Some salt + pepper 2-3 eggs a can of Cheddar Cheese soup a can of Cream of Chicken soup 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup chopped onions a handful of chopped green onions & chopped garlic a softened stick of butter (and later) those canned French's crispy onions (that you put on top of green bean casserole)

BAKED CHEESE AND FRUIT
Great for Bridal Showers
Wheel or big wedge of brie
Roll of goat cheese
Small jar of good raspberry or blackberry preserves
Bunch of fruit
Good bread
Remove rind from brie and place in casserole dish. Plop goat cheese around it. Scoop preserves on top. Bake until bubbly. Serve with a big spoon and toasted or fresh-baked bread or mini-bagels, and some good fruit (peaches, bananas, kiwi, grapes, berries, etc.)

BAKED VIDALIA ONION AND POTATO OMELETTE (Haven't tried yet)
2 russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons salt
6 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Vidalia onions or leeks, white and green parts only, thinly sliced and washed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1. Heat oven to 400° with rack in center. In a medium saucepan over high heat, cover potatoes with 4 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
2. Slightly beat eggs with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat oil in a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat, until just beginning to smoke. Add potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until evenly golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add onions, and continue to cook until wilted and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add eggs, sprinkle with chives, and swirl pan to distribute evenly. Transfer to oven.
3. Bake until center is set and sides are puffy and golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature if eggs brown too quickly. Do not overcook, or eggs will get tough. Let cool slightly before slicing into small wedges.

BAKED FRENCH TOAST (Haven't tried yet)
1 loaf white bread, sliced
8 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
== NUT TOPPING ==
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1 1/3 cups coarsely chopped nuts
Generously grease 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan. Fill pan with bread slices to within 1/2 inch of top. Blend together eggs, milk, half-and-half, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour over bread slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Combine topping ingredients and set aside until time to bake toast. Spread topping over toast. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes until puffed and golden. If top browns too quickly, cover with foil.

PARTY APPETIZERS

SPINACH ARTICHOKE FETA LOAF THINGIE (Pictured right is a double batch) A can or jar of artichoke hearts, chop up A frozen box of spinach 1 cup shredded mozzarella About 4 oz. feta, crumbled (I use more) 1/2 cup chopped red pepper (I omit) 1/3 cup mayo 1 chopped garlic clove (I use more) salt & pepper if desired 2 packages/tubes of those Pillsbury cresent rolls 1 egg white 2 T. shredded parmesan Defrost spinach, drain (press out extra water). Stir/mix artichoke hearts through salt & pepper. Brush outer dough with egg white, sprinkle with parmesan.

Loaf

Or ring!

Configuring! I use a Pampered Chef cooking stone, but you can also use a large cookie sheet or pizza pan. You don't need oil, although I suppose you can use that oil spray if you like. Once you have your dough formation, pile the goo where it needs to go and lightly cover with dough, pinching and gathering as needed. Pictured above is a ring on the outside, then a blob smashed in the center with a ring of outside points only, all being pulled in. With the leftover triangle, I rolled it out and cut a heart to cover the center points. I baked it all together and it puffs quite nicely, so during baking it all joined together. (Thanks, Laura!)

CHEESY GARLIC APPETIZER
Same as the breakfast cheese dish, but for night-time. I bring this to almost every party I go to.
One round or a large wedge of brie
One roll of goat cheese
10 peeled garlic cloves
Crunchy toast crackers (garlic flavored are good)
Peel rind off of brie, place in casserole. Plop the goat cheese around it, then top with garlic cloves cut in halves or thirds. Bake until bubbly. Serve with bread/crackers. Good with chopped fruit on the side, too.

POOR WHITE TRASH DEE-YUP
Aunt Alene taught us this one, and I serve it at all of my parties. It looks gross and disappears in seconds. You can substitute vegetarian chili, but it will be a bit drier. If you make two batches, one meaty and one vegetarian, serve with separate bowls of salsa so as not to contaminate salsa with meat juices.
1 box/package of Philly Cream Cheese (NOT low-fat!)
1 can of chili with beans
Spread cream cheese on the bottom of a casserole dish, top with chili. Bake until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa (see below).

