Baked Eggs

With winter fast approaching, baked eggs make for a hearty breakfast or a brunch before shoveling that wonderful white stuff. Although basically a breakfast or brunch dish, it also can double for a Sunday night supper. It's very filling, and will last you most of the day.




Ingredients:

• 8 Eggs
• 8 Oz Sour Cream
• 2 4 Ounce Cans chopped green chilies
• 1 Cup shredded Monterray or Colby cheese
• 1 1/2 cups diced 1/4" diced ham
• 2 TBS Butter
• 4 Gratin dishes

Instructions:

Butter each gratin dish. Layer the bottoms with diced ham, then chilis, 2-3 dollops of sour cream, and some shredded Jack. Crack 2-eggs for each dish, and pour over sour cream. Continue building layers until everything is used, then spread the remaining shredded Jack cheese on top. Cover each gratin dish with foil, and bake at 350F. for approximately 15-minutes. Remove foil, and bake for another 10 minutes at 350F.

These can be assembled a day ahead of time and refrigerated. If they are assembled a day ahead of time and refrigerated, the eggs may take a little longer to fully cook.

Antipasto ©

Many of the meals here call for a salad or an antipasto either before or with the entree. Here is a simple and quickly made antipasto.






1 Green Pepper thin sliced
1 medium Tomato 1/2" diced
1 Onion halved and thin sliced
8 Oz. Fresh Sliced Mushrooms
1/2 cup halved pitted black olives
Hard (Genoa) Salami 1/2" diced
Provolone Cheese 1/2" diced
Parmesan and/or Romano cheese freshly grated
Artichoke Hearts
Lettuce


Dressing

¾ Cup Olive oil
¼ Cup Wine Vinegar or dry Marsala wine
3 Crushed Garlic Buds
1/4 tsp oregano
Fresh Ground Pepper

Toss salad ingredients, and pour dressing on the veggies immediately before serving. Mix well and serve with REAL garlic bread (Posted here) or croutons. Garnish with a sprig of oregano or thyme.

You can add cherry or grape tomatoes, tortellini - anything really. An antipasto is just to whet the appetite.

Suggestion:

If using grape or cherry tomatoes, pierce them first metal skewer, and let them soak in the dressing for an hour or so before serving.

Amish Scrapple

This version of scrapple does NOT use hog's head, jowels, liver, offal or any other pork by-products.





2 pounds pork shoulder (or pork butt)
1 whole fresh pork hock
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup white cornmeal
1 teaspoon cayenne
1-2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp savory
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 large shredded apple-skin and core removed

Cut up pork shoulder (butt) into 2 inch chunks. Place the pork chunks, pork hock, sage and cayenne in a stock pot and cover with water. Simmer for about 2 to 3 hours or until meat falls apart. Drain and reserve stock. Pull meat from bone and chop all the meat with a knife or food processor, being careful not to grind it too fine. Set aside.

Measure 5 cups of stock and return to pot. Bring it to a simmer; add meat, cornmeal, salt and peppers, and stir constantly until thick and smooth, about 15 to 30 minutes.When thick, stir in shredded apple. Pour mixture into 2 loaf pans and refrigerate until completely chilled and set into a firm block. Un-mold scrapple. Slice and fry until golden brown and crisp on both sides.

Goes great with eggs, sausage, hash browns, home fries, and a toasted Kaiser roll with your favorite jam or jelly. Apple jelly is particularly good here. Once removed from the loaf pan, it can be frozen in a large freezer bag until you are ready to use it. Makes 12 servings

New England Clam Chowder ©

One summer very long ago, we went to Maine for a weeks vacation at Old Orchard Beach, and stayed at the summer home of friends. The ocean body surfing was great, the water was freeeeeeeeeeezing, but the jazz at the local clubs was hot - not what one would expect in the 50's and 60's in a Maine summer resort town. We even got to sit in with the groups; I was a musician by trade.

It was during that trip, that I finally realized that a clam was not just simply a clam or something to be used for bait, but a delicacy to be savored. As a teenager in the 50's, a bunch of us kids would go clamming every weekend near Ocean Beach, a Connecticut coastal city where we lived. Normally, we'd bring back 1 to 1 1/2 bushels of clams. The next day we'd break them open and use them for flounder or fluke fishing bait. Little did we know.

The friends we went to Maine with were originally FROM Maine. The second day we were there, we went to the docks and bought four 2-pound lobsters and a bushel of clams. We spent several hours shucking them, and finally had nearly a gallon. Then came the chopping and cooking. When they were cooked and cooled, the following recipe was the appetizer that was to preceed the lobster. We never did get to cooking the lobster that night, because our hosts made 5-gallons of chowder. It was addicting.


• 1 - 3 Cups/Cans of Cooked Chopped Clams
• 1 Onion Diced
• 3-4 Medium Potatoes, peeled and diced to 3/4 inch cube
• 3-6 Strips of thick bacon
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS bacon fat (can also use fatback salt pork diced and browned in lieu of bacon)
• 4 TBS Flour
• 2 Cans of evaporated milk or the equivalent of heavy cream
• 1 8-Oz. bottle of clam juice
• Additional milk (Optional)
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 Tsp Chopped Parsley

Drain clams and reserve the juice. Fry the bacon in a pan. When done, remove bacon strips, place on a paper towel and let cool, then crumble the strips and set aside. Saute onions until they are near translucent. In the meantime, make a roux consisting of the 2-TBS of bacon fat, 2 TBS butter, and 4-TBS flour. You want a nice white roux, so strain the bacon fat before making the roux. Add butter to bacon fat and heat to melt the butter until hot, but NOT smoking - just hot enough so that when you add the flour, the flour will bubble.

Remove from heat then whisk in the flour for the roux until well blended. Add evaporated milk, sauteed onion, bacon bits, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, and then add diced potatoes. If it is too thick for you, add 1/2 cup of milk at a time until it is of the consistency you like. But remember, the potatoes will add liquid when cooking. When the potatoes are tender, add the chopped parsley and the clams. Bring back to a simmer, and simmer for another 5-minutes. Sprinkle fresh ground pepper, chopped parsley, and additional bacon bits on the chowder before serving. Serve with REAL garlic bread.

This is a wonderfully thick chowder that can be served in a regular or sourdough bread bowl.

This chowder is a great pre-cursor to any seafood meal.

Smoked Southwest Chicken Marinade ©

This marinade is not overpowering and provides a nice Southwest flavor.

Tequila Marinade

1/3 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Lime or Lemon juice
1-2 Diced jalapeno or habanero peppers
1/4 Cup tequilla
2-3 TBS chopped cilantro
4 Cloves chopped garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS cumin
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Place chicken in a sealable bag and add marinade. Seal, shake around a few times during the refrigeration period of 2-4 hours. Prepare the charcoal, and pre-soaked mesquite chips. Place chicken pieces on grill half way up the BBQ'er. Then thoroughly cook, slice in strips and arrange attractively on a plate with a cilantro garnish. Serve with lots of salsa and chips, fried green tomatoes, or jalapeno corn bread.

Beef and Chicken Manicotti ©

This Manicotti recipe is for a large gathering. It's an all day project and lots of work, but I guarantee, it will satisfy the hungriest of souls. It has two different shell stuffings - chicken and beef - and two different sauces - a red sauce and a white sauce.

Ingredients:

28 manicotti shells ( 2 boxes) We prefer Barilla Shells

For the red sauce:

3 tablespoons quality olive oil
1 medium onion -- finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper -- finely chopped
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 quart canned whole tomatoes with juice
3 teaspoons Spice Island Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning (recipe posted here somewhere)
2 teaspoons Spice Island Italian Herb
1/2 cup Sweet Marsala wine
6 - 10 fresh basil leaves -- torn or 2 TBS dried leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Beef Filling

1 2-3 lb. beef chuck roast or eye of the round
2 tablespoons cracked fennel seeds
1 teaspoon anise seed
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon coarse ground pepper
2 cloves garlic -- crushed
1 container ricotta cheese (8 oz.)
1 cup water
1 cup red sauce

Chicken Filling

3 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces sliced almonds
1 can sliced mushrooms (2-1/2 oz.) -- drained
8 drops Angostura Bitters
1/2 cup shredded prosciutto
1 container ricotta cheese (8 oz.)

