Coffee Shake

1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp instant coffee powder (cappachino, etc)
1 ripe banana, cut in pieces
1 egg
1/4 cup crushed ice or 2 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender. Cover and process until foamy!

1 serving

Matt's French Toast Casserole

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 loaf brioche (or any dense loaf), sliced into 1 1/2 inch slices
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Confectioners sugar for garnish
Maple syrup

1. Combine melted butter and sugar in bottom of baking dish. make even layer of mixture to cover entire area.
2. Arrange bread slices on top, squeezing them in place.
3. Whisk the eggs, add all the remaining ingredients, except the pecans. Pour over bread and let it soak in. 4. Top with pecans and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3 hours (up to 12 hrs)
5. Set out at room temp. for 20 minutes and then bake at 350 degrees. Bake for 3-40 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. Serve warm, garnish with powdered sugar and syrup.

serves 8

Celima's AWESOME!!! chocolate chip cookies

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour and baking soda, set aside.

2. In large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour mixture. Finally, stir in chocolate chips. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 10-12 minutes in pre-heated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

makes about 72 cookies

Tomato Basil Salsa

1 lb ripe tomatoes, peeled & chopped
1 small red onion, peeled & chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt & pepper to taste

1. In large, non-reactive bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil and basil; toss to combine all ingredients. Add salt & pepper.

2. Cover & refrigerate the bowl for 2-4 hrs to allow all flavors to develop. The salsa is
best eaten on the day it's made, but will keep, covered, for 2-3 days.

makes 2-3 cups

Crock Pot Beef Roast

1 beef roast
2 packs Lipton dry onion soup mix
1 can 7-Up
1 can water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
pepper
garlic

1. Season roast with pepper and garlic. Brown on all sides in a little oil. Place roast
in crock pot with the remaining ingredients.

2. Cook on low all day, or on High for about 4 hrs.

Maw Audrey's Chinese Salad

1 Napa cabbage, chopped fine
2 bunches green onions, chopped fine
2 pkgs Ramen noodles
1 small pkg sliced almonds
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil

Mix cabbage and green onions. Refrigerate. Saute to golden brown, noodles, almonds and butter. Refrigerate.
Mix oil, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar. Boil for 1 minute, then refrigerate. Toss all ingredients and serve.

Banana Cupcakes

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana (about 2 large)
1 tsp vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt.

2. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, and eggs until smooth. Add banana and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture, beating until smooth.

3. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 24-28 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Easy Honey Drumettes

3 lbs chicken drumettes
1 cup honey
2 tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Rinse drumettes and pat dry. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Bake
at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine honey, curry powder, ginger and cayenne until
well blended. Spoon half of honey mixture over drumettes, bake 10 minutes. Using
tongs, turn drumettes over. Spoon remaining honey mixture over drumettes, bake
10 minutes longer. Let cool before serving. 8 servings

Real Macaroni & Cheese

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
1/3 cup milk
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz sour cream
1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked

1. Melt butter in med. sauce pan. Blend in flour, salt and pepper and gradually add
the milk and cheese. Cook and stir over med. heat until smooth and slightly thickened.
Stir in sour cream and cooked noodles and continue cooking over low heat until heated through.
Serve immediately or transfer to a baking dish and broil until it is lightly crisp and brown on top.

makes 4 servings

Santa Hats

2 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
Red colored sugar (for garnish)

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. With an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft
peaks start to form. Beating all the while, add cream of tartar and vanilla, then
slowly add the 1/2 cup of sugar. Continue to beat until peaks stiffen.

2. Spoon meringue into a quart size plastic bag. Snip off a corner and pipe 2 dzn
1 1/2 inch tall santa hat triangles onto a parchment lines baking sheet ( you should
have about 1/4 meringue left).

3. Sprinkle triangles with red sugar, then use the remaining meringue to give each
one a pom-pom and trim. Bake the hats until they are hard but not browned, about
1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn off oven and leave hats in it for an hour to crisp.