This is a Christmas favorite of my son’s but it can be served New Year’s or any time you want a quick and easy dip. -Jill

PS. Happy Birthday son of mine. Love you.

David’s Favorite Cheese Dip

1 jar Kraft Old English cheese spread
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup nuts, chopped

Mix ingredients. Roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap. Most of the time we just mix it and serve in a bowl without wrapping it. Serve with chips.

We leave the nuts out because no one around here but mom, my sister in law and I would eat it.

      -Tawra

photo by: rbitting

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How To Lay Out A Buffet Dinner

Tips:

There will be a lot of us having buffet dinners and parties before and on Christmas. Have you ever been to a dinner or party where the buffet was just not laid out right? It took forever for everyone to get through the line and trying to juggle everything was a tremendous challenge.

Here is the proper way to lay out a buffet dinner so that things go quickly and easily for you and your guests.

If you have room, set the table up so that people can walk down both sides of the table and serve themselves. Regardless of whether they walk down one side or both sides, make sure that at the end of the table it is easy for them to go on to the room where they will be sitting or mingling. Try to arrange it so they don’t have to push their way back through the other people who are trying to make their way down the table to serve themselves.

This is the order in which to set things on the table:

• Plates, meats, side dishes, relish dishes, salads, desserts, napkin, silverware and then drinks.

  Some people put the drinks first. This is a no-no because then everyone has to juggle a plate and a glass while trying to serve himself. This is why it is better to put the salads and desserts at the end if you are using salad or dessert plates too.

• If at all possible, put the drinks and desserts at a separate table. This helps reduce the congestion. Guests can then set their plates down after they are filled and go back to get their drinks without having to stand in line again. You’ll also avoid problems with guests trying to hold two plates or a drink and a plate.
• If it is going to be an all day get-together, you can wait and put the desserts out a little later with a pot of coffee and some tea to make things easier.

Recipes:

Here are some "red and green" recipes to use for those holiday parties or Christmas dinners.

These first two are our favorite salads that we serve every year with Christmas dinner. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them. Our readers love them too, requesting them again every year.

Red Salad

1/2 cup boiling water
1 small package cherry Jello
1/4 to 1/2 cup red hot candies
1 1/2 cups applesauce

Dissolve Jello and candies in boiling water. I usually do this in a small saucepan so I can reduce to low heat to keep it warm while dissolving the candies. When mostly dissolved, add the applesauce. Chill until set.

Here is a different and delicious side dish for Christmas that gives you a good variety of veggies for the dinner while keeping the Christmas color scheme.

Green Salad

4 cups broccoli, cut into pieces
4 cups cauliflower, cut into pieces
2 cups celery, sliced
1/2 cup green olives, sliced
1 avocado, cut into small cubes
1/4 to 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Italian dressing

Put all ingredients into a bowl and sprinkle with Italian dressing to taste. You can prepare everything the previous day except the avocado and dressing.

Christmas Veggies

Take some of your favorite veggies like broccoli, green beans or cauliflower and cook them your favorite way. Add chopped green and red peppers.Toss it all with Italian dressing and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cranberry Rice Salad

4 cups wild rice, cooked
1 can (8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup each of the following:
      celery, sliced
      green peppers, chopped
      frozen peas, thawed
      dried cranberries
1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Dressing:

1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup cranberry juice
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper

Mix all the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Mix dressing ingredients into a small bowl and pour over salad. Refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle with pecans just before serving.

Red or Green Dessert

1 (3 oz.) package lime Jello
2 (6 oz.) package key lime pie yogurt
1 small container of whipped topping

Combine Jello powder and yogurt. Then fold in whipped topping. Chill for 20 minutes.

You could also pour this into a graham cracker crust. Choose other flavors if you want. For example strawberry or cherry Jello with strawberry or cherry yogurt. In the summer months, use orange flavored ingredients.

photo by: dominic-hallau_de

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Halloween is going to be here before you know it! Here are some yummy tips to use for your Halloween party or on Halloween night.

• For some cute and tasty ghosts, dip Nutter Butter cookies in melted white chocolate. Use mini chocolate chips or M&M’s for eyes. Use a toothpick to touch up the area where you held it while dipping.
• Mix up your favorite Chex Mix recipe and when you are done baking it, add some candy corn to it.
• Mix equal parts of peanuts and candy corn for a different snack.

  The Chex Mix and the peanuts in these tips helps with the overload of sweets that will inevitably happen.

