HUSH YOUR MOUTH NOW HONEY CORNBREAD OR ELSE

Or else what? Or else I am going to take you out to the woodpile and give you what you have been needing!

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 stick melted butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup cubed Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet with shortening. Place in the oven while you mix up the batter.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk through butter in another bowl. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together, just until moistened, add the cheese. Pour the batter into the hot pan, return to the oven, and bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden in color. Remove from the oven and brush the top with the honey. Cool for a few minutes then cut into wedges. Serves 10 to 12

"Cornbread are round...pie are square."~me

SHEPHERD'S PIE A'LA MACARONI & CHEESE

I love Shepherd's Pie, and have yet to give out my traditional recipe which uses Yukon Gold mashed potatoes for the topping. Here is a unique version that gives my own version a 'run for it's money'. A homemade cheese sauce mixes with whole-grain elbow macaroni pasta and this is used to grace the uniquely flavored meat sauce. I made this up this morning as I was going through my refrigerator looking to see what I had to work with to make something for dinner. My brother had given me a bottle of Charleston Pig Company's Pigs & Peckers BBQ Sauce, so I used this in the meat sauce, along with sweet onion, garlic, and red, yellow and orange bell peppers. Oh, baby, my prediction is that Shepherd's Pie will never be the same.

2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 lb. multi-grain elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups chopped sweet onion
1 cup chopped varied colored sweet peppers
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
3/4 cup Charleston Pig Company's Pig & Pecker BBQ Sauce (or other thin vinegary crushed red pepper sauce)
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups half-and-half or evaporated milk
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Tabasco sauce to taste

Bring a big pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt, stir in pasta shells, cook until al dente. Drain, rinse in cold water. Set aside.

In large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add half the onions and half the peppers, and cook until soft, stirring. Toss in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the ground beef, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the pieces, and cook until the meat loses its pinkness. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper. Mix in the Charleston BBQ Sauce, remove from heat.

Melt the butter in a large pot and cook the remaining onions and peppers until soft. Add the flour and stir well. Slowly add the half-and-half, stirring as you go. When it bubbles and thickens slightly, remove from the heat and add 2 cups of the Cheddar, the mozzarella, mustard and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the Tabasco to your liking. We really like it! Stir until the cheeses are melted, then add  the macaroni. Set aside.

Lightly spray a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the ground beef mixture into the dish, then top with the macaroni mixture. Top with the last cup of cheddar cheese, and the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it. To bake: preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until cheeses are golden and it is bubbly around the edges. Allow the dish to rest for 15 minutes please before serving, if you can get whoever is eating with you to wait that long.

Serves 8

"How many shepherd's does it take to make shepherd's pie? One, if you slice 'em thin enough."~Anon

WW COOKIES & COFFEE ICE CREAM PARFAITS

And now for a little something to get you through the night...the ultimate dessert experience...crumbled Oreos layered between light coffee and vanilla ice cream, with layers of fat-free chocolate syrup.

1 cup vanilla light ice cream
1/4 cup fat-free chocolate syrup, divided
4 reduced-fat Oreo cookies, crumbled and divided
1 cup coffee light ice cream

Place 1/4 cup of the vanilla ice cream in each of 4 dessert glasses. Drizzle with 1 1/2 teaspoons chocolate syrup and 1 tablespoon crumbled cookies. Spoon 1/4 cup coffee light ice cream over crumbs in each glass, and top with remaining syrup and cookies.

4 servings with 4 points value each

MICROWAVE PRALINES

A Passion for Pralines...that is what I am calling this play on candy. 5 ingredients never had it so good! Sugar, pecans, evaporated milk, butter and vanilla....

2 cups sugar
2 cups chopped pecans
1 5oz. can evaporated milk
1/2 stick butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a 2-qt. microwave-safe liquid measuring cup. Microwave at High 5 to 6 minutes, stirring well. Microwave 5 to 6 minutes more, stirring well. Working rapidly, drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper; let stand until firm.

2 1/2 dozen

SPUTTER BUTTERS

Absolutely love these!!! Take my word for it...you will too.

Brownie mix with chocolate chunks and syrup-baked.
Mix 8oz. softened cream cheese with 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until creamy. Spread over cooled brownies; sprinkle with 1 cup chopped (16) miniature peanut butter cup candies and 1/2 cup candy-coated peanut butter pieces. Drizzle with 1/4 cup chocolate syrup. Chill in refrigerator at least 45 minutes. Cut into bars.

GRAHAM SLAMS

These frozen treats taste like peanut butter pie sandwiches between graham crackers.

8oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip-thawed
36 honey or chocolate graham crackers (or mixture of both-1 box plus 1 sleeve)

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed of electric mixer until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip. Break crackers in half. Dollop 1 heaping tablespoon filling over 1 cracker half, top with remaining half. Repeat with remaining crackers. Place in a single layer or jelly roll pans, cover and freeze at least 2 hours. Wrap leftovers in nonstick aluminum foil to freeze.

EASY BEEF SLOPPY JOES

If you like Sloppy Joes, you will love this recipe. Onions, ketchup, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, paprika, and brown sugar all combine together to give this sandwich filling its panache. Serve with coleslaw and chips.

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Salt & pepper to taste
4 onion buns or toast
shredded cheese

Cook ground beef and onion in large skillet until beef is crumbly and no longer pink, drain.

Stir in ketchup through brown sugar, season with salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, over low hear for 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Divide the mixture among the hamburger buns. Top with cheese if you like and serve with coleslaw either on the bun or on the side.

Serves 4