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How to use these pages:  Below is a list of the recipes on this page.  You can either scroll down the page and look at all of the recipes, or look at the titles.  When you find one that seems interesting, use your web browsers FIND function to take you directly to that recipe (on my IE browser it's Edit/Find (on this page)   or Ctrl - F on your keyboard).

ABILENE COFFEE CAKE 03

APPLESAUCE SUGAR FREE 03

BAKED VEGETABLES AU GRATIN 03

BEEF OVER RICE 04

BING CHICKEN 05

BLACK BEAN CHILI 06

BLACK FOREST PANCAKES 06

BLUEBERRY OATMEAL MUFFINS 07

BOSTON BAKED BEANS 07

CHEESY HAM PASTA 08

CHEESY HERBED TOAST 08

CHERRIES INFORMATION 09

CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE 10

CHICKEN FLAVORED RICE MIX 11

CHILI CON QUESO APPETIZER 11

CHILLED CURRIED APPLE SOUP 12

CITRUS GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN 12

COOL SUMMER FRUIT SALAD 13

COTTAGE CHEESE DILL DIP 13

CRAB DIP 13

CRISPY SESAME COATED SCALLOPS 14

CROCKPOT HAM AND PINTO BEANS 14

FLOURLESS APRICOT HONEY SOUFFLE 15

FROZEN WATERMELON 19

GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLES 20

GREAT AMERICAN PICANTE BURGERS 20

GREEK CHICKEN BREASTS 21

GRILLED FRENCH BREAD 21

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SPICE C 22

HIGH ROLLER SANDWICH ROLL 22

KING RANCH CHICKEN 22

LEMON AND CUMIN COOKIES 23

LEMON CHEESECAKE PIE 24

LEMONY OLIVE CHICKEN 24

LIGHT AND FRUITY PIE 24

MANGO CUCUMBER AND CANTALOUPE SALAD 25

MARINATED VEGETABLE MEDLEY 25

MICROWAVE RISOTTO 26

MIXED CHERRY CLAFOUTI 26

NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS AND RICE 27

OKINAWAN SPINACH SALAD 27

OLD FASHIONED APPLE CAKE 28

ONE SKILLET SPAGHETTI 28

ORANGE RICE PUDDING 29

OVEN BAKED CHICKEN 29

OVEN CRISP FISH 30

PORK CHOPS FOR TWO 30

PORK CHOW MIEN 31

QUICK SHRIMP AND PASTA BAKE 31

RASPBERRY SUMMER DELIGHT 31

RHUBARB SOUFFLES 32

ROASTED CHICKEN POTATO SALAD 33

SAUSAGE CASSEROLE 33

SPICY CORN BREAD 34

SPINACH SOUFFLE 34

STIR FRY BEEF AND BROCCOLI 34

STRAWBERRY DELIGHT 35

STRAWBERRY FOOL 35

SUGAR CRUSTED MELTAWAYS 36

THE SOUFFLE MYSTIQUE 16

THYME AND GARLIC CRUSTED BEEF FILLET 36

TWICE BAKED SPINACH SOUFFLES 37

VEGETABLE PASTA 38

ABILENE COFFEE CAKE

2 cups Granulated Sugar

1 cup Butter

2 Eggs

1 cup Sour Cream

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 cups Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup Walnuts, chopped

1 tsp. ground Cinnamon

Grease and flour a bundt or other tubular baking pan. Preheat oven to 350-F degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, and eggs. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Mix together the brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon.

Sprinkle a little of the nut mixture in the bottom of the bundt pan. Pour in about a third of the batter, then add about half the remaining nut mixture, half the remaining batter, the rest of the nuts, and the rest of the batter. Bake at 350-F degrees for 50 minutes, or until it tests done.

APPLESAUCE, SUGAR FREE

4 large Apples -- Peeled and chopped

1/4 cup Water -- to 1/2 cup

2 sticks Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Cloves -- whole

Artificial Sweetener -- as desired

Combine apples, water, cloves and cinnamon. Cover and simmer until very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon and cloves. Mash apples until smooth if desired. Stir in sweetener to your taste.

