Here are some more tips and techniques for using around the house:

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2” with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material… I’m sure you know what your dryer’s lint filter looks like. Well… the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn’t go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that’s what burns out the heating unit.
You can’t SEE the film, but it’s there. It’s what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free… that nice fragrance too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box… well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very longtime (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!

Most people don’t keep heavy cream on hand for whipping, but almost all of us have vanilla ice cream. Just put a scoop or two in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Let thaw for a minute or two, then whip. It’s almost a dead ringer for whipped cream!

Don’t always use an entire package of bacon at once? To save what’s left, lay the raw strips about 1/4” apart on parchment on wax paper. Cover them with another piece of paper and roll them up. Put the roll in a plastic freezer bag, seal, and freeze. Then, when you need a slice or two of bacon, simply unroll the paper, remove what you need, and freeze the remainder.

Here’s a great use for those individual coffee warmers. Whenever you need to melt or keep something warm while baking or cooking (especially chocolate), put it on the coffee warmer. If the warmer gets too hot, shut it off. The residual heat will continue to melt it.

Plastic storage containers absorb odors from strong foods, such as onions and garlic. To remove the scent, first wash the container well, then stuff a pice of newspaper into it and snap on the lid. In a few days the smell will be gone.

A safe and easy way to remove ramekins from a water bath is to use a canning jar lifter. The rubber grabbers work perfectly for lifting, firmly holding onto the ramekins. Beats getting your oven mitt wet or poking into the custard!

If you want to keep fruit from turning brown after cutting but don’t want the taste of lemon juice, use a lemon-lime soda, like 7-Up. Just pour a little over the cut fruit and toss to coat - it works great and has a light flavor.

Freezing marshmallows keeps them nice and fresh for a long time. They thaw very quickly, so it’s not a problem when you need them for baking. Plus, they are good as a cold treat!

To keep a gravy boat or cream pitcher from dripping onto the dinner table, rub a dab of butter on the pour spout. No drips on the tablecloth! This trick works on syrup dispensers too.

When rolling out pie dough, place it between two sheets of freezer paper. Then roll the ‘sandwiched” dough to the measurements required for your recipe. The dough doesn’t stick to the paper, and you won’t need to use extra four.

Asparagus is easy to keep for an extended period if you do a few things: keep the tops dry, the stem ends wet, and stand the bundle upright in the fridge.
Here’s what to do: First, fold a paper towel into a square, moisten it with cold water, and wrap it over the cut ends of the bunch. Then place the bundle in a plastic bag and tie it closed (if the asparagus is too long for the bag, trim a little from the stems). Finally, stand the bag upright in a glass and refrigerate.
Re-moisten the towel every couple of days to keep the stems wet. Wash the spears only before cooking them - otherwise they cold turn slimy.

When bagging vegetables at the market, especially big heads of cauliflower or damp bunches of lettuce, try this technique: Insert your hand into the plastic produce bag as you would a glove. Grasp the produce through the bag, then slip the top of the bag over and around the vegetables (the bag will turn inside-our in the process).

A quick, easy way to thaw any type of frozen meat or fish is to place it on an inverted cast iron skillet that’s been wrapped in plastic. The coldness in the meat transfers to the cast iron, and as the meat thaws, the pan gets colder and colder. Simply remove the frozen food (this works with vegetables and fruit too!) from its packaging and lay it on the skillet, turning it every 15-20 minutes until thawed. Believe it or not, this technique cuts the thawing time in half, if not more!

Transferring a hot-roasted chicken from pan to cutting board can be tricky. Insert a long metal skewer or the rod from your barbecue rotisserie, through the cavity - that way, you can easily lift and move it without burning yourself.

Dried fruit is easier to chop if you place it in the freezer an hour before you chop it.

I don’t know if you know… but yesterday (March 25) was “Pecan Day” - so I thought I would end this issue with a couple Pecan Recipes!

Caramel Pecan Treasures
1 c. Butter - softened
3/4 c. Lightly packed light Brown sugar
1 t. Vanilla
1 3/4 c. All-purpose flour
1/2 t. Baking powder
12 oz Semisweet chocolate chips
1 T Vegetable shortening
25 to 30 caramels - cut in Half - rolled into balls
Finely chopped pecans
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Have ungreased baking sheets ready.
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl until well-mixed. Stir in flour and baking powder. (If kitchen is warm, refrigerate dough for a few minutes; dough should be firm enough to roll easily.) Shape scant teaspoonsful of dough into balls about the size of a marble. Place on baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Flatten slightly.
Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Melt chocolate chips with shortening in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Remove from heat.
Flatten caramel halves so they are the same diameter as the cookie. Put one caramel half on top of each cookie. (If necessary, use a dab of chocolate as “glue” to help caramel adhere to cookie.)
Using a small metal spatula, spread melted chocolate thinly over top and sides of caramel and cookie to cover. Press chopped pecans onto tops of cookies. Let stand on a wire rack until chocolate firms (refrigerate if desired), about 20 minutes. Put into individual paper wrappers. Store in a cookie tin with a piece of wax paper between each layer.