• Use leftover Halloween candy in Christmas baking and for making gingerbread houses.
• Place a plastic spider or a pair of plastic teeth at the bottom of everyone’s punch cup for an unexpected surprise.
• Serve your punch in a large plastic pumpkin instead of the usual punch bowl.

Halloween Orange Punch

1 can (46 oz.) pineapple juice
3 cups lemon – lime soda
3 cups orange drink
2 liters ginger ale
1/2 pkg. (half gallon) orange sherbet

Mix first three ingredients and chill. When ready to serve, pour in ginger ale and drop-in scoops of sherbet.

Jack O Lantern Juice
(This is a twist on the usual Orange Julius.)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice, chilled
1 (2 liter) bottle orange soda, chilled
Orange sherbet, optional

Mix all together in a large punch bowl. Top with a scoop of sherbet. Refrigerate leftovers.

For a fast dessert or for those school treats your kids forgot to tell you about until the night before, grab your favorite brownie mix and bake it.

Jack O Lantern Brownies

When brownies are cooled, cut with a large pumpkin cookie cutter. Then frost with orange butter cream frosting. If using canned frosting just add a little orange food coloring to vanilla. Decorate as much or as little as you like.

Jack O Lantern Eggs

Hard boil eggs. Dye with orange food coloring:

1. Put a couple of teaspoons of vinegar in a mug and several drops of food coloring. Remember if you don’t have orange food coloring, red and yellow mixed make orange.
2. Fill mug with boiling water and place egg in mug. You can let the water cool slightly before putting the eggs in if kids are doing this.
3. Use black markers to decorate with faces and other fun designs!

Jack O Lantern Pizza

English muffins
Spaghetti sauce
Cheddar cheese, grated
Black olives

Spread muffins with sauce and then cheese. Slice olives in different shapes to make eyes, nose and mouth. Broil or bake long enough to melt cheese.

Need more creative Halloween Ideas? Halloween On A Dime shows you practical and creative ways to make your own decorations, costumes, party games and more! Buy Halloween On A Dime e-book now!

Photo By: Crystl

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Homemade Popcorn Balls

Everyone loves popcorn balls. My daughter’s favorite is the kind that are made with marshmallows. If you don’t have the time to roll them into balls you can just press them into a pan the way you would rice crispy treats and cut into squares.

Don’t think that popcorn balls are only for Halloween, either. You can use popcorn balls for any holiday by coloring them with food coloring or adding some of the different variations to them. (See below)*

Popcorn balls are great fun for birthday parties, hay rides, and snacks for the kids on Thanksgiving (snacks for big and little kids, especially who don’t want pumpkin pie!)

Making popcorn balls is also another great way to use some of that candy you can get on sale after Halloween.

*For different variations on your popcorn balls, add extras like:

• Red Hots ( Valentines or the 4th of July)
• Spice drops (Christmas or winter parties)
• Candy canes, crushed (Christmas)
• Jelly beans (Easter)
• Peanuts (nuts are really good when making the caramel corn)
• Candy corns (Halloween)
• Sprinkles ( birthday parties or any that match the colors of the different holidays)
• M and M’s
• Or any other types of candies

Popcorn Balls:

(Make regular popcorn balls or add 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla to make them taste like caramel corn.)

6 Tbsp. butter
5 cups marshmallows
4 qts. popped popcorn*

In a large pan, melt the butter (now is when you add the brown sugar and vanilla if you want to use it), add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Add popcorn (and candies or nuts) and stir until coated. Butter your hands. Roll mixture into balls. Set on wax paper or press into a 9×13 buttered pan. Store in an air tight container or individually wrap in plastic wrap.

*1/2 cup of unpopped popcorn equals 4 quarts popped popcorn.

I dump the popcorn on a clean table and put it back into the bowl by handfuls making sure to leave all the old maids (unpopped popcorn) on the table to throw away (or if you are like me, to eat– I love to eat the burnt ones).

      -Jill

photo by: bkgoddard

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Delicious Homemade Recipes For Using Apples!

I’ve always dreamed of having an apple tree in my backyard. You know the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for?" Now that I actually have my own apple tree, I stand in my yard watching the apples piling up around me thinking, "Oh no — What do I do with this mess now?"

If I could make gasoline out of apples, I could retire, but since that is not an option and my frugal mind will not allow me to waste one apple, I have had to come up with some yummier "apple disposal" methods.

