How to use these pages:  Below is a list of the recipes on this page.  You can either scroll down the page and look at all of the recipes, or look at the titles.  When you find one that seems interesting, use your web browsers FIND function to take you directly to that recipe (on my IE browser it's Edit/Find (on this page)   or Ctrl - F on your keyboard).

ALMOST EVERYTHING COOKIES
ALPHABETTER SOUP
AUSSIE MEAT PIE
BANANA NUT CAKE
BASIC RAISIN SCONE RECIPE
BUBBLE AND SQUEAK
CARAMEL APPLE SALAD
CARAMELIZED PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
CARPETBAG STEAK
CHEESE FRENCHIES
CHERRY CRUMB PIE
CHERRY CUSTARD CAKE
CHICKEN SALAD
CHILI CON QUESO
CHILI SAUCE, HOT 'N SPICY
CHILLED TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL
CHILLED VEGETABLE STEW
CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO BROWNIES
CRAB TASSIES
CREAM PUFF FILLING
CRISPY RICE CRUST QUICHE
DECADENT FUDGE CAKE
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
GINGER MISO SALAD DRESSING
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH PICO DE GALLO
HOLIDAY SAUSAGE
HOT AND SWEET PEARS
JAMAICAN JERK SAUCE
JICAMA SALAD WITH JALAPENO DRESSING
JULIA CHILD, 1912 - 2004
LEMON BUNDT CAKE
LEMON VELVET CAKE
LINGUINE VONGOLE
LOW-CARB BREAD
MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN
MINT PESTO
ORIENTAL GREEN BEANS
PANNA COTTA AND STRAWBERRY COMPOTE
PARMESAN POTATO STICKS
PEACH - CHAMPAGNE PUNCH
PEACH PARFAIT
PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE
PESTO
PISTACHIO MARBLE BUNDT CAKE
POACHED HALIBUT
QUICK PRESERVED LEMONS
RED HOT COLD BEET SOUP
ROASTED BEETS WITH BACON
ROASTED DRY-AGED STEAK WITH
SALSA RECIPES
SAUCES FOR STIR-FRIES
SAUSAGE AND APPLE TORTA
SEA SCALLOPS WITH CORN COULIS
SHRIMP STIR-FRY
SHRIMP WITH COCONUT-PINEAPPLE SALSA
SMOKED SALMON CANAPES
SPICY SCALLOPS AND PEPPERS
SPICY SLAW
STRAWBERRY COMPOTE
STRAWBERRY ICEBOX TREAT
SWEET LAMB CURRY
VEGETARIAN CHEF'S SALAD
VINE RIPE TOMATOES WITH BASIL
WATERMELON AGUA FRESCA
WHITE CHOCOLATE BLINTZES
YELLOW BUNDT CAKE
ZUCCHINI BITES
ZUCCHINI WITH THYME AND WHITE WINE



ALMOST EVERYTHING COOKIES
 
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups flour
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup corn flakes cereal
1/2 cup nuts
3 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins, optional
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
 
Combine oats, flour, coconut, cereal, nuts, chips and raisins  in a large bowl and set aside.  Cream butter, sugars eggs and vanilla in another bowl.  Add other ingredients to the creamed mixture.  Drop by tablespoons on to an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes.

You can use a mix of semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate chips for something a little different.

ALPHABETTER SOUP

3 green onions
A handful of green beans (frozen or fresh)
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
4 bouillon cubes (flavor of your choosing)
4 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup alphabet shaped pasta (Try the Mexican food section)

Chop green onions, cut green beans into thirds, and slice carrots and celery.   Cook vegetables in one tablespoon of oil with one bay leaf for about ten minutes.   Add stewed tomatoes, water, bouillon cubes, salt and pepper and pasta.   Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Add water if too thick.  Remove bay leaf (or whoever gets it gets to do the dishes...) and serve.

~^~^~^~^~
AUSTRALIAN RECIPES FROM ANNA LOU (3)
http://members.tripod.com/~damsel2_2/beef.html
AUSSIE MEAT PIE

The ubiquitous, famous, infamous Aussie meat pie is also a favorite as a lunchtime snack, or in cocktail size for parties. Usually eaten alone or with tomato sauce, but South Australia serves a version known as a 'pie floater' wherein the pie floats upside down in a thick green pea soup, and is slathered with tomato sauce. In the past decade, variations have become very popular, e.g. Beef Rendang pie, Goulash pie, Chicken pie, Steak and Kidney pie, meat'n'cheese pie, etc.

Filling

1 1/2 lbs. minced (ground) steak
2 beef stock cubes
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 cups water
Pinch nutmeg
2 Tbsp. plain flour
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup water (extra)

Pie base:

2 cups plain flour
2/3 cup water
1/2tsp salt
1 Tbsp. beef dripping**

Pie top

1 packet puff pastry
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. water

Place meat in a saucepan, stir over low heat until meat is well browned, drain of any surplus fat; add crumbled stock cubes, water, salt and pepper, nutmeg.  Stir until boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes; remove from heat.  Combine extra water and flour, stir until smooth, add the flour mixture to the meat, stir until combined, return to heat, stir till meat boils and thickens, add soy sauce, mix thoroughly.  Simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool.

To make the base: 

Sift the flour and salt together in a bowl.  Place water and dripping in a saucepan, stir until dripping melts, remove from heat.  Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, add the liquid; stir until combined.  Turn out on a lightly floured
board, knead lightly.  Roll out pastry to line 8 greased pie tins(around the same size tin as a pot pie comes in ) cut off excess pastry from the sides of the tins, fill the base with cold meat filling.

Pie crust (top): 

Make up puff pastry (according to directions on packet), roll out on a lightly floured board, cut into rounds for top of pies (use a saucer as a guide for size) wet edges of base pastry and gently press tops into place, trim edges with a sharp knife.  Brush tops with combined egg yolk and water.  Bake in a hot oven for 5 minutes until golden brown, reduce heat to moderate and bake a further 10 minutes. 

** All Aussie cookbooks, prior to the vast changes in diet and health consciousness from the 1960's onwards, refer to “dripping” as a standard ingredient.  See “Dripping Information” below the recipe for Sweet Lamb Curry.

AUSSIE BUBBLE AND SQUEAK

An English dish traditionally, in Australia is: Mash together any vegetables, and particularly assume mashed potatoes are included. We often serve it as a 'hash' with lamb chops or Wiener Schnitzels, and it's particularly useful for frying as a leftover for next morning's breakfast, often with tomato sauce, and often spread on toast.

AUSSIE SWEET LAMB CURRY

This recipe is the nearest Australian rural cooking got to acknowledging its neighbors before the mid-1960's. Apart from the lamb, it imitates the pilaus (pilafs)made in our region, though it was often described in other old Aussie cookbooks as an African curry, and should be served with rice, preferably with a mix of sweet'n'sour dried (or finely chopped fresh) fruits forked through the rice. This recipe from "Australian Country Cooking."

Shoulder of lamb [the original recipe specifies mutton]
2 onions, chopped
1 apple, diced
curry power, to taste
1 banana, sliced
1 T. desiccated coconut
1/2 cup sultanas [raisins can be substituted but don't have the same richness]
2 tsp. fruit chutney
1 tsp. tomato sauce
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. dripping** or 2 oz butter.

Ask the butcher to remove the bone from the shoulder of mutton. Trim the meat and chop into bite-sized pieces. Heat dripping or butter in a large saucepan and fry onions, apple and curry powder, stirring continuously until the onion is Softened. Add banana, coconut, sultanas, chutney, sauce, sugar, ginger, salt
and pepper, and cook gently for 2 -3 minutes. Add meat and water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for about 2 hours, adding more liquid if required. Serve with boiled rice and slices of pineapple of banana. Serves 4 - 6

“DRIPPING” INFORMATION
**Dripping probably originated in the northern hemisphere in pre-fridge, pre-butter, pre-cooking oils times, the equivalent per-haps of Alaskan use of whale and seal blubber, but it saved lives in Australia. Obviously in pioneer times, it was absolutely necessary to trim the white fat from meat and save it, or cook and
save it, along with the pan drippings from roasts, grills, or boiled meat. Dripping could be poured off from frypans or roasting pans into the dripping container, or skimmed from the top of a cooled stew or pot roast, then used again for frying or
any pan cooking, or to rub on burns, to grease cake pans (and grease other things too!) etc etc. More than any other country except Ireland, Australia suffered terribly in the Great Depression; my own father, living on a farm, considered himself well fed throughout this period 'because there was always bread and dripping', and 'bread and dripping' was still offered children as a treat or a 'filler' when I was a child. If it saved lives then, it was later to take them in high rates of fatal heart disease in comparatively young men!