Pecan Log
1 box confectioners sugar - 1 lb.
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow cream
1 t. vanilla
1 pig. Kraft caramels
2 T. milk
chopped nuts
Gradually add marshmallow cream to confectioners sugar and vanilla. Work in with hands, do not add more cream, it will finally work in. Roll into logs - freeze - Melt caramels in double boiler with 2 T. milk. Dip frozen logs in melted caramel. Roll in chopped nuts.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.
It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

Peppers with three bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with four bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream.

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies and let  cool.  Makes a  wonderful minty frosting too.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply  chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.

Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

For easy Deviled Eggs put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up.
Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg.
Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size.
You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
When putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can’t see easily.

Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant and the squirrels won’t come near it.

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and… ta da!… static is gone.

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water.
Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside,just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It’s cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It’s also a great way to use up the conditioner you  bought but didn’t like when you tried it in your hair.

I usually make my own rotisserie chickens but recently I discovered that the local grocery store has them in the deli section… they are excellent for a hot meal with potatoes, a salad and veggies then the left-overs can be used in a variety of ways. Hopefully you will try a few of the following recipes when you have left-over chicken… or turkey.

Cashew Chicken Casserole
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 c. diced celery
1 T. butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 c. chicken broth
1 can chow mein noodles
1 T. soy sauce
2 c. diced, cooked chicken
1/2 c. cashew nuts
Saute onions and celery with tablespoon of butter. Add mushroom soup and chicken broth. Add soy sauce. Add chicken and simmer for a few minutes. Put in 1 qt. casserole dish and sprinkle with noodles and cashews. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Leftover Chicken
Mexican Lasagna
2 cans Tomato Sauce
2 cans Green Chiles, Chopped
1 package Taco Seasoning
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Cumin
½ teaspoons Oregano, Dried
1 tablespoon Dried Minced Onion
½ whole Onion, Chopped
1 whole Red Pepper Chopped
1 clove Garlic, Minced
2 cups Roasted Chicken, Chopped
2 packages Lasagna Noodles
6 cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Cook lasagna according to package. Drain and set aside.
Spray a 9”x9” and a 9”x5” pan with cooking spray.
Mix tomato sauce, green chiles, taco seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, oregano and dried onions in a large bowl, set aside.
Heat large saute pan. Add oil, if desired. Add onion and red pepper, cook until soft but not brown. Add garlic near the end, do not let it burn. Add chopped chicken and cook until heated through.
Make a lasagna in each pan with these steps (cutting the noodles to fit the pans if necessary):
Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of sauce. Put a layer of noodles on the sauce.
Add a thin layer of chicken and vegetables on the top of that. Cover with a thin layer of sauce.
Add a layer of cheese. Layer noodles, chicken mixture , cheese and sauce again. Add another layer of noodles and sauce on top.
Freeze one pan of lasagna (or both pans if you’re not going to eat them now).
To heat: preheat oven to 350F.
Cook fresh lasagna for about 40 minutes or frozen for about 60 minutes (maybe a little longer), until sauce is bubbly.
Add a layer of cheese, and cook for 5-10 minutes more. Let lasagna stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro.

Wild Rice Chicken Casserole
1 (6 ounce) package long grain and wild rice blend
1 cup cooked chopped chicken
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/4 cups finely chopped onions
1 cup mayonnaise
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup
1. Preheat over 325 degrees.
2. Cook rice according to directions on package.
3. Combine with remaining ingredients.
4. Bake for 1 hour.
5. FOR OAMC. Place cooked rice mix and chicken into a 1 gallon freezer bag; freeze.
6. Thaw rice and chicken mixture. Remove from bag and place in casserole dish. Stir together mayo and cream of mushroom soup. Spread over chicken and rice mixture. Bake covered in a preheated 325F oven for 1 hour

