NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- The warning on Carolyn Wyman's new cookbook is that each recipe is 100 percent edible and nonlife-threatening, an apt admonition considering some of the concoctions' titles. Take for example, Kitty Litter Cake. It's served out of a VERY clean cat litter pan with a BRAND NEW pooper scooper. The taste appeal comes from ingredients like Tootsie Rolls, crushed sugar wafers and pudding. "You can invite people over. They don't have anything to say to one another, but if you put out the Kitty Litter Cake, man, things are going to happen,'' said Wyman, a nationally syndicated food columnist, with an impish grin. "You're going to have some fun.'' And fun is the reason Wyman, considered by some to be the world's foremost authority on Spam, Jell-O and Twinkies, has produced the collection of 150 of the most horrifying recipes ever concocted. "To me, the only reason to cook really is for entertainment,'' she said. "You want food to do more than just taste good. You want it to do something.'' But just reading "The Kitchen Sink Cookbook: Offbeat Recipes From Unusual Ingredients'' could cause would-be diners to hurl. And Wyman knows it. "All of these recipes have been made by people, in most cases, are enjoyed regularly by some people somewhere in the world, and for the most part, will not make you nauseous to think about them.

Well, maybe that's pushing it, but will not make somebody nauseous,'' she said. But there is a perfectly good reason for such a cookbook, Wyman insists.

These culinary creations, while seemingly repellent, could draw even the most jaded family to the dinner table. Most of the dishes in the book were culled from food manufacturers' promotions, recipe contests, legends and other cookbooks. Few are original Wyman creations; she is no cook. "Most of these recipes are credited to some source. I've tried to lay the blame squarely on someone else,'' she said. "This is the only cookbook anyone would pay me to write because I'm totally unqualified.'' Yet there's no questioning her credentials. She and Bonnie Tandy Leblang review new grocery items in their weekly "Supermarket Sampler'' column for Universal Press Syndicate. The column runs in more than 70 newspapers. Wyman also is the author of "I'm a Spam Fan,'' a history of brand-name supermarket food products. In this latest book, released this summer, the possible but improbable health and nutritional value of the recipes are never mentioned. In her own household, the certified junk food fan subsists on packaged cookies, coffee and TV dinners.

Nevertheless, she's still alive at age 41. "I don't think that I'm that atypical,'' she said. "I mean, I'm not typical of food writers. I'm typical of people. Food writers are doing something else entirely.'' Wyman concedes that some of the book's recipes, like sauerkraut surprise cake, will require some people to overcome mental hurdles and food prejudices. Her recipe for pooch pate even includes a warning specifically for the lawsuit-wary reader: If the cook fears being sued, substitute a jar of beef baby food for the can of chicken flavored, non-chunky dog or cat food. Frankly, though, she doesn't understand why her publishers, Birch Lane Press, felt such a warning was necessary. "Kids across America have been eating dog food for years because of where it is. It's on the floor of every house ... and we're all here, so?'' said Wyman, throwing up her hands. The book also includes some amazing dishes that allow cooks to perform other household chores while preparing food. The recipe for Clothes Dryer Shrimp will cook shrimp and get laundry done at the same time! In her recipe for Salmon Dirty Dishes, the dishwasher cooks the fish while washing the plates it is to be served on. All of the recipes have actually been eaten, and survivors have lived to share them. Wyman herself has tried most of them. So what does she think of Mashed Potato Donuts, a recipe that starts with potatoes and ends with mouth-watering doughnuts? "Those are exquisite.'' Burger Dessert Squares? "The meat has actually kind of a nutty taste.'' She compares the dessert featuring lean ground beef to old-fashioned mincemeat. And Velveeta Fudge, which pairs processed cheese food and chocolate? "It tastes like chocolate but it has that cheese thing going on there, which is kind of, you know. ... It wasn't my favorite recipe, let's put it that way.'' Kitty Litter Cake: Ingredients: 1 18.5-ounce package spice cake mix 1 18.5-ounce package white cake mix 2 4-serving packages instant vanilla pudding mix 1 12-ounce box vanilla wafer cookies, crushed 6 to 10 Tootsie Rolls Confectioner's sugar 1 brand new cat litter pan 1 brand new plastic pooper scooper green food coloring plastic flies (optional) Prepare the cakes and pudding according to package directions. Crumble the baked cake into the kitty litter pan, then add the pudding and mix. Add a few drops of green food coloring to 1 cup of the cookie crumbs and set aside; mix the rest into the pan. Soften the Tootsie Rolls by placing in the microwave for 10 seconds on high and shape to resemble cat droppings. Arrange the Tootsie Rolls on top of the cookie-pudding cake mixture, sprinkle all with green cookie crumbs, then with a bit of confectioner's sugar. Decorate with plastic flies, if desired.

Serve with pooper scooper. Makes 20 to 24 servings. ------ Velveeta Fudge: Ingredients: 1 stick salted butter 4 ounces Velveeta cheese 1 1-pound box confectioner's sugar, sifted 2 1-ounce squares baking chocolate, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Place the butter and cheese in a heavy saucepan and melt over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Mix in the remaining ingredients one at a time.

Spread into an 8-inch-square greased pan and cool until firm. Cut into squares and store covered. Makes about 11 pounds. Employee Shirley Simmons helps keeps the aisles in order