By the 1950's, fridges were still a luxury in rural towns like ours, and unheard of in remote areas where there was still no electricity; 'cool safes' were used instead, with a delivery of a solid rectangle of ice for the top of the cool safe during the week [sometimes called meat safes in earlier times; I still have my grandparents' meat safe, which had open though fine mesh on the doors; cool safes had fibre down the sides to trap the melting ice, and solid frontages.] Butter, of course was around, but expensive; olive oil made by migrants was treated with suspicion because it 'tasted funny' and was mostly used for practical or medicinal purposes, e.g. I remember my mother removing a long piece of string one of her backyard chooks [chickens] had swallowed, by dripping olive oil via dropper into the chook's gullet. She kept a dripping bowl - in my mind, these are always associated with tapered plain ceramic bowls, or those with blue
and white stripes. The white solidified fat collected on top, and a rich brown jelly-like clear substance collected underneath it.

~^~^~^~^~

BAKED CHICKEN

Chicken pieces
Marinade from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook: make about 8 cups for 50 servings

1 cup white wine or white vinegar   1/2 t rosemary
1 cup oil (olive is best)                  1 t thyme  
3 cloves garlic                              4 T parsley
1 t salt                                        1 t coarsely ground pepper
1/2 t marjoram

Blend ingredients well.  Put skinless chicken in baggies, add marinade, and seal.
If making ahead, freeze until needed. Otherwise, marinade 4 hrs-overnight. Bake
400 until done.

BANANA NUT CAKE

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 egg yolks
1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda

Prepare 2 cake pans, by buttering and flouring them. Cream sugar, shortening, egg yolk together.  Add banana.  Add alternately milk with soda dissolved in it and flour with baking powder sifted in it and bake in layers.  Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. 

BASIC RAISIN SCONE RECIPE
By: The California Culinary Academy

The addition of large eggs makes these scones rich and cake-like. This dough can be dressed up or down with extras, depending upon what you are serving them for. For a savory scone, omit the raisins and add in 1/4 cup of chopped basil, dill or even caraway seeds.

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup buttermilk, cold
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups raisins, currants or dried cranberries (can be mixed)

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Mix together buttermilk and eggs. Add to dry ingredients, mixing to form a soft dough. Stir in raisins. Knead dough on a floured surface several times. Pat
out dough 1 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes and place on ungreased baking sheets. Place scones 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven until golden brown. Bake until golden brown (15 to 20 minutes). Makes 18 to 24.

Notes: You can make scones in any size or shape you wish, circles, squares, triangles, hearts, crescents, stars. They're delicious as sandwiches filled with thinly sliced ham.

CARAMEL APPLE SALAD

3 large green apples (cut into bite size pieces)
3 large red apples (cut into bite size pieces)
8 Snicker Bars (chopped into small bits)
6 cups Cool Whip (Can use the Lite or Fat Free) -- (This is about 4 small tubs)

Mix everything together and chill.

CARAMELIZED PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
To prevent the caramelized peaches from sticking to the parchment paper, unmold these flavorful little cakes while they're still warm.

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/4 lb medium peaches (about 4)
9 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Special equipment: a muffin tin with 6 large (1-cup) muffin cups; parchment paper. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

Melt 2 teaspoons butter, then brush muffin cups with some of it. Chill muffin tin 2 minutes to set butter. Line bottom of each muffin cup with a round of parchment paper, then brush cups and parchment with remaining melted butter and chill 2 minutes more. Divide 1 teaspoon flour among muffin cups and shake to coat, knocking out excess flour.

Cut an X in bottom of each peach and immerse peaches in a large pot of boiling water until skins loosen, about 15 seconds. Transfer peaches with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to cool. Peel peaches, then pit and halve lengthwise. Cut peach halves lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then cut slices crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.

Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then stir in 3 tablespoons brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is melted and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Carefully add a scant 2 cups peaches (caramel will splatter and sugar will seize), reserving remaining 1/3 cup peaches, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until peaches are tender and caramel is syrupy, 6 to 8 minutes. Spoon cooked peaches and caramel evenly into muffin cups.

Purée reserved peaches in a blender until smooth. Beat together eggs, salt, almond extract, and remaining 6 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until mixture is creamy and tripled in volume, 3 to 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld. Reduce speed to low, then add puréed peaches and mix until just combined. Sift remaining 6 tablespoons flour evenly over egg mixture and fold in gently but thoroughly until just combined.

Spoon batter over caramelized peaches and bake until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool in muffin tin on a rack 2 to 3 minutes, then invert a platter over muffin tin and flip cakes onto platter while still warm. Reposition any peaches that have stuck to parchment and serve cakes warm or at room temperature.

note: Cakes can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.
Makes 6 servings.

CARPETBAG STEAK

This dish is not seen so often in the cities any more, but was still very popular until recent times, when it was overtaken by the "Sizzler" restaurants' version, which added prawns and other shellfish.

4 beef eye fillets steaks, 2 inches thick
12 shelled oysters
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup beef stock
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 Tbsp butter (chopped)
Freshly ground black pepper.

Using a sharp knife, cut a deep pocket into side of steak. Combine oysters, parsley, lemon juice and pepper in a bowl, spoon into steak pockets and secure with toothpicks.

Heat oil in pan, add steaks; cook over high heat for 2 minutes each side, turning once.

For rare steaks, cook each side 1 minute more. For medium and well done, reduce heat to medium, continue cooking 2-3 minutes each side for medium and 4-6 minutes for well done. Drain on paper towels.

Bring stock and sauce to boil in pan, reduce heat, stir in butter until melted, and serve over steaks.

CHEESE FRENCHIES

6 slices white bread
6 slices American Cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
Kellogg's Corn Flake Crumbs
Mayonnaise
Oil for deep fat frying

Make 3 sandwiches, using 2 slices of American Cheese per sandwich. Spread
mayonnaise on bread slices. Cut sandwiches into triangles. Combine egg, milk,
flour and salt. Dip the triangle sandwiches into egg mixture, and coat with corn
flake crumbs.  Fry in deep fat at 375 degrees until golden.
** American Cheese is a must. Do not use any other; it melts too easily.

CHERRY CRUMB PIE

1 - 9 inch pie crust
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
1/2 cup quick-cook oats
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter

Combine cornstarch and water and stir until smooth. Add cherry pie filling and mix. Pour into pie crust. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar and butter and mix to create a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle over cherry pie and bake for 30 - 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool before serving.

CHERRY CUSTARD CAKE

 1 prepared Angel Food cake (10 inches)
 1 package (1.4 oz) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
 1-1/2 cups milk (2%)
 1 cup light sour cream
 1 can (21oz) light cherry pie filling

Tear the Angel Food cake into bite size pieces. Press into an 11x17-inch baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pudding mix, milk and sour cream. Beat until thickened, about 2 minutes. Spread over the cake.

Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the top of the cake. Chill thoroughly until serving time.   Yield: 12 servings.

