Greetings from the Taste of Home Test Kitchens! The busy holiday season starts soon, and whether you're entertaining a crowd or just a spouse or a friend, you'll find tasty menu suggestions and time-saving tips below. Read on to discover...

CORNISH HENS WITH RICE STUFFING
1 package (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice mix
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1-1/3 cups orange juice
1 cup water
1/4 cup raisins
2 Cornish game hens (1 to 1-1/2 pounds each)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Set the seasoning packet from rice mix aside. In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add rice and pecans; saute over low heat for 10 minutes or until rice is golden brown. Stir in orange juice, water, raisins and contents of seasoning packet; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Spoon about 1/2 cup rice mixture into each hen; refrigerate remaining rice mixture. Tie legs of each hen together; turn wing tips under backs. Place on a greased rack in a roasting pan. Melt remaining butter; brush over hens. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until meat juices run clear and a meat thermometer inserted into stuffing reads 165 degrees. Baste occasionally with pan drippings. Heat reserved rice mixture; serve with hens. Yield: 2 servings.

SWEET POTATO SOUFFLES
4 teaspoons sugar, divided
1 large sweet potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup miniature marshmallows

Grease two 2-cup souffle dishes or custard cups; sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Set aside. Place sweet potato in a saucepan; cover with water. Cover and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes; drain well. Add lemon juice, salt and nutmeg. Mash potato mixture (should have about 1 cup); set aside to cool. In another saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour and remaining sugar until smooth. Gradually add milk; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat. Beat egg yolks in a small bowl; stir in mashed potato. Combine potato and milk mixtures; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; gently fold into potato mixture. Spoon into prepared dishes. Top with marshmallows. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-38 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings.

BREAD PUDDING FOR TWO
1 slice bread, cubed
2 tablespoons raisins
1 egg
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Divide bread and raisins between two greased 8-oz. baking dishes; set aside. In a bowl, beat egg, milk and water; pour over bread. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Serve warm. Yield: 2 servings.

To view a photo, click here.

What I Add to Make It Special

WANT TO turn "ho-hum" foods into dishes that'll have family members asking for more? Take a look at the special ingredients suggested by some of our readers:

Sensational Stuffing. "When I prepare a box of stuffing mix, I'll sometimes replace the water with apple juice," reports Bud T. of Leominster, Massachusetts. "It tastes almost as good as Grandma's." Says field editor Maudie R. of Millersburg, Ohio, "I add a generous amount of parsley instead of sage to my stuffing. It tastes very good seasoned that way." Recalls Honey J. of Starkville, Mississippi, "Every time my grandmother fixed corn bread dressing, she added chopped red apples with the peel still on. They really 'dressed it up'."

Great Gravy. "I add chicken bouillon cubes to water and turkey drippings," reports Kathy A. of Hewitt, Texas. "After I add the flour and the mixture starts to thicken, I stir in evaporated milk for a rich, flavorful gravy."

Marvelous Mashed Potatoes. "My Irish husband and I believe the best mashed potatoes start by boiling peeled cubed potatoes with a bit of salt, chopped onion and thyme," asserts Marie N. of Wilmington, North Carolina. Shares Helen S. of Indianapolis, Indiana, "When I boil potatoes, I add a bay leaf and remove it when they're done. Folks tell me how good they are."

Super Side. Mary S. of West Hills, California finds that simply cooking a pound of diagonally sliced carrots with a can of ginger ale provides delicious flavor.

Grand Green Bean Casserole. "With the mushroom soup in my green bean casserole, I add a cup or so of shredded cheddar cheese and a spoonful of prepared horseradish," says Olive S. of Haydenville, Massachusetts. From her kitchen in Omaha, Nebraska, Janelle S. suggests topping green bean casserole with crumbled ranch-flavored crackers in place of french-fried onions.

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
3/4 cup salsa
1 cup cubed cooked turkey or chicken
Tortilla chips

Combine soup and salsa in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Stir in turkey; cook until heated through. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Yield: about 2 cups.

