Rice Pudding

3/4 c water
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c minute rice
1 1/4 c milk
1 egg yolk (slight beaten)
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c raisins
1/8 tsp cinnamin
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp butter

Bring water & salt to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover, remove from heat, stand 5-8 minutes.
Mix milk & yolk together and stir into rice. Add sugar, raisins, spices & butter.
Mix well & bring to boil, stir constantly. Cover & remove from heat. Let stand 1 hour.
Stir & serve. Makes 4 servings.

Turnip Puff

6 c cubed turnip
2 Tbsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
salt & pepper to taste
pinch nutmeg
1/2 c fine bread crumbs
2 tbsp butter, melted

Cook turnip until tender. Drian & mash. Add butter & eggs. Beat well. (This much can be done a day ahead).
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper & nutmeg.
Stir into turnip. Put mixture in a buttered casserole dish.
Combine crumbs & butter, sprinkle on top.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, until light brown on top. Serves 6.

Make-Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole

10 potatoes
1/2 lb cream cheese
1/4 c butter
1 c sour cream
1/2 c minced fresh parsley
pinch dried marjoram
salt & pepper
1/2 c coarse fresh bread crumbs

Cook potatoes until tender, not mushy. Drain, cool slightly, peel.
Mash until smooth. Blend in cream cheese & butter until melted.
Mix in onions, sour cream, parsley, marjoram, salt & pepper to taste.
Put in 8" baking dish, sprinkle with crumbs (can be refrigerated 2 days or frozen 1 week at this point. If freezing, thaw in fridge 24 hours. Add 10 mins to baking time.)
Bake at 400 for 20 min, until light golden. Makes 10 servings.

Chicken Pot Pie

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered
2 leeks or onions, trimmed and chopped
1 c diced carrots
1/3 c flour
2 c chicken stock
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 tsp hot red pepper sauce (I used red pepper flakes)
1/2 tsp pepper
salt to taste
4 cup diced cooked chicken breasts
1/2 c fresh or frozen corn nibblets
1 c fresh or frozen peas
1/4 c diced pimento or roasted sweet red pepper

Cheddar Mashed Potato Topping:
2 lb baking potatoes, peeled & c in 2" pieces
3/4 c milk, hot
1/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste
3/4 c grated light cheddar cheese
1 tsp paprika

1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add mushrooms, leeks & carrots. cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle with flour. Cook gently for 5 min, but do not brown.
2. Whisk in stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and add thyme, hot pepper sauce, pepper & salt. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in chicken, corn, peas and pimento. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
4. To make topping, cook potatoes in large pot of boil water until tender. Drain well and pat dry. Mash. Beat in milk, pepper, salt & cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add more milk if necessary so you can spread the potatoes.
5. Lightly oil 3 qt/3 L casserole dish. Spoon chicken mixture into dish. Spoon potato mixture over chicken and sprinkle with paprika.
6. Bake 400 for 30-35 min until hot & bubbly.

8-10 servings.
Per serving:
calories 333
g carbohydrate 32
g fibre 3
g total fat 9
g saturated fat 3
g protein 31
mg cholesterol 68
mg sodium 184
mg potassium 735

From the cookbook: Bonnie Stern, Simply HeartSmart Cooking

Dangerous Chocolate Cake-in-a-Mug

1 coffee mug
4 Tbsp. cake flour (plain, not self-rising)
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. oil
Small splash of vanilla
3 Tbsp. chocolate chips, optional

Add dry ingredients to mug, mix well with a fork.
Add egg, mix thoroughly.
Pour in milk and oil and vanilla, mix well.
Add chips, if using.
Put mug in microwave, and cook for three minutes on 1000 watts.
Cake will rise over top of mug--do not be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little; tip onto a plate if desired.

Eat!

(This can serve two if you want to feel slightly more virtuous.)

***And WHY is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?

Because now we are all only five minutes away from chocolate cake any time of the day or night!!!***

Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad (Anka Crowe)

1 bunch of broccoli, chopped into tiny flowerettes
1/2 large cauliflower, chopped into tiny floweretts
1/2 lb bacon, cooked until crisp, crumbled
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing
1/2 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
3 tsp vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed

Combine dressing ingredients. Toss with other salad ingredients.
Serves 6 - 8

Mexican Bean Soup (easy peasy!)

chicken or veggie broth (I use homemade, but you can use canned, preferably low sodium)
canned kidney or black beans, drained
frozen or canned corn
1 chopped tomato or 2
huge pinces of cumin, chili powder and oregano
leftover cooked chicken, cut in chunks (I keep some in the freezer for this sort of thing)

Substitute veggies with whatever you have on hand. Heat all together and enjoy.