RED VELVET PANCAKES with CREAM CHEESE TOPPING


4-oz. (half of 8-oz. package) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter4, softened
3 Tbsp. milk
2 cups powdered sugar

Pancakes

2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. unsweetened baking cocoa
1 cup milk
1 to 1-1/2 tsp. red paste food color*
2 eggs
Powdered sugar if desired


1. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and 3 Tbsp. milk with electric mixer on LOW speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on LOW speed until topping is smooth Cover, set aside.

2. In large bowl, stir all pancake ingredients except powdered sugar with wire whisk until well blended. Heat griddle or skillets over medium-high heat (375 degree.) (To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops water. If bubbles jump around, heat is just right.) Brush with vegetable oil if necessary or spray with cooking spray before heating.

3. For each pancake, pour slightly less than ¼ cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook 3 to 3 minutes or until bubbles form on top and edges are dry. Turn; cook other side until golden brown.

4. Spoon cream cheese topping into resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag; squeeze bag to drizzle topping over pancakes. Sprinkle with powered sugar

Yield: 14 servings.

ITALIAN BAKED SPAGHETTI


8-oz. box spaghetti
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pkg. mild Italian sausage (I prefer Johnsonville)
1 lg. pkg. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tsp. oregano


Brown sausage and drain off grease. Sauté’ green pepper and onion, mix into sausage, add oregano and spaghetti sauce, and set aside. Cook spaghetti noodles 2 minutes less then package direction say then drain water off spaghetti. Pour noodles into sauce/sausage mixture and add 1 c. of the Mozzarella cheese. Stir well and pour into buttered 9”x13” baking dish. Spread rest of the Mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

YIELD: 6 servings.

SWEET CLAM CHOWDER


2 (6-1/2-oz.) cans clams
1 cup chopped celery
3 cups diced potatoes
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups 1/2 & ½ cream
2 cups milk
1-1/2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. vinegar


Drain juice from clams and pour over potatoes. Add enough water to cover. Cook for about 10 minutes then add sugar, vinegar and salt, cook until potatoes are tender.

Melt butter as sauté celery and onions; then add flour and blend. Add 1/2 & ½ and milk stirring constantly. Add potatoes (do not drain) and mix thoroughly. Add clams. Garnish with crisp bacon. Serve steaming hot with your favorite bread.

Yield: 6 servings.

NO BAKE SOUTHERN BUTTER PECAN PIE


1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
¾ cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 (9”) prepared graham cracker crust
1 cup heavy or whipping cream, whipped
Pecan halves, for garnish


In a large bowl, beat with mixer at high speed, the cream cheese, corn syrup and brown sugar until smooth.


With mixture at medium speed, beat in milk and vanilla until blended.

Stir in chopped pecans. Pour mixture into piecrust.

Freeze 6 hours or until firm. Garnish with whipped cream and pecan halves.

FRESH PEPPER AND CHEDDAR BAKE
The perfect side for adding that homemade touch to any meal.


1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green ell pepper, chopped
1-1/2 cups crumbled fresh breadcrumbs
2 cups (8-oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups milk
2 eggs, beaten
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. butter


Preheat oven to 350^. Coat a 3-qt. baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except butter; pour mixture into a prepared baking dish. Dot with better.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until slightly brown and set.

Yield: 6 servings.