Roast Pork Egg Foo Yung

Crisp-fried egg patties, crammed  with soft onions and crunchy sprouts....mmmm.  I know there are more authentic and complex recipes, but I've happily thrown this one together for years and find it  not only acceptably passable  but delicious, and ready in 15 minutes.

 I can indulge myself  by  smotherimg  the patties  in gravy, substituting   an envelope of  dry  gravy mix   instead of making the gravy from scratch  with fat and flour.  Gravy.....at an   unbelievable  4 carbs per 1/4 cup..and almost no fat.....I now use no-sodium gravy mixes.  If you're not concerned with   carbs, serve  the patties with  steamed or  fried rice  or  lo mein noodles and /or a salad for a satisfying  quick supper. 

Feel free to change the meat to chicken, shrimp, or just  about anything,  but stick with pork or chicken  gravy.   If you can score some leftover Chinese-style roast pork  to use, all the better.

Prepare the gravy:  use a packet of  chicken or pork gravy mix and make  as directed,  using 3/4 c. broth or water, and adding  2 TB  soy sauce   as it thickens.  Have  the gravy  prepared and rice hot   before you fry the eggs.

In a big bowl beat 5 eggs well while 1/3 c. vegetable oil is heating in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  To the eggs, add 1/2 c. (cooled) diced  ham, roast pork, chicken or whatever,  1/2 c chopped onion ( not diced finely, just chopped up)  1/4 c. chopped green onion tops, 1/2 c. sliced or chopped water chestnuts , drained,   1 cup canned   bean sprouts, drained, 1/4 tsp salt.    When I use  ham I  like it a  bit crispy,  so I frizzle it briefly in a little hot oil and drain& cool briefly  before adding to the egg mixture.

Using a  1/4 c. measure, drop portions of the egg mix  into the hot oil and fry until golden and crispy on both sides, turning once. If your oil is hot enough it  will sputter and sizzle when poured in the pan.  Cook a minute or  two  on each side., just be sure the centers are firm.      Drain briefly  on paper towels.  Serve hot, with the gravy and extra soy sauce.   This will make about a dozen  4" patties and serve about 3-4  people. I usually make them twice that size.   If you  have a few  patties  left,   freeze or refrigerate.    Nuke them a few seconds to warm, then repurpose  as  a breakfast sandwich.

Apple Cider Pecan Pancakes with Cider Syrup

Crisp  blue autumn mornings inspire me to  make somethng special for breakfast,  forgetting about carbs  for a few  minutes  now and then.  Whether I  make the pancakes from scratch  or am in a hurry and/or  lazy and use whatever pancake mix I have on hand; the cider and other add-ins make them  delicious.   If you must,  top with  maple  syrup,   but  since you have the cider there  take a moment to make this tasty alternative.

Make almost   any pancake batter  as directed, with the amount  of oil and egg  directed on the box or following your usual recipe.  For the liquid, instead of milk or water use either regular cider or sparkling cider.   Look for sparkling cider  packaged like  a bottle of wine.   It  produces lighter,  pouf-ier  pancakes.    Stir   in chopped  apples, skin on, and chopped walnuts or pecans, and 1/4 tsp apple pie spice per cup of  dry  pancake mix. or flour.    Cook  as directed.

 Cider Syrup:
In  a small saucepan, combine  1/4 c.  sugar, 2 tsp  cornstarch and  2/3 c. regular apple cider until smooth; then add one cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir  a dash of nutmeg into syrup along with a TB of butter.  Serve pancakes with warm syrup and additional butter if desired.   Makes 2/3 cup syrup that's also delicious on French toast.

Crispy Maple Green Salad

Funny that this is my favorite salad,  since I'm not a big  fan of maple. Yet, this just-right not- too-sweet  maple-y dressing is  undoubtedly   the perfect  topping for the salty curls of fresh Romano cheese, sweet caramelized onion, and smoky bacon.      

 Mix dressing ingredients together in a jar or briefly in a blender just long enough to emulsify well:   1/4 c. rice wine vinegar; 1/2 c canola oil, 1/2 c. maple syrup ( preferably 'real' maple, although I successfully use sugar  free maple flavored pancake syrup often ), 1/2 tsp dry mustard,  1 shallot, minced, s & p to taste.

Fry  8 oz.  bacon til crisp,  drain and break into thirds. Caramelize 2 medium vidalia  or other sweet onions, thinly sliced, in the bacon fat ...... cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, til slightly browned, probably about 10 minutes.   Drain on a paper towel.  You can do this ahead of time.

In a serving bowl or  on  individual plates,  mix  1 small head butter ( Boston)  lettuce & 1/2 bag baby spinach.  Top with bacon strips,  3/4 c pecan halves, 4 oz freshly shaved Romano or Parmesan cheese strips ( shaved off with  a vegetable peeler) and the caramelized onions. Pour dressing over all and top with a few pecans.
 I can  happily make a meal of this salad by itself.

Don't be tempted to use precooked packaged bacon for this -  the onions need to caramelize  in bacon fat.   And I will not even  entertain the horrendous thought that you might try to use powdered Parmesan cheese from a green can on this wonderful  salad.....right?

Polish Hunter's Stew

Bigos, or Hunter's Stew, is considered the most traditional of all Polish dishes. Often mentioned  in poetry and novels, this stew was served at royal banquets and hunts and still is the king of all dishes. Traditionally made with  several kinds of  wild game, this is a contemporary  'tamer' version that only  requires entering the nearest supermarket to capture the main  ingredients.

 Bigos is a thick, flavorful dish that's  is  perfect for fall and winter meals.  Serve with black bread to mop up the  sauce, and/or  braised cabbage or boiled  potatoes on the side to be authentic.    This  recipe makes  8-10 servings, and because  there are no potatoes or other starchy veggies to up the  carb ante, those who care will appreciate that a  very generous serving has  only 11 grams of carbohydrate.

I recommend making it a day or two before serving, because it  reheats so well and flavors intensify each time .  If  you're determined to enjoy it the same day, start it at least  3 hours prior to serving, so you can let it cool and reheat it at least once before serving.

Buy a pound of Polish sausage ( kielbasa) and slice it 1/2" thick,  Brown the slices, about one third at a time in a heavy skillet over high heat. As they are cooked,  transfer them to a 5 qt.  ovenproof casserole or  non-aluminum pot.  After the sausage is done, add 3 TB veg oil to the pan, and heat it.  Brown 1 1/2  lbs each of pork* and beef*, cubed in 1"  chunks, in batches, adding to the baking dish.   Don't crowd them, we dont want the meat to steam, we want it to brown. When all the meat is   browned and removed, add 2 1/2 c sliced onion to the skillet and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring several times, until soft.  Add to the casserole, along with 12 oz. fresh, halved mushrooms, a 1 lb. bag sauerkraut which has been rinsed and drained, 1 c. dry red wine, 8 oz. tomato sauce,  14 oz canned stewed or whole tomatoes, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp caraway seeds, 1/4 tsp pepper.