Bechamel (White) Sauce

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Select the number of manicotti shells for the number of persons to be served ( 2-each of the beef and 2-each of the chicken). The recipe makes enough to stuff at least 28 shells, so cut the recipes in half for 14 shells.

Instructions:

Red Sauce

Sauté garlic, onion, pepper in the olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until thick (2-3 hours.) Let cool, then puree in a blender. BE SURE IT HAS COOLED FIRST!!!!


Beef Filling

Place beef roast in cold water with the spices and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium heat. (Crock pot works well here, but takes longer) Turn heat down, and simmer for 2 – 3 hours or until meat flakes easily. Let cool and remove all fat.

Break into 1-inch chunks, and put in food processor and chop. Add another teaspoon of fennel seed, and ½ tsp of anise seed to beef in food processor. Chop finely. Save in bowl and refrigerate until ready to stuff shells.

Chicken Filling

Place chicken in just enough cold water to cover it, and add the 1 ½ Tsp Nutmeg and the salt. Bring to boil over medium heat. Turn heat down, and simmer until done (30-minutes). DO NOT over cook.

Cool chicken, then break into 1-inch pieces and place in food processor with 1 Tsp nutmeg, almonds and mushrooms. Chop to a course mixture. Place in bowl and refrigerate until ready to fill shells.

White Sauce

Melt butter over medium heat. When butter is melted, remove from heat and whisk in flour until well blended, then pour in the milk and cream all at once. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly. When thick enough to heavily coat whisk, remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg.


Assembly

Chicken - Blend in one container of Ricotta cheese and shredded Prosciutto with the chicken mixture. Stuff tubes, keeping them on separate plates.

Beef - Blend in one container of Ricotta cheese with the beef mixture and 1 cup red sauce. Stuff shells, and keep separate on another plate.


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking dish or pan large enough to hold 14-16 stuffed tubes.

Arrange tubes, chicken-filled in one row, beef filled in a second row.

Pour white sauce over chicken-filled tubes, and red sauce over beef-filled tubes – alternating so that you have a red and white filled baking dish. Drizzle stripes of white sauce over the red; drizzle stripes of red sauce over the white. Bake for approximately 30-minutes.

Leftovers freeze well, but the shells may get a little 'leathery', so before reheating them, spritz with water and cover them with waxed paper so they steam throuogh well and tenderize.

Pepperoni Lasagna ©

I think everyone in the world has their own lasagna recipe; this particular recipe has at least one ingredient that is not presently available - so far as I know right now. BUT, you can make your own - the recipe is at the end. Spice Islands had a Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning(1) that makes good sauce better; a great sauce, incomparable! They stopped making it a few years back. They got so many requests for it, that the company started making it again for a while; then once again, stopped production. I bought a case of the jars when I was emailed that it once again would go out of production. The Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning, combined with Spice Islands Italian Herb (still in production) is a match beyond your wildest tastes. This a VERY large recipe for a 12” x 18” x 3” pan. It will feed at least 10 people - and maybe more. It freezes well if you have leftovers. The recipe can be cut in half for a smaller portion.

Ingredients:

4 TBS quality olive oil
4 Large garlic cloves
2 medium onions ¼ inch diced
2 green peppers ¼ inch diced
1 Lb whole mushrooms, sliced
2 Quarts whole, canned tomatoes
2 6-Oz cans of tomato paste
½ Cup sweet Marsala wine
2 TBS Spice Islands Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning
2 TBS Spice Island Italian Herbs
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 package of pre-sliced pepperoni(*)
1 Lb. lean ground beef
1 Lb bulk Italian sausage or sausages removed from the casings

2 1-Lb containers of ricotta cheese
1 Lb shredded mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses

2 Packages of Barilla Lasagna noodles
Olive oil - 1 TBS


Instructions:

In a large pot, heat olive oil, then add finely chopped garlic buds. Sautee until golden, then add diced onion, green pepper, ground black pepper, Italian herb, salt, and sugar. Sautee until soft, then add sliced mushrooms. Sautee for 5-minutes.

(*)In a separate pan or small pot, bring 2-cups of water to a boil, and then add the sliced pepperoni. Remove from heat, and let sit for 10-minutes. Drain off water and grease; dry on paper towel. Slice pepperoni rounds in half, then in half again so you end up with quarters. Add to the onion/pepper mix; stir well.

In another large pan, brown the ground beef; drain, add to sauce. Brown sausage; drain, and add to sauce.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and the wine. Stir well breaking up the whole canned tomatoes, bring to a boil then turn heat to very low, and simmer for a few hours stirring every so often until it thickens. Once the sauce is thick, remove from heat and let cool. When cooled, you can pour it into a food processing bowl and pulse a few times to make it a little smoother, OR you can leave the sauce chunky (as we like it.)

Boil the lasagna noodles according to manufactures directions. Drain, rinse, pat dry with paper towels, and cover the noodles so they don’t dry out.

When all is cooked and ready, start building the lasagna.

Instructions:

1. Oil the pan, then spread a thin layer of the sauce.
2. A layer of noodles.
3. Sauce, even dollops of ricotta (heaping tablespoons)
4. A sprinkling of mozzarella
5. Sprinkle parmesan and Romano cheeses

Repeat layers until all the fantastic ingredients are used. The top layer should be sauce, some shredded mozzarella, and a sprinkling of Parmesan and Romano cheeses.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 325F. for approximaely 45-minutes. Remove the foil during the last 5-minutes of baking time.

This dinner/supper should be served with an Antipasto with lettuce, tomato, artichokes, black olives, diced Genoa salami, onion, green pepper, diced Provolone cheese, olive oil, a little vinegar of your choice, and grated Romano cheese as a precursor to the meal, REAL garlic bread (Posted) and a large quantity of a good quality Chianti - either white or red.

If you have the time and the ingredients, make canolli or a cassata (both posted). Have some dry Marsala on hand, or servings of espresso to accompany the dessert.

(1) This is as close as one can get to The Spice Islands Spaghetti Sauce seasoning:

3-1/2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon summer savory
1-1/2 teaspoons rosemary
1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
4-1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground marjoram
2-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 teaspoons ground basil
1 TBS Porcini mushroom powder

If you can't find the powders called for, get the leaf varieties. Put the mix in a coffee bean grinder and run it until you have a fine powder. You may have to do this in separate batches. The final Seasoning powder calls for 1 TBS per batch of sauce. For the ABOVE sauce recipe, use 2 tsp - it's a little more potent than Spice Islands. Store remaining powdered spice in a tight fitting lidded jar, and in the dark. The intensity of the ground leaves is much more flavorful.

LOL - be prepared to gain a few pounds.

Morgh-e tu por-e torsh-o-shirin ©

Yet ANOTHER chicken recipe :-) The title translates into 'Sweet and Sour stuffed chicken'. This Iranian recipe is a wonderful meal served with rice, and will duly impress your guests.








Ingredients:

4 Rock Cornish game hens
2 TBS sesame oil
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 cup pitted and finely chopped prunes
1 apple, cored and chopped
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup crushed pistaccio nuts (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp hawaish

Procedure:

Clean and rinse the hens in cold water, then pat dry and rub with salt.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet and brown onion and garlic. Add prunes, apple, apricots, raisins, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, cinnamon, saffron water, and sugar in a separate bowl. Mix well.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. or prepare your charcoal grill for smoking and grilling. Stuff the hens or chickens with the fruit mixture and truss the cavities shut. Place the stuffed birds in a greased ovenproof dish or roasting pan(*) and pour in the orange juice. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, basting with pan juices, until the meat separates easily from bone.

Serve from the ovenproof dish or arrange the birds on a serving platter. Serve with Saffron Steamed Plain Basmati or Jasmine Rice, bread, salad, fresh fruit, and fresh herbs for garnish.

Rock Cornish game hens are best used for individual servings, and they take less time to cook in the oven.

(*) If you have a rotisserie (a plus, but not necessary) and/or a charcoal smoker/grill, these small hens are absolutely delicious smoked and continuously turned on a rotisserie with a few( 3 or 4) water-soaked apple wood chunks on the charcoals just to provide a delicate hint of smoke. Baste with the orange juice.

Banana-Blueberry-Lemon Bread ©

This is a quick and easy treat for a Sunday morning brunch, or simply a mid-morning snack with a cup of steaming hot coffee or tea.