SEAN'S AWESOME HOMEMADE SALSA
People will love you if you make this salsa. Seriously. You can obtain lovers with this stuff.
Maybe 4 big or 5 medium tomatoes
A medium onion (purple is pretty)
A bunch of cilantro, cleaned WELL (clean with a salad spinner if you have one), remove the stems and rip the leaves
One tomatillo (that "paper wrapped" green tomato)
One jalapeno, de-veined and de-seeded
A red pepper if you like pepper (I don't)
A couple chopped cloves of garlic, if you like
A capful of white distilled vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Juice of one lime
Sean adds a dash of vegetable oil, but I don't know why.
Chop and mix. Scoop out some and blend in the blender if you wish, and mix back in. Refrigerate for a while to soak up and kinda coagulate.
*Have leftover salsa? The next morning, toss chopped potatoes in oil and seasoning. Microwave until soft. Spread on greased cookie sheet with onion and any other veggies and bake until fabulous. Serve with fried eggs and leftover salsa.

MOM'S PUNCH
I think we made this up for my bridal shower in 1994. Wherever it comes from, I still love it!
In a large punch bowl - plop scoops of a half gallon of vanilla ice cream. Cover carefully (it gets foamy!) with a chilled bottle of sweet champagne, then two liters of raspberry ginger ale (or 2 liters of Raspberry New York Seltzer). It's pink and bubbly and alcoholic, and that's all you need. Bring extra ingredients to make more in an hour.

JON'S BLUEBERRY BRIE
1 cup blueberries
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp. grated ginger root
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 large round of brie
In saucepan, combine all ingredients except for brie. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil one minute. Remove cinnamon stick, cover, refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Place brie on microwave safe serving dish (be sure not to puncture the rind in any way) and zap on high for 2-3 minutes or until warm. Remove from oven. Top with cold blueberry sauce. Serve with crackers, bread, etc.

COFFEE PECAN BRIE (Haven't tried yet)
1 pound shelled pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup Kahlua
1 pound round of Brie cheese, room temperature
assorted cocktail crackers
Place Brie on large plate with lip that comes up a bit. Coarsely chop the pecans and place them in the oven to toast lightly. Place brown sugar and Kahlua in large frying pan over medium heat. Stir until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly (brown and on the verge of caramelizing). Add toasted pecans, bring back to a boil, and remove from heat. Pour mixture over Brie. Heat for 10 seconds in microwave or for approximately 30 seconds in a 300º oven. (This step breaks down the Brie to where it's just short of runny and blends wonderfully with the sauce). Serve with crackers.

PEARS AND CAMEMBERT PARTY APPETIZER
A lot like the thing we made for the Gilbert Grape Party.... the cheese should be cold, so it can be sliced; the glaze will warm it when poured on top.
1 eight-ounce wheel Camembert or Brie cheese, cold
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large Bosc pear, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
8 walnut halves
1. Slice cheese wheel in half crosswise; set aside. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add diced pear, and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in brandy, and cook 1 minute more. Add rosemary, and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and spread pear mixture over bottom half of reserved sliced cheese wheel, reserving 2 tablespoons mixture for garnish. Transfer cheese to serving plate.
2. Return skillet to stove, and heat balsamic vinegar and honey until simmering. Simmer mixture until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes. Pour half the glaze over cheese and reserved pear mixture; top with remaining half of cheese wheel and pears. Drizzle with remaining glaze, and garnish with walnut halves and rosemary. Serve immediately.