Unforgettable Chicken Casserole
3 cups rotisserie chicken (skins removed)
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
2 cups celery, chopped
1/2 cup almonds, silvered
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 (14 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 1/2 cups French fried onion rings
1. Stir together first 8 ingredients.
2. Spoon into greased 9x13 baking dish.
3. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes.
4. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups french fried onion rings over top and bake 5 more minutes or until bubbly around edges.
5. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken and Broccoli
6 ounces egg noodles
3 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
salt and pepper
5 cups cooked shredded chicken breasts
1 (10 ounce) package chopped frozen broccoli, thawed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Add pasta and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.)
4. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
5. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
6. Saute onion until tender, about 3 minutes.
7. Mix in flour.
8. Gradually stir in chicken broth.
9. Slowly stir in milk, and cook, stirring, until sauce begins to thicken.
10. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Place cooked noodles in the bottom of casserole dish.
12. Arrange cooked chicken in an even layer over noodles.
13. Place broccoli over the chicken.
14. Pour sauce evenly over the broccoli.
15. Combine cheeses, and sprinkle half over the casserole.
16. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
17. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
18. Allow to set for 5 minutes, until cheese melts.

Crescent Chicken Rolls
1 (8 count) can crescent rolls
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup grated cheese
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup milk
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese (softened)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine (melted)
1 tablespoon chopped onion
salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons milk
Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and add 2 Tablespoon milk, onion, and salt and pepper. Add chicken to this and mix well. In saucepan mix 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup cheese, and soup. Heat until cheese melts but do not boil. Put part of soup mixture in bottom of casserole dish. Roll chicken mixture in crescent rolls and lay on soup in dish. Put rest of soup on rolls. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

Chicken Cobbler
Topping:
olive oil flavored cooking spray
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups sourdough bread cubes
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Filling:
olive oil flavored cooking spray
2 medium sweet onions, sliced
1 medium potato (cooked, cubed I use a cold leftover baked potato)
1 (8 ounce) package mushrooms, sliced fresh
1 cup fat-free chicken broth (can substitute 1 cup white wine)
1 (10 3/4 ounce) 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 chicken breasts (cooked, cubed)
Toss olive oil cooking spray with garlic powder, sourdough, Parmesan and parsley; set aside.
Sauté onions in olive oil cooking spray in a large skillet over medium-high heat 15 minutes or until golden brown. Add mushrooms and potatoes. Sauté 5 minutes.
Stir in wine and the rest of the ingredients; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until bubbly. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch square baking dish; top evenly with bread mixture.
Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Watch closely that your bread topping does not burn! Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Tex-Mex Spinach Omelet
4 eggs
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
Dash salt
Dash ground cumin
Nonstick cooking spray
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño chile peppers, reduced-fat cheddar cheese, or reduced-fat Swiss cheese, shredded (1 ounce)
3/4 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
1 recipe Corn-Pepper Relish
1. In a medium mixing bowl beat egg product, cilantro, salt, and cumin with a whisk or rotary beater until frothy.
2. Coat an unheated 10-inch nonstick skillet with flared sides with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat or until skillet is hot.
3. Pour egg mixture into prepared skillet. Cook, without stirring,until egg mixture begins to set on the bottom and around edge. Run a spatula around edge of skillet, lifting egg mixture so uncooked portion flows underneath. Continue cooking and lifting edges until egg mixture is almost set. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with three-fourths of the spinach and half of the Corn-Pepper Relish. Using the spatula, lift and fold an edge of the omelet partially over filling. Top with remaining spinach and the remaining relish. Cut omelet in half; transfer omelet to warm plates.
Corn-Pepper Relish: In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup chopped red sweet pepper; 1/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed; 2 tablespoons chopped red onion; and 1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro. Makes: 2 servings

Breakfast Casserole With Sausage, Eggs, and Biscuits
Easy baked split biscuits make the base for this flavorful sausage and egg breakfast casserole. Use a Mexican style blend of cheeses in this recipe, or a combination of Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack.
8 frozen or refrigerated biscuits, baked according to package directions
1 pound sausage
1 can (4 ounces) chopped mild green chile
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese blend, such as Cheddar Jack or a similar combination
8 large eggs
2 cups milk
Heat oven to 350°.
Butter a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish. Heat Split the biscuits and line the baking dish with the biscuit halves, cut side up.
Brown sausage in a large skillet with onions, breaking up the sausage as it cooks. Add the chile peppers and seasonings. Sprinkle the sausage mixture evenly over the biscuit layer. Top with the cheese.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk with salt and pepper. Pour over the cheese layer. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until set. A knife should come out clean when inserted in the center.
Serve with sliced tomatoes or fresh salsa on the side. Serves 6 to 8.