If you find that you have a few dozen more apples than you know what to do with, these recipes from Dining On A Dime will help settle your frugal dilemma.

Tips:

• When you have a partially eaten apple, save the good part and chop into pieces. Place in a microwave safe dish. Blend together 1 tsp. each brown sugar, flour, oatmeal and margarine and a dash of cinnamon. Top the apple with the topping and microwave until tender.
• Core and slice apples very thin. Dehydrate and use in granolas, eat alone or soften in warm water to use in recipes.
• Slice apples and use in pancakes or waffles.
• To freeze apples: Peel, slice and core and then store in 2 cups portions in freezer bags.
• Use soft apples in cooking.
• Cut into small pieces and add to salads with a fruit based dressing.

Apple Butter

9 to 10 apples, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. salt

Place everything into a crock pot. Stir, cover and cook on high 1 hour. Cook on low for 9-11 hours or until thick and dark brown. Stir occasionally. Uncover and cook on low 1 hour longer. Stir with whisk until smooth. Refrigerate or Freeze. Makes 2 pints.

Apple Pie Filling

9 cups baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
5 cups water
2 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Toss apples with lemon juice and set aside. Combine the rest of the ingredients in Dutch oven and bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add apples and return to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender (6-10 minutes). Cool for 30 minutes. Then ladle into freezer containers or bake immediately. Makes two 9-inch pies.

Fried Apples

4 large apples, cored and sliced
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Cut apples into 1/4 inch slices. Heat butter in a large skillet. Put the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the skillet and cover. Over medium-low heat, cook apple slices 7-10 minutes or until they begin to soften and the syrup thickens. Serve coated with excess syrup on top. Serves 4.

Baked Apples

apples, cored
raisins (optional)
1 tsp. margarine
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar
(These ingredient amounts are per apple.)

For each person, use 1 apple. Fill the center of the apple with all the ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees until tender or put in a Dutch oven on top of stove and simmer on very low until tender.

Apple Snack

2 quarts apples, peeled, cored and halved

Coarsely grate apples. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 225° until dry. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Apple Crisp

6 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon and/or nutmeg
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange apples in well-greased baking dish. Blend all remaining ingredients except water. Spread evenly over top of apples. Pour water over the topping. Bake 45 minutes until apples are tender and top is crisp. Serves 6.

For Peach Crisp, use peaches in place of apples.

Homemade Applesauce

4 apples – peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork, potato masher or stick blender.

For lots more delicious recipes like these, check out the Dining On A Dime Cookbook!

Tips! A stick blender makes quick work of Applesauce and Apple Butter.

Use a canning funnel to pour Apple Butter and Applesauce into freezer bags.

Top Photo By: The Marmot

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Menu – Pancake Pizza – Cinnamon Bacon

We love to have brunch after church on Easter and here are some recipes I think will be a hit whether you serve them on Easter morning, for brunch or breakfast any time.

Menu:

Pancake Pizza*
Homemade Maple syrup*
Cinnamon Bacon*
Fruit Platter
Coffee/Juice

Recipes:

Pancake Pizza

2 cups biscuit mix
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. pancake syrup
1 cup granola
1 cup walnuts

Combine first 5 ingredients. Spread on a greased 14 inch pizza pan. Sprinkle with granola and nuts. Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes until golden. Cut into wedges and serve with more syrup.

Cinnamon Bacon

1 lb. bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Mix sugar and cinnamon. Cut bacon in half widthwise and roll in sugar mix. Twist and place on a foil lined 15x10x1 baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes until crisp. These freeze great. If you plan to freeze them, just bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until heated through.

The Following Recipes Are From the Dining on a Dime Cookbook

Grandma’s Maple Syrup

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. maple flavoring
1/2 cup water

Stir together; bring to a boil. Simmer 2-3 minutes and cool. Makes 1 cup.

A. Jamie Syrup

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 cups dark corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. maple flavoring

Combine all but flavoring in a saucepan. Stir until it comes to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 15 minutes. Add maple flavoring. Makes 1 quart.

      -Jill

Photo By: Tania Liu

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Tips:

• If you use a lot of caramelized onions, make some extra and freeze for the next time you need them. They last 3 months in the freezer.
• If you are having a party and will be serving ice cream, fill a muffin tin with cupcake papers and put a scoop of ice cream in each then refreeze. No more sticky hurried mess trying to dig out and serve ice cream while your guests (or impatient children) wait.
• When making baked potatoes, make a few extra to peel and use the next day to make potato soup, potato salad  or fried potatoes.

