Here is a quick and tasty dessert from one of my co-workers.

1 package flour tortillas (8-inch)
1 can fruit pie filling, such as apple, cherry or peach
butter, melted
cinnamon-sugar or powdered sugar
toothpicks

Preheat oven to 300F

Spray a cookie sheet or baking pan with cooking spray. Lay tortillas flat on top. Spoon pie filling on to tortillas, slightly off center. Roll tortillas and secure with toothpicks. Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until warm and crispy.

You could use fancy crepe wraps, but flour tortillas are usually cheaper and do the job just as well. You can also experiment with different fillings, like mashed strawberries, cream cheese, chocolate or peanut butter.

Pancakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 package (1 oz) uncooked instant farina (such as Cream of Wheat)
1 1 /4 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup mashed banana (about 1 large)

Syrup:
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp pomegranate juice
2 tsp cornstarch

To prepare pancakes, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 6 ingredients (through farina) in a large mixing bowl. Stir well with a whisk. Combine buttermilk, oil, vanilla and egg in a bowl, whisking well. Add to flour mixture, whisking until almost smooth. Fold in banana. Do not over-stir or pancakes will be flat and dense.

Spoon 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle. Turn when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.

To prepare syrup, combine 1/2 cup pomegranate juice and syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Combine 2 tbsp juice and cornstarch in a bowl and add to pan. Cook 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat and serve with pancakes.

Garnish pancakes with fresh sliced bananas and serve with milk and a small cup of pomegranate juice.

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 fl oz) evaporated milk
3 tbsp instant coffee granules or 1 heaping tbsp of instant espresso granules
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (9 oz pkg) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Line a 9×9 inch pan with foil.

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, instant coffee or espresso, butter and salt in a medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Mix well and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in morsels, marshmallows, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan, remove foil and cut into pieces.

A great holiday recipe from Nestle Toll House:

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 fl oz) evaporated milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (9 oz pkg) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 cup crushed peppermint hard candy

Tip: Candy canes tend to be easier to smash into piece than the round starbright candies.

Line a 9×9 inch pan with foil.

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in a medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Mix well and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in morsels, marshmallows, vanilla and peppermint extracts. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top, pressing lightly to set. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan, remove foil and cut into pieces.

I’ve been in a rice phase lately, probably because rice is so versatile. It can be used in sweet and savory dishes, served dry or creamy, and it’s great on a frosty day. Here is a quick and easy recipe:

2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
1 can cream of chicken soup (with herbs)
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp onion powder (or salt)
1 bag (16 oz) frozen mixed veggies, thawed
2 tbsp dry breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400F

Combine soup, milk and onion powder in a large saucepan and stir well. Add cooked rice and cook over medium-high heat until mixture begins to bubble, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and cook 5-7 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Add thawed veggies and stir well.

Transfer to a greased 3-quart baking pan. Sprinkle with dry breadcrumbs. Bake 10-15 minutes until breadcrumbs brown and mixture bubbles on the sides. Remove from oven, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve over warm biscuits and a glass of milk.

Substitutions: the cream of chicken soup can be swapped for cream of celery, cream of broccoli, cream of potato, cream of mushroom or cream of mushroom with roasted garlic. You can also use 2 1/2 cups raw sliced/chopped veggies in place of frozen veggies (adjust cooking time accordingly). The veggie mix used here was broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.