Reuben Casserole

2 cups sauerkraut, drained
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup low-cal Thousand Island salad dressing
8 oz. sliced corned beef
1 tsp. caraway seed
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
1/4 cup rye bread or cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp. butter

Layer sauerkraut, tomato slices, dressing, corned beef, and cheese in a your 9 x 13 casserole dish. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Mix the rye bread crumbs or cracker crumbs, margarine, and caraway seed with fork til crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over top. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes longer. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Three Bean Salad

This recipe is great for your holiday potluck lunch/dinners!

3 different (15 oz) cans beans, your choice - drained and rinsed
1 onion, sliced into thin rings (red onions are great with this recipe)
3/4 cup white sugar
2/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Mix all ingredients together in your bean pot. Let set in refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Place bean pot in your bean pot basket and you're ready to go! Enjoy!

**green beans, wax beans, red or kidney beans, navy beans, garbanzo beans, just to recommend a few!

Image courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Quick and Easy Garlic Biscuits

3 Tbsp. butter
3 tsp. garlic powder
1 can biscuits (not grands)

Preheat oven to temperature indicated on biscuit package. Put butter in your stoneware loaf pan and place in the oven to melt. When oven has reached temperature, remove pan from oven. Add garlic powder and biscuits (will be a tight fit).

Bake 8 - 10 minutes. You can invert them onto a serving plate or serve/eat them right out of the pan. Enjoy!

***warning! You can't eat just one (or two, or three............)

Asparagus & Prosciutto Vase

This easy (but more time consuming than others on the blog) recipe comes from the Betty Crocker kitchen. It will make a huge impression on your dinner guests. Even those of us not quite as crafty can put together a beautiful decoration for the table. If you don't have an appropriate vase to use, a Celebrating Home mug will do the trick!

2 cups fresh cranberries
10 to 12 fresh small bay leaves
2 1/2 yards (1/8-inch-wide) gold ribbon or gold wire
Large yarn needle
2 bunches asparagus (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 6x1-inch strips
1/2 cup spreadable cheese
Food-safe flowerpot (4 to 5 inches in diameter), or CH mug
Caesar dressing

Thread cranberries and bay leaves onto ribbon or wire, using needle, to make a garland.

Blanch asparagus and pat dry; chill about 1 hour. Brush prosciutto strips with thin layer of cheese. Tightly wrap prosciutto strip, cheese side in, around each asparagus stalk. Arrange in flowerpot.

Wrap garland around asparagus and pot. Serve with dressing.

**If you don't want to go to all the trouble of making your own garland with cranberries and bay leaves, use the gold ribbon (or other ribbon) that you can purchase that has the wire already in it. That creates a sturdiness needed to hold the position as you wrap around the vase.

Citrus Slaw

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 cups shredded cabbage (or bagged slaw mix!)
8 oz can chunk pineapple, drained
11 oz can Mandarin oranges, drained

Combine mayonnaise, pepper and nutmeg in your bean pot (or Large Serving Bowl). Add cabbage or slaw mix and toss to coat. Add pineapple and Mandarin oranges and stir. Chill before serving. Enjoy!

**Craisins make a nice addition to this salad as well. The color makes it even more festive! Add sliced or slivered almonds if you like the extra crunch!

Lemon Custard Cake

This gets 5 stars for Yuummmm! Sweet, sour and tart all in the same bite of heaven :)

1 prepared angel food cake
1 package (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding mix
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 can (21 oz) cherry or strawberry pie filling

Tear the angel food cake into bite-size pieces and place in your 9 x 13 stoneware casserole dish.

In your serving bowl, combine the pudding mix, milk and sour cream. Beat until thickened, about 2 minutes. Spread over cake. Spoon pie filling on top. Chill until serving time. Enjoy!

Cheesy Corn Cornbread

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 (15 oz) can creamed corn
1/2 cup grated cheese (your choice of flavor)
1 small can diced chilies

Mix cornbread and creamed corn directly in your 8 x 8 baker until well blended. Add cheese and chilies and mix well.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Texture will be a bit creamier because of the corn. Enjoy!

**instead of cutting in squares and serving as you would normally do, try scooping a spoonful onto the top of a bowl of chili, taco soup or taco tortellini soup! The sweetness of the cornbread is a wonderful contrast to the spicy of the soup.

Holiday Punch

1/3 cup white sugar
1 quart cranberry juice
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
3 Tablespoons almond extract
1 (2 liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled

In your Berry Beverage Server, mix together sugar, cranberry juice, pineapple juice and almond extract. Refrigerate for 1 day.

When ready to serve, pour in ginger ale and lightly mix. Enjoy!

Magic Cookie Bars

Baking "cookies" just doesn't get any easier than this!

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (you can buy these already in crumbs!)
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or peanuts
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1 1/3 cups sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a 9 x 13 inch pan pour in melted margarine. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the margarine. Next place the chopped nuts over the crumbs, and sprinkle the chocolate and butterscotch chips over the nuts. Add the coconut over all, and pour the milk evenly over the top.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly brown on top. Cool at least 20 minutes then cut into desired sized bars. Enjoy!

**you can mix this up a bit by changing the chocolate and butterscotch chips to white chocolate and peanut butter chips, or throw in some mint chocolate chips, or use all the same flavor!

Apple Pecan Cheesecake

Creating new twists on the Sopapilla Cheesecake seems to have become a new hobby of mine! This variation is awesome and again, just in time for the Holidays!

2 can (8 count each) crescent rolls
1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can apple pie filling
1 cup chopped pecans
caramel ice cream topping, optional

Separate the crescent rolls and lay out in your Hospitality Set with the fat ends in the middle and points hanging over the edges, 6 on each side, 2 on each end.

Mix softened cream cheese and apple pie filling together and spread over crescent rolls. Top with chopped pecans. If desired, drizzle with caramel ice cream topping.

Fold points up and over the top, creating the look of a braid. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approx. 25 minutes or until tops are deep golden brown. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Leftovers

What a great time of year! A time to give thanks for all we have, and in many ways to give thanks for what we don't have.

It's time to start thinking about what to do with all those Thanksgiving Day leftovers. Just a few helpful tips:

1) Lay out your crescent rolls (2 pkgs) in your Hospitality Set. Fill with whatever leftovers you'd like: turkey, stuffing, vegetables, gravy etc. Flip the tails of the rolls over the top to form the braid. Bake at 350 for approx. 25 minutes.

2) Lay out chopped turkey in bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Pour gravy, cream of "something" soup, or can of Rotel over the top. Top with grated cheese of choice. Cover with stuffing. Bake at 350 for approx. 20 minutes.

3) No stuffing left? Follow above directions only top mixture with biscuits or prepared box of cornbread and bake as directed on biscuit/cornbread packaging.