Ingredients:

1 Cup Sugar
1 Stick butter softened
2 VERY ripe bananas mashed
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1 Cup walnut(*) flour (NOT walnut meal)
1/4 cup mini lemon bits
1/4 cup mini chocolate bits
1 Cup blueberries (frozen or dried are ok pre-soaked)
Cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs, flours, baking soda, mashed bananas. Blend well with a hand mixer with beaters. Pour batter in a buttered/sugared or floured loaf pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon mix over the top of the batter. Bake in pre-heated oven at 325 degree oven for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes, or unitl a toothpick or metal skewer comes out clean and dry.

Walnut Flour(*)

Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet, one pound of shelled walnuts. Be sure there are no shell pieces mixed in. Roast walnuts in a 500-550 degree oven until they have turned a nice dark color, but NOT burned (about 20-minutes)

Let the nuts cool completely, then put small batches in a coffee bean grinder and grind into a fine powder. Once the entire batch has been ground, spread out on a cookie tray and place back in a 350 degree oven until very dry. Watch carefully because they can easily burn at this stage.

What you will get as an end result is a dark loaf of delicious banana bread with a multitude of complimentary tastes.

Chicken Scallopini ©

Dontcha love chicken? It's so easy to prepare, and it's cost effective.








Ingredients:

4 tbs. Butter, divided (unsalted)
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/3 cup water
½ tsp. Chicken bouillon or your own home made chicken base broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup white wine
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions:

Melt 2 tbs. Butter in a large non-stick skillet. Sauté mushrooms until tender and any liquid has evaporated; remove from pan; set aside. Melt remaining 2 tbs. Butter in same skillet. Sauté chicken breasts on both sides until golden brown and cooked through; remove from pan; set aside. (If chicken isn’t done when golden brown place in oven on 400 degrees until remaining recipe is finished)

Add onions to pan; sauté until tender. Add water, wine, and bouillon to pan. Bring to boil. Cook and stir until mixture is reduced by half. Add cream to pan. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Return mushrooms to sauce and let cook together about 2 minutes on low heat.

Serve over a bed of linguini, penne or ziti with chicken on top. Spoon sauce over plate. Serve with REAL garlic bread (posted here) , a nice dry white wine, and a salad.

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolma) ©

Lebanon, Greece, Yemen, and other Eastern countries have their own version of stuffed grapes leaves. This recipe is a combination of several different ones. Stuffed grape leaves are a delicious snack for a party, or watching a ball game especially when served with a cold, lemon dipping sauce.





Ingredients

16 oz Jar grape leaves or fresh-grape leaves
3/4 c Long grain uncooked rice
2 tsp Fresh dried mint
1 c Water
2 lb Ground lamb, beef and pork - even amounts
1/2 tsp Rosemary
1/2 tsp GREEK oregano
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1 TBS cumin
1/2 tsp crushed or powdered dill seeds
4 lg Garlic cloves
2 - 3 large lemons

To prepare fresh grape leaves for rolling, dip one leaf at a time in boiling water for about 30 seconds and cool. Mix ground meat with rice; season with salt, pepper, cinnamon and the other spices. Remove stem from each grape leaf, if using fresh leaves. Spread each leaf on flat surface. Place about 1 teaspoon of meat stuffing across the leaf about 1/2" from stem point. Fold leave forward toward stuffing. Then fold right side over then the left side and roll leaf forward very tightly.

When fully rolled, squeeze it to secure. Repeat for each leaf. Neatly place each stuffed roll in a large pot in layers. Pound the garlic with mint and salt to taste, then add add 1 cup water or more as needed, and lemon juice; pour over grape leaves in the pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook covered, very slowly for 1 hour. Add more water if needed. Steam until grape leaves are soft and are pierced and cut easily with a fork. Do not over cook. The leaves should not fall apart. These can be further processed in a hot water bath. Put stuffed leaves in sterilized quart or pint canning jars, pour an even mixture of water and vinegar to 1/2" from top. Process for a full 15-minutes.

Lemon Dipping Sauce

6 egg yolks
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup chicken or beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Beat together the egg yolks and lemon juice and add these to the stock. Cook over a low flame, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot or cold (yields about one cup). Note: This sauce can also be put to good use in soups, with fish and lamb dishes, and with salads.

Chicken with Orange, Almonds and Pistachio Nuts ©

The middle east is known for pistachio nuts, and are used in a lot of recipes. Here is one you may want to try.





Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Basmati or long-grain rice
2 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 TBS Cooking oil
2 TBS Butter
1/4 Cup slivered Almonds
1/4 Cup Crushed Pistachio nuts
1/2 Cup thin slices of Orange peel
3 TBS Sugar
2 Large onions
1 TBS Hawaish(*)

2 Cups Sugar
Saffron, 1/2 teaspoon
Salt
Fresh ground Black pepper


Instructions:

Soak rice in warm water for 2-hours. Rinse and dry chicken. Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden. Add chicken pieces sprinkled with HAWAISH and fry until color changes. Add a cup of hot water, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add more hot water during cooking if necessary. About 1/2 cup of water should be remaining at the end.

Save three spoons of sugar for later use. Add remaining sugar to a cup of hot water and bring to a boil. Add chicken juice, 2-3 spoons of oil and saffron, and mix well. Soak almonds in cold water for an hour. Thinly slice orange peels. Boil for a few minutes, drain and repeat. Soak in cold water for an hour, drain, and repeat. Finally, boil for a few minutes with three TBS sugar. When rice is rinsed, pour a bit of oil and hot water in a pot, and add 1/2 of rice. Spread chicken pieces over the rice, and cover with 1/2 of remaining rice. Spread half of almonds and orange peel over rice and cover with remaining rice. Pour sugar and chicken-juice mix prepared earlier over rice. Cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. Add remainder of almonds, orange peel, and pistachios, and mix well.

Garnish with a sprig of sage.

(*)HAWAISH

HAWAISH (Spice Mix) All the spices are mixed proportionately and stored to be easily measured out for recipes. 2 TBS ground cumin 1 TBS pepper 1/2 tsp coriander, ground; 1 tsp turmeric, ground; 4 whole cloves, broken up; 4 pods cardamom seeds; 1/4 tsp nutmeg, grated; 2 bay leaves Mix all ingredients together. Store in a glass jar with a tight cover. Keep the 2 bay leaves in the mixture to keep the spices dry and clean. Do not include the bay leaves as part of the spice mixture.

Serves 2.

Lemon-Blueberry Cream Cheese Crumb Cake ©

Lemon and blueberries seem to go together very well for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner desserts. We tried this recipe and were pleased; hopefully you will be too. This recipe in the original version was posted in King Arthur's Baking Circle by Mrs. K The original recipe can still be found in the Baker's circle posted under knead2quilt's (or K2Q) recipes. The original recipe is one of the most popular on the site, and justifiable so. MrsK was a long time contributor and her recipes are all wonderful.

Lightly grease (BUTTER) and flour a 9 x 13 pan or a 10"x10"x2" corning ware glass dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Topping:

2 TBS butter
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour

With a fork or a pastry blender, cream contents to make a fine crumb mixture and set aside.

Cake:

1 stick (1/4 pound) softened butter
1 1/2 c. white sugar
8 oz. of Marzetti's Fruit Cream Cheese dip.
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1/4 cup lemon bits
2 cups blueberries (If frozen, thaw, dry, and coat with flour)

Cream the butter, sugar, and cream cheese.Mix in well-beaten eggs. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk and extract, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Gently stir in the dusted berries and lemon bits at the very end. Pour the batter in the pan and sprinkle the topping over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until the cake tests done with a toothpick or a metal skewer. The cake will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan when completely done.

Snow Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps©

Ohhhhhhhhhh, what an appetizer!!!! Try doubling or tripling the recipe!!






20-25 Stuffing Mushroom Caps, Cleaned
1/3 c. Butter
6-8 oz. King Crab Meat
1 oz. White Wine
1/2 Tsp. Pepper
1 Tsp. Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Shredded Swiss Cheese
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 tsp sage
1/2 tsp savory
1/2 Cup Onions, Diced
1 Tbsp. Parsley, chopped
1 oz. Half and Half Cream
1/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add onion and sauté until they become translucent. Add wine, seasonings, parsley, lemon juice, crab meat and simmer for about 3 minutes. Next add cream and swiss cheese, cook an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Finally add bread crumbs and stir well. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps and place caps on cookie sheet. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on to the tops of the caps and place cookie sheet in oven. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned on top. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Chorizo Rice or Egg Casserole ©

Chorizo is something one has to aquire a taste for. It wasn't difficult for us having lived in Waco, TX for several years. We had some wonderful Hispanic friends there who taught us how to cook Mexican National foods. Gary and Kat - and Lance - thank you for the time you spent with us. Adding cantaloupe slices and eggs rather than rice, makes for an intimate brunch.