BAKED VEGETABLES AU GRATIN

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion -- chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 large carrot -- sliced

1 zucchini -- sliced into long thin strips

2 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

1 small head broccoli -- sliced into long thin pieces

1 small head cauliflower -- sliced into long thin pieces

3 medium potatoes -- sliced into long thin slices

2 tablespoons butter

Salt

Black pepper

BEAT TOGETHER WELL

2 cups milk

3 eggs

TOPPING - MIX TOGETHER

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

3 cups bread crumbs

Melt butter into oil, swirl to mix and add onions. Sauté until light golden and add mushrooms. Cook another 2 minutes and remove from heat. Heat oven to 375ºF. Butter a large deep casserole dish. Wash vegetables (any combination of those mentioned or whatever you have on hand). Slice all vegetables into thin slices, the length of each vegetable. Lay one layer of carrot and zucchini, sprinkle with half of the onions and mushrooms, one-third of the grated cheese, and salt and pepper, lay down a layer of broccoli and cauliflower, sprinkle with remaining onions and mushrooms, one-third of the grated cheese and salt and pepper. Lay down a layer of potatoes and sprinkle

with salt and pepper. Dot with butter. Mix together milk and eggs and pour over mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining one-third of the cheese, breadcrumbs and Parmesan mixture and bake another 15 minutes.

BEEF OVER RICE

2 lbs. beef, cut into small chunks

Salt, pepper, and garlic to taste

1/2 cup flour

oil

1-14 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies

Cooked rice or pasta

1- 4 oz. can sliced or chopped black olives, drained

Mix salt, pepper and garlic in the flour, dredge the meat in this flour mixture and brown in oil. Add the tomatoes and cook 1-1/2 hours on low heat or until meat is done and tomato juice has reached desired thickness. Stir occasionally, add just a little water if needed. Serve over rice or pasta and sprinkle with the olives. Serve with tortillas or corn chips.

BING CHICKEN

Note: It is important to use red wine with good pigment, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel (an especially good match with cherries), that won't turn gray or pale as the sauce cooks. Added brightness comes during the deglazing from a splash of balsamic vinegar.

4 cups pitted Bing cherries

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Salt and white pepper to taste

1 chicken, 4 pounds, cut into serving pieces

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Heat serving platter in a 150-degree oven.

In a saucepan, combine 3 cups of the cherries with the sugar, wine, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and an ever-so-small pinch of salt. Place over medium heat, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until nearly broken up, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool a little, then puree in a blender. Strain.

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Heat the butter in a wide, heavy saute pan with a lid over high heat. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and saute, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and place it over high heat. Pour in the vinegar, let it sizzle, and then boil it, scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom, until reduced by half.

With the heat still on high, stir in the strained cherry sauce. Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up, and nestle it in the sauce. Spoon the sauce over each piece. When the sauce boils, cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to the warmed serving platter and keep warm.

Boil the sauce over high heat until reduced by a third. Stir the remaining 1 cup cherries into the boiling sauce and cook for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

BLACK BEAN CHILI

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

2 1/2 tsp. Oregano

1 tsp. Basil

1 tsp. Olive Oil

1 cup Chopped Onion (Fresh or Frozen)

3/4 cup Chopped Green Bell Pepper (Fresh or Frozen)

3/4 cup Grated Carrot (I buy pre packaged)

1 small can Tomato Paste

3 Cloves Garlic Crushed

2 tsp. Paprika

1/4 tsp. Ground Red Pepper (optional)

2 cups Canned Diced Tomatoes

2 Diced Jalapeno Peppers (Fresh or Canned) (optional)

12oz. Can Black Beans

1/2 cup Cold Water

3 Tbs. Flour

1/2 cup 2% Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Pam Cooking Spray

(This makes 4 servings; multiply by 4 to make a large amount)

Spray a Large Skillet with Cooking Spray Add Cumin, Oregano & Basil stirring until fragrant Add Olive Oil and mix with toasted spices Add the Onion, Bell Pepper, Carrot, Garlic, Jalapeno Pepper, Paprika & Ground Red Pepper. Cook until Onions are soft

Add Undrained Can of Diced Tomatoes Bring to a boil Add Flour mixed with Cold Water Add the Rinsed and drained Black Beans & Tomato Paste Simmer stirring for apx 10 min until flavors blend Serve with cheese sprinkled on top

BLACK FOREST PANCAKES

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup lowfat 1% milk -- chocolate flavored

1 egg -- lightly beaten

1-1/2 tablespoons margarine -- melted

Cherry Sauce

Combine first 6 ingredients; make a well in center of mixture. Combine chocolate milk, egg, and margarine; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. For each pancake, pour 2 tablespoons batter onto a hot griddle or skillet coated with cooking spray. Turn pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Top with cherry sauce. Yield: 16 servings.

Cherry Sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

8 ounces frozen unsweetened cherries, thawed

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and water in a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Add lemon juice and cherries; stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Yield: 1 cup.

BLUEBERRY OATMEAL MUFFINS

Makes 18

3 cups Biscuit Mix

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup quick-cooking Oatmeal

1 tsp. ground Cinnamon

1/4 cup Butter or Margarine

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup Milk

2 cups Blueberries

Preheat oven to 400-F degrees, and grease and flour muffin tins.