4) For leftover cranberry sauce: mix with 8 oz softened cream cheese and 1 container Cool Whip. Add marshmallows and chopped pecans if desired. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

5) Leftover bread, muffins or rolls? Make bread pudding! Individual servings: Beat together 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg in small cereal size stoneware bowl. Add bread broken into bite-size pieces (equal to about 2 slices of sandwich bread). Make sure bread is pushed down into milk/egg mixture. Microwave on High for 3 minutes. Add sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins, etc. to taste. Top with fresh fruit if desired.

Cherry Fluff

Another quick and easy delicious dish for Thanksgiving!

1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Combine all ingredients in your Large Serving Bowl (or beanpot). Chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

**this is a great dish to make up the day before - get it done and let it chill until you're ready to serve!

Festive Cranberry Salad

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (16 oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 (8 oz) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

In your 9 x 13" stoneware baking dish, combine milk and lemon juice, mix well. Stir in pineapple, cranberry sauce, marshmallows, and pecans. Fold in whipped topping. Level out in pan. Freeze until firm, 4 hours or overnight. Cut into squares. Enjoy!

**using your stoneware baking dish set in the universal casserole stand will add a note of elegance to your Thanksgiving Day dinner table!

Banana Muffins

Because the quick and easy Pumpkin Muffins were so fabulous, I had to try the same concept with bananas! Another hit :)

1 boxed cake mix - I used French Vanilla, but you can use Banana, Yellow, Butter, Chocolate etc.
1 - 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup water

Mix well. Fill each space in Berry Muffin Baker 3/4 full. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 - 35 minutes until top springs back when touched, or knife inserted in center comes out clean. Enjoy! (makes 12)

**may also add chopped pecans, walnuts to batter or sprinkle on top. I like to sprinkle just a bit of raw sugar on top to give the muffins a shiny, crunchy top.

Pumpkin Muffins

A friend sent me this recipe to share. Shortly after, I came across another version so I thought I'd share both with you and let you decide which you'd like to try!

Version #1:

1 Spice Cake mix
1 can pumpkin (not pie mix)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Mix all together and put in muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.

Version #2:

1 cake mix - butter, vanilla, chocolate (you choose)
3/4 can pumpkin

Mix just these two ingredients together. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Makes 12 - really!

**I tried Version #2 with a French Vanilla cake mix, however, I topped each muffin with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a pinch of ground pecans before baking. Yuummmmm!!!

Let me know how you made yours and your comments!

Hot "Spiked" Cider

This recipe is made on the stove in a regular saucepan, then poured into the Beverage Server to keep nice and hot while it's being served through the day! Double or triple the recipe for a crowd.

1 quart water
3 orange spice tea bags
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups light rum
8 cinnamon sticks
3 teaspoons butter

Pour water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and toss in the orange spice tea bags. Cover and let steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and stir in sugar, apple cider, rum, and 2 of the cinnamon sticks. Heat just to steaming -- do not boil.

Pour mixture into your stoneware Beverage Server.

Serve into mugs and drop 1/2 teaspoon butter into each. Garnish with a cinnamon "swizzle" stick.

**this makes a strong drink. Adding more cider will tone it down a bit if you prefer.

Sherried Beef

3 pounds lean beef, cubed in 1-1/2 inch cubes
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup cooking sherry (or wine of your choice)
1/2 package dry onion soup mix

Combine all ingredients in your beanpot. Cover. Bake in a 250 degree oven for 3 hours. Enjoy!

Bacon Cheese Pull-Aparts

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 (16.3-oz.) can Grands!® Flaky Layers Refrigerated Biscuits

1 (2.1-oz.) pkg. precooked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or you can use bacon bits!)

3 oz. (3/4 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (4 medium)

In your 9 x 13 casserole dish, beat egg and milk with wire whisk until smooth.

Separate dough into 8 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Gently stir biscuit pieces into egg mixture to coat evenly. Fold in bacon, cheese and onions. Arrange biscuit pieces in single layer.

Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 23 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into squares. Enjoy!

**try this with all different types of shredded cheese! No time to chop onions? Sprinkle onion powder lightly over all after biscuits have been arranged in the single layer.

Spinach Casserole

1 (16 oz) carton cottage cheese
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 (10 oz) package chopped spinach, drained
3 eggs

Break open eggs into your 8 x 8 baker and beat well. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Bake 45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Enjoy!

**Use lowfat or nonfat cheeses in this dish for a healthy alternative. You can also substitute a 10 oz package of any other vegetable if you're not fond of spinach :)

Souffle Potato

2 2/3 cups mashed potato mix
1 egg, beaten
1 (2.8 oz) can French fried onion rings
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

in your 8 x 8 baker or casserole dish/tortilla warmer, prepare mashed potato mix according to package directions. Add egg and onions and stir until blended. Level out in pan.

Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. Serves 6. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This is a great variation of the Sopapilla Cheesecake done in an earlier post. This one is just in time for the holidays!

2 cans crescent rolls (8 count each)
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Cinnamon
Pecans, finely chopped or ground, amount varies by personal preference

Lay crescent rolls out in your hospitality set, 6 on each long side, 2 on each end, with the fat part of the triangle in the center of the dish and the points hanging over the edges.

Mix cream cheese, pumpkin, both sugars and vanilla. Spread out in the center of the dish on top of the crescent rolls. Sprinkle cinnamon over mixture. Sprinkle desired amount of pecans over the top of this.

Flip pointed ends of the crescent rolls up and over the top. When you are finished, this should look like a braid. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes! Enjoy!

**if you'd like, you can brush the top with butter before baking, but it is definitely NOT necessary. This is great served with whipped topping!

Chicken Gumbo

1 (15 oz approx) can chicken breast
1/2 pound smoked sausage (kielbasa)
1 bag vegetable mixture (broccoli, corn and red peppers) OR 1 bag okra and 1 bag corn
1 (14 oz) can stewed or diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water

Place all ingredients in your beanpot. Microwave 10 minutes on HIGH. Stir. Microwave another 10 minutes on HIGH. Serve and Enjoy!

**This is a great recipe to substitute ingredients with. Choose your favorite vegetables and type of tomatoes. Use Rotel or a can of chilies to give the dish a kick! Use 2 cans of chicken and no sausage, or leave out the chicken and double the sausage to a full pound (or more!).

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

If you like the sopapilla cheesecake, you're gonna LOVE this!

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 package (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup caramel topping

Unroll dough into 2 long rectangles. Press 1 rectangle in bottom of 8x8 baker.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg; beat on low speed (or with fork/spoon) just until mixed. Fold in chocolate chips; spread over crust. Top with remaining rectangle of dough. Press out to edges of dish. Drizzle with caramel topping.

