garnish with cilantro, salsa, or sour cream.

Salsa Directions
Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least 15 minutes before serving.