Combine biscuit mix, brown sugar, oatmeal, and cinnamon. Melt butter. Beat eggs until no white remains, then mix with milk and melted butter. Pour liquid ingredients all at once into dry ones. Stir just until blended, then gently blend in blueberries and pour or spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake until nicely browned, about 15 or 20 minutes.

Remove from muffin tins and allow to cool on a rack before serving.

BOSTON BAKED BEANS

2 pounds great northern beans

3 quarts ham stock *** see below

1 onion -- quartered

1 celery stalk -- quartered

1 whole bay leaf

3/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 large onion -- thinly sliced

1/2 pound salt pork -- cut into 1" cubes (use meat pieces

cleaned from bone when making stock)

Soak beans overnight. Drain. Bring stock to a boil. Add beans, onions, celery, and bay leaf. Simmer until beans are tender, about one hour. Drain beans, reserving stock and removing vegetables and bay leaf. Mix molasses, brown sugar, salt, and spices. Gradually add five cups of reserved stock, blending to make a smooth mixture. Fold in beans and sliced onion. Turn into bean pot and push cubes of salt pork about into beans until barely covered. Cover tightly. Bake at 250 degrees for five hours. Remove cover and bake one hour longer. Add more liquid at any time if beans seem to be drying out. Serve at once.

Boil your ham bone to make a stock. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, whatever you like to give it "character". When done, allow to cool enough to handle, strain liquid and save, remove ham from bone, smash or discard veggies, put all this back in a container (minus excess fat and bone) and freeze for later use. If you have a lot of meat you may want to save some in a separate container for another use.

CHEESY HAM PASTA

12 ounces evaporated milk

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup ham -- cut in strips

1/2 cup broccoli florets -- cooked, bite-size

1/2 cup cauliflower flowerets -- cooked, bite-size

2 1/2 ounces sliced mushrooms -- drained

6 ounces fettuccine -- cooked (3 cups)

2 tablespoons sliced green onions -- optional

In a medium saucepan stir together milk, cornstarch, mustard, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Add cheese; stir till melted. Stir in ham, broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms. Cook and stir till heated through. Pour over hot pasta. If desired, garnish with sliced green onions.

CHEESY HERBED TOAST

To serve four

2 fresh Eggs

2/3 cup Cottage Cheese

2 tsp. chopped Parsley

4 slices Bread

Preheat broiler.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a fork or a whisk, and stir in the cottage cheese and parsley. Spread mixture on pieces of bread; toast under broiler for three or four minutes while you watch these open-faced delights puff and begin to brown (but not burn!)

CHERRIES INFORMATION

Clafouti

Life and a bowl of cherries do have common bonds, you know. Both are bright and beautiful, are full of promise, but suffer bruises and can go to rot if not handled carefully. Neither lasts long enough.

At best, the summer sun kisses the smallest member of the stone fruit family -- the cherry -- into both sweet and tart ripeness. California's Central Valley is at the end of its Bing cherry season, the sweet favorites that lend such shimmering deep red color to produce markets and roadside stands. Sweet Bings or their tart cousins, take your pick, but choose quickly because cherries won't be around long.

To do more at home with cherries than just make pies, chefs suggest simmering plumped and pureed dried cherries with a prepared barbecue sauce and brushing it over grilled foods; use cherries in salads containing blue cheeses such as Gorgonzola or Roquefort or sharp-flavored cheeses such as feta; and incorporate cherries in game, chicken or pork dishes.

But today, we will stick with dessert. We'll make mixed cherry clafouti, an exotic sounding but simple baked dessert incorporating both kinds of cherries. What exactly is a clafouti? France is the home of this fabulous baked fruit dessert, which is pronounced kla-foo-TEE. It's a sort of cobbler, only the pastry batter is mixed with the fruit rather than placed on top, as with American cobbler. Why are clafouti so good for fruit? Pies are good for firm textured fruit, such as apples. But for the juicier and more tender cherry, a clafouti is best. Softer fruit, such as cherries, peaches, plums and berries, release their juices into the clafouti batter, where the rich natural flavors are captured.

* Advantages: Though the batter is rich, modern techniques have reduced the fat. Fruit makes up the largest portion of the dish.

* Selecting the fruit: Varieties of sweet cherries include Bing, Lambert and Rainier, mostly from Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Michigan grows some sweet cherries but is more famous for tart 'pie' cherries of the morello variety. Both varieties are great when blended in this dessert. The best cherries for the clafouti are the ripest you can find. Shop even for ripe fruit that is slightly bruised. It can be trimmed and still make a terrific clafouti.

