BACON & TOMATO DIP

10 slices bacon, cooked crisp
3 lg. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped pretty fine
1 c. mayonaise - purchased or homemade
1 T. dijon mustard
1/4c. minced green onions, both white and green parts
1/4c. minced fresh parsley
1/8c. minced fresh basil
dash of hot pepper sauce

Combine all ingredients and mix well. You can use a food processor but make sure you don't over blend it. You want it to stay a little chunky. Taste and add salt/pepper as needed.

Fresh Fruit Crisp - serves 6 (adapted from the Fanny Farmer cookbook)

4cups fresh ripe frui
1 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg - beaten
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 375
Place fruit in 8' square or small rectangle baking dish.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder & cinnamon in bowl.
Add beaten egg and mix with fork until the mixture is in small clumps
spread this evenly over the fruit mixture
evenly pour the melted butter over the top
Bake for abot 25-30 minutes, until the top is light brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

NOTE: you can also add chopped walnuts or pecan, or sliced almonds to the topping for a nice crunch

French Potato Salad

2# red potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 lg. red onion, chopped
1/2c. chopped green onions
1/4cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt

1. cook potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and cool slightly
2. mix in the onions and parsley
3. In separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingedients, pour this over the potatoes and adjust seasoning.

Grilled Three Potato Salad - adapted from Bon Appetit July 2003 Jack McDavid

1# red skinned sweet potatoes (yams), scrubbed and unpeeled
1# small yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled
1# small purple/red potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled

1/2 c. mayonaise
1/4c. fresh lemon juice
2 Tb. dijon mustard
2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 Tbl. fresh chopped parsley

Prepare grill (charcol gives the best flavor) to medium heat
Arrange each type of potato in a foil packet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Seal packets well
Cook on grill until tender, about 30 minutes
When done, open packets and allow potatoes to cool

Whisk mayonaise, lemon juice, mustard and celery seed in large bowl. Add all potatoes and green onions. Season with salt pepper and parsley

Cajun Pistolettes - (from the website www.recipegoldmine.com

1/2 cup butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1/4 c. green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
2 tbl. green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
3/4 c. evaporated milk
1/2 pound velveeta cheese, cubed
2 pounds cooked crawfish meat, shrimp and/or crabmeat
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
20 'pistolettes (football shaped brown and serve rolls)
vegetable oil for frying

Saute onions, bell peppers, celery, green onions and garlic in butter over medium heat until translucent.

Add evaporated milk, Velveeta, seafood and seasoning. Cook on low until just heated through. Cover and keep warm.

Fill a drying pan with vegetable oil about halfway. Heat oil. Fry pistolettes until they are browned, turning if necessary.

While still hot, holding fried pistolette in a potholder, make a slit in one end. Stick a spoon inside and twirl it ariound to make some room inside the roll. Using a spoon, sutff with seafood mixture. Eat immediately.

Lora's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Raisin Walnut Cookies - makes about 3 dozen

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda

2-3 cups choc. chips
1/2 raisins
1/2 cup walnut pieces

1. beat together the butter, shortening until creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat well. Add the eggs and beat well. Scrape bowl. Add Vanilla

2. in separate bowl mix together the flour, soda and oatmeal. Add this to the creamed mixture

3. add the chips, raisins and walnut

4. Drop on greased or parchement lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle top with Cinnamon sugar and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes

COURT BOUILLON- for poaching seafood

3/4 c. dry white wine
5 cups water
1 onion chopped
1 carrot choped
1 celery rib chopped
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp coriander seeds
pinch ground cloves

In a heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to boil. Simmer about 10 - 20 minutes. This can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, and can be frozen.

OTHER INGREDIENTS YOU CAN ADD: lemon slices, fresh dill, parsley, fresh garlic cloves, you can use lemon juice or vinegar in place of wine.

IRISH SODA BREAD- from Gourmet March 2002

4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tbl. sugar
1 1/2 tbl caraway seeds
1 cup raisins
1 3/4 cups well shaken buttermilk
2 tbl melted butter

Preheat oven to 375. Butter and flour a large baking sheet, knocking off excess flour.

Sift together the flour, soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, caraway, and raisins. Add buttermilk and stir just until dough is evenly moistened but still lumpy

Transfer dough to a well floured surface and gently knea with floured hands about 8 times to form a soft but slightly less sticky dough. Halve the dough and form into 2 balls. Pat out each ball into a domed 6 inch round on the baking sheet. Cut a 1/2 inch deep X on top of each loaf with a sharp knife, then brush the loaves with the melted butter.

Bake in middle of oven until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped, about 35-40 minutes.

