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Sweet & Sour Chicken Serves 4 as Main Dish. 6 T olive oil 6 T soy sauce 6 T honey 3 T white vinegar 1 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp ground allspice 1 tsp caynne pepper 4 boneless,skinless chicken breasts 2 c angelhair pasta or rice Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl combine oil, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, all spice and pepper. In a shallow baking dish, place chicken breasts and pierce each breast a few times with a fork on both sides. Pour sauuce over chicken. Bake, uncovered for 40 minutes, basting with sauce every ten minutes or so. Serve over pasta or rice. Serve remaining sauce on the side. Keywords: Chicken, Main Dish ( RG420 )

MADELEINES This is a classic recipe we use at Cordon Bleu Paris. Excellent results. If you're in the States use cake flour, in France it's type 45. Lemon zest is an option. Ingredients 4 eggs 170 g sugar 1 pinch salt 10 g honey 5 g baking powder 180 g flour 200 g butter Preheat oven to 170°C, then reduce heat to160°C and bake. Melt butter – no colour - cool to just warm. In medium bowl, whisk eggs. Add sugar and honey then whisk lightly – do not overwork batter. Add flour, salt, baking powder, ½ melted butter then turn with whisk to just mix. Add ½ butter then turn with whisk to just mix. Cover bowl with plastic, chill, rest overnight. Butter molds with softened butter – to maximum nearly filling depressions. Flour, bang off excess. Place smooth, medium tip in pastry bag, fill bag halfway with batter, barely fill molds evenly. Bake on baking sheet, about 7 minutes, golden around with pale point/tête. Unmold immediately by banging onto papered surface, turn immediately to cooling rack with têtes up ( RG417 )

Sourdough Biscuits C. AP flour 1-1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 T sugar 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 c starter 1/2 c shortening Combine all ingredients, starting with dry ingredients, and knead on a floured board or pastry cloth 10 times. Pat out to 3/4" thick. Cut out biscuits, either round with top of glass, or (easier) just make square biscuits. Place in greased pie pan and bake 425º for 15-18 minutes. Makes 8 large biscuits Keywords: Side ( RG415 )

Hilda's Friend's Almond Shortbread 3/4 c melted butter 1-1/2 c sugar 1-1/2 c flour 2 beaten eggs pinch salt 1 tsp almond extract Mix butter and sugar til creamy; add aggs and mix well; add flour, salt and extract and mix well. Grease your standard cast-iron skillet and line completely with foil. Pour the stiff batter in and spread it to the sides. Sprinkle the top generously with slivered almonds and more sugar. Bake @ 350 30 mins. Cool completely before removing. Notes: this is so easy it's addictive. I use the Kitchenaid and pretty much just dump in the ingredients in the proper order and let the machine do all the work. I recommend taking the pan out after 25 min. and checking that your oven isn't cooking too fast. The top of the cookies will brown only VERY slightly. You might think they aren't done and want to stick them back in for 5-10 minutes--DON'T. Becasue I was making them during a cold spell, I took the skillet out on the porch and let them cool overnight. Once completely cool they set and firm up. Cut them into thin slivers and serve them with coffee or tea or alongside another dessert like chocolate mousse. These are the best cookies I've discovered in a LONG time. They are like a rich, soft chewy biscotti. Hope you like them, too. Keywords: Dessert, Cookie ( RG413 )

Double Fudge Frosted Brownies 1/2 c unsalted butter, cut into Tablespoons 1/2 c lightly packed brown sugar 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate 2 oz unsweetened chocolate 3/4 c granulated sugar 3 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 c flour 1/4 tsp salt Frosting: 3 T unsalted butter 2 oz unsweetened chocolate 1 oz semisweet chocolate 1-1/2 c confectioners sugar pinch salt 1/4 c heavycream 1 tsp vanilla extract oven to 350. Line 8" square pan and sides completely with foil. Lightly butter bottom and sides. In medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and chocolates until butter and chocolates melt and mixture is smooth, transfer to medium bowl. With wooden spoon, stir in granulated sugar. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until there is no trace of yolk. Mix in vanilla. Add flour and salt and mix vigorously until mixture is shiny and smooth. Scrape into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake brownies for 35-40 minute, or until cake tester comes out slightly moist. Do not overbake. Let cool for 45 minutes. Lift brownies out of pan holding onto foil. Invert onto cooling rack and peel off foil. Let cool completely (brownies will be frosted on smooth side. Make frosting: Place butter and chocolates in medium saucepan. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until butter and chocolates melt and mixture is smooth. Transfer to bowl of electric mixer. On low speed, add half of heavy cream. Blend in remaining confectioners sugar and remaining heavy cream. Beat in vanilla and salt. Beat frosting on medium speed for 30 seconds, or until smooth and shiny. Spread frosting over uncut brownies, and cut into 9 squares. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy! They are soooooooooooooooo good! Keywords: Dessert, Brownies/Bars ( RG410 )

