Cream Cheese

Walking into the Euro Wine Bar in downtown Nicholasville, I did a double take. The inside has the look and feel of a fine dining establishment. You first notice the warm autumn colored walls, original artwork, and elegant table settings. There is comfortable seating area with oversized stuffed chairs and love seat, perfect for conversation. The 100-year-old bar looks like something straight out of an old western movie, but we were told was bought from an old barbershop in Arkansas.

J.K.'s Chess Squares Ingredients: 1 box butter recipe cake mix 1 stick butter (Blue Bonnet) 3 eggs 1 box confectioner's sugar 1 eight oz. package cream cheese Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, butter and one egg. Use a fork or pastry cutter to mix in butter. After these ingredients are combined, press into a 13X9 metal cake pan. Do not use a glass pan - it will burn the bottom of the squares. In another bowl, mix sugar and two eggs with an electric mixer until smooth.

One of the first restaurants to open at Brannon Crossing was Panera Bread. Walking in, you are greeted by the warm mustard-colored walls and a basket full of the free sample of the day. Behind a small glass barrier sits mountains of delectable treats and a wall full of bread and bagels. Everyone behind the counter is quick to greet you and take your order. For this day I took my 2-year-old son out for an early lunch. For his meal my son wanted the grilled cheese, which was served on white whole grain bread for $3.69.

Alison Craig admits the story of how she got her recipe for Oreo Truffles isn't very interesting. She found it on the Internet after a friend gave the confections as a Christmas gift one year. She says she stole the recipe. "And they're unbelievably simple for how good they are," notes Craig, owner of Myrtle's Market on Main. "There are only three ingredients - cream cheese, Oreos, and whatever chocolate you want. " She says these truffles got her to eat Oreos again after a long hiatus.

The Wilderness Trail Homemakers Club formed in September 1952 with 13 members. The club's first officers were President Grace Turnbull; Vice President Eula Humphrey; and Secretary/Treasurer Edna Miller. Wilderness Trail meets the first Thursday of each month, September through June, and presently has 34 members. Current officers are: President Anita Jacobs; Vice President Betty Gayle Williams; Secretary JoAnn Whitcomb; and Treasurer Marianne Kirby. Fluffy Orange Fruit Salad From Emma C. Tucker 3-ounce package cream cheese 5-ounce jar cheese spread (pimiento)

Weeknight cooking just became easier. With the release of "Best of Country 30-Minute Recipes," family cooks from coast to coast can set a hot and hearty homemade meal on the table, even on the busiest week nights. The hard-cover book of 223 recipes is the answer to any dinner time dilemma, whether a beefy main course or chicken supper is needed pretty quick. It also features chapters devoted to pork and seafood entrees, as well as a section of entire menus that are table-ready in 30 minutes or less.

From candy placed in the bedroom to whipped cream with strawberries on star-shaped pancakes, Debbie Bennett knows how to make her guests feel special. "Brian calls it 'the inn,'" Bennett says, noting she and her husband have a lot of family visit since they moved from Cincinnati in 2005 to a Garrard County home overlooking Herrington Lake. They relocated for her husband's job as senior general foreman for Norfolk Southern Railroad in Danville. Many of the railroaders have received samples of her desserts for holidays.

High-end Italian pottery, platter-ware and Asian-flavored items. Lamps, candles and cookbooks. Original art. Blown glass. Soaps and other toiletries. Baby items and tea. All of this was what Ben Nelson saw when he walked into Maple Tree Gallery for the first time. And all that doesn't include the services he observed, such as custom framing, high-end art preservation, art consultation, original lamp design, and personalized invitations. Last May, his wife Julie and he bought the business.

Cheese recipes can be a big hit for large gatherings. Artichoke and Red Pepper Cream Cheese Torte From November 2006 Gallery Hop Six blocks of 8-ounce cream cheese, softened 8 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons finely chopped or minced garlic Two 11 1/2 -ounce jars artichoke dip (Nelson uses Robert Rothschild Farm brand) 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped 12 1/2 -ounce jar roasted red pepper and onion dip (Nelson uses Robert Rothschild Farm brand)