Stuffed Quail with Squash Ragout

4 quail
2 cups stuffing mix
handful of dried cranberries
1 cup chicken stock
1 chicken apple sausage link (precooked)
1 sprig sage
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
1/4 cup white wine
4 Tbsp butter
1lb baby sunburst squash
1/2 shallot, minced
4 slices of thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 zucchini, sliced
2 cups cherry-type heirloom tomatos
1/4 cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F.

Prepare stuffing by dicing sausage and combining it with cranberries, stuffing mix, and stock. Carefully clean the birds, making sure all feathers and organs are removed. Place stuffing and pats of butter inside the birds and place in 8x8 baking pan, breast up. Lightly butter the breasts as well. Place wine, remaining butter, herbs, and remaining stuffin in the pan around the birds. Cover with foil and bake for 15 min. Birds should be cooked thru but look as if boiled or steamed. Remove foil and place under broiler for 5min to brown.

In frying pan, fry on med the bacon and shallots. When bacon has begun to crisp, add the sunburst squash. Lightly brown the baby squash and add the remaining ingrediants, cover, and let simmer. When the baby squash has softened and the zuchini and tomatoes have almost become a lumpy sauce it is done and ready to serve.

Serves 2 very large portions or 4 moderate ones

Alien autopsy

1 part Malibu Coconut Rum
1 part Midori Melon
3 parts pineapple juice

Serve cold

Tzatziki

2 containers plain, unflavored yogurt
1 cucumber, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp olive oil
Mix all and serve chilled. Good with pita, spanekopita, or as a gravy substitute for meat. Is better the second day.

Spanekopita

2 packages frozen, chopped spinach
3 cloves garlic, minced1 brick feta cheese1 large onion, minced1 egg
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 package Phyllo 1 cup olive oil Defrost Phyllo overnight (possibly even 2) in fridge. Defrost spinach. Press out liquid.
Preheat oven to 400F. In large bowl, mix spinach, onion, garlic, egg, 2 tbsp olive oil, and crumble in the brick of feta. Open up phyllo and take about 4 sheets. Fill sheets with spinach filling and wrap like a burrito. Paint with a little olive oil and wrap in 4 more sheets. Paint with olive oil again and place the pastry on a cookie sheet on top of parchment paper. Make a 2nd. Put in oven for 20-30 min or until golden. Serve warm in slices.Serves 6-8

Easy Pork Chop Casserole

6 oz Stove Top

1/12 cup water

4 thick boneless loin chops

2 Tbsp Butter

1 can Apple Pie Filling

Preheat oven to 375F
In baking dish layer the following: Stove top, water, butter, porkchops, pie filling.
Cover and bake for 40 min

You can also substitute for canned pie filling, homemade pie filling or excess ice-cream mix in.

Jambalaya

3 cups water
2 cans diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups uncooked white rice
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 lb uncooked bacon (chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 keilbasa sausage sliced
2 tsp Tabasco
2 carrots diced
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup White wine
In large pot on med-high heat place oil, bacon, and sausage. Crisp bacon and brown the sausage. Add onions, garlic, celery, and carrot. Cook over med heat till tender. Deglaze pan with white wine. Add water, tabasco, chicken stock, and tomatoes (with juice), return to med-high and bring to boil. Add rice. Cook over medium heat till rice is tender and water has cooked down. Serve.

Chocolate peanut butter pie

2 pre-made oreo crusts
2 pack vanilla instant pudding
2 pack chocolate instant pudding
4 envelopes Dream Whip
5 1/2 cup milk
1 package peanut butter morsels
2 tsp vanilla extract

In microwave or double boiler soften morsels and combine with 1 cup milk. Chill
BEAT whipped topping mix and 1 cup of the milk/peanut butter and 1tsp vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed 6 minutes or until topping thickens and forms soft peaks. ADD 1-3/4 cups milk and vanilla pudding mixes. Beat on low speed until well blended. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon into pie crusts.
BEAT whipped topping mix and 1 cup of the milk and 1 tsp vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed 6 minutes or until topping thickens and forms soft peaks. ADD 1-3/4 cups milk and chocolate pudding mixes. Beat on low speed until well blended. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. layer into pie crusts on top of peanut butter layer.
REFRIGERATE at least 4 hours. Garnish as desired.

Makes 2 8 inch pies

Salt & Pepper stir fry

4 thai eggplants
1 pkg enoki mushrooms
1 tin bamboo shoots (drained)
1 tin water chestnuts (drained)
1 shallot, minced
Salt (only to prepare eggplant)
Pepper
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Slice eggplants into rounds and salt both sides. Place on cooling rack for 30 min. Salt will draw out bitter liquid. Rinse off rounds throughly. In wok on high heat heat up sesame oil. Grind black pepper into hot oil, being careful not to burn it. Add eggplants and brown. Add all other ingrediants stiring briskly till tender and heated thru.

Serves 4-6

Meme's Potato Candy

1/2 Medium Sized Potato
1 Box Confectioners Sugar
Peanut Butter
Boil medium sized potato. Put in fridge to get cold.
Remove potato skin and use a fork to mash. Potato should be watery.
Add the entire box of confectioners sugar.
Once thoroughly mixed and very stiff, roll out mixture on a piece of waxed paper that has been dusted with confectioners sugar. Spread with peanut butter and roll as a jelly roll.
Roll should be no wider than quarter-sized. Cut pieces as desired.

Meme's Gooey Cake

1 Betty Crocker Pound Cake Mix
1 Stick Margarine - melted
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Eggs

Mix the top ingredients until stiff.
Spread evenly across a 9 x 12 cake pan. (Greased & Floured)
Mix Well -
1 Box Confectioners Sugar (hold back a small amount)
1 Stick Margarine - melted
1 Large Cream Cheese
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Vanilla
Pour this mixture over the cake batter in the pan.
Bake at 325-350 for 30-35 mins.