MARY ANN's CRAB DIP 1 package (3oz) cream cheese, softened 1 can (6 1/2oz) white crabmeat, drained 1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed clam chowder soup 3 T chopped green onions, including some green Additional chopped onions 1/2 c dairy sour cream 3 T pale dry sherry 1/16 tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp paprika Crackers or chips Heat softened cream cheese in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir until smooth. Stir in soup, sour cream, paprika and garlic powder, continue heating. Stir in crabmeat, 3 TBSP green onions and sherry. Stirring occassionally, cook until hot (do not boil). Transfer to chafing dish. Garnish with additional green onions. Serve with crackers or chips Keywords: Dip, Appetizer, Crab ( RG292 )

Shrimp & Pasta with Dill Caper Sauce 1/2 lb Pasta 1 lb small shrimp, cleaned & cooked 1 c julienned or thin sliced carrot 1 or 2 tablespoons capers 1/2 c chopped green onion Salt & pepper to taste 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning 3/4 c mayonnaise 3/4 c sour cream 1 T lemon juice 5 oz frozen peas. Don't thaw or cook, just toss in. 3/4 c diced or thin sliced pickles. 1 or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (to taste, careful not to overdo it!) Combine pasta, peas, carrots, shrimp, pickles, capers, and Old Bay. Add mayo and sour cream and mix thoroughly. Add chopped dill a little at a time being sure not to use too much. Salt & pepper to taste. I don't use salt because the pickles and capers usually have plenty. You might vary the recipe depending on how long it will be before serving. The pasta really sucks up the sauce, so you might use more mayo/sour cream if it will be a while before serving. ( RG284 )

Xuan's Vietnamese Eggrolls 1 lb lean ground pork 1/2 lb cleaned shelled shrimp, cut small 1/4 lb shredded cabbage* 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground pepper 1 tsp sugar 1 medium onion, finely diced 1 package of eggroll wrappers * For a more interesting flavor, instead of cabbage substitute 2 1/2 cups of julienned (cut into matchstick sized strips) jicama root. This can be found at many large supermarkets and ethnic food stores. Preparation: 1. Combine first 7 ingredients and let sit for about 10 minutes. 2. Place eggroll wrapper on counter diagonally, and place a couple tablespoons of the filling across the lower center of the wrapper. From the corner of the wrapper closest to you, begin to roll up the eggroll. When it is halfway rolled up, fold in the outer corners, and continue rolling so that they are tucked inside. 3. The finished eggrolls are deep-fried at low to medium heat (make sure the oil is not too hot or the wrapper will overcook before the filling is cooked) in a saucepan for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. ( RG283 )

Grilled Spicy Shrimp Serves 4 as Appetizeror 2 as Main Dish. 1 lb large or jumbo shrimp Marinade 2 or 3 roasted jalepenos 1 c V8 juice 1/2 c cider vinegar juice of 1 lemon juice of 1 lime 1 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp coriander salt & pepper to taste Place all marinade ingredients in food processor and process till smooth. Peel and clean shrimp. place in a 1 quart ziplock bag and add marinade. Press out excess air and close. Squeeze shrimp around and insure it is thoroughly distributed within the marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Place onto skewars that have been soaked for at least 2 hours (I use 2 skewars per kabab to keep shrimp secure). Place on a hot grill and cook for 2 or 3 minutes per side. Keywords: Seafood, Hot and Spicy, Shrimp ( RG279 )