SPINACH RASPBERRY SALAD
[Speaking of salad, if anyone can send me the recipe for House Wedge Salad from the Ram restaurant, I'd love ya!]
My Mom made this when we visited her one summer and it was wonderful and summery!
1 pt. raspberries
2 qt. torn spinach
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c. walnuts
Reserve 1/2 c. raspberries for dressing. Arrange spinach on individual plates. Sprinkle on raspberries, onions, mushrooms, and walnuts.
==Dressing==
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. reserved raspberries
1/4 c. white wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until well blended. (Can also add the juice drained from the frozen raspberries.)

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
Sean made this for me recently when I got my wisdom teeth pulled. I kept eating it even though I was totally full. It just tasted SO good! From Recipe Source.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cups finely chopped shallots
2 pounds white mushrooms -- thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup cream sherry
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth -- reserving 1/2 cup (it called for chicken broth)
1/2 cup milk
ground nutmeg to taste -- about 1/4 teaspoon
1/2 cup sour cream

In a large saucepan melt butter with the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms, thyme leaves, salt and pepper, cooking until all of the liquid rendered from the mushrooms evaporates. Add the Sherry and cook until evaporated. Remove a 1/2 cup of the
cooked mushrooms and reserve. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add 3 cups of the broth, bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. In a blender puree the soup in batches until smooth.
Return soup to saucepan, bring to a simmer and whisk in the milk. Add reserved broth to achieve desired consistency. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Lower heat and whisk in 1/4 cup of the sour cream. Keep soup warm but do not simmer or boil. Serve soup garnished with reserved cooked mushrooms and a dollop of the remaining sour cream. (Sean just mixed these all in - I was on drugs - I didn't care.)

PANIC DIP
We had an emergency Thanksgiving dinner last year and I threw every cheese I had in a bowl (not including cheddar) and topped it with pecans and brown sugar, then baked it and served it with crackers. I think it was cream cheese with some bleu cheese and maybe goat cheese too? I dunno. But it worked.

Beef skirt steak, tenderized (usually comes rolled up), or flank steak chopped into small cubes OR solid white fish** (we use halibut) Olive oil A big bunch of cilantro Sharp cheddar cheese a few limes 4 tomatoes an onion 3-4 fresh jalapenos Jar of pickled jalapeno slices (i.e. pizza jalapenos) a bunch of green onions a few cloves of garlic, more if desired white vinegar white corn tortillas a can of refried beans (We like La Costena) Rice (if you want it - we make a batch and freeze it into 2-3 portions) ** Garlic sauce for the fish - if you can find it

Saute the meat or fish until cooked through, adding lime juice if desired, remove. Saute the bunch of green onions (whole, with just the very bottom of the white removed), and you can also fry a couple whole jalapenos. Cook them a long time until they are dark and soft, and they won't be spicy. Then fry the tortillas in olive oil, adding more oil if necessary, until almost crispy. Place on a plate between paper towels. Figure three per person if you have sides as well.

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 cup cream handful chopped onion and/or chopped (seeded) fresh jalapeno A couple chopped garlic cloves 1 lb. tub fresh salsa (not that store-bought crap in a jar) Crumbled feta cheese A batch of rice Saute onions in oil or butter for a bit, then add chicken (and chopped jalapeno) and saute until cooked through.

The hamburger, onion, garlic & sauce

Boil lasagna noodles if they are the kind that you have to boil. Fry a pound of hamburger until no longer pink, with chopped onion and garlic in there with the meat. Don't worry about any oil - once the hamburger starts frying you'll have plenty of oil! After meat is browned and onion is cooked, dump the jar of plain ole Ragu sauce over it. Simmer for a while. Fluff up the bin of ricotta with the egg and italian seasoning. Use a mixer if you have one and beat on high until the ricotta is really fluffy. You can also add parsley, garlic powder, whatever if you like. Shred or slice mozzarella (I use one of those handy egg slicers). Layer in the order that the box of lasagna noodles says. Do a couple layers of everything. Add leftover marinara (possibly the whole jar if you like it saucy - consider it dries out a bit in the oven) and a crapload of shredded real parmesan cheese on top - NOT the green canned stuff.