* Preparing the fruit: Wash, stem and pit the cherries. If you prefer, cut them in half, though I like whole cherries best. They kind of burst when you eat them.

* Preparing the dough: Clafouti batter is the simplest of all to make. Just mix it until it is smooth, but don't overdo it. Overmixing will cause gluten to form, resulting in a tough pastry that will absorb less of the fruit juices.

* Tricks of the trade: For best results, I use Madeleine Kamman's technique. Pour a third of the batter into the baking dish and cook until almost solid, then add the combined fruit and the remaining batter. This technique prevents the fruit from sinking to the bottom.

* Serving suggestions: Ice cream or frozen yogurt make great foils for the clafouti, which can be served warm or at room temperature.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce (hot if you like it spicy)

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles

1 onion, chopped

1 pinch garlic powder

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon chili powder

16 ounces processed cheese spread

10 corn tortillas

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2 In a 5 quart pot combine the chicken, cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes and green chiles, onion, garlic, chicken broth, chili powder and cheese. Heat over medium high until the cheese is melted and all of the ingredients are mixed together well.

3 In a 9x13 inch baking dish, layer the mixture and the tortillas like you would lasagna. Make sure to put a thin layer of the mixture on the bottom of the baking dish to prevent sticking. After layering, place dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until cheese starts to brown and bubble. Let stand and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving! Makes 8 servings

CHICKEN FLAVORED RICE MIX

4 cups Long-Grain Rice -- uncooked

4 tablespoons Chicken Bouillon granules -- instant

1 teaspoon Salt

2 teaspoons Tarragon -- dried

2 teaspoons Parsley -- dried

1/4 teaspoon White Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir until evenly distributed. Put about 1-1/3 cups mixture each into three 1- pint airtight containers. Label. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 to 8 months.

CHICKEN FLAVORED RICE

1 1/3 cups Chicken Flavored Rice mix (above)

2 cups cold Water

1 tablespoon Butter or Margarine

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat and cook 15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.

CHILI CON QUESO APPETIZER

Butter (for 2 Tbsp.)

Onion (1, large and sweet)

Hot Salsa (for at least 1 cup)

1 pound processed American Cheese

Yogurt or Buttermilk (for 1/2 cup)

Bell Peppers (3 - red, yellow, and green are nice)

Corn Chips (a 12-oz. bag, at least - but you know your audience better than we do!)

Melt the butter and chop the onion; sauté the onion for five minutes or so, until it's soft. Stir in the salsa and bring just to the boil, then remove from heat.

Off the burner, stir in the shredded cheese, then blend in the buttermilk or yogurt.

Now, either return to the stove over quite low heat and stir until just heated through - or place right over bottom heat of some sort, like a warming tray or a candle warmer. In either case, keep warm but never boiling until time to serve.

Serve with bell pepper strips and corn chips. (If you like, suggest to your guests that "chips and strips" might sound just a little like "stars and stripes" - or not!)

CHILLED CURRIED APPLE SOUP

with dried apple rings (Serves 6-8)

For apple rings:

1 Granny Smith apple

For soup:

1 tablespoon butter

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon mild curry powder

2 1/4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped

4 1/2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup light cream

Juice of 1-2 lemons

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Thinly slice a single apple vertically, the thinner the better. Place apple slices on wire rack set over a baking tray. Place in oven to dry for about 30 to 60 minutes, or until apple slices are completely dry, turning once during cooking. Remove apple slices from wire rack and cool on waxed paper.

To make soup, melt butter and sweat onions in a saucepan. Add curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add chopped apples, chicken stock and some salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer covered for about 1 hour. Puree soup in a blender or food processor. Strain through a sieve. Let soup cool.

Add cream and fresh lemon juice to taste, then adjust seasoning as necessary. Place soup in refrigerator to chill, then serve in chilled bowls with dried apple slices as a garnish.

CITRUS GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons grated orange peel

1 teaspoon chili sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder

2 pounds pork tenderloin

In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, hoisin sauce, vinegar, orange zest, chili sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, and curry. Add the tenderloins to the bowl and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or as long as 8 hours. Lightly brush cooking grate with vegetable oil. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and grill indirectly over medium heat, turning once, until the center is barely pink (internal temperature should be 155 degrees F to 160 degrees F) 20 to 30 minutes. Remove tenderloins from grill and carve into thick slices. Yield: 4 servings.