CHICKEN SALAD
Recipe by: Linda Burney Co-owner of Gateway Lodge at Cook's Forest
Note: Simmer chicken in chicken broth for a few minutes, until just done. Overcooking makes the chicken dry

1 cooked boneless chicken breast, about 3/4 lb.
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
15 seedless grapes
1/4 cup drained pineapple chunks, cut in half
Onion salt and pepper to taste
2 or 3 walnuts to garnish
Paprika to garnish, optional
1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise to moisten lettuce
leaves for serving

Cut up or tear up chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the onion, celery, grapes and pineapple. Mix, then add onion salt and pepper to taste. Add mayonnaise to moisten. Spoon onto lettuce leaf and top with walnuts. Sprinkle paprika on top and serve. Servings: 2

CHILI CON QUESO

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 14-oz. can stewed tomatoes, or stew 3 of your own fresh tomatoes
4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/4 cup light cream

Heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté onion until tender. Add tomatoes and pepper and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add cheese and cream and continue to heat for several minutes stirring continuously. Serve warm with tortilla chips. You may substitute any kind or pepper for the jalapeno such as like Serrano or Anaheim depending on how hot you like you would like the dip to be. Jalapeno peppers have a heat index of 5.5 on a scale of 1-10.

Serrano peppers rate a 7 and Anaheim rates a mild 2-3. The big bad Habanero pepper rates a 9, so be careful if you select this super-hot pepper.

CHILI SAUCE, HOT 'N SPICY

4 quarts peeled, cored, red-ripe tomatoes (about 24 large)
2 cup chopped onions
2 cups chopped sweet red peppers (about 4 medium)
1 cup chopped and seeded hot peppers
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons pickling salt
3 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon celery seeds
2-1/2 cups white or apple cider vinegar
2 small cans tomato paste

In a large stockpot, combine tomatoes, onions, sweet and hot peppers, sugar
and the salt.  Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag.  Cook on medium heat 45 minutes, stirring constantly.  As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Add vinegar and tomato paste and cook slowly until as thick as wanted.  Remove and discard spice bag.  Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.  Wipe rims.  Cap and seal.  Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes. Yields 6-8 pints.

CHILLED TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL
Source: Le Chardonnay, Los Angeles, California Serves 4

10 large ripe tomatoes
1/2 onion
1 carrot
4 tbsp olive oil
20 basil leaves
3 cloves garlic
salt, white ground pepper, and pinch of cayenne

Cut onion and carrot into cubes. Crush garlic. Cut tomatoes into 4 sections.
Warm olive oil and add onion, carrot, and crushed garlic. Cook for a short time on low heat. Add tomatoes and 2 cups of water, and salt to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes. Put into a processor, then strain entire mixture. Add white pepper and cayenne. Refrigerate for 2 hours. To serve, top with julienne strips of basil.

CHILLED VEGETABLE STEW

6 oz. small red potatoes, trimmed, unpeeled
Coarse sea or kosher salt
3 Tbsp pine nuts 
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks from the outside of the bunch, including leaves, sliced
1 eggplant, trimmed, unpeeled, diced
1 zucchini or yellow summer squash (courgette), unpeeled, diced
4 oz. green beans, cut into 1”/2cm lengths
4 oz. yellow wax beans, cut into 1”/2cm lengths
1 cup water
6 large purple tomatillos, husks removed, stickiness washed off, diced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
4 oz. black olives, halved
Several sprigs sweet basil, leaves chopped
Several sprigs Greek or Italian oregano, leaves chopped
Several sprigs chervil, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Several greenleaf or romaine (cos) lettuce leaves
Whole basil leaves to garnish


Boil the potatoes until tender; drain, dice and sprinkle with salt; set aside.  Toast the pine nuts in a hot, non-reactive skillet; remove to a small dish and reserve.  Add the oil to the skillet then add the onion, garlic and celery (the aromatics). 
Sauté until tender.  Add the eggplant and zucchini; sauté 3 minutes.  The eggplant sucks up the oil like a sponge; resist the temptation to add more oil.  I promise you will not need it—unless you are under doctor’s orders to gain weight!  Add the beans and toss through.  Add the water and cover tightly; simmer until the water has been absorbed.  If you use the water the potatoes were boiled in, it adds more flavor.  Add the tomatillos and cover tightly; simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients including the reserved potatoes and pine nuts; taste and adjust for oil, vinegar, salt and/or pepper as needed.  Chill. 

To serve, arrange lettuce leaves on a pretty platter and arrange the salad on the lettuce; garnish with whole basil leaves. 

To make a complete meal of the dish, add a sliced hard-boiled egg for each person.  Vegans may top with seasoned or marinated fried tofu slices.  Serves 4

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO BROWNIES

1 and 1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup espresso coffee or other strong brewed coffee
16 oz. semisweet chocolate squares
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Combine sugar, butter, corn syrup and espresso in a saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Add chocolate squares and continue heating over low heat until chocolate melts be careful not to scorch. Add chocolate mixture to flour mixture and mix with a hand mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and mix again. Pour batter into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan and cook at 325 degrees for about
45 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into squares to serve.

CRAB TASSIES

For the pastry:
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
3 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt

For the filling:
1 lb. crab meat, picked over
1 scallion (spring onion), green and white part, finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Stir in the flour and salt. Roll into 24 balls and chill for 1 hour. Press into small muffin tins, about 1 1/2-2” in diameter.

Combine the ingredients for the filling, stirring gently to mix well. Spoon into the unbaked pastry shells and bake in a preheated 350 F (180 C) oven until the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 6 to 8.

CREAM PUFF FILLING - VANILLA CREAM FILLING

½ cup sugar
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare the Vanilla Cream Filling: Blend sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan.
Combine with milk and egg yolks and gradually stir into sugar mixture. Cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Boil and stir for 1 minute.
Remove from heat.  Prepare pastry bag using 1-inch round tip. Put in the cream
filling.  You can also use sweetened whipped cream. Keep chilled.

CRISPY RICE CRUST QUICHE

 2 cups cooked brown rice (either instant or regular)
 1 egg white or 2 tablespoons egg substitute
 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
 1 teaspoon oregano
 1/4 teaspoon basil
 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 Egg substitute equivalent to 4 eggs
 2/3 cup low-fat milk
 Pinch of nutmeg
 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
 1 large tomato, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the rice, egg white, Parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, pepper, and salt. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch nonstick pie plate (or a Pyrex pie plate sprayed with nonstick spray.) Bake the rice crust for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Combine the eggs, milk, nutmeg, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Pour into the rice crust. Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake quiche for 25 minutes.

Add tomatoes in a circle on top of the egg filling. Continue to bake until filling is set or a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and tomatoes are slightly browned, about 5-6 minutes.  Yield: 4 servings.



DECADENT FUDGE CAKE

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 (4 ounce) bars sweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled
2 (5.5 ounce) cans chocolate syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate mini-morsels, divided
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp shortening, divided
Chocolate and white chocolate leaves (optional)

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium
speed of an electric mixer.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition.  Combine buttermilk and soda, stirring well.  Add to creamed mixture
alternately with flour, beginning and ending with flour.  Add 2 bars melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Stir in 1 cup mini-morsels.  Pour batter into a heavily greased and floured 10 inch Bundt pan.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Invert cake immediately onto a serving plate, and let cool completely.  Combine 4 ounces white chocolate and 2 Tbsp. shortening in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil.

Reduce heat to low; cook until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.  Drizzle
mixture over cooled cake.  Melt remaining 1/2 cup mini morsels and 2 tsp
shortening in ;a smell saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat, and let cool; drizzle over white chocolate.  Garnish with chocolate and white chocolate leaves, if desired.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup of Baking Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of dark brown sugar, packed
¾ cup of granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup of softened butter

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 package of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large bowl add all of the dry ingredients and blend together well.

In a separate bowl add the 2 large eggs, whip them together and then add in the softened butter and the vanilla extract.

Blend the soft ingredients together until creamy and then pour this mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir until all of the ingredients are thoroughly blended together, thick but creamy. Fold in the bag of chocolate chips and carefully mix them throughout the cookie dough.

Place the cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet as soon as you take them out of the oven and place them to cool on a flat surface. Rinse the cookie sheet under cold water, dry and start the next batch. This recipe should make approximately 4-dozen cookies.

GINGER MISO SALAD DRESSING

1/2 cup low-fat firm silken tofu (4 ounces)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons white (shiro) miso (see Ingredient Note)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth. Thin with more water, if desired.

