Tiramisu

1-1/2 cups cold 2% lowfat milk,
divided
1 container(8 ounces)pasteurized
process cream cheese product
2 tablespoons instant coffee or
caffeine free instant coffee
1 tablespoon hot water
2 tablespoons brandy(optional)
1 package(4-servings size) vanilla
flavor sugar free instant pudding
and pie filling
2 cups thawed lite whipped cream
topping
1 package(3 ounces)ladyfingers,
split
1 square(1 ounce)semi-sweet
chocolate, grated

Pour 1/2 cup of milk into blender container. Add cream cheese product; cover. Blend until smooth. Blend in the remaining 1 cup of milk.
Dissolve coffee in water; add to blender with brandy. Add pudding mix; cover. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides occasionally; pour into large bowl. Gently stir in whipped topping.
Cut ladyfingers in half crosswise. Cover bottom of 8-inch springform pan with ladyfingers halves. Place remaining halves, cut ends down, around sides of pan. Spoon pudding mixture into pan. Chill until firm, about 3 hours. Remove sides of pan. sprinkle with grated chocolate.

Grapefruti Ambrosia

1 16-ounce can grapefruit sections
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Thoroughly drain liquid from grapefruit sections; set aside for use another day.
In bowl, toss well grapefruit sections, honey and coconut. Serve immediately.

Berber Bread

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
6 teaspoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 cup hot water
Makes:8 servings

In the container of a blender or food processor, combine the flour and salt. Pulse to blend. Add the oil and hot water, and blend until it stops sticking to the sides add more flour as needed. Remove from the container, and cut into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until fairly thin. Let it rest for a minute if it is difficult to roll. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with a light coating of cooking spray. Fry one piece at a time until the surface begins to bubble. Flip over, and fry until it has brown spots on the other side. Cut each piece into quarters to serve.

Glogg

2 teaspoons dried orange peel
1 teaspoon whole cloves
4 whole cardamom, cracked
3 short cinnamon sticks
cheesecloth
1 cup dark seedless raisins
1 8-ounce package dried apricots
2 4/5-quart bottles Burgundy
(6 1/2 cups)
1 4/5-quart bottle vodka, gin or
aquavit(3 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup whole blanched almonds

Place orange peel and spices on a piece of cheesecloth; tie string to form a bag. In covered, 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer raisins, apricots, spice bag and 1 bottle Burgundy 30 minutes. Remove from heat and discard spice bag; stir in vodka, sugar and remaining Burgundy; cover mixture and let stand overnight at room temperature.
To serve: Over high heat, heat mixture until piping hot, but not boiling, stirring occasionally. Ignite mixture with long match; let burn a few seconds, then cover pan to extinguish flame. Add almonds; pour into heated punch bowl. Serve hot.

Sangria

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 4/5-quart bottle dry red
wine (3 1/4 cups)
1/4 cup brandy
1-7 ounce bottle club soda,
chilled
1 cup fruit (sliced orange,
lemon, apple, peach, banana
1 tray ice cubes

Into large pitcher, pour lemon juice, orange juice and sugar; stir to disolve sugar. Stir in remaining ingredients. To serve: pour into glasses making sure each person gets some fruit.

Crab Louis

1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons catchup
2 tablespoons chopped
green onions
1 tablespoon
Worcestershire
1 tablespoon red wine
vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 pound cooked fresh
crab or 3-6-ounce packages frozen Alaskan
King crab, drained and
thawed
lettuce leaves
3 hard-cooked eggs,
sliced
1 cucumber, sliced
1 tomato, sliced

In medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, catchup, onion, Worcestershire, wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper; refrigerate 30 minutes.
In center of salad platter, heap crab; encircle it with lettuce, egg, cucumber and tomato slices; pass the salad dressing separately

Guacamole

1 medium tomato
2 medium avocados
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-1/4 teaspoons of salt
1/2 small onion, minced
1 small garlic clove, minced
14-ounce can chopped mild green chilies, drained
Fresh coriander leaves (optional)
Corn, potato chips or fresh vegetables

Peel and dice tomato, then, cut each avacado in half lengthwise ; remove seed; peel. 2 In bowl, mash avocado with lemon juice. Stir in salt, tomato, onion, garlic and chilies. 3 Spoon into medium bowl. Garnish with coriander if desired. Serve with Corn, potato chips or fresh vegetables.