12 ounces Jasmine Rice cooked according to directions OR 6-8 scrambled eggs
4 Medium-size chorizo sausages or a 12 ounce chub (tube)
1 small Onion, coarsely chopped
1 TBS Lard
4 ounce can of green chilies, chopped
1 cup Sour Cream
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 dash of pepper hot sauce
2 cups Shredded jack cheese or Pepper Jack (preferred with us)
6 To 8 tomato slices

Following package directions, cook rice until al dente.

Meanwhile, melt 1-TBS lard in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Remove sausage casings, crumble meat into pan, add onion, and cook until sausage is browned and onion is limp (about 5 minutes). Pour off drippings and add cooked rice or eggs, chilies, sour cream, salt and pepper sauce to taste.

Pour half the mixture into a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole; sprinkle with half the cheese. Add remaining mixture, arrange tomato slices on top, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. If made ahead, cover and refrigerate until next day.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 deg F oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until top is slightly browned. Makes 6 servings.

Beef Chili and Beans

Spring, summer, fall or winter, there's nothing like a bowl of chili and corn bread. For the following recipe, we use either beef or venison round steak - can use lamb as well -that has cooked in the crock pot until very tender.





Meat Ingredients

2-3 Lbs of beef, venison, or lamb round steak
6-Cups hot water
2-3 Beef bouillion cubes
2 TBS Montreal steak seasoning
1 TBS cumin

Cut steaks in half or quarters and place in crock pot. Pour in water, and add bouillion cubes, seasoning, and cumin. Stir. Turn crock pot to high. It should be cooked in 3-4 hours.

Remove when cooked and let cool on a plate. When cooled, break into silver dollar sized pieces and place in food processer with the steel blade. Pulse until the meat is slightly smaller than bite-sized pieces. We don't use ground meat because by the time the chili is cooked, it has no definition or bite.

Chili Ingredients

Chili and beans

1 medium onion, chopped
2 pound of the meat you decided to cook
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (or 2-10Oz cans of Rotel diced tomatoes and
chopped green chillis
4 cups red beans, with liquid

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot, cook onions and chopped meat in olive oil over medium heat. Stir frequently.

When onions are soft and meat browned, season with red pepper flakes, basil, cumin, cinnamon, garlic, chili powder, dried oregano, cocoa powder, sugar, and bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beans. Increase heat to bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until it thickens


FYI - the chocolate has absolutely no taste in the final product. It primarily provides a depth of color.

You can also add potatoes or squash slices to the chili if you're of the mind to.

Serve with corn bread with 2 Oz. Mexican corn added to the batter.

Cajun Burger ©

Burgers are in any time of year. When we lived in Colorado, it was a Friday luncheon ritual to head to a restaurant in Greeley for a Cajun burger, fries, and a pitcher of beer then take the rest of the day off from work. (The boss eventually discovered what we were doing;) we invited him to one of the luncheons and he joined us in the Friday soiree. Needless to say, he thought it was a good idea (we bought his lunch) to take the half day off. Ahhhh!! All's well that ends well! :-)

These are easy to make, and provide for a tasty start of a weekend.


Ingredients

1 Lb lean ground chuck
4 TBS Cajun Seasoning
2 TBS re-hydrated dried onion flakes

4 Onion Hamburger buns split and toasted
4 halved crispy bacon slices
Colby or Monterray Jack cheese slices
Lettuce
Sliced tomato

Thoroughly mix the first three ingredients and divide into quarters. Form patties, wrap in waxed paper and place in freezer for several hours for the spice flavor to infuse into the burger.
Charbroil your usual way. When 99% cooked, place the cheese slices on the burgers and close the lid of the BBQer so the cheese will melt.

Place burger on toasted bun, tomato slice, lettuce and whatever condiments that please your palate. Sprinkle on additional seasoning. (Vidalia onion slices are good too.)

Cajun Seasoning:

Now, open your spice cupboard, get ready to pull out the spices you'll need, and start measuring:

2 1/2 paprika
2 salt
2 garlic powder or granules
1 black pepper
1 onion powder
1 cayenne pepper
1 white pepper
1 1/4 dried leaf oregano
1 1/4 dried leaf thyme
1/2 crushed red pepper

The quantities above can be tsp, TBS, cups, etc; it's the same ratio for any measurement. I normally take all the spices and place them in a Krupps coffee grinder/mill and run it for 20-30 seconds several times so I end up with a spice powder, then store it in a tightly sealed jar and keep it in a dark place so the mixture maintains its flavor. The powder lasts twice as long as the spice flakes or leaves, and has twice the flavor; hence, you use less. I also place two bay leaves into the jar to help keep the powder moisture free.

Serve with a red or new potato salad (skins on) or new potatoes that have been quartered, skewered, oiled, spiced with the above seasoning and placed on the grill before doing the burgers so they will be ready when the burgers are done.

If you're REAL ambitious and into making your own onion buns, here's a recipe. (There's another variation of buns following this post.)

Onion Hamburger Buns

In the following order, add these to bread machine or stand mixer with dough hooks:

3 Tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. lukewarm water
1 tsp onion powder
1 TBS dehydrated onion flakes
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS instant yeast

Put ingredients into bread pan. Set machine on dough cycle and start. Let it run for 6-10 minutes. Remove dough, weigh it and divide into 8 even pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth round ball and flatten the balls with the palm of your hand or a rolling pin until they are 4-inches in diameter. Keep tops smooth.Place the rolls on a lightly greased sheet or on parchment paper. Cover lightly with oiled waxed paper so they don't stick to the paper, and set aside to raise till they are very puffy - about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Spread some melted butter on top for a more golden and softer crust.

Hamburger Rolls - The Ultimate in Softness ©

After buying hamburger rolls for the better part of my life, I decided to test various hamburger roll recipes; none seemed too rewarding - depressing at best! I finally came up with a recipe - and actually remembered what I did - for the common hamburger roll that is soft, fluffy and tasty and FAR beyond the pasty, tasteless rolls you buy in a super market. For those of you interested in making your own rolls, here is the recipe.


4 tsp. instant yeast
2-1/2 T. sugar
1-1/3 cups of warm bottled water
4 tsp. Vegetable oil
2 cups KA AP flour
2 cups Bread flour
1-1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp bottled water
beaten egg white.

In large stand mixer bowl, dissolve yeast, sugar, and warm water. Mix well with beaters, and let stand until foamy and/or creamy -about 8-12 minutes.

Add oil, 2 cups of bread flour, and salt. Stir well with beaters. Remove the beaters and insert the bread hooks. Add the remaining 2 cups of AP flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until dough comes together. Add addition flour if necessary to form a smooth, cohesive, elastic ball of dough. Flour counter, and knead further as necessary to get a smooth, elastic ball of dough. Should not be too sticky.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl and turn so dough is coated on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in bulk - about 40 minutes.

Weigh dough, and divide into 8 equal pieces – or more for smaller buns. Roll and form the dough in balls/rounds. Flatten slightly, then place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, or on a cookie sheet lined with oiled, floured parchment paper. Let rise for another 20-30 minutes until doubled in size.

Beat the egg white and water. Carefully brush the egg white onto rolls. Bake rolls in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake and Blueberry Bread

The following two recipes are excellent desserts, and very easy to make. The Brown Sugar Pound cake was originally on http://www.texascooking.com/ and provided to King Arthur's Baking Circle http://www.bakingcircle.com/ by bmwatl, an esteemed BC member. The Blueberry Cake was provided to King Arthur Baking Circle by C. Stevens.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake - Smooth and dense in texture, this cake has a wonderful caramel flavor.


Cake Ingredients

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour or sugar a 10-inch tube pan, a 12-cup Bundt pan, or two 9" x 5" bread pans. If using bread pans, divide evenly between the two.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

At medium speed with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars for 4 or 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer running at low speed, add the oil and beat until incorporated; then, beat in the eggs, one at a time(*). At low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until ingredients are blended; do not overbeat. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour into your prepared pan(s), and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove cake from oven and check doneness with a cake tester, metal skewer, or toothpick. If tester does not come out clean, bake for an additional 10 minutes, then test again. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely. Frost with Brown Sugar Frosting or Brown Sugar Icing.

