Classic Baked Macaroni And Cheese

• 8 ounces elbow noodles
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, reserving 1/2 cup for topping (below)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 
  
• Topping
• 1/2 cup of reserved shredded sharp cheddar cheese (from above)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 
  

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve one cup of cooking water. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While the oven heats, melt butter in sauce pan and whisk in flour for approximately two minutes. Whisk in milk and add bay leaf and salt and pepper until thick. Remove bay leaf and stir in cheeses (reserve 1/2 cup of cheddar for top). Once melted, stir in pasta and reserved water. Once mixed, pour mixture into buttered baking dish and top with 1/2 cup of cheddar and buttered panko bread crumbs. Bake for 15 minutes and serve.

Marinade (acidic)

Perfect for pork steaks.  We used this recipe for our weekly summer BBQ's.  

Butter

Vinegar

Onion, minced or onion powder

Beer

Marinate an hour or so, put on grill and baste as needed.

French Dip Sandwich (link)

French Dip Sandwich
https://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2016/03/21/french-dip-sandwich/

SLOW COOKER FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES

PREP TIME 5 MINUTES COOK TIME 8 HOURS 10 MINUTESTOTAL TIME 8 HRS 15 MINS 
SERVES 8     ADJUST SERVINGS

PLEASE NOTE: All slow cookers are different and some take longer/shorter than others. If your meat is not easily shredding after cooking, keep cooking it! It will get tender and easy to shred if it cooks long enough. If you double this recipe or use a larger roast, you will need to add cooking time as well.

INGREDIENTS

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•  2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed French Onion Soup
•  1 can (10.5 ounces) Beef Consomme
•  3-4 pounds beef chuck roast
•  8 sandwich rolls
•  8 slices provolone cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the roast in a slow cooker. Pour the soup and consomme over the top.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
3. Remove 3 cups of the juice from the slow cooker with a measuring cup or ladle and add to a small sauce pan. Turn heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce to a hard simmer and let cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the beef to a pie plate and shred with a fork.
5. Place the sandwich rolls in a 9x13 pan and spoon meat into each roll. Top with provolone cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
6. Serve immediately with the sauce on the side for dipping.

Cindy's Punch

1 can Fruit Punch concentrate
1 bottle Squirt
1 bottle 7-Up or Sprite

Combine, stir and enjoy

Notes:  this is a very tangy, citrus flavored drink.  For additional fun, add frozen lime sherbet.

Bread, Traditional Yeast

6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour*
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
2 packages regular or quick active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
2 1/4 cups very warm water (120° to 130°F)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, if desired

In large bowl, stir 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Grease bottoms and sides of two 8x4-inch or 9x5-inch loaf pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.

Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18x9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 35 to 50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 425°F.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter; cool.

Makes 2 loaves, 16 slices each

*If using self-rising flour, omit salt.

Note: just like the recipe from mom's orange, Betty Crocker book. Love it!

GG's Punch

1 gal Hawaiian Punch
2 liters Canada Dry Ginger Ale
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate

Combine, stir and enjoy

Notes:  This is Dave's grandmother's recipe for punch for family holiday gatherings.

(from memory plus Rhonda)

Coming-Home Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs red potatoes, washed and quartered (skins left on)
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and white pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Directions:
Add potatoes to a large saucepan and add water until potatoes are covered. Add salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer, covered until done. (Approximately 15 minutes or until a fork can easily be poked through them. Drain water and set aside, covered.

In a small sauce pan, warm milk, sugar and butter together until butter is melted.

Add warm sweet milk and butter mixture to the potatoes and mash, using a potato masher or hand held mixer until desired consistency is obtained. Stir in lemon zest. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh Parsley.

Serves 4

Recipe from: PaulaDeen.com

Lime Sherbet Float

Ingredients:

3-4 scoops lime sherbet
2 Tbs fruit punch frozen concentrate
1 can cold citrus flavored soda, (Squirt brand preferred)

Directions:
Scoop lime sherbet into a glass with fruit punch concentrate. Pour soda over the sherbet and fruit punch, stir to mix. Drink with spoon, as a root beer float type drink.