COOL SUMMER FRUIT SALAD

1 large Mango -- peeled and diced

2 cups Blueberries -- fresh

2 medium Bananas -- sliced

2 cups Strawberries -- fresh, sliced

2 cups Seedless Grapes

2 medium Nectarines -- peeled and sliced

1 medium Kiwi Fruit -- peeled and sliced

- Honey Orange Sauce:

1/3 cup Orange Juice -- fresh squeezed

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1 1/2 Tbsp Honey

1/4 tsp Ginger -- ground

1 dash nutmeg

Prepare the fruit. Combine all ingredients for sauce and mix. Just before serving, pour Honey Orange Sauce over fruit.

COTTAGE CHEESE DILL DIP

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

2 tablespoons sliced green onion

2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried dillweed

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Dash garlic powder

In blender container or food processor bowl place the cottage cheese, green onion, snipped parsley, dillweed, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover and

blend or process until smooth. Chill, covered, for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with an assortment of sliced raw vegetables or crackers. Makes 8 servings. Make ahead directions: Chill up to 24 hours.

CRAB DIP

8 oz cream cheese

2 tblsp sour cream

2 tblsp Miracle whip

1 small green pepper

1 small onion

1 can of crabmeat OR 1 pkg imitation crabmeat

appx 1/2 bottle seafood sauce

finely shredded Mozzarella cheese

Very finely mince the pepper and onion, wrap them together in a paper towel and let sit in fridge overnight to drain. Combine cream cheese, sour cream and Miracle whip and spread in a pizza pan, this too can be done the night before you serve it. Just prior to serving, spread the seafood sauce over the cream cheese mixture, not too thickly. Sprinkle the onion/pepper mix over the seafood sauce. If using can crab, drain well and sprinkle over the onion/pepper, if using imitation, chop well and sprinkle. Lightly sprinkle

with cheese and serve with Breton type crackers.( a thin wheat cracker) You can successfully use fat free cheese and sour cream in this recipe. It can also be halved.

CRISPY SESAME COATED SCALLOPS

Serves 4

2 large egg whites

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided use

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

24 large scallops (about 2 pounds)

1 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup canola or peanut oil

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon sugar

Combine egg whites, cornstarch, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add scallops and toss until coated. Spread sesame seeds in a shallow bowl and dredge each scallop so it is covered with the seeds on all sides. Set scallops aside on a rack to dry a bit.

Heat oil in 12-inch non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add half the scallops and cook 3 minutes or until they turn a toasty brown. Flip over and cook other side until toasty brown, about 2 minutes. Keep first batch warm and fry second in same way.

Combine the remaining lemon juice, soy, Tabasco (if desired) and sugar in a small bowl. Place 6 scallops on each plate. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the sauce over scallops and serve.

CROCKPOT HAM AND PINTO BEANS

Ham Bone (with a little meat and skin)

Salt to taste (2 tsp in crockpot)

Pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp)

Brown sugar 1/2 cup

dry Pinto beans - Rinsed and soaked overnight (about 3-4 cups)

Enough water to cover all ingredients by about 2 inches

Cornstarch & cold water (optional - about 1-2 tbsp and enough cold water to mix in)

Dump everything (except the cornstarch) into crockpot and cook on low for about 8 - 10 hours. If the beans aren't thick enough (juice should be gravy-like consistency), after you cook them add a little cornstarch to some cold water and mix into beans and let set for about 5-10 minutes until it thickens up.

If you cook these beans on the stove, again, just dump everything into a Dutch oven or whatever type large pot you have. Let cook until beans are softened (done). Seems like on the stove, the beans thicken up a lot better than they do in the crockpot and you don't need to add the cornstarch. If you cook them on low for about 3 1/2 hours, they will be just right.

FLOURLESS APRICOT HONEY SOUFFLE

Serves 4

Before proceeding, read SOUFFLE MYSTIQUE in the General Information Category

Also shown below.

Butter for souffle dish

1/4 cup Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

1 cup milk

3 egg yolks

Sea salt

3 tablespoons honey

1 cup Turkish apricots

3 tablespoons Sauternes or other white dessert wine

5 egg whites

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds

Vanilla or almond ice cream (optional)

Generously butter a 1 1/2-quart souffle dish. Sprinkle sugar into dish, tilting so that sugar coats bottom and sides. Place in freezer.

