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Muhammara This recipe was first mentioned on eGullet on the Raw Sauce thread. This is one of the outstanding dips of the eastern Mediterranean, as delicious and striking as the far more famous hummus and bab ghanoush. I urge egulleteers to take the time to make it. I promise it will be a revelation. Try it with meat or fish kabobs, or simply with crisp pita triangles or warmed floppy lavash. The dip will keep well for up to one week in a closed container in the refrigerator, improving a little each day. REturn to room temperature before serving. 2-1/2 lb red bell peppers 1 small hot chili, like Fresno or hot Hungarian 1-1/2 c walnuts, coarsely ground 1/2 c crumbled wheat crackers 1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 T pomegranate molasses, more to taste 1/2 tsp ground cumin, more for garnish 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp sugar 2 T olive oil, more for garnish 1. Roast peppers and chili over a gas burner or under a broiler, turning frequently until blackened and blistered all over, about 12 minutes. Place in a covered bowl to steam for 10 minutes. Rub off skins; slit peppers open and remove stems, membranes and seeds. Spread peppers, smooth side up, on a paper towel and let drain for 10 minutes. 2. In a food processor, grind walnuts and crackers with lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, cumin, salt and sugar until smooth. Add bell peppers and process until pureed and creamy. With machine on, add olive oil in a thin stream. Add chili to taste. If paste is too thick, thin with 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Refrigerate overnight. 3. To serve, let dip come to room temperature and sprinkle with cumin and olive oil. Yield: about 3 cups. Keywords: Vegetarian, Middle Eastern, Dip ( RG474 )

Granny's Favorite Coleslaw 2/3 c salad oil 1/2 c honey 1 T sugar 1 tsp salt 1 c cider vinegar 1 medium cabbage, shredded (I like to add some purple too) 1 green pepper, finely chopped add some grated carrots (or thinly sliced)--**she didn't specify how much, so just to taste I suppose** 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1/2 c chopped celery (optional) 1 tsp celery seed ( I think we always added more) Toss together cabbage, vegetables and celery seed in a large bowl. Mix oil, honey, sugar, salt and vinegar in a pan; bring to a full boil stirring constantly. Immediately pour boiling mixture over cabbage mixture and toss together. Cover and refrigerate until cold and crisp. This coleslaw is best when prepared a day or so ahead of time. It always seems to taste better with age! It goes great with hot dogs and things like that, so thought you might be interested Keywords: Side, Salad ( RG473 )

Sour Cream Spice Cake I have been making this recipe since I was very small. My mother cut it out of Ladies Home Journal, or one of those magazines, back in the 60's. The original recipe called for raisins, but mom hates raisins and always made it with walnuts. Good with cream cheese frosting. 2 c flour 1-1/2 c packed brown sugar 1-1/4 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 3/4 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 c butter, softened 2 eggs 1 c sour cream 1/2 c water 1 c walnuts, chopped or raisins(optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. Measure all ingredients and put in a large bowl. Blend with a hand mixer for 30 seconds on low speed, then for 3 minutes on high speed. Pour into pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool completely Frost in the pan, or sprinkle with powdered sugar. Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Cake ( RG472 )

Chimichurri From the Raw Sauce, What's Your Favorite thread 2 c flat leaf parsley chopped fine 4 fat garlic cloves (or more to taste) chopped fine 2 jalapenos seeded and chopped fine 1/2 c white vinegar 1 tsp kosher salt ground black pepper to taste 1/4 c good quality olive oil Combine all ingredients let sit 1 hour to develop flavors. Do not refrigerate. If any is left over bring back to room temp before serving. Keywords: Dip, Latin American, Condiment ( RG471 )

Orzo Salad with Apricots Serves 6 as Side. For the ginger oil: 1 good sized chunk of fresh ginger, thinly sliced 8 T light olive or vegetable oil For the salad: 8 oz orzo 1 c dried apricots, cut into strips 2 T cilantro, chopped 1/4 tsp ground coriander 1/3 c scallions, thinly sliced 1/3 c toasted almonds, sliced 4 T ginger oil 1/2 lemon salt and freshly ground pepper In a small saucepan combine ginger and oil. Bring to a simmer and turn the heat off. Let steep for about an hour. Remove ginger, pressing to extract as much oil as possible. Cook orzo until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place the orzo in a bowl and combine with apricots, cilantro, coriander, scallions and almonds. Toss with 4-5 tbsp. of the ginger oil, until pasta is just moist. Squeeze fresh lemon on the salad and mix, then salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature. Keywords: Side, Pasta, Easy ( RG470 )