A small amount of sauce then noodles

Then the ricotta...then the meat

Then the mozzarella and shredded parmesan

Repeat all those steps, then noodles, sauce, parm

Bake lasagna for 30 minutes with foil on top. Remove foil, add garlic bread to oven, and bake for another 10-15 minutes. THE GARLIC BREAD: If you buy that pre-made garlic bread, SHAME ON YOU. You can do this. Sean softens half a stick of butter with some crushed/pressed garlic cloves as well as a chopped clove of garlic (for some big pieces), and shreds some parm into it, then slices a loaf of Como bread. He smears this mixture on one side of each slice, presses them together in a bundle of foil a slight bit open at the top, and bakes on the top shelf of the oven for 10-15 minutes.

BAKED PASTA WITH TOMATO, CREAM, AND FIVE CHEESES
Sean made this and it's surprisingly sweet. And creamy. Serve with veggies, or you'll be feeling the five cheeses, if you know what I mean....
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
1 pound imported conchiglie rigate (shells)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup canned pureed tomatoes
1/4 pound thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese (1 1/2 ounces), plus more for garnish
1/2 cup coarsely shredded fontina cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
6 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup very thinly sliced scallion, for garnish

Heat oven to 500°. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add
pasta, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain in a colander.
While pasta is cooking, place cream, tomatoes, cheeses, salt, and basil in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add cooked pasta to cheese mixture, and toss to combine.
Divide among six to eight shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2 cups in capacity). Dot with butter, and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with pecorino Romano and scallions. Serve
immediately.

LINGUINE WITH ALMOND & AVOCADO SAUCE (Haven't tried yet)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt
1/2 cup shredded basil leaves
1 cup unblanched almonds, roughly chopped
Flesh of 2 medium avocados, mashed
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 lb linguine
In a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and salt to taste, cover the frying pan and cook gently until soft.
In a food processor, combine the onion mixture, basil, almonds, avocados and pepper. While the motor is running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil and the lemon juice. Process until the mixture reaches the desired consistency.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Warm the sauce just prior to using and stir into the hot pasta.
Garnish with a few roughly chopped, unblanched almonds.

BROCCOLI BLEU CHEESE PASTA (Haven't tried yet)
(Cambozola, Stilton, Roquefort, or Gorgonzola)
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled, at room temperature
2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3/4 pound broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces (reserve stems for another use)
Combine garlic, crushed red pepper, olive oil, butter, blue cheese, Romano cheese, and pepper in pasta serving bowl. Set aside to warm to room temperature or, preferably, place the bowl (be sure it's heatproof) over the pasta pot to warm the ingredients and melt the butter while heating the water. Once the water comes to a boil, remove bowl and set aside. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until almost al dente. Add broccoli florets and cook until broccoli is tender but still bright green, about 1 to 2 minutes longer. Drain pasta and broccoli well, immediately add to sauce in bowl, and toss. Serve at once with extra Romano cheese. RECOMMENDED PASTA: 12 ounces fusilli or penne rigate

SPAGHETTI WITH WALNUTS
Spaghetti or thin spaghetti (12 ounces)
1/2 cup shelled walnuts
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil (if you want to get fancy, use walnut oil)
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, optional
Put the spaghetti on to cook. Place the walnuts, thyme, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth texture. Slowly pour in the oil. When the spaghetti is almost done, scoop up 1/4 cup of the cooking water, and pour into the walnut mixture, blending to a smooth sauce. Drain the spaghetti. In a warm serving bowl, toss the spaghetti with the sauce. Add the parmesan cheese and toss again. You can sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top for garnish.

SALMON BAKED IN PARCHMENT PAPER
4 salmon fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each (or any fish fillet)
1 bunch leeks, sliced thin and well washed
Dry white wine
Olive oil
1 bunch chervil or other fresh herb, chopped
Unsalted butter, melted
1. Heat oven to 350°. Fold a 24-inch sheet of parchment paper in half, and cut out a heart shape about 3 inches larger than fish fillet. Place the fillet near the fold, and place a handful of leeks next to it. Drizzle the fish with wine and olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chervil.
2. Brush edges of parchment paper with melted butter, fold paper to enclose fish, and make small overlapping folds to seal the edges, starting at curve of heart. Be sure each fold overlaps the one before it so that there are no gaps. Brush the outside of the package with melted butter. Repeat with rest of fillets.
3. Put packages on a baking sheet, and bake until paper is puffed and brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.

CHICKEN MARSALA (Haven't tried yet)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour for coating
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup cooking sherry
In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture. In a large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown. Turn over chicken pieces, and add mushrooms. Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet; simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

PENNE WITH MARSALA MUSHROOMS (Haven't tried yet)
1 pound mushrooms, cut in halves or quarters depending on size
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry Marsala
1/2 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or veggie stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 pound penne
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a roasting pan or dutch oven, toss the mushrooms with the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes; some liquid will remain in the pan. Transfer the pan to the top of the stove. Stir in the garlic and Marsala. Simmer until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the broth and tomato paste and simmer until about 1/4 cup of liquid remains, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the butter and remove from the heat. 3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce and the parsley.

HONEY CAYENNE SALMON
Salmon baked in foil with honey and cayenne pepper. Add some crushed red pepper, too. Serve with broccoli bleu cheese casserole and good bread and you have my favorite meal.

BAKED TOMATO & CHEESE PASTA (Haven't tried yet)
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
1 pound imported conchiglie rigate (shells)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup canned pureed tomatoes
1/4 pound thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese (1 1/2 ounces), plus more for garnish
1/2 cup coarsely shredded fontina cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese ( 1 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
6 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup very thinly sliced scallion, for garnish
1. Heat oven to 500°. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 4 minutes. Drain in a colander.
2. While pasta is cooking, place cream, tomatoes, cheeses, salt, and basil in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add cooked pasta to cheese mixture, and toss to combine.
3. Divide among six to eight shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2 cups in capacity). Dot with butter, and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with pecorino Romano and scallions. Serve immediately.

MUSSELS
(Cleaning: Before cooking, sprinkle shells with cornmeal, and soak for twenty minutes in lukewarm water. The shellfish will expel most of their ingested sand.)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 dried bay leaves
2 cups dry white wine
4 pounds mussels (about 48), scrubbed and debearded
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream
1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook until transparent, about 3 minutes. Add thyme, bay leaves, and wine. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
2. Add mussels, and cover. Cook, shaking pan often, until mussels open, 5 to 6 minutes. Discard any mussels that fail to open. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels to a large bowl, reserving liquid in pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup parsley over the mussels.
3. Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme. Return liquid to low heat; stir in crème fraîche and remaining 1/4 cup parsley. Cook just until warm again, and pour over mussels. Serve hot.

TUNA SALAD
I'm picky, so here's how I make tuna salad:
A can of flake tuna
A big glob of Hellman's mayo
A chopped celery stick
A handful of chopped sweet onions
A handful of chopped walnuts.
I put this mix in a toasted pita and I'm happy. And it makes Jon hum. Mmmmm.

SIDES

BROCCOLI BLEU CHEESE CASSEROLE
THIS is THE casserole I always talk about in my journal. I love it. Serve with the honey cayenne salmon that I mentioned above.
Stolen from outofthefryingpan.com, who deserve many props. Click the link to see a picture of the casserole!
3 cups broccoli florets, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. flour
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cup crushed Ritz cracker crumbs
6 more Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350°. Steam or boil broccoli florets until just cooked, about 2-3 minutes; drain well. In a large saucepan melt 2 Tbsp. butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour. Add cream cheese, blue cheese and milk. Stir over heat until smooth. Stir in broccoli.
Mix 6 Tbsp. melted butter with cracker crumbs until well combined. Stir in 1 cup of cracker mixture into broccoli mixture. Pour mixture into a casserole dish. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the top with remaining cracker crumbs. Return to oven and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