* use whatever beef and  pork you have on hand; cut up thick pork chops or a pork roast, use  beef stew meat, beef roasts or swiss or round steak...

Cover and bake 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 375 or until meat is tender,  stirring three or four times, and enjoy your 'not-so-wild game'.

Simple, Crunchy Calamari with Nutty Angel Hair Pasta - and it's baked!

I'm a calamari fiend. Love it, love it.  Granted, it's difficult to find it prepared decently - usually breaded and terribly over- fried in little rings so crunchy there's  little sign of the tender calamari inside...but now and then I'll stumble across calamari done right, such as the  incredible huge,  battered, light-as-air rings at the long-defunct  Chestnut Street Grille at  Water Tower Place in Chicago, and the  tender  strips, not rings,  at Jay's Seafood in Dayton, Ohio. 

Monterey, California is the calamari fishing  capital of the world.  I've not been lucky enough to make it to the annual Memorial Day weekend's  'Great Monterey Squid Festival'  where men, women and children  pour  into the grassy, sun-dappled Monterey County Fairgrounds at 10 a.m. each day to breakfast, lunch, dine and snack on two tons of squid prepared  in infinite variations. But I have sampled plenty in  the Monterey area, where  there are fried calamari stands in every park,  pier and street corner. I  still revel in the memory of an enormous calamari steak at a  floating  restaurant on Monterey Bay.

 Direct  from  the pages of RR magazine, this is version is  very simple and quite  divine.    It's a family recipe from an editor at the magazine,  traditionally served on Christmas Eve.   Cleaned, frozen calamari is extremely inexpensive and readily available. And, I love that despite being baked, not fried, it is just as crunchy. 

 Ingredients: 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil,  3/4 cup sliced almonds with skins;  4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced;  1 tablespoon anchovy paste;  1 1/2 pounds small, cleaned squid—bodies cut into 1/3-inch rings, tentacles halved, patted dry;  Salt and pepper;  2 1/4 cups seasoned bread crumbs;  1/2 pound angel hair pasta;  1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley;  lemon wedges, for serving

 

Preheat the oven to 500°. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil and grease each with 1 tablespoon olive oil. In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the anchovy paste and cook for 1 minute.

In a medium bowl, toss the squid with  4 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour the breadcrumbs into a large bowl. Working with a handful at a time, coat the squid in the breadcrumbs, opening up the rings to cover well. Spread the squid in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil on top. Bake until golden and crunchy, 12 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Have your pasta water  boiling when you put the calamari in the oven.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, about 2 minutes; drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water.

Stir the reserved pasta water into the anchovy mixture and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, turning with tongs, to heat through. Add the almonds and parsley, toss well and transfer to a large bowl. Surround the pasta with the squid and  lemon wedges for squeezing.

Be nice and share.

3 Green-Tomato Treats

When  my tomato plants approach  jungle extremes, I question the sanity of planting so many. Then I remember the delicious things I can do with green tomatoes all summer long rather than waiting until fall frost warnings to enjoy the last green stragglers. Green-tomato cake,  no-proccessing raspberry green-tomato jam, and of course, fried green tomatoes are all  tasty and worth putting in an extra plant or two specifically to use before they ripen. All three recipes are super-fast to prepare.

Green Tomato Cake
is so  dense, moist and rich that you will want to cool and taste before deciding whether to frost it....seriously.  The jury is divided on whether or not frosting is just plain overkill. I like that the tomato bits stay green and don't disappear into the cake when baked.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix 2 1/4 c. sugar, 1 c. vegetable oil, 3 eggs, and 2 tsp. vanilla. In another bowl combine 3 c. flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Combine both mixtures - the batter will be very thick - and then stir in 2 1/2 c. diced green tomatoes, 1 c. chopped  pecans or walnuts, and 1 c. raisins. This is a very stiff batter. Place in a greased or sprayed 9x13 pan and bake for 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and frost with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting......or not!

Simple Raspberry Green-Tomato Jellyjam for non-'canners'
Jelly, by definition, is clear and has no fruit pulp or texture like jam does .   This incredibly tasty concoction is somewhere between the two and is so easy that a visiting 11-year old made a batch this week in just a few minutes. The original recipe directed grinding the tomatoes,  I use the cutting blade in a food processor.

Put 5 c. ground green tomatoes (to get 5c. you will probably need more tomatoes than you expect) in a large pot with 2 TB. lemon juice. Boil for one minute. If using a standard 5 qt.dutch oven pot, keep an eye on it later to avoid boil over, it will be VERY  full. Add three small boxes of raspberry jello and 5 c. sugar and boil for 5 minutes. If you are into canning, put in jars & process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. I'm not, so I  just pour it  into  old pickle jars or plastic freezer containers.  Refrigerate until set, then freeze any you won't be using in a  month or so...this is what the original recipe said but  on a few occasions when I made giant batches,   I've just kept  some in my refrigerator for  several months...in the end it will just get a bit watery...time to throw it out.     Whether you 'can' it, refrigerate it, or freeze it, this makes about 5 pints of beautiful   raspberry-red  jellyjam!

Fried Green Tomatoes
There are  as many ways to make this classic southern dish as there are cooks. Some dip the slices in beaten egg either before breading, or both before and after, dipping and breading twice. I sometimes dip them once in buttermilk or sour milk. Some cooks use only flour, some use only cornmeal, some new-agers use Panko or even regular dry breadcrumbs. I am not fond of the panko/breadcrumb versions but do like all the others. If you like the basic  version here, you can experiment to find your own favorite method.


Mix equal parts white flour and yellow cornmeal. Add salt and pepper and maybe a little garlic powder to taste. Slice green tomatoes and dip them immediately in the flour mixture, coating well. ( they'll be moist right when they're cut, so the coating should stick)  Place in a skillet in a small amount of hot oil, and cook until browned and crisp on both sides, just a few minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with salt and a dip made of 2 parts mayonnaise and 1 part grainy mustard. Oh my. Little slices of heaven! Good side dish,   or appetizer,   or to serve with breakfast.......and  absolutely wonderful  with the sauce on a hamburger, or inside  grilled-cheese  or BLT sandwiches.

Huevos Rancheros

Mexican Ranch Eggs - there are dozens of versions of this dish, but this is the one we like for breakfast any time I have a handful of ground beef on hand. As often as not, we skip the tortilla base.  This recipe serves 6 people but is easy to make just a portion or two.

If using tortillas as a base, heat oven to 400 and lightly spray a baking sheet. Lay 6 flour tortillas on the sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. Or, just heat your skillet and put them in  briefly, one at a time, to warm a bit, then cover the stack of them with foil to stay warm.

