Blair Perry is a no-fuss, no-muss kind of cook. 'I don't do anything unless it has five ingredients or less,' she says. Perry is on to something: Three, four or five ingredients, combined well, can add up to more than the sum of their parts. And using only a handful of ingredients means less time shopping, less time cooking and less time cleaning up. Cookbook author Andrew Schloss, author of 'Homemade in a Hurry' and 'Cooking With Three Ingredients: Flavorful Food, Easy as 1, 2, 3,' thinks outside the box when developing recipes. For example, he sees bottled salsa as a combination of onion, tomato, cilantro and chiles rather than just a hot sauce. So, if he's making a dish that would traditionally use those items, he's not adverse to substituting bottled salsa for the individual ingredients. Ditto with slaw mix, prepared curry sauces, pesto and the like. The technique can be used in everything from entrees to breakfast items to dessert. Melt premium-quality vanilla ice cream (think cream, sugar and fat), for example, and use it as a sauce for bread pudding. Or mix the melted ice cream with self-rising flour and blueberries for together-in-a-minute blueberry muffins. Robin Hudnall's favorite biscuit recipe uses only self-rising flour, sour cream and butter. Her prized brisket recipe calls only for the meat, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and picante sauce. A favorite chicken recipe of Sarah McSween combines chicken, Russian salad dressing and onion soup mix. Her Jalapeo Jelly Cheese Ball depends on only five ingredients for its great flavor. With school starting and tight schedules getting even more packed, busy cooks are in need of some easy, delicious shortcuts and that's just what you get with these easy five-ingredient-or-less favorites -- not counting salt and pepper, of course. -- (E-mail: kharam@express-news.net) BEEF TENDERLOIN Blair Perry says she 'pours a ton of seasoning all over the meat. I just pour and pour it on.' The resulting rare meat is 'perfect; it melts in your mouth,' she says. Ingredients 1 (4 1/2-pound) beef tenderloin Fajita seasoning, to taste Cracked pepper, to taste Directions Heat oven to 500 degrees. Heavily season tenderloin with fajita seasoning and cracked pepper. Place in a roasting pan. Put in oven and roast for 2 minutes per pound for rare (for a total of 9 minutes). Turn off oven. Leave meat in the oven for 2 hours do not open oven door to peek! (Depending on how rare or done you desire, the cooking time can be adjusted.) Slice about 3/4-inch thick and serve. Makes 10 servings, each 220 calories (29.0 percent calories from fat), 7 g fat, 110 mg cholesterol, 410 mg sodium, 0 g carbohydrates, 0 g dietary fiber, 40 g protein. Source: Blair Perry BLUEBERRY MUFFINS This probably won't replace your favorite blueberry muffin recipe, but it's a great way to use leftover ice cream, and it goes together in minutes. Ingredients 1 cup vanilla ice cream, softened 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup fresh blueberries 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted 2 tablespoons sugar Directions Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 6-cup muffin tin. In medium bowl, mix ice cream and flour well. Gently fold in berries and divide batter among between muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and, while hot, brush muffin tops with butter; sprinkle with sugar. Remove from pan immediately. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings, each 170 calories (29.4 percent calories from fat), 6 g fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 3 g protein. Source: Express-News files CRANBERRY SAUCE CHICKEN Ingredients 1 chicken, cut into pieces or 6 chicken breast halves 1 can whole cranberry sauce 1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix 1 (8-ounce) bottle Russian or French salad dressing Directions Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put chicken onto foil-lined baking sheet. Combine cranberry sauce, onion soup mix and salad dressing. Pour over chicken. Bake until done, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Makes 6 servings, each 750 calories (52.7 percent calories from fat), 44 g fat, 170 mg cholesterol, 1,120 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 44 g protein. Source: Sarah McSween BARBECUED PORK PULL Ingredients 1 (6-pound) pork shoulder, bone in, skin and excess fat removed 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar, plus more for serving 1 cup ketchup 2 teaspoons salt Generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper Directions Heat oven to 300 degrees. Choose a heavy flameproof casserole with a cover, large enough to easily accommodate the pork. In pan, sear pork over medium-high heat, fat side down, then turn