MOLDED CRANBERRY FRUIT SALAD

MOLDED CRANBERRY FRUIT SALAD

• 1 8-ounce can Crushed Pineapple, drained, reserving juice
• 1/2 cup Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1 3-ounce package Cherry-flavored Jello
• 1 16-ounce can Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Combine reserved pineapple juice, cranberry juice cocktail and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add gelatin, stirring until it is completely dissolved. Break up cranberry sauce with a fork. Stir into gelatin mixture. Refrigerate until mixture begins to set. Stir in pineapple and nuts. Pour into a 4-cup mold. Chill until firm. Makes 8 servings.

Cooks notes: This recipe can easily be doubled for a larger crowd. Unfortunately, this isn't my original recipe I normally use...after looking for it for over two hours I've decided "it" has somehow fallen off the face of my kitchen - go figure.

TEXAN PECAN PIE

TEXAN PECAN PIE

• 3 Eggs
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Light Corn Syrup
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Flour
• 1 Cup Shelled Pecans
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 Tbsp Oleo

Mix thoroughly and add to 9 inch unbaked shell, cook 1 hour at 325 degrees.

CRUST FOR 2 CRUST (9 INCH PIES)

• 2 Cups sifted Gold Medal Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2/3 Cup Plus 2 Tbsp Shortening
• 1/4 Cup Ice Water

Cut shortening into flour and salt. Gradually add ice water till you form a ball, do not over mix. Divide in two and roll out between two sheets of wax paper. Then line your pie tins crimping your shells nicely around the edges.

Cooks notes: This is the one thing I could always count on my dear Momma to fix on holidays. I would easily eat a half of one by myself and then she'd slip one out of hiding just before we were ready to go and give it to me. When she passed away suddenly in '97, we were still grieving her at Thanksgiving of course. It just happened to be my turn to host the T'giving dinner for my hubby's side of the family, so I attempted to bake a couple and burnt the peediddle out of them! Cry, oh my gosh, there was a river of tear...but it wasn't all about the pie. You know, sometimes as time passes loved ones are missed even more, that holds true with my Mom. Here's a saying I have on a heart shaped rock in her Memorial Garden that kinda says it all: "The Heart that Touches the Lifes of Others...Goes on Forever"

BEST SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

BEST SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
YOU'LL EVER SINK YOUR TEETH INTO

• 3 Cups Fresh Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• 3/4 Stick Margarine
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 Cup Evaporated Milk
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Mix all together well. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Topping

• 1 Cup crushed Corn Flakes
• 1/2 Cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 light brown sugar
• 3/4 stick margarine - melted

Mix all together and spread over the top of potatoes. Bake an additional 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Cooks notes: To get the mashed sweet potatoes you can either bake and scrape out the insides or peel, chop and boil til done (first choice is by far the easiest). Now what I'm about to tell you is no lie - I had folks, young and old, eatting sweet potatoes for the FIRST time and loving them! This dish is almost in the dessert catagory, it is so rich, creamy WITH crunch too, and then the sweetness - oh my, I'm getting hungry for it already - come on T'giving!

PEGGY'S FUDGE WREATH

PEGGY'S FUDGE WREATH

• 1 - 12 OZ Package Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1 Cup Butterscotch Chips
• 1 Can Eagle Brand Milk
• 1 Cup Raisins
• 1 Cup Nuts - Chopped Coarsely

Melt first 3 ingredients in a sauce pan over low heat stirring constantly - be very careful not to let it stick. Remove from heat and add the raisins and nuts. You can then roughly mold this into a "wreath" or whatever you'd like onto a decorative plate or platter. Great for gift giving or holidays!

Cooks notes: Lemme tell you another secret...Peggy's not really family, no, but she's like family and isn't that what really counts? Plus, Peg's one of the best "cookers" 'round!