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 Alfredo Popcorn  Prep Time: 2 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Makes: 4 Servings Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan 1/2 cup popping corn 4 tablespoons butter 1 clove garlic, cracked away from skin 1 cup Parmesan Salt and black pepper  Preparation: Place oil in a heavy pot with lid and heat over medium high heat. Add corn and pop, shaking the pan until popping slows to 2 or 3 seconds between pops. Melt butter with garlic in microwave 15 seconds on high. Discard garlic clove. Pour butter over corn and add cheese to corn. Turn to coat. Season corn with salt and black pepper, to taste. Back To Top Almond Toffee (Makes: approx. 1 lb.) Ingredients: 2 cups (475 ml) butter 1 cup (225 ml) sugar 3 tbsp (45 ml). water almonds (or other nuts if desired) Preparation: Line cookie sheet with tin foil and nuts. In large sauce pan melt butter, sugar, and water. Stir continuously, with a wooden spoon, until mixture reaches a caramel color, and pour over nuts and spread to cover. Let set, about 1 hour, and break into pieces. Back To Top Candied Dills  These pickles are wonderful to eat and ever so easy to make. Prep Time: 20 minutes Makes: 1 quart Ingredients: 1 quart whole dill pickles 2 3/4 cups sugar 1/2 cup tarragon vinegar 2 tablespoons pickling spice Preparation: Drain the pickles, cut them into 1/2-inch slices, and place them in a deep glass bowl or ceramic dish. Combine the pickles with the sugar and vinegar. Place the pickling spices in a small square of cheesecloth and tie it closed with a string. Add the spices to the bowl. Let the pickle mixture stand at room temperature until sugar is dissolved, approximately 4 hours. Pour the pickle mixture into a 1-quart jar, cover and refrigerate. Remove spice bag after 1 week and they will be ready to eat. Back To Top Caramel Corn  This popcorn is delicious and very easy to make. You can also add peanuts. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Makes: 8 Servings Ingredients: 1 cup butter 2 cups packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1 teaspoon baking soda Preparation: Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Over medium heat, combine first 4 ingredients and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Stir well. Pour over 8 quarts popped corn. Stir to coat well. Bake in large roaster or pan for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on waxed paper to dry. Back To Top Caramel Popcorn Balls  Ingredients: 1/4c. margarine 1c. brown sugar 1/2c. light corn syrup 2/3c. condensed milk 1/2t. vanilla 5 qts plain popped popcorn Preparation: In saucepan, combine margarine, sugar and corn syrup. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in condensed milk; simmer, stirring constantly till mixture comes to soft ball stage. Stir in vanilla. Pour over popped corn and stir to coat. Butter your hands lightly; shape into balls. Place on waxed paper to cool. Back To Top Cheese Crisps (Microwave Method)   These come out great and are much easier than making them on the stove. I don't usually like to use pre-shredded cheese for anything, but I found that it works better than freshly shredded cheese for these. I think the powdery coating helps keep them from getting too oily and also makes them get crisp faster. You can try these with Sharp Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Kroger's brand of Nacho & Taco Cheese blend. All are very good. (Makes: About 18 - 20 Crisps) Ingredients: 8 ounce bag shredded cheese, any flavor Preparation: Place a square of parchment paper on a microwaveable dinner plate. Place a generous tablespoon of cheese in center of plate and, with your fingers, gently spread into a circle about 3 1/2-4" in diameter and not too thick in the middle. Microwave on HIGH about 30-35 seconds or until a toasty color and they sound crisp when tapped with your fingernail. Lift it off the paper and set on paper towel to cool. You can use the same piece of parchment over and over for the current crisp-making session. Back To Top Cheese Crisps (Stove Top Method)  (Makes: 1 Serving) Ingredients: 2 ounces shredded cheese (I used cheddar) Preparation: Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium high heat. Sprinkle the cheddar in a thin, circular layer over bottom of the pan. Push any ragged edges in with a spatula. Let this cook for several minutes (be patient, it takes awhile). It will bubble up, look sort of lacy, then the grease will run off. When it starts to get a bit golden brown, tease up the edges carefully until you can ease the spatula under the whole thing; flip over and cook about 1 more minute. Drain on paper towel; shape or cut into pieces while still hot. Some people shape these into taco shells. I just broke mine into 4 wedges, after it cooled a little. These would be nice to eat with a dip, but keep in mind that they are pretty salty. Note: Be careful not to get them too brown or the cheese will turn bitter. Back To Top Cheesy Popcorn (Makes: 8 Cups) Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter or margarine melted 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 8 cups popped popcorn 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Preparation: Combine first 4 ingredients; pour mixture over popcorn, stirring to coat. Sprinkle with cheese, stirring well. Back To Top Chocolate Cheese Fudge  This may sound strange using cheese in a fudge recipe. But the end result makes for a truly wonderful fudge recipe. It's also easy to make and tastes delicious. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes: 6 to 8 Servings Ingredients: 1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, sliced 1 cup butter 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup chopped nuts, pecans, walnuts 2 (16-ounce) boxes confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup cocoa powder Preparation: Spray lightly the bottom of a 9 by 2-inch square pan with a nonstick spray. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the cheese and butter together, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and nuts. In a large bowl sift together the sugar and cocoa. Pour the cheese mixture into the sugar and cocoa mixture and stir until completely mixed. The candy will be very stiff. Using your hands, remove candy from bowl and press evenly and firmly into pan. Because of the amount of butter in this recipe, pat the top of the candy with a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Place pan in refrigerator until candy is firm. To serve candy, cut into squares. Back To Top Chocolate Dipped Apples  Prep Time: 5 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 minutes Makes: 4 Chocolate Covered Apples Ingredients: 4 Roma or Granny Smith apples 16 ounces semisweet chocolate, milk or dark 8 ounces white chocolate Various dessert topping choices Special Equipment: 12 (3-inch) bamboo skewers or wooden pop sticks Preparation: Arrange toppings in medium sized bowls. Wash and thoroughly dry the apples. Insert bamboo or wooden sticks into apple cores. Melt each kind of chocolate in separate bowls over double boilers. 1 at a time, gently dip the apples into the chocolate and roll around, making sure to thoroughly cover. Place on waxed paper. Using a spoon or wooden stick, carefully drizzle the white chocolate over the dark or milk. Use the thin side of the popsicle stick to make swirls and decorative patterns. Dip the apples into topping bowls or sprinkle toppings over the apples. Place decorated apples on waxed paper and refrigerate for 15 minutes to harden. Back To Top Chocolate Dipped Bananas  These are delicious and easy to make. Also great for gift baskets. Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Makes: 10 Chocolate Dipped Bananas Ingredients: 5 bananas 8 popsicle sticks 3 cups good quality chocolate bar 3 tablespoons butter, cut up Toppings: Chopped nuts Toasted coconut Cookie crumbles Colored sprinkles or chocolate jimmies Mini chocolate candies or mini semi sweet chips, for chocoholics Granola Preparation: Peel and cut the bananas in half crosswise, so that you have 8 pieces. Place peeled bananas on sticks. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place bananas on the cookie sheet in the freezer, keep them in there as long as possible, at least 10 minutes. Heat chocolate bits with butter in a double boiler over low heat until the chocolate melts and butter is incorporated. Dip the chilled bananas in chocolate and roll with your favorite topping. Chill or freeze until ready to serve. Back To Top Chocolate Popcorn  These are great for treats and parties. Kids and adults will love them. Remember to remove the kernels of unpopped corn before mixing it. Ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1/2 stick butter 2 tablespoons cocoa 1/2 teaspoon salt 8 cups popcorn Preparation: Over medium heat, using a 4 quart pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, cocoa, and salt and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is well mixed, add the popped corn. Cook and stir until popcorn is coated, approximately 2 minutes. Cool mixture and shape into 3-inch balls. Back To Top Crispy Cheese Crackers  These make a very nice snack, but beware; it's not easy to stop eating them. They're very good with salsa, dips or peanut butter. You can also cut the slices of cheese into quarters for larger crackers. Watch them closely as they cook because they tend to get dark faster than the tiny squares. Each slice of cheese makes 16 crackers. Ingredients: Deluxe American cheese slices (not cheese food or cheese product) Preparation: Cut one square of cheese into 16 tiny squares. Arrange on a sheet of parchment paper in somewhat of a ring around the edges of the paper. Don't place cheese squares too close together or they'll stick to each other. Don't place any in the center of the paper or they will burn before the outer squares are done. Carefully place the sheet of parchment on the tray of a microwave oven. Microwave on HIGH about 35-45 seconds, or until crackers are well-browned, but not burnt. Watch closely and add more time if needed. Remove parchment from microwave and let crackers cool slightly before removing them from the paper. Peel them off the paper and store in an airtight container. Repeat process one cheese slice at a time. These will keep quite well in an air-tight container at room temperature for several days.  This is how they look before cooking.  Here's how they look after microwaving.  