Cook beef in a skillet over medium heat, adding 3 Tb taco seasoning and  some salt and pepper as it browns. Add 2 bell peppers, red and green, cut in strips, and stir fry til crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. I sometimes add half an onion, sliced. Drain on paper toweling, cover to keep warm.

Either poach or cook eggs 'over easy', one or two per person. Assemble the stack: on a tortilla:  place the beef & peppers,then an egg. Sprinkle with a TB or two of shredded cheddar cheese, and spoon on a bit of taco sauce or salsa.     ole' !

Artichoke-Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

We really liked this fast, easy and flavorful dish that we found in Men's Health Magazine - and it only uses 5 ingredients. Buy a 2- lb tenderloin...... note to novices, this is not a regular pork loin or loin 'roast'...it's the skinny piece sold pre-packaged at your market, usually 2 lbs or smaller. You can ask the butcher to butterfly it, but tenderloins being small, it's easy to do it yourself. Just slice it lengthwise, cutting not quite all the way through, so you can open it flat, like a book.....or a butterfly!

Stir together 1 c. ricotta cheese, 1/2 tsp dried basil, 2 c. chopped fresh baby spinach leaves, and a 5 oz. jar of artichokes, drained and diced. I use oil-packed, but water-packed would work too.

Spread this mixture on the inside of the loin, close it and tie with  cotton string in at least 5 places. Brush the loin lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 25-35 minutes. It's ready when the thermometer reaches about 150-155 (it will continue to cook up to 160 after you remove it from the oven).

We eat a lot of fresh asparagus and it's a perfect accompaniement for the pork.  A 400 degree oven is  perfect....just toss a bunch of fresh asparagus, woody ends broken off, with salt, pepper, and a little olive oil and place on a flat cookie sheet until lightly brown, about 10 minutes depending on it's size...don't let it get limp ro shrivel-y.    Wonderful  tossed with a bit of with sea salt!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Growing your own veggies -- and the inevitable late-summer abundance -- provides the perfect excuse to prepare all sorts of things that can only be labeled 'good for you' if you are trying to slide a few veggies into kids....the rest of us can try to feel virtuous about not wasting the garden bounty in dishes such as this dense, chocolate-y moist cake that's almost brownie-chewy......and stays moist for days.

Stir together the dry ingredients: 3 c. flour, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. salt, 3 c. sugar. In a large bowl stir together the wet ingredients: 3 oz. unsweetened, melted chocolate, 4 eggs, 1 1/2 c. veg oil, 3 c. shredded zucchini, unpeeled. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and add 1 c. chopped nuts. Spread into a lightly sprayed 9x13 pan, and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 65-75 minutes. Cool and frost with your favorite chocolate icing. It's also great with a  cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Full Disclosure:  After I took a piece to a neighbor  she called to say she has abandoned Mississippi Mud cake as her all-time favorite   in favor of this one. She asked for the recipe and when I gave it to her she asked for the frosting recipe too. I had to say I wasn't sure which can I'd used --- Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker.

Now go eat your veggies!

Buttery Whitefish Baked In a Bag

Here's a buttery, lemony baked white fish recipe that only takes a few minutes and tastes great. Use any white fish you have - haddock, orange roughy, whatever. If you have some small brown paper lunch bags on hand, perfect--if not, cut up a large brown paper grocery bag.

Preheat the oven to 350. For each person, use 2 fillets, of about equal size/thickness. Cut the bag so it's one flat piece, lay it on a baking sheet with an edge, and brush the bag with just enough vegetable oil to coat. If you've thawed the fish, drain it first on paper toweling so its not waterlogged and wet. Lay one fillet on the paper, and sprinkle with 1/2 to 1 tsp lemon juice, depending on fillet size. Sprinkle generously with garlic powder and paprika. Top with 2-4 thin slices of cold butter. If limiting fat, you can use Smart Beat or a similar butter-substitute product and smear it on. Lay the next fillet crosswise over it and repeat the steps.

Slice a lemon into 6-8 slices, and cover the fish pile, pinning the lemon slices with toothpicks. Pull the edges of the bag closed, folding them under to make a loose package- it does not need to be airtight. Place package on baking sheet in the oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the fish.

We had this tonight with blueberry cole slaw, and thought it had lots of buttery. lemony flavor.

Uglies- Delightfully Gooey Chocolate / Cream Cheese Treats!

Every  amazing day on the ocean aboard  the Schooner Heritage, just about mid afternoon, around comes someone from the galley with a fabulous sweet treat, baked from scratch, still warm from the galley woodstove.  Some days it's blondies, or cashew cookies, or 7-layer bars.... it changes from week to week and year to year, but  it's tradition to  have Uglies once. 
Despite vowing at lunchtime that we are so stuffed we will never be able to eat again, our willpower is weak when faced with such treats. These Uglies may look like your average black-bottom cupcakes but they are in fact gooey-er and richer and cream-cheesier.  This recipe makes about 18 muffin-sized treats. There should be about equal amounts of both batters in your cupcake papers.   You can skip the papers of course but they are a tad gooey to  eat without them.     Maybe it's because they are not being enjoyed on the ocean in the sunshine off  the Maine coast as we sail,  but they seem only 85% as good when I make them at home. You owe it to yourself to sail on the Heritage anyway, and then you too will get to enjoy them alfresco!   http://www.schoonerheritage.com/  

Combine 1 1/2 c flour, 1 c sugar, 1/4 c cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda. Then add 1 c water, 1/3 c veg oil, 1 TB vinegar and 1 TB vanilla. In a separate bowl mix 8 oz room-temperature cream cheese ( not the tub variety) with 1/ c sugar, 2 eggs, and 12 oz semi-sweet  chocolate chips. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease your cupcake pans or use cupcake papers. Fill about halfway with the chocolate batter, then top with the cream cheese mixture. If you happen to have a little more cream cheese mixture left, just pop it into a cupcake paper by itself.  Bake about 30-35 minutes. Centers may slump and may not seem quite done.   If you make mini's   or use mini chips  in either size, reduce the amount  of chips to 1/2 cup.  There will be plenty.     For a  mocha spin on uglies,  just replace the water with strong coffee.       

 

 

Terrace Portabellas

A tasty appetizer, or a nice ' little warm thing' to serve  for lunch with a salad. Use what you have on hand- feta instead of blue cheese; some cooked spinach; let your imagination and your refrigerator leftovers be your guide.

