•3/4 cup of mayonnaise or salad dressing

1•1/4 cups of buttermilk baking mix

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

1 egg

•1/4 cup of sliced green onions or scallions (with tops)

1 can of mushroom stems and pieces (4 ounces), drained

1 cup of cut-up cooked chicken

•1/4 teaspoon of salt

•1/2 pound loaf of French bread, cut lengthwise into halves, or 6 slices of bread

Dash of pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix egg, baking mix and mayonnaise. Stir in remaining ingredients except French bread or plain bread. Spread about 1•1/2 cups of the mixture evenly on cut sides of French bread, or spread about •1/2 cup of the mixture on each slice of plain bread. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet until golden brown and puffy for about 10 to 15 minutes. Cut each half of French bread crosswise into thirds. Serve immediately.

To Make Baked Frankfurter Slices: Substitute process cheese spread for the Cheddar cheese. Omit the green onions, cut-up cooked chicken, mushrooms and salt. Stir in 4 frankfurters, cut into •1/4-inch slices, •1/2 cup of sweet pickle relish and 1 tablespoon of prepared mustard into mayonnaise mixture.

To Make Baked Chilli Slices: Substitute Monterey Jack cheese for the Cheddar cheese. Omit the green onions or scallions, cut-up cooked chicken, mushrooms and salt. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chilli powder, 1 can (4 ounces) of chopped green chillies, drained; •1/2 cup of chopped onion and 1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup) into the mayonnaise mixture.

To Make Baked Tuna Slices: Omit the green onions or scallions, salt, cut-up cooked chicken and mushrooms. Stir in 1 can (6•1/2 ounces) of tuna, drained, •1/4 cup of sliced celery, •1/4 cup of chopped onion and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice into the mayonnaise mixture.

To Make Baked Vegetable Slices: Substitute Swiss cheese for the Cheddar cheese. Omit the green onions or scallions, cut-up cooked chicken and mushrooms. Stir in •1/2 cup of alfalfa sprouts, 1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup) and •1/2 medium cucumber, coarsely chopped; into mayonnaise mixture.

Kidney Bean Soup

4 ounces of dried kidney beans (•1/2 cup)

3 cups of water

•1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 ham bone or 1 pound ham shank or smoked pork hocks or smoked turkey necks

1 small bay leaf

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, sliced (about •1/2 cup)

•1/4 teaspoon of crushed dried chilli pepper

1 medium onion, chopped (about •1/2 cup)

1 medium stalk of celery, chopped

3 lemon slices, cut into halves

3 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of chopped red onions

Heat water and beans to boiling in Dutch oven. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.

Add ham bone or ham shank or smoked pork hock or smoked turkey necks to beans. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours (do not boil or beans will burst). Stir in bay leaf, salt, garlic, celery, chilli pepper, •1/2 cup of onion and carrots. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove ham bone or ham shank or smoked pork hock or smoked turkey necks and bay leaf. (Place soup in blender container. Cover and blend until uniform consistency, if desired.) Trim meat from the bone and stir into the soup. Serve with eggs, red onion and lemon slices.