Unbelievably Good Junket Danish Pie

Fruit topping:

Add 1/2 box raspberry or strawberry Junket Danish Dessert to 1 cup cold water. Mix and boil as directed.

Add desired fruit (raspberries, strawberries) to dessert mix until it reaches the desired consistency. Set aside to cool. (Pretty sure my co-worker's wife used boysenberries. So good.)

Pie filling:
With spoon, mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup whipping cream until fairly solid, then beat with electric mixer. (Don't overbeat -- i.e. avoid turning it into butter.)

In another bowl, mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 1 block of cream cheese.
Combine ingredients from both bowls and mix together with beater for 1 minute or until well-blended. (For a harder consistency, chill.)

Add filling to a graham cracker crust, leaving about 1/2 inch for the topping. Spread topping evenly over the filling and either serve fresh or chill.

Doubles well. Substitute chocolate or banana pudding for fruit topping if desired.

Cindy's Beef Barley Soup

1/2 lb. ground beef (but leftover pot roast would be even better)

Medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
5 cups water
28-oz. can peeled, diced tomatoes
3 celery stalks, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1-1/4 c. Quaker quick barley
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. basil
1 Bay leaf

Brown beef in electric pan. Add onion and garlic; cook until tender. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with grated cheese.

Serves 6-8

This is really good . . . and Geoffrey-approved.

And this amount of barley works if you are going to eat it right away; if not, it will expand and the result is not pleasant. I think the box says 3/4 cup.