Brown Sugar Frosting

1 pound light brown sugar (16-ounce package
or about 2-1/4 cups plus 2 teaspoons
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 5-ounce can of evaporated milk
dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Hint: When making a cake recipe that calls for several eggs to be added one at a time, break open all eggs in a separate bowl, slightly beat , then pour into the cake mixture a little at a time.
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Blueberry Bread (*** )

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint blueberries (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped nuts of choice – optional
2 eggs -- beaten
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tablespoons vegetable oil


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan or three mini-pans (about 6 x 3).

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the blueberries, the lemon powder and nuts if you choose to use them. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the eggs, milk and oil; add to dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Transfer mixture to prepared pan(s). Bake large loaf about 55 minutes, smaller loaves 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan 15 minutes; remove from pan and cool on a rack.

You can use dried blueberries pre-soaked in water for a while, but fresh blueberries are best

(***) This recipe has been slightly modified from the original recipe. The original recipe can be found at http://www.shaboomskitchen.com

Il cocktail di aragosta con la menta

Lobster cocktail with mint is a delightful appetizer - expecially for the hot, steamy days of summer. This Sicilian appetizer is a warmup to most any meal.

Ingredients

1 Large lobster tail (or two small ones)
1 TBS of vinegar
1 stalk of celery
3 lemons
1/2 cup of olive oil
salt and pepper
finely chopped parsley (only the leaves)
Mint leaves (2-per serving)

Directions

Clean the lobster and dip in a container of cold salt-water for 30 minutes. Put a pot of water over medium heat and add salt and vinegar; bring to a simmer. Dip the lobster in the pot and simmer until done (do not over cook). Remove when cooked and place in a salad-bowl, let Cool and dice into 1/2 inch chunks.

Wash the celery, dice it into 1/4" pieces, then place in water with the juice of 2 lemons for half hour. In the meantime, flavor the diced lobster chunks with oil, salt and pepper. Add the diced celery, and the juice from the remaining lemon; stir well. Cover the salad-bowl and store in refrigerator for half hour. Divide evenly into cocktail glasses. Before serving, add the chopped parsley and garnish with the mint leaves.

Amish Peach Crumb Pie

The Amish are an incredibly simple, yet complex people. The family unit is forever binding with them. Those of you who are reading this blog and have had them as neighbors or have dealt with them on a personal level for any amount of time, know what I mean. They are generous, very introverted, yet will share whatever they have with a friend - either Amish or English (non Amish) The following recipe was given to me by one of the Amish families here in MO. Pie is always an appropriate dessert with just about any meal. Served with a few scoops of your favorite ice cream or sherbert, you can't go wrong. We had this pie a year ago at an Amish wedding reception I attended. It was a small reception; only 350 people - all but three were Amish. They sure know how to cook and bake. Their recipes are simple, yet lavish in taste.

Filling Ingredients

4 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons tapioca powder

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.Mix together gently, peaches, sugar, salt and tapioca. Let blend for 5 minutes before spooning into pie shell.

Crumb Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine; melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
Mix ingredients well and sprinkle over pie shell. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
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Gyoza with Fried rice and dipping sauce

This recipe has been in the family since the 60's. The first time I had it, I thought it was a Mexican dish. Duh!!! What do I know? It's a very tasty snack, or can be a main meal served with fried rice. We resurrected it a few days ago for the first time in several years.

Gyoza Ingredients

1 Lb Lean ground beef
3 medium sized mushrooms finely diced
2 green onions (scallions) finely diced
1 Stalk celery finely diced
3 TBS soy sauce
1 tsp Ground ginger
2 Cloves garlic finely diced
1/4 cup finely chopped cabbage
1 Package wonton wrappers
1 beaten egg white
Vegetable oil for frying (*)

Mix all ingredients together. Place 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of the meat mix inside a wonton skin. Fold skin diagonally, so you end up with a triangle. Dampen the edges of the skin with egg white and press together so they will seal and not come apart in the cooking process. Place stuffed skins in hot oil - 5-6 at a time - and fry until deep golden brown. Remove from frying oil and place on paper towels. Place on oven proof dish and keep warm in the oven until all are done.

Fried Rice

2 Cups cooked Jasmine rice
2 Cups Chicken broth
4 Strips crispy bacon crumbled
1 Stalk celery finely chopped
3 Green onions finely chopped
2-3 Mushrooms finely chopped

Cook rice per instructions in chicken broth-not water. Let cool, then add remaining ingredients to rice and mix well. Sautee rice mixture on medium high in a large pan until the rice is browned and heated through.

Dipping Sauce

1/3 Cup Soy Sauce

1/3 cup Habanero Vinegar

1/2 cup water

4-6 Chive stalks that have blossoms on them (Gone to seed)

We make our own vinegars, so I don't know if Habanero vinegar is available in the stores, but it's easy to make. Add 4-6 quartered habaneros - seeds and all - chives, plus a few cloves of crushed garlic to a quart/gallon- jar/bottle. Pour heated (not real hot) vinegar into the jar of peppers, chives, and garlic and let it sit for a month or longer in a dark place so the flavors will infuse into the vinegar. It's only slightly warm, but has the wonderful flavor of the habanero. Dip the cooked gyoza into the sauce.

The gyoza can be fried, steamed or boiled. We prefer the fried version.

Il Prosciutto ha avvolto i cuscini di pollo

This is a fairly quick recipe that is very rewarding.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted
1/2 Cup ricotta cheese
Pinch of nutmeg
4 B/S chicken breasts, about 6-8 ounces each
4 Slices of prosciutto ham (preferrably imported)
2 TBS butter
1 TBS Olive oil
12 small onions or shallots (pearl onions are great here)
1 1/2 cup button mushrooms sliced in half
1 TBS all purpose flour
2/3 Cup dry white wine
1 1/4 Cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Drain defrosted spinach in a strainer, and press all the water out with a spoon. In a bowl, mix spinach with the ricotta and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

Slit each breast through the side lengthwise and enlarge to form a pocket. Fill with the spinach mixture, reshape the chicken breasts, wrap each breast tightly in a slice of prosciutto and secure with cocktail toothpicks. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and brown the breasts for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a large, shallow ovenproof dish and keep warm until required.

Sautee the mushrooms and onions for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned . Stir in the flour then gradually add the wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Season and spoon the mixture around the chicken.

Cook the chicken uncovered in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the toothpicks. Serve the chicken with the sauce.

A nice accompaniment with this meal is a candied carrot puree, and steamed fresh green beans. Of course, a glass of chilled chardonnay wouldn't hurt either. Mangiare felice!

Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding has been a favorite of ours for years. We generally serve it at the Christmas meal with a standing rib roast, green beans, gravy, and mashed potato.


Yorkshire-Pudding batter needs to be cold. Make it a day ahead, and refrigerate.Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk

1. Sift together flour and salt. Place in bowl; make a well, and place eggs in center. Slowly whisk eggs into flour mixture until a paste forms. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup milk.Gradually whisk in remaining 2 cups milk. Cover with plastic; chill in the refrigeratorat least 4 hours, or overnight.

2. When roast is finished, set oven at 425 degrees. When pan has been deglazed, pour 1/4 cup reserved pan drippings into roasting pan. Heat pan and drippings until very hot, about 5 minutes. Remove batter from refrigerator, and shake or whisk well; quickly pour into hot pan. Cook until crisp and golden, 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Alternate method would be to melt one stick of butter in a glass baking dish 8 1/2" x 11" then pour the batter into the dish with the melted butter. You can also make individual Yorkshire pudding servings by using a muffin tin with 1-TBS melted butter in each muffin section. I suggest getting a Texas-sized muffin tin.

Pasta Primavera

With most fresh veggies fully available most of the year , pasta primavera is a nice meal - or anytime. It can be served hot or cold as a salad.