WHIPPED CAULIFLOWER DIJON
1 head cauliflower, about 6 cups florets
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3/4 cup grated gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 1½-quart gratin baking dish with cooking spray and reserve. Break cauliflower into florets and boil until totally tender, about 5 minutes. Florets should be "mashable" but not mushy. Drain well, transfer to a food processor with the cream, sour cream, butter, Dijon, salt and pepper. Process until mixture is a smooth, thick puree. Pulse in ½ cup of the grated Gruyere. Transfer mixture to gratin baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Sprinkle with chives to garnish.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
I usually make this for Wednesday night West Wing episodes.
Two cans of Del Monte cut green beans, drained
One can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp. black pepper (I use more)
1 1/3 cups French's french fried onions
In a casserole, mix soup, pepper, and milk; then add green beans and all but 2/3 cup of the onions. Bake for 30 minutes at 350, then sprinkle on remaining onions and bake another 5 minutes. The recipe says this serves six. HAHAHAHA! They haven't seen me in front of the TV.

BEANS AND RICE
A few cups of cooked white rice
A can of black beans
A whole bunch of fresh cilantro, stems removed
Sauteed onion, shallots, and garlic
A cup or two of cooked frozen corn
Juice of a small lime
Toss together with salt and pepper to taste, serve with chopped tomato and avocado on top. Great for a packed lunch.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
Becoming a tradition for Thanksgiving. I use the yellow sweet potatoes and not the orange ones. I find that the orange ones are too dense and wet and the yellow ones are more fluffy like regular potatoes.
This is a very sweet casserole - almost like a dessert!
4-5 cups peeled, cooked, and mashed yellow sweet potatoes
1/2 c. melted butter
1/3 c. milk
1/2 white sugar*
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. brown sugar*
1/2 cup flour
1/3 c. butter
1 c. chopped pecans
*Both sugar amounts can be lessened if you don't want it too sweet. Like maybe 1/3 c. white sugar and 1/2 c. brown sugar.

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
In a large bowl, mix together mashed sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup melted butter, milk, white sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Spread into baking dish.
In a small bowl mix brown sugar and flour. Using a pastry cutter (or a fork if you don't have one) cut in butter until it's all crumbly, then stir in the pecans. Sprinkle over top of the potatoes.
Bake 25-30 minutes.

HOMEMADE FRENCH FRIES
4 medium baking potatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Malt vinegar (optional)
Olive-oil cooking spray
1. Heat oven to 400°. Place a heavy baking sheet in the oven. Scrub and rinse potatoes well, and then cut them lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide fries. Place fries in a medium bowl, and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. When baking sheet is hot, about 15 minutes, remove from oven, and spray with olive-oil cooking spray. Place prepared potatoes on baking sheet in a single layer. Return to oven, and bake until potatoes are golden on the bottom, about 30 minutes. Turn potatoes over, and continue cooking until golden all over, another 15 minutes. Serve immediately, with malt vinegar, if desired.

BAKED POTATOES & GARLIC
4 whole heads garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 Idaho baking potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Using a sharp knife, score each head of garlic 1 inch from top, and peel away top inch of skin. Scrub the potatoes well, dry them, and prick each several times with a fork.
2. Heat oven to 425°. Rub heads of garlic lightly with olive oil, and wrap them loosely in aluminum foil. Bake garlic and potatoes until garlic is very soft and potatoes are tender, about 1 hour. Serve each potato with a head of garlic; squeeze roasted garlic from skin, and mix it into baked potato along with salt, pepper, and olive oil as desired.

ROASTED ACORN SQUASH
2 acorn squash (or butternut)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400º. Cut squash in half through the stem end, and remove seeds. Cut each half into three wedges, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Place wedges in a large roasting pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Toss squash with honey mixture. Roast squash, turning occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes.

SAUTÉED GREEN APPLES AND LEEKS (Haven't tried yet)
2 large leeks, white part only
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 large green apples, such as Granny Smith, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
1. Split leeks in half lengthwise, and trim the bottoms, leaving a little of the root end intact so they stay together. Wash well, and dry. Cut leeks into thin strips about 2 inches long.
2. In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, melt 1 teaspoon butter. Add leeks, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan, and set aside.
3. Melt remaining teaspoon butter, and add apple slices. Turn heat to high, and cook until apples are lightly browned and soft, about 3 minutes. Return leeks to pan, and toss together to combine. Serve immediately.

SHELLS & GORGONZOLA CHEESE
8 oz. medium pasta shells
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon dry sherry (optional)
6 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled; 1 ounce reserved
Freshly ground black pepper
1 slice stale bread, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until just tender following the package's directions. Meanwhile, combine the cream, sherry (if using), and 5 oz. of the gorgonzola in a medium saucepan and stir constantly over low heat until the cheese is almost melted, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta when done, return it to its pot, and add the cheese sauce. Stir over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 min. Add pepper to taste. Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish. Combine the breadcrumbs and nuts and sprinkle the topping over the pasta. Dot with the remaining 1 oz. gorgonzola. If you like, brown the casserole under a broiler very close to the flame until crunchy and browned, about 2 minutes.

MASHED PARSNIPS AND POTATOES
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small leeks, white parts only, washed well, thinly sliced crosswise
1 pound parsnips , peeled, roughly chopped (if parsnips are very large, cut out the core before cooking them)
1 pound Idaho potatoes , peeled, roughly chopped
1/2 cup milk
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1. In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add leeks, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add parsnips, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes more. Add potatoes and 3 cups cold water; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until parsnips and potatoes are very tender and begin to fall apart, about 20 minutes.
2. Drain in a colander. Press hot parsnips and potatoes through a ricer back into saucepan over low heat. (Alternatively, mash by hand.) Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the milk, and combine well. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

MASHED POTATOES WITH GOLDEN ONIONS AND ROQUEFORT
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, halved and quartered
3 1/2 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan of cold salted water. Bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Warm milk in a small saucepan. Drain potatoes, and return to the pan. Add warm milk, butter, salt, and pepper.
2. Mash the mixture with a potato masher until all the liquid is incorporated and the butter has melted. Transfer mixture to a metal mixing bowl. Cover with aluminum foil; set over double boiler to keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onions, and sauté, stirring often, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

MEXICAN WHITE RICE
I haven't figured out the equivalent to the boil-in-a-bag rice, which is what the recipe called for, so we just use that crappy rice. Grrrr. This was a recipe from Central Market.
2  15 oz. cans Cream of Celery soup
2 cups sour cream
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
2  7 oz. cans Ortega chopped greens chiles
3 cups shredded cheddar
3 bags Uncle Ben's boil in the bag rice (or equivalent minute rice)
Mix soup, sour cream, celery, onions, green chiles and 1 ½ cups of cheddar. Add rice and mix well. Pour into buttered 9x13 casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. 30 minutes at 350°.

MY TOMATO SOUP
I make this at Truly's because she usually has the ingredients.
Fry some garlic cloves and chopped onion in a small amount of butter. Add a dollop of mustard and a big splash of beer. Add a can of tomato soup - like Progresso Hearty Tomato - not that sweet creamy Campbell's crap. Once it's all heated up, add tons of cheddar and stir until it all melts. Season with loads of black pepper and cayenne pepper until it makes you go WHOOOO when you take a slurp of it. Serve with a crunchy piece of buttered toast.

CREME DE BRIE SAUCE
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoon chopped shallots
4 cups heavy cream
4 ounces Brie, rind removed
4 ounces Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Reduce wine, garlic, and shallots by 1/2, add cream, and simmer for 10 minutes. Reduce heat, add the Brie and mustard, and mix until smooth. Keep warm until needed.