Bake at 375°F 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 hour. Cut into 3 rows by 3 rows to make 9 bars. Cut each bar diagonally into 2 triangles. Store covered in refrigerator.

Pork Tenderloin Supreme

2 (1 1/2 pound) pork tenderloin (total 3 pounds)
1 can tomato soup
1 package onion soup mix
2 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce

Place tenderloin in beanpot. Cover with remaining ingredients.

With cover on, bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours. Cut meat into 1-inch slices. Pour soup-gravy over slices of meat. Enjoy!

Lemon Cookies

1 lemon cake mix
1 stick margarine, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg

Mix all ingredients in your Large Serving Bowl, blending well.

Drop by teaspoonful onto seasoned baking stone. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 - 12 minutes. Enjoy!

**make any kind of cookies you like, just by changing the cake mix. The possibilities are endless!!

Pecan Chicken

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup pecans, finely ground

Combine honey and mustard. Spread on both sides of chicken. Roll chicken in pecans. Place in 8x8 if using smaller chicken breasts or 9 x 13 for larger pieces.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Enjoy!

**Use your food processor to grind pecans. I make extra and save them for another dish like bread, cookies, or frosting when I want the pecan flavor but not a big bite of nuts.

Ice Cream Salad

***Because there is NO bad time of the year for ice cream!

1 (3 oz) package orange Jello
1 cup boiling water
1 pint ice cream, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained

Dissolve Jello in boiling water in your 8 x 8 baker. Mix in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until set.

**Play With Your Food!!! Try different types of Jello, fruit and ice cream!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
6 oz chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients. Drop by teaspoonful on seasoned baking stone. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Place stone on cooling rack for 5 minutes then remove cookies. Enjoy!

**you can change the type of cake mix and the types of chips (peanut butter, butterscotch, white chocolate) to create many different types of cookies!!!

**to season your baking stone, put it in the oven at 350 for 1 - 2 hours. The more you use it then, the more seasoned it will get. It WILL turn brown.

UPDATE ** A friend suggested adding 1/2 cup nuts also and add them and the chocolate chips after you've mixed the other ingredients. Thanks Carol!

Cranberry Ham

1 (2 inch thick) slice ham
1 cup whole cranberry sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cloves (optional)

Place ham slice in beanpot. Spoon cranberry sauce evenly over ham. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cloves. Cover. Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 1 hour. Enjoy!

***add a drained can of sweet potatoes to top of ham before adding cranberry sauce. Follow rest of recipe as directed. Yuuummm!

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

6 - 8 thick pork chops
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup honey

Combine honey, soy and chili sauce in your 9 x 13 dish. Place pork chops on top, then turn to coat.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Enjoy!

**this sauce works well if you want to use cut up Kielbasa, green peppers and onions instead of pork chops!

German Baby

This dish if fantastic! I made it this morning and had a hard time not eating the whole thing myself!!! I sprinkled a very small amount of powdered sugar on the top, then ate it with bananas and vanilla yogurt - Yuummmmm!

1/4 cup butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, optional (yea right!)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While oven is preheating, put 1/4 cup butter in 8 x 8 baker and place in the oven for butter to melt.

In your blender (or bowl using a mixer), blend the eggs, milk and flour. When oven is at full temp and butter is melted, pour batter into baker and return to oven.

Bake for 20 minutes. It will rise like a souffle, then fall when taken out of oven. Lightly dust with powdered sugar and serve. Enjoy!

**you can serve with syrup, heated pie filling, yogurt, etc. in place of powdered sugar.

Onion Roasted Potatoes

1 envelope onion soup mix
4 medium all purpose potatoes, cut into large chunks
1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil

Pour oil into your 9 x 13 casserole dish. Add onion soup mix and blend together with fork.

Add potatoes and stir until potatoes are coated. Arrange potatoes evenly in bottom of dish.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown. Enjoy!

**bake time will vary by oven. Electric and gas ovens cook slightly different.

*****Play With Your Food!! Try different types of dip mixes in place of the onion soup mix for a different flavor every time you make this :)

Orange Soak Cake

1 box orange cake mix, plus ingredients listed on back of box
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup orange juice

Prepare cake mix as directed on box - mix and bake right in your 9 x 13 casserole dish!

Poke holes in top of warm cake with tines of fork.

Mix powdered sugar and orange juice to make glaze. Pour glaze over warm cake. Enjoy warm or let it cool - either way is delicious!

**if you like a thinner glaze, just add a bit more orange juice. If you like a richer glaze, add 2 Tablespoons melted butter to powdered sugar and orange juice.

Easy Beef Stroganoff

3 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed cream of chicken or mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 pounds cubed beef stew meat

Combine all ingredients in your bean pot. Cover and cook at 325 degrees for 3 hours or 225 degrees for 6 hours. Serve over hot cooked wild rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Pie

This recipe takes a bit more work, but the results are well worth the effort! It can be made ahead of time and refrigerated in your stoneware. Just set the prepared dish out for 15 - 30 minutes before placing in hot oven to reduce the risk of it cracking.

8 - 12 oz spaghetti
2 Tablespoons butter
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1 (15 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

Cook spaghetti according to package directions and drain. Stir in butter, Parmesan cheese and egg. Lay spaghetti evenly in bottom of your 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Spread cottage cheese over spaghetti layer.

Brown ground beef, adding onion and green pepper to soften. Drain. Add spaghetti sauce and mix. Layer mixture over the cottage cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over meat and bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand a few minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

**So many options for this one to Play With Your Food! Substitute Italian Sausage in place of the hamburger. Use frozen chopped onions/green peppers to save time or use a spaghetti sauce that already has the meat and seasonings in it! Substitute low/no fat dairy ingredients, egg beaters, and low sodium spaghetti sauce. Add mushroom, olives etc. Eliminate onions and peppers.

Creative Ideas

Just a few quick ideas to dress up meals and snacks!

Add 1 - 2 teaspoons of dry dip mix to your Alfredo Sauce

Add 2 Tablespoons Southwestern Chipotle Dip Mix to 6 cups cooked rice and 1 can Rotel

Use any of the savory dip mixes as a rub for beef, chicken, pork or seafood

When made into a dip, the Southwestern Chipotle, the Salsa Ranch and the BLT are great with French Fries

Add 2 - 3 Tablespoons any dry dip mix flavor to your bread machine recipe

Use any savory dip mix to flavor sour cream to use on a baked potato

Sprinkle dry seasoning mix on potato wedges before baking

Mix 2 Tablespoons of sweet dry seasoning mix with 1/2 cup melted butter. Pour over popped bag of microwave popcorn.

Microwave Potato Wedges

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt or salt free seasoning blend
1 unpeeled medium baking potato
Parmesan cheese

Combine the first four ingredients in your beanpot or covered casserole dish.