Curried Macaroni Salad Serves 6 as Side. 8 oz shells or other small pasta 1/2 green pepper, diced 1/2 red pepper, diced 1/2 c celery, sliced 6 scallions, chopped 1/4 c cilantro, chopped Dressing: combine 1/2 c mayonnaise 1/2 c sour cream 2 T olive oil 2 T cider vinegar 2 tsp mild curry powder 1 tsp salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste Cook and drain pasta, rinse with cold water. Mix with 1 tbsp. olive oil and chill until cold. Mix chilled pasta with vegetables, add dressing and mix thoroughly. For a milder salad, reduce curry powder to one teaspoon. Keywords: Side, Easy, Pasta ( RG469 )

Fried Clams (From the New England Clamshack Cookbook) Serves 4 as Appetizer. Reprinted with permission from The New England Clamshack Cookbook by Brooke Dojny, 2003 Vegetable Oil or solid white shortening for frying, such as Crisco 2-1/2 pt shucked, medium-sized whole-belly soft-shell clams 1-1/2 c evaporated milk 1-1/2 c yellow corn flour 3/4 c pastry flour, cake flour or all-purpose flour tartar sauce lemon wedges 1. Heat the oil or shortening over medium heat in a deep fryer or heavy, deep pot until it reaches 350 degrees F. 2. Rinse the clams gently if they are muddy, and dry on paper towels. 3. Pour the evaporated milk into a large bowl. In another large bowl, stir together the corn flour and pastry flour. 4. Using your hands, drip about one third of the clams into the milk, letting the excess liquid drain off. Dredge the clams in the flour mixture, using your hands to make sure each clam is evenly coated. Transfer to a colander or large strainer and shake gently to remove the excess flour. 5. Slide the clams into the hot fat and deep-fry until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the size of the clams. (Cooked clams can be kept warm in a slow oven while you finish the remaining frying.) 6. Serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges. Keywords: Seafood, Appetizer, American ( RG468 )

Apple And Chestnut Soup with Spiced Cream Serves 8 as Soup. SPICED CREAM c Heavy Cream tsp Ground Cinnamon tsp Ground Allspice tsp Ground Ginger tsp Sugar tsp Salt SOUP T Unsalted Butter 1 Medium Onion, Diced 1 Stalk Celery, Diced 1 Granny Smith Apple, Peeled, Cored, and Chopped oz Jar Prepared French Chestnuts c Chicken Stock, Unsalted T Marsala Wine c Heavy Cream Salt & Pepper To Taste SPICED CREAM: In a small bowl, combine the cream, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, sugar, and salt and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate for 1 hour. SOUP: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apples, onion, and celery and cook until tender and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts and stock, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chestnuts are very soft, about 20 minutes. Process the soup with a stick blender until very smooth. Alternatively, with a slotted spoon, remove the apples, onions, celery, and chestnuts (reserving the cooking liquor) from the saucepan. Put solids into a blender and puree (in batches, if necessary) until very smooth. Return puree to the saucepan. Add the Marsala and cream, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set the pan over medium heat and gently reheat the soup. Whisk the spiced cream until lightly foamy. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with the spiced cream. Keywords: Soup, Intermediate, Dinner, Immersion Blender ( RG467 )

Red Velvet Cake It does use a large amount of oil - 2 cups, but it sure ain't "dry." Red Velvet Cake was very popular back in the late 60's & 70's and there were frequently "Red Velvet Cake cookoffs." This recipe won the blue ribbon at several state fairs. 2-1/2 c sifted cake flour 2 c sugar 1 c buttermilk 1 tsp soda 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp salt 3 eggs 2 T cocoa 1 T white vinegar 1 oz red food color 2 C vegetable oil - regular "buttery flavor" is good but, if you can't find it, use 1 Cup Orville Redenbacher Buttery Flavor Oil for Popcorn (available in the popcorn section at the store) and 1 cup regular vegetable oil to make a total of 2C oil Cream cheese frosting: 1 stick butter 1 tsp vanilla 8-oz pkg cream cheese 1 16-oz bag powdered sugar dash salt 1 c chopped pecans Cake Combine all ingredients; mix well and pour into 1 large or two small buttered and floured cake pans. Bake 300º for about 40 minutes, or until done Frosting Cream well, then frost well-cooled cake. Keywords: Dessert, Cake ( RG466 )

