Basil and Sun-dried Tomato Brie
Serves 4 to 6
1 (5-inch) round Brie cheese
4 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1½ tablespoons chopped pine nuts, toasted
1½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Cut off the top rind of the Brie and discard. Arrange the round on a platter. Process the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and Parmesan cheese in a food processor until finely chopped. Spread the sun-dried tomato mixture over the top of the Brie. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and basil just before serving. Serve at room temperature with bagel chips.
Eliza Paschall Petznick
Best Squash Casserole
Serves 6 to 8
10 yellow squash
2 eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped green onions (optional)
12 butter crackers, finely crushed
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Shredded mild cheddar cheese to taste (optional)
8 butter crackers, finely crushed
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the squash with enough water to generously cover in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until tender and drain. Let stand until cool and slice. Drain the sliced squash in a colander, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract any remaining moisture. The cooked squash should measure 5 cups.
Beat the eggs in a bowl until blended. Stir in the mayonnaise and salad dressing mix. Fold in the squash, 1 cup cheese, the green onions, 12 crushed crackers, garlic salt and pepper. Spoon the squash mixture into a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with additional cheese and 8 crushed crackers. Bake for 30 minutes.
Nancy Bedsole Bynon
Oven Jambalaya
Serves 8
1 pound andouille, sliced
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 pound converted rice
1 (14-ounce) can beef broth
1 (10-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (10-ounce) can French onion soup
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped (about ¼ cup)
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brown the sausage in a Dutch oven and drain. Add the chicken, butter, rice, broth, tomato sauce, soup, bell pepper, green onions and Creole seasoning to the sausage and mix well.
Spoon the sausage mixture into a lightly greased 9X13-inch baking dish and bake, covered, for 1 ¼ hours, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with additional Creole seasoning before serving if desired. For testing purposes, Uncle Ben’s rice was used.
Lauren Zito Palermo
White Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites
Makes 75-100 pieces
4 cups crisp rice cereal
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
4 cups (24 ounces) white chocolate morsels, melted (melt the morsels in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, or in the microwave on high for two minutes)
Mix the cereal, marshmallows, peanut butter and peanuts in a large bowl with a spatula. Pour the white chocolate over the cereal mixture and quickly mix to coat. Spread the cereal mixture on a sheet of waxed paper and let stand until cool and firm. Break into small pieces and store in an airtight container.
Christine McGrath Velezis