Ingredient Note
Miso: Made from fermented soybeans, miso is a common ingredient in Japanese cooking. There are different types of miso, in shades ranging from white and yellow to reddish brown and dark brown. Available at health-food stores and Japanese markets.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH PICO DE GALLO

6 - 8 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Cut a horizontal slice in the middle of each chicken breast without cutting all the way through. Place chicken in a baking dish. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and marjoram. Marinate for about an hour in the refrigerator. Remove from marinade
and grill over charcoal or gas grill slit side down first. When chicken is done place some cheese in each slit and continue to grill until cheese melts. Serve with Pico de Gallo over chicken. This recipe is so good. You will love the subtle flavor of the marjoram.

Pico de Gallo

6 - 8 Roma tomatoes or fresh garden tomatoes, diced
1/2 of a sweet onion, diced
Juice of 1 lime
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup beer, Mexican if possible
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and allow to sit for several hours if possible before serving. Do not refrigerate because of the tomatoes. Never refrigerate fresh tomatoes because this will alter their taste. As with the dip, the type of pepper
you use in this dish will determine how hot and spicy the Pico de Gallo is. We list Roma tomatoes because they are traditional to this recipe. Obviously, if you have fresh tomatoes you should certainly use them instead.

HOLIDAY SAUSAGE
 
2 pounds ground beef  (not extra lean)
2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 1/2 tablespoons Tender Quick Salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
        Coarse ground pepper (optional)
 
Combine beef with water, mixing well.  Blend in remaining ingredients, except
pepper. Form beef mixture into 1 or 2 log shapes and roll in pepper, if desired.
Wrap rolls in aluminum foil and refrigerate 24 hours. Punch holes in bottom of foil
and place on rack in broiler pan with 1/4 inch water in bottom of broiler pan. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Refrigerate roll for easier slicing. Serve as an appetizer with assorted cheese and crackers. Serve with Sweet and Spicy Mustard for a tart flavor.

HOT AND SWEET PEARS

2 cups water
2 cups apple juice or additional water
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 tsp hot sauce, or to taste
1 tsp salt
12 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1 lime, thinly sliced
10-12 fresh pears such as Anjou, Bartlett, or Bosc,, cored and cut into 8 wedges
1 cup raisins

Combine the water, apple juice, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, and salt in a large pot.  Tie the cloves, cinnamon sticks, and lime in a cheesecloth bag and add it to the pot.  Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Add the pears and raisins and cook covered until the pears are translucent but still firm, about 10 minutes.  Discard the cheesecloth
bag and let the pears cool to room temperature in the liquid before refrigerating.  The flavors will improve after a couple of days.  Will keep for several weeks tightly covered and refrigerated.  Makes about 2 quarts.

JAMAICAN JERK SAUCE RECIPE

1/2 cup ground allspice berries
1/2+ cup packed brown sugar
6 to 8 garlic cloves
4 to 6 Scotch bonnet peppers
1 tablespoon ground thyme or 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 bunches scallions (green onions)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce to moisten

Put everything in a food processor and blend until smooth. You may use allspice berries, if available, but use enough to give the equivalent of 1/2 cup ground. (Allspice berries and scotch bonnets are key ingredients.) Keep this sauce refrigerated and it will keep forever. Feel free to increase the hot peppers and garlic.

Rub the meat (chicken, pork or beef) with the seasoning. If using a pork shoulder, score the fat and rub in. With chicken, be sure to rub under skin and in cavities. Can also be used with fish, but use a firm-fleshed fish like grouper.

Marinate overnight. Grill over a low fire until done. Charcoal is best, but not essential. Meat will be smoked "pinkish" when done, and the skin will be nice and dark. Chop meat into pieces, and serve traditionally with hard-dough bread and Jamaican Red Stripe Beer.

JICAMA SALAD WITH JALAPENO DRESSING

6 cups mixed salad greens
1 jicama, diced
1/2 of a sweet onion, sliced
4 Roma tomatoes or fresh garden tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin

Combine salad greens, jicama, onion, and tomatoes in a large bowl and set aside. In a blender, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, garlic and cumin blend until smooth. Just before serving pour dressing over salad. Toss and serve. Jicama has the texture of a radish or turnip but is subtlety sweet. We became hooked on jicama a few months ago when they were readily available in one of the local grocery stores. Just when we decided that jicama was wonderful, and was great in almost any type of salad, this store stopped carrying them and now we can't find them anywhere. If you cannot
find jicama in your local supermarket you may substitute sliced water chestnuts. BTW, the dressing in this recipe is really good. The flavors of the lime juice, pepper, garlic and cumin really go well together.

JULIA CHILD, 1912 - 2004
This fine article came from The Global Epicure on August 14, 2004.:

Bon appetit, Julia Child. We shall miss you.

Our first television culinary maven passed away early in the morning just a few days short of her 92nd birthday. Back in the 1950s, home cooks were the women who had grown up in the Great Depression with mothers who may have known how to cook well but could not afford to do so; as a result, these daughters had poorer food memories than previous generations. Their own cooking was limited, and in many cases, pretty bad. Do you remember such horrors as candlelight salad, made with canned pineapple rings, banana halves and a maraschino cherry for the flame? Or ghastly sweet gelatin filled with assorted canned fruits and vegetables masquerading as salad but sweet enough to be dessert? Casseroles that all tasted alike because they were all made with <shudder>
canned cream soup?
Julia Child restored an understanding of fresh food well prepared to that generation and revolutionized cooking for those of us who grew up in those years. We learned from her how to appreciate fresh food prepared lovingly and presented beautifully. She and her friend James Beard rescued us from the dark ages of canned-soup casseroles and vile green jell-o ‘salads’; such followers in the 1960s as Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet, further broadened our culinary horizons.

Julia Child was funny and loved life. She had no fear of fat, massaging her chickens with huge lumps of butter. Another time she joked, ‘If you are worried about butter, use cream!’ Her secret to a good life was to ‘eat good and drink well’. She loved good French flavors, and at a time when people in the US
were afraid of garlic, she taught us how to revel in it by mashing great quantities of it.

Her first career was not in cooking, however. She was a spy with the OSS, precursor of the CIA, during World War II. She married a diplomat afterwards and when she followed him to Paris, she studied at Le Cordon Bleu.

On the occasion of her 90th birthday, the Smithsonian reproduced her kitchen for all of us to enjoy, a must-see when you visit Washington, DC.

Julia Child has stayed on our small screens for nearly 50 years. Most recently, she has shared shows with Jacques Pepin on public television, still teaching us still more about good cooking technique, the best ingredients and French recipes. She still closed each show with her trademark ‘Bon appetit’.

We are lucky to have enjoyed her presence on our TV screens for so many decades; it is always too soon to lose people like Julia Child. She will be sorely missed.

Julia Child, I hope you can enjoy eternity at God’s Feast. Bon appetit.
   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/global-epicure/

LEMON BUNDT CAKE

1 package lemon cake mix
1 package instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup lemon lime flavored soda pop

Preheat oven to 325.   Grease and flour a bundt pan. Mix all ingredients, stirring in the soda last.   Bake for 35 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.   Allow to cool for 15 min and then flip pan over to finish cooling.

Frosting:  You can use a can of lemon frosting or make a glaze or other frosting.

LEMON VELVET CAKE

1 pkg. lemon cake mix
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
3-oz pkg lemon jell-o
3/4 cup corn oil
3 eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
grated rind of 1 lemon

Mix cake mix (dry), water, lemon extract, jell-o, oil and eggs for at least 3 minutes. Bake cake according to package directions in a 9 x 13 pan. When cake is done, prick entire cake with a fork. Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice and grated rind. Pour this mixture on top of warm cake. Serve plain or with whipped cream.

LINGUINE VONGOLE
(Linguine With Clams)
Bambino's Restaurant and Bar
Yield: 2 generous servings.

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
2 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, drained (see note)
6 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons fish stock or chicken stock
3/4 pound linguine, cooked and drained
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Cracked black pepper, for garnish
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Place a skillet large enough to hold all of the ingredients over medium heat. Add olive oil, butter, garlic, salt, pepper and pepper flakes to the skillet. Add clams, mushrooms and stock; increase the heat to high and sauté quickly. Add pasta, and toss to heat through. Garnish with Parmesan, pepper and parsley.

note: For more sauce, do not drain the clams. After adding undrained clams and mushrooms, cook at medium heat about 5 minutes before adding pasta.

LOW-CARB BREAD
Gabi's World-Famous Bread

1 pkg dry yeast (Rapid Rise/Highly Active)
1/2 teaspoon sugar *
1 1/8 cup "baby bottle warm" water (90-100°F)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Splenda
1 cup Wheat Gluten Flour **
1/4 cup oat flour
3/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1/4 cup coarse unprocessed wheat bran

Pour yeast into bottom of bread machine pan. Add sugar and water. Stir, and let sit. (This is "proofing" your yeast to see if your yeast is alive. If it's not bubbling, it's dead and you can replace it without wasting all of the other ingredients).

In the meantime, mix all other dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add oil to bread machine pan. Add mixed dry ingredients. Set your machine to the basic cycle (3-4 hours) and bake.

Cool on a rack and enjoy.

* The sugar is totally consumed by the yeast and does not contribute to the carb count. I keep a few packets of restaurant sugar on-hand for this purpose so I never have to have a supply of actual sugar in the house.

** "I've had best results using "Bob's Red Mill: Vital Wheat Gluten Flour". Whatever brand you use should be 6 grams (no fiber) per 1/4 cup on label and approx. 75% - 80% protein. It works great, keeps the taste and texture just like bakery bread, and keeps the carb count very low."

Makes 16 slices. 3.4 carbs per slice.

To make bread without a machine:
Follow the recipe in the same order as for the bread machine.
After you mix and knead all of the ingredients together, put the dough in a clean bowl and set it into a warm, draft-free place for about 45 minutes to an hour (one option is to turn on your oven for a pre-heat for a minute and a half to get it warm, then turn it completely off before setting the dough in to let it rise in the oven.) The dough should rise to about twice its original size. Afterward, knead slightly (do not over-knead - the gluten content will keep this bread from rising well the second time unlike "regular" bread! You'll want to be careful not to handle the dough too much after it rises the first time.) Put it in a loaf pan, cover and set in warm draft free place for another 30-45 minutes, and then bake at 380 degrees until done. (35-45 minutes - depending on your oven, you may have to shorten or lengthen the time.)

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN

6 - 8 boneless chicken breasts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup ripe olives, pitted and sliced
1/3 cup dry red wine
2 - 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 tsp. dried oregano
2/3 cup Feta or goat cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet and add garlic and chicken. Simmer until chicken juices are no longer pink. Add parsley, olives, red wine, diced tomatoes and oregano. Simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Sprinkle with Feta or goat cheese and allow cheese to melt, Serve with rice or pasta. We had this over the past weekend and it was just great.

MINT PESTO

2 cups mint leaves
3 egg yolks, or 4 tablespoons pasteurized eggs
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Bring 1 quart water to a boil with a large pinch of salt. Add mint leaves and boil 30 seconds. Drain mint and run cold water over it for about 20 seconds.

In a food processor, blend mint, egg yolks, lime juice, vinegar, cumin, cayenne, honey, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Slowly add both oils to emulsify. Refrigerate.

ORIENTAL GREEN BEANS

1 lb. fresh green beans, washed and snapped into bite sized pieces
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled; fat reserved
1 medium onion, sliced (about 1/2 Cup)
Soy sauce
Garlic powder

Cook the green beans in unsalted water until crisp but tender. Heat the reserved bacon grease and add onion. Sauté until almost translucent and add mushrooms and cook until all liquid has been absorbed. While beans are still hot, add onion and mushroom mixture. Sprinkle liberally with soy sauce and garlic powder. Taste as you go to make sure it is to your liking. Add crumbled bacon and serve.

PANNA COTTA AND STRAWBERRY COMPOTE
 From Brasserie Rouge pastry chef Lexie Justice, serves 6.

1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 orange
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
Strawberry Compote (recipe below, alphabetically)

In a small bowl stir together gelatin with 1 tablespoon cold water until gelatin dissolves.

In a 2-quart pot bring to a simmer cream, vanilla, orange zest, nutmeg and sugar. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain into a clean pot.

Heat cream mixture until hot to the touch but not boiling. Whisk in gelatin and strain into a clean bowl. Whisk in buttermilk. Divide among 6 parfait or champagne glasses until each is half-full. Chill at least three hours.

PARMESAN POTATO STICKS
Serves: 5 to 6

· 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
· 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
· 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
· 6 medium potatoes (about 2 pounds)
· 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; mix well and set aside. Peel potatoes and cut lengthwise into quarters; cut each quarter lengthwise into 3 strips. Dip each strip in the melted butter, then in Parmesan mixture, coating completely. Place in a single layer in the baking dish. Pour any remaining melted butter over potatoes. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until potatoes are tender, turning them over once or twice.

PEACH PARFAIT

1/2 cup of light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt
2 cups of sliced peaches or chunks
1 cup raspberries (clean ones)
1 cup cookie crumbs (Grind in processor or put the cookies in a plastic bag and
squash with a rolling pin.)

Whip cream cheese, sugar and vanilla yogurt in a bowl until smooth. Pick out your favorite tall glasses. Clear ones are good because you are going to layer this stuff and it looks pretty if you can see the color changes. You can also use margarita glasses or champagne flutes. Any dish will do in a pinch.

Put in a tablespoon of the cream mixture. Layer on a couple tablespoons of the crumbs. Next put in a layer of fruit. You're going for the layers. Make the layers one-half to one inch each in thickness. If you are using canned peaches, a little of the juice is good. Don't worry about straining them too much, and don't concern yourself if your layers aren't all even. It's part of the fun.

Layer, layer, layer. Top with a dollop of the cream mixture. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. You can sprinkle on a bit of ground nutmeg to top it off.

When you stick your spoon in, you'll notice the crumbs have sort of turned to caramel (mushy) and they taste divine.

PEACH - CHAMPAGNE PUNCH

2 cups of peach schnapps
1 bottle of champagne (chilled)
1 2-liter bottle of 7-Up (chilled)
Assorted frozen fruit (strawberries, raspberries, peaches, etc.)

Mix peach schnapps, champagne and 7-Up in a punch bowl and place the frozen fruit to float on top of the punch. Or you could make an ice ring with the fruit and float it.

PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE

1/4  cup butter
2  ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3  tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1   egg, beaten
3/4  cup granulated sugar
1/2  cup all-purpose flour
1/2  teaspoon vanilla
2  tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1  tablespoon butter
3/4  cup sifted powdered sugar
1/3  cup chopped assorted candies, such as bite-size chocolate-covered
peanut butter cups, candy-coated chocolate and peanut butter pieces,
chocolate-coated caramel-topped nougat bars with peanuts, and/or small
decorative candies

Grease a 6-inch spring-form pan. Set aside.

In a heavy small saucepan, melt the 1/4 cup butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently. Stir in the 3 tablespoons peanut butter. Cool about 10 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl stir together the beaten egg, granulated sugar, flour, and vanilla. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen sides of spring-form pan. Cool brownie completely.

Remove sides of spring-form pan and, using a thin metal spatula or knife, loosen bottom of brownie from bottom of pan. Carefully transfer brownie to a flat plate or a 7- or 8-inch cardboard round that's covered with foil.

For glaze: In a heavy small saucepan melt the 2 tablespoons peanut butter and 1 tablespoon butter over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar. Stir in 2 teaspoons very hot water. Stir in additional hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a glaze.

Pour warm glaze over cooled brownie, spreading evenly and allowing it to drip down sides. Top with assorted candies. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (or freeze unglazed brownie for up to 1 month). Makes 1 brownie. (cut into six portions)

PESTO
Pesto is an easy-to-fix condiment that makes the most of plentiful summer herbs. The classic version relies on basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic and olive oil.

3 cups fresh basil, stems removed
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted*
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (2 oz.) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Tear large basil leaves in thirds; place in food processor or blender. Add pine nuts and garlic; process until pureed. Add cheese, oil, pepper and salt; process just until mixed.

TIP *To toast pine nuts, place in dry medium skillet. Heat over medium heat, stirring until pine nuts begin to brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

PESTO RECIPE IDEAS
With a big batch of prepared pesto, you can get dinner on the table in minutes. Pesto can be added to soups or salads, spread on bread for a quick appetizer, or tossed with pasta and other fresh-from-the-garden ingredients for a last-minute meal. Try these ideas:

Lightly toss cubed day-old bread with pesto. Bake to make croutons for soup or salad.

Stir together 2 pounds shrimp and 1/3 cup pesto. Thread shrimp onto skewers and grill.

Spread pesto on tops of rolls before baking them. Or brush over rolled-out bread dough and roll up. Cut like cinnamon rolls and bake.

Toss cut-up, cooked potatoes and green beans with pesto.

Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms: In food processor, combine 1/4 cup pesto, 1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil; process until smooth. Remove stems from 12 mushrooms; place, gill side up, on baking sheet. Top with pesto mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Broil 3 to 5 minutes or until pesto is browned.

Use as a sauce on pizza dough.

Spread over garlic bread before baking.

For a spread for crackers or bread, stir pesto into soft goat cheese.

Fold a bit of unsweetened whipped cream into pesto for extra creaminess before tossing with pasta. Or stir a little of the pasta cooking water into pesto for extra sauciness.

PISTACHIO MARBLE BUNDT CAKE

1 Package yellow cake mix
1 small package pistachio instant pudding
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and extract in large bowl. Blend
on low speed for about 30 seconds, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Measure out 1 1/2 cups batter into another bowl and add chocolate syrup to that
and blend well. Spoon batters alternately into a prepared bundt pan. Zigzag spatula through batter to marble. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, then turn out of pan and finish cooling on rack. Glaze with chocolate frosting.

POACHED HALIBUT
WITH BABY CARROTS AND MINT PESTO
 From Brasserie Rouge, serves 6.

12 baby carrots (preferably very small fresh ones from the market),
peeled and rinsed with stems attached
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed, divided use
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons harissa or 1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons diced quick-preserved lemons (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2-pound halibut fillet, cut into six squares
3 cups clam juice
Juice of 1 lime
Mint Pesto (recipe above, alphabetically)

Halve carrots lengthwise, keeping stems attached. In a large sauté pan, bring 1 cup water to a rolling boil. Whisk in about 1/4 of the butter along with a pinch of salt. (The water-butter mixture should stay emulsified throughout. If the butter breaks out of it, add a few tablespoons of water and bring the mixture back to a boil.)

Add carrots, cover pot, turn heat to low and cook about 5 minutes. Whisk in the garlic, ginger, harissa or hot sauce, cumin, lemons and honey.

Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Transfer the carrots and their cooking liquid to a baking sheet and cool in a single layer.

Season the fish squares with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch sauté pan with straight sides, bring clam juice to a simmer. Add fish squares, carrots and their liquid, and cover. Cook over very low heat 3-4 minutes.

Remove fish to a warm place and cover loosely with foil. Reduce cooking liquid by half. Whisk in remaining butter. Add salt, pepper and lime juice to taste.

Place each fish square on a warm plate, place 4 carrot halves on top and ladle on a few spoonfuls of broth. Top with a dollop of mint pesto.

QUICK PRESERVED LEMONS

2 lemons
1 quart water
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Rinse lemons and remove ends. With a sharp knife, cut into 1/8-inch slices. Remove seeds.

In a 2-quart pot, bring water, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes to a boil, whisking well. Add lemon slices, reduce heat to simmer and cook 5 minutes. Cool the lemon slices in the liquid. They are now ready to use.

RED HOT COLD BEET SOUP

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery (including leaves), finely chopped
3 cups peeled and chopped fresh beets
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill for garnish

Heat the oil in a pot over moderate heat and sauté the onion and celery until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients except the buttermilk and dill and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer covered until the beets are tender, about 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in the buttermilk and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Serve garnished with chopped fresh dill.  Serves 4 to 6.

ROASTED BEETS WITH BACON, FENNEL AND AGED GOAT CHEESE
 From Brasserie Rouge

6 each baby red and golden beets
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 thin strips bacon
6 walnut halves
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
1 bulb fennel, sliced crosswise
2 ounces ash-covered goat cheese, such as Valencay or Haystack Peak

Preheat oven to 350.

Place beets in a baking pan and drizzle with half of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake about 90 minutes. Cool beets and remove skins by rubbing in a towel. Cut beets into wedges and set aside.

Sauté bacon in a nonstick pan until barely crisp. Blot on paper towels. Keep warm. In a large stainless steel bowl, toss together beets, walnuts, vinegar, remaining oil and fennel. Arrange beets on each plate. Top each serving with a bacon strip and arrange a small dollop of cheese in the center of the bacon strip.

ROASTED DRY-AGED STEAK WITH CORN AND FAVA BEAN RAGOUT
 From Brasserie Rouge, serves 6.

6 ears of corn
1 pound fava beans, shucked
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
2 medium zucchini or yellow squash
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped sage
1/2 cup chopped, peeled tomatoes
Tabasco
6 4-ounce dry-aged New York steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Place corn in a 6-quart pot. Add water to cover and a few tablespoons of salt. Bring corn to a boil and simmer about 8 minutes. Drain corn and cool on a baking sheet or platter. Cut corn off the cob, being careful not to cut too deeply into the cob. Set aside.

Fill a 2-quart saucepan with water and add a few tablespoons of salt. Bring to a boil and add the shelled fava beans. Boil 90 seconds, drain and place the beans in a bowl of ice water. Drain and peel beans. Set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan until just smoking. Add squash, toss to coat and turn heat down to medium-low. Add a pinch of salt and sauté about 4 minutes, until squash is lightly colored. Add corn and cook about 3 minutes. Corn should be lightly colored and the bottom of the pan should be lightly caramelized.

Add garlic and sage. Sauté until garlic is fragrant but not colored. Add tomatoes, toss to coat, add fava beans. Heat through. Add Tabasco and adjust seasonings. Keep warm.

Preheat oven to 400.

Season steaks with salt and freshly ground pepper. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil just until smoking. Add the steak, making sure not to crowd them in the pan. Brown well on both sides and oven-roast for about 3 minutes for medium rare. Rest meat in a warm place for 5 minutes before serving. Slice steak across the grain and serve with the warm corn ragout.

SALSA RECIPES

Roasted Tomato and Green Chili Salsa

6 medium tomatoes
2 large whole garlic cloves, diced
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup mild roasted New Mexico green chilies, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

On a grill or under broiler, roast or brown the tomatoes. Then place the tomatoes in a bowl to cool. After tomatoes are cool to the touch, chop coarsely and place in large bowl. Next, add the garlic, onion, chilies, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Mix
ingredients, cover, and place in refrigerator. Allow the salsa to chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Roasted Tomato and Mint Salsa
Yields 3 servings

6 large Roma tomatoes; tops removed
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. lime juice (one Mexican lime)
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Serrano peppers, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
3 1/2 Tbsp spearmint, minced
1/2 tsp. lime zest
1/2 tsp. orange zest
Pinch salt

With a comal or black iron skillet over medium-high heat, cook the tomatoes until blackened all over. While still warm, pulse tomatoes with the garlic in a food processor until roughly chopped. Let cool to room temperature and add the remaining ingredients. Mix together and let sit at least 30 minutes before using.

Mark Miller writes: "Ripe red tomatoes roasted on a hot steel comal until the skins blacken are a basic element of many Mexican salsas. The smoky flavor adds a complexity to the taste of ripe tomatoes. Mixing fresh mint as a counterpoint to this cooked flavor creates the combination of raw and cooked which is one of the classic taste motifs of Southwestern cuisine. This salsa
goes particularly well with the wild Churro lamb that we serve at Coyote Cafe because it does not mask the Churro's unique taste. It can be served with venison chops, grilled pork, grilled marlin, and that faithful standby, tortilla chips."
Recipe by Mark Miller of the Coyote Cafe, Santa Fe

Roasted Tomato Salsa

3 large tomatoes (about 2 pounds), cut in half, seeded
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons hot red-pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat broiler. Place tomatoes, cut side down, on broiler-pan rack. Broil 3" from heat until blackened, about 3 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapeno and garlic; sauté
for 4 minutes. Add chili powder; sauté 3 minutes. Transfer onion mixture and
tomatoes to food processor or blender; puree. Pour into bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, red-pepper sauce and salt. For best results, refrigerate, covered, a few hours or overnight.

Tomato Prep:
With sharp knife, cut tomato in half crosswise between stem and bottom. Lightly squeeze over bowl to remove seeds/pulp. Broil the tomato halves, cut side down, until skin blisters and blackens. Add tomato halves to mixture in the food processor; blend until smooth.

Roasted Tomato-Jalapeno Salsa

1 pound ripe tomatoes, 2 medium-large round or 6-8 plum tomatoes
2 large fresh jalapeno chilies, about 1 ounce total
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 small white onion (about 2 ounces), finely chopped
1/3 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt, scant

Roasting the basic ingredients:

THE BROILER METHOD:
Lay the tomatoes on a baking sheet and place about 4 inches below a very hot broiler. Roast until blistered and blackened on one side, about 6 minutes; with a spoon or pair on tongs, flip the tomatoes and roast on the other side.

THE GRIDDLE METHOD:
Line a griddle or heavy skillet with aluminum foil and heat over medium. Lay the tomatoes on the foil and roast, turning several times, until blistered, blackened and softened, about 10 minutes. Don't worry if skin stick to the foil. Cool, then peel the skins, collecting all the juices with the tomatoes. While tomatoes are roasting, roast the chilies and unpeeled garlic directly on an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet (you already have on set up if you used the griddle method above) over medium. Turn occasionally until both chilies and garlic are blackened in spots and soft, 5-10 minutes for the chilies, about 15 minutes for the garlic. Cool, pull the stems off the chilies and peel the papery skins from the garlic.

Grinding the salsa:

THE MORTAR METHOD:
In a large mortar, use the pestle to crush and grind the chilies, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt to a coarse-textured paste (this will release a wonderfully pungent aroma), paying special attention to breaking up the chili skins. A few at a time, grind in the roasted tomatoes, transferring the ground mixture to a bowl if the mortar get unmanageably full.

THE FOOD PROCESSOR OR BLENDER METHOD: In a food processor or blender, grind the chilies, garlic and ¼ teaspoon of the salt to a coarse paste, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. Add the tomatoes and pulse a few times until you have a coarse-textured puree. Transfer
the salsa to a serving bowl and stir in any reserved tomato juices.

Final seasoning:
In a strainer, rinse the onion under running water, shake off the excess and stir into the salsa, along with the cilantro and optional vinegar. Add water, if necessary, to give the salsa a thickish, but easily spoonable, consistency (2 to 4 tablespoons is the norm). Taste and season with salt, usually a scant ¼ teaspoon, and the salsa is ready to serve. Yield: 2 cups
Source: Mexican Kitchen by Rick Bayless

SAUSAGE AND APPLE TORTA

1/2  of a 15-ounce package folded refrigerated unbaked piecrust (1 crust)
2  large tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2  cup chopped onion
1  tablespoon sugar (optional)
3  tablespoons butter
12  ounces bulk sweet Italian sausage
1  clove garlic, minced
2  cups shredded Italian-style cheese blend (8 oz.)
1  cup ricotta cheese
1/4  cup crumbled garlic-and-herb feta cheese
2   eggs, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 450 degree F. Unfold piecrust and use to line a 9-inch pie plate. Bake according to package directions. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degree F.

In a large skillet cook apples, onion, and sugar (if using) in hot butter over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. In the same skillet cook the sausage and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain in colander. Pat sausage dry with clean paper towels. Spoon sausage into prebaked crust. Top with the cooked apple mixture. Combine cheeses and eggs; spoon evenly over apple mixture.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes on a wire rack before serving. Makes 8 servings.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH CORN COULIS AND TOMATOES
The corn coulis also pairs nicely with pork tenderloin, shrimp, or grilled chicken.

1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
4 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup corn (from 2 large ears)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/2 lb plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
30 large sea scallops (2 1/2 lb total), tough muscle removed from side of each if
necessary

Cook shallot and garlic in 2 teaspoons oil in a small skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add corn, basil, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender and beginning to lightly brown on edges, about 4 minutes. Add milk and scrape up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then remove from heat.

Purée corn mixture in a blender at medium speed until very smooth, about 1 minute. Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, pressing hard on and then discarding solids. Cover coulis until ready to serve.

Toss tomatoes with parsley and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.

Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté half of scallops, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Sauté remaining scallops in same manner.

Reheat coulis over low heat, covered, then spoon 2 tablespoons onto center of each of 6 plates. Arrange 5 scallops per plate in a circle on coulis, then spoon tomatoes into center. Makes 6 servings.

SAUCES FOR STIR-FRIES

Quickly-cooked stir-fries come together with sauces that lightly coat them. Make flavorful sauces with ease by starting with broth.

Start by whisking together 1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth (1 3/4 cup), 3 tablespoons cornstarch and desired seasonings, such as:

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger and 1 teaspoon soy sauce;

OR 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon chopped green onion;

OR 1 garlic clove, crushed and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds;

 OR 2 teaspoons fish sauce and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper


SHRIMP STIR-FRY

3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth (1 3/4 cups)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil (optional)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. fresh OR frozen medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
4 cups cut-up vegetables *
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder OR 1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups hot cooked rice

Mix cornstarch, broth, soy and sesame oil. Heat half the oil in skillet. Add shrimp and stir-fry until done. Remove shrimp. Add remaining oil. Add vegetables, ginger and garlic powder and stir-fry until tender-crisp.

Add cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Return shrimp to skillet and heat through. Serve over rice. Serves 4.

*Use a combination of very thinly sliced carrots, green pepper cut in 2" strips and green onion cut in 1" pieces.

SHRIMP WITH COCONUT-PINEAPPLE SALSA
 
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/2 jalapeno chili pepper (or to taste) minced
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of allspice
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Combine pineapple, scallions, jalapeno pepper and coconut flakes and set aside.

Combine pepper, salt, garlic powder, ginger, sugar, allspice and cayenne.  Toss with the shrimp until evenly coated.

Heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium high.  Add shrimp, cook 2 minutes on each side, or until firm and no longer translucent.  Add lime juice and zest, remove from heat.  Toss with cilantro and salsa.  Makes 4 servings

SMOKED SALMON CANAPES

1 cup butter
3/4 cup fresh dill sprigs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 French baguettes
8 oz. smoked salmon, sliced very thin

Let butter sit out of refrigerator to reach room temperature. If necessary you can always place butter in a dish and microwave for a minute or two until butter becomes soft. Remove dill leaves from large sprigs. Add dill, garlic and salt to food processor. Process until chopped. Add butter and process until smooth. Slowly add lemon juice while processing until mixed completely. Remove butter from processor and scrape sides to get as much as possible. Refrigerate butter until ready to use.

Cut baguettes into very thin slices, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide with a very sharp bread knife. Spread a small amount of the dill butter on each slice and top it with a small piece of smoked salmon. Arrange on a platter and serve. If you would like to really dress these up, you can sprinkle a small amount of caviar on top of each canapé. This is a traditional starter to serve with champagne.

SPICY SCALLOPS AND PEPPERS

2 Tbsp olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 red bell peppers (capsicums), cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1-2 green bell peppers (capsicums), cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, halved and cut into thin slices
1/2 tsp hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb bay or sea scallops
2 Tbsp capers
Cooked white rice (optional)

Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat and sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds.  Add the peppers, onion, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and sauté over very high heat until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the scallops and capers and cook just until the scallops are opaque and firm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes - do not over cook.  Serve over cooked white rice if desired.  Serves 4

SPICY SLAW

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 scallions (spring onions), green and white parts, thinly sliced
1 tsp celery seed

Combine the mustard, vinegar, honey, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly.  Add the remaining ingredients, tossing to combine.  Refrigerate covered for at least 1 hour before serving.  Serves 4 to 6.

STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

2 pints strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 ounce Grand Marnier
Pinch salt

Wipe strawberries with damp cloth. Stem, hull and quarter them. Place berries in a stainless steel bowl and toss well with sugar, Grand Marnier and salt. Refrigerate about 1 hour before using. To serve, top panna cottas with strawberries and liquid.

STRAWBERRY ICEBOX TREAT

1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 (8 ounce) package Cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) tub Whipped topping

Mix softened cream cheese with berries, oranges and pineapple. Mix in whipped topping. Refrigerate until firm.

VEGETARIAN CHEF'S SALAD

1 large head Romaine (cos) lettuce, shredded
Large handful sorrel, shredded
1/2 bunch watercress, leaves torn up
12 sweet basil leaves, torn up
6 red radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 small red or purple onion, cut into very thin rings
1/2 lb. cooked chick peas (garbanzos)
1 white eggplant, trimmed but not peeled, sliced 1/2” thick, broiled, each slice cut
into 4 wedges
1/2 cup of your favorite salad dressing

3 ripe red tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 ripe yellow tomatoes, cut into wedges
3/4 lb small red potatoes, unpeeled boiled until tender, cooled and sliced
2-3 kirbies (pickling cucumbers with few small seeds), unpeeled if not waxed,
thinly sliced
3 bell peppers (capsicums), each a different color, cut into thin strips
Fried tofu strips (recipe below)
4 oz toasted hazelnuts (filberts), halved
More of your favorite salad dressing

Toss together the greens, vegetables and salad dressing in the first group of ingredients until well blended and well coated with the dressing, at least 42 tosses. Place in a large, wide salad bowl. Arrange the tomatoes around the edges in alternating colors and arrange the potato slices over the top alternating
with the cucumber slices. Arrange alternating colors of bell pepper (capsicum) slices over the top and finally arrange the fried tofu. Sprinkle on the nuts. It should look colorful and pretty. Finally, drizzle with more of your favorite salad
dressing. Serve cold. Serves 4-6.

Fried Tofu Strips

12 oz extra firm tofu, cut into sticks the length of the tofu block and about 1/4”
square
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup dark (toasted) sesame oil
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cayenne pepper or more to taste
1 Tbsp toasted crushed sesame seeds
2 scallions, white and green parts, minced very fine

2 Tbsp peanut oil

Sprinkle the tofu strips with salt and pepper and let rest 15 minutes. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and toss with the tofu sticks. Let marinate 30 minutes.

Heat peanut oil over medium flame in a skillet. Add the tofu strips and fry until golden brown on all sides. Allow to cool on a thick layer of paper towels before adding to the salad.

VINE-RIPE TOMATOES WITH BASIL AND TAPENADE

2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 basil leaves
Tapenade (recipe follows)

Remove top and bottom of each tomato. Cut each tomato into three thick slices. Place tomatoes on a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with olive oil and vinegar and top with the basil and a dollop of tapenade.

Tapenade

2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
4 tablespoons capers
6 anchovies
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Zest of 1 lemon, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

In a food processor, coarsely chop the olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, lemon zest, and half of the olive oil. Fold in remaining olive oil and black pepper.

WATERMELON AGUA FRESCA
From Cooking Light

Agua fresca is a drink made by combining blended fruit, chopped fruit, water, and
sugar, then letting the mixture macerate. This version is popular with both kids and adults. You can make it earlier in the day and keep it chilled until ready to serve.

4  cups cubed seeded watermelon, divided
4  cups water
2  tablespoons sugar
2  tablespoons fresh lime juice

Finely chop 2 cups of watermelon, and set aside.
Place remaining 2 cups watermelon in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed watermelon through a sieve into a pitcher, and discard solids. Add water, sugar, and lime juice; stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in the chopped watermelon. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

WHITE CHOCOLATE BLINTZES WITH WARM SUMMER FRUIT COMPOTE

   16 crepes
White Chocolate Ganache:
    1 lb white chocolate --melt over a double boiler
    2 oz sweet butter
1/2 cup cream

Simple Syrup:
2 1/2  cups sugar
    2   cups water

Warm Summer Fruit Compote:
    4 cups blueberries
    8 cups nectarines -- peeled & sliced
1/2 cup simple syrup -- See recipe above
    2 tbsp lemon juice
    2 oz sweet butter (1/2 stick)

Make Ahead: The blintzes can be assembled ahead and refrigerated, if desired.

Preparation: White Chocolate Ganache: Combine cream with butter, bring to a boil and pour over white chocolate. Pour white ganache into a square pan lined with wax paper and refrigerate until firm.

Simple Syrup: Makes 3 1/2 cups. Mix the sugar and water in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Cool the syrup, cover and store. Store it indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Assembly Of Blintzes: Place about 2 teaspoons of the white chocolate ganache on each crepe 1 inch in from the edge. Roll the crepe up, tucking the ends in as you go. "Glue" the end of the crepe to the underside with a little of the ganache.

Assembly Of Summer Fruit Compote: Put the nectarines and blueberries, simple syrup, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in the pan. Cook the fruit for several minutes over medium heat until it is warmed through. Hold until ready to serve.

Cooking The Blintzes: Clarify the butter (unsalted butter) by slowly melting to evaporate most of the water and separating the milk solids from the golden liquid on the surface. In a large sauté pan, heat clarified butter. Add the blintzes, seam side down, and cook for a minute or two, until browned. Carefully turn them over and brown the other sides. The blintzes should be warm in the middle. Be careful
that the white chocolate ganache does not leak out. Remove the blintzes from the pan. Place 2 blintzes on a plate. With a slotted spoon, spoon the fruit over the blintzes. Add butter to the pan, bring to boil and cook until the sauce begins to thicken. Divide the sauce evenly over the blintzes. Serve immediately.

YELLOW BUNDT CAKE

1 package Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1/2 cup Crisco oil
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1 cup water

Blend all ingredients on slow speed for about 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed
for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for
45-50 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes, then turn out of pan and finish cooling on rack.

You can use canned frosting to finish cake by zapping it in the microwave for a few seconds and spooning it over cake, or make your own frosting.

ZUCCHINI BITES

     1/2      cup  Italian dressing
     1/2      teaspoon  Italian seasoning
     1/4      teaspoon  cracked black pepper
       2       medium  zucchini -- cut into 1/2-inch slices
     3/4      cup  grated Parmesan cheese

Mix dressing, Italian seasoning and pepper in shallow nonmetal dish or resealable plastic bag. Add zucchini, turning to coat with marinade. Cover dish or seal bag and let stand at least 15 minutes but no longer than 1 hour.

Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat Brush grilling screen with vegetable oil.

Drain zucchini; discard marinade. Toss cheese and 4 to 6 slices zucchini at a time in resealable plastic bag, coating zucchini with cheese.

Place zucchini on grilling screen. Grill zucchini uncovered 4 inches from MEDIUM heat 3 to 4 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times, until cheese is light brown and zucchini is crisp-tender.  Yield: 6 servings.

Using a grill screen prevents the bite-size vegetables from slipping through the grill grids. If a screen is not available, use 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil punched with holes; use a cookie sheet to transfer the foil to and from the grill.

ZUCCHINI WITH THYME AND WHITE WINE

1 and 1/2 pounds fresh zucchini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté zucchini, garlic and onion in a saucepan until zucchini is crisp-tender. Add parsley, thyme, wine and salt and pepper and simmer over very low heat covered for about 20 minutes.