Menu:

Oven Fried Chicken With Biscuits*
Candied Red Sweet Potatoes*
Corn
Celery/Green Pepper Sticks
Honey Spice Snaps*

Recipes:

Oven Fried Chicken With Biscuits

4 -5 Tbsp. margarine (not butter)
4-6 pieces of chicken
1/2 cup baking mix
Salt and pepper
1 can refrigerator biscuits

Melt margarine in a 9×13 pan. Pour baking mix on a plate or in a plastic bag. Roll chicken in the margarine, then into baking mix and place back into the pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 375° for about 45 minutes, until the juices run clear.
About 5-10 minutes before the chicken is done, push the pieces of chicken tightly against one side of the pan and lay biscuits into the pan on the opposite side. Finish baking until the biscuits are brown.

Note: It’s okay to lay the biscuits in the margarine and all in the bottom of the pan. That makes the biscuits margarine soaked and crispy. Oh, yum!

Candied Red Sweet Potatoes

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup margarine
3/4 cup red cinnamon candies (red hots)
2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced to 1 1/2" thick

In a large skillet, heat sugar, water, candies and margarine to a boil. Carefully place sweet potatoes in a single layer in the hot syrup to cover the bottom of skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until done and syrup is thick (about 1 hour). Baste several time with syrup while cooking.

Note: These can be prepared ahead of time and warmed up.

Honey Spice Snaps

1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 cup honey or dark corn syrup
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 1/2 tsp. soda
2 1/4 cups flour

Cream sugar and shortening. Add egg and honey or corn syrup. Mix well. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Shape into balls about the size of walnuts. Dip half of the ball in water and then into white sugar. Place sugar side up on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Photo By: delgaudm

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St. Patrick’s Day Green Tips

 I am going to give you some "green" dishes. No, not earth friendly "green" but "wearing of the green" or, in this case, "eating of the green". Pick some of these foods for your special St. Patrick’s Day meal.

• Green Fruits: kiwi, green grapes, honeydew, green apples

• Green Veggies: Broccoli, green peppers, Brussels sprouts, green beans, peas, asparagus

• Green Meats: I advise you to stay away from any green meats unless you want to spend some time in the hospital HA! HA! But you can serve corned beef (fresh, of course .

Lime Fluff

1 pkg. unsweetened lime soft drink mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping
1 chocolate cookie or graham cracker crust

Mix drink mix and milk, fold in whipped topping and place into crust. Cover and chill. You can make this without the crust and try different flavors of soft drink mix. You could use red for Valentine’s Day, orange for Halloween and so on.

Cool Gelatin Salad

1 (3 oz.) pkg. lemon gelatin
1 (3 oz.) pkg. lime gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 package large curd cottage cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Pour in remaining ingredients and chill.

Photo by: vawa_92

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St.Patrick’s Day is a couple of weeks away but I thought I would start early with the special St Patrick’s Day menus. Corned beef will be going on sale soon and there is no reason you need to wait until the "wearing of the green" day to have corned beef. For that matter, stock up on it for some other day.

Corned Beef Tips:

• Cut corned beef across the grain for more tender slices.
• Save juices and reduce. Dice leftover corned beef and make corned beef soup with leftovers.

Menu:

Irish Corned Beef Brisket and Cabbage
Irish Soda Bread
Blarney Stone Cookies

Recipes:

Irish Corned Beef Brisket and Cabbage

1 (3 lb.) corned beef brisket, plus seasoning packet
1 large onion, peeled
10 small (red) potatoes
15 baby carrots
1 head of cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Place brisket, seasoning packet and onion in a large Dutch oven or pot. Cover with water 6 inches above meat. Bring to a boil and boil for 30 minutes. Reduce to medium low or to a  gentle boil. Cover and cook for 3 1/2 hours. Remove onions, cut into wedges and put back in the pot. Add carrots, cabbage and then potatoes. Cover and cook 30 more minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove vegetables, but keep the meat in the juices until you’re ready to slice it so it won’t dry out.

Side Sauce

Mix the night or day before and then serve on the side with your corned beef.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. horseradish
1/2-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Irish Soda Bread

This Irish Soda Bread is great served with Irish stew. Eat leftover soda bread toasted or use for French toast.

