Sweet and Crunchy Snack Mix

This one-of-a-kind munching mix is loaded with your favorite snack foods!

3 cups small pretzel twists

1 cup honey-roasted peanuts

1 cup Frosted Cheerios® cereal

1 cup dried banana chips

1 cup candy-coated chocolate candies

1. Stir together all ingredients.

2. Store in airtight container.

Seven-Layer Salad

It’s a do-ahead, take-along, crunchy-munchy crowd pleaser. Enjoy!

1 bag (10 ounces) ready-to-eat mixed salad greens (6 cups)

8 medium radishes, thinly sliced

5 medium green onions, thinly sliced (5 tablespoons)

2 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced (1 cup)

12 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

1 package (10 ounces) frozen green peas, thawed

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

1. Place salad greens in large salad bowl. Layer radishes, onions, celery, bacon and peas on salad greens.

2. Spread mayonnaise over peas, covering top completely and sealing to edge of bowl. Sprinkle with cheese.

Pineapple Tea

Make this fruit-flavored tea from scratch instead of paying extra for premixed flavored iced tea drinks.

3 cans (12 ounces each) unsweetened pineapple juice concentrate, thawed

1 1/2 cups lemon juice

1 cup sugar

12 cups iced tea

1. Mix juice concentrate, lemon juice and sugar in large pitcher until sugar is dissolved.

2. Stir in tea. Store covered in refrigerator.

Peach Margaritas

Chill out with a twist on the classic--they’re peachy!

1 medium lime, cut in half

Granulated sugar

3 cups crushed ice

1 cup tequila

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 can (12-ounce size) frozen peach juice concentrate, thawed

6 peach slices

1. Rub rims of 6 stemmed glasses with 1 lime half; dip rims of glasses into granulated sugar.

2. Squeeze juice from both lime halves into blender. Add remaining ingredients except peach slices to blender. Cover and blend on high speed until foamy. Pour into glasses. Garnish sides of glasses with peach slices. Serve immediately.

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

A tangy dressing makes this potato salad better than deli salad.

6 medium potatoes, peeled (2 pounds)

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

2 medium celery stalks, chopped (1 cup)

4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

1. Heat 1 inch water (salted if desired) to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 30 to 35 minutes or until tender; drain. Cool slightly; cut into cubes.

2. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in large glass or plastic bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion; toss. Stir in eggs. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours until chilled.

Mint-Chocolate Brownies

Get a double dose of mint! Cool mint chips flavor these brownies, and a mint-chocolate glaze generously highlights the top.

1 package Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 cup chopped pe cans

1 package (10 ounces) mint-chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups)

Mint Frosting (See Below)Shiny Chocolate Glaze (See Below)

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.

2. Stir brownie mix, chocolate syrup, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl, using spoon, about 50 strokes or until well blended.

3. Stir in pe cans and 1 cup of the mint-chocolate chips (set aside remaining mint-chocolate chips for Shiny Chocolate Glaze). Spread in pan.

4. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean or almost clean; cool completely.

5. Spread Mint Frosting over brownies. Drizzle Shiny Chocolate Glaze over frosted brownies.

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon mint extract

2drops green food color, if desired

1. Beat powdered sugar and butter in small bowl on low speed of electric mixer until smooth. Beat in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable. Beat in extract and food color.

Remaining mint-chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1 to 3 teaspoons hot water

Hurry-Up Potato Salad

Using frozen hash browns takes most of the work out of this classic summer salad.

8 cups frozen diced hash brown potatoes with onions and peppers

1 cup shredded carrot

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 teaspoon curry powder, if desired

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1. Heat 1 inch water (salted if desired) to boiling in 4-quart saucepan. Add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer 6 to 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain.

Easy Raspberry Trifle

Not only is this divine dessert easy to make, but it’s almost fat free!