Cut potato lengthwise into eight wedges; add to the seasoning mixture and stir to coat.

Cover and microwave on High for 6 - 8 minutes until tender. Sprinkle with desired amount of Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

**This recipe serves one or two.

Creamy Orange Salad

1 (6 oz) package orange Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 oz) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

In your small serving bowl, dissolve Jell-O in boiling water.

In large serving bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually blend in the hot Jell-O mixture, beating on low speed until smooth.

Stir in the milk; fold in the whipped topping. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Enjoy!

Quick French Onion Biscuits

2 cups Bisquick
1/4 cup milk
1 container (8 oz) French onion dip

Stir all ingredients until soft dough forms. Drop dough into 6 mounds into each space in the muffin baker or in the 9 x 13 casserole dish or on the round baking stone.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 12 - 14 minutes or until light golden brown. Enjoy!

**if using the round baking stone, spray lightly with cooking spray. All other Celebrating Home stoneware doesn't need treated before use.

Garlic Chicken Alfredo

1 (16 oz) jar Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce - or regular Alfredo Sauce
4 - 6 boneless chicken breast - fresh or frozen
1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
8 oz spaghetti, hot cooked
Parmesan cheese

Pour about 1/3 of the sauce into your beanpot. Add chicken. Top with mushrooms and remaining sauce. Cover and cook at 200 degrees for 6 - 8 hours OR 350 for 1 hour.
Serve with hot cooked spaghetti and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

**Fresh chicken breasts are generally thicker so you may need a few extra minutes to your cooking time at 350 degrees if you are preparing 6. Four fresh chicken breasts should cook fine in the allotted time. Quantity of chicken will not alter the slow cooking time.

Easy Beans

Let this bake right next to your chicken wings (previous recipe) and enjoy a great dinner during the Football Game!

3 cans of B & M or Bush beans
1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons dry mustard

Mix everything together in your beanpot. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. The jelly on the sauce will melt but the cranberries stay whole giving you the best baked beans you've ever had!

**don't have 2 beanpots to make both recipes at the same time? Use your large stoneware serving bowl covered with the stoneware plate!

Glazed Chicken Wings

3 pounds wings (or any chicken pieces!)
1 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (or 2 teaspoons minced from the jar)
Dash of pepper

Combine all but the chicken in your beanpot. Mix well. Add chicken and turn to coat.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

**For best results, baste or turn chicken every 15-20 minutes.

Strawberry Upside Down Cake

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 (6 oz) or 2 (3 oz) packages strawberry Jell-O
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 yellow cake mix, batter prepared as directed on package

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread sliced strawberries evenly on bottom of 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Sprinkle dry Jell-O over top of strawberries.
Top with mini marshmallows.
Prepare cake mix as directed on package and pour over top of marshmallows.
Bake 40 - 50 minutes.
Cool 15 minutes then turn out onto serving platter (or serve right out of the pan!)
Store cake in the refrigerator.

Tippin's Style Corn Bread

1 box Jiffy yellow cake mix
1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup water
¼ cup oil

Mix all ingredients in your 8 x 8 baking dish and let stand 5 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 15 – 20 minutes, until top is golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Enjoy!

Pssst: The Jiffy cake mix is smaller than a regular cake mix!

Quick Tuna Casserole

1 (6 1/2 oz) can tuna, drained
3 cups Rice Krispies
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken noodle soup

Mix all ingredients in your beanpot. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

**This sounds strange enough that you're thinking you've just got to try it yourself. Right? Remember to use store brands and you have a tasty, quick to prepare dish for around $2.00!

Cowboy Potatoes

1 (32 oz) bag frozen shredded hash browns
1 stick butter, melted
1 pint whipping cream
Seasoned salt

Place has browns in your 9 x 13 casserole dish. Melt butter and pour over potatoes. Pour whipping cream over potatoes. Sprinkle with seasoned salt.

Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes. Enjoy!

Bubble Up Pizza

1 (14 oz) jar or can spaghetti sauce
3 cans refrigerated cheap biscuits
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
Canned sliced mushrooms (you choose how much!)
Canned sliced black olives (again, quantity is your choice!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut each biscuit into quarters (using scissors works best). Arrange half of the biscuit pieces evenly over bottom of 9 x 13 casserole dish. Bottom of dish may not be completely covered. Spread biscuits with half of the sauce, then 1/2 of the mushrooms and olives, then half the cheese. Repeat layers.

Bake 23 - 28 minutes or until golden brown.

**you can add any other pizza toppings you like, ie: sliced pepperoni, onions, green peppers, browned and drained sausage or hamburger, pineapple tidbits etc. Play With Your Food!!

Hot Fudge Cake

1 package chocolate cake mix without pudding
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prepare cake batter according to package directions right in your Bean Pot. Level out.

Stir together sugar, cocoa, hot water, and vanilla. Pour it over the batter (it will sink to the bottom).

DO NOT STIR. Put the lid on your Bean Pot and place in the microwave for 9-10 minutes, or until your pick comes out clean. (Bottom will be syrup). Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

**this recipe comes from another Designer so I haven't tried it myself yet but it's on my menu for tonight!

UPDATE*** I made this last night and OMG it was fabulous and so quick and easy! I see many more of these in my future!! :)

Broccoli Corn Bread

1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
1 pkg (8.5 oz) corn muffin mix
1/3 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using your 9" x 13" stoneware casserole dish, melt 1/2 cup butter in the oven. When melted, add 4 eggs and beat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread to level in the pan. Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown on top (or when knife or toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean). Enjoy!

Chicken Rice

2 cans (approx. 10 oz each) chicken
1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice Mix
1 can cream mushroom soup
1/2 soup can milk

Mix all ingredients in your beanpot. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Stir. Enjoy!

Tropical Five Cup Fruit Salad

1 cup sour cream
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup mandarin orange slices, drained

Combine all ingredients thoroughly in your beanpot. Chill in refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Enjoy!

**if you don't like one or more of the ingredients in this recipe, don't forget to "Play With Your Food" !!

Good Ole Baked Beans

2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon mustard
1 cup catsup
2 (15 oz) cans pork and beans

Combine all ingredients in your bean pot. Cover. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serves 6 to 8. Enjoy!

**You can lay a few strips of bacon on the top if you like or add some cut up hot dogs or little smokies to make it a complete meal!

Caramel Apple Dip

1 (8 oz) cream cheese
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Soften cream cheese and mix in brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Serve chilled with apple slices.

**this is great served in your Hospitality Set. Peel the outside leaves from a washed head of lettuce and lay out in the stoneware tray. Lay apple slices on top of the lettuce leaves. Put the cream cheese mix in the attached dip bowl. Enjoy!

