Taste-tested and approved recipes from friends and family

Several recipes recently were sent to me by friends and family, and I am excited to pass them along. It is always fun to try new recipes, and when they have been tested and approved by people you know, it makes them even more fun to try.

With that in mind, there is no theme to today's column -- a few entree recipes and a couple of sweet treats, and, suddenly, I have a new column finished with everyone's help.

Chicken Salad with Grapes

This recipe makes a delicious, quick meal. Made with chicken, grapes and roasted nuts, it is always a favorite. I oven roast the chicken on the bone and with the skin to get that rich flavor. I also do not like the texture of boiled chicken, so, in my book, oven roasting is the way to go for chicken salad.

* 1 pound cooked chicken, cut into *½-inch cubes

* 1 cup chopped celery

* 1 cup red grapes, halved

* 1/2 cup dried cherries

* 1/2 cup roasted pecans, chopped

* 1 cup mayonnaise

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

* Celery leaves, chopped (optional)

Add chopped chicken to a large bowl along with celery, grapes, dried cherries, chopped pecans, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. If using chopped celery leaves, add these as well. Stir together until just combined. Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Spiral Pepperoni Pizza Bake

* 1 (16 ounces) package spiral pasta

* 2 pounds ground beef

* 1 large onion, chopped

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

* 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

* 1/2 teaspoon pepper

* 2 cans (15 ounces each) pizza sauce

* 2 eggs, lightly beaten

* 2 cups 2 percent milk

* 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

* 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

* 1 (3 1/2 ounces) package sliced pepperoni

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain. Sprinkle with seasonings. Stir in pizza sauce; remove from heat. In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk and Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta; add to egg mixture and toss to combine. Transfer to a greased 3-quart baking dish. Top with beef mixture, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover, bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown and heated through. Yield: 12 servings.

Loaded Stuffed Potato Cakes

* 2 cups mashed potatoes (with added milk and butter)

* 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

* 1 egg, lightly beaten

* 1 tablespoon minced chives

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon pepper

* 2/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

* 1 teaspoon garlic powder

* 1 teaspoon onion powder

* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

* 1/3 cup cream cheese, softened

* Oil for deep-fat frying

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a shallow bowl, mix breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne. Shape 2 teaspoons cream cheese into a ball. Wrap 1/4 cup of potato mixture around cream cheese to cover completely. Drop into crumb mixture. Gently coat and shape into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Repeat with remaining cream cheese and potato mixture. In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry stuffed pancakes, a few at a time, 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Yield: 8 potato cakes.

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

* 1 pound linguine

* 4 tablespoons butter, divided

* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

* 2 shallots, finely diced

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

* 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 1/2 cup dry white wine

* Juice of 1 lemon

* 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguine. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

National cheesecake day is coming up, and I am teasing you with a couple of recipes from a friend. I may do an entire column next week on just cheesecake recipes.

Caramel Cheesecake Cookies

* 1 (8-ounce) package softened cream cheese

* 1 egg

* 1 (17.5-ounce) pouch sugar cookie mix

* 2/3 cup of caramel chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl add softened cream cheese, egg and cookie mix. Mix with a mixer until well blended; the mix will be thick. Fold in caramel chips. Spoon dough onto lined baking sheet using a tablespoon. You can either free form from the spoon or roll them into balls. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool.

Individual Oreo Turtle Cheesecakes

* 12 Oreo Cookies

* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

* 1/4 cup sugar

* 1 egg

* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

* 1/4 cup chopped pecans

* 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

* 1/2 cup good quality caramel sauce

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Place one Oreo cookie in the bottom of each tin and set aside.

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Stir in egg and vanilla. Scrape sides and whip again until there are no lumps. Spoon the cheesecake batter evenly over the Oreos. Depending on how deep muffin tin is, you should have from 9 to 12 individual cheesecakes. Top with pecans and mini chocolate chips. Bake 15 minutes or until completely set. Bring to room temperature. Remove paper liners carefully and refrigerate until cold. To serve, place on serving platter and top with caramel sauce. Yields 9 to 12 pieces.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.