Larger crackers. Tip: It works best if the parchment paper with the cheese pieces is on a flat surface and not going up the sloping sides of a dinner plate. That's why I suggest placing the paper directly on the tray of the microwave. Back To Top Crispy Tortilla Chips  Ingredients: 6 corn tortillas, cut into quarters 6 flour tortillas, cut into quarters 1 teaspoon salt Vegetable oil if deep-frying Preparation: To bake the chips, preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the tortillas in a single layer on baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes, until crisp and golden, turning once. Sprinkle lightly with the salt. To fry the chips, add enough oil to come halfway up the sides into a large heavy pot or electric deep fryer and heat over high heat to 360°F. In batches, without crowding, deep-fry the tortillas until golden brown, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle lightly with the salt. Serve immediately. Back To Top Crystallized Orange Peel  (Can Be Frozen) Ingredients: 1 or 2 large oranges 65 ml sugar 175 ml cold water Preparation: 1.) Par thin strips of orange rind from a large orange. Be careful to remove the rind with as little pith as possible. 2.) Place in saucepan & cover with cold water. Bring to the boil. 3.) Pour off the water & refresh the rind under a cold tap. 4.) Make a syrup by bringing the sugar & water to the boil. 5.) Add the rind & simmer for about 15 minutes. 6.) Using a slotted spoon, lift out the rind from the syrup & lay on wax paper. 7.) Allow rind to dry, turning after a few hours. 8.) Store in a sealed container till required. Back To Top Curried Cashews  (Makes: 2 Cups) Ingredients: 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1 can (10 ounces) salted cashews 2 tablespoons curry powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Preparation: In a skillet, melt butter. Add cashews; cook and stir over medium heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with curry powder and salt. Back To Top Figs In Syrup Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes: 5 to 10 Servings Ingredients: 3 pounds fresh figs 3 cups sugar 3 cups water 1 cup chopped pistachios Preparation: In a medium saucepan on high heat, combine the figs, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until figs are very soft, and syrup is thick. Garnish with chopped pistachios. Back To Top Herbed Cheese & Cracker Bits  These are fantastic. Adults and kids will love them. They are easy to prepare and have just the right amount of seasonings with enough "zing" to make the perfect party food. To spice these up add 1 tsp of cayanne pepper. To absorb the excess oil put everything in a brown paper bag (like from grocery store). Leave on counter and shake every now and then. Prep Time: 5 minutes Makes: 18 to 20 Servings Ingredients: 2 (10 1/2-ounce) boxes cheese crackers (recommended: Ritz Cheese Bits, not peanut butter flavor) 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 (1-ounce) package salad dressing mix (recommended: Hidden Valley Original Ranch) 1 heaping tablespoon dried dill 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon celery salt Preparation: Place the crackers in a large sealable freezer container. In a bowl, mix the oil, salad dressing mix, dill, garlic powder, and celery salt. Pour this mixture over the crackers, cover the container, and invert it to coat the crackers with seasoning. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning the container every so often to keep the crackers coated. Let the mixture come to room temperature before serving. Store in the covered container in refrigerator. Back To Top Holiday Snack Mix  Tired of the same old party mix? This one will perk up your taste buds with its spicy seasonings! Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 90 minutes Makes: 20-24 Servings Ingredients: 1 box (7 to 8 ounces) cheddar rounds style crackers 1 bag (10 ounces) pretzel sticks 1 bag (6 ounces) goldfish shaped crackers 1 bag (10.5 ounces) corn chips 2 cups mixed nuts 4 cups rice and corn cereal squares Sauce: 1 cup margarine 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons chili powder 8 drops hot pepper sauce 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1 teaspoon curry powder Preparation: Preheat oven to 250°F. Mix crackers, pretzels, chips, nuts and cereal in a large mixing bowl. Divide this mixture evenly between 3-9"X13" cake pans or 2 jelly roll pans. Melt the margarine in a small saucepan on low heat. Remove from heat. Add the brown sugar, chili powder, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, garlic powder, garlic salt and curry powder and mix thoroughly. Pour equal amounts of the sauce mixture over each of the pans. Stir gently. Bake for 1-1/2 hours, stirring gently every 30 minutes. Cool. Tip: Vary the intensity of the spicy flavor with more or less chili powder and/or hot pepper sauce. Back To Top Honey-Glazed Snack Mix (Makes: About 12 Cups) Ingredients: 8 cups Crispix Cereal 3 cups miniature pretzels 2 cups pecan halves 2/3 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup honey Preparation: In a large bowl, combine the cereal, pretzels and pecans; set aside. In a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in honey until well blended. Pour over cereal mixture and stir to coat. Spread into two greased 15x10 inch baking pans. Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes or until mixture is lightly glazed, stirring occasionally. Cool in pan for 3 minutes; remove from pan and spread on waxed paper to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Back To Top Nuts & Bolts  Ingredients: 4 cups shredded rice squares 4 cups bite size shredded wheat squares 4 cups ready to eat oat cereal 1 7 oz. can salted peanuts 1 small bag pretzel sticks 1/2 lb. butter, melted 2 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce 1 tsp. garlic salt or garlic powder 1 to 2 tsp. curry powder 2 tsp. seasoned salt Preparation: Spread mixed cereals and nuts in a large shallow pan. Combine other ingredients using curry to your taste and omitting garlic salt or using plain garlic powder as you desire. Pour over cereal and nut mixture. Heat in a 250 degree oven for 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from pan and cool thoroughly. Store in a moisture proof container until ready to serve. Back To Top Orange Spiced Nuts Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. mace 1 tsp. finely ground orange peel 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp. butter 2 cups walnuts or pecans Preparation: Combine sugar, orange peel, spices and milk. Cook in saucepan until mixture reaches soft-ball stage. Remove from heat and add butter. Let stand for a few minutes then add vanilla and nuts. Stir until thick. Turn out on waxed paper. Separate nuts and allow them to dry. Put in decorated jar or box to make a great gift. Back To Top Peanut Butter Balls These are so yummy and so easy to make. They are also just as good without rolling them in anything. Prep Time: 20 minutes Makes: 18 to 24 Pieces Ingredients: 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup honey 2 cups powdered milk 1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes 1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans 1 cup powdered sugar Preparation: Mix peanut butter, honey, and milk together in a large bowl to form very thick mixture. Roll mixture in small balls about the size of a walnut. Roll the balls in either the crushed cornflakes, finely chopped nuts, or powdered sugar. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Back To Top Peppermint Bark  This delicious recipe is cool and refreshing and super easy to make. Is a great gift to give for the Christmas Holidays. If you can't find candy canes you can substitute it with peppermint candies instead. Can also be made with both white and dark chocolate. For a more impressive look, melt a small amount of dark chocolate and drizzle it over the finished product with a sprinkle of red sugar crystals. It will look amazing and your friends will be very impressed. Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes: About 2 Pounds Of Candy Ingredients: Crushed candy canes, to make 1 cup 2 pounds white chocolate or chocolate chips (Ghiardelli white chocolate chips) Peppermint flavorings, optional Preparation: Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.) Back To Top Pine Bark  This treat is so good and easy to make and the chocolate & saltine crakers go so well together. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes: 35 Squares Ingredients: 35 saltine crackers 1 cup butter 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 5 (4-ounce) milk chocolate bars, broken into pieces Preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 15 by 10 by 1-inch jelly roll pan with tin foil. Lightly spray foil with a non-stick cooking spray. Place saltine crackers, salty side up, in prepared pan. In a saucepan, boil butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Pour mixture over crackers and bake for 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven, top with candy bars, and spread evenly as chocolate begins to melt. Cool slightly and transfer onto waxed paper. Allow to cool completely. Back To Top Poker Nuts Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Makes: 6 Cups Ingredients: 1 egg white 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 6 cups nuts of your choice Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg white. Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and sugar and continue whisking. Add the nuts to the bowl and toss together until the nuts are completely coated. Spread the nuts out onto a pre-greased sheet pan and bake them for 15 minutes or until well toasted. Back To Top Roasted Pumpkin Seeds  Pull the pumpkin seeds from inside the pumpkin and rinse them in a colander. Pull any pulp or strings from the seeds and rinse again. Blot the seeds dry with paper towels and place in a bowl. Spread on cookie sheet in single layer and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil (maybe just a drop of sesame oil, too, for added flavor) and coarse salt to taste. If you want, you can also add 2 tablespoons of dried ground rosemary. Roast in 350°F oven stirring occasionally for 30-60 minutes or till golden brown. Cool the seeds completely and store in an airtight container. Back To Top Saltines Made Easy  Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Ingredients: Saltine crackers Melted butter, for brushing Caraway seeds, for sprinkling Celery seeds, for sprinkling Sesame seeds, for sprinkling Preparation: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Brush crackers with melted butter and then arrange on a baking sheet. Sprinkle crackers with caraway seeds, celery seeds, or sesame seeds, or a combination. Bake until lightly golden. Serve with shrimp, if desired. Back To Top Savory Pecans Ingredients: 2 tsp (10 ml) butter 1/4 tsp (1 ml) cumin 1/2 tsp (2 ml) paprika 1/2 tsp (2 ml) chili powder 1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce 1/2 lb (.2 kg) raw pecans Preparation: Melt butter. Add spices and soy sauce. Stir until blended. Stir in pecans to coat. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spoon pecans in one layer. Bake at 300 degrees (150 C.) until golden, about 20 minutes. Stir half way through. Back To Top Seasoned Oyster Crackers Ingredients: 2 packages oyster crackers 1 Cup oil 1 teaspoon Pinch o'herbs 1 teaspoon lemon salt 1 teaspoon dill weed 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1 package dry Hidden Valley Ranch (Original) Preparation: Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl then sprinkle over crackers in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and mix. Let stand a couple hours or over night before serving. Back To Top Seasoned Pretzels  Ingredients: 6 Cups pretzels (mix shapes if you like) ½ Cup butter or margarine - melted 1 Pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Original Party Dip Mix 1 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce ½ Tsp. seasoned salt Preparation: Preheat oven to 250°F. Place pretzels in large shallow baking pan. In a small bowl mix everything else and pour over pretzels - stir well. Bake 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Pour onto waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container. I use an old dill pickle jar. Back To Top Sugar-Coated Pecans (Makes: 3 Cups) Ingredients: 1 tablespoon egg white 2 cups pecan halves 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Preparation: In a bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Add pecans and toss until well coated. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pecans and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 300'F for 30 minutes or until browned. Cool on waxed paper. Back To Top Sugared Peanuts  Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Makes: 4 Servings Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 4 cups shelled peanuts with skins on Preparation: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium size pot over medium heat, combine the sugar and water and dissolve. Add the peanuts and continue cooking, stirring frequently until peanuts are completely sugar coated and the sugar is crystallized and there is no syrup left. Pour mixture onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spreading and separating the peanuts as much as possible. Bake until the peanuts are golden, about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring at 5 minute intervals. Back To Top Trail Mix  This tasty, healthy, versatile recipe is not only great for traveling in the car, camping trips or hiking but also wonderful for breakfast with yogurt. Can be stored in an airtight container and used for weeks. Also great to put into a decorative jar, for a Holiday Basket. Everyone will love it. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Makes: 2 1/2 Quarts Ingredients: 2 cups granola 3/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans 3/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or almonds 1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut (1 1/2 cups) 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (meat only) 1/2 cup wheat germ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cups vegetable oil 1 cup banana chips (optional) 1/2 cup dark raisins 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced Preparation: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except banana chips and raisins, cherries and apricots. Mix well. Spread evenly in an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in banana chips, raisins, cherries and apricots. Cool thoroughly. Store tightly covered at room temperature. Back To Top Zesty Cheese Straws  These are wonderful and have great flavor. Try adding a little extra crushed pepper for more umph! If you use packaged shredded cheese make sure it, as well as the butter are at room temp. for easy blending. Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Makes: 5 Dozen Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature 1 pound sharp Cheddar, shredded, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper Preparation: Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the cheese and mix until blended. Add the flour, salt, and red pepper, and mix to form a dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the dough, then place it in a cookie press, fitted with a ridged tip. Pipe the dough in 2-inch strips onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to racks to cool. Back To Top Zippy Italian Popcorn  Prep Time: 1 minute Cook Time: 3 minutes Makes: 4 Servings Ingredients: 1 sack reduced fat natural flavor microwave popcorn, cooked to package directions 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano, eyeball it Preparation: Pop the corn and place in a bowl. Place butter and spices in a small cup or bowl and place in microwave oven and melt, 10 to 15 seconds on high. Stir and pour mixture over the popped corn. Sprinkle the corn with cheese and serve. Back To Top
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