Meg Ryan's Cranberry Almond Bread 2 1/2 c. flour 1 1/2 t. baking powder 1 1/2 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 1 1/4 c. sugar 1 stick butter, room temp. 3 large eggs 1 T. almond extract 1 can (16 oz.) whole cranberry sauce 3/4 c. sour cream Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat sugar into butter. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well. Blend in almond extract. Stir together cranberry sauce and sour cream. In several batches, add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with cranberry sour cream beating until blended. Batter will be thick. Turn into bundt pan. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until cake is browned on top and begins to pull away from sides of pan. let cool and unmold. Frost with favorite icing.

Pan Fried Meatloaf in Tricolor Peppers Prep Time: 15 min -- Cook Time: 45 min Level: Easy Serves: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients * 1 green bell pepper * 1 red bell pepper * 1 yellow bell pepper * 1/2 pound ground beef * 1/2 pound ground turkey * 2 slices white bread, cut into cubes * 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil * 2 cloves garlic, minced * 1 egg * 1 small onion, chopped * 1 tablespoon chopped sage leaves, plus 6 to 8 whole leaves, for frying * A few dashes Worcestershire sauce * A few dashes hot sauce * Salt and freshly ground black pepper * 1 tablespoon oil * Vegetable oil, for frying Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove core and seeds from peppers. Slice into 1 inch rings and place on nonstick baking sheet. You should get about 3 rings per pepper. In a large bowl mix together beef, turkey, bread, 1/2 cup of the tomatoes, garlic, egg, onion, chopped sage, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Press meatloaf mixture evenly into pepper rings. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Saute meatloaf rings on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Add remaining tomatoes to skillet and bake until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat 1-inch vegetable oil until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 325 degrees F. Drop sage leaves into oil and fry until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish meatloaf rings with fried sage leaves. Sue

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN Buttermilk pulls double duty in this recipe, providing flavor and tenderizing the chicken. Although the recipe traditionally calls for lard, shortening is a fine substitute. Serves 4 to 6. INGREDIENTS 3 1/2- to 4-lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces 2 cups buttermilk 1 tsp. black pepper, divided 1/4 tsp. salt 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt, such as Lawry's 1 lb. lard (or solid vegetable shortening) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter Step 1 Rinse the chicken pieces and blot them with paper towels. In a large bowl combine the buttermilk, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and the salt, and stir to combine. Step 2 Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, turning the pieces occasionally. Step 3 Combine the flour, seasoned salt and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of black pepper in a shallow baking dish and blend well. Line a baking sheet with three layers of paper towels and place it near the stove. Step 4 Put the lard and butter in a large cast-iron frying pan or pot big enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer without touching. Melt over medium-high heat. The fat should be about 1/2-inch deep. Step 5 Heat until it registers 365 degrees on a candy thermometer or until a small cube of bread dropped in the oil browns in about 1 minute. Step 6 Using tongs, remove the thighs from the marinade, draining well. Dredge them in the flour mixture, turning to coat evenly. Shake off any excess flour. Place them skin-side down in the center of the pan. Step 7 Coat the remaining pieces in the same way and add them to the pan in a single layer without touching. Work in batches if necessary. Step 8 Don't move the chicken for about 5 minutes or until the coating is set and looks firm. Check the underside by lifting with the tongs--it should be deep golden. Cook the pieces between 8 and 20 minutes (depending on size), turning them periodically until crispy brown and cooked through. Step 9 To test, cut into the thickest part of a piece. The juices should run clear and the meat should be opaque throughout. Place on the paper-lined baking sheet to drain. Step 10 Arrange the chicken pieces on a platter and serve hot, room temperature or cold

Very Cherry Almond Muffins Prep Time: 12 min -- Cook Time: 20 min Level: Easy Serves: 18 muffins Ingredients Topping: * 1/2 cup all-purpose flour * 1/4 cup brown sugar * 1/4 cup granulated sugar * Pinch ground cinnamon * 1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces * 1/4 cup slivered almonds Muffins: * 1 box vanilla cake mix * 3 eggs * 1/3 cup vegetable oil * 1/2 teaspoon almond extract * 1/2 cup cherry preserves Directions In a medium bowl combine all topping ingredients except almonds. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, combine ingredients to a course consistency. Once combined, fold in the almonds. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin tins with paper liners for 18 muffins. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, extract and preserves. Batter will be somewhat lumpy. Use an ice cream scoop to evenly fill each muffin pan with the batter. Sprinkle tops of muffins with 2 teaspoons of almond topping. Bake 17 to 21 minutes. Sue