In small pan, heat milk over medium-high heat until bubbles form around edges; remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place egg yolks, pinch of salt and honey in medium bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Very slowly whisk a third of milk into egg yolks, and then add this mixture back to pan. Stirring constantly, cook mixture over medium-low heat, until it thickens enough to coat back of a spoon. Remove from heat, strain into a bowl and let cool. In small pan, combine apricots and Sauternes. Bring to boil and stir. Shut off heat and let cool. Preheat oven to 400 degrees; place baking sheet on bottom rack. In blender or food processor, combine egg mixture and apricots; puree. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Remove dish from freezer. Place egg whites, pinch of salt and powdered sugar in bowl and whisk until fairly stiff peaks form. Using rubber spatula, add about a third of egg whites to apricot mixture and fold until combined. Add apricot mixture to remaining egg whites in bowl. Fold together until mixed well, being careful not to overmix. Spoon this mixture into souffle dish, leaving 1/2 inch on top. Sprinkle almonds on top. Place on baking sheet and bake 17 to 20 minutes, until risen and still a little wobbly when shaken. Remove from oven and serve, plunging two large spoons into center to lift out pieces. Serve with ice cream if desired.

THE SOUFFLE MYSTIQUE

just a lot of hot air

Anyone who can make an omelet and whip cream can rise to occasion

BY AMANDA HESSER

New York Times News Service

IN THE WORLD of dining, no drama is more riveting than the one surrounding the souffle. It starts building early in the meal, when the souffle must be ordered: The anticipation is sealed, a captive audience guaranteed. Then, when it is finally ready, it is rushed through the dining room like a crying baby to its mother, so that when it arrives at the table -- inflated, determined and wobbly -- the reaction is inevitably the same: The diner is silenced, in awe of the genius who concocted it.

For the assumption is that to create cooking's most fragile and temperamental dish takes immense skill, the finesse of a dancer, the timing of a comedian. Which is why chefs have never let it die. Creme brulee may one day retire, but the souffle will persist. And though chefs will never concede the point, it is not because the souffle takes such talent, but because it is so easy.

Chefs know that souffles are forgiving. They know it's not necessary to whisper while a souffle bakes and that opening the oven door will not make a souffle fall. And they know that souffles can be made ahead of time, assembled completely, then simply baked to order. Generations of intimidated home cooks could have triumphed with those three small tips.

Meanwhile, chefs have been changing the souffle, too, keeping it up to date. The classic and often stodgy souffle -- made with pastry cream or bechamel, with a sauce poured in at the table -- is being replaced with souffles made without flour and ingredients so flavorful that no sauce is needed at all. In New York, Le Cirque 2000's chocolate souffle is flourless, yolkless and made a day ahead. Lutece serves a grits souffle.

These are hardly disrespectful, though, for a souffle is actually one of cooking's most frivolous pursuits. A souffle should be playful. Think of it as nothing more than an omelet, and few omelets are served without some kind of adornment. I have made many souffles, and I have discovered that despite my efforts to challenge the classic recipe with loose liquid bases and vigorous folding, it is difficult to fail. And more than that, the possibilities are endless.

Sauce with egg whites

To begin, it is helpful to understand just what a souffle is. It is, essentially, a flavorful sauce suspended in whipped egg whites and baked in the oven. As the souffle bakes, the heat causes the air in the egg whites to expand, separating the base into a fluffy custard, sealing in any aromas and bursting vertically out of its baking dish.

When it comes out of the oven and begins to cool, the air contracts and the souffle deflates, which is why it must be eaten quickly. If you let a souffle deflate, you will be left with an omelet. (But one that will be much lighter than a typical omelet. Any failed souffle can simply be turned out of its dish and served without shame, like an unmolded custard.)

A good souffle is rich with contradiction. It has a firm outer shell, while inside it is impossibly light; it is supported by egg, but its taste is not compromised by it; it defies gravity and yet is fragile. And if it is correctly made, spoonfuls of rich, gauzy foam and all of its contradictions will disappear on the palate. Anyone who can create that experience is worthy of praise.

And anyone who can make an omelet and whip cream can make a souffle.

Classic souffles are made up of two parts: the base and the whipped egg whites. The base is a kind of sauce, often thickened with egg yolks. Many recipes call for about one egg per person. So if you are making a souffle for four, you would use four to five eggs, reserving the yolks for the base.

Adding taste, texture

Anything else that goes into the base has one of two purposes: flavoring or thickening. This could mean, for a savory souffle, making a bechamel sauce with flour, butter and milk and then adding egg yolks to enrich it. Or aromatics could be used: sauteed garlic and herbs, crab meat, cheese, even asparagus puree.

Classically sweet souffles have a base of pastry cream. But pastry cream is time-consuming. A more modern approach would be to use creme anglaise, a simple sauce of milk, eggs and sugar, adding pureed or whole fruit, melted chocolate or even something as simple as almond extract for scent. Simpler still: Omit the yolks and use a dense fruit puree or jam as a base.

