Strawberry Pie

1 pie crust shell, baked or 1 graham cracker crust

1 1/2 cup water

3 T. cornstarch

1 small package strawberry jello

4 cups strawberries, sliced

3/4 cup sugar

Combine cornstarch and water in small saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat until clear. Reduce heat. Stir in jello to dissolve. Remove from heat. Combine sugar and berries in small bowl. Pour berries into pre-baked or graham cracker crust. Pour jello mix over top and chill until set. Serve with ice cream or cool-whip!

Chocolate Party Mix

1 package (10oz.) mini pretzels

5 cups cheerios

5 cups corn chex

2 cups salted peanuts

1 lb. M&M's

2 packages (12oz ea.) vanilla chips

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. In a microwave safe bowl, heat chips and oil 1 minute at a time, stirring in between until smooth. Pour over cereal mix and combine well. Spread on 3 sheets of waxed paper. Cool and break apart. Store in an airtight container.

Apple Pie

5 cups apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup crisco

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

3 T. water

extra flour for rolling

1/2 stick of butter

To make crust:

Cut in flour, salt, and crisco until crumbly. Add enough water to make a ball form but not too much. Divide dough into 2 equal balls. On a lightly floured piece of waxed paper, roll one ball out to size of pie plate. Drape dough over pie plate using wax paper and rolling pin to guide. Peel away wax paper and discard. Form into pie plate.

Cut up 1/2 stick of butter and arrange into bottom of crust.

Combine apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Microwave for 30 seconds. Pour in to pie shell. Roll out remaining dough using same technique as above. Lay over top of apples. Cut hole in crust to vent. Seal edges using fork or fingers.

Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. TIP: put a baking sheet under pie on next rack down to catch drippings from baking pie.

Oreo Cookie Dessert

1 (15oz.) pkg. Oreo Cookies, crushed
1/2 c. melted butter
1 (8oz) cream cheese
1 (16oz) cool whip
1 c. powdered sugar
1 lg. box instant chocolate pudding
2 c. milk

Set aside 1/2 c. cookie crumbs. Mix remaining crumbs with butter. Press into 9x13" pan. Refrigerate 1 hour. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and half the cool whip. Spread over cookie layer and refrigerate 1 hour. Mix pudding per package directions and spread on top of cheese layer. Set about 15 minutes. Top with cool whip. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

Strawberry Cake

Cake: 1 package Strawberry Supreme cake mix
2 (10 oz.) pkgs sweetened, frozen sliced stawberries
Topping: 1 pkg (4 serving size) vanilla instant pudding & pies filling
1 cup milk
2 cups cool whip
fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour 9x13 pan. Prepare and bake cake according to package directions. Poke holes 1 inch apart in top of cake using handle of a wooden spoon. Puree thawed strawberries in blender. Spoon evenly over top of cake allowing to soak into holes.

For topping, prepare pudding mix following pkg directions using 1 cup milk. Fold cool whip into pudding mix. Spread over cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries. Refrigerate at least 4 hours and serve.