**to keep apple slices from turning brown I put them in a zip lock bag and poured Sprite over the slices. When I was ready for them several hours later, I just drained them well and blotted with a paper towel. Looked like they were freshly sliced. I think any lemon/lime soda or ginger ale will work.

Strawberry Butter

Just because it's soooo good........and soooo easy!

1 package (10 oz) frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Cover and process until completely blended and smooth. Serve with bagels, English muffins or toast. Enjoy!

**refrigerate any leftovers (yeah right!)

Mozzarella Bread Squares

2 tubes (8 count) refrigerated crescent rolls
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 cups - (2 - 8 oz bags) shredded mozzarella cheese

Line your stoneware Hostess Hospitality dish with the crescent rolls - the wide end in the middle and the points laying over the edges.

Brush with butter; sprinkle with garlic powder and cheese. Fold points up and over into the middle of the dish. Should resemble a braid.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes until top is golden brown. Slice into strips or squares. Enjoy!

Barbecue Muffins

1 (10 oz) tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 package frozen meatballs, any variety - thawed (or defrost in microwave)
1/4 - 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, your favorite
1 cup shredded cheese, your favorite flavor

Separate dough into biscuits; flatten into 5 inch circles. Press each into the bottom and up the sides of your ungreased stoneware Berry or Veranda (white) Muffin Baker.

Place one meatball in the biscuit lined muffin cup. Add small amount of BBQ sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 18 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes and remove from muffin baker. Enjoy!

Beer Cheese Dip

16 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
16 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (12 oz) bottle dark beer
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. red pepper powder
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Place all ingredients in your bean pot or large stoneware serving bowl. Cover and microwave on High for 3 minutes. Stir. Cover and microwave for an additional 2 minutes. Stir and serve. Enjoy!

**time for the second heating may vary slightly according to the wattage of your microwave. If you need additional time, heat in 1 to 1 1/2 minute increments.

Spinach Casserole

2 eggs
5 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. salt

Beat eggs and flour in your 8 x 8 baker until smooth. Stir in spinach, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese and salt. Mix well. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Enjoy!

Creamy Cheesy Chicken Bake

4 - 6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (or your favorite cream soup)
16 oz sour cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Put chicken in bottom of bean pot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 - 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand 5 minutes before serving over rice or egg noodles. Enjoy!

Yorkshire Pudding

1 cup flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients in your 9 x 13 stoneware casserole dish. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes until it is solid.

English use this as a substitute for potato, pour gravy over and eat, or you can eat with butter or jam. Enjoy!

Grasshopper Cake

This is one of my favorites any time of year!

1 box white cake mix
1/3 cup Creme de Menthe ice cream topping
1 (8 oz) tub of Cool Whip
1 big jar of hot fudge topping
5 Tbsp. Creme de Menthe ice cream topping

Mix white cake mix as directed on box adding 1/3 cup Creme de Menthe topping to the batter. Bake according to package directions in your ungreased stoneware 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Read directions on hot fudge jar for microwave, heat and pour over cake using a spatula to spread hot fudge all over top of cake. Cool in refrigerator.

Mix Creme de Menthe (5 Tbsp) and Cool Whip. Frost cake with Cool Whip mixture and place in refrigerator. Serve cold. Enjoy!

**need more chocolate? Add chocolate chips or shaved chocolate curls to the top for decoration!

Best Ever Meatballs

1 bag frozen Italian style meatballs
1 small jar grape jelly
1 regular size bottle of barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)
1 can cream of mushroom soup.

Thaw (defrost) meatballs. Mix rest of the ingredients together in bean pot. Add meatballs and cover. Bake for approximately 1 hour at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

**Don't be afraid of the ingredients. Trust me, this is great!!!!

Candied Kielbasa

1 link of Kielbasa (sausage)
1 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar

Cut Kielbasa in pieces into your stoneware beanpot. Add ketchup and brown sugar and mix well. Cover and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Microwave Chicken and Noodles

This is great in the summer!

2 - 12 1/2 oz cans of chicken breast
4 cans water (empty chicken cans)
2 Tbsp chicken soup base or bouillon
2 - 1 oz envelopes of chicken gravy mix
1 lb bag of homemade style noodles (Reames)

Combine chicken, water and soup base in bean pot and stir. Cover and microwave 10 minutes on high. Remove from microwave and add both envelopes of gravy mix. Stir until dissolved. Add noodles in small amounts until bag is empty stirring as you add. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes on high. Remove lid and stir. Leave lid off and cook 10 more minutes. Let stand to thicken. Enjoy!

Jalapeno Quiche

This will definitely get you jump started in the morning, but I highly recommend it for brunch or dinner!

1/2 jar sliced jalapeno peppers, drained
2 lb cheddar cheese (four 8 oz bags)
8 eggs

Layer jalapeno's on bottom of stoneware 9 x 13 pan. Spread cheese over top of peppers. Beat eggs and pour over the top of the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. making sure top is golden brown and eggs are set. Top with salsa if desired. Enjoy!

** you can cut this recipe in half for a smaller group. 1/4 jar sliced jalapenos, 1 lb (2 bags) cheese, 4 eggs

Cooking for Tom

It's fun to cook for Tom. Today I made angel food cake. The recipe said beat 12 eggs separately. The neighbors were nice enough to loan me some extra bowls.

Tom wanted fruit salad for supper. The recipe said serve without dressing. So I didn't dress. What a surprise when Tom brought a friend home for supper.

A good day for rice. The recipe said wash thoroughly before steaming the rice. It seemed kind of silly, but I took a bath anyway. I can't say it improved the rice any.

Today Tom asked for salad. I tried a new recipe. It said prepare ingredients; lay on a bed of lettuce one hour before serving. Tom asked me why I was rolling around in the garden.

I found an easy recipe for cookies. It said put the ingredients in a bowl and beat it. There must have been something wrong with this recipe. When I got back, everything was the same as when I left.

Tom did the shopping today and brought home a chicken. He asked me to dress it for Sunday. I don't have any clothes that fit it, and for some reason Tom keeps counting to ten.

Tom's folks came to dinner. I wanted to serve roast, but all I had was hamburger. Suddenly I had a flash of genius. I put the hamburger in the oven and set the controls for roast. It still came out hamburger, much to my disappointment.

GOOD NIGHT DEAR DIARY. This has been a very exciting week! I am eager for tomorrow to come so I can try out a new recipe on Tom. If I can talk Tom into buying a bigger oven, I would like to surprise him with a chocolate moose.

Twinkie Cake

Well, since I gave you a recipe yesterday that was full of sugar, I thought today I'd go for a much lighter version - lighter on the calories that is, not the flavor! Thanks Madrene for sharing this great recipe!