Bread Pudding with Southern Bourbon Sauce

Makes 6-8 servings

3-4 cups stale french bread
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream (or use 2 cups milk)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tbl vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 350
In a greased 6 cup dish or pan, place the cut up bread
Mix the eggs with the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. You can do this by hand or with a mixer.
Add the milk/cream and butter and mix well.
If you use the raisins, I usually put them in a little water or bourbon and heat them to plump them up a bit.
Add the raisins to the bread, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Let this sit about 20 minutes...depending on how stale the bread is. Press down with a spoon to get the top pieces soaked
Cover the top with foil.
NOW...it's best to cook this in a water bath. This helps it cook gently, and makes for a better pudding texture. So you need a 9x13 pan. Line it with paper towels and set the bread putting on top of the paper towels. Now pour hot water in the large pan and fill it 1/2-3/4 of the way up the side of the bread pudding.Carefully place it in the oven and bake for about 30minutes. Ttake the cover off and bake another 10-20 minutes until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

While this is cooking, you can make the.....

Southern Bourbon Sauce
2 egg yolks
1 stick butter (and use butter not margarine)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup bourbon whiskey (Makers Mark is great)

With a mixer, beat the egg yolks until thick and pale.
In a saucepan melt the butter and sugar.
Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the egg yolks, in a thin slow stream, beating constantly with the mixer, until well thickened.
Stir in the bourbon by hand

I pour the sauce over the bread pudding, and then place it underneath the broiler to carmalize the top. It's great served with vanilla ice cream too!

FROM LONG AGO RADIO SHOWS...................

6/8/01 BAKED BEANS

Linda's Baked Bean Casserole

1# bacon
1 onion - chopped
1 can butter beans, drained
1 can red beans drained
1 can pork & beans (not drained)
1/2 c. brown sugar

Fry bacon till crisp. Pour out most of the fat, and add the onion to the skillet and saute about 5 minutes. Add the beans and the brown sugar and cook till hot and bubbly.

Hawaiin Style Baked Beans - serves 5-6

2 lb. cans pork & beans
1/4 cup cooked ham, diced
2 tbs. onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained (reserve juice)
1/4 cup brown sugar

Grease 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Put one can of tbeans in dish. Combine all of ingredients in bowl then spoon over beans. Put remaining can of beans on top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

5/18/01 Baked Eggs by Cosette - serves 6-8

10 eggs, beaten
1/2c. melted butter
1/2c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 pint small curd cottage cheese
1/2c. cooked, crumbled bacon
3 green onions, finely chopped

In a large bowl combine the eggs, butter, flour, salt and pepper, stirring until well blended.
Add the cottage cheese. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Pour into a 9x13 inch nonstick pan.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 35-45 minutes until the eggs are firm and cooked though.
Cut into individual pieces and serve immediately.

5/11/01 Greek Guacamole- makes about six-1/3c. portions

2 (about 1#) California Avocados
1 Tb. Lemon juice
1/4c. quartered cherry tomatoes
1/3c. unpeeled, seeded, finely diced hot house cucumbers
1/4c. finely chopped red onion
1/4c. pitted, chopped kalamata olives
1/4c. finely crumbled feta cheese
1 tsp. fresh marjoram or oregano

Coarsely mash avocados by hand, stir in lemon juice. Fold in remaining ingredients.
Serve with toasted triangles of pita bread.

Spanish Guacamole- makes about six - 1/3c. portions

2 (about 1#) California Avocados
1/2c. coarsley chopped green olive
1/4c. coarsely chopped, toasted, slivered almonds
2 lg. garlic cloves, chopped fine
2 Tbl. medium dry sherry
1 Tbl. finely choped parsley
salt to taste

Coarsely mash avocados by hand. Fold in remaining ingredients. Serve with pork rinds.

Italian Guacamole - makes six 1/3c. portions

2 (about 1#) California avocados
1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbl. shredded basil
3 Tbl.. grated Parmesan
2 Tbl. chopped sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
2 Tbl. toasted pine nuts
1/2 tsp. salt

Coarsely mash avocados by hand. stir in vinegar. Fold in remaining ingredients.
Serve with bread sticks, parmesan straws, and/or batonnets (sticks) of salami or cured ham.

3/30/01 Cheddar Cheese Soup

4 Tbl. Unsalted Butter
1 medium onion, diced
1/2cup diced carrots
1/2cup diced celery
2 Tbl. flour
3 cups chicken stock
6oz. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. dry mustard
2/3cup heavy cream
Worchestershire sauce to taste

1. Melt butter in a large pot, add onions, celery and carrots and saute until tender but not browned.
2. Add the flour, and cook stirring constantly about 3 minutes
3. Stir in the chicken broth and cook until smooth and slightly thickened, about 30 min.
4. Puree in a food processor or blender, and return to pot
5. Add cheese, mustrd and heavy cream. Cook on low, stirring often, until cheese is melted and smooth
6. Add Worchestershire sauce to taste.

