CHEDDAR MASHED POTATOES

VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

4 cup peeled and diced potatoes
4 lrg garlic cloves peeled
1 tsp salt divided
6 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbl butter or margarine cut up

Instructions

# 1. Bring potatoes garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt and water to boil in
medium saucepan. Reduce heat and cook 8 to 10 minutes until
fork-tender. # 2. Drain potatoes and garlic and return to pan;
reduce heat to medium and add milk remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt
and pepper. Mash with potato masher until smooth. Remove from
heat and stir in cheese and butter until melted. # Makes 4
servings. # Cheddar cheese fans will devour these creamy mashed
potatoes. (Cut down on the amount of cheese to reduce fat
content.) # Prep time: 15 minutes more

SPINACH AND EGG CASSEROLE

VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach
1 (15 ounce) can Cheddar cheese soup
1 tablespoon mustard
1/2 pound deli ham cut into 1/4-inch cubes
4 hardboiled eggs chopped or sliced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large saucepan cook spinach
according to package direction; drain well. Stir in soup mustard
and ham. Pour into a 9-inch square baking pan. Top with eggs.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.

STUFFED EGGPLANT

VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

2 cups plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons cracked pepper
2 or 3 eggplants sliced lengthwise into 12 (1/2-inch) thick slices
3 eggs slightly beaten in flat dish large enough to dip eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

Instructions

Stuffing 1 pound fresh ricotta cheese 1/2 cup fresh basil
trimmed and chopped 1/4 cup parsley trimmed and chopped 1/4 cup
scallion trimmed and chopped 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sauce 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup minced onion 4 ounces tomato paste 1/4 cup chopped
fresh basil 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoon
dried 2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes seeded 3/4 cup dry red
wine 1/8 cup granulated sugar 1 cup shredded mozzarella Mix
together bread crumbs salt and pepper. Dip each slice of eggplant
into egg and then dredge in bread crumbs salt and pepper. Dip
each slice of eggplant into egg and then dredge in bread crumbs
to coat. Set aside on wax paper. Heat oil in large saute pan over
medium-high heat and add garlic. Saute garlic until it begins to
brown. Fry eggplant slices in batches until browned on both sides
very pliable and somewhat soft about 6 minutes on each side.
Remove to wax paper. Combine all filling ingredients and beat
with a fork for about 1 minute to fluff. Place a dollop of the
filling on the bottom of each slice of eggplant and roll up each
piece. Wooden wooden picks may be used to fasten but with a
little care and the aid of a flat spatula this can be avoided.
Arrange rolls on baking dish. Heat oil in saucepan over
medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and stir about 5 minutes
or until onion is soft and starts to turn golden. Reduce heat to
medium and stir in tomato paste basil oregano and tomato. Return
heat to medium-high and slowly stir in wine. Reduce heat to
medium when mixture begins to bubble and sprinkle sugar on top.
Stir to mix and remove from heat. Pour sauce over eggplant and
top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place in oven on highest
setting until cheese bubbles and begins to brown about 7 minutes.
Serve immediately. Serves 6.

STEELER BAKED BEANS

VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

1 pound bacon diced
3 to 4 heaping teaspoons brown sugar
4 onions diced
1/2 jar molasses
4 large (1 pound 11 ounce) cans baked beans drained
4 tablespoons vinegar (or slightly less)
2 teaspoons mustard
16 ounces ketchup

Instructions

Cook bacon and onion until tender; drain. Mix all of the
ingredients together and stir until well blended. Bake at 350
degrees for 2 hours. Or bake in a 5-quart crockpot on No. 2
setting for 5 hours. The longer it cooks the better it tastes.
Testers note: We halved this recipe and made it in the crockpot
using 1 package Sugardale Ready Cooked Peppered Bacon to save
time. It tied for No.1 among my samplers.

DOLMAS (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons dried currants
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon dried mint
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (8 ounce) jar grape leaves drained and rinsed

Instructions

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions
until tender. Stir in rice and hot water to cover. Cover and
simmer until rice is half cooked about 10 minutes. Remove from
heat and stir in tomato paste currants pine nuts cinnamon mint
leaves dill weed allspice and cumin. Let mixture cool. Prepare a
large pot by placing an inverted plate on the bottom; this
protects the dolmas from direct heat when steaming. Rinse grape
leaves in warm water; drain and cut off any stems. Place about 1
teaspoon of the cooled rice mixture in the center of a leaf. Fold
in the sides and then roll into a cigar shape. Place in prepared
pot. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Pour in just enough warm
water to reach the bottom of the first layer of dolmas. Cover and
simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes or until rice is
totally cooked. Check the water level often and add more as
necessary. more