Ingredients:
2/3 cup white, Indian style, white Basmati Rice
(I’m sure this would be as good or better with brown Basmati)
1/4 cup dried Porcini mushrooms
1 cup hot water
2-3 tbsp. carrots, diced small
2-3 tbsp. chopped celery
3-4 tbsp. minced onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Prep:
• Place mushrooms in water and soak for 20-30 minutes
• Meanwhile prep the veges.
• Over medium heat melt the butter and simmer the veges until soft.
• Squeeze the mushrooms dry, reserving the liquid.
• Use the mushroom liquid, expanded to 1 1/3 cups
• Add a little salt and cook the rice for 13-15 minutes
• Meanwhile:
• Turn up the heat and add the mushrooms to cook (chopped if the pieces are large) and dry them out a little. Add the garlic for the last minute or so.
• Then add all to the rice before it is finished cooking.

Yum !! Any vegetarian would love it, too.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
6 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup liquor
Nutmeg

Cream together the egg yolks and sugar.
Mix in the liquor (I use 2/3 good bourbon and 1/3 good dark rum.
Mix well to be sure the sugar is dissolved.
Beat the egg white to light peaks.
Beat the cream to lightly thicken.
Fold all together, with a sprinkle of powdered nutmeg.
Decorate top with a little more nutmeg.

Yum !!

Blanch the beans for 1 minute or so. Chill quickly in ice water, drain well, then cut them into 2-3 pieces.

Chop onion, mince garlic, quarter tomatoes lengthwise and seed.

Sauté onions till soft; add garlic for 1 minute. Then add tomatoes and cook, stirring until soft. Add beans, warm thru, and keep warm.

At the same time, cook the Orzo al dente. Drain and add to bean mixture. Mix in vinegar, parsley, feta, salt and pepper to taste. Combine well and serve.

(Could likely be served chilled, as well, but haven't tried it that way.)

Use only fully ripe tomatoes. Core, then halve. Halve onions as well. Peel garlic cloves.

On shallow pan, spray a little oil, then arrange tomato and onion halves, cut side down. Place garlic cloves around the vegetables. Mix oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, and brush over vegetables, coating completely.

Broil 3 - 4 inches from heat source until lightly charred (10 - 15 minutes). Remove garlic and turn other vegetables and broil till lightly charred and tender (10 minutes longer).

Remove from broiler, cool and then peel tomatoes. In a blender or with hand blender, puree tomatoes, onions, garlic and pan juices until smooth.

Pour into a medium saucepan, add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Meanwhile:
To make bread bowls: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top of each roll.. Pull out soft center, leaving 1/2 inch thick shells; discard soft bread; reserve tops. Place “bowls” and tops on a baking sheet and bake until crisp (5 - 8 minutes) turning once.

To serve, place rolls in soup plates and ladle hot soup into and around the bread and top with cheese cubes. Garnish with fresh basil and/or parsley and serve immediately.

If not using bread bowls, seasoned croutons work well.

Chicken pieces sufficient for 4-5 people

Combine all ingredients and marinate chicken (covered and refrigerated) for at least an hour, turning several times to recoat the pieces.

Grill over medium heat, or roast in the oven at 350-400 degrees until golden and juices run clear (which will obviously depend upon the chicken pieces you select.) Be sure that the pieces are separated well if roasting in the oven.

2 small fists of garlic, peeled and separated into cloves. Do not crush or mince.
6 oz. dried tart cherries
¾ bottle dry red wine
6 oz prepared red currant or raspberry jelly
1/3 c. honey

Combine cherries, whole garlic cloves and wine in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about an hour, until reduced by half (add water if necessary.)

When completed, strain out the solids. Remove about ¼ cup of cherries and discard all else. Reduce to ½ to 1 cup, depending upon how much sauce you need. Chop the remaining cherries and add back, along with the honey and jelly. Simmer over low heat till nicely combined and heated thru. (May doctor with a little chopped ginger, chopped garlic, etc. Thicken with cornstarch or arrow root if necessary. Then use as a glaze and serve on the side.

Ham Marinade
A great way to start.
(If you do this, strain and add the marinade to the glaze above before cooking it.)

1/3 c red wine
1/3 c. ruby port
1/3 c. water
1 tbsp. hot mustard powder
1 tbsp. Pick-a-Pepper sauce
1 tbsp. ginger powder
½ c. ginger ale
1 tbsp. coarse ground black pepper
6 small whole cloves
(Overall, make enough to half cover the ham to be marinatedP

Marinate for 2-4 days, turning occasionally (but overnight, at least!) Bake at time recommended and glaze the ham for the last 20 minutes, uncovered.