Mississippi Breakfast Bake
This breakfast casserole is a tasty combination of eggs, bread, sausage, diced tomatoes and green onions, and Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese. It’s one of our favorite breakfast casserole recipes.
4 slices bread, crusts removed
6 to 8 sausage patties, cooked
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/2 cup diced tomato
1 cup Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
salt and pepper
6 large eggs
1 cup milk or half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning or seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika, optional
Tear bread into small pieces and sprinkle in bottom of a lightly buttered 2-quart casserole. Arrange sausage patties over the bread; sprinkle with green onion, tomato, then the cheese. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and remaining seasonings. Pour slowly over cheese layer. Refrigerate overnight or bake immediately. If refrigerating overnight, take casserole out of refrigerator about 1/2 hour before baking. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes, until set in middle. Serves 4 to 6.

Buffalo Run Breakfast Strata
Seasoned croutons
1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated
12 strips cooked bacon (or cooked sausage or ham, or a combination of these)
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
8 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Layer seasoned croutons over the bottom of greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle in half of the grated cheese, meat, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. Repeat layer of cheese, meat, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. Beat eggs, milk, mustard, and black pepper together and pour over mixture in the pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serves: 6 to 8

Breakfast Calzone
1 pound of bread dough (I buy it)
4 large eggs
1/4 pound cubed ham
1/4 pound sliced, cubed cheese (cheddar, American, or Swiss)
1/4 pound diced pepper or zucchini (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Scramble eggs -- do not fully cook. Cool (I cook mine the night before and refrigerate). Roll out bread dough to about 14 to 16 inches in diameter. Spread eggs over dough, ham over eggs, cheese over ham, and peppers or zucchini over cheese. Roll jelly roll fashion. Curve to fit pizza pan. Grease pan and calzone. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. Slice about 1 inch wide and serve while hot.

Shirred Eggs
sugar cured ham
1 egg
a splash of milk
a pat of butter
Havarti cheese sliced thin
alfalfa sprouts
Spray custard cup with non-stick cooking spray. Line cup with sugar cured ham, then break one egg into cup, being careful not to break yolk. Add a splash of milk, then top with a pat of butter. Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash seasoning and place a thin slice of Havarti cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until egg is firm to the touch. Remove egg from cup and place on a bed of alfalfa sprouts and sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs, then serve.

Egg & Cheese Breakfast Burrito
1 flour tortilla (6-inch)
1 EGG
1 Tbsp. shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 Tbsp. salsa
1. LINE 2-cup microwave-safe cereal bowl with microwave-safe paper towel. PRESS tortilla into bowl. BREAK egg into center of tortilla. BEAT egg gently with a fork until blended, being careful not to tear tortilla.
2. MICROWAVE on HIGH 30 seconds; stir. MICROWAVE until egg is almost set, 15 to 30 seconds longer.
3. REMOVE tortilla with paper towel liner from bowl to flat surface. TOP egg with cheese and salsa. FOLD bottom of tortilla over egg, then fold in sides

Scrambled Egg Casserole
2 tablespoons of butter.
1/2 cup of green onions, sliced.
12 eggs.
1/2 cup of half and half.
1 1/2 cups of cooked ham, chopped.
1 can of cream of mushroom soup.
4 oz of Cheddar cheese, shredded.
Preheat your oven to 250ºF.
Grease a 2-quart casserole.
In a large skillet, melt the butter. Saute the onions until crisp tender.
In a large bowl, beat eggs; then stir in half and half and ham. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet with the onions and mix thoroughly. Cook over medium heat.
As mixture begins to set, gently lift cooked portions with spatula so that thin uncooked portions can flow to bottom. Avoid constant stirring. Cook until eggs thickened throughout; then spoon into prepared casserole. Pour the cream of mushroom soup evenly over top.
Bake for 30 minutes; then sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese and bake for about 12 minutes more.