Quiche Lorraine

3 to 4 ounces lean bacon (6 to
8 slices, medium thickness
(Diced, cooked ham, sauteed
briefly in butter, may replace
the bacon.)
1 quart water
An 8-inch partially cooked pastry
shell placed on a baking sheet
3 eggs or 2 eggs and 2 yolks
1 1/2to 2 cups whipping cream or
half cream half milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 to 2 tablespoons butter cut into pea size dots

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut bacon into pieces about an inch long and 1/4 inch wide. Simmer for 5 minutes in the water. Rinse in cold water. Dry on paper towels. Brown lightly in a skillet. Press bacon pieces into bottom of pastry shell.
Beat the eggs, cream or cream and milk, and seasonings. Pour into pastry shell and distribute the butter pieces on top.
Set in upper third of preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until quiche has puffed and browned. Slide quiche onto a hot platter and serve.

Vichyssoise

2 tablespoons of butter
½ cup chopped leeks
(white part only) ½ teaspoon chicken stock base
2/3 cup of water
1-10-1/2 ounce can condensed
cream of potato soup
1 cup half and half
½ cup milk
chopped chives

In 10 inch skillet over medium heat, in hot butter ,cook leeks 5 minutes; add chicken stock base and water; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to slow; cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Stir in undiluted soup, half and half, milk; chill.
Just before serving ; In covered blender container at low speed

Italian Wedding Soup

1 pound ground beef
1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1-1/2 cups pastina or any miniature
pasta
1 package(10 ounces) frozen chopped
spinach, cooked according to package
directions, drained

In large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder; mix well. Shape meatballs using 1 rounded teaspoon meat mixture for each meatball. In large skillet, heat olive oil. Add meatballs; cook 5 to 7 minutes or to desired doneness, turning occasionally to brown on all sides. Drain.
In large saucepan, bring chicken broth and water to a boil. Reduce heat. Add meatballs, pastina and spinach; cover. Simmer 10 minutes.

Seafood Gumbo

1/4 cup salad oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large onion,diced
1 large green pepper,diced
1 garlic clove,crushed
4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
12 oysters in shell
2 16-ounce cans tomatoes
1 10-ounce package frozen
okra,sliced
6 cups water
1 pound shelled and deveined
shrimp
1/2 pound fresh or 16-ounce
package frozen Alaska King
crab,thawed and drained
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper
sauce
hot cooked rice

In 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, in very hot salad oil, gradually cook flour until dark brown but not burned,about 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in onion, green pepper, garlic, salt and thyme leaves; cook until onion and green pepper are tender, stirring occasionally.
Open oysters and drain liquid into flour mixture; refrigerate oysters. Add tomatoes with their liquid, okra and water; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 30 minutes, or just until mixture thickens slightly.
Add oysters, shrimp, crab and hot pepper sauce; cook 10 minutes , stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink and opaque.
Serve in soup bowls with a scoop of rice.

German Sauerkraut Salad

1-27-ounce can sauerkraut (4 cups)
2 red eating apples
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon cracked pepper

Drain sauerkraut; set aside . With grater, grate eating apples, including the peel.
In large bowl, combine sauerkraut, grated apples, olive oil, sugar and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate salad at least one hour.

Fennel, Olive and Radicchio Salad

11- Italian or Greek-style black
olives, divided
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 flat anchovy fillet or 1/2
teaspoon anchovy paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
dash of sugar
1 fresh fennel bulb
1 head radicchio
Fennel greenery for garnish

For dressing, cut 3 olives in half; remove and discard pits. Place pitted olives, oil, lemon juice and anchovy in food processor or blender; process 5 seconds. Add salt, black pepperand sugar; process until olives are finely chopped, about 5 seconds more. Set aside.
Cut off and discard fennel stalks. Cut off and discard root end at base of fennel bulb and any discolored parts of bulb. Cut fennel bulb lenthwise into 8 wedges; seperate each wedge into segments. Separate radicchio leaves; rinse thoroughly under running water. Drain well.
Arrange radicchio leaves, fennel and remaining olives on serving plate. Spoon dressing over salad. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.

