BROCCOLI, ASPARAGUS OR CAULIFLOWER SOUP

2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 bunch (10 oz.) fresh broccoli
1 sm. onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. butter
1 qt. chicken stock or broth
1/2 c. heavy cream, warmedSalt and pepper

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, stir in flour. Cook 3 minutes over low heat, stir constantly. Cool. Set aside. If using broccoli: Wash and trim off tough part. Separate and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. In a large saucepan saute onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in broccoli, cover and cook 3 minutes. Stir in stock or broth, heat to simmering. Stir small amount of liquid into cooked flour and butter mixture until smooth; return mixture to saucepan; stirring until smooth. Simmer, covered until broccoli is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Puree in electric blender, return to saucepan. Blend cream into soup. Taste and salt and pepper if needed. Serve.

HEARTY MANICOTTI

(8 main dish servings)

1 lb. Italian sweet sausage links
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 16 oz. cans tomato puree
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
basil
salt
1 8 oz. package manicotti shells
4 cups ricotta cheese
1 8 oz. package mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

In covered 5 quart Dutch oven. Over medium heat, in 1/4 cup water, cook sausage links 5 minutes. Uncover, brown well, drain on paper towel.

Spoon fat from Dutch oven. over medium heat brown ground beef and onions, stir in tomato puree, paste, sugar, pepper, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. salt, 1 cup water; simmer, covered 45 minutes.

Cut sausage into bite-size pieces; add to mixture and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook manicotti as label directs; drain. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine ricotta and mozzarella (diced) cheeses, parsley, 3/4 tsp. basil, 1/2 tsp salt; stuff into shells.

Spoon half of meat sauce into 13" x 9" baking dish. Place half of shells over sauce in one layer. Spoon remaining sauce, except 3/4 cup, over shells, top with remaining shells in one layer.
Spoon reserved meat sauce over top. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake 30 minutes.

CUSTARD

4 eggs
6 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. boiling water
1 can evaporated milkDash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat eggs, sugar, milk and salt with a electric mixer. Pour boiling water over mixture and add vanilla and stir well. Put into custard cups or large baking dish. Place bowl or cups into a shallow pan of water and place in oven. Bake for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean.

TAPIOCA PUDDING

3 tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
1/3 c. sugar
2 lg. egg whites, lightly beaten
2 3/4 c. skim milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla extractPinch ground nutmeg

-- GARNISH --

1/4 c. slivered almonds, toasted

Serves 4. About 2/3 cup per serving. In a 2-quart saucepan, mix tapioca, sugar, egg whites and milk and let stand 5 minutes. Bring mixture just to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and nutmeg. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Stir and pour into individual serving dishes. Garnish with 1 tablespoon slivered almonds per serving. Serve warm or chilled.

BLUEBERRY PUDDING

1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin (1 env.)
1/4 c. boiling water
10 oz. tofu, drained
5 tbsp. apple juice concentrate, defrosted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pt. fresh blueberries, rinsed, drained and divided, about 16 oz.

Serves 4. About 2/3 cup per serving. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water, stirring until crystals disappear. In a blender or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, blend dissolved gelatin, tofu, apple juice concentrate, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon and 1 cup of blueberries until smooth. Pour pudding into a bowl; fold in remaining cup of blueberries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set. Serve cold. The sweetener in this recipe is apple juice concentrate. That's a good way to cut down on processed sugar.

TACO SEASONING

2 tsp. chili powder
1-1/2 tsp. paprika
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
3/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. salt
dash cayenne pepper

Combine all above ingredients. Make 3 tablespoons.

TACO DIP

1 lb. hamburger
1 dry pkg. taco seasoning
6 oz. green taco sauce
16 oz. can refried beans
16 oz. carton sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger. Add taco seasoning, taco sauce and refried
beans. Mix well. Pour into loaf pan; spoon sour cream over and
sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Eat with Nacho chips.

MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP

1 - 3 lb. frying chicken, skinned, cut into serving pieces
2 cups canned tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup canned mildly hot California chilies, diced (or 1/3 cup for milder flavored soup)
2 cups cooked, drained pinto beans

Place chicken pieces in large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Cook until tender, about 25 minutes.

Remove chicken pieces from broth and put in the tomatoes, garlic and chilies. Slide chicken meat off the bones and return meat to the broth. Add beans and simmer about 15 minutes. Yield: about 2 quarts. Approx. calorie serving: 1 cup equals 190 calories. Serve with tortilla. 1 tortilla equals 60 calories.

ZUCCHINI JAM

4 c. grated zucchini
3 c. sugar
1/2 c. lemon juice

Peel zucchini and remove seeds - grate. Mix all ingredients in large pan on stove. Boil at medium heat for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 package any flavor Jello. Seal in jelly jars.

APPLE JELLY

6 lg. green peppers
1 1/2 c. cider vinegar
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
6 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 bottle CertoGreen food coloring

Cut peppers into small pieces. Put 1/2 pepper and 1/2 vinegar in blender to liquefy. Repeat process for last half of peppers. Add crushed red pepper, salt, and sugar to liquefied pepper mixture. Bring to boil and add Certo while boiling. Boil until thickened, when dropped from spoon at 20-25 inches. Add food coloring and jar. Allow jelly to settle. Seal with melted paraffin. Great over brick of cream cheese and served with crackers.

JELL-O JIGGLER'S

2 lg. boxes Jell-O gelatin
2 1/2 c. boiling water
1 (9x13") metal pan

Stir boiling water into gelatin. Dissolve completely. No small beads of gelatin should remain. Do not add cold water. Pour mixture into pan. Chill at least 3 hours. Jiggler's will be firm after 1 hour, but may be difficult to remove from pan. Cut jiggler's into fun shapes. Recipe may be halved, use 8 or 9 inch pan. Dip bottom of pan in warm water for 15 seconds so jiggler's will come out of pan easily. Cut desired shapes with jiggler's cutters or cookie cutters. Be sure to cut all the way through gelatin. Lift jiggler's from pan using index finger or metal spatula. If jiggler's stick, dip pan again in warm water for a few seconds. Note: 2 1/2 cups of boiling apple juice may be substituted for boiling water.

MAPLE SYRUP

Mix together:
1 c. water
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. Karo
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring

Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Cool. Pour into bottle. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Butter flavoring can be added, if desired.

CORNCOB JELLY

12 red corn cobs, broken
3 c. sugar
1 pkg. powdered pectin

Boil corn cobs in 6 cups of water for 30 minutes; cool. Strain; add enough water to measure 3 cups if necessary. Combine liquid with sugar; bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Stir in pectin. Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat; skim. Pour into sterilized jars; seal with paraffin.