Enjoy!!!

Notes: To make for a group, use a full tub of lime sherbet and a half can of fruit punch concentrate in a punch bowl or large pitcher. Top off with a full 2 quart bottle of Squirt soda. Serve

http://recipes.calputer.com/

http://recipes.calputer.com/long-john-silvers-batter-recipe.html

Gooey Butter Cake

Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour
Yields: 24 servings

"This a very rich cake, but mmmmmmmm so good. Best eaten with milk or coffee. You can also make it a Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake if desired. Just use a chocolate cake mix in place of the yellow."

INGREDIENTS:
1 (18.25 ounce) package
yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
8 ounces cream cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter one 9x13 inch cake pan.
2. Melt the butter slightly. Mix it with 2 of the eggs and cake mix. Pour batter into prepared pan. Mix the remaining 2 eggs with the cream cheese, and the confectioner's sugar. Pour this mixture evenly over the first mixture. Do not stir.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

Nutrition Info (per serving)
Calories 245 (51% from fat) Protein 2.8g Fat 14.3g (sat 7.5g) Carbohydrate 27.1g Fiber 0.2g Cholesterol 67mg Iron < 1mg Sodium 258mg Calcium 43mg

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 7/3/2008

Margarita

1 shot gold tequila
1½ parts sweet and sour mix
1-2 tbsp lime juice
½ oz triple sec

Use a large metal container with plenty of ice and a strainer. Shake ingredients well and pour them through a strainer into a margarita glass. Serve with salt and fresh lime.

Italian Margarita

1 oz Amaretto
2 oz Sweet and Sour Mix
½ oz Jose Cuervo Tequila
½ oz Triple Sec

Pour into margarita glass, stir, and add ice cubes.

Alcohol = 15% (31 proof)

Dirt Cake

1 large package Oreo cookies
½ stick margarine
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3½ cups milk
2 small packages vanilla pudding mix
12 oz Cool Whip

Crush Oreo cookies in a food processor or blender. Mix together margarine, cream cheese, and powdered sugar; set aside. In another bowl, mix milk and pudding mix and fold in Cool Whip. Combine the margarine, cream cheese and powdered sugar mixture to pudding mixture and mix well. Layer in container starting with a layer of the crushed cookies, then pudding, cookies, pudding, ending with cookies on top. Refrigerate overnight. Add silk or plastic flowers or gummy worms, toy farm stuff, dump trucks, etc to make it fun. Or, you can use clay or plastic flower pots with 8” diameter at top (Cover drainage hole with foil or plastic lid and line the sides of clay pot with plastic wrap or something suitable). In summertime, it’s fun to serve this in a child’s plastic sand bucket and use sand shovel for serving. Enjoy!

Honey Walnut Cream Cheese Spread

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (can be reduced fat)
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 dash cinnamon
1 ounce crushed walnuts
Mix all ingredients in a bowl or blender. Spread on bagels, plain or flavored. Very yummy.

*similar to Panera Bread's Honey Walnut Cream Cheese - goes well with Cinnamon Crunch bagels!!

Recipe #166528 at RecipeZaar

Mustard Mayo - Barefoot Contessa

2009, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved

Prep Time: 5 min

Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Whisk the mayonnaise, mustards, sour cream and salt together in a small bowl. Serve at room temperature.

Cherry Berry Pie

CRUST:
1-1/2 cups of flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening

Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer on medium speed swiftly until crust appears “pea like.” Carefully sprinkle ice cold water in crust mix until it just starts to be fully moistened and gathers together. Pat into disc, wrap and refrigerate for at least one half hour. Roll out on floured surface and make and crimp piecrust. Freeze until ready to use.

