• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 4 cups powered sugar
• 1 cut melted butter
• 1 pound melted sweet chocolate (for dipping)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly together.  Shape into small balls (about the size of a walnut).  Dip into melted sweet chocolate.  Place on waxed paper to dry.  these are great at Christmas!

Amish Funnel Cakes (Drechter Kuche)

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 to 4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder

Beat the eggs and add the milk.  Sift half of the flour with the salt and baking powder.  Add to the milk mixture and beat until smooth.  Add additional flour to make a thick, smooth batter.  It should be thin enough to run smoothly through a kitchen funnel.  Swirl the batter through a funnel into 375� oil and cook until lightly brown and done.  Serve with powdered sugar and jam or cherry pie filling.

Midwest German Potato Salad

• 1 lb. bacon, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 3 tbls. flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2/3 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 6 cups red potatoes

Peel and cube the red potatoes.  Boil until almost done.  Drain and place in an over-proof dish.  Fry the bacon, onion and celery until the bacon is almost crisp.  Do not drain.  Add the flour to thicken.  Add the water, vinegar, parsley and sugar and cook until thick.  Pour over the potatoes.  Bake for 45 minutes at 375�.  Serve warm.

My Mom's Best Cheesecake Recipe

Crust:

Mix together and pat into a 9 x 13 glass pan

• 1 1/5 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 1/2 sticks melted butter
• 1 cup sugar

Filling:

Mix the first 3 ingredients with a mixer until smooth. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff. Gently fold into the cream cheese mixture and spread over the graham cracker crust.

• 4 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Bake:

Bake for exactly 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Do not overbake because the crust will get to dark. Top with cheery pie filling or blueberry pie filling. Cool to serve and refrigerate any left-overs (there never are any). This recipe is my family's all-time favorite. It is a soft cheesecake, not stiff like the New York style cheesecakes.

Microwave Caramel Corn

• 12 cups popped corn (can be a plain microwave brand or from a hot air popper)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Karo syrup
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. soda

Put the corn in a large grocery store type paper bag. Combine the brown sugar, Kayo syrup, butter and salt in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir. Microwave for 3 more minutes, stopping at each minute to stir the mixture. It will be very bubbly and hot. Remove from the microwave and stir in the vanilla and soda. It will bubble up and get thick. Pour over the popcorn, close the bag and shake. Put the bag in the microwave and cook on high for 1 minute. Remove the bag and shake the bag again. Microwave another minute, remove and shake. Microwave 30 seconds, remove and shake. Microwave 30 seconds, remove and shake. Pour the caramel corn on a cookie sheet. It will be hot. You can add whole pecans to the popcorn before the caramel mixture is added. A 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon could also be added to the carmel mixture to change the recipe.

This caramel corn is as good as what you get at the county fair. Actually, it's better!