Tomato-Tortellini Soup

2 14-oz cans reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 9-oz. pkg. refrigerated tortellini
1/2 an 8-oz. tub cream cheese spread with chive and onion
1 11-oz. can condensed tomato or tomato bisque soup
Snipped fresh chives (optional)

In a medium saucepan bring broth to boiling. Add tortellini; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. In a bowl whisk 1/3 cup of the hot broth into the cream cheese spread until smooth. Return all to saucepan along with tomato soup; heat through. Sprinkle with chives before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Converted Rice Hot Dish

1 cup Uncle Ben's Converted Rice
1 cup beef broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 four ounce can mushrooms, drained
1/2 envelope onion soup mix, about 2 tablespoons

Mix all ingredients together. Bake covered at 350 for about 1 1/2 hours until all liquid is gone and rice is tender or cook in crock pot 3 to 4 hours on low.

Beer Bread

3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces beer
2 Tablespoons butter


Prheat the oven to 375. Butter a loaf pan. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and beer. Mix well. The mixture should be sticky. Pour into the loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes. At the last 3 minutes of baking, remove from the oven, brush the top of the loaf with butter and return to oven to finish baking.

Desserts

Vanilla Crunch

1 cup flour
1/2 cup margarine, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
1 three ounce package vanilla or chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
1/2 pint whipping cream or small container or frozen whipped topping

Mix together the flour, margarine, sugar and coconut. Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. STIR OFTEN. Put half of crunch mixture in the bottom of 8" by 8" pan. Prepare pudding according to box directions. Pour pudding over top of crunch; cool. Whip cream. Pour over pudding. Sprinkle on the rest of the crunch mixture. Cool.