BANANA CINNAMON CHIP CAKE

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3 very ripe bananas

2 lg eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1 cup cinnamon chips

FOR TOPPING:

3 tbs sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

preheat the oven to 375 degrees. spray an 8″ square baking pan with cooking spray.

in a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas well with a fork or potato masher. add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar.

add 3/4 cup of the cinnamon chips and stir briefly. pour the batter into the prepared pan and set aside.

in a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients. sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the pan and top with the remaining 1/4 cup cinnamon chips.

bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

BEAN POT MEDLEY

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1 (15 1/2 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 1/2 oz) can red beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 1/2 oz) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 1/2 oz) can black-eyes peas, rinsed and drained

1 (8 1/2 oz) can baby lima beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup water

2 tsp cider vinegar (can use up to 3 tsp)

1 tsp dry mustard

2 bay leaves

1/8 tsp black pepper

combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.

stir.

cover and cook on LOW 6-7 hours or until onion and peppers are tender.

remove and discard bay leaves.

8 servings

STREUSEL COFFEE CAKE

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1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 lg eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp almond extract

crumb topping (recipe below)

preheat oven to 350 degrees. beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

sift together flour and next 3 ingredients. add to mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. stir in vanilla and almond extracts. pour batter into a greased 9″x13″ baking dish; sprinkle with crumb topping.

bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. let cool 20 minutes before serving.

CRUMB TOPPING:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/4 cup butter

stir together flour, sugar, and coarsely chopped pecans in a bowl. cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas.

POTATO CHIP CASSEROLE

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2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

4 medium onions, separated into rings

1 (5 1/2 oz) pkg thin potato chips

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

combine the soup and sour cream in a medium bowl and mix well.

arrange half the onions over the bottom of a 1 1/2 qt baking dish.

sprinkle half the potato chips over the onions.

sprinkle half the soup mixture over the potato chips.

sprinkle half the cheddar over the soup mixture.

layer with remaining onions and potato chips.

spread with the remaining soup mixture.

bake casserole for 30 minutes.

sprinkle with the remaining cheddar.

bake for 10 minutes longer.

serve immediately.

6 servings

THIS IS GENERALLY SERVED AS A SIDE DISH, BUT IF YOU WANT TO SERVE IT AS A MAIN DISH, SERVE IT OVER TOAST.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE BARS

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1 (30 oz) pkg chocolate chip cookie dough

2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, room temperature

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

preheat oven to 350 degrees. cut chocolate chip cookie dough in half. cover the bottom of an ungreased 13″x9″ baking pan or casserole dish with half of the dough, forming a crust. use your hands for this as if you were filing a pie plate with a homemade pie crust. bake for 10 minutes. while the crust is baking, beat the cream cheese, egg (or egg substitute), sugar (or no calorie sugar sweetener), and vanilla in a bowl until well blended. take the crust out of the oven and spread the cream cheese mixture on the top, being sure to cover the entire top. it will be ooey and gooey and may blend with the crust but this is OKAY). take the other half of the cookie dough and crumble it on top of the cream cheese coating, being sure to cover it all. bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. cool in the refrigerator for a few hours before cutting into bars. store in the fridge due to the cream cheese.

PORK CHOPS AND HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

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6 pork chops

vegetable oil

seasoned salt

1 can cream of celery sop

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 (24 oz) pkg frozen O’Brien OR hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

2 (2.8 oz) cans French fried onions

garlic powder, to taste

1/2 stick (2 oz) butter

brown chops in the oil.

sprinkle with seasoned salt and set aside.

combine soup, milk, sour cream, pepper, and 1/2 tsp seasoned salt.

stir in potatoes, 1/2 cup cheese, half of the French fried onions, garlic powder and butter (small pieces).

spoon this mixture into a 9″x13″ baking dish.

arrange chops over potatoes and bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

top with rest of the cheese and French fried onions and bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more.

6 servings

FROZEN TURTLE PIE

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1 (16 oz) pkg pecan shortbread cookies, coarsely crushed

1 (12.25 oz) jar caramel sauce

1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream*

1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted

in a large bowl, combine the crushed cookies and the caramel sauce; mix well. place half of the mixture into the bottom of a 9″ deep dish pie plate. use half the ice cream and place individual scoops over the cookie mixture.

into each scoop of ice cream, place 2 pecan halves in the front and 2 pecan halves in back, making “legs”, and 1 pecan half on top, making the “head” of a turtle. sprinkle with 1/4 of the cookie mixture, then top with additional scoops of ice cream and pecans, continuing in a pyramid shape until all the ingredients are used.

cover and freeze for at least 3 hours before serving.

12 servings

YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR ICE CREAM FOR THE CHOCOLATE IF YOU PREFER.

CHICKEN AND STUFFING BAKE

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3 cups water

1 tsp celery flakes

1 tsp salt

4 (about 5 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves*

3 lg eggs

2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1 (8 oz) pkg corn bread stuffing mix

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/4 tsp black pepper

combine water, celery flakes and salt in a large saucepan.

bring to a boil over high heat.

reduce the heat to medium-low.

add the chicken and cook until tender, about 20-25 minutes.

drain chicken, reserving 2 1/2 cups broth.

cool chicken until easily handled.

coarsely chop.

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

spray a 13″x9″ baking dish lightly with pam.

whisk eggs in a large bowl until blended.

add chicken, reserved broth, 1 1/2 cups cheddar, mushroom soup, celery soup, stuffing mix, onion, celery and black pepper and mix well.

spoon chicken mixture into prepared baking dish.

bake until browned and bubbly, about 45 minutes.

sprinkle with remaining cheddar.

bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

serve immediately.

9 servings

*YOU CAN USE A WHOLE CHICKEN OR JUST DARK MEAT IF YOU PREFER. ADJUST COOKING TIME ACCORDINGLY.

CHEESY BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

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1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained, and patted dry

2 cups (8 oz) reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded

1 (6 oz) pkg reduced-sodium stuffing mix

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 egg, beaten

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

dash pepper

1 cup skim milk

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

in a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cheese, stuffing mix, onion, egg, nutmeg and pepper. mix well.

gradually stir in milk and broth.

transfer to a 2 qt baking dish coated with pam.

bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

sprinkle with bacon.

7 servings

CHEWY NO-BAKE NUTTER BUTTER BARS

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1 (1 lb) pkg nutter butter cookies

5 cups large marshmallows

4 tbs butter

place nutter butters in a food processor and pulse until ground. melt marshmallows and butter in microwave until puffed, about 1 1/2-2 minutes. remove and pour in ground cookies. stir to combine then transfer to a foil-lined 8″x8″ baking pan. let set for 10 minutes. remove bars out of pan with edges of foil and cut into squares.

makes 9-16 bars