FILLING:
4-1/2 cups Montmorency tart cherries –frozen
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp real almond extract
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp orange zest
½ cup dried Michigan cherries
1-1/2 cups of frozen blueberries

Combine frozen cherries, dried cherries, sugar, cornstarch. Stir constantly on med-hi heat until boiling. Add blueberries. Boil for one minute or until thickened. Add almond extract, lemon juice and zest. Pour blueberries in bottom of pie shell and pour cherry mixture over them.

CRUMB TOPPING:
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter softened

Mix together all crumb topping ingredients by hand or a pastry blender until crumbly.

Cover filling with crumb topping. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to one hour or until filling is bubbling over crust.


========

The amazing cherry pie recipe above is the winning Professional Best of Show recipe from the American Pie Council’s recent National Pie Championship. The national event was held in Celebration, Fl., was covered by the Food Network and the Today Show and featured participants from around the US and even Canada.

The winner was a bakery café owner from DeWitt, Michigan, Linda Hundt. It was a very bittersweet victory, however. Her prize-winning pie, which topped nearly 130 other entries, was named in honor of her brother-in-law who passed away just one week before the competition.
She suspects that she may have had Heavenly pull during the competition, but I wouldn’t count out the beauty of the recipe entirely.

From The American Pie Council:
The owner of the Sweetie-licious Bakery Cafe, a vintage-style bakery in downtown DeWitt, Linda Hundt is known for her 50s-style dresses and aprons, her pearl necklaces and her pearls of “pie wisdom” including her mantra, “Eat Pie and Love Life.” After leaving her career in politics, Hundt started her pie business in 2002, selling pies to high-end restaurants and at farmer’s markets. Coming from a long line of pie bakers, Hundt names her award-winning pies in honor of the family members who have inspired her over the years. In her bakery and on her website, she tells the heartfelt and sometimes humorous stories behind each of her pies. Her brother-in-law Tom earned his pie, the Best of Show-winning “Tom’s Cheery Cherry Cherry Berry Pie,” by being a great supporter of Hundt’s dreams and a friend to everyone he met. Her “Mommy’s Pumpkin Pie” earned its name after a fire swept through Hundt’s mother’s home just before the holidays. Having to cook Christmas dinner at her daughter’s house in an unfamiliar oven, the normally wonderful cook burned the entire meal, except for the pumpkin pie. That fool-proof recipe earned the name “Mommy’s Pumpkin Pie.”

The APC/Crisco National Pie Championships were held April 24-26, 2009 at the Ramada Orlando Celebration Resort and Convention Center in Celebration, Fla., in conjunction with the Great American Pie Festival. At the annual event, bakers of all skill levels, all ages, and all degrees of training, from all over the United States and Canada, compete in a bake-off to determine North America’s best Professional, Amateur and Commercial bakers as well as budding Junior Chefs.

As the winner of the Professional Division of the APC/Crisco National Pie Championships, Hundt took home the prestigious Best of Show title as well as $5,000, a Crisco gift basket and a new Sears Kenmore range. Professional bakers entered pies in eight categories: Apple, Citrus, Crisco Classic Chocolate, Crisco Classic Cherry, Fruit/Berry, Cream, Nut and Open. The Best of Show winner was chosen from among the eight first place winners.

“This was an amazing year at the National Pie Championships with more bakers and more pie entries than ever before,” said Linda Hoskins, APC’s Executive Director. “In these lean times, people are getting back to basics and looking for economical home-based meals and activities. Fortunately, making and eating pie fits both desires perfectly.”

This year, the competition attracted 138 bakers who baked 465 pies in the Commercial division, 130 pies in the Professional division and 266 pies in the Amateur division. Talented pie makers came from 28 states, from as far away as Washington, California and parts of Canada.

The event drew more than 170 judges, including Kim Montello, Johnson and Wales University, Jim Whaples, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and professional chefs such as Robert Paulk, Certified Master Baker and David Ramirez, Executive Pastry Chef at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando and 2009 captain of Team USA in the Coupe du Monde (World Pastry Cup), as well as many food writers and editors. Judges also included everyday pie lovers who were selected through an application process. Talented pie makers came from 28 states, from as far away as Washington, California and parts of Canada.