Dried cranberries pack a punch at breakfast, lunch, and dinner and are proof that you can improve upon nature. Fresh cranberries are too sour and pulpy to eat raw, but dried they become pleasantly chewy, refreshingly sweet-tart, and almost addictive. Better yet, they are available all year.
When you’re not snacking on dried cranberries, try them in cooking as an alternative to raisins. Or take them a step further and use their complementary tang with meat and poultry dishes.
Dried Cranberries
1 (12 oz.) bag of cranberries
2 quarts boiling water
1/4 cup sugar or corn syrup
In a bowl, pour boiling water over the cranberries or submerge them in a pot of boiling water with the heat turned off. Let them sit in the water until the skin pops. Do not let the berries boil or the flesh will turn mushy. Drain. If desired, coat the berries with either a light corn syrup or granulated sugar. Transfer the berries to a cooking sheet and place them in a freezer for 2 hours. Freezing the berries helps in breaking down the cell structure promoting faster drying. Put the berries on a mesh sheet in the dehydrator and dry for 10 to 16 hours, depending on the make of the dehydrator, until chewy and with no pockets of moisture.
Another method of drying is to turn on the oven for 10 minutes at 350 F. Then place the cranberries on a cookie sheet in the oven, turn off the oven, and let them sit overnight.
Store dried cranberries in the freezer. Keep in mind that dried cranberries can be used in place of raisins in recipes!
Cape Cod Cranberry
Fruited Chicken Salad
4 cups chopped cooked Tyson Chicken;
2 cups diced celery;
2 cups halved seedless grapes;
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained;
1 can mandarin oranges;
1 cup dried and sweetened cranberries;
1 cup slivered almonds
Combine: 4 cups chopped cooked Tyson Chicken; 2 cups diced celery; 2 cups halved seedless grapes; 1 can pineapple tidbits, drained; 1 can mandarin oranges, drained; 1 cup dried and sweetened cranberries; 1 cup slivered almonds.
Combine: 1/2 cup Mayonnaise; 1/2 cup commercial sour cream; 2 Tbsp lemon juice; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp white pepper.
Chicken Rice Salad with Mangos and Cranberries
3 cups cooked medium-grain rice
1 x 6 ounce package pre-cooked chicken strips, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 mango, chopped
3/4 cup choppped pecans, toasted
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup raspberry vinaigrette dressing
1/4 cup plus two tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, divided
1. In large bowl, combine rice, chicken, cranberries, mango, pecans, pepper, vinaigrette and 1/4 cup parsley.
2. Toss well.
3. Garnish with remaining parsley.
Almond-Cranberry Biscotti
Instead of using cranberries use dried cherries for Almond Cherry Biscotti’s. Recipe Comes from Plumercrest Bed and Breakfast. The bake time is 1 hour 15 minutes.
3 3/4 cups Flour
2 1/2 cups Sugar
4 eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 pinch Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 2/3 cups raw Almond, toasted and roughly chopped
1 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
Pour flour into large mixing bowl.
Make a well in the center and place Sugar, 3 eggs, all yolks, baking powder, salt, and vanilla into well.
Work the flour into the ingredients in the well until smooth.
Knead in Almonds and cramberries throughly for about 5 minutes.
Grease and flour 2 Baking Sheet that are at least 15 inches long.
Divide dough in half.
Roll each piece of dough on floured surface into 2-1/2 inch wide place the logs 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Beat remaining Egg white and brush over tops of logs.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce temperature to 325.
Cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch slices and lay, cut side up, on sheets. Return to oven for another 15 minutes. Cool on racks
Cranberry Walnut
White Fudge
1 teaspoon plus 1/2 cup butter, divided
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1 package (10 to 12 ounces) vanilla or white chips
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
Line a 8-in. square pan with foil and butter the foil with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, sour cream and remaining butter to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 234 degrees (soft-ball stage), about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the chips, marshmallow creme and vanilla until smooth. Fold in walnuts and cranberries. Pour into prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature until cool. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Honey Glazed Ham With Dried Cranberry Relish
“A homemade cranberry pecan and honey glaze is basted on this ham while cooking for maximum flavor, then the ham is served with a delicious cranberry relish. The cranberry relish may be prepared up to a week in advance to save you time in the kitchen on special occasions.”
1 Bone-in Spiral Sliced Ham, Butt or Shank Portion Ham, or Half Ham
GLAZE:
1/2 cup honey, cranberry honey preferred
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
RELISH:
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, in juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Prepare and heat ham according to package directions.
Meanwhile, prepare glaze. Mix honey with dry mustard and lemon juice in bowl; set aside.
For the relish, combine crushed pineapple with orange juice in saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat; cook to reduce juices 5 minutes. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add water; return mixture to boil. Stir in orange and lemon zest, and cranberries. Cover pan; simmer over low heat 5 minutes to plump cranberries. Remove pan from heat and stir in pecans. Set relish aside to cool. (Relish may be prepared up to one week before serving. Store in refrigerator in tightly covered container.)
Brush glaze on your Cook’s ham 30 minutes before meat is done. Heat ham uncovered for final 30 minutes. Carve ham and serve with cranberry relish.
Sausage, Apple and
Cranberry Stuffing
“Freshly toasted bread cubes, turkey sausage, chopped apples and dried cranberry combine to create a tasty fruited stuffing for a 10-pound turkey.”
1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
1 pound ground turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
3/4 cup turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
3. Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill