This layered coffee cake comes together easily with canned pie filling and other pantry staples. "I enjoy making it for my family or even to celebrate co-workers' birthdays," writes Joan Kuderer from Sparta, Wisconsin.

From field editor Barbara McCalley of Allison Park, Pennsylvania, these easy-to-fix sausage bites are coated in a thick, zesty sauce with just the right amount of sweetness.

"My mother-in-law gave me the recipe for these cheesy appetizers when I married her son 5 years ago, and I've been making them for special occasions ever since," relates Karen Brown of Trenton, Michigan.

"These cheesy strips are super for breakfast or as an appetizer," writes Linn Morrison of Mesilla Park, New Mexico. "For years, they've been a hit with my family and my women's club."

"Once a year, I invite my relatives—about 25 people in all—for soup day to honor my late husband's birthday. I make three soups, including comforting Beef Barley Soup," writes Louise Laplante of Hanmer, Ontario. "It's loaded with chunks of beef and chopped veggies."

My husband and three boys all love oven-roasted potatoes. But I work full-time, so once I get home and start dinner, I usually don’t have time to make them. I whipped up this quick and very tasty microwave recipe with red potatoes and seasonings instead, and everyone likes it. –Heidi Iacovetto, Phippsburg, Colorado

My aunt gave me the recipe for these wonderfully nutty bars. With their marbled base, fluffy icing and pretty chocolate glaze, they're the stars of bake sales, cookie gift packs and parties.

"This crunchy, delicious bread is a hit with my husband and children," writes Ann Jacobsen of Oakland, Michigan. "It's a fun accompaniment to any meal you make on the grill—the garlic flavor really comes through."

I got this recipe from one of my husband's co-workers. It's now a favorite of our family and friends.

If you love chocolate and butterscotch, you won't be able to resist these chewy brownies. I often include this recipe inside a baking dish as a wedding present. Everyone, young and old, enjoys these sweet treats. -Anna Jean Allen West Liberty, Kentucky

"Cheesecakes are my specialty and my favorite dessert," writes field editor Christina Till from South Haven, Michigan. "Of the dozens of cheesecake recipes I've collected and created, this is one of the best!"

Rich, moist and chocolaty, this scrumptious cake is very versatile. It freezes well...and the chocolate chip topping makes it easy to pack in lunches and carry along to picnics. At home, we like it topped with vanilla ice cream.

No one will be able to eat just one of Gail Wiese's yummy Chocolate Ribbon Bars, full of butterscotch, peanut butter and chocolate flavor. Unlike similar crispy cereal treats, these aren't sticky! "Over the years I've accumulated quite a few recipes from my co-workers, and this one is easy to prepare," writes Gail from her home in Athens, Wisconsin.

THIS is a moist delicious snack cake, so good that icing is not necessary. Sometimes my husband puts a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top with a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Either way, it always satisfies our sweet tooth. -Debi Peschka, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

I always make these cookies for family gatherings, and they never last very long. They require a little extra effort, but they're worth it.

This tender, moist cake is full of old-fashioned comfort, and the yummy brown sugar sauce makes it special. For a festive occasion, top with a dollop of whipped cream. —Debi Benson, Bakersfield, California

A friend gave me the recipe for these rich cake-like brownies topped with a creamy coffee-enhanced filling and a chocolate glaze. I like to garnish each square with a coffee bean.

Chock-full of cranberries, chocolate chips and nuts, these cookies are fun to eat. They offer a change of pace from traditional Christmas cookies...but don't wait until December to make them. My family requests them all year-round.

These pretty pinwheels will disappear so fast, it will make you head spin! "The dried cranberries and chopped green onions make these perfect for a Christmas buffet," suggests Joyce Benninger from Owen Sound, Ontario

We live about 100 miles from Cape Cod, which is known for its cranberries. When we spent a weekend there, we toured the Cranberry World Visitors Center, which is where I found this recipe. When I made it for our fellowship group at church, everyone wanted the recipe. You’ll be surprised it’s so easy to make with just four ingredients.

"This is my favorite bread machine recipe," shares Dorothy Gilmore of Elburn, Illinois. Dried cranberries add a sweet touch to this moist oatmeal bread.

My daughter, Lisa Sand, brought 10 pans of these yummy enchiladas to my wedding reception and the biggest hit of all the food. So many wanted the recipe we sent it out with our Christmas cards.—Pat Coffee, Kingston, Washington

This Sunday dinner staple is first fried and then baked to a crispy golden brown. Well-seasoned with oregano and sage, this classic is sure to satisfy diners at church potlucks or late-summer picnics, too. I love fixing it for family and friends. -Donna Kuhaupt, Slinger, Wisconsin

There’s a little story behind the name of my favorite salmon recipe: When my husband, Kevin, and I couldn’t find a spicy teriyaki-style marinade to our liking, we created one in and named it Double K—for Krista and Kevin. Every time we make this flavorful fish, we get asked how we do it.

The tangy homemade sauce that tops these mouth-watering burgers helps them stand out from the rest. This recipe is a cinch to throw together. Because the bacon cooks on the grill alongside the burgers, cleanup is a breeze, too. —Carol Mizell Ruston, Louisiana

For a great change of pace from the usual mix, try this recipe from Carol Allen, field editor at McLeansboro, Illinois. "It's almost impossible to stop eating this sweet and salty snack."

These bars are always a hit at potlucks here in the small rural farming community where my husband and I live. I also like to provide them for coffee hour after church. They're so moist and delicious that wherever I take them, they don't last long. —Karen Dryak, Niobrara, Nebraska

Explains Carol Lambert of El Dorado, Arkansas, "When I serve this lovely refreshing salad for picnics and holidays, the bowl empties fast."

Gonzo for garbanzos, Eleanor Glofka found a way to duplicate a favorite restaurant recipe at home. "It's excellent as a side dish, as an appetizer or spooned over a tossed salad," she writes from Mountain Top, Pennsylvania. "It keeps for days in the refrigerator, but it never lasts that long in my house!"

I adapted an old sour cream bread recipe for this deliciously different pull-apart loaf that smells heavenly while baking. It has a light crust, tender interior and lots of herb and butter flavor. We think it's wonderful with a hot bowl of potato soup. -Katie Crill, Priest River, Idaho

These creamy garlic mashed potatoes are so good, you can serve them plain—no butter or gravy is needed. Now, this is the only way we prepare mashed potatoes.

Shortly after we married, my husband asked if I would bake up a pan of brownies for him to take to work. I said, "Sure—I have the best recipe." He liked to cook, too, and said hehad the best recipe. To settle the matter, we each baked a batch and let his co-workers decide. My recipe won!

You’ll need only three ingredients to prepare this pleasantly sweet treatment for sausage sent in by Jody Sands Taylor of Richmond, Virginia. Serve it as a main dish …or with toothpicks for a hearty appetizer. TIP: “Fat-free or turkey kielbasa can be used instead.”

It's fun for me to have my family together so I can prepare their favorite foods, like this saucy barbecued chicken. The moist and plump pieces always bring enthusiastic compliments from our four grown children and three grandkids.

Meet the Cook: While this is delicious grilled, I've also cooked it in the oven at 350° for an hour. Add cubed ham to it and you can serve it as a full-meal main dish. A farmer's daughter, I preferred to work in the fields instead of the kitchen. I learned cooking basics in 4-H. But mostly my education came after I was married...through trial and error! My husband and I are the parents of four children - 23, 21, 15 and 13. We live in a very rural farming area. -Margaret Hanson-Maddox, Montpelier, Indiana

The recipe for this beautiful flavorful loaf came from our daughter-in-law, Karen. She's a great cook. Everyone who enjoys a slice of this moist bread asks me for the recipe. It's super used for a sandwich or just served with butter. -Ardath Effa, Villa Park, Illinois

My husband recalls that on more than one occasion while he was growing up, he stayed home from school sick, napped on the couch and woke to the aroma of his mother's freshly baked bread. That's enough to make anyone feel better! —Denise Baumert Jameson, Maryland

My siblings and I had a hard time finding room for dessert after Mom's delicious meals, but when we were ready, we could count on a rich creamy bowl of frozen custard. It's a comforting treat! -Judy Clark, Elkhart, Indiana

Mom passed this recipe on to me— much to my husband's delight! We like to take the flavorful nuts to all sorts of gatherings, from fancy holiday affairs to casual luncheons.

It's a pleasure to serve this moist corn bread to family and guests. Honey gives it a slightly sweet taste. Most people find it's difficult to eat just one piece. -Adeline Piscitelli, Sayreville, New Jersey

"Maple syrup gives this soft, tender bread its delicate flavor and golden color," comments Kathy Marin of Methuen, Massachusetts. The pleasantly sweet slices taste terrific when toasted.

