MEDITERRANEAN PASTA

2 Tbs. garlic butter in a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat

Large splash of wine

Add a small handful of chopped onions, tomatoes, parsley and oregano. After first ingredients are hot, add a handful of cooked pasta and toss lightly. Add more wine if meal starts to get dry.

When pasta is hot, add a small handful of black olives and feta cheese. When all ingredients are hot, serve on a big dinner plate with garlic bread. Garnish with oregano and parsley.

FOURTH OF JULY FRUIT PIZZA

Good any time of the year

Prepare your favorite sugar or ginger cookie dough recipe. Spread dough onto 14-inch pizza pan and bake until golden brown. Cool cookie. Beat together 8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature), 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 c. sugar. Spread cream cheese mixture on cooled cookie.

Wash strawberries, blueberries, peel bananas; slice strawberries and bananas. Arrange in a pattern on cream cheese mixture, working from inside to outside. Alternate each fruit to achieve red white and blue theme.

In a small saucepan, mix together 1 c. orange juice (not from concentrate), ½ c. sugar and 2 Tbs. cornstarch. Whisk together on low medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

Spread thin layer of orange juice mixture over fruit. Chill until ready to serve.

COCONUT CREAM CAKE

2 c. granulated sugar

5 eggs, separated

½ c. butter

½ c. Crisco

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. buttermilk

2 c. shredded coconut

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream sugar, egg yolks, butter and shortening. Add flour, baking soda, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix well. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans and evenly divide batter into pans. Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Frost with Buttery Cream Cheese Frosting with coconut between layers and to decorate the sides.

BUTTERY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 8-oz. pkg, cream cheese, room temperature

6 Tbs. soft butter

2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients and beat well.

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