For 3 or 4 average-size portabella mushroom caps: gently cook the caps in a skillet in butter for just a few m inutes to soften the ( backs ) tops slightly, after scooping most of the gills out and removing the stems. Soften 8 oz cream cheese, add 3-4 TB blue cheese crumbles, and a TB or two of cheddar cheese. Spoon into the caps, and gently press to cover the surface. If you think of it ahead of time, marinate some cherry tomatoes, halved, in some salad dressing: Italian, caesar, whatever. Today I used a bottled red-wine vinaigrette. Drain the tomatoes, place on top of the cheese mixture, and bake in a preheated 450 oven for about 10 minutes, and check to see if it's starting to bubble. I usually get impatient about this time and start the broiler- if you do that, keep an eye on them. When they start to brown just a bit and the centers look hot, add some chopped avocado , and a pinch of shredded cheddar cheese for color, and broil again for 1-2 minutes.

Steak & Asparagus Stir-Fry

This is possibly the richest, most flavorful stir fry ever, with the least labor involved.  About 20 years ago Bon Appetit Magazine's "Too Busy To Cook?"  recipe collection featured  this treat.

Stir- frys are by definition quick to make -----IF you aren't chopping ingredients forever.  Nice to be able to skip that.This goes together in a flash. Have your rice cooked before you begin. If you are low-carbing, just skip the rice. I love the glossy, flavorful  brown sauce.

In a small dish combine 1/2 c water, 3 TB soy sauce, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 3 TB cornstarch, blend well with a small whisk or fork.   Cut 1 lb of fairly thin ( regular thickness) steak .Top round works great- in 2" slices. Easiest to do if it is partly frozen when you slice it. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 TB vegetable oil til hot. Then, add the steak, stir once or twice, then add in 1 lb asparagus spears cut on the diagonal in 2" pieces. (cut or break off the woody ends of the stems first), 1 drained can of sliced water chestnuts, and 1/2 c. sliced green onions. Stir for about  4-6 minutes, just until steak loses its' pinkness.   Then add the sauce and stir for 3-4 minutes more, until thickened and shiny.  Serve immediately over rice. YUM! It should serve 4 people, but........ maybe not!! It's addictive.

Ruby-Red Grapefruit Chicken

Long ago, former President Gerald R. Ford (or more likely, Betty) submitted this easy cranberry chicken recipe to a magazine as one of his favorite dishes. It's pretty and tasty and easy, especially if you cheat a bit and use canned grapefruit sections as I usually do. Stash the rest of the can of cranberries in a baggie in the freezer til the next time you make this dish.

Peel and section 2 ruby-red grapefruit, squeezing all the juice from the membranes into a small saucepan. ( or, use a can of grapefruit sections and about 1/2 c. juice). Add 1/2 c whole-berry cranberry sauce (not jellied), 2-3 heaping TB honey, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp salt and mix well. Bring to a boil and stir in grapefruit sections.Remove from heat. Adjust the honey if necessary- but it shouldnt be overly sweet. Sugar-free honey saves calories!

Brown a fying chicken in 3 TB butter, then place in shallow baking dish. Top with grapefruit-cranberry sauce. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 45 minutes, basting often.

Cheesy Tomato Grits, with or without Shrimp

A lot of   northerners' only exposure to grits  has been the anemic, plain white  somewhat tasteless
grits  served at southern restaurants for  breakfast   -- and Waffle Houses nationwide. So  the myth  that  grits are  bland and flavorless is understandable.  There's definitely  some educating to do in order  to save those  people  from  going  though life without  experiencing  the treat of delicious grits.

 Butter, cheese, garlic, tomatoes! Added to grits,  they  create  a creamy,  indulgent side dish to be enjoyed any time of year.   Bake and serve it  in a clear glass baking dish for the  pretty red & green colors that show off the  mild chilies and bright tomatoes.     For an unforgettable entree, bake the Spicy Shrimp found on this blog, and serve them on the grits....low-country feasting at its finest.
Preheat oven to 350. Grease or spray a 2-qt baking/serving  dish.   Bring 2 c water and 1 1/4 c. WHOLE milk to boil in a large pan. Add 1 tsp. salt, then slowly stir in 1 c. quick-cooking grits. Return to a boil, stirring constantly for one minute. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in a  cut-up stick of margarine  or butter until it's melted. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes, til thick and creamy. Remove from heat and set aside. Melt 1 Tb butter in a skillet, add 1/3 c. thinly sliced green onion and saute 2 minutes. Stir into the grits, and then stir in 1/4 tsp. garlic powder and 1 1/2c. shredded cheddar cheese. When the cheese melts add one 10-oz can Ro-Tel or similar brand  diced tomatoes with chilies.  Turn into the  baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, topping with 1/2 c more cheese the last 5 minutes.

 A decadent accompaniment to  almost any meat, and not a speck of 'hot' to it... you'd need to add some hot sauce, minced jalapenos or cayenne pepper to get it hot.  ( It really is not meant to be).

inCredible Cantaloupe Pie

There's just something that sounds very wrong about baking melon! In a cookbook I've  used frequently for years I  debated, then passed by   this recipe time after time, even though it was  described  as incredibly  heavenly. Baked melon?

Luckily,  eventually having  too  many melons ripening too quickly led  me to finally  try   it  one summer ---- and then make it several  times over the next week.    Even the crispy crust is saturated with the sweet melon flavor, and the aroma as it bakes will have you impatiently checking on its progress.  I think it tastes best  cold ,  but warm-pie lovers may want to try it still barely warm or at room temperature,  plain or with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you care about appearance, arrange the slices prettily.

 I'm  amazed that the melon retains its shape, flavor, and texture  after baking. Because  melons  vary widely  in juciness  and  ripeness, be prepared to re-name it if needed.  This is not a pie that slices prettily -- the crust is likely to break up when cut... so you may want to announce that you're serving "Cantaloupe Crash."   No one  will care if  it's  in  a bowl rather than a plate, and you won't either.


Preheat oven to 325.   In an unbaked pie shell, sprinkle one small box of INSTANT  vanilla pudding mix and  3  heaping  TB of  instant or quick tapioca.   Failing to use the tapioca will,  I think,  result  in  melon soup!    Slice 1/2 of a medium cantaloupe as you would an apple for pie, or in long  somewhat-thin crescents, and arrange over the pudding mix.   Combine 1/3 c. sugar with 3/4 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over the pie. Thinly slice 1/2 stick  of cold butter or margarine and lay the pats over the melon.

Bake for 60 minutes, and for best slicing results, let cool for at least  60  minutes before cutting and experiencing the wonders of baked melon.  Best when cooled completely,  then chilled.

Easy & Fabulous Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Viewing a cupcake throwdown competition between Terrie, a Califormia cupcake baker / owner of Auntie Em's and Bobby Flay on the Food Network's Throwndown series left me with with a lingering lust for a red velvet cupcake. The rich, shocking-red cake is extra tender with its classic tangy cream cheese frosting. In the early days, Red Velvet cakes often contained beets during the sugar-rationing days of World War II when it was still called Waldorf-Astoria Cake. Red velvet cake  disappeared from existence in the 70's right along with red M&M's, when the health scares about red food dye #2's connection to cancer caused red food items to be yanked from shelves. Fortunately for the world, other red dyes were developed and a decade or two later red foods safely reappeared in full force- and this classic cake is  one of the best uses.