1 Box low-fat Twinkies
1 large or 2 small packages of sugar-free strawberry Jello
1 large container fat-free Cool Whip

Place Twinkies in your stoneware 9x13 pan. Mix Jello according to box directions and pour over Twinkies. Refrigerate until Jello is set. Spread Cool Whip over top like frosting.

If you want, you can jazz it up by putting strawberry halves or blueberries on top of the Cool Whip. Enjoy!

Lemon Poke Cake

My family love, love, LOVES this cake! It's light, sugary and very refreshing!

1 box lemon cake mix, plus ingredients listed on box
1/3 cup lemon juice (bottle or plastic lemon is ok)
2 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar

Mix cake according to package directions directly in your stoneware 9 x 13 casserole dish - no need to grease and flour the pan! Bake according to times listed on the package in a preheated oven. Knife inserted into middle of the cake comes out clean when cake is done.

While cake is still warm, poke holes in top of cake using a fork - poke LOTS of holes! Mix lemon juice and confectioners sugar until well blended then pour over top of warm cake. Let cool. Cake will have a nice glaze and the mixture will have run down the holes filling the cake with more sugary goodness! If you want to get fancy, you can top each piece with whipped cream and a lemon slice. Enjoy!

**picture from www.allrecipes.com

Chili Cheese Pie

YES I know it's too hot for chili, but this dish is sooo easy, it's hard to pass up when you're in a hurry!

2 (15 12/ oz) cans chili
1/2 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
3/4 cup water
1 (16 oz) package cornbread mix

Pour chili into your 8 x 8 stoneware baker. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Stir water into cornbread mix and beat until smooth. Pour cornbread batter over chili. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!

Just received this message and thought I'd share it with you all. Lori tried something different with the ice cream cake. LOVE that she's confident enough now to "play" with her food! :)

Hey, just wanted to let you know I added chocolate syrup between the layers in the ice cream cake and didn't do the cherry pie filling (cuz you know my picky husband would not eat that) Anyway, it was delicious! Lori

Slow Cooked Brisket

Not only does this taste good, but the smell will draw visitors from miles around! OK, well maybe not with the windows closed this summer, but you get the idea.....:)

1 (3 pound) beef brisket
2 (12 oz) bottles chili sauce
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 tsp. minced garlic

Place the beef in your stoneware bean pot. Put the minced garlic on top of the brisket and with the back of a spoon, evenly distribute it. Shake the dry onion soup mix over brisket. Dump the two bottles of chili sauce evenly over all.

Cover and bake at 225 degrees for 6 - 8 hours. Slice the brisket against the grain. Enjoy!

Pancake Casserole

There is really only one word to describe this - yuummm!

1-1/2 cups baking mix (Bisquick)
1-1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup maple flavored syrup (I used regular pancake syrup)
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
12 slices bacon; cooked and crumbled (you can use real bacon bits instead!)

In your ungreased 8 x 8 stoneware baking dish, beat together baking mix, 1/2 cup cheese, milk, syrup, sugar and eggs (wire wisk or electric beaters) only until small lumps remain. Spread evenly in pan.

Microwave uncovered on High for 5 1/2 - 7 1/2 minutes (depends on microwave wattage). If your microwave doesn't spin, rotate the dish a quarter turn every 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon. Microwave, uncovered until cheese is melted!

**I sprinkled mine with a bit of powdered sugar and served with fresh fruit. Makes a beautiful plate to serve!

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

Thanks Madrene for another quick, easy and delicious dessert!

1 package of 1-step angel food cake mix
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple

Dump dry angel food cake mix into your ungreased stoneware 9 x 13 pan. Add pineapple (including juice) and mix. Spread evenly in the pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and Enjoy!

**for a fun variance, add a few marachino cherries to the top of the cake before you bake it. You can also drizzle a bit of the cherry juice in a fun swirl pattern on top as well!

Apricot Honey Chicken

So easy and So delicious!

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
3 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons orange juice
4 teaspoons honey

Place the chicken breasts in your stoneware beanpot. Ccombine the preserves, orange juice and honey and pour over the top. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Chicken is done when a meat thermometer reads 170°. Yield: 4 servings.

**original recipe and picture from Taste of Home

Eggs in Potato Pockets

Great for Saturday morning breakfast!

4 cups instant mashed potatoes
1/2 tsp minced onion
1 Tbsp. chopped pimento
1/4 tsp pepper
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup grated cheese, your choice of flavor!
1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon (or finely chopped ham)

Prepare potatoes as directed on package in your 8 x 8 stoneware Baker. Mix in onion, pimento and pepper. Spread level in baker. Make four 1/2" depressions in potatoes. Break eggs into these depressions. Sprinkle with salt, cheese and bacon. Bake in slow oven (325 degrees) for 40 minutes or until eggs are consistency you desire.

**you can double this recipe and use your 9 x 13 stoneware casserole dish if you are feeding a larger group or just have a really hungry breakfast crowd!

Red Hot Salad

Great way to keep your cool on a hot summer day!

6 oz Cherry jello (2 pkgs)
4 oz. Red Hots Candy
3 cups boiling water
20 oz can pineapple, crushed, undrained
2 cups applesauce

Empty both packages of cherry jello into your 9 x 13 stoneware casserole dish. Add red hot candy. Pour 3 cups boiling water over all and stir until dissolved. Set aside and let cool till room temperature. When jello is cooled, add pineapple and applesauce. Stir until evenly distributed. Refrigerate until set. Serve and enjoy!

Busy-Day Popovers

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Pour into muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

**pictured is the NEW Berry Muffin Baker.

Weight Watcher's Chocolate Cake

Dieters Unite! This cake is wonderful! The pumpkin lends fantastic moisture to the cake without adding the pumpkin taste. In the end, it's all about the chocolate. Yummmm!


Chocolate cake mix with pudding
1 (15.5 oz) can of pumpkin
1/8 cup water

Mix dry cake mix, pumpkin and water in your large Serving Bowl. Cover with stoneware plate. Microwave for 11 minutes. Cool. Loosen from bowl and invert onto plate. Enjoy!

**check cake for doneness by inserting knife into center of cake. If no cake sticks to the knife, it is done. Add cooking time in 1.5 minute increments as needed. Microwave cooking times will vary by wattage.

BBQ Country Ribs

This recipe is a contribution from my son-in-law, Matt, who shows that cooking in a beanpot is so easy - even a guy can do it! (Sorry Matt, I had to do that!) However, with that said, this recipe comes with absolutely no measurements. That's ok, be brave. You add all the ingredients according to your taste and trust me, you won't mess it up!