1 package Betty Crocker® 1-step white angel food cake mix

1 1/4 cups cold water

2 cups boiling water

1 package (8-serving size) sugar-free raspberry-flavored gelatin

2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed

3containers (6 ounces each) Yoplait® Original red raspberry yogurt

1. Move oven rack to lowest position (remove other racks). Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Beat cake mix and cold water in extra- large glass or metal bowl on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 1 minute. Pour into ungreased 10x4-inch angel food cake pan (tube pan). Do not use bundt cake pan or 9x3 1/2-inch angel food pan, or batter will overflow.

3. Bake 37 to 47 minutes or until top is dark golden brown and cracks feel very dry and not sticky. Do not underbake.

4. Immediately turn pan upside down onto glass bottle until cake is completely cool, about 1 hour. Run knife around edges; remove from pan. Tear cake into about 3/4-inch pieces.

5. Pour boiling water on gelatin in large bowl; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add raspberries. (If desired, remove several raspberries and reserve for garnish.) Refrigerate gelatin mixture about 15 minutes or until thickened but not set.

Corn and Walnut Dip

Nuts add crunch and corn adds color to this incredibly creamy, zesty cream cheese dip.

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup lime juice

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 can (8 3/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)

1. Beat cream cheese, oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

2. Stir in corn, walnuts and onion. Serve with tortilla chips if desired

Banana Cake to Take

This irresistible cake is brimming with goodies: bananas, oats, spices, nuts and raisins. Yum!

1 egg

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (4 medium)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2/3 cup chopped nuts

2/3 cup raisins

Powdered sugar, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with cooking spray.

2. Beat egg, oil, buttermilk, bananas, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves. Stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into pan.

Quick Caesar Salad

You’ll have this restaurant favorite on your table in no time!

1/2 cup Caesar dressing

1 large or 2 small bunches romaine, torn into bite-size pieces (10 cups)

1 cup Caesar or garlic-flavored croutons

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground pepper

1. Pour dressing into large salad bowl. Add romaine; toss until coated with dressing.

2. Sprinkle with croutons, cheese and pepper; toss.

Grilled Bacon-Cheeseburgers (Crowd Size)

Crispy bacon and tangy blue cheese dressing add their distinctive flavor to burgers cooked on the grill.

3 pounds lean ground beef

2 small onions, finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon pepper

12 hamburger buns, split and toasted

1 cup blue cheese dressing

12 slices bacon, crisply cooked and broken in half

1. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Mix beef, onions and pepper. Shape into 12 patties, each about 3/4 inch thick.

2. Cover and grill patties 3 to 4 inches from medium heat 10 to 11 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink in center and juice is clear.

3. Place burgers on bottom half of buns. Spoon dressing onto burgers; top each with 2 pieces of bacon. Top with top half of buns.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Don't heat up the whole house for baked beans--slow cook them! Get the same spicy brown sugar taste, and let your slow cooker take the heat.

3 cans (28 ounces each) baked beans

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

2/3 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground mustard

1. Mix all ingredients in 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Potato-Vegetable Salad with Cilantro Dressing

What’s better than potato salad? Potato salad tossed with cucumbers, bell pepper, green onions, tomatoes and a zesty herb dressing!

1 1/2 pounds white potatoes, cut in half (4 medium)

Cilantro Dressing (See Below)

1/2 medium cucumber, seeded and coarsely chopped

1/2 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

1 medium tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)

Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

1. Heat 1 inch water (salted if desired) to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.

2. While potatoes are cooking, make Cilantro Dressing. Drain potatoes; cool slightly. Remove skins if desired. Cut potatoes into cubes (about 4 cups).

1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1. Shake all ingredients in tightly covered container.

Picnic Pasta Salad

This quick and easy pasta salad features the fresh flavors of v eggies and herbs.

1 package (16 ounces) rotini pasta

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 cup Italian dressing

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

or

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves

or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (3 ounces)

5 roma (plum) tomatoes, coarsely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1 large cucumber, coarsely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1 medium red onion, chopped'

1 can (2 1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

1. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Oven-Fried Picnic Chicken

Who doesn't love fried chicken? An all-time favorite, this chicken gets extra flavor from ranch dressing mix.