Jambalaya

1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dried thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2 onions, chopped
2 tablespoons ground black
pepper
16 skinless, boneless
chicken breast halves
3/4 pound bacon, cut into
small pieces
8 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons
all-purpose flour
3 pounds chorizo, sliced into
chunks
3 pounds cooked ham, cut
into 1/2 inch pieces
3 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon
cayenne pepper
5 cups chicken stock
6 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled
and diced tomatoes with juice
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 cups uncooked white rice
10 pounds medium shrimp -
peeled and deveined

Chicken Marinade: In a large, shallow glass baking dish, mix together soy sauce, 4 tablespoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons paprika, 2 chopped onions and 2 tablespoons black pepper. Place the chicken in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Saute bacon in a dutch oven over medium heat until brown. Add the onion and garlic. Continue to cook 5 minutes. Mix in flour and sausage. Cook 5 minutes more; stirring frequently. Add the ham, thyme, cayenne, chicken stock, tomatoes, reserved juice and green peppers and bring to boil. Stir in rice and cover. Cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely and refrigerate.
Two hours before you intend to serve the jambalaya, discard marinade and bake chicken breasts at 500 degrees F(250 degrees C) for 12 minutes, or until the flesh is firm when pressed with finger. Remove from oven. Cool and slice into bite-size pieces. Reduce oven's temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place covered jambalaya pot on large baking tray filled with hot water. Bake until warm, about 2 hours.
Just before serving the jambalaya, boil 5 quarts of water. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes until they are firm to the touch. Drain well. Toss shrimp and chicken with jambalaya mixture and serve.

Crab Imperial

3 tablespoons butter or
margarine
2 tablespoons minced
green pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire
sauce
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 egg yolks
26-ounce packages
frozen Alaska King crab
meat, thawed and well
drained

In 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter or margarine; add green pepper; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, mustard, salt, Worcestershire, paprika and pepper until well blended. Continue cooking and slowly add milk and sherry, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and comes to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In cup, beat egg yolks slightly; stir in ¼ cup hot sauce until blended. Slowly pour egg mixture back into saucepan, stirring rapidly to prevent lumping. Fold in crab meat.
Pour mixture into greased 1-1/2 quart casserole. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until mixture is hot.

Braised Fennel

2 large bunches fennel
1-3/4 cups water
2 chicken-flavor bouillon
cubes or envelopes
2 tablespoons butter or
margarine, softened
1 tablespoon all-purpose
flour

With knife, cut top off each bulb of fennel just below leaves, leaving stalks and bulb about 6 inches long. Cut bulb lengthwise in half. Chop enough fennel leaves to measure 2 tablespoons; set aside. Refrigerate leftover leaves for garnish another day.
In 12-inch skillet over medium heat, heat fennel, water and bouillon to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until fennel bulbs are tender.
Meanwhile, in small bowl with spoon, blend butter or margarine and flour until smooth. With slotted pancake turner, remove fennel to serving dish; keep warm. With wire whisk, stir butter mixture into liquid remaining in skillet. Over medium heat, cook, stirring, until mixture is slightly thickened and boils. Spoon sauce over fennel. Garnish with chopped fennel leaves.

Maryland Crab Cakes

1 pound fresh back fin crab meat
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
2 tablespoons regular, low-fat or non-fat mayonnaise
8 saltine crackers, crumbled
Vegetable oil for sauteeing (optional)
Cocktail sauce or tartar sauce for serving

Carefully remove the cartilage from the crab meat, keeping the pieces as large as possible. Blot crab meat with paper towels. In a medium bowl, mix the egg, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay and mayonnaise until combined. Add crab meat and crackers and toss lightly but thoroughly.
Shape the mixture into 6 large crab cakes or 24 small crab balls. Place on a bakeing sheet or platter. If not cooking immediately, refrigerate covered.
To cook on the stove: Pour about 1/4 -inch oil into a large skillet and heat over moderate heat until hot. add crab cakes or balls without crowding and saute on each side until golden, about 2 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain. To broil: Preheat broiler to high and broil as close to unit as possible until golden on each side.

Veal Forestier

6 veal rib chops,each cut 1/2 inch thick.
1/4 cup all-purpose flour.
butter or margarine. 1 garlic clove,halved.
1/2 pounds mushrooms,thinly sliced.
1/2 cup dry vermouth.
1 teaspoon salt.
1/8 teaspoon pepper.

On waxed paper, coat chops lightly with flour. In 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, in 2 tablespoons hot butter, cook garlic until brown; discard garlic. In butter remaining in skillet,cook chops,half at a time until well browned on both sides, removing chops as they brown to platter and adding a little more butter if needed. Reduce heat to low. In same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons more butter; cook mushrooms until just tender. Stir in vermouth, salt and pepper,scraping to loosen brown bits. Return chops to skillet; cover; simmer 15 minutes until chops are fork-tender.
To serve, arrange chops on warm platter;pour mushroom mixture in skillet over chops.

