I am actually posting something. As you all know Clark and I LOVE Martha Stewart recipes (not that she comes up with them or anything). We have a subscription to Everyday Foods and we own one of her cookbooks and we really enjoy the outcome of most of those recipes. Anyway, this is one that we have made a tradition, it's rich and delicious, one slice goes a VERY long way. AND it's pretty darn easy.

Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes, plus chilling
Ingredients

* 1 package (9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
* 4 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 large eggs
* 1 cup sour cream
* 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
* Chocolate Ganache, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Assemble a 9-inch springform pan with the raised side of the bottom facing down.

2. In a food processor, pulse cookies until finely ground. Add butter, and pulse to moisten. Transfer to prepared pan, and press crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet; bake 10 minutes, and set aside.

3. Wipe out bowl and blade of food processor. Add cream cheese, sugar, and salt; blend until smooth. With motor running, add eggs, then sour cream, and finally chocolate; blend filling until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

4. Pour filling onto crust, and bake just until set, 1 hour. Turn oven off, and let cheesecake sit 1 hour in oven, without opening (this helps prevent cracking).

5. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan (this helps prevent cracking, too); leave in pan, and cool completely on wire rack. Cover loosely and refrigerate, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.

6. Prepare Chocolate Ganache. Unmold cheesecake. Spread ganache in center of cheesecake; let set before serving.

This is another we really like. It's more for the springtime though.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 1 pound bow-tie pasta (farfalle)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint, parsley, or basil
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or pecorino cheese, plus more for serving, if desired

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook asparagus until bright green, about 2 minutes. Add snap peas; cook 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon or a small sieve, scoop out vegetables; transfer to a bowl.
2. Return water to a boil; add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water; set pasta aside in colander.
3. In pasta pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add asparagus, snap peas, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cooked pasta, avocado, herbs, cheese, and reserved pasta water. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with additional cheese, if desired.

Chicken Stroganoff

This is really yummy! I guess if you're not a mushroom fan you could just leave those out, but it won't be as good!

4 bacon strips

1 lb. chicken, cut up

1 med. onion

2 cloves garlic

1 pkg fresh mushrooms (the original recipe calls for 2 cans of mushrooms drained, but I detest canned mushrooms.)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp paprika

pepper to taste

1 cup sour cream (don't worry Darwin, you can't even tell it's in there - it just gives it a little zing)

2 T flour

In a skillet cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels and drain some of the drippings, reserving 2 T, set bacon aside. When cool enough to touch, break up into small pieces. Cook the chicken, onion, garlic, and mushrooms until chicken is no longer pink. Add the broth, salt paprika, pepper and bacon back in. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Combine flour and sour cream until smooth; add to the skillet. Bring to boil, cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Serve over egg noodles or rice, whichever is your family's preference.

Does anyone have a recipe for Pumpkin Bread???

My Sun-dried Tomato Chicken

2-3 Chicken breasts cooked and cut into small cubes
1 Can petite diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes
1/3 Cup julienne carrots
2 to 3 Tbs. Sun-Dried tomato pesto
1/2 package Penni pasta cooked. (Or enough for your family)

Boil pasta, drain and set aside. (I keep mine in warm water) Cook the chicken in large frying pan, when cooked transfer to plate to cool then cut up. Empty can of tomatoes into pan, add pesto and mix. You can add more pesto to your taste. Add carrots and cook til carrots are tender. Add cut up chicken and mix in. Serve over the penni noodles and top with grated parmesan cheese.

I made this up one night, I didn't have Italian tomatoes. I did have the herbs but I had bought this pesto stuff and decided to give it a try. Darwin loved it so it's a keeper.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

How do you feel about Sweet and Sour Chicken? This is a good recipe, and really pretty easy... you just have to plan enough time to let it cook for an hour before you want to eat.

SAUCE:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (or regular vinegar)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbls. ketchup
1 tsp salt
1 tsp accent (I leave this out if I don't have it)

Stir ingredients together and set aside.

CHICKEN:
3 chicken breasts
1 cup cornstarch or flour
1 tsp. garlic salt
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir sauce ingredients together and set aside. Combine cornstarch or flour and garlic salt. Dip chicken into cornstarch mixture then into egg, and back into cornstarch. Brown in hot frying pan, in a small amount of oil.

Place chicken in a dish, pour the sauce over it, and cover and bake for 1 hour. Serve with rice and veggies.

The Best Sweet Potatoes Ever

Here you go Mom...

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups cooked sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup melted butter

Mash the sweet potatoes. Add sugar, eggs, butter, salt, milk, and vanilla. Mix and spoon into a shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Prepare topping and sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (a little longer if there is a turkey in the oven)

I usually make this and put it in a 9x13 dish. If you choose to go this route you may want to double your topping just to make sure it all gets covered.