TURKEY PITA TACOS
Cumin spices up this crunchy sandwich filling from Ann B. of Warrenville, Illinois. In addition to fresh vegetables, it calls for time-saving ingredients such as prepared salsa, canned olives and shredded cheese.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cubed cooked turkey or chicken
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1 cup chunky salsa
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
5 pita breads (6 inches), halved

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, peppers, tomato, salsa, onions, olives and garlic. Stir the oil mixture; pour over the turkey mixture and mix well. Stir in cheese. On a lightly greased griddle, heat pita breads on both sides. Spoon about 1/2 cup turkey mixture into each half. Yield: 5 servings.

Add Fun Flavor to Cake Mixes

HAVE a boxed cake mix in your cupboard? Create a new taste sensation by adding a simple ingredient or two! For example, add rich flavor to a white cake mix with your favorite extract...mix coffee instead of water into chocolate cake mix for a mouth-watering mocha variation...or fold flaked coconut into a yellow cake batter for a tasty change of pace. The sky's the limit, so be creative!

Before mixing the cake batter, try one of the following variations:
• Substitute coffee or your favorite carbonated beverage for the water.
• Add 1 tablespoon of grated lemon or orange peel.
• Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves.
• Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of vanilla, almond, orange, lemon, coconut, peppermint or rum extract, or butter or maple flavoring.

After mixing the batter, stir in one of the following ingredients:
• 2 to 4 ounces of finely chopped semisweet or milk chocolate.
• 1 cup finely chopped nuts.
• 1 cup coarsely crushed cookies.
• 1 cup flaked coconut.
• 1/2 cup almond brickle baking chips or English toffee chips.
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds.

HUNDREDS of good home cooks just like you have won exciting prizes in our recipe contests. You could be next! For information on current recipe contests and prizes, plus easy-to-use on-line entry forms, click the links below.

Taste of Home Recipe Contest
Quick Cooking Recipe Contest
Light & Tasty Recipe Contest

Looking for Lighter Fare?

THIS thick, nutritious mixture is the easiest soup she's ever made, says Gayle B. of Mt. Clemens, Michigan. She prefers it warm, but it can also be served chilled.

HARVEST SWEET POTATO SOUP
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, saute celery and onion in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Discard the bay leaf. Cool slightly. In a blender or food processor, process soup in batches until smooth. Return all to pan and heat through. Yield: 4 servings. Nutritional Analysis: One 1-cup serving (prepared with low-sodium broth and without salt) equals 133 calories, 116 mg sodium, 4 mg cholesterol, 20 gm carbohydrate, 4 gm protein, 5 gm fat. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Timely Tips for Terrific Turkey

AS YOU PLAN your holiday feast, keep in mind these helpful hints from our test kitchen:

• When buying a bird, purchase 3/4 to 1 pound per person for whole turkeys that weigh 6 to 12 pounds. For larger whole turkeys (over 12 pounds), purchase 1/2 to 3/4 pound per person.

• The best way to thaw a frozen turkey is to place it breast side up in the refrigerator in its unopened wrapper for 2 to 3 days.

• Be sure to remove neck and giblets from the body and neck cavities before stuffing. Always stuff a turkey just before baking.

• An unstuffed turkey cooks more quickly than a stuffed one. If short on time, bake stuffing separately.

• Roast turkey at a temperature of 325 degrees or higher, basting occasionally to keep skin moist.

• If the dark meat has reached 180 degrees and the stuffing has not reached 165 degrees, scoop stuffing into a greased baking dish and continue to bake while the turkey stands before carving.

• Tying or trussing a turkey keeps the stuffing in place and produces a more rounded, beautiful result. Some turkeys come with the legs held together by a metal clip, which serves the same purpose as trussing.

• Letting the turkey stand before carving allows the meat to firm up and the slices to hold together better.

• Remove stuffing and carve the meat off the bones within 2 hours of roasting. Leftover turkey stored in the refrigerator should be used within 3 days. Properly wrapped or placed in a freezer container, cooked turkey will keep for 2 months in the freezer.