Back to the throwdown - the cupcake lady pretty much just bakes three types of cupcakes- coconut, carrot, and red velvet. They sell for about $5 each and are gigando.  I need to watch again to remind myself about her icing technique- I do recall she used a big food scoop to plop the rich icing on the cupcake - at least as much frosting as the cupcake itself. So don't  skimp on the icing- blob it in the middle of the cupcake and pull down to the edges instead of trying to build the icing high. I used a 1/3 measuring cup to scoop it onto the cupcakes.

This tempting spectacle flitted through my brain now and then for a few weeks until I happened upon  a recipe in Woman's World magazine about ways to surrepticiously slide veggies into kids diets. Lo and behold - a Red Velvet cake recipe using a red velvet cake mix and canned beets! I'd Googled the Cupcake Lady's recipe and knew I wasn't going to make her 12-ingredient cupcakes from scratch.  Here was the answer,a shortcut -- more my level of baking effort.  It's FAB-YOO-LUS! The beets give the cake a wonderful, moist, texture and are unidentifiable as beets.

I did use Auntie Em's ultra-rich cream cheese frosting recipe, and managed to burn up my hand mixer beating it, so you might consider using a stand mixer instead if you make multiple quantities....the recipe quadrupled makes too much to fit into a standard-size food processor, though I may try it in two batches.

So here goes: it's really a quick  recipe now that I am done jabbering about how wonderful it is:

For the cupcakes: In a blender or food processor, puree one can of beets & juice. Add to one box of red velvet cake mix in place of the water. Use the quantity of eggs and oil the box calls for, and mix as directed. Pour into cupcake papers and bake according to directions. I made standard-sized cupcakes, mostly because I dont have cupcake papers for gigantic cupcakes. I filled the cups pretty full- you want these to be tall. Bake as directed, & cool.

For the frosting,  which is a level or six above most cream cheese icing,  cream 2 sticks real butter and 12 oz cream cheese at  room temperature -- maybe your mixer won't croak like mine did when I made a quadruple batch . Beat together til smooth, then slowly add 1 lb powdered sugar and 1 TB vanilla. Frost cupcakes generously. Terrie sifts her sugar; I didn't bother. The Woman's World recipe garnished theirs with silver dragees; Terrie uses a bit of orange zest.......I used a dusting of opal sanding sugar for an iridescent sparkle. But all those are just gilding the lily.....they really don't need a garnish at all .

If you'd like to try the original cupcake recipe you can find it on the Food Network site. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_36737,00.html

And if you care about the nutritional qualities, the beets add sweetness, texture, and a healthy dose of vitamin C and folate..

Summer Tomato Tart Appetizer

Summer tomatoes are essential to the success of this delicious make-ahead  appetizer. The original recipe uses phyllo, with romano sprinkled between the thin layers, but it seems I never have phyllo when I have an abundance of tomatoes, whereas there's often a tube of pizza crust lurking in my fridge door. The tart  travels well, tart is just as good at room temperature  as warm, it's good for tailgating and other times when you don't want to be concerned about short-term refrigeration issues. A perfect side with soups or salads too. ,

Dry ( with paper towels) and slice  about 5 Roma or other small very ripe plum tomatoes about 1/4" thick. The diameter of the tomatoes will determine how many pieces of tart you will have, and the size of the squares...somewhere between 20 and 25, probably.    Preheat the oven to 375. Very lightly spray a 15" cookie sheet with sides, then stretch/pat a roll of refrigerated  thin-style pizza crust into the pan and bake as directed, until it's crisp and golden. Cool, then spread with a thin layer of softened cream cheese.   Plain is fine, or use a flavored version such as artichoke-spinach , or chive.  The last time I made it. used a sundried tomato version  that was good.  Just don't get too heavily into the cream cheese- an 8 oz. tub is  too much and the tomatoes will slide around. 

Sprinkle the cream cheese layer with a small amount - let's say 2 tablespoons - of fresh chopped basil, 1/3 c. romano or parmesan cheese, and 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese. Arrange the tomato slices in rows for easy cutting. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil, 3 Tb more grated  romano cheese.

Bake for about 7 minutes, just until the mozzarella layer has melted and the tomatoes are warm. Don't brown it, cook  or overcook!    Just get it warm to  be sure the mozzarella has softened & will hold the tomatoes in position, so the tomatoes don't slide off when served.  Sprinkle with a tiny bit more basil for color. Cool a bit and cut into squares.

Using freshly grated Pecorino or other fresh Romano or Parm makes a huge difference in flavor. If you must use the  prepared cheese in the round green can, choose the shredded version rather than powdery type.  Now and then I'll add some finely chopped prosciutto or  thin shreds of hard salami between the cream cheese and mozzarella.  A  scant cup,  max. Really.   A little goes a long way.   Using too much, or  using  thicker/bigger  pieces of meat  will  make  clean cuts difficult , messy, and result in unwanted grease...  which will spoil  this yummy dish.    

Eiffel Tower Profiteroles

I see that the Eiffel Tower, which houses several restaurants, has a new one which opened recently....Le Jules Verne Restaurant. Curious, since that's been there forever, I delved deeper and discovered that the new owner kept the name but revamped the decor and menu. The new ceiling has criss-crossed ceiling lighting that mimics the traffic patterns of Paris, and because of course the view is the real decor, the design is minimalist. Not so the cuisine though, with dishes such as pan seared beef tournedos and fresh duck fois gras, souffled potatoes and Perigroux sauce... just what you'd expect  to find. Prices of course aren't street-vendor prices. After all space is at a premium and the famous phrase "location, location, location" speaks for itself. Lunch ranges around $108 and dinner around $216, without wine.
http://www.thisisthelife.com/en/julesverne-paris.htm


The remark above about dimming the lights for a romantic Parisian dinner reminded me that a savvy friend advised us to "do" the Eiffel Tower at night, because the air-quality in Paris is so poor, and it was good advice. What a spectacular sight -- without the fumes of horrible automobile emissions and resulting smog that is so bad during the day, the  night view was magical. I haven't heard if the French have ever jumped on the auto emissions bandwagon to require  catalytic converters on their cars...but whenever I happen to get behind an old clunker spewing smoke and nauseous fumes I am reminded  of how beautiful Paris, without those laws, was so  badly affected.

My first dinner in Paris  required ordering the traditional French dessert, profiteroles.....tiny cream puffs filled with ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. I can't improve on Ina Garten's recipe other than to suggest coffee or espresso ice cream...Use a wooden spoon if you don't have a food processor, our moms did!

