Peanut Butter Pie

At this time of year, it's still hot enough that I really try to avoid prolonged use of the oven. Of course, that can be challenging for me because I want to bake some kind of sweet treat -- a pie, cookies, brownies. I know these things aren't part of a healthy diet, but you can't be healthy all the time, can you? I've ventured into some ice cream desserts and other things this summer, not always meeting success. However, one old standby that I like (and my husband too since he's a big peanut butter fan) is Peanut Butter Pie. It requires no baking and it can be prepared in a flash. You can dress it up with some attractive garnishes for a party or you can keep it simple.

Peanut Butter Pie

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
½ cup peanut butter
6 tablespoons milk
8 ounces Cool Whip
Graham cracker crust
¼ cup chopped peanuts
Grated chocolate

Mix cream cheese in electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugar and peanut butter; mix well. Gradually add milk. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon filling into crust. Sprinkle with peanuts and grated chocolate. Chill overnight.

Foods for your freezer

I would say I'm what you might call a "planner" -- given the opportunity, I prefer to plan in advance and make sure all the details are covered. In preparation for the arrival of our new baby (assuming I ever actually go into labor), I have cooked a few things and stored them in the freezer. One dish that I think freezes very well is lasagna. I have a super-simple lasagna recipe that I think is also pretty yummy. This is one that my mom gave me and I've used it often.

Mom’s Lasagna

1 pound hamburger
1 pound Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 jar store-bought tomato-based pasta sauce
1 container ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
2 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
9 lasagna noodles

In skillet, fry hamburger and sausage. Drain. Add pasta sauce and half of chopped onion. Let simmer.

In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, remaining chopped onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Boil water for the lasagna noodles. Add noodles and cook until al dente. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer 3 noodles in the bottom of pan. Cover with half of the cheese mixture. Layer 3 more noodles and cover with the remaining cheese mixture. Cover with the 3 remaining noodles and top with the meat sauce. Top off with a little parmesan and mozzarella.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.