2 1/2 cups flour 1 T. Baking soda 1 dash salt 1/2 c. unsalted butter 1 c. white sugar 3/4 c. light brown sugar 2 eggs 4 ripe bananas, mashed* 2/3 c. buttermilk 1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional) * Whenever you have bananas that are too ripe to eat, put them in the freezer. Once you need them just let them thaw, then peel - they will be goopy.

1 box devils food chocolate cake mix 1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix 1 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 1/2 cup hot water 1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup chocolate chips == glaze == Handful of powdered sugar Peppermint extract/flavoring Crushed candy canes (optional)

LINCOLN CAKE
Jon and I made this and it took forever. It was good though.
=== Streusel ===
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
=== Cake ===
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup whole almonds, toasted
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup almond paste
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup milk
6 large egg whites, room temperature
=== Glaze ===
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
For Streusel: Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until well blended. Set aside.
For Cake: Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Mix flour and baking powder in small bowl. Finely grind almonds in processor. Using electric mixer, beat butter and almond paste in large bowl until blended. Gradually beat in 1 1/3 cups sugar. Continue beating until fluffy. Beat in extract. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix in ground almonds. Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat whites in another large bowl to medium peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold meringue into batter in 2 additions. Transfer half of batter to prepared Bundt pan. Sprinkle streusel over. Spoon remaining batter over. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes. Turn out cake onto rack and cool completely. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
For Glaze: Stir powdered sugar, whipping cream and instant espresso powder in small bowl until well blended. Drizzle glaze over cake, allowing excess to run down sides. Sprinkle cake with sliced almonds.

COCONUT BONBONS (Haven't tried yet)
12 chocolate wafer cookies
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 pints coconut sorbet
12 whole almonds
26 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate , chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1. Set a wire rack over a baking pan. Arrange the wafers, top sides down, on rack, spaced evenly apart. Place 2 teaspoons shredded coconut in the center of each wafer. Using a 2-inch ice-cream scoop, scoop a ball of coconut sorbet onto each wafer. Place an almond on top of each scoop of sorbet. Transfer pan to freezer for 20 minutes.
2. In a double boiler, or a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Melt chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from heat. Let cool slightly.
3. Remove baking pan from freezer. Generously ladle melted chocolate over the bonbons, covering entirely. Return the baking pan to the freezer for 30 minutes more or overnight. Serve.

COWBOY COOKIES
3 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 cups chocolate chips
3 cups rolled oats
2 cups coconut
2 cups pecans
Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs; add vanilla. Add next five ingredients until blended. Stir in chips, oats, coconut and pecans. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.

SCOTTISH BANANA COOKIES
2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup banana, mashed
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add almond flavoring. Sift together dry ingredients. Add alternately with the bananas. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Dip in chocolate?
NOTE: These are like cake, not cookies. And not very sweet. Kinda like banana muffin tops. Or as Manuel put it, pre-sliced banana bread.

CHEESE & HONEY PIE
4 ounces shortcrust pastry
8 ounces low fat cheese, such as ricotta
3 tablespoons honey
2 eggs, well beaten
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ounces walnuts, crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8-inch flan dish with the pastry and bake blind for 10 minutes. While pastry is cooking, mix the cheese with the honey. Add eggs, lemon juice and half the cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Cover the pastry base with walnuts and pour the mixture on top. Cook for 30 minutes in a preheated moderate oven at 375 degrees. Make sure the mixture is set and then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon on top

WHITE PEPPER SHORTBREAD
(Originally by Gale Gand, then I tweaked it)
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until fluffy. Add sugar and cream together until light and fluffy. Add the flour, cornstarch, and pepper, and mix just until combined. Get one of those little half-sheet cookie sheets and it's a lot better and thicker - plunk the dough into the cookie sheet and press down. I also cut parchment paper for the bottom of the pan, but that's your business. Another thing I do - cut it into squares before cooking - so it will cut a lot better when it's done (it gets crumbly). Then poke it with a fork everywhere. Cook for about 20 minutes - keep checking it after that. Should be golden on the edges.