and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. In small saucepan, mix vinegar, ketchup, 2 cups water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over roast and cover casserole. Bake 35 minutes per pound (about 3 1/2 to 4 hours), basting occasionally with drippings. Turn once every hour. The meat should be very soft when done. Transfer pork to a cutting board. Remove meat from bone. Chop or shred pork as desired. Pour some of the pan juices over meat until moist. Season with additional vinegar, salt and pepper. If necessary, quickly reheat before serving. Makes 12 servings, each 560 calories (67.3 percent calories from fat), 41 g fat, 160 mg cholesterol, 760 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrates, 0 g dietary fiber, 39 g protein. Source: 'Cooking 1, 2, 3' by Rozanne Gold SUSAN BAUER'S MOTHER'S BISCUITS Ingredients 2 cups self-rising flour (see Note) 1 cup butter, at room temperature 1 cup sour cream Directions Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease mini muffin tins. Mix flour, butter and sour cream. Drop into tins. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until done. Note: 2 cups regular flour plus 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt can be substituted for self-rising flour. Makes 40 servings, each 70 calories (69.1 percent calories from fat), 6 g fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 80 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrates, 0 g dietary fiber, 1 g protein. Source: Susan Bauer/Robin Hudnall ANNE'S AUSTIN BRISKET Ingredients 1 (4 1/2- to 6-pound) brisket 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 (24-ounce) jar picante sauce Directions Heat oven to 300 degrees. Put brisket, fat-side up, in baking pan. Mix Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and picante sauce; pour over meat. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until tender, 5-6 hours. Slice across the grain to serve. Makes 12-16 servings, each (based on 16) 240 calories (36.0 percent calories from fat), 9 g fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 530 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 27 g protein. Source: Robin Hudnall JALAPENO CHEDDAR FRITTATA The pickling juice from the jalapeos reacts with the eggs to give them a custardy texture. Choose an artisanal English or Vermont cheddar for the best results. Ingredients 12 ounces sharp yellow cheddar cheese 1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapeos from a jar with 3 tablespoons liquid reserved 12 extra-large eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt Pinch of white pepper Directions Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grate cheese and set aside. Pat jalapeno slices dry with a paper towel. Using nonstick cooking spray, spray a 10-inch springform pan with a removable bottom or a quiche pan. Scatter jalapeos evenly on the bottom of pan. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Put eggs, salt and pepper in bowl of electric mixer. Mix at medium-high speed for 4 minutes or until very light. Add reserved jalapeo liquid and mix briefly. Pour eggs (which will look very foamy) over cheese in pan. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 25 minutes or until just firm. Let cool several minutes before cutting into wedges to serve. Makes 6 servings, each 390 calories (66.4 percent calories from fat), 29 g fat, 540 mg cholesterol, 810 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrates, 0 g dietary fiber, 29 g protein. Source: 'Cooking 1, 2, 3' by Rozanne Gold SARAH'S JALAPENO JELLY CHEESE BALL Ingredients 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup toasted pecans, minced 4 green onions, sliced thinly 1/2 cup mayonnaise Jalapeno jelly Directions Combine cheese, pecans, onions and mayonnaise. Press mixture about 1-inch thick in serving dish. Spread jelly on top. Serve with Fritos for dipping. Makes 10 servings, each 270 calories (66.9 percent calories from fat), 20 g fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 210 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 6 g protein. Source: Sarah McSween/Robin Hudnall ITALIAN CHICKEN Ingredients 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese Garlic salt, to taste Pepper, to taste Directions Heat oven to 350 degrees. Dip chicken breasts in butter. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, garlic salt and pepper. Roll chicken in crumb mixture; redo if necessary to use all ingredients. Place on greased or foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 1 hour. Makes 4 servings, each 330 calories (50.3 percent calories from fat), 18 g fat, 115 mg cholesterol, 710 mg sodium,! 10 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 31 g protein. Source: Nancy Ginzel 