Profiteroles

1 cup milk
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
Pinch kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons prepared coffee
Good vanilla ice cream (recommended: Haagen-Dazs), for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat the milk, butter, and salt over medium heat until scalded. When the butter is melted, add the flour all at once and beat it with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a dough. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture
into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the eggs and pulse until the eggs are incorporated into the dough and the mixture is thick.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/2 inches wide and 1-inch high onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should have about 18 puffs. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned, then turn off the oven and allow them to sit for another 10 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Make a small slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape. Set aside to cool.

For the chocolate sauce, place the cream and chocolate chips in a bowl set over simmering water and stir just until the chocolate melts. Add the honey and coffee and stir until smooth. Set aside.

For serving, cut each profiterole in half crosswise, fill with a small scoop of ice cream, replace the top, and drizzle with slightly warm chocolate sauce. Enjoy immensely, and slip one under the table to  your pooch.... if you're in Paris dogs are permitted eveywhere.

Granola Chocolate Chunker Cookies

These quick  cake-mix cookies combine  all the best sensations - they're a bit crisp, a little soft and chewy, they're full of your choice of  dried fruit  like apricots, cranberries, and raisins, and of course there has to be some chocolate to make them this good. I like to use mixed  dried fruit with pineapple, dates, and papaya.

Preheat oven to 350,  lightly spray cookie sheets .

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, combine HALF of one  regular -size box yellow cake mix with 1/4 c packed brown sugar, 1/2 c vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 2 tsp vanilla. Mix 2 minutes til smooth.

Add the rest of the cake mix, 1-1/2 cups granola, 3/4 c chopped dried fruit and 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips. Mix til blended - this makes a really  stiff batter.   Drop onto cookie sheets by heaping Tablespoons   2" apart.  Bake for 9-14 minutes, until just barely set  in the  center when touched. They will continue to bake a bit after they're out of the oven.  Let cool on cookie sheet  for only 1 minute, then carefully  transfer to racks or newspaper to cool. They'll firm up.

Either I bake way too many cookies at once or just don't have enough racks - I still find myself cooling cookies on sheets of newspaper the way my mom always did.

Cheesy Tomato Cauliflower

This quick colorful vegetable recipe is one of my favorite ways to enjoy cauliflower- and there's not much to it. It's even low-carb, what more can you ask of a veggie?

Cook the amount of cauliflower you'll need. Frozen or fresh, whatever's on hand. I usually nuke it. Drain it and throw in some cherry tomatoes or other fresh chunked bite-size pieces of tomato, then lay several slices of good old processed American or Velveeta cheese over that. Cover the pan or bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and presto! - it's ready to eat as soon as the cheese has melted. Just stir, salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy.

South Beach Smoked Salmon-Asparagus Frittata

The first breakfast my  (then future) husband made for me  is  one of our favorite South Beach recipes. The bonus is that it's low carb.  For those who care about stats, a serving has 241 calories, 19 grams protein, 18 gr carbs, 11 gr fat. For everyone else, the " taste count' is way high!

Spray an ovenproof skillet (like cast iron) with Pam and place on medium high heat til hot. Add 1 TB olive oil and saute 1/2 small onion til soft. Add 8 stalks fresh or frozen cooked asparagus, chopped, and 1/4 c. oil-packed sundried tomatoes, 2 oz smoked salmon. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the broiler. Combine 1/3 c. liquid egg substitute with 2 TB dry milk and 1/4 c water, and 1/4 tsp marjoram, a pinch of pepper. Pour over the salmon mixture. Cover and cook at medium-low for about 7 minutes, until the bottom is set and the top is somewhat set but still wet.

Broil 4-6" from the heat until puffed, browned, and set, about 2-3 minutes.

Cut in wedges and serve with sour cream & chives if desired. Makes 2 big - really big- breakfast or supper servings.

Orange Glazed Tropical Fruit Scones

These luscious scones are fruity, sweet, and wonderful! The recipe originated with Fran Neavell of Salem Oregon and won her a spot as a finalist in the 1996 Pillsbury Cookoff - it's easy to see how that happened.

This makes 8  quite large scones- I usually cut each circle into 8 wedges instead of 4, and get 16 out of the recipe.

SCONES
2 c all-purpose flour
2 tbs sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp grated orange peel
1/4 c butter or margarine
1/3 c milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 c tropical medley dried fruits or dried fruit bits
1/2 c white vanilla baking chips

GLAZE
1 c powdered sugar
2 to 3 tbs orange juice

SPREAD
1/3 c apricot-pineapple preserves or apricot preserves

Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange peel; mix well. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk and eggs; blend well. Stir in dried fruit and white vanilla chips until well mixed.

On lightly floured surface, knead dough 6 or 7 times until smooth. Divide dough in half. Pat each half into a 6-inch circle. With floured knife, cut each circle into 4 wedges. Place wedges 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400°F. for 12 to 16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine powdered sugar and enough orange juice for desired drizzling consistency; blend until smooth. Drizzle mixture over top and sides of each scone. I've been known to stir some of the preserves into the icing too...Cool 5 minutes.

If desired, split each scone and spread with 2 teaspoons preserves or serve preserves with scones. They they are wonderfully good without anything extra.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sublime Green Salad For Blue Cheese Lovers

Every now and then a combination of common ingredients just magically meld into a fabulous flavor treat.  This simple green salad is an example, and  using a mellow blue cheese dressing is key to the sublime taste.   The tang of the blue cheese offsets the sweetness  and crunch of the  pear, and the walnuts make the nuttniess of  the shredded  cheese 'pop'.

Use a 'soft' lettuce  or combination of lettuces, such as butter (Boston), spring mix, leaf lettuces, etc.  No crunchy romaine this time, or ( shudder) iceberg, please.  Add thin-sliced   fresh  Bartlett pear, toasted walnuts, shredded Swiss cheese, and serve with  your favorite blue cheese dressing.

Crab & Jack Stuffed Mushrooms in Garlic Butter

This rich, cheesy appetizer is just as easily served as an entree with salad. It's my favorite stuffed mushroom recipe, courtesy of  Mountain Jacks' Steakhouses, and  an automatic menu choice anytime I had the chance to eat  there. I think the entire  chain may be defunct now, but we continue to enjoy what may be  the all-time primo  low-carb appetizer. Other than the teeny bit of flour, it's very low carb and easily converted to low sodium.

Clean and stem 20-25 large mushrooms. If necessary, slice a thin piece of the rounded tops off so they will not roll around when served.

Mince the stems to get ½ c. Melt 1 Tb  butter  & saute the mushroom bits with 1 TB  finely chopped green onion til the liquid evaporates. Add 1 tsp parsley, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Cool.