Red Velvet Cake 1 c butter softened 3 c sugar 6 large eggs 1-1/2 oz red food coloring (depending on how red you want it) 3 Tb cocoa powder 3 c all purpose flour 1 c buttermilk dash of salt 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 T white vinegar 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 8inch pans In mixing bowl cream 1c butter with sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix food coloring with cocoa and add to mixture. Add flour alternately with buttermilk. Add vanilla and salt. Mix baking soda with vinegar and gently stir into mixture. Do NOT overmix. Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool on rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Frost with Cream Cheese icing. Keywords: Dessert, Cake ( RG465 )

Boston Cream Pie Well, you can teach an old dog new tricks! This was my go-to Boston Cream Pie Recipe for years, but after testing White Cakes on the Pastry & Baking Forum, I now have a strong preference for the King Arthur Elegant White Cake as the base for this dessert. For now, I will leave it as the original recipe, but will edit it soon to reflect the new cake recipe. Cake 1/3 c Unsalted Butter, softened 2/3 c Sugar 2 Eggs, separated 1-3/4 c Soft As Silk Cake Flour 2-1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1/8 tsp Salt 1/2 c Milk 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Vanilla Cream Filling: 2/3 c Sugar 1/3 c Flour-all purpose 1/8 tsp Salt 2 c hot, scalded Milk 2 Eggs, slightly beaten 1 tsp Vanilla Extract or other flavoring Chocolate Icing (Ganache): 1 c Heavy Cream 1 c Semi Sweet Chocolate 1 T Unsalted Butter Cake: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour one 10 inch springform pan. 2. Mix flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. 3. Whip egg whites to stiff peaks, set aside. 4. In mixing bowl with mixer, cream butter and sugar. 5. Add egg yolks, blend well. 6. Add flour mixture alternately with the milk and vanilla, starting and ending with the flour mixture. 7. Fold in by hand the whipped egg whites. 8. Pour in prepared pan and bake 25 minutes until lightly brown on top. Cool. Vanilla Cream Filling: 1. In top of double boiler, over boiling water, mix sugar, flour and salt. 2. Add hot milk. 3. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring with a whisk, until mixture thickens. 4. Add eggs and cook 2 more minutes. 5. Stir in vanilla. 6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till needed. Chocolate Icing (Ganache): 1. Put chocolate in a medium bowl. 2. Bring heavy cream to a boil, pour over chocolate. 3. Stir till soft and shiny, add butter, stir till blended. 4. Refrigerate till ready to use. ( RG464 )

"Not-Your-Boston-Baked-Beans" Baked Beans Serves 6 as Side. This is my adaptation of a recipe from Alton Brown's "Good Eats" television show. Although the myth about soaking beans overnight has been debunked, it is necessary in this case, although not for reasons related to the old admonishment. You will find the Kitchen Aroma Factor of this dish to be mouth-wateringly high! 1 lb dried Great Northern beans 3/4 lb bacon, chopped 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped 4 jalapeno peppers, chopped (no need to remove seeds*) 1/4 c tomato paste 1/4 c brown sugar 1/4 c molasses vegetable broth as needed 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp fresh-ground black pepper 2 tsp kosher salt 5 healthy "glugs" of Bufalo (or a similar liquid hot sauce**) chipotle salsa 1 healthy "glugs" of bourbon 1. Sort through beans and remove any rocks, discolored beans, etc.; rinse beans thoroughly. Soak beans in a plastic container overnight in just enough cold water (@ 2 cups) to submerge them completely. 2. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. 3. Place a large cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat and stir in the bacon, onion, and jalapenos until enough fat has rendered from the bacon to soften the onions, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and brown sugar. Mix chipotle salsa with the molasses and add to the bacon mixture. 4. Drain the beans and reserve the soaking liquid; add the drained beans to the Dutch oven. Place the soaking liquid in a measuring cup and add enough vegetable broth to equal a total of 4 cups of liquid. Stir in bourbon, then add to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat. When the beans reach a full boil, add the cayenne, salt and pepper. Give the whole a couple good stirs and cover pot with a lid. Place in preheated oven and bake for 6 to 8 hours, or until the beans are tender. * Contrary to popular belief, the seeds of chiles carry very little heat. Capsaicin, the chemical compound that gives peppers their “pungency,” is carried almost exclusively in the veins of the fruit. ** Tabasco now has a chipotle variety; whatever the brand, it must be a liquid sauce, not a chunky type salsa. Keywords: Side, Easy, Beans, American ( RG463 )

