Chocolate Eclair In A Pan

Prepare 2 pkgs of Instant Vanilla or French Vanilla Pudding (3.5 oz each). Fold in approx. 8 oz of Cool Whip.

Line a 9x13 pan with whole graham crackers. Smooth the pudding/cool whip mixture over the top. Top with another layer of graham crackers.

Ice with a fudge chocolate icing (premade in a can. The melted ones that get stiffer when cool are great for this). Refrigerate overnight.

Iced Coffee

Make strong coffee - Ice will significantly dilute the final cup, so you need to start with strong coffee to get a good flavor. While I usually use a 2:3 ratio of scoops to "cups" for hot coffee, iced coffee needs a 1:1 ratio. If in doubt, use more.

Add sugar - While it's still hot, stir in your desired sugar amount. Sweeten slightly more than usual. Approx. 1 t per coffee cup...if using a flavoured syrup, skip the sugar.

Chill until cold, don't add ice

Mix with cream, syrup, or flavoured creamers and pour over ice - Serve over a lot of ice.

VARIATION - Freeze coffee in ice cubes trays so it doesn't water down the coffee. For an extra touch add a whole coffee bean to each ice cube.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 okg (6oz) Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
1/2 C water
2 cl garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 C shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Place tomatoes in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix, water and garlic; stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside.

Place chicken in 13x9 inch or other 3qt baking dish; sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top woth stuffing mixture.

Bake 30 min or until chicken is cooked through.

Foil-Pack Chicken & Mushroom Dinner

1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 3/4 C water, divided
1 pkg stove top stuffing mix for chicken
6 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 slices smoked ham, chopped
1 1/2 C sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 C frozen peas

Preheat oven to 400. Mix soup and 1/4C of water; set aside. Combine stuffing mix and remaining 1 1/2C water; spoon evenly onto center of each of six large sheets of heavy duty tinfoil. Top each with one chicken breast. Cover evenly with the ham, mushrooms, peas and soup mixture.

Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and both ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place packets in single layer on 15x10x1 inch baking pan.

Bake 30 to 35 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Remove packets from oven. Let stand 5 min. Place one packet on each of six dinner plates. Cut slits in foil before opening to release the steam.

NOTE: To prevent stuffing from sticking to foil, spray with Pam first.

Homemade Iced Tea

Also known as Southern Sweet Tea

2 C boiling water
6 tea bags (suggested orange pekoe, or green tea)
3/4 C white sugar
6 C cold water

Steep tea bags in boiling water for about 15 mintues, add in white sugar while water is still very hot and stir until dissolved. Remove and discard tea bags. Add cold water, chill and serve over ice.

VARIATIONS: If using a black tea like orange pekoe, put a pinch of baking soda in the tea during steeping process. It will not alter flavour but will cut out the bitterness and darken the colour.

Adding some lemon slices is fine for black or green tea. Adding fresh mint to green tea gives a nice flavour.