In small saucepan melt 2 Tb butter, then stir in 2 TB flour to thicken. Cool 5 minutes, then return to heat and slowly mix in 1/2 c. cream and 4 oz crabmeat -- canned is fine. Mixture will have a texture like play-dough.  Cool 10 minutes, then  stir in the cooked mushroom stems.

Roll mushrooms in 8 TB melted butter mixed with 1 heaping tsp minced garlic. Stuff the mushrooms  with the crab and top each with a  small cube of  monterey jack  cheese (push it in gently). You may find it easier  to stuff first, then roll in the garlic butter.     Put in a flat shallow baking dish and bake in a preheated 375 oven 10-12 minutes, til bubbly and golden brown.

These are easy to make ahead. Just keep them covered when in the fridge, then bake as usual and enjoy the  irresistible  garlicky/ buttery aroma wafting thorough your  kitchen.

Kitchen Sink Egg Cups

As often as not, when my husband leaves at 4am for an early flight, he's taken a couple of these out of the freezer, nuked for a minute, and eaten on the run. It doesn't take any longer to make a dozen at a time than to make a couple, and they freeze well. It's a great way to use up scraps of almost any kind of leftovers.

While there really is no recipe and no proportions of anything, here's the basic plan: Mix in a bowl: 12 eggs, then add a couple cups of any veggies you have on hand (onion, peppers, zucchini, broccoli, spinach, green beans, for example); a cup or two of cooked meat (bacon, crab, ham, turkey, deli meats, pepperoni, sausage, crumbled meat loaf, shrimp-- you get the idea) and a handful or two of shredded cheese, any flavor. Add salt and pepper, and pour into well-sprayed muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated 350 oven til centers are set, about 20 minutes for regular size 'muffins' or 30 minutes if using a giant muffin/popover pan. Plan on two per person.

To make just a few, use 2 eggs per person and adjust the other ingredients. Egg beaters works well too. You may find yourself making themed cups, such as pizza ingredients: pepperoni, mushrooms & mozzarella, and serving with a spoonful of warmed pizza sauce on top.

Shown in the photo above: red and green pepper, zucchini, fresh spinach, pepper jack cheese, bacon.

Cranberry-Caramelized Onion Cheese Spread

An unusual and delicious  taste, with the sweet-tartness of  the cranberries offsetting the tang of the blue cheese. Your guests will scoop this up like lightning! Stock up on cranberries in the fall and keep them in  the freezer to  enjoy cranberry dishes year-round.

Combine 8 oz. softened cream cheese with 4 oz. crumbled blue cheese, beat until smooth and creamy.  Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, blend.  Spread onto a shallow  serving plate. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. veg oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced. Stir-fry for 2-4 minutes or until tender.  Reduce heat to medium low, add 1 tsp. sugar and mix well.  Cook another 10-12 minutes, until soft and golden, stirring occasionally.  Remove onion from  pan and set aside.

In the same pan, combine 1 cup fresh or  still-frozen cranberries, 1/4 c. sugar or splenda, 1/4 c. water, and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes or until berries pop and mixture thickens. Stir in onions and 1 TB. balsamic vinegar, then cool slightly.

To serve, let the cheese base come to room temperature, spoon the berry-onion topping almost to the edges, sprinkle with   1/4 c. chopped walnuts. Serve with crackers.

Creme Brulee vs Pots de Creme : Chocolate vs Chocolate

Setting the record straight on little cold chocolate desserts --- the difference between creme brulee and pots de creme -- and easy recipes for both.

A pot de creme is essentially a rich custard made with heavy cream..a more refined version of pudding, often but not always baked. Creme brulee is a rich always-baked custard, topped with a thin, brittle layer of caramelized sugar accomplished by sprinkling with sugar and zapping with a small kitchen torch or running briefly under the broiler, and then chilling again.

Creme Brulee is French for "burnt cream" so no matter what the restaurant may label it, if it doesn't have that wonderfully brittle sugary top to crack with your spoon, it isn't brulee.

Neither takes long to make, after all they are just custards with fancy names, so I'm going to give you three recipes...two 'real' recipes and a knockoff that is superb. It's a five minute Rachael Ray whirlwind version of a pot de creme, but needs to 'ripen' or more accurately, "richen" overnight.

The first is Pot de Creme au Chocolat from The Plantation House restaurant on Maui. :

4 oz. chopped dark chocolate

3/4 C. heavy cream

2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

dash of salt

Method

Heat chocolate in double boiler, whisking until melted. Stir in sugar and heavy cream,

whisking until smooth. Beat a small amount of chocolate mixture into bowl of beaten

egg yolks. Gradually add the egg-chocolate mixture back into double boiler pan. (This

step should keep egg yolks from curdling when mixed into the main chocolate mixture.)

Whisk and cook for several minutes over medium heat. Stir in vanilla and dash of salt.

Strain through small sieve to remove any possible cooked egg "lumps." Pour into

demitasse cups or small ramekins. Chill until firm. Garnish with whipped cream.

Note: a regular saucepan can also be used in place of a double boiler, if care is

taken to make sure chocolate does not burn.

The second is for a deliriously delicious Dark Chocolate Creme Brulee, which I found in 1996 in a Bon Appetit magazine, courtesy of the Enchantment Resort in Sedona AZ: ( shown above left)

Preheat oven to 300. Bring 3 c. whipping cream and 2 c. half-and-half cream to boil in a heavy large saucepan, then reduce heat to low. Add 8 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I have used mini chocolate chips) and whisk continuosly until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk 8 large egg yolks with 1/3 c. sugar in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Pour through wire strainer.

Divide among 8 custard cups, place all the cups in a large baking dish. Add enough hot water to the dish to come halfway up the sides. Carefully put into oven and bake until set, about 30 minutes. Remove from water and chill at least 2 hours.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat the broiler, then sprinkle each custard with 1 TB sugar. Broil until the sugar turns golden, watching closely to avoid burning, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate until set, 1-2 hours or longer.

Version #3 is an unbaked pot de creme called

Chocolate Cups with Whipped Cream    Rachael Ray showed Oprah how to prepare this 5-minute  decadent dessert: Heat 2/3 c. whole milk (that's important!) in a small pan over moderate heat til it comes to a boil. In a blender or food processor, combine 1 egg, 2 TB sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips, and 2 TB liqueur (hazelnut or kahlua) or some dark rum. Process on slow while pouring in the hot milk in a small stream. The milk will melt the chocolate and cook the egg. Process for 1 minute. Spoon into 4 demitasse cups or small custard cups, or 2 teacups. Chill and serve with sweetened whipped cream.

When I made this, I eagerly tasted it immediately, and thought...ho-hum, what's so great about this? Disappointing, since Oprah had practically spiraled through the studio ceiling when tastng it. Later in the day, when it had chilled, it tasted better, and by the next day my own ceiling had a large hole in it.