Sausage and Grapes Serves 4 as Appetizeror 2 as Main Dish. It's fun to watch the grapes turn into a sauce during the second half of roasting. Don't overdo it with the grapes -- if the sausages are completely immersed, they won't brown well and the grape juice won't reduce enough. The dish is best served with mashed potatoes (red potatoes, skin-on), but it also makes a good sandwich on French bread. This is not the sort of recipe that needs to be followed to the letter. You can double or triple it, or forego reducing the sauce. 4 Italian sausage links, hot or sweet (see note) 1/2 lb red seedless grapes 2 T butter 2 T balsamic vinegar salt and pepper Preheat the oven to 500 F. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Prick the sausages several times with a fork and add to the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer five minutes to remove some of the fat. While the sausages are simmering, remove the grapes from their stems, wash, and place in a bowl. Melt the butter and toss it with the grapes. Drain the sausages and arrange in a single layer in an 8"x8" pan. Pour the grapes over. Bake 25 minutes, turning the sausages after 15 minutes. Remove the sausages to a platter. Transfer the grapes and their juice to a skillet and reduce over high heat until syrupy. Off the heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pour the grape sauce over the sausages and serve immediately. Note: There's no substitute for pork, but our local Whole Foods sells excellent-quality chicken sausages, and we often use them in this recipe, which lightens it a bit. Keywords: Appetizer, Italian, Main Dish, Dinner, Fruit, Pork, The Daily Gullet ( RG462 )

Parsnip Pie 2 lb parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced vegetable oil of choice for frying 2 oz butter salt and pepper 8 oz cream 1 lb tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped 6 oz Teifi cheese (it's Welsh) grated. If you can't find it, substitue Gouda. I once tried it with a smoked Gouda which added a barely discernible but deliciously different aspect. 4 T fresh breadcrumbs Lightly fry parsnips in oil until just tender. Butter a 2-3 pint casserole dish and begin layering: parsnips, s&p, a drizzle of cream, tomatoes, more cream, cheese. Repeat until all is used up. Top with breadcrumbs and dot with butter. Bake for 30 minutes in 400 F. oven until bubbling at sides and crispy on top Keywords: Vegetables ( RG461 )

Almond Cake Serves 10 as Dessert. Even though this comes off the label of a product, it's mighty fine. Needless to say, I've made a few changes, but IT WORKS. One important point: you MUST use Solo Almond Filling. No almond paste. No marzipan. PRODUCT only! This contains coconut, almonds, and dairy. 1 c butter, softened 1 c sugar (I like 1/2 & 1/2 white and brown) 3 eggs 1 pkg (12.5oz can) Solo Almond Filling 2-1/4 c all-purpose (plain) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 c milk 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt pan. Beat the butter and sugar(s) with an electric mixer with a paddle (if available) until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. The batter may look broken, but it's okay; it will come together later. Add the almond filling and mix well. At this point you may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add 1/4 of the dry ingredients, mix well, and then add 1/3 of the milk and mix that in. Repeat. Repeat again, adding the almond extract (if used) with last of the milk. Add the last of the dry ingredients and mix well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary; mix until the batter is blended. The batter will be fairly thick and gloppy. Plop the batter into the pan, and gently spread it evenly in the pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 50 to 55 minutes. The cake is done when a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean and dry. Don't worry if the top cracks; you'll turn it over anyway. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then turn the cake out of the pan and let cool completely. If you like, drizzle a chocolate glaze over the cooled cake. You can also mix about 1/2 cup of finely chopped chocolate or cocoa nibs into the batter for an almond-chocolate chip cake. Keywords: Easy, Cake, Dessert, Kosher ( RG460 )

Thomas Haas Chocolate Sparkle Cookies This was published in the LA times so I don't think it is a copyright infringement of any sort. 1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate (TH recommends Valrohna if you can find it) 3 T butter, room temp 2 eggs 1 T honey 1/3 c sugar, plus more for rolling 3/4 c ground almonds 2 tsp cocoa powder pinch of salt powdered sugar for garnish Melt chocolate on top of a double boiler, over (but not in contact with) simmering water. Cut butter into small pieces and mix into the heated chocolate until melted. Beat eggs with mixer, gradually adding the sugar and honey until light & the mixture falls in thick, smooth ribbons from the beaters (about 10 minutes). Fold into the chocolate-butter mixture. Add the cocoa powder and salt to the ground almonds & mix; gently add to the chocoate mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a small ice cream scoop to form the dough into 1 inch balls. Working quickly, roll the balls in granulated sugar. Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 12 minutes, until the centres are most, but not wet. Cool slightly. Dust lightly with powdered icing sugar. Makes 36 cookies. Keywords: Cookie, Chocolate, Dessert, The Daily Gullet ( RG459 )

