Cauliflower Soup

1 large head cauliflower
2 Tbl. onion, minced
2 Tbl. butter, melted
2 Tbl. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 cups milk
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

Break cauliflower into small pieces. Cook covered in salt water until tender. Drain. Sauté onion in butter until tender. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture reaches boiling point. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add cauliflower. Heat to serve. Makes about 2 quarts.

Changes - Use broccoli instead of cauliflower. When serving, add sour cream to each dish and sprinkle with more cheese and/or bacon bits. You might want to sprinkle with chopped chives for taste and appearance. This makes a really pretty soup that is so tasty.

Banana Spice Muffins

1 spice cake mix
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl stir until well blended cream cheese, sugar and pecans. Refrigerate 30 minutes. In another bowl mix cake according to package. Add mashed bananas. Line muffins tins with paper liners. Fill muffin tins about 1/2 full. Spoon 1 tsp. of cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin. Bake 20 minutes.

This can be changed by changing the cake mix flavor. You can eliminate the banana but when using a spice cake mix, it tones down the spicy flavor some. You can change the filling from nuts to chopped raisins, cranberries, dried pineapple, etc. This makes a wonderfully moist muffin. It can even be made into cupcakes and iced if you want.

Coconut Nut Pie

Coconut Nut Pie

1 stick butter
2 Tbl. flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Mix in flour. Add syrup and mix well. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each. Add vanilla, coconut and nuts. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake 45 minutes or until center is set.

This has to be one of my favorites because it includes 2 of the things I like most... coconut and nuts. You can change the nuts to maybe walnuts or almonds but I don't think I would change anything else.

Potato & Sausage Casserole

1 lb. lean sausage
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 med. potatoes sliced (I do circle cuts)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated cheese (reserve 1/2 cup for top)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown sausage and onions. Drain. Mix soup, milk, salt & pepper. In a large casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray, layer 1/2 of the potatoes, soup mix, cheese, sausage. Repeat ending with sausage. Bake covered for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Put back into oven until cheese melts. Serves 6-8

Changes - use ground beef or sweet sausage. Add mushrooms. This works great with turkey or chicken sausage.