60 ounces of frozen, chopped spinach – cooked per package directions
1 pound center-cut bacon – crisp-cooked
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves chopped garlic
2 medium purple onions
1 pound brown mushrooms – cleaned & sliced or chopped per preference
2 12 ¼ ounce cans “Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic” Soup
3 cups shredded Italian Style blend cheese 
Italian Style Bread crumbs, just enough for firm consistency
Salt & Pepper to Taste
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

 While the spinach is cooking, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, mushrooms and onions. Sauté until juices release and onions are just transparent. Drain well. Once Spinach has cooked, drain very well and press out as much liquid as possible. In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach, garlic/mushroom/onion mixture, soup, shredded cheese, and salt & pepper.  Gently mix well. Add breadcrumbs to create a medium-firm consistency, if needed.

Fold into a casserole dish prepared with non-stick spray. (Hint: I like Smart Balance, as it is all-natural and uses olive oil in the blend, which gives the edges of this dish a yummy, crispy taste.)
Bake 30-40 minutes, watching it carefully, so as not to burn the bottom.  It’s ready when the edges are bubbly and just browned and the center is heated through.

***This makes a fantastic side dish for any meal, and makes a really nice accompaniment for pork, beef or turkey. You can make it for company on a Saturday night for dinner, and then use the leftovers in a quiche or omelets the next morning. It is always a big hit at holiday time and at covered-dish pot-lucks – so take two. You can add a little of the mixture to your stuffed egg recipe or fill mushrooms caps and bake for lovely appetizers. It can be made a day ahead and covered, unbaked, in the fridge until you’re ready.  Leftovers freeze well when packaged air-tight, can last up to 6-months, and are best thawed in the refrigerator rather than the microwave.  Enjoy!

Sent in by Janna Reid Templeton, CA

 3 Large Eggs

1 Cup Sugar
2/3 Cup Mashed, Cooked Pumpkin
1 tsp Lemon Juice
3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 Ground Nutmeg
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
2 TBSP Powdered Sugar
1-8 oz  Package of Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Sifted Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

 Garnish:  Sweetened Whipped Cream, Chopped Pecans.

~~~~~~

Grease and flour bottom and sides of a 15×10x1 inch jelly roll pan;  set aside.

Beat with an electric mixer until thick and pale.  Gradually add 1 cup sugar and beat 5 additional minutes.

  Fold in pumpkin and lemon juice. .  

Combine flour and next 5 ingredients;  fold into pumpkin mixture, and spread evenly into prepared pan.  Sprinkle with pecans, gently pressing into batter. 

Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes.

Sift 2 TBSP powdered sugar in a 15×10″ rectangle pan on a cloth towel.  When cake is done, immediately loosen from sides of pan and turn out onto sugared towel.  Starting at narrow end roll up cake and towel together;  cool completely on a wire rack, seam side down.

Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl at high speed with an electric mixer;  gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla, beating well.

Unroll cake;  spread with cream cheese mixture, and carefully re-roll without towel.  Place on a serving plate, seam side down.  Garnish, if desired

Sent in by:

 Marsha Young

Highland Park, Texas 

2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

 2 tablespoons white sugar

 1/3 cup melted butter

2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

 1/2 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract Chocolate syrup

DIRECTIONS

Prepare crumb crust by combining cracker crumbs, butter,

 and 2 tablespoons sugar.

Press mixture into bottom and 2 inches up sides of a 9 inch spring-form pan.

Refrigerate

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in top of a double boiler over hot water. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.

Blend in eggs.

Gradually pour in melted chocolate mixture, beating on low speed until well-blended.

Add 1/2 cup sour cream, flour, vanilla. Blend until smooth.

Gently fold in remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared crust.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 55 – 60 minutes or until filling is firm. Turn oven off. Cool cheesecake 1 hour without opening door. Cool completely. Chill several hours or overnight. Garnish just before serving with chocolate syrup.  
 

Recipe sent in by JESSICA HOOPER Christiana, TN