This is a creamy and delicious dessert without artificial sweeteners, found in a cooking magazine called “Leftovers Makeovers.”

2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (15 oz) sliced peaches, drained
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sour cream, optional

Preheat oven or broiler to 400F.

Prepare rice according to package directions. In a saucepan, combine cooked rice, milk, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mixture will begin to thicken. Stir a small amount of rice mixture into eggs, then add all to the pan. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Spread into a greased shallow 1 quart baking pan. Top with peaches.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons full over peaches. Bake or broil for 5-10 minutes or until peaches are warmed and lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve in bowls, sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-brown sugar. Top with sour cream if desired.

Other suggestions:
Try peach pie filling instead of sliced peaches (omit sour cream).
Instead of sour cream, top with whipped cream.
Drizzle peaches with caramel sauce before topping with brown sugar mixture.
Mix sliced peaches with an equal amount of cherry pie filling before covering rice mixture.
Top with fresh sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries or cranberries (for tartness).
Serve with cold milk or hot cocoa.

For a easy and tasty side dish, try white & wild rice blend (or brown & wild rice), but instead of cooking in water, use chicken broth for a richer flavor.

Follow the packaged directions for proportions (usually 2 cups broth for 1 cup rice) and add 1 tbsp of butter for each 1 cup of dry rice mix. Keep in mind this is not instant rice, depending on how many servings you are preparing, the rice could take 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Start the rice mix first then make the rest of your meal (rice needs very little tending to, just an occasional stir).

Once rice is done (again, follow the package directions for time), season it depending on what else is being served. Some suggestions: toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, fresh herbs, scallions, chives, or just some salt and pepper.

Another option: while rice is cooking, saute some veggies such as celery, onion, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, or mushrooms in vegetable or olive oil. Toss with salt, pepper, and any other seasoning and combine with cooked rice.

This can be as simple or complex as you need it to be.

Another recipe from Nestle Toll House:

3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
2/3 cup (5 fl oz) evaporated milk
2 cups (12 oz pkg) Nestle Toll House Premier White Morsels
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
1/2 cup finely crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup crumbled cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

Tip: place about 20 cookies in a large zip-lock bag and crush coarsely with a rolling pin. Remove 1 cup of large crushed pieces. Crush remaining pieces until reduced to small crumbs.

Line a 13×9 inch pan with foil.

Combine sugar, butter and evaporated milk 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, marshmallow creme, finely crushed cookies and vanilla extract. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle coarsely crumbled cookies on top. Gently swirl cookies into fudge using a knife without touching the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Lift from pan, remove foil and cut into pieces.

After a long week of working 10 hour days, plus having to work a half day on Saturday, I thought my mom deserved a home-cooked meal. I’ve been wanting to try this recipe for awhile now, so I made Apricot Chicken with some Onion Mashed Potatoes, a variation of the Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Lipton Recipe Secrets (see posting on October 27th, 2006). The combination was great with plenty of leftovers for next week when she’s back on overtime!

Apricot Chicken

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
1 bottle (8 oz) Russian OR Spicy-Sweet French dressing (Wishbone)
1 jar (13 oz) apricot preserves

Preheat oven to 400F and grease a large baking pan.

Combine soup mix, dressing and preserves in a large bowl. Arrange chicken on prepared baking pan and cover in apricot mixture.

Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Onion Mashed Potatoes

6 medium red-skinned potatoes
1 package Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 milk

Wash and cut potatoes (peel only if desired) into a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Mash potatoes with soup mix, butter, and milk, mixing well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve this meal with some seasoned veggies, a good choice is Green Giant’s new frozen veggies that cook in the microwave. These have some great varieties, like Tuscan Seasoned Vegetables or Herb & Garlic Broccoli and Carrots. Quick, easy to make, and tastes great!

Inspired by the recipe “Alessandro Giuntoli’s Pasta With Red Wine.”

1 lb spaghetti
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp basil
1 bottle dry red table wine
fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Place oil, garlic and basil in a large, deep skillet. When water begins to boil, add salt and pasta then turn heat under skillet to high. Cook pasta as usual, stirring. As soon as garlic begins to brown, sprinkle with pepper and add about 2 cups of wine (3/4 of the bottle), bring to a boil and maintain there (garlic will look bright pink at first, but don’t panic).

When pasta beings to bend, after about 5 minutes of cooking, drain it and add it to simmering wine mixture. Cook, stirring frequently to coat pasta, adding wine a little at a time if the mixture starts to dry out completely.

Test pasta every couple minutes. When it is done, tender but with a little bite to it, stir in the butter and turn off the heat. Pour into a warmed bowl.

Extra Credit: saute sliced mushrooms in remaining 1/4 bottle of wine and 1 tbsp of butter.