Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

From "Country Living", this recipe is one of our favorites! It's a bit on the spicy side, so cut the red pepper in 1/2 if you need to.

1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 large (about 1 1/2 pounds) sweet potatoes

Prepare sweet potatoes - peel, cut each in half, lengthwise, then cut each half into 6 wedges.
Ina large bowl, combine the cut potatoes, oil and spices. Toss until potatoes are evenly coated.
Bake in a single layer on baking sheet, placed on the middle rack of a 400F oven until edges are crisp and potatoes are cooked through - about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Corn Bread

This is the moistest, melt-in-your-mouth corn bread recipe I've ever tasted. Alinda P. (adapted from Dee R.) made it for one of our "Home Group" get-togethers, and graciously passed it on. It makes a large pan, so is perfect for large gatherings, or pot luck dinners.

3 boxes Jiffy Corn Bread Mix
3 eggs
1 C sour cream
1 can cream style corn
1 can regular corn (no need to drain)
1 stick butter (softened)

Blend all with mixer and bake in greased 9x13 pan. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350F.

(cut into 15 servings, each piece = 5 WW Points Plus)

Wine Cookies

A favorite Christmas Cookie made by Nonna. They are very pretty, too. Use a variety of jelly - raspberry, strawberry, grape, and peach.

Cream:
1 lb. butter
3/4 C sugar

Add and mix thoroughly:
2 eggs

Add slowly:
5 C flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 C wine

Refrigerate, roll out about 1/4" and cut into flowers, diamonds, circles, spades...etc. Match bottom of cookie with same shaped mate with a hole in the center for the jelly to show through.

Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. until barely brown on the edges, Cover bottoms with jelly, gently place tops with holes on the jelly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

These are Craig's favorite cookie that we make at Christmas. They are like Cherry Cordials...

Cream:
1 C butter
2 C sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla

Add slowly:
3 C Flour
1 C unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Drain:
2 - 10 oz. jars of Maraschino cherries, reserving juice

Shape very stiff dough into 1" balls. Use thumb to make space for cherry. Place cherry in center of each cookie.

SAUCE

Combine over low heat until melted:
6 oz. chocolate chips
1/2 C sweetened condensed mild
4 tsp. reserved cherry juice

Slowly swirl chocolate over cherry, just enough to cover the cherry.

Bake on un-greased cookie sheet at 350 F for 10 minutes.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This is a favorite for the holidays. It is more like a dessert than a salad.

Mix and press into 9x13 baking dish:
2 Cups pretzels (coarsely crushed)
3/4 Cup butter (softened)
1 Tbsp sugar
Bake 8 min. @ 400F; cool.

Cream together:
1-8oz Cream Cheese (softened)
1 Cup sugar
Fold in 1/2 large carton Cool Whip and spread over crust.

Dissolve 1- 6oz box of Jell-O into 2 cups boiling water.
Add 2-10oz pkg. frozen strawberries
Refrigerate until thickened and pour over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate salad until firm and serve!

Apple Cake

This is super moist and can be eaten for breakfast as coffee cake. So easy!

Mix:
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 Cup salad oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Stir in:
2 Cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla


Add:
5 medium apples (or more), peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 Cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Pour into greased 9x13 pan.
Sprinkle 1/2 Cup chopped nuts over top. (optional)
Bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until center is done.

Beef and Green Peppers

This is a favorite from Nonna and I thought of it when we were given a bag of green peppers I wanted to use fresh instead of chopping and freezing them. I'm so glad I did!

Brown:
1 # round steak (I used venison chops)
2 Tbsp oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

Stir in:
2 Cups Beef Bouillon
Sliced onion
Sliced green peppers

Mix together:
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 Cup water
1/4 Cup Red Wine
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

Slowly stir into meat mixture until thickened.

Serve over rice.