My Friend's Bien me Sabe (Tastes Good to Me)


2½ cup sugar

1 cup water
2 cans cream of coconut
8 egg yolks

24 lady fingers
3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
¼ cup water


Arrange lady fingers in the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish. Boil 2½ cup sugar and 1 cup water over high heat without stirring until it makes a light syrup. Allow to cool. Gradually add the cream of coconut and stir. Add egg yolks and blend in.
Cook mixture over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce to medium heat and stir until it boils. Immediately pour over lady fingers. Boil 3/4 cup sugar and ¼ cup water in a saucepan until the soft ball stage (240ºF).
Meanwhile beat egg whites until stiff. Slowly add syrup and beat until foamy.
top with the meringue toast in oven at 350. Cool

chill until serving. Serves 8-10.

Meme's Cocoa Fudge Cake

Heat Until Melted:
2 Sticks margarine
1 Cup Water
4 Tablespoons Cocoa (or 1.5 squares of bakers' chocolate)
Mix:
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Sour Milk*
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Cinnamon

Add Liquid Mixture. Batter will be soupy. Pour into Tube Cake Pan.
Bake approx 50 minutes @ 350 degrees.
*sour milk = milk + 1 -1/5 tsp vinegar. Mix until lumpy.

Meme's pound cake

Cream Together:
1 cup Shortening (do not use butter)
2 Cups Sugar
Add:
4 Eggs
2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla
Batter will be stiff.
Bake in Tube Cake Pan 60-70 Minutes @ 350 degrees

Grandma's sugar cookies


1/2 cup margarine ( better than butter, helps cookies hold shape during baking)
1/4 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup sugar ( do not use sugar substitute)
2 eggs
1 teas. lemon extract ( or any other flavoring)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teas. baking powder
1 teas. salt


Mix thoroughly shortening, margarine, eggs and flavoring. Blend in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and chill at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll flour out to desired thickness. Thin dough will be a crisper cookie, thick will result in a cakier, softer cookie. Keep unused dough chilled until ready to use. Cut out shapes. Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper or nonstick foil. Bake 8 mins till set but not browned.
Cool on rack.
decorate if desired. Freezes beautifully.


Makes approximately 4 doz.

Fried Rice

4 cups cooked, cold white rice
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 carrot, diced
3 Tbsp chopped green onion
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium)
1 cup snow peas
1 egg

Add sesame oil to wok and heat up oil on high heat. Add egg and scramble. Add shallot, ginger, carrots, green onion, and peas and lower heat to med. Cook till tender. Add rice, return heat to high. Mix thoroughly while slowly adding soy sauce. Stop adding sauce when rice is evenly brown. Cook till well heated thru.
Serves 6

Orange Sesame Ginger Seabass

1 Chilean Sea Bass steak
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Sesame seeds
1 tsp finely chopped cilantro
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 cups orange juice

Combine cilantro, ginger, and sesame oil. Paint onto steak. Marinate in orange juice for at least 2 hours. Cover with sesame seeds. Grill over hot coals or in grill pan on high heat to crisp skin. Lower to medium heat and let cook for 30 min.

Cook Marinade as a reduction and serve on side as a sauce.

Serves 2

Imam Biyaldi (the Cleric Swooned)

1 large eggplant
Salt
3 cloves of garlic
1 large diced onion
2 cans diced stewed tomatoes (drained)
¼ cup red wine
3 tbsp olive oil
½ cup olive oil

Wash and slice eggplant in half. Salt heavily and set on cooling racks for 1 hr to drain. Rinse eggplant and scoop out seeded center. Cube center pieces. Be certain to leave enough eggplant meat in the skin to make 2 eggplant ‘boats’. Preheat oven to 400F. Brush olive oil (from ½ cup measure) lightly on the eggplant ‘boats’ and place in large baking dish with remaining oil from the half cup measure. Cover with foil and heat in oven for ½ hour. In frying pan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil and garlic on medium high. Sautee cubed eggplant till softened. Add onions and cook till translucent. Add red wine and canned tomato. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Scoop mixture into eggplant boats and return to oven covered for 15-20 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

Acorn Squash Soup

2 acorn squash
1 pt heavy cream
1 stick unsalted sweet cream butter
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
Pecan halves (for decoration)

Heat oven to 400F. Wash squash and place whole in oven. Remove after 30 min or when softened. Cut open and remove meat. Place in large bowl while still piping hot. Puree with stick blender and add other ingrediants. Serve warm (can be reheated if necessary). Tastes a lot like pumpkin pie as a soup.
Serves six

Babaganoush

1 large eggplant
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
2 bell peppers
½ tbsp cumin
1 ½ tbsp tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste
¼ cup olives, chopped (optional)

Under broiler in pan, char eggplant and bell peppers. Remove only about ½ the charred skin (the char adds a nice smokey taste to the dip). Cut up all ingredients and place them in the food processor. Blend till only slightly lumpy. Serve warm with pita chips.
Serves 4-6

Sushi-inspired Salad

1 bag baby spinach (washed)
2 cups cooked sushi rice
1 pouch crabmeat
¼ lb steamed shrimp
2 carrots, julliened
1 cucumber, sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 baby daikon radish, jullienned
4 tsp black sesame seeds

Wasabi Dressing:
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ cup rice wine vinager
¼ cup soy sauce

Form sushi rice into 4 balls. Plate rice balls in center of each of 4 plates. Mix spinach, carrot, cucumber, radish, and tomato. Plate vegetables in ring around rice ball. Portion equally shrimps and dollops of crab meat on the salad mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Dollop wasabi on the edge of the plate. Serve with dressing on the side.
Serves 4