Cheeseburger Bisquit Pie

1 (12oz) can Pillsbury® Big Country® Buttermilk Bisquits
1 lb. lean ground beef
¼ cup chopped onion
1/3 cup ketchup
3 TBS mustard
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
7 slices American cheese

Heat oven to 400°F and grease a 9-inch pie pan. Separate dough into 10 bisquits. Press 6 bisquits over bottom and up sides of pie pan to form crust. Cut remaining 4 biscuits into quarters and set aside. In large skillet, brown ground beef and onion until thoroughly cooked, drain. Add ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper. Heat until bubbly. Spoon into biscuit-lined pan. Arrange cheese slices on top of beef mixture. Place biscuit quarters, point side down around edge of pie pan. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 17 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Serves 6.

Crockpot Portobello Chicken

4 to 5 pieces boneless/skinless chicken breasts (or even Tyson Chicken Tenders)
Portobello Mushrooms, sliced, I usually use 2 packages
1 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
curly or elbow noodles, cooked (about 2 1/2 cups dry)

Grab your crock pot and throw in the frozen chicken, sprinkle it with the salt, pepper and garlic. Add the mushrooms and leave it alone. If you do this in the morning before work place it on low and cover. On low you can cook it as long as 9 to 10 hours, the meat will be very tender. If you're short on time you can raise the heat to high, but it will taste better slowly cooked. No need to add any liquid, it will make it's own. When you're ready to eat cook the noodles and serve the chicken with the broth on top.

- Mel's Recipes

Coconut Cake

4oz butter
8oz castor sugar
4 eggs
4oz plain flour
1tsp baking powder
pinch salt
2tbls milk
6oz dry coconut
1/2tsp lime juice

Cream butter and half the sugar
Separate eggs beat the yolks and add to the mixture
Sift flour with baking powder
Add salt and slowly beat into the butter mixture alternately with the milk
line a 9 in baking tin with buttered paper
Put in batter
Beat egg whites very stiffly then add remaining sugar, the grated coconut and lime juice
Spread over the cake batter in tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes

Curry Goat

3lb goat or mutton chopped
1tbsp salt
crushed garlic
juice from one lime/lemon
1 onion chopped
2oz curry powder
1hot pepper chopped
thyme, black pepper and crushed pimento berries (Allspice)
2 stalks escallion chopped
1tsp ginger root rather than powder
2tbsp oil

Wash the meat. Mix all ingredients except the oil and rub into the meat. Leave to marinate for a few hours or overnight. Pick out meat from seasoning and fry in a large thick bottom skillet. Keep the marinade When meat is brown on all sides add the marinade and about 2 cups of water. Cover and allow to simmer until meat is tender. Add water if necessary as curry goat is served with a lot of gravy.
Adjust seasoning to your taste and simmer a little longer. If using a pressure cooker, cook the meat until tender then add the marinade and simmer.

Apple-Onion Stuffing

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup bacon drippings or butter
2 cups diced tart apples
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 cups coarse bread crumbs
1/4 tsp each...cinnamon,nutmeg,sage and thyme
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped chives (optional)

In large saucepan, cook onion and celery until softened. Add apples and sugar.Cook,stirring,over low heat about 5 minutes. Add crumbs(you may need more than 2 cups to hold dressing together) and remaining ingredients; taste and adjust seasoning.

Hot and Spicy Potato Salad

10 small red potatoes, scrubbed thoroughly, skins left on
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup chile-infused oil
2 tablespoons fresh dill or 1 tablespoon of dried dill
3/4 cup chopped shallots
2 serrano or jalapeño chiles, stems removed, sliced into thin rings
Salt and pepper to taste

This simple potato salad is served warm and can be put together quickly after the potatoes are boiled. The recipe can be doubled or tripled easily. It's a nice change from the ordinary potato salad, and the flavors will really charge your palate.

Place the potatoes in a large Dutch-style oven and cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil and then turn it down to a low boil. Cook the potatoes, uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, testing them by inserting a sharp knife through the center of the potato. The potatoes should just start to yield to the knife. Do not overcook. Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl.

Using a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into halves (if they are small) or in quarters (if they are large.) Sprinkle the vinegar over the top of the potatoes and then sprinkle them with the chile oil. Toss gently. Add the dill, the shallots, the pepper rings, the salt and pepper, and toss gently. Serve warm.