Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Pie

Yield: 6-8 servings

1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/4 C chopped pecans
1 jar (12 1/4 oz) fat-free caramel ice cream topping
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1. Line a 9″ pie plate with pastry. Trim and flute edges. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Spread into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans.

2. In a small bowl, whisk remaining eggs; gradually whisk in caramel topping until blended. Pour slowly over pecans.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned (loosely cover edges with foil after 20 minutes if pie browns too quickly). Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before slicing.

Caramel Coated Walnuts

4 C walnuts
1 C brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/4 C white corn syrup
1/8 t cream of tartar
1/4 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
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1. Mix together brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, cream of tartar and salt.

2. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes stirring often. Remove from heat.

3. Add baking soda and stir well until settled.

4. Pour over walnuts and stir until well coated.

5. Pour into a large pan. Bake at 200 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.

Homemade Pancake Syrup

Makes 1 3/4 cups.

1 1/2 C brown sugar
3/4 C water
1 T butter
Dash of salt
1/2 t maple flavoring
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Mix sugar, water, butter and salt in saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in maple flavoring. Serve warm.

Instant Oatmeal Packets

8 servings

3 C quick oats
Salt
8 sandwich bags or envelopes
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Put 1/2 C oats in blender and whirl at high speed till powdery; reserve in small bowl. Repeat procedure with an additional 1/2 C oats.

Into each bag or envelope put 1/4 C unpowdered oats, 2 T powdered oats and a pinch of salt. Fold and seal. Store in box or airtight container.

To serve: Empty into bowl, and add 3/4 C boiling water. Stir and let stand for 2 minutes.

Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal: Add 1 T sugar, 1/4 t cinnamon and 2 T dried apples to each packet.
Cinnamon Spice Oatmeal: Add 1 T sugar, 1/4 t cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to each packet.
Raisins and Brown Sugar: Add 1 T brown sugar and 1 T raisins to each packet.

Swiss-Style Family Cereal

Makes 8 cups

2 1/2 C rolled oats
1 1/2 C dried apples, very finely chopped
1 C raw wheat germ
1 C chopped almonds or hazelnuts
3/4 C brown sugar
1/3 C raisins
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all ingredients except raisins. Spread mixture on large, rimmed, ungreased baking pan and bake 5 or 6 minutes or until slightly toasted, stirring now and then. Let cool thoroughly; add raisins; store in airtight container.

Fresh Pineapple Mist

4 servings

1 fresh pineapple
3/4 C ginger ale
1/4 C orange juice
1 T lime juice
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Cut pineapple into quarters. Remove fruit from shell, core and cut into large chunks. Whirl about 4 chunks at a time in blender at high speed till pureed. Add all puree back to blender along with remaining ingredients. Whirl on low speed till blended.

Frosty Pink Lemonade

5 – 6 servings

1 C sugar
1 C lemon juice
1 tray ice cubes (approximately 12)
2 1/2 C cold water
1 lemon, sliced thinly
Few drops of red food coloring
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In large glass pitcher, combine sugar and lemon juice; stir with long-handled spoon till sugar dissolves. Add ice cubes, cold water and lemon slices; stir briskly till pitcher is frosty. Stir in enough food coloring to make lemonade pink.

Blueberry Cream

3 servings

1 C milk
1 C plain yogurt
1 C blueberries
1 T honey
1/2 t vanilla
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Place all ingredients in blender. Cover and whirl till well-blended and smooth. Serve chilled.

Banana-Orange Delight

2 servings

1 banana, thickly sliced
1 1/2 C orange juice
1 C plain yogurt
1/8 t cinnamon
Confectioners’ sugar to taste
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Place all ingredients in blender. Cover and whirl till well blended and smooth. Serve chilled.

Melon Shake

1 serving

1/2 C watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew chunks
Approximately 1 C vanilla ice cream
1/4 C milk
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Place melon in blender. Add ice cream and milk. Cover and blend till smooth. Serve immediately.

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