Whatever the base, it needs to be highly flavored so that once the egg whites are folded in, the flavor does not disappear. Preparing the egg whites is perhaps the most crucial part. Recipes often instruct you to add a little salt, lemon juice or cream of tartar before whisking to help the egg whites form smaller, tighter bubbles. I have found that the three work equally well, though in a savory souffle I lean toward salt, which also seasons the whites. With sweet souffles, it is helpful to add a little powdered sugar at the beginning (about a tablespoon for every four egg whites). This helps the whites form tight bonds and for the finished souffles to rise evenly in tall, firm cylinders.

A happy medium

The whites should be whisked until they form peaks somewhere between soft and stiff. If they are too soft, the whites tend not to rise to their potential; too stiff, and they may begin to break down.

Once they are whisked, though, they are extremely durable. Classic French cookbooks will tell you to fold the base and whites together gently. But if the base and whites do not form a homogeneous mixture, the souffle may rise unevenly and have pockets of egg white. Using a rubber spatula, I fold mine vigorously, turning the bowl as I fold the ingredients over again and again, and have never had a souffle flop.

Beyond that, there are just a few details to know. Buttering souffle molds is not the time to be shy about butter. Many classic recipes say to butter the mold once, put it in the freezer and then butter it again -- a great waste of time. Instead, use soft butter and smear it on generously the first time, making sure to cover every inch of the mold. Another method is to add a light dusting of a dry ingredient to coat the butter, which gives the souffle a kind of lattice to climb while baking. With sweet souffles, sugar is often used, and with savory, bread crumbs or finely grated cheese. If the coating is too thin or misses a spot, the souffle mixture could latch onto that spot and leave you with a lopsided souffle.

The mold should be refrigerated or frozen so that when the souffle mixture is added, the butter does not slide down the sides. And when the molds are being filled, the filling should be dropped in the center of the mold and allowed to settle by itself. The filling should be highest in the center and slope down to the sides of the mold, not be smoothed over with a spatula as with a cake batter.

When the souffle is in the oven, you want it to rise as quickly as possible before the sides seal and stop expanding. One way to help this is to place the baking rack on the bottom shelf of the oven and to put a baking sheet on the rack while the oven heats. When the souffle dish, cool from the freezer, begins to warm, the souffle will expand without cooking through too quickly.

Can be made ahead

What puts off many home cooks is the assumption that souffles are a last-minute affair. But almost any souffle can be made ahead. Simply complete the recipe up to the point of baking, fill the molds and cover them with plastic wrap, then refrigerate until a few minutes before baking. If the egg whites have been whipped well and the mixture combined thoroughly, it will hold for several hours. The cool temperature helps firm up the ingredients, too.

Though I have made souffles up to a day ahead, I have found them to be at their peak when baked within four hours. Uniform homogeneous mixtures such as chocolate, cheese and vanilla hold best. But ones with ingredients such as mushrooms or onions, which ``weep'' over time, or looser mixtures such as yolkless souffles, may not rise as well.

But even in those cases, the base can be made and the molds prepared, so that all you have to do at the last minute is whisk the egg whites. That's like whipping cream for an apple pie. With just a few days of experimenting, souffles streamed from my kitchen with a kind of ease, a kind of liberty to wander from the classic, and often with fewer ingredients than most cakes. Bored with the Parmesan souffle found in so many restaurants, I tried adding the gratings of a hard sheep's milk cheese to a plain base. It was nutty and earthy and as complex as the cheese itself, a perfect contrast to a souffle's light texture. Even better was a goat cheese souffle, with lumps of the soft cheese dropped into a plain souffle base. Each bite was different: Some were like eggy custard; others had pockets of warm tangy goat cheese.

With that same thread of thought, I had another success. Rather than using milk in the base, I tried creme fraiche. It was the lightest, most delicately flavored souffle you can imagine, and it had just four ingredients: creme fraiche, butter, flour and eggs. It inspired another idea: a souffle base made with buckwheat flour, so that it is like a blini. When the souffle comes out of the oven, break open the center and spoon in a little creme fraiche and caviar.

Finishing touches at the table are also a good idea. With a mushroom souffle, into which I folded chopped sweated mushrooms, I sprinkled on a few drops of truffle oil just before serving. The heat of the souffle made the oil come alive, and its essence trickled down through the base.

What is remarkable about the souffle is that knowing its secrets does not spoil its charm. I have made dozens of souffles, and not once have I failed to be amazed when I've opened the oven door and peered in at one, inflating like air in my lungs.

