Sweet Potatoes with Carmalized Apples

6 sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
3 Granny Smith apples peeled and cored
1 tablespoon lemon juice
9 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for pan
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup Calvados or brandy
1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1.) Heat oven to 425. Bake potatoes until soft, 40 to 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and and place flesh in a medium bowl; add salt, and mash with fork.

2.) Meanwhile, slice apples into 1/8 inch thick wedges and place in a medium bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to combine.

3.) In a medium skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Cook apple slices in the butter and sugar in 3 or 4 batches, until golden and caramelized, about 1 minute per each side. As they finish cooking, transfer to a plate and set aside.

4.) In a medium skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cook until sugar dissolves. Stir in 4 tablespoons cream and the Calvados and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add sweet potatoes, mixing well to combine. Transfer potato mixture to a buttered 3 quart oven proof casserole. Arrange apple slices over potatoes; set aside.

5.) In a medium skillet, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cook until dissolved. Add remaining 2 tablespoons cream and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in orange juice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened and dark brown. Pour over apples and cover with aluminum foil.

6.) Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately, or let stand at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before serving.

Red, White and Blueberry Delight

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 cups (1 pint) plain yogurt
2 cups minature marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup blueberries

Combine milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, mix well. Stir in yogurt, marshmallows and nuts. In a 13x9 inch baking dish spread half of the white mixture on bottom. Spread half of the strawberries and blueberries on top then layer again with white mixture. Add remaining fruit to top making the American flag- alternating strawberries for stripes and putting blueberries in the corner for stars. Cover with foil, freeze until firm. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.

Spinach Salad

3 hard cooked eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablepoons sugar
2 bunches spinach
4 slices torn, cooked bacon
2 chopped green onions
Toasted sliced almonds
Sliced fresh mushrooms

Seperate cooked eggs, chop whites. Mix yolks, mustard, vinegar and sugar. Arrange salad and pour dressing over. Serve immediately.

Watergate Salad

2 pkg. (4oz serving size each) Jello Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding
2 cans (20 oz each) crushed pineapple in juice undrained
2 cups Jet-Puffed Miniature Marshmallows
1 cup Planters pecans
3 cups (8 oz tub) thawed Cool Whip

Mix dry pudding mix, pineapple, marshmallows and pecans in a large bowl until well blended. Gently stir in Cool Whip; cover. Refridgerate 1 hour or until ready to serve. Garnish with additional Cool Whip and chopped pecans if desired.

Rosa Marina Salad

1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple
1 can (11 0z) mandarin oranges
1 jar maraschino cherries sliced in half
1 cup Orzo pasta
Dash of salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tub Cool Whip

Drain juices. Put fruit in fridge. Cook 1 cup orzo pasta until al dente; set aside. In a saucepan, add dash of salt to fruit juice, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cook over medium heat until it turns to custard. Mix custard with noodles. Refridgerate overnight. Combine fruit and cool whip with custard and noodles. Serve.

Cranberry Relish Mold

1 (9 0z) can crushed pineapple in own juice
1 (3 oz) pkg. cherry Jello
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 small unpeeled orange (seedless) ground in a food processor
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup ground fresh cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Drain pineapple, reserve syrup. Add water to make 1/2 cup. Dissolve gelatin and sugar in 1 cup of hot water. Add syrup and lemon juice. Chill until partially set. Add fruits, celery and nuts. Chill in a 5 cup ring mold overnight.

White-Bean and Tomato Salad

1 can (14 ounces) Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper

In a medium bowl, toss together beans, tomatoes, scallions, oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. To store, refrigerate up to one day.