Garnish with shredded cheddar and chopped parsley

3/9/01 Honey Lime Fruit Salad -

4 cups cut up fresh fruit
2 -3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine everything but the fruit in a small saucepan and heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Cool slightly and pour over fruit.

2/16/01 Winter Salsa with Chipotle & Orange -
a modified version of the recipe from Gourmet Magazine December 1994

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tbl olive oil
1 navel orange
1 tbl. minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (or to taste)
1 - 28oz can whole Italian plum tomatoes, seeded and drained well
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tbl. cilantro - fresh only
1-2 tbl lime juice

In a skillet sautee the yellow pepper and the onion in the olive oil, just until the vegetables are just tender and beginning to brown.

Grate 1/2 tsp zest from the orange, and reserve. Squeeze the juice from the orange into the skillet. Also add the chipotle peppers and cook 1 minuted

Combine in a bowl the sauteed mixture, along with the tomatoes, green peppers, zest, cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning.

NOTE: I also added a bit of fresh jalapeno to the recipe for more of a kick!

2/2/01 Chocolate Sauce Recipes

Mimi's Favorite Chocolate Glaze - from Mimi Gormezano
2/3 cup heavy cream
5T. unsalted butter
pinch salt
1 1/3 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine with a whisk all the ingredients except the vanilla into a heavy saucepan
2. Place over low heat and stir constantly until the icing is smooth and thick
3. Cool for 5 minutes then add the vanilla.

Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce - from April 2000 Bon Appetit

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in large saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Let stand until slightly cooled and thickened, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Stir over low heat until just warm before serving)

Nutella Chocolate Sauce -

1 cup Nutella- European choc. hazelnut spread
1 -2 tablespoons heavy cream.

Heat both ingredients over low heat, adding more cream as needed until the consistency of heavy cream.

11/17/00 Walnut Butter Cookies -adapted from 1998 November issue of Bon Appetite

2c. all purpost flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 lg. Egg
3/4 c. walnuts, toasted & chopped

1) sift flour and salt into medium bowl Ðset aside
2) cream butter and sugar until light, add egg and beat well, scrape bowl
3) add flour mixture and beat until well blended. Stir in walnuts .
4) Turn out dough on floured surface and divide into 2. Roll each half into 8inch long logs, wrap with waxed paper and freeze until firm, or refrigerate
5) Preheat oven to 350, cut 1/3inch thick slices and set on ungreased pans. Bake until cookies are light golden around edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack, then place in bowl of powdered sugar and coat each side.
6) Store in airtight containers.

Dough can be refrigerated for 2 day, or frozen in airtight bags for 1 month

11/10/00 Maple Cranberry Sauce - from Silver Palate New Basics cookbook

12oz. package cranberries - well rinsed
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup raspberry-cranberry juice
grated zest of one orange
1 cup walnut halves

1) Combine the cranberries, maple syrup, juice, and orange zest in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries pop open, about 10 minutes

2) Carefully skim off any foam that has formed on the surface of the cranberry mixture, and stir in the walnuts. Allow the sauce to cool; then cover and refrigerate.

This sauce will keep for 3-4 days. Serves 10-12

11/3/00 Pumpkin Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla exract
1 cup pecan halves
1 9inch single crust pie

1. Stir together one egg, pumpkin, 1/3 cup sugar and spice.
Spread over the bottom ot the pie shell

2. Combine 2 eggs, corn syrup, 1/2 cup sugar, butter and vanilla.
Stir in pecans. Spoon over the pumpkin pie mixture.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes until filling is set.

Great served with whipped cream or Cinnamon Ice cream!

10/13/00 TURNIPS GLAZED WITH APPLE CIDER

From the cookbook "Judy Gorman's Vegetable Cookbook"

1 1/2 pounds turnips, cut into julieene strips
1 cup apple cider
3 tbl. butter
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
Salt & fresh ground black pepper

1. Combine the turnips and cider in a wide saucepan. Pour in enough water to cover the turnips by 1 inch. Bring to a gentle bubble and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the turnips are crisp-tender
2. Add the butter, sugar, and allspice. Increase the heat and cook, stirring, until almost all the liquid is evaporated and the turnips are coated with a shiny glaze. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving dish. Serves 4

PUMPKIN AND MACADAMIA SOUP

1 tablespoon macadamia or olive oil
1/2 cup roughly chopped macadamias
1 small white onion
1 teaspoon grated ginger
3 cups diced pumpkin
1 apple, chopped 3 cups chicken stock
Natural yoghurt for serving
Whole or halved macadamias, roasted for garnish

Heat oil in a heavy based pan, add the macadamias, onion and ginger and saute for 2 - 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the pumpkin and apple and cook 2 - 3 minutes then pour over the stock. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is soft. Transfer mixture to a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Serve in large bowls with a swirl of yoghurt and a few roasted macadamias tossed over for garnish. Serves 4 - 6.