Carolina Pulled Pork This recipe was obtained years before I became serious about BBQ. Check here to see how far I've come since then... Preparing pulled pork requires little effort, but lots of time. Plan on nine hours from start to finish: three hours with the spice rub, three hours on the grill, two hours in the oven, and one hour to rest. To give the meat its characteristic smoky flavor, use either hickory chips that you've wrapped in foil pouches or add one medium to large chunk of hickory. We prefer one chunk, even though it has to be soaked in water for at least one hour, whereas the chips do not require soaking. If you do this with the chip pouches, the number will determine how strong a smoky flavor you get: One pouch is detectable, two noticeable, and three assertive. Serve the pulled pork on plain white bread or warmed buns with the classic accompaniments of dill pickle chips and coleslaw You will need 1 recipe Spicy Chilli Rub 1 bone-in pork roast, 6 to 8 pounds (preferably shoulder or Boston butt roast) 1 recipe Carolina-style Barbecue sauce: Spicy Chilli Rub 2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 T chili powder 2 T ground cumin 2 T brown sugar 1 T ground oregano 4 T paprika 2 T salt 1 T granulated sugar 1 T white pepper 1 T ground black pepper Mix all ingredients in a small bowl EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA-STYLE BARBECUE RUB 2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 T chili powder 2 T ground cumin 2 T brown sugar 1 T ground oregano 4 T paprika 2 T salt 1 T granulated sugar 1 T white pepper Mix all ingredients in a small bowl MID-SOUTH CAROLINA MUSTARD SAUCE 1 c cider vinegar 6 T Dijon mustard 2 T maple syrup or honey 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp hot red pepper sauce 1 c vegetable oil 2 tsp salt Ground black pepper Mix all ingredients in a small bowl Master recipe for Pulled Pork 1. If using a fresh ham, remove skin. Massage dry rub into meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but no longer than 72 hours. 2. At 1 hour prior to cooking, remove roast from refrigerator to stand at room temperature. Soak hickory chunk or assemble hickory chip pouches by wrapping a large handful of wood chips in each of one to three 12-inch squares of foil. Prick each foil pack with fork tines to allow smoke to escape. Meanwhile, ignite enough charcoal to fill slightly less than two shoeboxes, and burn until completely covered with thin coating light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. 3. Open bottom grill vents and arrange hot colas into two equal piles on opposite sides of grill, place chunk or pouch(es) directly on one pile of coals and set grill rack in place. Set unwrapped roast in disposable pan and place on rack between two piles of coal. Open grill lid vents three-quarters of the way and cover, turning lid so that vents are opposite chunk or pouch(es) to draw smoke through and around roast. Cook, adding fifteen to twenty briquettes every 30 to 40 minutes or seven to ten pieces lump charcoal every 15 to 20 minutes, along with additional pouches (if using), until smoke flavor has fully permeated meat, about 3 hours. 4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place roast in pan and wrap with foil to cover completely. Place pan in oven and bake until meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours. 5. Put foil-wrapped roast in pan into double grocery bag. Crimp top shut; let rest 1 hour. Transfer roast to cutting board and unwrap. When cool enough to handle, "pull" pork by separating roast into muscle sections, removing fat if desired, and tearing meat into thin shreds with fingers. Place shredded meat in large bowl; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, adding more to taste. Serve with remaining sauce passed separately. Here's Another excellent BBQ sauce! Keywords: Main Dish, Pork ( RG276 )

Medallions of Pork with Cognac and Peppercorn Sauce Sprinkle pork with salt. Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Saute pork in 2 batches until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side, adding more butter if needed. Remove slices to warmed serving platter. Cover tightly with aluminum foil to keep warm. Reduce heat under skillet to medium. Carefully add cognac to skillet, stirring and scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon. Cook about 1 minute. Stir in heavy cream and peppercorns. Cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Stir in any accumulated meat juices from platter. Spoon small amount of sauce over pork. Garnish with seasonal vegetable of your choice. Pass remaining sauce seperately 1 boneless pork loin (about 1 1/2 lbs), trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2" thick slices Salt 2 T butter or margerine 1/4 c cognac 1 c heavy cream 1 T drained green peppercorns Keywords: Pork, Main Dish ( RG275 )

Chinese Hot & Sour Soup From Mark's Website cups chicken stock 1/4 lb julienned lean pork or chicken 2 T garlic & red chile paste 2 T soy sauce 3/4 tsp ground white pepper 4 eggs, beaten 5 T cornstarch 1 c sliced shittake mushrooms 1 can peeled straw mushrooms 1 can sliced bamboo shoots 1 can sliced water chestnuts 1 can baby corn ears 1 cake soft tofu, sliced into 1/4 inch cubes 1/4 c white vinegar 1 tsp sesame oil 1/4 c dried black fungus (cloud ears), soaked in water for one hour, drained and sliced. finely chopped scallions for garnish Preparation: 1. Bring stock to a simmer, add soy, pork, mushrooms & chile paste, simmer for 10 minutes. 2. add pepper, vinegar, bamboo, baby corn, water chestnuts, fungus and tofu, simmer 10 min 3. Mix cornstarch with 5 tbsp water and add. bring back to a simmer and pour the eggs in a very thin stream over the surface. Let stand for 10 seconds before gently stirring in the sesame oil. 4. serve with a garnish of chopped scallions. The pepper, vinegar and chile paste can be varied to taste. You're a chile-head, you know what to do! Keywords: Soup, Appetizer, Easy, Hot and Spicy, eGCI ( RG270 )

