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PEANUT BUTTER SNACK BARS

~Submitted by Treva, NC

1 /2 cup butter
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 /2 cup honey
2 /3 cup brown sugar
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 (12-ounce) bag of milk chocolate chips
2 /3 cup creamy peanut butter

Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large saucepan melt the butter, 4 tablespoons of peanut butter, honey and brown sugar over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.

Add Rice Krispies cereal and stir until well coated. Spread mixture evenly in the baking dish and let cool for about 20 to 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan melt the chocolate chips; add the remaining 2/3 cup of peanut butter and stir until smooth.

Spread evenly over the cereal mixture. Chill until firm. Cut into bars to serve. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Yields 2 to 3 dozen.

CREAMY SQUASH CASSEROLE
Makes 12 servings

~Submitted by Pat, Auburn, WA

2 pounds acorn or butternut squash
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 medium carrots, shredded
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2-1/4 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix, divided

Directions:

Cut squash in half; remove and discard peel and seeds. Cut squash into 1/2-inch cubes.; cook in a small amount of water for 3 minutes; drain and set aside.

In a bowl, combine soup, sour cream, butter, carrots and onion; stir in 2 cups of stuffing mix. Fold in squash.

Transfer mixture to a greased 11 x 7 x 2 baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining stuffing mix. Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until squash is tender.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB LEMONADE
Makes about 6 servings

~Submtted by Jean, Syracuse, NY

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups water
1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup sugar, or to taste
Two 3-inch strips of lemon zest removed with a vegetable peeler, plus additional for garnish
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

In a saucepan stir together the water, the rhubarb, the sugar, 2 strips of the zest and the vanilla, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and simmer it, covered, for 8 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup of the strawberries and boil the mixture, covered, for 2 minutes. Let the mixture cool and strain it through a coarse sieve set over a pitcher, pressing hard on the solids.

Stir in the remaining 1 cup strawberries and the lemon juice, divide the lemonade among stemmed glasses filled with ice cubes and garnish each glass with some of the additional zest.

CORN BREAD ROUNDS

~Submitted by Larry Holmes, Ontario, Canada

1 cup soured milk*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 450?° F. Butter 11 x 17-inch shallow baking pan.

Mix soured milk and soda in small bowl. Combine flour, cornmeal and salt in processor or blender and mix well. With machine running pour in soured milk, then add eggs and melted butter, blending until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top. Bake until bread shrinks away from sides of pan and springs back when lightly touched, 10 to 14 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool in pan. Cut bread into eight 4-inch rounds and eight 2-inch rounds.

*To sour milk, pour 2 tablespoons vinegar into bottom of 1-cup measure. Fill with milk and stir lightly. Let stand at room temperature until curdled, about 10 minutes.

Note: Bread rounds can be reheated in low oven or crisply toasted before serving.

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For Two...

PASTA PRIMAVERA

~Submitted by Jean, Syracuse, NY

Cooking for 1 or 2

For 1:
2 oz. uncooked pasta
1 tbs. oil
1 cup vegetables, coarsely chopped: broccoli, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, green and red bell peppers
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 tomato, chopped
1/2 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

For 2:
4 oz. uncooked pasta
2 tbs. oil
2 cups vegetables, coarsely chopped: broccoli, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, green and red bell peppers
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tomato, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package . While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add vegetables and saut?©, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, tomatoes and garlic; saut?© 5 minutes, or until vegetables are just tender. Toss vegetables with hot pasta, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan.