1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup pickle juice

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

2 cups diced pickles

In a large bowl add cream cheese, red onion, pickle juice, garlic, Old Bay seasoning and pepper. Combine with a hand mixer. Add pickles and continue mixing until fully combined. Refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to three days before serving.

2-1/2 lbs mixture of white and orange (yams) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 lb Johnsonville Fresh Italian Mild Ground Sausage

1/2  one large yellow onion, finely chopped

1  green bell pepper, finely chopped

1  red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon  table salt

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cubed sweet potatoes and boil for about 4-5 minutes or until almost tender. Do not overcook or they will turn to mush and not hold their shape. Drain pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage and cook through. Remove sausage and place on a towel lined plate. Add onion to the pan (if there is not enough fat leftover from the sausage you can add 1-2 teaspoons of vegetable oil) and saute for about 5 minutes. Add bell peppers, sauteing for about 5 minutes more. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Stir sausage in and cooked sweet potatoes and warm up (stir gently as to not break up the sweet potatoes). Place on a serving dish and sprinkle slightly with parsley.

2 cans whole corn, drained

½ cup celery, chopped

½ cup green onions, sliced

¾ cup mayonnaise

¾ cup sour cream

4 cups pepper jack cheese, grated

1 9¾ oz bag of Chili Cheese Fritos®

Additional sour cream for topping, optional

• Preheat oven to 350° and spray an 8 x 8 baking dish, or a casserole dish, with a non stick spray. Set aside.
• Drain corn and add to a large mixing bowl.
• Stir in celery, green onions, mayo, sour cream and cheese. Stir until everything is mixed well.
• Pour into prepared baking dish and cook for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven.
• Stir in bag of coarsely broken up chili cheese Fritos® right before serving.
• Top with a spoonful of sour cream, optional.

1 cup uncooked orzo

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and drained

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

3 green onions, sliced

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons light sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 peeled avocado, cut into 8 wedges

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse; drain well. Place orzo, corn, and next 3 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl; toss.

Combine buttermilk, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over orzo mixture; toss. Top with avocado; garnish with remaining cilantro and parsley.

1 container (4 oz) vanilla pudding

½ cup cool whip

1 cup seedless green grapes, halved

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

In medium bowl, combine pudding and whipped cream

Gently stir in grapes, oranges, pineapple and marshmallows.  Add strawberries; gently toss.

Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 8 hours

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless thin-sliced chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 3/4 cup canned corn kernels, drained
• 3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup Ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup tortilla strips

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.

To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with chicken, tomato, corn, beans, onion and cheeses. Pour Ranch dressing and BBQ sauce on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.

Serve immediately, topped with tortilla strips.

1,  15- to 19-ounce can beans, such as chickpeas, black-eyed peas or kidney beans, rinsed

2,  5- to 6-ounce cans water-packed chunk light tuna, drained and flaked

1 large red bell pepper, finely diced

½ cup finely chopped red onion

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided

4 teaspoons capers, rinsed

1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

½ cup lemon juice, divided

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

¼ teaspoon salt

8 cups mixed salad greens

Combine beans, tuna, bell pepper, onion, parsley, capers, rosemary, ¼ cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl. Season with pepper.

Combine the remaining ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil and salt in a large bowl.

Add salad greens; toss to coat.

Divide the greens among 4 plates.

Top each with the tuna salad

10  ounces   dried linguine or desired pasta

1  19  – ounce can  white kidney (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained

1/2   of a lemon

3  tablespoons   olive oil

½ c prepared pesto

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding beans for the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Remove 1/2 cup of the cooking liquids; set aside. Drain pasta and beans; cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, finely shred peel from the lemon half (about 2 teaspoons). In a small skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add lemon peel; cook and stir 1 minute, or until lightly golden.

Combine cooked lemon peel, pesto, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice from the lemon half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add reserved cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until desired consistency is reached.

To serve, toss hot cooked pasta mixture with lemon-basil mixture. Makes 4 servings.

1 lb Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed, halved or quartered

4 oz thick cut bacon, diced

½ c diced onion

2cloves garlic, minced

3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dry

1 oz Balsamic vinegar

½ – 1 c chicken stock

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring a large saute pan to medium heat

Add bacon and render 2-3 minutes

Add onion and cook until translucent

Add garlic, thyme and Brussels.  Cook 3-5 minutes until caramelized

Season with salt and pepper

Add vinegar and enough stock to moisten

Nonstick spray for baking

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled1 tablespoon lemon extract

2 lemons, zested (2 teaspoons)

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

Meyer lemon or lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 10-inch fluted tube pan with nonstick spray for baking; set aside.

In a very large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk, oil, butter, extract, and zest. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan; cool. Drizzle with glaze.

Lemon Glaze

1. In a small bowl stir together powdered sugar and enough juice to make drizzling consistency (about 2 tablespoons).