2/3 cup buttermilk

8 chicken breast halves (6 pounds)

1 cup Country® Corn Flakes cereal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 envelopes (1 ounce each) ranch dressing mix (dry)

Cooking spray

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Cover large cookie sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

2. Pour buttermilk into shallow glass or plastic bowl. Add chicken; turn to coat. Let stand 5 minutes.

3. Place cereal, flour and dressing mix (dry) in blender. Cover and blend on medium speed until mixture becomes a coarse powder. Transfer to resealable plastic bag. Remove chicken from buttermilk; discard buttermilk. Place chicken in cereal mixture. Seal bag; shake to coat.

4. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Bake about 55 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut

Old-Fashioned Lemonade

Sip this classic from a frosty glass. Its homemade flavor is worth every squeeze!

6 cups cold water

2 cups lemon juice (8 to 10 lemons)

1 cup sugarIce cube

Lemon slice, if desired

Maraschino cherry with stem, if desired

1. Mix water, lemon juice and sugar in large pitcher until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled if desired.

2. Serve lemonade over ice. Garnish each serving with a lemon slice and cherry.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Take a Jamaican vacation in your very own backyard. This flavorful marinade gives your grilled chicken a spicy hint of true Jamaican "jerk" cooking.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)

1 small red bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pounds)

1. Heat oil in 8-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook remaining ingredients except chicken in oil about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until bell pepper is crisp-tender; cool.

2. Place chicken and bell pepper mixture in shallow glass dish; turn chicken to coat with pepper mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes but no longer than 3 hours, turning chicken occasionally.

3. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.

Grilled Garlic with French Bread

Enjoy the buttery flavor of grilled garlic and olive oil on thinly sliced French bread. Irresistible!

3 large garlic bulbs

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

16 thin slices French bread

1. Carefully peel paperlike skin from around each bulb of garlic, leaving just enough to hold garlic cloves together.

2. Place each garlic bulb on 12-inch square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Brush bulbs with oil. Wrap foil securely around each bulb.

3. Heat coals or gas grill. Cover and grill 4 inches from medium coals 25 to 35 minutes or until garlic is tender when pierced with toothpick or fork.

4. Grill bread 4 inches from medium coals about 5 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. To serve, gently squeeze garlic out of cloves; spread on bread.

Deviled eggs

Deviled eggs are a lot easier to make than they look. Try this recipe and see how simple it is!

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled

3 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Cut eggs lengthwise in half. Slip out yolks and mash with fork.

Back Ribs with Sweet-Savory Sauce

Want the secret to tender and juicy ribs? These ribs are gently simmered then grilled, producing tender meat that falls from the bone.

Sweet-Savory Sauce (See Below)

4 1/2 pounds pork loin back ribs

3 cups water

1. Make Sweet-Savory Sauce.

2. Cut ribs into serving pieces. Place ribs in 4-quart Dutch oven; add water. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes; drain.

3. Heat coals or gas grill for indirect heat. Cover and grill pork 5 to 6 inches from medium coals 15 to 20 minutes, brushing with sauce every 3 minutes, until pork is no longer pink and meat begins to pull away from bones.

1 cup chili sauce

3/4 cup grape jelly

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons dry red wine or beef broth

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Easy Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

You’re only a brownie mix away from this quick and easy cream cheese indulgence!

1 package Betty Crocker® Supreme chocolate chunk brownie mix

3 tablespoons water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.

2. Stir brownie mix, water, oil and 2 eggs in medium bowl about 50 strokes or until well blended. Spread 2/3 of the batter in pan.

3. Microwave peanut butter chips in small microwavable bowl on High 30 seconds or until chips are melted when stirred. Stir in cream cheese, sugar and 1 egg until smooth.

4. Spread peanut butter mixture over batter in pan. Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls onto peanut butter mixture; swirl lightly with spatula for marbled effect.