Sephardic Charoset From the Passover thread: I've been making a sort of improvised Sephardic charoset for the past several years that is always a hit and much tastier than the "standard" mortar. 3 apples, cubed 3 pears, cubed 1/2 c each walnuts, almonds, filberts and pistachios, finely chopped 1 handful each dried apricots, golden raisins, and dates, finely chopped Ground Cinnamon Ground Ginger Pinch ground Nutmeg Kosher White Concord wine 1/3 c Honey Mix together fruits and nuts. Moisten with enough wine and honey to create "mortar-like-texture" and season to taste with ground spices. This is delicious and particularly easy since I cheat and pulse everything except the hand cubed fruit in batches through the food processor and then dump it in a big bowl. I get the fruit stickyness out of the bowl with the wine and honey and mix the spices into the liquids in the processor as well. Makes for a very evenly flavored mixture. Voila! Couldn't be easier. This seems to be particularly popular with children and is a great way to get them to eat something half good for them. Keywords: Kosher, Fruit, Condiment, Jewish, Passover ( RG264 )

Shrimp & Pesto Ravioli with Sherry Cream Sauce & Shitakes 1 lb 31 to 40 count shrimp, peeled, deveined and boiled for 4 minutes. Drain and cool. 2 c durum semolina flour 2 eggs water pesto pitted calamata olives 1/2 lb. shitake mushrooms 1/4 c diced shallots 1/4 c dry sherry 1 pt heavy cream 1/4 tsp nutmeg olive oil 1/4 stick butter at room temperature 1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning Pasta: Combine eggs and flour thoroughly. If necessary, add water until proper consistency is attained. Knead for 5 minutes, then let rest on counter under a bowl for 20 minutes. Roll out dough with machine into a thin sheet suitable for making the raviolis. Lay pasta on wax paper sprinkled with semolina to prevent sticking. Raviolis: take a shrimp and smear one side with a dab of pesto and place pesto side down on pasta sheet. Place half of an olive on top of the shrimp. Repeat until there is a double row of 10 or 12 shrimp. Using your finger or a pastry brush, moisten around each shrimp with water. Roll out another sheet of pasta, and carefully lay over shrimp. Using your fingers, press the air out from around the shrimp and press pasta together around the shrimp. Use a pasta/pastry crimper/cutter to cut the individual raviolis. if making a large quantity, separate single layers with wax paper sprinkled with semolina (raviolis touching each other tend to stick and tear) and stack in a baking dish or tray. Raviolis may be prepared and frozen for later use. (Cook frozen raviolis for 2 extra minutes) To cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add raviolis and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from pot and drain in a colander. If not serving immediately, drizzle with a little olive oil and gently toss to prevent sticking. Cream sauce: Heat cream in saucepan until it is boiling vigorously. Reduce to 1/3 of its original volume and add nutmeg and Old Bay. In a sauté pan, sauté shallots and shitakes in a little olive oil until tender. While over high heat, add the sherry to the pan and flame off the alcohol. reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated. remove both the mushrooms from the heat, combine with cream in the saucepan and simmer for a few minutes. Add butter and whisk until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle sauce over the raviolis and serve immediately. Keywords: Pasta, Seafood, Shrimp ( RG260 )

Chinese Dumplings (Potstickers) Dough: 1/2 tsp salt 2-1/2 c unsifted flour 1 T lard, chopped fine (OK, I use margarine!) 1 c boiling water Filling: 1 lb ground pork 2 T dry sherry 2 T soy sauce 1 tsp grated ginger 1/2 tsp groud white pepper 1 T toasted sesame oil 1 T chopped green onion 1/2 tsp sugar 1 egg white 1 tsp salt 1 T corn starch 2 cloves garlic, finely minced > 2 T finely chopped water chestnuts 2 T finely chopped bamboo shoots 1 T (or more) garlic & red chile paste 1 c finely chopped cabbage with moisture squeezed out Mix all the Dough ingredients and knead thoroughly. Let rest on the counter under a bowl for 20 Min. Combine all filling ingredients and mix into a bowl. 1. Break off about a teaspoon of the dough, and roll into a 3 inch circle. 2. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the circle, and wet the edges of the circle with a little water. Seal into a half-moon shape, avoiding trapped air. 3. Heat a saute pan with 2 tbsp peanut oil, and place the dumplings upright in the pan and cook on medium /high heat until bottoms become nicely browned (3-5 min.) 4. Pour 1 cup chicken stock into the hot pan and immediately cover. Cook another 3 or 4 minutes, until most of the broth is absorbed. 5. serve immediately with a sauce made with 1/2 cup soy with a dash of ginger, scallion and a few drops of sesame oil for dipping. Keywords: Appetizer, Pork, Chinese, Hot and Spicy ( RG259 )

