TIP OF THE WEEK

Dress up your bowl of ramen

Try adding one of these add-ins to ramen noodles, courtesy of the Wise Bread blog.

• One beaten egg (stir it right into the soup)

• A spoonful or two of kimchi.

• Leftover shredded chicken.

• Canned soup (just skip the sauce packet).

• Baby spinach.

• Asian condiments, like sriracha, soy and mirin sauce.

• Frozen peas or edamame.

• Frozen dumplings or frozen shrimp.

HOLIDAY EATING

Try this ‘Fruitcake’

Don’t like fruitcake? You might change your mind after eating Midwest Living’s bark candy version:

Buy the best-quality chocolate — approximately a pound’s worth — you can afford. Chop the chocolate and melt it in a microwave or double-boiler. Spread chocolate on parchment paper or waxed paper and top with walnuts and mixed dried fruit, such as apricots, cherries and raisins.

Let bark cool, then chop into bitesize pieces and serve.

EASY RECIPES

Party shrimp

Ingredients: 1 9-ounce package Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp; 12 1-inch pieces of roasted red pepper; 12 1-inch-by-4-inch strips of prosciutto; 12 small basil leaves.

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While shrimp is still frozen, place one piece of roasted red pepper on the shrimp. Wrap prosciutto strip around the pepper and shrimp and place on the prepared baking sheet (ends to the underside). Bake according to package directions for 14 to 17 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through.

Good morning casserole

Ingredients: 2 cups seasoned croutons; 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese; 4 oz. jar mushroom pieces (do not drain); 1½ lb. pork sausage; ½ cup chopped onions; 2½ cups milk divided; 6 eggs; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon dry mustard; 1 can (10¾ oz.) cream of mushroom soup

Directions: Pour croutons in lightly greased 9x13x2-inch baking pan. Put cheese and mushrooms over the croutons. Cook sausage and onions until sausage is browned. Drain well. Spread over the cheese/mushrooms. Combine 2 cups milk, eggs, salt, black pepper and dry mustard. Whisk to blend. Pour over sausage. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator the next morning. Beat together the remaining ½ cup milk with the soup. Pour over top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees 50 to 60 minutes.