(Again, I like to use a plastic bag sufficiently large to accomodate the ham and tie it off--as opposed to a huge pan which requires that you baste regularly)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
½ cup, plus 2 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. boiling water
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup (8 oz.) milk
½ cup sweet butter, melted
1 tbsp. grated fresh orange peel

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Stir together cranberries and 2 tbsp. sugar; then stir in boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Mix flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt.
• Beat eggs lightly; add milk and butter and mix till smooth.
• Stir in cranberries, their liquid and the orange peel, then stir this mixture into the flour mixture.
• Divide batter evenly among 12 buttered muffin cups and bake until risen and tops golden (about 15-20 minutes).
• Remove from oven and cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan.
• Serve warm

This is a wonderful “quick” breakfast, especially for large groups. I used to prepare it for my Bed and Breakfast, doubling or tripling the recipe. You can make it at your leisure and bake it when you wish--so long as it is the next day! It’s great for slumber parties, family gatherings, etc. And it is good as dessert!

½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup butter
2 tbsp. corn syrup, dark or light (dark looks better)
1 loaf French bread sliced into 1 inch thick slices.

5 eggs
1 ½ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan, over medium-low heat, mix and melt sugar, butter and syrup. Spray baking dish(es) with PAM. Pour melted mixture into pan(s) and arrange bread slices on it (2-3 slices per person)

In blender mix eggs, milk and vanilla, then carefully pour this mix over bread slices being sure not to miss any areas.

Cover baking dish(es) and refrigerate over night.

Next morning bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes and serve directly from the dish. Butter and syrup are not needed. Turn it upside down when serving . . . looks better!

2 lemons, juiced
1 lime, juiced
2 ribs celery, sliced thin, crosswise
6 green onions, white minced, green tops sliced thin
1 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
3 tbsp. capers, well drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1-2 tbsp. Pernod (or Anisette) – optional

*Use 3 large or 6 small cans of good, robust beer (not Dark – Fosters is good)
Add garlic toes and celery seeds. Boil for 7-8 minutes. Add shrimp. When it returns to a boil, boil for 30 seconds. Drain and cool.

While cooking shrimp combine all of the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

When shrimp is cool slice in half, lengthwise. Add and mix well. Do not serve for at least 6 hours so the flavors can meld and the shrimp is marinated a little. Overnight is great!

Serve on mixed greens. Bibb lettuce is especially good looking

Yummy !!!

Ingredients:
1 ½ tsp. cornstarch
1 cup flour
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp baking powder
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. key lime juice
grated zest of 1 Persian lime (or 3 key limes)
½ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Sift together the cornstarch, flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add yolks, juice and zest and mix well
Add to the sifted ingredients and mix well
Add walnuts
Drop by teaspoonfuls on to lightly greased cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie
Bake 8-10 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Cool
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Actually, I prefer to use a generous 2 tsp per cookie. I hate tiny cookies! Of course, you’ll have to double the recipe.

Ingredients
• 6 slices bacon
• 1/3 cup butter
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half n half (the fat free works well)
• 3 cups whole milk
• (I suppose 5 cups of skim milk would work—haven’t tried)
• 2 huge or 3 med-large white baking potatoes
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 small yellow onion
• 1 tbsp powdered mustard
• 2 tsp. white Worcestershire Sauce
• 3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
1. Coat potatoes with butter, salt heavily with freshly ground sea salt, and bake in a 350 degree oven until well done--at least 1 ½ hours for huge ones (This can be done well before. I usually bake a few extras when serving potatoes at a prior meal. Just refrigerate them until ready to use them.) In any event, be sure the potatoes are cool and easily handles—otherwise you end up with mashed potato soup.
2. Do not peel the potatoes! Cut them in half lengthwise, slice the halves into 3/8 inch slices, then dice them crosswise into 3/8 inch pieces.
3. Peel and coarsely chop the yellow onion
4. Mince the white part of the green onion; slice the green crosswise into ¼ inch rings
5. Fry bacon until crisp, remove, drain, cool and chop into medium pieces. Reserve oil.
6. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat, add the bacon oil and briefly sauté the chopped onions. Brown slightly. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook for a few minutes, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in HnH/milk, and whisk until thickened. Simmer for at least 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not burn the flour!
7. Stir in potatoes, green onions (reserve a few), Worcestershire and mustard. Bring to a simmer for another few minutes. Be sure the potatoes are heated thru. Stir occasionally, but do not pulverize the potatoes.
8. Reduce heat, add the bacon, cheeses and sour cream, return to a simmer. Taste, and add S/P to your preference. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted. You may have to add more milk, since the potatoes also thicken the soup.
9. Serve hot, with a sprinkle of reserved onions on the top. A little extra cheddar atop is also improves the presentation.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. powdered buttermilk (optional but great)
4 Tbsp. sweet butter
2 eggs well beaten
½ cup cream
1 cup dried sweet cranberries or cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
• Mix dry ingredients well.
• Cut in butter, in food processor or with hand device. Be sure it is fairly finely incorporated.
• Mix eggs and cream, then add to dry mix, incorporating it, but do not mix to batter consistency, that is, just until it is adequately mixed. Add and stir in chopped fruit.
• Turn out on to floured board and knead for a minute or two. (Your hands will be rather gooey . . . live with it.)
• Pat into a circle ¼ inch thick.
• Sprinkle lightly with additional sugar.
• Cut into wedges (8 is about right), separate a little, and place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until just beginning to brown.