1/2 cup sugar
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 cups raisins
1 Tbsp. caraway seeds, optional*
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350° (175° C). Mix first seven ingredients. In a second bowl mix eggs, buttermilk and sour cream. Add liquid ingredients to dry, adding enough until flour is moistened. Knead 10-12 strokes. The dough will be very sticky. Place in a 9 inch cake pan. Cut a 4" X in the top. Brush top with milk. Bake for 65-75 minutes.

*Caraway seeds make it more authentic, but if you don’t like them or don’t have them, you can leave them out. You could also use 1 cup of raisins and one cup dried cranberries.

Blarney Stone Cookies

Add a couple drops of green food coloring to the dough of your favorite sugar cookie recipe. Sprinkle with green sugar* or frost with green frosting.

*Make green sugar by placing sugar in a container with a couple of drops of green food coloring and shake.

photo by: stuart_spivack

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Tips:

If you don’t have time to make cornbread or are out of crackers when serving soup, serve it with some of your favorite seasoned croutons.

It is so easy to make your own croutons. You can use any old, dried bread you want but tougher breads like French bread work best. This is a good way to use things like leftover hamburger buns, bagels or dinner rolls.

All croutons store well an airtight containers for a couple of weeks.

Simple Croutons

None of these measurements need to be exact.

1/4 cup butter, melted
3 cups bread cubes
Garlic powder

Sprinkle garlic powder in butter to taste. Toss with bread cubes and bake at 350° for about 15 minutes, until brown.

Variations:

• Check out Dining on a Dime for Italian croutons with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Find it on page 161.
• Toss bread with melted butter. Then sprinkle with Ranch Dressing mix.
• You can use olive oil but it doesn’t have quite the flavor of butter.
• Spread bread with softened butter first. Then cut into cubes and toss with other ingredients.
• Make the croutons into bread crumbs. Peel and slice potatoes in half. Roll in butter, crumbs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour until tender.

Cinnamon Croutons

Toss with butter, then cinnamon and sugar mix. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Stir. Bake 10 more minutes.

These are so good when served with fruit salads, sliced fruit or puddings or crumbled up and sprinkle on top of yogurt, ice cream or applesauce. They’re also delicious on Butternut Squash soup.

Menu:

Apple Barn Soup*
Homemade Croutons or
Garlic Toast*
Banana Cake*

Some of our readers are really good cooks so we try to post some of their delicious recipes every once in a while! Enjoy!

From: Sarah D.

You were looking for recipes for vegetables – The easiest way I get my family to enjoy vegetables is with soup.

Apple Barn Soup

2 packages of frozen mixed vegetables
1 package of frozen southern style hash browns (or peeled and chopped potatoes)
Any leftover meat you may have*
1 large bottle of V-8 type juice, hot and spicy
1 pkg. onion soup mix, optional for more flavor

*(I usually leave the meat out and we have a vegetarian soup night.)

I put this in the crock pot first thing in the morning on low and let it cook all day.

The kids love it and it is cheap!! I can get all of the ingredients at the dollar store in our town. If you can’t find the hot and spicy V-8 juice, just add Tabasco or hot sauce to taste. Hope this helps!!! I serve this with crackers if I am really tired, or a pan of cornbread if I feel like making it. My family doesn’t even realize they are eating a meatless meal when I fix it. They call it “Apple Barn Soup.” because it reminds them of a vegetable soup served at the Apple Barn restaurant in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Note from Jill: This soup would be yummy with a little mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top, too. This recipe is a good one to use those handfuls of leftover veggies you have been keeping in the freezer.

Garlic Toast

Bread
Butter or Margarine, softened
Garlic powder
Parmesan cheese

Spread bread with butter. Sprinkle with garlic powder and cheese. Broil until golden.

Here’s another good recipe from Dining on a Dime. (Page 228)

Banana Cake

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup ripe bananas, (2-3 medium bananas), mashed
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add bananas and vanilla. Combine flour, soda, salt and add to cream mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Stir in nuts. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Frost with vanilla or caramel frosting.

Caramel Frosting

(From Dining on a Dime, page 242)

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar

Melt margarine over medium heat in a 2 quart saucepan. Add brown sugar and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and boil 2 minutes longer, still stirring. Add milk and heat to boiling. Remove from heat and cool. Slowly stir in powdered sugar. Place saucepan of frosting into bowl of very cold water and beat until smooth. If too stiff, add one teaspoon of milk at a time until smooth. Frosts one 9×13 cake.

photo by: sharontroy

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