Chicken Tortilla Bake

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts -- cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil -- divided
1 16 ounce can refried beans
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies -- drained
8 8 inch flour tortillas -- cut into 1-inch strips
1 11 ounce can Mexicorn -- drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese -- (8 ounces)

In a large skillet, saute the chicken, cumin and salt in 1 tablespoon oil until chicken is no longer pink.

Combine the refried beans and tomatoes; spread 1 cup into a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. Top with 24 tortilla strips; layer with half of the corn, bean mixture, chicken and cheese. Repeat layers.

Using remaining tortilla strips, make a lattice crust over filling; brush with remaining oil. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings

Amost Candy Bars

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 box Devil's food cake mix
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chip
1 cup coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 14 ounce can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9 X 13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Heat butter in microwave in 1-cup glass measure on lowest setting just until melted (about 30 seconds). Stir sour cream and chocolate syrup into the glass measure with the melted butter; mix until smooth.

Put cake mix in a large bowl. Drizzle butter mixture over the top and beat on low until cake mix is nicely moistened but still crumbly (about 30 seconds). Press evenly in bottom of prepared pan. Sprinkle the top evenly with butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over all ingredients.

Bake until light golden brown (about 30 minutes). Cool completely. Cut into 48 bars.


Yield: "48 bars"

Sharon's Chocolate Pecan Pie

1/2 cup butter
2 squares semisweet chocolate
2 large eggs -- well beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups corn syrup
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped or whole pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler over hot water. Pour this into a bowl and add the beaten eggs, then stir in the sugar, corn syrup, flour, vanilla and salt. Fold in the pecans. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for about 30 minutes. Watch carefully and do not take the pie out of the oven until the top looks dry. You can make up to 4 pies at one time. They freeze beautifully. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top, if you like.

German Layered Apple Cake

6 cups apples -- peeled and sliced
1 package German Chocolate cake mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup margarine -- softened
3 large eggs
1/2 cup nuts -- walnuts or pecans

FROSTING:
3 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons margarine -- softened
3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread 1/2 of apples evenly in greased 9 X 13 pan. In a large bowl, mix dry cake mix, cinnamon, water, margarine and eggs at low speed until smooth; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in nuts. Pour half of the batter evenly over apples and repeat layers. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until tests done.

For frosting, in a small bowl blend ingredients until smooth. Frost cooled cake.



Serving Ideas : I sometimes break some extra nuts up and put on top of frosting.

Sesame-Ginger Asparagus

1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus -- trimmed and cut diagonally into 2" pieces
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon chipped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Bring 1/4" water to a boil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the asparagus and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain and cool briefly under cold running water. Wipe the skillet dry with a paper towel. Heat the canola oil in the same skillet over high heat,. Add the asparagus, ginger, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Rhubarb Dessert

5 cups finely diced rhubarb
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 3 ounce package strawberry gelatin powder
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup boiling water
1 package white or yellow cake mix

Mix cake mix according to package directions. Put the chopped rhubarb in the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan. Mix the sugar and jello together and spread over the rhubarb. Next, put the marshmallows in the pan. Pour the prepared cake mix over the jello and marshmallow layers and then the boiling water over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Rhubarb Bread

1 1/3 cups Dark Brown Sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg -- beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups finely diced rhubarb -- 1/4-inch cuts (1 1/2 to 2)
1/2 cup chopped nuts

In a bowl, combine the sugar and oil; blend in egg, vanilla and milk. Combine flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda; add to moist ingredients. Stir in rhubarb and nuts. Transfer to two well-greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans.
Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.