12 ounces uncooked spaghettini, vermicelli, penne, or ziti

• 2-1/2 cups (3-inch) diagonally sliced asparagus (about 1 pound)
• 1-1/2 cups shelled green peas (about 1-1/2 pounds unshelled)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 2 cups diced zucchini
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto or ham, chopped
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Asiago or fresh Parmesan cheese


To keep the prosciutto from sticking together in the pasta, lay it out on a plate to dry after you chop it. The rich, nutty flavor of the Asiago complements the saltiness of the prosciutto, but Parmesan can be substituted if necessary.

1. Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven, and add the pasta. Cook pasta for 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, and cook 2 minutes. Add the peas, and cook for 1 minute. Drain well, and set aside.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; saute 5 minutes. Add onions; saute 1 minute. Add broth and wine; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta mixture, basil, and oregano; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon oil, salt, pepper, and prosciutto. Spoon 1-1/4 cups primavera into each of 8 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1-1/2 tablespoons cheese. Yield: 8 servings.

Quick and easy Italian summer meal

This is quick and tasty. You can do it outside on the grill in a matter of minutes.

2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS butter
1/4 Cup Marsala Wine
1 Green Pepper Sliced in 1/2 " slices
2 Large Portabella mushrooms sliced in 1/2" slices and halved
1 Large onion sliced in rounds - 1/2" slices
2 Italian sausages sliced lengthwise OR a grilled B/S chicken breast
2 Kaiser or Hoagie rolls
Garlic powder for veggies and rolls

Grill sausages then slice in half lengthwise. In the mean time, sautee veggies in oil,butter, and wine until fairly soft. Split rolls in half lengthwise and toast on grill with a tad of garlic powder.
Place sliced sausages on bottom half of roll.

Drain and distribute veggies on roll - close roll with the top. You might want to spread a little marinara sauce on it too if you have it in the fridge. Also great on pasta.

Mangiare buono! Piacere!

Hot and Spicy Marinade

This is guaranteed to 'tickle' your fancy if you like tender and spicy.






Blend together:

4 minced green onions
2 seeded jalapeno or habanero peppers
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
a pinch of nutmeg.

Put meat in a sealable plastic bag, then pour in the marinade. Turn over from time to time. Best if marinated 4-hours or over night for an EXTRA surprise.

Blend all until smooth in a blender. This is good with chicken, beef, or pork. WARNING!! Be prepared for the morning after.

Bracioli and Meatballs

This recipe is simply fantastico!!! If you have the time and the hunger for an exquisite Italian meal, try this. Your guests and family will keep coming back for more. Served with sauteed zuchini squash, garlic, onions, and mushrooms, and REAL garlic bread, linguini or rigitoni and chianti? Oh MY!!

For the braciole:

1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups cubed (1/2 inch) day-old Italian bread
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
2 pounds beef bottom round, cut into 12 slices, each 1/2-inch thick
12 slices (about 6 ounces) imported Italian prosciutto
1/4 pound imported provolone cheese, cut into 1/4- by 1/4- by 2-inch sticks
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the sauce:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions (about 8 ounces), chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
3 (35-ounce) cans crushed Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
1 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 bay leaves
Water, as needed
Salt, to taste
Crushed hot red pepper, to taste
2 pounds sweet or hot Italian sausage

Meatballs:

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 pounds rigatoni
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For the braciole:

Pour the milk into a medium bowl, add the bread cubes, and let soak until the bread is very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the bread, squeeze out the excess milk from the cubes with your hands, and return it to the bowl. Stir in the chopped eggs, parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, raisins, pine nuts and garlic to create a stuffing. Mix well and set aside.

With the toothed side of a heavy meat mallet, pound each slice of beef into a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Arrange one of the pounded meat slices in front of you with one of the short sides closest to you. Top with a slice of prosciutto, and tap the prosciutto with the back side of a knife so it adheres to the beef. Spread 2 tablespoons of the stuffing along the edge of the meat closest to you, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place a stick of provolone over the stuffing. Fold the border over the provolone, then fold the side borders in to overlap the edges of the stuffing. Roll into a compact roll about 4 inches long. Secure the end flap with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining beef and stuffing, then season the rolls with salt and pepper.

To brown the braciole, heat olive oil in a large heavy casserole over medium heat. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until the onion is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add as many of the braciole as will fit in a single layer and cook, turning as necessary, until golden on all sides, about 7 minutes. If necessary, repeat with any remaining braciole. Adjust the heat under the pan as necessary to prevent the beef from scorching.

For the sauce: Empty the tomatoes into a bowl and squeeze with your hands until coarsely crushed, removing the cores as you do. If necessary, return all the braciole to the casserole. Pour the wine into the casserole, bring to a boil and cook until most of the wine has evaporated. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add tomato paste and bay leaves and stir until the paste is dissolved. Season lightly with salt and crushed red pepper, adjust the heat to simmering, and cook, adding water as necessary to keep the braciole completely submerged until the beef is tender, about 3 hours.

After the braciole have been simmering in the sauce for about 1-1/2 hours, add 2 pounds hot or sweet Italian sausages, poked all over with a fork and browned.

For the meatballs:

Crumble pork and beef into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the bread crumbs, 1/3 cup grated cheese, parsley and garlic over the meat. Beat the egg with salt and pepper in a small bowl until blended. Pour over the meat mixture. Mix the ingredients with clean hands just until evenly blended. Don't overmix. Shape the meat mixture into 1-1/2-inch balls. Dredge the meatballs in the flour until lightly but evenly coated. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil and the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Slip as many meatballs into the skillet as will fit without overcrowding. Fry, turning as necessary, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Adjust the heat as the meatballs cook to prevent them from overbrowning, and add them to the pot after the braciole have been simmering for 2 hours.

When the meats are cooked, transfer them to platters, spoon a little sauce over them, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions, drain well and return to the cooking pot. Add enough of the sauce to coat the rigatoni lightly, season with Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, and transfer the sauced pasta to a large platter. Pass any remaining sauce and some grated cheese separately. Remove the toothpicks before serving. The braciole can be prepared up to two days in advance, then reheated over low heat until warmed through.

Hoagie Rolls

These rolls or bread make a total and complete sandwich for a barbeque. This is an adaptation and variation of the Bread Baker's Apprentice... written by Peter Rinehart... recipe for Italian bread. It’s a combination of the Italian bread recipe, which includes Paté Fermentée in lieu of the biga(*). It yields a delightful hoagie roll with a soft, golden topped crust. These rolls go very well with just about anything you want to put on them like roast beef, turkey, char-broiled Italian sausage, BLT, BBQ beef or pork, or ham and cheese.

Dough Ingredients by Volume:

2 ½ cups Unbleached, high gluten bread flour
1 2/3 tsp non-iodized salt
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp diastatic barley malt powder
1 TBS olive oil
7-8 Ounces milk
1 Egg yolk
8 Oz Pate fermentee
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting
Stick butter

Instructions:

Paté Fermentée should be at room temperature.

With a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and barley malt powder in your largest mixer bowl. Add the olive oil, egg yolk, and milk. Mix until it forms a ball, adding flour and/or water according to need. Mix on medium speed with dough hooks until you get a dough that passes the ‘windowpane’ test, is slightly tacky and soft, but not too stiff. The dough should clear the sides and bottom of the bowl

Knead for 10-minutes on floured counter, or 6-minutes in mixer bowl with dough hooks. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Roll the dough in the bowl several times so it is coated with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it ferment/rise until double in size. Because of the small amount of yeast used, the rising will take about 3-4 hours. DO NOT increase the amount of yeast.

Once doubled in size, add the 8-Oz of Paté Fermentée. Knead the Paté Fermentée into the raised dough, adding flour as necessary to get a silky, yet fairly stiff, flexible dough. Lightly dust with flour and return to bowl and let rise to double once again. This rising should take no more than 45-minutes.

Divide into either four or six equal pieces, depending on how large you want the rolls. Let the pieces rest for 10 minutes. Roll and shape into hoagie shaped rolls - about 8” long by 4” wide by 3 inches thick (for 4-roll.) The roll ends should be blunted, not pointed so you have a rectangular shaped creation.

Place the shaped rolls on a sheet pan that is lined with parchment paper, lightly oiled, and dusted with semolina flour (preferred) or cornmeal. Spray tops of rolls lightly with olive oil. Cover loosely with dry waxed paper and let rise to one and one half the original size.