Three Garlic Pasta Serves 4 as Main Dish. 1 head plus 8 cloves garlic 1 lb spaghetti 2 T olive oil 3/4 c dry white wine 1 c loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 1 tsp red-pepper flakes Salt and freshly ground black pepper Parmesan cheese for grating 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Wrap garlic head in foil, or place in garlic roaster; roast until soft and golden, about 1 hour. Let cool, trim tip of head; squeeze out cloves, using back of knife. Transfer to small bowl; set aside. 2. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and run under cold water to stop cooking. 3. Thinly slice five cloves of unroasted garlic. Finely chop remaining three cloves. Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add sliced garlic; toast until golden and crisp. Remove garlic with slotted spoon; set aside. Add chopped garlic; sauté until translucent, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add roasted garlic and white wine; let simmer about 3 minutes. Add pasta, parsley, red pepper, and salt and pepper to taste; toss. Serve sprinkled with toasted garlic slivers. Grate Parmesan over each serving. Keywords: Main Dish, Vegetarian, Easy, Pasta, Italian ( RG458 )

Spaghetti alla Carbonara Serves 4 as Main Dish. 2 T coarse salt 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped 4 oz guanciale, pancetta, or American bacon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1 lb very thick spaghetti 1/2 c freshly grated Pecorino cheese 4 large eggs, separated 4 tsp freshly ground pepper 1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil; add salt. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch sauté pan, cook onion and guanciale over medium heat until both are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. 2. Add spaghetti to the boiling water, and cook according to package instructions, until tender but al dente. Drain. Add the hot pasta to the sauté pan, and toss over medium heat until coated. Add 1/4 cup cheese, and stir. Remove from the heat, and vigorously stir in egg whites. 3. Divide the pasta among four plates, and top each serving with one yolk. 4. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup grated cheese and the pepper. Serve immediately. Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Pasta, Italian ( RG457 )

Parisienne Potatoes Potatoes, peeled Olive oil Butter 1 Garlic clove chopped finely, for each 10 potato balls Kosher salt Black pepper, freshly cracked Parsley, chopped finely Using a melon baller, make rounded balls from large peeled potatoes. It looks best on the plate to serve either 3 or 5 or 7 potato balls per person. They can be made the day before and put into cold salted water, covered and refrigerated. When ready to cook the potato balls, drain them well and pat dry. Heat skillet on medium heat, add an equal amount of olive oil and butter. Saute the potato balls in a large frying pan until done, shaking the pan periodically (this takes about 10 to 15 minutes). Add chopped garlic, salt and pepper to taste. DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC. Remove from heat, plate up on each individual plate, add chopped parsley and serve. Keywords: Side, Vegetarian, Easy, Potatoes, French ( RG455 )

Zhoug This is a hot Yemenite paste often served to accompany falafel, shwarma and salads. It is very potent and is reputed to have the ability to extend your lifespan, if you eat enough... but treat it (and eat it) like wasabi -- a teaspoon would be very painful indeed! The hotter the chillis, the better -- and if you have the time, muscles and energy to bother crushing your chillis to a paste by hand, your zhoug will be even hotter. The "h" in zhoug is an aspirated sound and the "z" is quite soft (although IANAY so my pronunciation is far from perfect) 400 g green chilli peppers (fresh, not dried) 100 g chopped flat parsley 100 g chopped coriander (cilantro) 20 g finely chopped garlic 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground cardamom salt and pepper The amounts given are relatively arbitrary, especially given how much chilli peppers will vary in potency -- you should experiment to see what you like. Either crush or process the chilli peppers to a rough puree. Add the herbs and crush or process again. Add the spices and do the same once more. Taste (carefully!) and adjust the spicing/seasoning accordingly. Eat and enjoy! Zhoug keeps for a long time in the fridge -- several weeks. Keywords: Side, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables, Kosher, Dip, Hot and Spicy, Middle Eastern, Food Processor ( RG454 )