Piquant Salmon Rolls 8 oz cream cheese 1/4 c walnuts or pecans, chopped 1/4 c green onion, chopped 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp cayenne (or more, to taste. For Chilehead events I’ve used dried habanero powder) 1 stalk celery chopped 2 tsp lemon juice 8 oz (3/4" by 2") thin slices smoked salmon thin sliced cucumber freshly ground pepper your favorite crackers (I use Wheatsworth) fresh dill sprigs hot sauce * 1.In a bowl, soften cream cheese and stir in chives, green onion walnuts and celery. 2. Add lemon juice and spices and mix well. 3. Spread mixture on salmon slices and season with pepper, roll up to form neat rolls 4. Place a cucumber slice on each cracker and place a sprig of dill and a salmon roll on each cucumber. 5. Drizzle with remaining lemon juice and garnish with chives if desired. * To add some more heat you can add a couple drops of habanero sauce to the top of the cucumber during assembly. The sauce I use has cloves and honey which seem to compliment the flavor of the salmon. You might want to play around with the seasonings. salmon rolls may be prepared several hours in advance, and assembled just before serving to prevent the cracker from getting soggy. Keywords: Fish, American, Appetizer, Hors d'oeuvre, Seafood, Hot and Spicy, eGCI ( RG256 )

Rich's Chicken Salad Sunrise 3 lb Boneless Chicken Breast. 1 c Celery, cut diagonally. 1/2 c Red Onion, small dice. 8 oz Raisins, black, golden, or a mixture. 8 oz Cashews or other nuts. 1 g fresh Saffron 1 T olive oil 1 T balsamic vinegar 1 c Chicken Stock or Water Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste 1/2 lb pasta, cooked al dente' (I use bow ties) 1 Large red or green Bell Pepper, fine julienne. 1 T Fresh Thyme or Mint (or about 1tsp of dried leaves) 3 c mayonnaise, either homemade or a quality brand like Hellmann's or Kraft Chopped Chives or Green Onions for Garnish 1 c Brandy or Bourbon (optional) 1. Pound the chicken breasts lightly so that they are of an even thickness (~1/2 ") and then grill over a hot flame, marking well, but being careful not to overcook. Refrigerate to cool. When the chicken is cool, cut into 1/2" cubes. 2. As an option, soak the raisins in the brandy or bourbon for an hour. Drain, reserving the liquid. 3. Combine chicken stock or water, olive oil, and vinegar. If you used brandy or bourbon for the raisins, add about 1 tbs. of the reserved liquid as well. The amount of saffron that you will need will vary greatly with the purity and freshness. With this method, having too weak a mixture will be more of a problem than too strong a mixture. Chop the saffron threads very finely. Add the saffron to the stock mixture and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup in volume, and then cool. Mix this liquid into the mayo. The color should be a fairly bright, but not a totally alarming yellow (more than a legal pad, but less than a taxi). If the color and flavor seem too strong, just add more mayo. 4. Gently mix the diced chicken, drained raisins, celery, onion, bell pepper, and thyme or mint in a large bowl. 5. Fold the saffron mayo into the salad, whatever amount looks good to you. Add salt and pepper to taste. It's best if you can let the flavors meld overnight The nuts are best added about 1 hr. before serving so that they don't become too soggy. The left over bourbon or brandy can be used for deglazing sautéed foods. It's especially good when used for pork, game, or poultry. Of course you can also guzzle it as an after dinner drink! Keywords: Pasta, Side, Chicken, American, Salad, Main Dish ( RG255 )

Coconut-Peach Cake Serves 12 as Dessert. From Brown Sugar by Joyce White. Used with permission from the author. This is a fancier than the version found in The Daily Gullet article, click here. "This elegant cake is perfect for a wedding reception. Very lightly toasted coconut adds a tawny color to the cake, but if you prefer a snowy pristine look, don't toast the coconut. Place the cake on a nice crystal platter and ring it with candied violets. Toni likes the cake stacked with homemade peach preserves, but it is just as pretty, and delicious, with plum preserves made with black or Santa Rose plums, which turn into a delightful purplish-red color. So both recipes are included. And on a hot, humid day, whipped cream is a fine covering for a coconut cake -- a nice substitute for temperamental boiled icing." Pages 85-88, Brown Sugar. Cake Layers: 3 c cake flour 1 T baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 lb butter, softened 1-1/2 c granulated sugar 4 large eggs, room temperature 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 c whole milk, room temperature 2-1/2 c freshly shredded coconut, lightly toasted Peach or Plum Filling: 1-1/2 c Peach or Plum Preserves, preferably homemade 2 T peach brandy or peach schnapps Vanilla Icing: 3 large egg whites, room temperature (see note below) 1-1/2 c granulated sugar 1/3 c water 2 T light corn syrup 1/4 tsp cider vinegar or cream of tartar 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter threee 8 x 1½-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour and shake out any excess flour. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt and set aside. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer. Beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating about 30 seconds after each addition, and scraping the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla extract. Set the mixer at low speed. Alternately add the flour and milk to the creamed mixture, mixing only until blended after each addition, ending with the flour. After the last addition, beat the batter on low speed for 30 seconds, or until the batter is smooth and satiny. Using a measuring cup, pour the batter into the prepared pans, dividing evenly. Shake the pans gently to settle the batter. Place the cake pans in a triangular patter in the hot oven on the middle shelf. Make sure that the cake pans don't touch. Bake the cake layers for 20 minutes, and then quickly change the position of the pans in the oven for even browning, shifting the pans from front to back and vice versa. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes longer or until the cake layers are brown and puffy and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, or until the layers pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove the cake layers from the oven, place on wire racks, and allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Don’t turn off the oven. Run a knife or metal spatula around the edges of the cake pans, tap gently, and carefully turn the cake layers out onto the wire racks and cool completely, top side up. To toast the coconut: Scatter 1½ to 2 cups of the coconut on a baking sheet or jelly-roll pan. Set the pan on the middle rack of the 350-degree oven. Toast the coconut for about 5 minutes, or until it is barely tinged golden brown, shaking the pan or stirring the coconut with a wooden spoon once or twice. Watch carefully and don't let the coconut burn or overbrown. Use the remaining 1 cup of coconut for the filling, untoasted. To make the Peach or Plum Filling: Combine the preserves and brandy or schnapps in a medium bowl. Beat briskly until well blended and smooth. Set aside. To prepare the Vanilla Icing: Carefully crack the eggs one at a time and place the yolk and egg white into two separate small bowls, making sure that not one speck fo yolk mixes in with the egg white. If the egg white is free of yolk, transfer it to a large spotless clean bowl for shipping. If the egg yolk drips into the egg white, discard that egg white and break another egg, using a clean bowl. Set aside the egg whites to warm to room temperature and return the yolks to the refrigerator. The egg yolks can be frozen and used in a custard, or scrambled for breakfast. Have ready a long-handled wooden spoon, a pastry brush, a cup of hot water for brushing down sugar crystals from the sides of the pan, a candy thermometer, and a hand mixer with clean beaters. When the egg whites reach room temperature, combine the sugar, 1/3 cup water, and the corn syrup in a heavy 3-quart saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Stir briskly with the wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Set the pan on medium heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cover the pan, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook for 3 minutes. While the sugar is boiling, using the hand mixer set at medium-high speed, beat the egg whites until they are foamy. Sprinkle over the vinegar or cream of tartar and continue beating until the egg whites form soft peaks. Don't over beat; this should take no more than 3 minutes. Set aside. Uncover the pan, dip the pastry brush in the hot water, and wipe away any crystals on the inside of the pan. Attach the candy thermometer to the inside of the pan, raise the heat a bit, and cook the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 238 to 240 degrees. (This should take about 4 minutes.) Remove the syrup from the heat, let cool for 1 to 2 minutes, and then pour in the egg whites in a thin stream while beating on high speed. Continue beating until the icing is thick and glossy and holds a shape, for about 7 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla extract and spread the icing immediately over the cooled cake. If the icing begins to harden, stir in a little of the hot water and beat briskly. Makes 3 generous cups vanilla icing To assemble the cake: Place one cake layer top side down on a cake platter. Spread with half of the peach preserves or plum filling--3/4 cup--smoothing with a metal spatula. Sprinkle on ½ cup of the untoasted coconut. Place on the second layer, top side up, and spread with the remaining preserves and the remaining ½ cup untoasted coconut. Top with the third later, bottom side down. Secure the cake in place with metal skewers if it is leaning. Spread the cake all over--sides and top--with the Vanilla Icing or with Whipped Cream Frosting (page 93 of Brown Sugar), swirling for a pretty effect. Coat the cake all over with the toasted coconut, patting lightly with your hand. Set the cake in a cool, dark place until ready to serve. Refrigerate any leftover cake. Makes 10 to 12 servings Note: If you aren't sure about the safety of the egg whites you plan to use in the icing, consider using pasteurized egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites instead. Powdered egg whites or meringue powder can be ordered from Wilton at 1-800-794-5866, or on line at www.Wilton.com. Keywords: Dessert, Cake, Topping/Frosting, American, Stand Mixer, The Daily Gullet ( RG602 )

So-Good-You-Wanna-Marry-'Em Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 c vegetable shortening (do not use butter flavored) 3/4 c light brown sugar, firmly packed 3/4 c granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp hot water 1 tsp vanilla 1-1/2 c all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp table salt 2 c quick oats 1 pkg chocolate chips (I prefer milk chocolate chips) In a large bowl, cream together: shortening brown sugar granulated sugar eggs Add: hot water vanilla In a separate bowl sift together, then add: flour soda salt Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet and bake at 400º for 6 - 8 minutes. Remove from oven when edges begin to turn golden, they should be slightly gooey in the center. Cool and enjoy! Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Chocolate, Snack, Cookie, American ( RG599 )

Bite-Cha-Back Brownies Here's my and my family's favorite. The combination of a large amount of chocolate, light-brown sugar, bread flour, and a little baking soda makes a thick, chewy, fudgy, and very chocolatey brownie that bites you back! 6 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate 3/4 cup unsalted butter 1-3/4 cups packed light brown sugar 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1/4 cups bread flour (using dip-and-sweep method of measuring) 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional) Position oven-rack at center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light-colored aluminum 8" square pan. Microwave chocolate and butter until melted, stirring periodically to distribute heat. Stir in sugar until no lumps remain. Stir in eggs and vanilla, just until blended. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold flour mixture into wet mixture, just until blended. Fold in walnuts (if using). Spread evenly into pan. Wrap soaking-wet Magi-Cake strips around walls of pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes (30 to 35 minutes if not using wet strips), just until center has risen and fallen and is firm to the touch and wooden tester inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Remove from oven. If center of cake subsides and is lower than edges, gently press edges down with spatula so that cake is level. Lightly score surface into 16 squares with plastic knife. Cool in pan to room temperature. Remove from pan. Cut into 16 squares with plastic knife. For chewier texture, let sit overnight before serving. Serve at room temperature. Makes 16 brownies. Keywords: Brownies/Bars, Dessert, Easy ( RG597 )

Coffee Chocolate Chip Blondies (with Kahlua) Everybody goes crazy for these. Some people don't want to have these thinking they prefer a brownie but, one taste and their hooked. This is a variation of something that's in one of the Silver Palate cookbooks. These are great to make ahead of time. Before cutting into bars, wrap the whole thing well in plastic and foil and freeze. Thaw, still wrapped and then cut. 3/4 c unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) 1 lb dark brown sugar (light is OK too) 3/4 tsp instant espresso 1 T hot water 4 eggs 2 T vanilla extract 2 c unbleached all purpose flour (plus more for dusting the pan) 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 c chopped pecans 1 c semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips 2 T Kahlua or other coffee liquer Heat butter and brown sugar together in a medium size sauce pan over medium low heat until the butter melts. Dissolve the espresso in the hot water and stir into the butter/sugar mixture. Let cool to room temperature or, to speed up the cooling, put the mixture into the mixer and work with the paddle attachment. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter an 11 x 8 inch pan, line with parchment, butter the parchment, and dust the entire pan lightly with flour. (Okay, I'm a bit compulsive about things not sticking.) When the butter mixture has cooled, beat in the eggs one at a time and the vanilla, stopping to scrape down the sides when necessary. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and stir into the butter mixture. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips just to combine. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake 40-50 minutes, until lightly browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Do not overbake. Immediately after removing the blondies from the oven, brush the Kahlua all over the top using a pastry brush. This will sizzle and give a lovely flavor to the blondies and a beautiful sheen to the top. I allow these to cool completely in the pan before turning the whole thing out and cutting them. These make 24 good size bars or more smaller ones. If you don't like pecans, you can substitute walnuts or some other kind of nut. Or, you can leave them out altogether but, if you do, I suggest adding additional chocolate chips to compensate Keywords: Dessert, Chocolate, Brownies/Bars ( RG591 )

Stew's Jumpin Joe Sauce (BBQ) Serves 4. Stew's Jumpin Joe Sauce<br> I started this recipie, which will probably never be final, to come up with a BBQ sauce that would satisfy my tastes. I have used it on different cuts of meat. My favorite use of this sauce is as a dipping sauce for wings, but it makes a nice rack o' ribs as well. Well Here Goes! 1 tsp powdered mustard seed 3 shots of fine espresso 3 Whole jalepenos Diced and Seeded 1 8oz can tomato sauce 1/3 c white vinegar 1 small white onion diced 1 clove garlic crushed 1/2 tsp Salt (add more later to taste) 1 tsp course black pepper 1/2 tsp liquid smoke 1/4 c Fine brown sugar Grab your favorite sauce pan and add a light coat of your favorite olive oil, (substitue vegtable or canola for prefrence) and on a medium heat sautee the jalepenos, onion, and garlic with the salt until the onions begin to carmel. Take care not to burn the garlic or it will become bitter. Time may vary depending on dice size. After the sautee process is complete add the white vinegar to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Next add the espresso and the tomato sauce stirring to incorporate the pepper oninon mix from the bottom of the sauce pan. Next add the liquid smoke, brown sugar, mustard powder and black pepper. Cover the sauce pan and let simmer for 15 - 20 minutes (even longer to pick up more heat from peppers). Give the sauce a taste to check for heat level let simmer longer if needed. The sauce should start to thicken a bit and absorb the flavors of the pepper and onion. The next step can be omitted if you prefer your sauce to be chunky. Take the sauce pan and carefully pour contents into a blender, and puree until smooth. If you whish to kick in a little extra heat at this point you can add in some of the seeds from the pepper while you puree or you can add them in durring the sautee period to really give a nice edge. Once the sauce has a chance to cool it will thicken even more so be sure to bottle/store it wile still warm to ease the process. This sauce can be bottled and racked to let it grow in flavor, but unless you can seal the bottle perfectly it is best to use with in a day or two. A properly sealed and racked bottle can be kept for about a month. Personally I haven't tried it any longer. Keywords: Condiment, Easy, Tex-Mex, Side, Dip, Hot and Spicy ( RG587 )

Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere) As basic to pastisserie as stock is to cooking. You are basically making a thick custurd. In emergency substitute thick custard made with custard powder. 6 Egg yolks 125 g sugar 40 g Corn flour (or ordinary flour) 1 vanilla pod split 500 l milk 1. Put the egg yolks and about a third of the sugar in a bowl and whisk until they go pale and form a ribbon. Much easier to do this using a food processer or an electric hand whisk. 2. Sift in the flour and beat well. 3. Put the milk, the rest of the sugar and the split vanill pod in a saucepan and bring to the boil. For a coffee cream substitute the vanilla pod with 2 tsp instant coffee, or even better infuse fresh ground coffee in the milk and strain carefully. For a chocolate cream use a Tbs of cocoa instead of the vanilla pod. 4. As soon as the mixture boils, pour 1/3rd into the egg mixture and stir well. 5. Pour the egg and milk back into the rest of the milk, and return to a gentle heat. Stir well until it begins to thicken. Boil for 2 minutes. 6. Take off the heat and continue to stir. Put some knobs of butter over the surface to prevent a skin forming. Let cool. ( RG585 )

Beet Rounds with Fresh Herbs Serves 4 as Appetizer. 4 small to medium beets 1/4 c olive oil 1 T sherry vinegar 2 T minced parsley or a mix of fresh herbs sea salt 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Wash the beets, wrap tightly in foil (you can wrap them all together), and roast 1 hour or until a knife slips easily into the center of a beet. 2. Let the beets cool to room temperature. Peel with your fingers. Slice the beets thinly on a mandoline or with a sharp knife and arrange the slices in a single layer on one or more platters. 3. Stir together the oil and vinegar and pour over the beets. Sprinkle with the parsley and salt and serve immediately. Keywords: Appetizer, Vegetables, The Daily Gullet ( RG581 )

Beef Stroganoff A beef Stroganoff without mushrooms. Serves 6 2 lb beef sirloin 6 T butter 1 c chopped onion 3 T flour 1 T ketchup 10 oz beef stock or broth 1 cloves, finely minced garlic 1-1/2 c sour cream 1 tsp beef demi glace Pepper to taste rice or egg noodles 1/2 c red wine Trim fat from beef. Cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in skillet. Brown beef, and set aside. Add the rest of the butter to the skillet and sautee onion and garlic until golden. Add flour, ketchup and pepper. Stir until smooth. Add broth, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stiring occassionally. Add wine and sour cream, stirring until combined. Return beef to skillet, simmer until beef is heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice or egg noodles. Keywords: Main Dish, Dinner, Easy, Beef ( RG125 )