If I need something creamy for a sauce....I sometimes put skim milk (which always is in my refrig) with some cream cheese....another thing that is always in my refrigerator. It's amazing how little cream cheese it takes to make skim milk "cream-like'...or perhaps sour cream like. And I never use the reduced fat stuff, I also think it tastes strange. When I am trying to reduce the fat in a recipe I will just use milk....and if I am looking for some thickness, I will whirr in the blender with a little cooked rice. I always have evaporated milk but that's only for certain things where that "boiled" taste is necessary...like Grandma's rice pudding and her pumpkin pie. Linda C

Sausage and Sweet Potato Soup with Black-eyed Peas 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 cup of chopped onion 1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper 1/4 cup of chopped celery 1/2 pound of andouille or other smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups) 2 cups of beef stock or broth 1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes, undrained 1 can of black-eyed peas, undrained 1 cup of tomato juice or V-8 1/4 of a small head of cabbage, sliced (about 1-1/2 cups) 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt 5 turns of the pepper grinder Heat the oil in a soup pot or 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery; saute for about 4 minutes. Add the sausage and cook another 3 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes. Add the beef stock, Rotel, black-eyed peas, tomato juice, cabbage, salt and pepper; stir, bring up to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. About 6 servings Note: This is a fairly spicy soup. I used Rotel diced tomatoes. If you prefer a milder version, simply substitute one can of regular diced tomatoes, undrained, in place of the Rotel and use a milder smoked sausage.

Grandma's Cake 2 cups crushed vanilla wafers 1 cup chopped pecans 3/4 cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar 1 16-ounce can pumpkin 1 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp ground cinnamon Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three round 8-inch cake pans. (I used a 9x13 glass baking dish). In large bowl, combine wafer crumbs, chopped pecans and butter. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until crumbly. Press mixture evenly on bottom of pans. In same bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil and eggs. Beat 1 minute at medium speed. Combine cake flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to pumpkin mixture. Beat at medium speed 3 minutes. Spread batter over crumb mixture in pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack and cool completely. Caramel-Pecan Filling 3 cups powdered sugar 2/3 cup butter 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup caramel topping 1 cup pecan halves In small bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until light and fluffy. On serving plate, layer three cakes, nut side down, with 1/2 cup filling spread between the layers. With remaining filling, frost sides and top of cake. Spread caramel topping over top of cake, drizzling some over the frosted sides. Sue

I found this at recipezaar, and haven't made it myself. If you are not crazy about using canned soups and velveeta cheese, you can make your own cheese sauce from a basic white sauce with a cup or two of shredded sharp cheddar cheese melted in. But this really looks yummy! Cheesy Crock Pot Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe #199620 This recipe is so thick, creamy and umm..umm good! It's a very filling dish that goes well with baked ham around the holidays. A staple in our family on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I usually double the recipe to make sure that I have left-overs to enjoy the next day! by Iowa Jenny ½ day : 20 min prep SERVES 6 -8 * 2 lbs frozen hash brown potatoes (plain, unseasoned) * 1 (8 ounce) package Velveeta cheese * 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup * 1 pint half-and-half cream * 1/4 cup butter * 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded) Spray the bottom of crock pot with non-stick spray. I use Pam when I have it on hand or I use one of the new crock pot cooking liners for quick cleanup. Spread the potatoes on the bottom of crock pot. Simmer all remaining ingredients just until cheese is melted and well incorporated. Do not bring to a boil. Pour cheese mixture over top of potatoes. Cover and cook on low setting for 7-9 hours or on high setting for 3-4 hours. Cooking time may vary depending on individual crock pots. © 2008 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com