Turn on oven and set to 500F. making sure there is an empty steam pan in the oven. Score the rolls with two horizontal slashes. Pour several cups of water in the steam pan, and spray the walls of the oven with water. Place the rolls in the oven. After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls again and quickly close the oven door. Repeat spraying again after another 30 seconds. After the final spray, lower the oven temperature to 400, and rotate the pan 180 degrees. It should take about 15 - 20 minutes for rolls to complete baking.

When rolls are golden and cooked through, remove them from the oven to a cooling rack and rub the tops of the rolls with a stick of butter for a soft, golden crust.

Paté Fermentée(*)

Paté Fermentée translates into fermented bread. It is NOT a sourdough, but rather a process that many bakeries use for either French bread, or Italian bread. The Italian version is called biga, and another French version is called poolish. Each version is different in consistency and has different uses depending on what kind of bread you are making. Each one is a key in breadmaking; a little bit from each batch is held over to the next day to make another batch, etc. the following day. I might add, that a frozen then thawed batch of the Paté Fermentée seems to have better bread rising qualities than the original.

This recipe yields approximately 16 ounces. Use only 8 Ounces for the roll recipe, and freeze the remaining 8 ounces in an air-tight freezer bag. It will last about 3-months. Lightly oil the inside of the freezer bag before you put in the Paté Fermentée.

Paté Fermentée Ingredients

1 1/8 Cups of unbleached high gluten bread flour
1 1/8 Cups of All Purpose flour
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp instant yeast
6-7 ounces of bottled water at room temperature


With a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast in your largest mixer bowl. Add the water. Mix until it forms a course ball, adding flour and/or water according to need. Mix on medium speed with dough hooks until you get a dough that is neither too sticky nor too stiff.

Knead for 4 to 6 minutes by hand, or 4 minutes in the mixer with the dough hooks. Dough should be soft and pliable and tacky, but not sticky.

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Roll the dough in the bowl several times so it is coated with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it ferment/rise until 1 ½ times the original size.

Remove the dough from the bowl, knead it lightly to de-gas, and return it to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator over night. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to three days, or freeze in an airtight plastic bag for up to three months.

A P.S. here - always use bottled or spring water at room temperature. Chlorinated water and the yeasties don't always get along, and it can change the taste and texture of the bread.

Home

Calamari with Lemon Myrtle

Ok, OKAY - I agree, this is a bizarre salad recipe, but I can assure you, once you try it, you WILL be back for more!! :-)

Lemon Myrtle is an Australian native tree indigenous to the coastal, sub-tropical rainforests of Queensland. The Lemon Myrtle leaf has a unique, refreshing flavour and aroma of a blend of lemongrass, lime and lemon.




Ingredients:

3 cups calamari (squid) tubes
5 fresh lemon myrtle leaves (very finely sliced) or 1/2 tsp powdered lemon myrtle
4 shallots finely chopped
1 large red chili pepper (optional) Jalapenos here are great
1 TBS chopped ginger root
1/4 cup roasted unsalted macadamia nuts
2 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 TBS sesame oil
1 lime
1/2 cup sliced or shaved fresh coconut
salt

Instructions:

Cut calamari in 1/4" rings. Squeeze lime and retain juice and skin separately. Boil 2 quarts of water in saucepan - add lime skin and tablespoon of salt.Plunge calamari into boiling water until water comes back to boil but no more than two minutes.Remove calamari and drain. Allow to cool rapidly. Do not rinse or refrigerate.

Wash and slice shallots, chilli, coconut and ginger. Combine with remaining ingredients and calamari. Allow to marinate for one hour. Serve as an appetizer or entree on a bed of crisp lettuce with a dry white wine, or a white burgundy.

Sicilian Sausage

Italian sausage is very easy to make; even easier if you have a meat grinder with the sausage tubes for stuffing. This recipe calls for pork and beef. I prefer using all pork, but that's my taste.





SICILIAN SAUSAGE

3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or butt (*)
1 1/2 pounds beef
5 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups minced Italian parsley chopped (flat leaf)
3 tablespoons fennel seed
2 tablespoons anise seeds
3/4 cup coarsely grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup coarsely graded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup water
¼ cup red wine (Marsala sweet is best)
1/2 pound sausage casings (natural casings preferred)
4 cloves of garlic fine chopped

Grind pork with beef, using medium blade on grinder, or have butcher do this for you. Combine ground meat with salt, parsley, fennel seed, anise seed, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Pour in water slowly and mix until all ingredients are bound together. Refrigerate over night for flavors to develop and blend with meat.

Place mixture in sausage press and have fun. If press is not available, stuff skins by hand, or form sausage mixture into paddies and pan fry. Let fresh (thawed) sausage sit at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to grilling or pan frying.

(*) Don’t use pork loin, as there is not enough fat to give it the proper sausage taste, and they will be too dry.

Biscuits

This recipe is not one of my inventions, but I guarantee, if you like biscuits as many of us do, you'll find yourself making them often. The recipe was first posted by David Lee on the King Arthur Baking Circle. David passed away recently at a very young age. He left a legacy of wonderful recipes; and, a legacy in the form of a person who truly cared for those of us who cook and bake. His memory lives on. I suggest to all reading this that you join the King Arthur Baker's Circle - www.bakingcircle.com. It costs nothing, and you will find some of the most wonderful people in the realm of baking and those of us who try to cook, and those who DO cook - not only for pleasure but as a profession as well. Join us. There is much to be learned here.

These biscuits are as quick and easy to make as opening up one of those biscuit tubes available in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, and 1000% better - sooooooooo flaky and tender!! You will NEVER go back to store bought!~~

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder (double-acting)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
• Melted Butter

Preheat oven to 425F.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet or baking pan. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then stir to combine them evenly. Add the cream and fold it in until a soft dough forms that can be easily handled. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and gently and lightly knead it for around 1 minute (max.)

Do not knead the dough like you would a bread dough -- handle it as lightly and as little as possible. You are only kneading it to make sure the dough has come together and is smooth -- you DO NOT want to develop the gluten like you would for regular bread dough.

Gently pat the dough out using your hands until the dough is around 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick. Cut into rounds, dip the round into melted butter and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Leftover dough should be gathered together, rekneaded just until it comes together again, then pat it out and cut again. Continue until all the dough is used.

The first cutting will be the nicest biscuits -- save those for "company!" Bake at 425F for 15 to 18 minutes. Serve hot!

Notes on cutting the dough -- first dip the cutter in flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the cutter, then cut straight down and DO NOT TWIST. Lift the cutter up quickly and the round will come out of the dough easily so you can pick it up and dip it in the butter. OR if you lift the cutter slowly you can pick up the uncut dough and the rounds will stay behind (like die punching!)

Pollo alla Scarpariello

Did you ever get the impression that I like chicken? Well, it just so happens I do. It's versatile, inexpensive (by comparison) and if you get the right brand of chicken, it can be, well, gastronomically orgasmic. (I hope that is not offensive to anyone - if it is, tell me and I will change that term.) When buying chicken, try to get 'air-chilled' chicken, not water chilled. And there's only one producer of air-chilled pollo in the U.S.A - MBA Poultry - Smart Chicken. In New England, you can find it at the Big Y stores. Water chilled chicken is the stuff you buy, and when you open the package all the reddish slime water pours out. The chicken should be thoroughly rinsed at best before cooking. Don't ask me how they do it, but Smart Chicken cooks in half the time, and is actually jucier. Enough!! On to the recipe.

Scarpariello means "shoemaker-style", and it is thought that the name might have originated as the result of chicken bones protruding from your mouth as you eat them much like a shoemaker might hold tacks in his mouth as he works.

Another southern Italian origin to the name comes about from the fact that even the family of a poor shoemaker in southern Italy could afford to make this dish, while another version is that all of the ingredients in this dish can be easily "cobbled" together. Whatever the source of it's name might be, the dish is delicious. Some versions of this dish add sausages and vinegar in place of the lemon. All of the recipes I have come across use cut up chicken pieces. (*)

Cut the chicken breast into 2 or three pieces to ensure all of the chicken pieces cook evenly. You can remove the skin as well if you prefer. I like to serve simple side dishes to accompany this dish such as mashed potatoes or polenta, linguini pasta, and a nice crisp green vegetable.