6 meaty country pork ribs
1 can Dr. Pepper
BBQ sauce
Ketchup
Brown sugar
garlic, fresh diced or from the jar
onion, diced

Place ribs in the beanpot and add the rest of the ingredients. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.
**As with any meat dish in the beanpot, you can cook it longer at a lower temperature if you prefer slow cooking. For every hour that you want to add to the cooking time, reduce your temperature 25 degrees.
Enjoy!

Corn Casserole

This dish is so easy, it's hard to actually call it cooking !

1 can whole kernel corn - do not drain
1 can cream corn
1/2 lb Velveeta (1 cup)
1 cup uncooked macaroni
1/2 stick butter
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together in your beanpot and bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Stir once halfway through cooking time. Enjoy!

Awesome Cheese Dip

1 lb chub of Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 can Chili No Beans
1 can Rotel, undrained

Add all ingredients to beanpot. Cover. Microwave on High for 3 minutes. Stir. Microwave covered another 3 minutes. Stir. Enjoy!

Time Saving Tip!

Buy your ground beef in bulk. Fry it, drain and cool. Package in Ziploc bags in 1 lb amounts. Freeze.

In a hurry? Quick defrost and use in any recipe calling for cooked ground beef!

**For the Hamburger Helper lover - dump cooked ground beef and entire contents of Hamburger Helper box into your beanpot. Cover and microwave for 20 minutes. Stir and serve. You may need to adjust your cooking time depending on the wattage of your microwave.

**Use the same tip for your boneless, skinless chicken breast. Cook, cool then slice or chop and freeze. Quick use for casseroles, salad etc. when you're on the go!

Cowboy Beans

Quick and easy idea for summertime BBQ's!

Place in your bean pot:

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
2 small onions, chopped (or 1 cup frozen onions)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Add:

1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can lima beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can navy beans, drained
1/4 cup Ketchup
18 oz bottle Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce, any brand
Season with salt and pepper

Cover and cook in oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. **you may mix and match the cans of beans to suit your taste

Garden Fresh Veggies

Wash and cube – summer squash, zuccinni, carrots, onion, green peppers and red peppers.

Place in Beanpot (NO liquid required!) and sprinkle with Garlic Powder.

Cover and microwave on high 10 minutes. Add cubed tomatoes and cook covered another 5 minutes.

All veggies are done and tender with no added salt or calories!

Ice Cream Cake

1 Angel Food cake (homemade or store bought), cut in 12 slices
1 half gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 can cherry pie filling
Chocolate chips (or dark chocolate shavings)

Layer 4 slices of angel food cake on the bottom of your bean pot. Spread vanilla ice cream on top of the cake. Do this until you have 3 layers. Cover and put in freezer until firm, about 3 hours.

When ready to serve, take out of freezer and scoop into dessert bowls. Pour heated cherry pie filling over cake and sprinkle with chocolate chips or dark chocolate shavings. Delicious!

**This recipe is great for summer potlucks. Use fresh fruit like strawberries in place of the heated cherry pie filling - but of course, still top with the chocolate!!

Sour Cream Rice with Chilies

2 cups uncooked instant rice
2 cups chicken broth
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can (4 oz) chopped mild green chilies, drained

Mix rice, broth and garlic powder in Bean Pot. Cover and microwave on HIGH 9-10 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese, sour cream and chilies. Cover and microwave 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and let stand about 4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Garlic Cheese Potatoes

3 cans (15 oz) sliced potatoes, drained
1/2 stick butter
2-3 cloves chopped garlic (or 2 tsp minced garlic from jar)
2 chopped scallions
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In microwave, melt butter with garlic in Bean Pot. Add potatoes and mix to coat.

Sprinkle scallions and Parmesan cheese on top.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove top and let brown for 7 minutes on 400 degrees.

Not A First Date Dish!

Thanks to Lori W. for sharing this story!

Lori, an exuberant cook thanks to her Celebrating Home stoneware recently tried the Beanpot Corn On The Cob. She tells me that the corn was cooked perfectly and very juicy, which she discovered when her first bite shot juice at her husband and the fight was on! Bite for bite they battled to see who had better aim and the juicier ear of corn (no clear winner was declared). Moral of the story? Lori says that while this made for an entertaining dinner it is definitely not a First Date recipe idea!!!

Doesn't Last Dessert!

12 ice cream sandwiches
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip
2 large Butterfinger candy bars, crushed

Line the bottom of your 9 x 13 casserole dish with ice cream sandwiches.

Spread Cool Whip thickly and evenly over sandwiches.

Sprinkle Butterfinger crumbs over top.

Cover with wrap and freeze until ready to serve! Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

4 eggs
2 cups shredded zucchini including peeling
3/4 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (4 1/2 oz) instant chocolate pudding (I used white chocolate)
1 1/2 tsp. instant decaf coffee (I used cocoa)
1 pkg. chocolate cake mix (I used Devil's food)

Beat eggs, zucchini, oil, vanilla and chocolate pudding in your 9 x 13 stoneware casserole dish (no need to grease first). Add coffee (or cocoa), cake mix (dry out of the box) and beat at low speed until moist. Spread to level out in the pan.

Bake 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done. Top with chocolate buttercream frosting:

1 stick butter, softened
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 box powdered sugar (1 lb)
1 tsp vanilla
Milk to thin

Add all ingredients to your large serving bowl and mix well! Spread on cooled cake - if you can wait that long! Enjoy :)

Tamale Casserole

Thanks JoAnne for sharing this quick and easy recipe! Party guests were asked if this recipe was good enough for the blog! Hands down - YES! Yummm!

Ingredients

1 jar (13-1/2 ounces) tamales (or two cans - unwrap tamales)
1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups corn chips, coarsely crushed, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (guests recommended more cheese!)
1 to 2 ounces sliced cheddar cheese (Kraft American cheese is great also)

Directions

Cut tamales into 3/4-in. slices. Place in your 8 x 8 Stoneware Baker. Top with half of the chili and onion. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup corn chips and shredded cheese. Top with remaining chili and onion.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining corn chips. Arrange cheese slices over top. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until chips are crisp and cheese is melted. Yield: 3-4 servings. **Top with sour cream and/or sliced jalapenos if desired.

Beanpot Corn on the Cob

It's that time of year again! Use your beanpot to create the best tasting corn on the cob you and your family will ever eat! AND it's soooooo easy! It's OK, you can thank me later :)

Place your Fresh Shucked Corn on the Cob in the Bean Pot. Put 2 inches of water in the bean pot. Put in the microwave with the lid on for 13 min. Enjoy!

Over-the-Top Blueberry Bread Pudding

This recipe is shared by my daughter Renee who along with her friends claim it is will cause a 5 pound weight gain! Sounds like my kind of recipe!

