Chicken Prosciutto Wraps

Thin whole skinless chicken breasts
Enough prosciutto to wrap the chicken
Classico spicy red pepper tomato sauce
Fresh mozzarella
Focaccia bread

Wrap chicken in prosciutto and simmer in sauce until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Top with mozzarella and cover pan until melted. Toast sliced Focaccia, spoon on some sauce and top with chicken. Try with prosciutto sliced about as thick as bacon.

Frozen Bar Cookies

My recipe card cites Cecelia McCarty as the creator of my favorite bar-shaped dessert.

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix 3 c. oatmeal, 1 c. brown sugar, 1 c. coconut, 1/2 c. white sugar, 1 c. butter. Spread on cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until brown.

Melt 6 oz. chocolate chips and 1 cup peanut butter. Spread over bars like frosting. Cut into bars then freeze. Serve cold.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

These cookies are delicious and easy. As an added bonus they look beautiful.

3/4 c shortning
1/4 c molasses
2 t baking soda
1/2 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t salt
1 c sugar
2 c sifted flour

Melt shortening over low heat. Cool. Add sugar, molasses, and egg to the shortening and beat well. Sift all dry ingredients and add them to the sugar mixture. Mix well. Chill the dough.

After the dough has cooled form into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350. After 5 minutes, take out and hit pan to flatten cookies, and bake for the remainder of time.

Rich & Cheesy Macaroni

Super-fatty. Just as it should be.

from Kathy McCarty

2 and 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
6 T butter (divided)
1/4 c flour
1 t sugar
1 t salt
2 c milk
8 oz cubed velveeta
1 1/3 c small curd cottage cheese
2/3 c sour cream
2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 and 1/2 c soft bread crumbs

preheat oven to 350
cook and drain macaroni
place in greased 2 and 1/2 quart baking dish

In a saucepan melt 4 T butter
Stir in flour, salt and sugar until smooth
Gradually stir in milk
Bring to a boil
Cook and stir for 2 min or until thickened
Reduce heat
Stir in velveeta (until melted)
Stir in cottage cheese and sour cream (those curds never really fully melt)
Pour over macaroni
Sprinkle with cheddar cheese
Melt remaining butter* and toss with bread crumbs (*I just sprinkle the crumbs on top and it tastes lovely w/o the extra butter)
Sprinkle bread crumbs on top
Bake uncovered @ 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown

Deep Dish Potato Pie

I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit. Super-easy. I found a recipe online that I tweaked a bit. Serves four with seconds for all.

Ingredients:
2 pie crusts (I buy 'em pre-made)
3 large russet potatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup or so vegetarian sausage crumbles
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
black pepper
1 cup heavy/whipping cream
1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400
2. Lightly oil 10" deep-dish pie plate (turns out that I don't have a big pie plate, so I used a bread pan and baked it 10-15 minutes longer)
3. Place pie crust in pan
4. Arrange layers of potatoes and onions
5. Add sausage crumbles, cheese, parsley and pepper
6. Pour cream on top and dot with butter
7. Arrange other pie crust on top, sealing edges
8. Slice crust to vent steam
9. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temp to 350 and bake for 50 additional minutes (or until potatoes are tender)
10. Remove from oven, rest for 5 minutes, slice and serve

It's SOOO good. Next time I'll add spinach and mushrooms. I bet loyal meat-eaters would enjoy this hearty, flavorful comfort food just as much as my veg friends and I did.