Broccoli Casserole

• 2 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped broccoli
• 3 cups cottage cheese
• 3 eggs
• 6 tablespoons margarine
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 (8 oz) can corn
• 1/2 lb cheddar cheese (or any other cheese you like)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Cook broccoli and drain. Meanwhile mix cottage cheese, eggs, 4 tablespoons of margarine (ok, if you put all 6 tablespoons is no big deal but you are going to need 2 more later) and the flour in a bowl - mix till cottage cheese is smooth and creamy. Add the broccoli, chopped onion, drained corn, cheese, salt and pepper. (if you like hot/spicy food, this is the time to add a teaspoon or two of hot sauce).

Pour into a greased casserole. Top with a couple of tablespoons of parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, fried onion crumbs, or any other topping you like.

Bake at 350˚ for about an hour or till it is set.

Cheese Pasta Bake

• 1 pkg (16 oz) bow ties (penne, rottini, etc)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella - shredded
• 1 1/3 cups grated Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup minced parsley.

Cook pasta and drain the pasta.

Drain tomatoes but keep separate about 1 1/4 cups of the juice.

In saucepan melt butter, stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth; add - slowly - the milk and the tomato juice. Boil - stirring - for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat.

Add the sauce and tomatoes to the drained pasta.

Stir in cheeses and parsley.

Transfer to a greased baking dish and bake - uncovered - at 375 for 30-35 minutes.


To make it a full blown casserole, we can add cooked pieces of chicken to the pasta before baking it.
YUMMY!!!!

Sopapilla cheesecake

The first time I made this recipe, Jason - my recently married son, said "mom, how come you never told me you knew how to cook!" so it's yummy and super easy.

• 2 cans of Pillsbury crescent rolls (I tried the supermarket brand but somehow they didn't come out the same)
• 2 packages of cream cheese
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 3/4 cup of sugar (yep, more sugar)
• 1 tsp of cinnamon (I don't measure it, it could be a bit more or less - according to taste)

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray
Unroll and spread one of the cans of crescent rolls on the baking dish - try to patch the holes so the cream is on a solid base.
Beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla.
Spread the cream on the dough
Unroll and place the other crescent roll can over the cream.
Pour the melted butter on top of the whole thing.
Spread the cinnamon sugar on top of the melted butter.
Bake at 350˚ for about 1/2 hr.

Cheesecake covered brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg brownie mix plus the ingredients required to make it
• 1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 egg
• 1 can condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Prepare the brownie mix as directed in the package. Pour mix in a greased pan and set aside.
In a bowl mix the cream cheese, butter and the cornstarch till smooth and fluffy. Add the egg, condensed milk and vanilla flavoring, mix a bit more.
Pour cream cheese mix over the unbaked brownie mix.
Bake at 350° for about 40 minutes.

Oreo cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oreo cookies crushed
  1/2 stick of butter or margarine
  3 pkg cream cheese (8 oz ea.)
  1 can condensed milk
  3 eggs
  2 tsp vanilla extract

Mixed the crushed cookies with the softened butter. Press onto baking pan.

Beat cream cheese (if you don't do this first, you will end up with lumps), add the condensed milk, vanilla and eggs until mixed.

Pour over cookie crust. Bake at 300˚ for about 45 to 50 minutes until set. Cool

Variation: if you are a die hard chocolate lover, you can melt a bag of chocolate chips and mix it with half the cream cheese mixture. Pour the plain cream cheese mixture first and then drop the chocolate by tablespoons and swirl.

Variation 2: If oreos are "your" cookies, then you can add some crushed oreo pieces to the cream cheese mixture before baking.

Caramel Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup margarine
• 3/4 cup nuts (chopped)
• 24 soft caramels (I use Kraft caramels)
• 1 can condensed milk

combine flour, sugar and egg. Add 1/2 of the margarine until crumbly. Mix in the chopped nuts. Separate about 1 1/2 cups of mixture to sprinkle on top and press the rest on a greased baking pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350˚.

While it bakes, put the condensed milk, the rest of the margarine (1/4 cup) and caramels in a pan over low heat until the caramels melt. Pour over the baked crust and sprinkle the saved crumb mixture over it.

Place back in oven and bake another 30 minutes. Cool, cut & enjoy!