Jane's Cheddar Chicken

Ingredients

• 16 buttery crackers (such as Ritz), crushed (about 3⁄4 cup)
• 6 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• wild rice pilaf and steamed green beans (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. In a bowl, combine the crackers, cheese, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
2. Dip the chicken in the butter, then in the cracker mixture, pressing gently to help the crackers adhere. Place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle any remaining cracker mixture on the chicken and drizzle with any remaining butter. Bake until the chicken is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Serve with the pilaf and green beans, if desired.

Anne's Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients

• 65 vanilla wafers cookies, finely crushed
• 1 stick butter, melted, plus more for pan
• 3 ripe bananas, peeled, thinly sliced on a diagonal
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup peanut brittle, ground into crumbs
• Chocolate Pudding, recipe follows
• Peanut Butter Cream, recipe follows
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoons almond extract
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut brittle, broken into bite-size pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a deep 9 by 2-inch pie plate.

Drizzle the crushed vanilla wafers with the melted butter and stir until blended. Press on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Pop in the oven and bake until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

Toss the banana slices with the orange juice, making sure all the slices get coated. (This helps keep the bananas from browning.) Place the slices on a paper towel-lined plate and pat any excess juices dry.

Arrange half the banana slices in a single layer over the cooled crust. Cover completely with the Chocolate Pudding, spreading it with an offset spatula or butter knife. Top with the rest of the bananas. Sprinkle the peanut brittle crumbs over the bananas. Place dollops of the Peanut Butter Cream on top, spreading it out evenly. Chill the pie in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Whip the cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Whip in the almond extract and sugar until stiff peaks form.

Take the pie out of the refrigerator. Place dollops of the whipped cream on top and spread it out evenly. Scatter pieces of peanut brittle on top and serve.

Sara's Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork with Sweet Potatoes and Pears

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut lengthwise into wedges
• 2 firm red Bartlett pears, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 piece pork tenderloin (1 1/4 pounds)
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425º F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes, pears, oil, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, wrap the pork in the prosciutto, slightly overlapping the slices to cover the pork completely.
3. Push the vegetables to the edges of the baking sheet, place the pork in the center, and drizzle the pork with the honey. Roast until the pork is cooked through and the sweet potatoes and pears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the pork rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the sweet potatoes and pears.

Roasted Broccoli and Peppers

4-5 lbs. broccoli
2 red peppers
1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1/3 Cup Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 425.
Take 4 to 5 pounds of broccoli, cut into florets (but relatively big ones.) Wash and dry them THOROUGHLY. Put broccoli and peppers on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. ( 5 Tbs. olive oil, 1 1/2 tsps. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper).
Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until “crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.”  You might want to stir half way through.
When done, take it out of the oven–and zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add  1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Pear Chopped Salad

 This is, HANDS DOWN, the best salad I have had in a very long time! I don't know if it is because I haven't been able to eat Feta for the past nine months..or if it was as amazing as it tasted yesterday when I ate it - but it is worth the 5 minutes it will take you to make this and then every time you make it after that...you will be hooked!!

6-8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped
1 Cup dried cranberries
1 Cup chopped pecans
8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
4-6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing is a mix of a Poppy Seed (70%) & Balsamic Vinaigrette (30%)

Julie & Sue's Mac N Cheese

Kosher Salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)  (we used White extra sharp Cheddar)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crust removed)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Drizzle oil into large pot of boiling, salted water.  Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the
package or 6 to 8 minutes.  Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it.  Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4 quart) pot and add the flour.  Cook over low heat
for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.  While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.  Take off the heat add
the Gruyere, Cheddar and 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Add the cooked macaroni and stir well.  Pour into a 3 quart baking dish sprayed
with a little Pam. 
Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. (Can be roasted first). Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubble and the macaroni is browned on top.

Paula's Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.