Maple syrup and apple juice provide the mildly sweet marinade for these salmon fillets. Whether they are broiled or grilled, the fillets glaze nicely when basted. Everyone I've served this to seems to love it. —Kathy Schrecengost Oswego, New York

Chocolate and cream cheese are swirled in these yummy bars to create a sensation that's sure to please your sweet tooth...and fool it at the same time! This dessert tastes so rich, it's hard to believe it's low in fat. —Jean Komlos of Plymouth, Michigan

I learned to bake and cook from my mother. I grew up in a family of 12 and we all had chores to do - mine was to help prepare the meals. The more I cooked, the more I enjoyed it. Now it's my favorite hobby.

"Picnickers of all ages will love these yummy bars loaded with goodies!" predicts Renee Schwebach, a field editor from Dumont, Minnesota.

This recipe came out of my Mother's cookbook. The smudges and splatters show that Mom used it extensively to feed our large family. The tarragon really comes through to make a flavorful main dish. Now I prepare it for our four children and six grandchildren.

Slow-simmered and seasoned with rosemary, mustard and thyme, this tender and tasty pot roast from Jeannie Klugh in Lancaster, Pennsylvania is so easy to make and always a hit. She sometimes substitutes burgundy or brandy plus a half cup of water for the broth…and says the aroma is wonderful!

I like this recipe because it can be prepared a day ahead and baked just before serving, so it's a great way to avoid that last-minute rush when attending a potluck. Using packaged spaghetti sauce and noodles that are not pre-boiled makes preparation especially quick. —Denise Goedeken Platte Center, Nebraska

Delicious seafood sandwiches are as close as your cupboard using canned crabmeat and shrimp. Arlene Kroll of Vero Beach, Florida adds fresh parsley, lemon juice and Dijon mustard to give these noontime sandwiches a fresh taste.

"The smell of peanut butter and chocolate always brings my cookie-hungry family running to the kitchen," shares Pat Doerflinger from Centerview, Missouri. "The recipe is so quick and easy, I oten stir up a batch while making dinner."

This cake's one I prepare frequently for Sunday dinner. I also make it for church meetings and to take to friends who are sick. It goes a long way—unless you have some real "chocoholics"! I've been cooking as long as I've been married, for almost 30 years. My husband's the director of a Christian youth missionary organization, and our two children are 19 and 17.

In Fairbanks, Alaska, Isabel Fowler fires up the grill to cook these easy kabobs. Try them at your next backyard gathering!

There's nothing nicer than a delicious egg dish you can prepare the night before so you're not "scrambling" when guests arrive. With satisfying ingredients like ham and a creamy cheese sauce, this dish is really special. -Mary Anne McWhirter, Pearland, Texas

This has become the brunch dish I'm known for here in Pearland. The recipe combines the favorite flavors of hearty, old-time country breakfasts with the ease of a modern, make-ahead dish. Try it—you'll enjoy it.

This juicy shredded beef is so popular at summer gatherings. The tender meat is slow-cooked in a savory sauce that includes tomato paste, brown sugar, molasses and chili powder. It makes a big batch...enough for seconds! -Colleen Nelson, Mandan, North Dakota

Rachelle Rodwell of New York, New York sends these delightful salmon and arugula bites that are easy to double and a snap to prepare. They make for a perfect no-mess finger food everyone will enjoy.

"This cake packs and travels well since the topping bakes down into it," says Liz Raether of Algoma, Wisconsin.

These pies were a spring special at a restaurant where I used to work. Whoever was cook that day had to bake them first thing in the morning and again in the afternoon, as soon as strawberries were ready.

My mom gave me the recipe for these twice-baked potatoes, and I altered them by adding garlic, bacon and green onions. They're perfect for a potluck or even an elegant meal. My two boys absolutely love them! -Kristyn Drews, Omaha, Nebraska

The spicy coating for this chicken is one I've put together over the years. My recipe really got a workout when our four children (now married)were young and our family competed out on the rodeo circuit. Whenever the word spread I'd brought along fried chicken, the cowboys would crowd around! Today, my husband and I run an 800-acre cattle and quarter horse ranch.

“We like Swiss Tuna Melts served with homemade vegetable soup,” writes field editor Karen Owen of Rising Sun, Indiana. “You’ll love the crunch that celery gives to the creamy tuna filling.”

When these flavorful skewered steaks are sizzling on the grill, the aroma makes everyone around stop what they're doing and come to see what's cooking. The tasty marinade is easy to make, and these little steaks are quick to cook and fun to eat. -Jeri Dobrowski, Beach, North Dakota

"Salisbury steak is a favorite comfort food for us," says Naomi Olson of Hamilton, Michigan. "I serve this with mashed potatoes, buttered corn and a salad."