Parsnips, Proscuitto and Spinach Frittata Serves 8 as Hors d'oeuvreor 4 as Main Dish. The servings are approximate. This does warm or cold, and will last at least a day in the fridge. 2 T goat cheese (optional) 6 large eggs (can use egg whites only if preferred) 2 Parnsips, peeled and quartered in 1/4"-1/8" thick 1/4 lb Proscuitto, torn into small strips Olive Oil 10 oz Spinach, cleaned and stems removed if not using baby spinach 1 oz Pancetta, divided into small strips 2 Shallots, diced Heat a small amount of EVOO in heavy skillet. I add a little removed fat from the proscuitto as well. Add the pancetta, shallots and parnsips and saute, stirring until brown and cooked. Remove parnsips, shallots, and parnsips. Next, add proscuitto and fry slightly. Add spinach and allow to wilt, tossing to ensure that it is cooked evenly. Beat eggs. Add pancetta/shallots/parnsips and combine with spinach/proscuitto. Pour mixture into 10-12 inch cast iron skillet (or similiar oven proof pan), dotting with goat cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until the middle is firm. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Breakfast, Main Dish, Brunch, Easy, Dinner, Vegetables ( RG453 )

Steak Diane Serves 4 as Main Dish. 4 boneless beef sirloin strip steaks cut 3/4-inch thick 1 T butter 2 T finely chopped shallots 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 c sliced fresh mushrooms 1/4 c beef stock (homemade if possible) 2 T brandy 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp finely chopped parsley 1. Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Cook 2 minutes. 2. Stir in mushrooms and cook 3-4 more minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. 3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add steaks and cook 6-7 minutes for medium-rare (140°F), turning once. Remove steaks to a warm platter. 4. Deglaze with brandy (it'll flame), then add the stock, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and reserved mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil. Stir until liquid is slightly reduced, about 1-2 minutes. 5. Spoon sauce over steaks and sprinkle with parsley. Note: works wonderfully well with venison steaks as well. Works well served with fettucine. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Beef, Dinner, French ( RG452 )

Chipotle Bacon Cornbread Serves 6 as Side. This started out as just a scaled down version of Rachel Perlow's Skillet Cornbread With Bacon. I made a few changes along the way and the results are significantly different, hence the new recipe. This is for an 8 inch skillet. You could get away with using a 9 inch, but the bread will be thinner. Note: This is VERY spicy. If you can't handle the heat, seed the peppers. 5 slices cooked bacon, chopped 3 chipotle peppers, chopped – seed for mild 3 T butter 2/3 c yellow cornmeal 2/3 c flour 1/2 tsp tsp baking soda 1-1/4 tsp tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1-1/2 T sugar 1 c buttermilk 1 egg Mix peppers and bacon. Set aside. Put butter in 8 inch cast iron skillet and set skillet in oven. Preheat oven to 350. While oven is preheating and butter is melting, mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk and eggs. Gently add buttermilk and egg mixture to dry ingredients. Stir only until moist. Batter will be lumpy. Stir in bacon and chipotle mixture. Remove hot skillet of melted butter from oven. Pour cornbread batter into hot butter. Bake for 20 minutes. Keywords: Side, Hot and Spicy, Bread ( RG451 )

Nourishing warm milk I want to present a recipe here that will help nourish your body, and ask you to say a prayer for peace to help nourish all our souls 4 c whole milk 1/4 tsp roasted saffron 1/4 c almonds, ground 6 tsp unsalted pistachios, ground 1/4 tsp cardamom seeds, roughly pounded sugar or honey to taste In a deep pan, bring the milk to boil. Add the saffron, almonds, pistachios and cardamom. Lower the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the sugar and mix well. Remove from heat. Serve warm Keywords: Non-Alcoholic Beverage, The Daily Gullet ( RG450 )

Twice Baked Potatoes When you're in the mood to fuss! 4 large baking potatoes 150 ml cream cheese 125 ml sour cream 1/4 c milk or cream 2 tsp oil 2 T minced garlic 1/2 c finely chopped onion 3 T chopped fresh parsley salt and pepper to taste Pierce potatoes with a fork. Bake at 350 for about an hour. Remove potatoes and let cool. Slice in half, lengthwise and scoop pulp into bowl, being careful not to tear skins. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, milk or cream and beat with electric mixer until well combined. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet. Add the garlic and onion and saute until tender. Add the parsley, salt and pepper, stirring to comine together. Add this mixture to the potato mixture and mix well. Stuff the potato mixture back into the shells and place them on baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350. Keywords: Side, Potatoes ( RG449 )