Fried Cheese Wontons

Submitted by Heather Sheehan

2- 8 oz. pkgs. softened cream cheese
1/2 c. chopped green onion
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Wonton wraps (look in produce section)
Light cooking oil suitable for high heat (Vegetable, Canola, or Peanut.)
Small bowl of water at work station
(crab meat optional.) Fresh or canned drained and dried well.

Combine all ingredients. Place a small spoonful of filling in center of Wonton square. Pull opposite corners of the wrap together. Dip fingers in water and pinch to close. Repeat with remaining corners. Water acts as a glue. Set on a flat surface that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray to avoid sticking or tearing. Once all have been filled and wrapped, fry at 350 degrees until lightly golden. Be sure that the oil covers the tops of the wontons while frying or the tops will be chewy. Best served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. (Do not reheat in the microwave. To maintain crispiness, do so in a warm oven uncovered.)

Stuffed Strawberries

Submitted by JoDee Leahy

Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

24 large fresh strawberries
1/2 cup spreadable strawberry cream cheese
3 Tbsp sour cream

Cut tops off strawberries and stand on cut end. Slice each strawberry in fourths ALMOST to the bottom. Mix together cream cheese and sour cream. Open up each strawberry and pipe in the cream mixture.

Smooth Strawberry Soup

(This was actually a little pinker than this picture makes it look. And this is a double batch.)

Submitted by JoDee Leahy

Prep Time: 15 minutes (Plan ahead...needs to chill)

1 quart strawberries, halved
2 cups apple juice
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
3 Tbsp orange juice, optional

Cinnamon-Sugar Croutons:
3 slices white bread, crusts removed and cubed
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Place half of the mixture at a time in a blender; cover and process until pureed. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in cream and orange juice if desired. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

In a skillet over medium heat, saute bread cubes in butter until golden brown. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon; toss to coat. Cool. Stir soup before serving; garnish with croutons.

Yield: 6 servings

Spinach & Pear Salad w/Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Submitted by Nicole Sizemore

2 Tbsp Water
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp Orange Juice
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 Pears, cored & sliced lengthwise
8 cups torn fresh Spinach
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1. In small bowl, whisk all wet ingredients.

2. In large bowl, add pear slices & 2 Tbs of vinaigrette. Toss & Coat.

3. Add spinach & dressing before serving

Mini Cheesecakes (Super Easy)

Submitted by Melissa McRae

1 (12 oz) package vanilla wafers
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 package mini muffins tins (100 pack)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line miniature muffin tins w/miniature paper liners.

2. Crush the vanilla wafers and place 1/2 tsp of the crushed wafers into each cup

3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. (leave room for cherry)

4. Bake for 15 min. Cool. Top w/a cherry from pie filling.

Mom's Cold Oven Pound Cake

Submitted by Janet Schlosser

1 cup butter
3 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
6 eggs

For Chocolate pound cake, add 1/3 cup cocoa

Combine all ingredients except eggs and beat. Add one egg at a time blending in between. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Place in COLD oven, set at 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Perfect for sweetened strawberries and whipped cream or your favorite glaze.

The Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Cake

From Cooks Illustrated, Submitted by Julia Jutras

Serves 12 to 16. Published March 1, 1998.
Even though the cake may not look done, pull it from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. (Make sure not to let tip of thermometer hit the bottom of the pan.) It will continue to firm up as it cools. If you use a 9-inch springform pan instead of the preferred 8-inch, reduce the baking time to 18 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients
8 large eggs , cold
1 pound bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder for decoration

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil.

2. Beat eggs with hand-held mixer at high speed until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes. Alternately, beat in bowl of electric mixer fitted with wire whip attachment at medium speed (speed 6 on a KitchenAid) to achieve same result, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter in large heat-proof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (For the microwave, melt chocolate and butter together at 50 percent power until smooth and warm, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once or twice.) Fold 1/3 of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.

4. Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days).

5. About 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of Confectioners’ sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired.