• 1 (6 oz.) package real semi-sweet chocolate chips
  
• 3 tablespoons sugar
  
• ½ cup coffee
  
• 4 eggs
  
• ½ teaspoon vanilla, rum or brandy extract
  
• Whipped cream, optional

Pulverize chocolate chips in a blender or food processor. Stop blender once or twice to scrape sides. Put coffee, sugar and eggs in a saucepan, stirring constantly while you heat to steaming.

You don’t want to scramble the eggs, but if they accidentally form soft curds, that's OK, the blender will take care of them. Add the coffee/sugar/egg mixture to the pulverized chocolate chips and blend well. Add the extract to the chocolate mixture and pour into individual containers (wine glasses work well). 

Chill a few hours or overnight. When chilled, the pudding will be as thick as baked custard. May be served with whipped cream.

Yield 4 servings or 8 mini desserts.

Food Safety Note: Eggs should be cooked to a temp. of 160 degrees or 140 degrees for 3 minutes.

• 1 16 oz. package broccoli florets, thawed and drained
  
• 6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
  
• 1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
  
• 1 teaspoon minced onion
  
• 1 can reduced-fat Cream of Chicken Soup
  
• ¼ cup fat-free mayonnaise
  
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  
• 1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
  
• 1-cup breadcrumbs
  
• 1-tablespoon margarine

• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  
• ½ cup butter
  
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  
• 1- 8 ounce package crescent rolls
  
• 6 large eggs
  
• 1½ cups milk
  
• 1-teaspoon vanilla
  
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Praline topping (optional)

• 1 stick butter
  
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  
• ½ cup chopped pecans
  
• 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
  
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Stir together sugar, butter and corn syrup in a small saucepan.  Cook over low heat until butter melts and mixture is smooth.  Pour into lightly greased 13 x 9-inch dish.  Place rolls in a single layer over syrup.

Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and salt; pour over rolls.  Cover and chill overnight.

Remove from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Combine Praline Topping ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.  Spread evenly over the casserole before baking.  Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 45 minutes.  Serves 4-6.

Just good to know…Hard-cooked Eggs:

Put the eggs in one layer on the bottom of the pan. Put the pan in the sink. Run water into the pan until the water is 1 inch over the eggs. Put the pan on a burner. Turn it to medium-high heat.

Let the water come to a boil. Put the lid on the pan when the water is boiling. Move the pan onto a cold burner. Set the timer for 15 minutes for Large-sized eggs (or for 12 minutes for Medium-sized eggs or for 18 minutes for Extra Large-sized eggs).
Put the pan in the sink when the time is over. Run cold water into the pan until the eggs are cool. Put the eggs into the refrigerator if you're going to use them later or peel them if you're going to use them right away. Be sure to use all the cooked eggs up before a week is over.
Gently tap a cooled egg on the countertop or table until it has cracks in it. Roll the egg between your hands until the cracks turn into small crackles all over the egg.
Use your fingers to start peeling off the shell at the large end of the egg. If you need to, you can hold the egg under running cold water or dip it in a bowl of water to make peeling easier. Throw out the pieces of eggshell when the egg is all peeled. You can eat the egg or use it in a recipe when it's peeled.

• 3 lbs. sweet potatoes roasted, peeled and roughly mashed
  
• 1 t grated orange zest
  
• 1/3 c maple syrup
  
• ¼ c brown sugar
  
• 1 t allspice
  
• 2 T melted butter
  
• 3 egg yolks
  
• 3 T heavy cream
  
• 1 T all purpose flour

for crunch topping

• 3 T brown sugar
  
• 2 T sugar
  
• 2/3 c pecan or walnut halves
  
• 1 t ground cinnamon
  
• 2/3 c all purpose flour
  
• 6 T unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1 t vanilla extract
  
• pinch of saltfor vanilla bean chantilly
  
• 2 c ice cold heavy whipping cream
  
• 2 T powdered sugar
  
• 1 vanilla bean  

Items to make ahead:

• Roast sweet potatoes up to 2 days ahead
  
• make filling up to 1 day ahead
  
• bake up to 1 day ahead if you do not wish to serve warm

1. Roast sweet potatoes until fully cooked at 350º (about 1 and 1/2 hoursfor large potatoes.  Peel and coarsely mash the flesh.
2. Place the flesh in a large bowl.  Use a large spoon to stir in all remaining ingredients for filling.  Do not overmix the filling.  Leave is roughly mashed.  Spoon this into an ungreased 8x8 baking pan.  Allow to cool.
3. For crunch topping:  Place all ingredients except the butter in a large bowl.  Stir together well.  Using your hands, incorporate the butter by rubbing it into the flour mixture.  Do this until everything start to come together as a dough.  Refrigerate the mixture for at least 20 minutes or until it has firmed up.   
4. Crumble the topping in large chunks over the sweet potato mixture.  Place in a preheated 375º oven for 20-22 minutes or until the topping slightly browns.
5. For chantilly:  Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape with the tip of a knife to remove the seeds.  Place seeds, cream and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks are formed.

Served the crunch warm or at room temperature with a dollop of the whipped Chantilly.

Serves 6