A complete list of winners is available at www.piecouncil.org.
Crisco is a registered trademark of The J. M. Smucker Company. For more information, visit www.crisco.com.

The American Pie Council offers individual membership for amateurs as well as professionals and commercial bakers. Pie lovers receive multiple benefits including the “Pie Times” e-newsletter, membership directory and member-only online “pie talk” access for idea exchange, pie recipes, coupons and discounted entry into the annual APC/Crisco National Pie Championships.

The American Pie Council is the only organization committed to maintaining America’s pie heritage, passing on the tradition of pie-making and promoting America’s love affair with pie.
For more details, to become a member of the APC or to register for the National Pie Championships, visit www.piecouncil.org

Frozen Lemonade Pie

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons butter, melted

Lemonade filling:
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 (12 ounce) container whip topping, thawed
1 (6 fluid ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, keep frozen
1 teaspoon candied lemon peel

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of sugar, and the melted butter. Press firmly on bottom and up sides of pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes and let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, add chilled sweetened condensed milk and cool whip and fold gently. Add frozen lemonade and continue to gently fold. Do not let the mixture become soupy. Pour mixture into the pie crust and freeze overnight. Garnish with candied lemon peel.

Cheddar-Dill Scones

1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved

Serves: 16 large scones

Ingredients
4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup cold heavy cream
1/2 pound extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, small-diced
1 cup minced fresh dill
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine 4 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Mix the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss together the Cheddar, dill, and 1 tablespoon of flour and add them to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the Cheddar and dill are well distributed. Roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outside is crusty and the inside is fully baked.

Hot Cocoa Mix in a Jar

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 10 Minutes
Servings: 24

Ingredients:
6 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 (5 ounce) package non-instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup powdered chocolate drink mix
1/2 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine powdered milk, chocolate pudding mix, chocolate drink mix powder, creamer, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa. Divide the mixture between two 1 quart jars. Seal, and decorate as desired. These can be stored in a dry area for up to 3 months.
2. Attach a tag with the following instructions: Hot Cocoa: Dissolve 1/3 cup cocoa mix in 1 cup boiling water.

Beef Cheese Ball

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Ready In: 2 Hours 5 Minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,softened
3 ounces dried beef
2 green onions, chopped 1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1 1/4 teaspoons monosodium glutamate (Brand name, Accent)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
1. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, dried beef, green onions, onion salt, monosodium glutamate, and Worcestershire sauce. Form the mixture into a ball and refrigerate before serving.

Applebee’s Tequila Lime Chicken recipe

Marinade
1 cup water
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon tequila

4 chicken breast fillets

Mexi-Ranch Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons minced tomato
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon minced canned jalapeno slices (nacho slices)
1 teaspoon minced onion
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
dash garlic powder
dash ground black pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese blend
2 cups crumbled corn chips or fried tortilla strips (see tidbits)

1. Prepare marinade by combining marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl, cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Make the mexi-ranch dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well until smooth, then cover dressing and chill it until needed.

3. When you are ready to prepare the entree, preheat the oven to high broil. Also, preheat your barbecue or indoor grill to high heat. When the grill is hot cook the marinated chicken breasts for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until they’re done.

4. Arrange the cooked chicken in a baking pan. Spread a layer of mexi-ranch dressing over each piece of chicken (you’ll have plenty left over), followed by 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese blend. Broil the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until the cheese has melted.

5. Spread a bed of 1/2 cup of the tortilla strips or crumbled corn chips on each of four plates. Slide a chicken breast onto the chips on each plate and serve with your choice of rice, and pico de gallo, or salsa. (http://www.topsecretrecipes.com) Serves 4.

Tidbits
Crumbling store-bought tortilla chips is the easy way to make the bed of crunchy chips that the tequila lime chicken rests on. But, you can make tortilla strips like those served at the restaurant by cutting a stack of eight 6-inch corn tortillas in half. Stack the halves on top of each other and slice the tortillas into thin strips. Fry the tortilla strips in 2 cups of oil preheated in a large skillet for 3-5 minutes r until crispy. Salt lightly and cool on paper towels to drain.