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 package (10 to 12 ounces) white baking chips
• 1 loaf (1 pound) French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 
  SAUCE:
• 1 package (10 to 12 ounces) white baking chips
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

• In your 13-in. x 9 in. baking dish combine the eggs, cream, sugar and vanilla. Stir in blueberries and baking chips. Stir in bread cubes; let stand for 15 minutes or until bread is softened.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
• For sauce, in your small serving bowl, bring cream just to a boil in your microwave (time will vary depending on your microwave). Add baking chips; whisk until smooth. Serve with bread pudding. Yield: 12 servings.

Beanpot Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 (10-ounce) container refrigerated Alfredo sauce
12 ounce can evaporated milk
1-1/3 cups whole milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 pound macaroni pasta
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded American cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

In your beanpot, beat Alfredo sauce with the fresh and evaporated milks, egg, and mustard. Stir in UNCOOKED macaroni and all of the shredded cheeses, butter, pepper, onion and garlic powders, and salt; mix well.

Pour into 3 1/2 or 4 quart beanpot. Cover and cook at 225 degrees for 3 to 4 hours; test to make sure macaroni is cooked. Do NOT stir or remove the lid while this dish is cooking. Serves 4-6

Ham and Broccoli Bake

Thanks Lori for this fantastic recipe! All your party guests loved it, so I thought I'd share it so everyone could enjoy it!

2 rolls of crescent rolls
2c diced ham (turkey or chicken work well also)
1c chopped broccoli
1c diced sweet red pepper
2c shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 onion, diced
3T dijon mustard

Mix all ingredients except rolls and 1c cheese. Lay crescent rolls in your Hostess Hospitality Set dish overlapping points out in baking dish. Pour mix ingredients over larger part of rolls pat down, fold point of rolls over filling. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

• 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted
• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions

• Using a 9 x 13 baking pan, unroll one package of refrigerated crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan

• Flatten.

• Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and extract.

• Spread over the crescent rolls.

• Unroll the other can of crescent rolls and place on top of cream cheese mixture.

• Pour one stick of melted butter or margarine over the top and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Thanks for sharing Renee (both the cheesecake AND the recipe). This was FANTASTIC!

Time Savers

To save time and money in the kitchen, buy ground beef in bulk when it is on sale. Brown the beef and place in ziploc freezer bags, 1 pound in each bag. Place in freezer. When you are in a hurry, just grab a bag and dinner is ready in a snap! Great for quick soup, Hamburger Helper, chili etc. No need to defrost, just dump all ingredients into your beanpot and microwave or place in oven!

The same tip may be used for bacon, pork, chicken etc. Just cook your meat, put individual portions in ziplocs and freeze!

Beanpot Potato and Corn Chowder

1 (16 oz) bag frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 (15 1/4 oz) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (14 3/4 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 medium onion, chopped
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together in bean pot and cook at 225 degrees for 4-5 hours.

Serving suggestion: Top bowls of chowder with a little extra crumbled bacon and a little shredded cheese. Yum!

Death By Chocolate Cake

By request, I tried the Death By Chocolate Cake using applesauce instead of sour cream. It was fabulous! It had a different consistency, so it took a couple more minutes in the microwave, but well worth the wait! I thought it would be a great alternative for those that are lactose intolerant, but my wonderful son-in-law pointed out that the chocolate chips in the recipe are also made with milk. Sad, sad day......

Great Party Hollie!

What a great group of women you had at your party! Lots of great questions about our stoneware, recipes, and cooking tips. All of that highlighted by a fantastic Taco Bake and Death By Chocolate Cake! YUMMMMM!! I'm excited to see what you pick for your FREE and 1/2 price items and as soon as your friends have their parties, you get to pick a Hostess Booking Gift - FREE also!!!

Great Job and I look forward to posting some of their recipes on this blog in the very near future!

Bread Variations!

For these recipes, start with the basics of flour and sugar as listed below. Add the other ingredients for the type of bread you want to make. In a loaf pan, bake at 350 for approx. 40 minutes. To bake in the hospitality set for breadsticks, bake for 20 minutes then top with 1/4 cup melted butter and return to oven for 3-4 minutes until top has turned a golden brown. Cut into breadsticks.

Bread Recipes

Start with:
3 cups self rising flour
¼ cup sugar

Add and Mix:

Beer Bread
12 oz can of beer (honey wheat is fabulous as it gives it an extra touch of sweet). Bake as directed above - you can also top either loaf or breadsticks with garlic powder and parmesan cheese when you add the melted butter - return to oven for 3-4 minutes until top is golden brown.

Orange Streusel Bread
12 oz orange soda; pour into loaf pan. Mix ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon and ¼ cup softened butter; sprinkle over batter. Bake as directed.

Summer Bread
12 oz orange juice and 1 cup raspberries. Bake as directed. Prepare glaze of 5 Tbsp powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp orange juice. Pour over bread while warm.

PB and J Bread
12 oz strawberry or grape soda, 1/3 cup jelly (same flavor as soda) and 6 oz peanut butter chips. Pour into pan, top with 3 Tbsp melted butter. Bake as directed.

Cherry Bread
12 oz Black CherrySoda and chopped maraschino or dried cherries. Bake as directed.

Breakfast Bread
12oz Vanilla Coke. Bake as directed. Cool and frost with 1 can coconut pecan frosting.

Chili Beer Bread
12 oz dark ale and 3 Tbsp sweet chili sauce. Bake as directed.

Cranberry Orange Bread
12 zo orange juice and 1 cup Craisins.

Corn Bread
15 oz can creamed corn, 1/3 cup oil.

Hawaiian Bread
12 oz Mountain Dew and chopped pineapple

Banana Bread
2 cups (about three) very ripe bananas and 8 oz Sunny Delight.

Italian Sausage Bread
12 oz beer, cooked and drained ½ lb Italian Sausage. This is especially good cut in bread sticks and dipped in marinara sauce.

Irish Bread
1 ½ cups buttermilk, 2 cups raisins (soak in 1 cup water for 1 hour; drain). Pour into pan, top with 2 Tbsp melted butter.

Fantastic Party Sunday!

Thanks to Renee and Maia for hosting such a great party Sunday! Beanpot lasagna, homemade breadsticks and Death By Chocolate Cake - yummmmm!! All of these recipes are posted on this blog. I'll be posting variations for the bread shortly.

Now for the fun part! Renee and Maia get to shop till they drop! February hostesses earn FREE products equal to 40% of their retail show sales plus 1/2 price items, so Renee and Maia will get to pick $160 in FREE products plus 4 - 1/2 price items if they choose :)

If you'd like to shop till you drop, call me at 816-809-7424 or send me an email diatimb@yahoo.com to schedule your February party!

January Hostess Special!

Host a party in January and with only $200 in sales and 2 bookings, you can purchase an Exclusive Canister Set for only $29.95!! These canisters retail for $69.95 - $99.95!