This is VERY rich, so you really can get 4 servings from it

Armadillo Eggs

A quick breakfast or snack food, also good with beer or as something extra with soup. I usually use turkey sausage, which I almost like better than pork sausage.

Take seeded whole chilies from a 4 oz can. Slit them lengthwise and stuff with 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese or small chunks of cheese. Roll up slightly. Make 1 lb bulk pork sausage into as many patties as you have chilies; wrap around the peppers to totally enclose them. Bake in a preheated 450 oven until browned and cooked, then drain on paper towels.

Flatten or roll out individual biscuits from a refrigerated tube of 10. Place sausage ball at one end then roll up, to cover sausage completely. Bake again at 450 for about 10 minutes, til the biscuits are browned. Serve hot or at room temp.

These are not "hot' at all. If you are into heat,try hot pepper jack cheese and mix a few dashes of Tabasco or Texas Pete Hot Sauce into the sausage, or use hot Italian sausage. There are lots of ways to make it fiery, but that's not my area of expertise.... I like them just as they are.

They're bigger than you might expect, and some of that depends on the canned jalapenos. There's no predicting how many will be in a can or what size they'll be. Today I used Kroger brand and there were just 4 large chilies in the can. I cut them in half- which meant open ends on some....not so easy to stuff shredded cheese into them, so I used chunks of cheese instead. It won't matter, as long as you are careful to completely enclose each in the sausage so it doesn't leak out.

Tartar Sauce

This  recipe came from the Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery, circa the late 60's and despite  tasting approximately 9,212 other tartars sauces  since then, I still think it's  the bomb. There's nothing  worse than  a restaurant  lazily trying to  pass off  mayo with a little relish stirred into it as tartar sauce when  a few more ingredients make such a difference.   Whether you use sweet or dill relish probably has to do with  your  culinary geography...I  like dill.
Combine 1 tsp each of prepared mustard, crumbled dried chervil, dried tarragon, and minced parsley with 1 cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip, please), 1 TB sweet or dill pickle relish, 1 tsp chopped onions or chives, and a dash of garlic powder.

Chill. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

Salami Strata

A simple and unusual --and really delicious - appetizer that's  good  at room temperature  or  zapped  just slightly to barely warm it.  Great  when you don't want to be concerned about keeping something refrigerated .  With 4 ingredients, it couldn't go together much faster, but it does need to chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Make or  unroll one   unbaked pie crust  in a 9 x 13 baking pan.  Make layers, lasagna-like, of 1 lb. hard  or Genoa salami, thinly sliced, and 1 lb. thinly sliced colby cheese.  Top with another pie crust.   Beat 12 eggs and pour over the  top crust.  If you need to, press gently with  use the back of a spoon to be sure the crust is covered with the egg.   Bake for 45 minutes. Chill overnight.  Cut into 1" or 2" squares after it  has been out of the fridge fo a while.  Cutting when  cold usually makes the crust break a bit so wait til  it warms for nice clean cuts.  It's better  when warmer  anyway.

Gardeners 'Zagna (Zucchini Almost-Lasagna)

I'll be the first to admit 'zagna' is  a dumb name, but I don't know what else to call this luscious, cheesy veg  dish. It  was published in a Columbus Dispatch recipe contest about 20 years ago  as  Gardener's Pizza, but the only thing pizza-ish about it is the little bit of sauce and the wedge shape it's cut in.  The zucchini-cheese 'crust' isn't really crusty.  It's another layer of cheesy goodness.  Much more like lasagna than pizza.    I had the recipe glued into a notebook for  a couple decades before  finally trying it this summer  in a frenzied week of zucchini-overflow- induced cooking & baking.
 Oh my, the wasted years!

Not only is it rich and delicious, but since it's totally veggies and low-fat cheese it's good for you.    Oh, that's it! Because of the health benefits, I've made it almost once a week all summer long.  'Lasagna'  without noodles? Low carb - heaven, intentional or not. 

If you insist on  meat in your entree,  add some browned & drained ground beef or Italian sausage.  That's  good but  it's hard to improve on the original meatless veggie perfection. Serves 4-6 as a side dish and 3-4 as an entree.

(At least) 45 minutes before baking, place 3 c. shredded zucchini on a clean kitchen towel, sprinkle with 2 t salt, and let weep for 45 minutes, rolling up and squeezing liquids out a few times. It's tempting to skip this step when rushed, but don't.  Watery 'zagna....uh,  not so  appetizing.      Then mix the zucchini  with 3 beaten eggs and 1 1/2 c. mozzarella and place in a slightly-sprayed  9" deep-dish pie plate. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove  from the oven and use a paper towel to  blot any excess moisture that may be on top. Spread with 3/4 c. pizza or spaghetti sauce. Top with 1 green pepper, chopped, 1 or 2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms, and a can of drained ripe olives, green olives or banana peppers..or a mixture of all three, to your taste. Top with 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, then 1 c. mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with 1 tsp dried oregano, then drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil over the top. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes, and (important) allow it to rest  & firm up for 15 minutes before slicing.

Reheats  nicely.   Try a slice for breakfast, nuked for a minute or two, with a fried or poached egg on top.

Swiss Broccoli Tomato Stacks

I once made 300 of these for a wedding dinner and even 300 take no time at all!

Cut 3 large tomatoes in thick slices. Pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside 2 TB shredded Swiss cheese from a 4-oz package. Mix the rest of the cheese with a 10-oz box of frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and well drained, and 1/4 c. chopped onion.

Place the tomato slices on a baking sheet, top with the broccoli mixture and with the reserved cheese on top. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or easier yet, broil 8" from heat  for 10-12 minutes until the cheese bubbles and the tomato slices are hot.

Stuffed Jalapenos

Stuffed with cream cheese and topped with bacon , stuffed jalapenos are sure to please everyone, because unless you add some hot sauce, these jalapenos are not hot at all, just tasty, fast and  popular.

Granted, you never know  what you're getting when you buy fresh jalapenos----there could concievably be a hot one  in a batch, but you're  going to scrape out the seeds and the white inside membranes  and that's where 90% of the heat resides.  If you like things hot or fiery hot, have at it!  Leave some seeds and/or stir some hot sauce into the  slightly softened cream cheese.

Cut the jalapenos lengthwise, scrape them, fill  with cream cheese.  Buy a little pouch of real bacon crumbles (probably near the salad dressings, with  the salad toppers  or in the meat section) and place them in a small shallow dish...... turn the stuffed peppers upside down in the bacon crumbles, just pressing slightly so the bacon sticks.  .  Put the jalapenos , right side up, on a baking sheet in a preheated 375 oven for about 30 minutes, until  they're heated through and the peppers are softened.

Serve warm or at room temperature.   I've always intended to use the  leftovers in an omelet, but since there are never any,  we may never know how a stuffed jalapeno omelet tastes.