KaffeeKlatsch

Here's another one: Doctor up some canned baked beans with diced onions, green peppers, some brown sugar, ketchup, etc... Slice up hot dogs and add to the beans. Pour all into a casserole dish. Now take a box of Jiffy corn bread and make it according to the directions. Pour the batter over your baked bean/hot dog casserole. Bake until browned and corn bread is cooked through. It's shameful and delicious.

So many of my secret shames are shared by many of you. It's nice to know that even those who consider themselves foodies are not immune to the lure of processed foods. My favorite breakfast when I was 18 and on my own for the first time was a honey bun and chocolate milk from the convenience store. Every few years, I have one. It's awful, and I Love it. I also love Ding Dongs, and the blue box. I mix the mac & cheese with a can of tuna, and a can of drained Leseur peas. I usually add a slice of American cheese to it as well. If I'm feeling really wild, I mix in a can of cream of mushroom soup. Speaking of cream of mushroom soup. I love Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup. I'll heat up a can and sip it in my largest coffee mug. I use Better Than Boullion and boxed low-sodium chicken or beef broth. I've also used jarred garlic and ginger. Velveeta mixed with jarred salsa and some canned cream of tomato soup makes as awesome queso. Magi

It's not fancy, but this recipe was given to me years ago and has never failed. It uses the eye of round cut, which makes for an affordable roast beef. I actually prefer the leftovers in sandwiches. I think it tastes better cold, but it's delicious hot, too. Basically, I trim most of the visible fat. I then rub it down with olive oil, some crushed garlic, salt, lemon pepper, and paprika. I've used garlic salt in a pinch; it works. Preheat oven to 500. Place roast in oven for 5 minutes per lb for medium rare or 7 minutes per lb for medium. When the time is up, turn the oven off, but do not open the door. It will continue to cook as the oven cools down. When you remove the roast, you will be convinced it's ruined because it kind of looks like a dried lump. Your pan will also be completely dry because all the juices remain inside the roast. Slice it thinly to serve. The entire roast will be moist and cooked the same from end to end. We love the leftovers so much that I'll usually make two at a time. I wrap the second one before slicing and refrigerate it. It's much easier to slice it thinly when it's cold. Makes great sandwiches. It's a big party hit, too. Magi

My family isn't especially fond of dark meat, but they never complain when I make it into a casserole. I cut up the dark meat and mix it with any leftover vegetables, mashed potatoes, and gravy. I add this to some cooked noodles. I usually have enough gravy leftover to moisten this sufficiently. I try to avoid the canned soup route, so I've added sour cream or mayonnaise if it needed just a tad more "sauce". Pour it into a baking pan and top with the leftover stuffing (mine has sausage). The stuffing crisps up and makes a great topping. The rest is creamy and completely in the comfort food zone. Magi

Natasha Richardson was in the Christmas episode. She hosted the AMFAR reception.