1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 1-minute oats
20 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups tiny marshmallows
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with foil; extend foil over edges; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the 1/2 cup butter for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and baking soda. Beat until combined; scrape side of bowl. Beat in egg and the 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Stir in oats. Reserve 2/3 cup of oat mixture. With floured hands (plastic gloves), press remaining oat mixture into prepared pan. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine caramels and milk. Heat and stir over low heat just until caramels melt. Drizzle over oatmeal mixture. Sprinkle with 1 1/3 cups of the marshmallows and 2/3 cup of the peanuts; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and the 2 tablespoons butter. Heat and stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove from heat. Stir in the 2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour evenly over marshmallows and nuts in pan. Spoon mounds of reserved oat mixture evenly over chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup marshmallows and 1/3 cup peanuts. Bake 30 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan on wire rack.

To serve, lift bars using foil. Place on a cutting board; cut into bars. Makes about 36 bars.

To store: Place in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens, Christmas Cookies 2005. The bars are delicious.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 1-minute oats
20 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups tiny marshmallows
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with foil; extend foil over edges; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the 1/2 cup butter for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and baking soda. Beat until combined; scrape side of bowl. Beat in egg and the 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Stir in oats. Reserve 2/3 cup of oat mixture. With floured hands (plastic gloves), press remaining oat mixture into prepared pan. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine caramels and milk. Heat and stir over low heat just until caramels melt. Drizzle over oatmeal mixture. Sprinkle with 1 1/3 cups of the marshmallows and 2/3 cup of the peanuts; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and the 2 tablespoons butter. Heat and stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove from heat. Stir in the 2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour evenly over marshmallows and nuts in pan. Spoon mounds of reserved oat mixture evenly over chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup marshmallows and 1/3 cup peanuts. Bake 30 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan on wire rack.

To serve, lift bars using foil. Place on a cutting board; cut into bars. Makes about 36 bars.

To store: Place in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens, Christmas Cookies 2005. The bars are delicious.

1 pound pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons each snipped fresh-sage and rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided in two parts)
1 crusty baguette load

Trim fat from pork. In bowl combine sage, rosemary, salt pepper, garlic, and fennel; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add tenderloin to skillet. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until evenly browned, turning often. Remove pork from skillet; cool slightly. Rub entire surface with herb mixture; set aside.

Halve baguette horizontally. Remove bread from inside of crusts, forming a thin shell. Brush inside of shell with remaining olive oil. Place pork on baguette bottom; cover with top. Trim ends of loaf. Tie at 1 to 2-inch intervals with kitchen string. Place on baking sheet; bake, uncovered, in 375 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 155 degrees to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Let stand 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

1 ½ pounds sea scallops
1 T. olive or vegetable oil
Salt and ground black pepper
2/3 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
¼ teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 T. butter

Pat scallops dry with paper towel. Coat scallops with oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside. Whisk together orange juice, mustard, and basil in small bowl; set aside.

Heat a 12-inch skillet to High. Add scallops to hot pan; sear until they develop thick, rich brown crust, about 2 minutes. Turn scallops and continue to cook over high heat until remaining side develops crust, about 2 minutes longer. Remove from pan.

Add orange juice mixture to empty skillet; boil until reduced by half, about a minute. Tilting the skillet, so that reduced liquid is at one side of pan, whisk in butter and any accumulated scallop juices. Spoon a little sauce over each portion of scallops; serve immediately. Serves 4.

This recipe is From How to Cook without a Book by Pam Anderson (Broadway Books, 2000)

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetend cocoa
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10.5-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting

Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15-x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to over, and bake 5 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate Frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting:
Makes 2 cups
Prep: 10 minutes

1 (16 oz) package powdered sugar sifted
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Beat all ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

4 large red tomatoes
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Garnish: flat-leaf parsley sprig

1. Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Scoop out pulp from each tomato half, leaving shells intact; discard seeds, and coarsely chop pulp.
2. Stir together pulp, feta cheese, and next 6 ingredients.
3. Spoon mixture evenly into tomato shells, and place in a 13/9-inch baking dish.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish if desired.

1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer
1/2 cup buttermints, lightly crushed
1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
2/3 cup instant coffee crystals
Peppermint sticks or round hard candies

Stir together nondairy creamer, buttermints, powdered sugar, and milk powder. Layer with coffee crystals, dividing among two 2-cup mug jars. Insert peppermint sticks or candies as necessary to fill jars snugly. Makes 2 jars.

Gift Tag Directions: For each mug, place 1/4 cup of mix in a mug and add 1/3 cup boiling water. Stir till mix dissolves. Serve with a peppermint stick or candy, if desired.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs

Melt butter in boiling water. Add flour and salt all at once; stir vigorously. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball that doesn't separate. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time, beating vigorously after each until smooth. Drop scant teaspoon onto pan and bake 2 inches apart in 400 degrees oven for 25 minutes.

Stuff shells with tuna or chicken salad.

3/4 cup oil
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup honey

Mix oil, honey, sugar, flour and spices and soda using mixer. Add 1 egg (well beaten) and 1 cup pecans. Press mixture into greased 8 x 12 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Spread with frosting.

Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and spread over cookies. Cut into bars.

4 eggs
1 cup white Karo Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 stick of butter
1 cup of pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Melt sugar, butter and Karo syrup together stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved completely. Do not let the sugar and butter mixture boil. Melt it over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is not gritty from the sugar. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

When cool, lightly beat eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt together in a small bowl. Add the egg mixture to the cooled sugar, Karo and butter mixture. Blend well by hand and pour into a 9 inch pie crust. Put pecans on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool to serve.