It’s one of Applebee’s top-selling signature dishes and a big request here on the site. This tasty dish combines the tangy flavor of the tequila lime marinade with creamy southwestern-style dressing, and tops it all off with a melted cheese blend. Just be sure you don’t marinate the chicken longer than the 3 to 4 hours, or the
citric acid in the lime juice may toughen the chicken. The bed of crispy corn tortilla strips can be easily cloned with crumbled store-bought corn chips, but if
you want strips like those served at the restaurant, just follow the “tidbits” below. Serve this dish with your choice of rice (Spanish rice is recommended),
along with some pico de gallo (you can find a recipe here) or salsa on the side.

IHOP Pancake recipe

Ingredients:
Nonstick Spray
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cooking oil
pinch of salt

1. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Use a pan with a nonstick surface or apply a little nonstick spray.

2. In a blender or with a mixer, combine all of the remaining ingredients until smooth.

3. Pour the batter by spoonfuls into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles.

4. When the edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be golden brown.

5. Cook pancakes on the other side for same amount of time, until golden brown.

Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.

Spicy Shrimp Pasta

1 c olive oil
14 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 T cilantro, chopped
1 T chili powder
1 t crushed red pepper
1 t cumin
1 t salt

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined

8 c water
1/2 t saffron
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t salt
1 T olive oil
1/2 lb linguine

Combine first nine ingredients (up to the shrimp) in a large skillet over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to steep for 10to 15 minutes.

Bring water, saffron, tumeric, salt and oil to boil and boil for 5 minutes. Then add pasta and cook until done.

Turn heat back on under skillet and, when mixture bubbles, add shrimp. Cook 3-4 minutes until shrimp is pink.

Drain pasta and return to pasta pot. Add shrimp mixture and cook over high heat for one minute, stirring constantly.

Serve immediately with grated parmesan, chopped green onion, more cilantro, black pepper and maybe champagne.

Julia's Note: This is based on a recipe by Emeril, although his uses lobster. It is incredibly forgiving. You can do the first step hours in advance and then just add the shrimp and make the pasta before you serve it. I have improvised with spinach, mushrooms, chicken- it's flexible.

From Julia at We Be Hippogriffs

New Orleans Barbeque Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup butter 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup beer, room temperature
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, basil, thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper and paprika. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes. Season with the spice mixture and continue to cook and stir for a few minutes. Pour in the beer and Worcestershire sauce; simmer until shrimp is cooked through, about 1 more minute. Taste and season with salt before serving.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 20 Minutes
Yields: 4 servings

"A special entree, excellent with a loaf of French bread to dunk in the sauce, add a glass of wine and a pasta, and you have an incredible meal for any guest."

From: Allrecipes

Doll Party Cake

2 packages (18.5 oz, each) cake mix, any flavor (plus all ingredients needed for mix)
4 cups prepared frosting
Doll pick cake decoration, 7 inches*
Ribbons, lace, tulle, straight pins and craft flowers

For cake, preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour Pampered Chef’s Classic Batter Bowl. Prepare one cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into bowl. Bake 1 hour, 10 min (or 1 hr 15 min) or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to cooling rack. Cool 15 min. Loosen cake and gently turn out onto cooling rack. Cool 3 hours. Repeat with remaining cake mix to make a second cake.

To assemble cake, trim off rounded bottoms of cake to level. Slice off 2 inches from large end of one cake and arrange on serving platter to serve as bottom of doll’s skirt. (Wrap and freeze unused top portion of first cake for later use).

Frost sides and top of cake on platter; top with second cake. Frost second cake. Wrap top of doll with ribbon or lace, secure in back with pins. Insert doll into cake. Decorate skirt as desired. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. To serve, remove doll and cut into slices with serrated knife.

Yield: 16 servings.

*[Doll picks (the top half of a doll on a stick) can be purchased at craft stores or stores that carry cake decorating supplies.]