• Chop celery and whites of scallions fine.
• Slice scallion greens lengthwise, then cut crosswise into one inch lengths
• Scald milk, then keep warm.
• Melt butter in skillet, mix flour in with flat whisk and sauté the chopped veggies until soft
• Drain oysters and add liqueur to the veggies. Bring to a simmer, then add scalded milk. Be sure the flour is well incorporated. Then simmer till mixture has thickened (about 4-5 minutes--be sure the flour is cooked.)
• Add scallion greens, then the oysters and cook only until the oyster lips curl a little.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, Worcestershire sauce and top with croutons and lightly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

2 Tbsp. good dry vermouth adds considerably, in my opinion. Add after cooking.

Ingredients:
12-16 oz. fish fillets 3/4 to 1 inch thick , or two individual chicken breasts
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. dry white wine (chardonnay or pino gris)
Juice of 2 lemons (or 1/3 cup - key lime juice works well, too)
3 toes garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1-2 Tbsp. small capers, drained
3 Tbsp. butter
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, including an oven safe, non-stick skillet large enough to accept the fillets in a single layer. Oil it lightly, or spray with Pam.

Season the flour with salt and pepper and dust the fillets in the flour. Don't shake the xs off too vigorously.

In a hot, non-stick skillet, sauté the fish briefly in oil, browning each side for a minute or so, (chicken will take a little longer) then place, uncovered, in the hot skillet in the preheated oven . (Time in the oven should be 4-7minutes, depending upon the thickness and type of the meat.

While baking the fish add a little butter to the skillet in which you browned the fish, and sauté the garlic briefly to soften it. Do not brown it. Then add the, wine and juice . On fairly high heat simmer, scraping the loose particles from the skillet. Add the capers and reduce the sauce by two thirds. If still a little thin, add a little flour (Wondra works best). Add the butter and whisk in. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Another delightful touch is to add and flame a 1-2 tsp. of Pernod (or other Anisette type liqueur. Try a little first to be sure you like it, and add it before incorporating the butter.)

Serve over the fish (chicken), now fully cooked, from the oven, with parsley garnish.

3 whole, skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Marinade:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 large toes garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. dry Thyme

Cooking:
1 stick butter (I use less)
1 Tbsp. oil
1 cup fennel (bulb) finely chopped
(can substitute a splash of Anisette)
4 shallots, finely chopped
5 Tbsp. flour
3 cups whole milk
Black pepper to taste
2 dashes Tabasco
Pinch of Nutmeg

Separate breasts (into six individuals) and place one at a time in an unsealed (!) 1 qt. freezer bag. (This works better than between sheets of waxed paper!)
Pound with mallet to thin and double the size.
Cut into 3/8 inch slivers 3-4 inches in length
Marinate in the bag, using the identified ingredients, for at least 30 minutes, though an hour or more is better.

Melt the oil and butter in a skillet and cook the chicken until just done (over cooking will toughen the meat.) I usually do about 1/3 at a time for 2-3 minutes per batch. Do not brown!

Remove the chicken, add additional oil if necessary and saute the fennel and shallots until tender. Add the flour and cook for several minutes, then add the milk and cook until thickened (at least 5 minutes to fully cook the flour) Add the Tabasco, pepper and chicken and simmer for long enough to heat the chicken thoroughly. Add the nutmeg, stir in, and serve over rice or noodles.

YUMMMY. Reduces nicely--for two--by using 1/3 amounts.