1 (2 1/2 to 3 Pound) Chicken Cut Into Pieces
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp Oregano
4 TBS Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, Peeled & Sliced
1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup White Wine
Juice From 1 Lemon
3 TBS Unsalted, Softened Butter
1 TBS Flour
1/4 Cup Chopped, Fresh Parsley

Preheat the oven to 400F. Mix together the flour and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Rinse and dry the chicken pieces, and then dredge them lightly in the seaoned flour mixture. In a heavy, ovenproof skillet, large enough to hold all of the chicken pieces, heat the olive oil, and then brown the chicken well on all sides over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the oil by using too much heat. Once all of the pieces are well browned, remove them to a plate.

Pour out the left over oil in the pan, leaving just a tablespoon or two with the browned bits at the bottom. Add the onion and cook until soft, and then add the garic. As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the wine, and stir the browned bits at the bottom while you reduce the wine by half over medium high heat.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Break up the rosemary into pieces, and add it to the sauce. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, and spoon the sauce over top. Bake the chicken until done, about 20 minutes

Remove the chicken to a warmed platter, and bring the remaining sauce to a boil. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Mix the tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Add the remaining butter to the sauce in the skillet, and mix well.

Remove the rosemary pieces from the sauce. If the sauce is thin, stir in a little of the flour and butter mixture, wisking continuously to prevent lumps. Once the sauce has thickened, add the chopped parsley, and pour the sauce over the chicken on the platter. Serve immediately.

(*) Y'know, you could avoid the bone-in chicken, and use boneless/skinless chicken breasts; or, boneless/skinless thighs. Either way, it's exquisite. Mangia, mangia!! AND, be sure to have some Chianti or Bordolino on hand. IF, and it's real iffy, you can find or order a bottle of white chianti, you will be in for a treat beyond belief. REAL garlic bread is a must here.

Polish Kielbasa

This recipe is an Easter, Christmas, and New Year's treat that we've made for a lot of years. It's great served with lots of HOT horseradish and brown mustard.



5 lbs, lean boneless pork shoulder or butt
3 tsp. salt
6 cloves garlic, crushed and very finely chopped
2 TBS. mustard seed
2 TBS Crushed Peppercorns
1 TBS ground Marjoram
1 TBS flaked marjoram
1 Cup of crushed ice
3-4 feet of well-rinsed hog casings- inside and outside

Cut the meat into small chunks (1/2” to ¾”) removing all gristle, bone, skin and any silver membrane. It will be much easier to trim if the pork is partially frozen. Add seasonings and mix well; refrigerate overnight. Next day, grind the meat mixed with the seasonings into the casings. Use a 5/16" or 1/4" cutting blade. Smoke in your outside smokerin apple wood chips following the manufacturer’s directions, or you can place the sausage in a casserole, cover it with water. Bake at 350 degrees F. until water is absorbed, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If you choose not to smoke the sausage, just grind into casings, coil, vacuum seal, and freeze until ready to cook.

When making sausage by hand, tie a knot about 3 inches from one end of a cleaned and well rinsed – outside and inside – sausage casing. Fix the open end over the spout of a wide based funnel, easing most of the casing up onto the spout then knot. Spoon the mixture into the funnel and push it through into the casing with your fingers or a dowel if you don’t have a grinder, or grind it directly into the casing if you do have a grinder. Knot the end and roll the sausage gently on a firm surface to distribute the filling evenly.

To cook, place stuffed casing into cold water and slowly bring to a boil. Simmer for 1-hour. We like it boiled and served with brown mustard and fresh horseradish served with Slavic sweet bread, and a veggie tray with dips.

Powdered Spices

More and more recipes are calling for powdered rosemary, basil, oregano, and many other spices. The only problem is they are hard to find, and very expensive if you can even find them.

You can buy the most inexpensive dried spices, and turn them into an intensely flavored powder. All you need is a Krups or other coffee bean grinder. The powder goes twice as far because you need half as much as the recipe calls for. AND, the grinder will pay for it self in a VERY short time.

Just make sure you store the powder in a dark place, and seal the spices. We use a food saver for vacuum sealing just about everything. It's worth the investment.

La Pastiera Napoletana.

This sweet cheese pie is made with cooked grain, and is flavored with lemon or orange. Other rich, sweet ricotta based cheesecakes or pies are popular in many regions, but as the title suggests, it's a prominent pie from the Naples region made around Easter.

It's a cheesecake, but one that has cooked wheat berries added to it which changes the texture considerably. The pie is lightly flavored with citrus, and cinnamon, and it is unbelievably delicious.

These days, you can find cooked wheat in many Italian specialty stores, but if you wanted to, you could easily cook your own following these directions:

1/4 Pound purpose flour
1/2 Cup powdered or confectioners Sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Orange Juice
8 Tablespoons unsalted, cold butter cut into small pieces
1/4 cup milk
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
1 Teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia, or lemon extract
2 1/2 Cups granulated sugar
2 Pounds Ricotta Cheese
2 Tablespoons candied citron, cut into tiny diced peices
2 Tablespoons toasted, slivered almonds
1 egg white beaten with 1 Tablespoon water for topping

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Mix together the flour, and powdered sugar. Make a well in the center, and add the two egg yolks, and orange juice. With your fingers or a pastry cutter, mix in the butter until the dough is in pea sized pieces. Add just enough milk so the dough comes together.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8 of an inch. Place the dough in the bottom of a deep 10 inch pie pan. Trim excess dough around edges and reserve for topping. If the dough is too soft to roll, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, orange zest, lemon extract, and sugar. Add the ricotta and mix well. Stir in the cooked wheat, candied fruit and chopped almonds. Mix well.

Pour the cheese mixture into the prepared pie pan. Using the remaining dough, cut strips about 3/4 inch in width, and place them in a crisscross pattern over the cheese. Brush the strips lightly with the egg and water mixture, and then bake the pie for about 1 1/2 hours until lightly. browned on top. A topping of fresh strawberries adds to the visual impact and the taste,.

Cool before serving.

(Cooking Your Own Wheat: Take 1/4 pound skinless wheat and soak it overnight in cool water in the refrigerator, changing the water three or four times. Cover with lightly salted water in a heavy saucepan, and cook for about 1 hour. Drain, and rinse the wheat in cool water in a sieve. Use as needed.)

This is a special project for special guests.

Penne with Shrimp

For those Lenten meals, or simply something different, try this Penne with shrimp.

Ingredients:

3 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup quality, extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, 1/4 inch diced
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
1-2 TBS dried oregano
1/4 cup red wine
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tin whole flat anchovies drained and chopped
1 lb. med or large shrimp
1 lb pasta shapes, such as penne, rigatoni or med. shells, cooked al dente
2 TBS quality, aged balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 TBS red wine vinegar
10-15 fresh basil leaves, minced
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles striped from stem
Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

Cut broccoli into florets and blanch in boiling water for 4 or 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Transfer to large bowl, combining with pasta. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they release their juices, 5-6 minutes.

Add garlic, tomatoes, diced pepper, anchovies and balsamic vinegar and stir for 3 or 4 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook until pink. Transfer to bowl and combine with broccoli and pasta.

Combine remaining oil, red wine vinegar, rosemary, basil, salt and pepper in a small bowl
Combine with pasta. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

Oil and vinegar amounts can be adjusted to taste. Salt and pepper to taste. (Should be fairly salty already from anchovies).

Penne with shrimp just might be one of the best, and one of the simplest pastas you've ever tasted.

I would try a Sangiovese or Borolo wine with this one.

Scallops with Linguini and Orange Sauce

For a uniquely tasting pasta dish, a refreshingly different light taste, try this

Scallop Preparation:

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 TBS butter
25-30 Bay Scallops or about 8 large sea scallops, quartered

Sauce Ingredients:

1/2 Cup finely minced onions or shallots
2 TBS red jalapeno peppers, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fresh Orange Juice or 3 TBS frozen concentrate
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup red or green bell pepper, minced
3 cloves finely sliced garlic
16 ounces cooked and drained linguine or angel hair pasta
Minced fresh Italian Parsley for final garnish

Preparation:

Heat 2 TBS olive oil over medium heat. Just before adding scallops, add the Butter. Remove from heat after scallops become pale but not cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.

Sauce:

Heat 1 T olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos. Sauté for about 6 minutes. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the orange juice and let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cream and scallops with all of their remaining juices, and let the sauce reduce for about 10 minutes.

Add the pasta and combine with the sauce. Remove from heat. Garnish with minced fresh Italian parsley. Serve with REAL garlic bread, and a slightly chilled dry Chardonnay wine