3 cups Light brown sugar -- packed

3/4 cup Milk

1 tablespoon Butter

1 tablespoon Light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 cup Pecans -- or walnuts/chopped

Combine brown sugar, milk, butter, corn syrup and salt in a 2quart microwave safe bowl. MIcrowave for 8 to 10 mins. at MED-HIGH (70%) until mixture reaches the soft ball stage (or 234 deg. on the candy thermometer).- Cool to 120% (about 35 to 40 mins at room temperature). Add vanilla. Beat until mixture holds its shape when dropped from a spoon and begins to lose its gloss. Quickly stir in nuts. Immediately pour into a buttered 8 or 9 inch square pan. Cool. Cut into squares when cooled and firm. Yield: 36 candies or 1 1/4 lbs. *Compact microwaves subsitute high for med-high (70%).

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (*)

1 cup buttermilk (or try Saco Buttermilk Blend)

3 tbsp. (yes 3 tbsp.) red food coloring

2 tbsp. Saco cocoa

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vinegar

Glaze: You may frost with a regular white frosting but use this or melted white chocolate as a glaze.

2 cups confectioner's sugar water as required

1 tsp. white vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

(*) Can use 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1 tbsp. cornstarch

For cake, lightly grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs until fluffy. Stir in flour and salt. Make a paste of red food color and cocoa. Add to batter and incorporate well. Mix vanilla, baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl. Sprinkle over batter then stir in. Pour into pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans then turn out. Frost between layers with a white frosting. Then, for the glaze, stir confectioner's sugar with water to achieve a pourable consistency. Add extracts. Pour over cake, skimming off excess.

1 lb. fine white sugar

3/4 c. milk

1 heaping dessert spoon butter

1 large banana

Put the milk, sugar and butter into a saucepan. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Add the banana that has been mashed smoothly with a fork, and if not smooth, put through a blender. Cook until the mixture begins to leave the side of the pan. Take it off the fire and beat the fudge well with a wooden spoon for about 3 to 4 minutes to make it creamy. Pour onto a buttered dish. Cool and then cut into squares.

      1 graham cracker crust

           1 (4 oz.) pkg. sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix  

  2 c. low-fat milk

           2 bananas, sliced

      1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple or pkg. of frozen strawberries.

      1 c. Cool Whip

      1 tsp. vanilla

      ½ c. pecans, chopped

Mix pudding with milk and beat until thick, pour into crust. Put bananas over pudding. Squeeze pineapple to remove all juice. Sprinkle on top of bananas. Cover with Cool Whip, sprinkle pecans on top. Chill well

3 to 4 cups of flour

3 eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

powdered sugar for topping

vegetable oil for deep frying - heat to 375 degrees Beat the eggs, then add the sugar and milk. Sift 2 cups of flour, the salt, and the baking powder and add to the milk, sugar, and egg mixture. Mix while adding more flour until the batter is smooth and not too thick.

The funnel should have an opening of at least 1/2 inch and be able to hold around a cup of batter. Put your finger over the bottom and add about a cup of batter. Remove your finger and allow the batter to pour into the center of the oil. Be careful, the oil may splash!

Gradually swirl the batter outward in a circular motion, or criss-cross back and forth to make a cake about 7 or 8 inches round. We used to draw our initials to personalize our cakes! Check it with a pair of tongs and turn it when the bottom becomes golden brown. When both sides are done, remove with tongs and let it drip on a paper towel.

Funnel cake is often served with powdered sugar on top. You could also use molasses, maple syrup, or fruit preserves. Enjoy!

Saucepan Rice Pudding

In a heavy medium saucepan bring 3 cups of milk just to boiling; stir in 1/3 cup uncooked long grain rice and 1/3 cup raisins or mixed dried fruit bits.

Cover and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes or till most of the milk is absorbed, stirring occasionally (Mixture may appear to be curdled...that's ok!)

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spoon into dishes, sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve warm or chilled. serves 6 (1/2 cup servings)

PREP: 10 min; COOK: 4 min/batch

Makes 4 or 5 servings

Have a fisherperson in your family? This is a scrumptious way to fix their catch! Add some coleslaw and chips and you have a great meal. Vegetable oil

1pound fish fillets or uncooked peeled deveined large shrimp, thawed if frozen

3to 4 tablespoons Original Bisquick®

1cup Bisquick® Original baking mix

1/2cup beer

1 egg

1/2teaspoon salt

1.Heat oil (1 1/2 inches) in heavy saucepan or deep fryer to 350°. Lightly coat fish with 3 to 4 tablespoons Bisquick.

2.Mix remaining ingredients with hand beater until smooth. (If batter is too thick, stir in additional beer, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.) Dip fish into batter, letting excess drip into bowl.

3.Fry fish about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown; drain. Serve hot and, if desired, with tartar sauce.

1 Serving: 355 calories (180 calories from fat); 20 g fat (4 g saturated); 115 mg cholesterol; 830 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate (0 g dietary fiber); 25 g protein.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Heat oil to 330° to 335°. © Betty Crocker, 2000  Need more recipe help? Call one of our Betty Crocker representatives at 1-888-ASK-BETTY (1-888-275-2388), Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., CT.

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 package (4-serving size) Jello, orange or lime flavor

9 cups popped popcorn .

1.  Mix corn syrup and sugar in saucepan; bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add jello; stir until dissolved.

2.  Pour mixture over popcorn; let stand for several minutes.  Shape into balls.  Cool. Steph's Country Kitchen Goodies

3 cups sugar

1 cup butter, room temperature

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons dry marsala

2 teaspoons grated orange peel

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon minced aniseed

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt 6 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups chopped toasted almonds

1 cup currants

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a heavy duty electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until combined. Mix in eggs and Marsala. Add orange and lemon peels, baking soda, salt, ginger and aniseed. Mix in half of flour, nuts and currants. Carefully add remaining flour to dough. Transfer dough to generously floured surface. Divide dough into 4 even pieces. Form each piece into 8-inch long and 3-inch wide log. (Can be prepared. Wrap each log in plastic and freeze up to 2 weeks or refrigerate up to 2 days. Let stand at room temperature for a few hours if frozen before baking.) Place 2 logs on each baking sheet, spacing apart. (Logs will spread.) Bake until golden brown and just firm to touch, about 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Cool logs 15 minutes. Transfer logs to cutting board and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place slices, cut side down on baking sheets and bake until crisp and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.

TO DIP IN CHOCOLATE: Carefully melt 2 pounds chopped bittersweet chocolate in heavy large skillet, over very low heat, stirring constantly. Dip 1 cut side of biscotti into chocolate removing excess on edge of skillet. Place on pan. Repeat. Chill until chocolate is set. Brush with cocoa powder. Biscotti can be prepared ahead. Keeps up to 1 week in airtight container, or freeze up to 2 weeks. Recipe created exclusively for Cooking.com by Jeanne Thiel Kelley.

PREP: 7 min; BAKE: 40 min

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Volunteer to bring the pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving. This recipe is a snap--no crust to make!

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup Original Bisquick®

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

1 tablespoon margarine, butter or spread,* softened

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease 9-inch pie plate.

2. Stir all ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

*If using spread, use only stick that has more than 65% vegetable oil.