FROZEN WATERMELON

3 pints Vanilla Ice Milk -- slightly softened

3 pints Sherbet -- Raspberry, softened

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips -- miniature

14 drops Food coloring -- green

2 cups Whipped Topping -- thawed

Line an 8-cup mold or mixing bowl completely with aluminum foil. Working quickly, spread the vanilla ice milk, 1 inch thick over the bottom and sides of the bowl. Immediately place in the freezer and freeze for about 1 hour. When the ice milk has become somewhat hard, but not frozen solid, spread it all the way up the sides to the top of the bowl, then replace it in the freezer for about 1 hour, until firm. Place the raspberry sherbet in a medium-sized bowl and add the chocolate chips. Blend until evenly mixed. Place in the vanilla ice milk-lined bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze

overnight, or until completely hard. When ready to serve, in a small bowl, mix the green food color with the whipped topping until evenly blended. Remove the mold from the freezer, remove the plastic wrap, and invert onto a platter larger than the mold. Remove the mold and peel off the foil. Spread the whipped topping evenly over the ice cream and serve immediately, or freeze until the topping is firm, then cover and keep frozen until ready to serve. Cut into wedges, just like fresh watermelon.

GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLES

Serves 4

Before proceeding, read SOUFFLE MYSTIQUE in the General Information Category,

Also shown on page 16 above.

1 1/2 tablespoons butter (more for buttering ramekins)

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

5 eggs, separated

8 ounces goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; place baking sheet on bottom rack. Generously butter four 1 1/2-cup ramekins; place in freezer.

In small pan over medium heat, melt butter. When foam subsides, add flour and whisk to combine. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to darken. Slowly add milk, whisking so lumps do not form, and simmer until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Whisk in egg yolks. Set aside.

Place egg whites and large pinch of salt in bowl of mixer. Mix until egg whites form fairly stiff peaks. Using rubber spatula, add a third of egg whites to sauce and fold until combined. Add sauce to remaining egg whites and fold until well mixed. Crumble cheese in pieces the size of almonds over mixture. Fold mixture once or twice to disperse cheese, but do not break it up. Remove ramekins from freezer. Spoon mixture into them, being careful not to smear sides and leaving 1/2 inch on top.

Place ramekins on baking sheet and bake 16 to 18 minutes, until souffle has risen and is still a little wobbly. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Variations: Fold in 2 tablespoons roughly chopped tarragon when adding cheese. Or replace milk with 1 cup creme fraiche and omit cheese.

GREAT AMERICAN PICANTE BURGERS

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup Pace(r) Picante Sauce or Chunky Salsa*

4 hamburger rolls

MIX thoroughly beef and picante sauce. Shape firmly into 4 patties, 1/2 inch thick.

GRILL patties 10 min. or until done, turning once and brushing often with additional picante sauce. SERVE on rolls with additional picante sauce and Nachos. Serves 4.

GREEK CHICKEN BREASTS

1 tablespoon dried oregano

4 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup chicken broth

2 ripe tomatoes -- peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons olives -- sliced

2 tablespoons capers

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons crumbled Feta cheese

Combine flour and oregano in a shallow dish; dredge chicken breasts in flour mixture. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken breasts, and cook 10 minutes, turning once. Add wine and broth (if wine is not desired, double amount of chicken broth or substitute apple juice); simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Add chopped tomato, olives, and capers; cook until thoroughly heated. Spoon into serving dish; sprinkle with Feta cheese. Yield 4 servings.

GRILLED FRENCH BREAD

1/4 cup margarine or butter

2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 16-ounce loaf unsliced French bread

In a medium skillet combine margarine or butter, parsley, garlic, and, if desired, red pepper. Heat over medium heat until margarine is melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Cut French bread in half lengthwise.

Place bread, cut side down, on an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill about 2 minutes or until toasted. Turn cut side up. Brush with margarine mixture. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes more. To serve, cut into 2-inch slices. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SPICE CRUST

Serves up to 6

2 3/4-to-1 1/4 pound pork tenderloins, trimmed of silver skin membrane and fat, butterflied by cutting lengthwise down the center, and pounded to a 3/8-to- 1/2-inch thickness (most butchers will do that for you at the time of purchase)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Rosemary and fennel seed rub:

1 tablespoon fennel seed, bruised with flat side of knife or with mortar and pestle

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Spread meat on a plate and rub olive oil on both sides. Combine remaining ingredients and rub mixture all over pork, pressing it into meat and any crevices. Let tenderloins rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Grill tenderloins over medium-hot coals 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until internal temperature registers 145 degrees to 150 degrees on meat thermometer. Let meat rest 5 minutes. Serve 1/2 tenderloin per person.

HIGH ROLLER SANDWICH ROLL-UPS

1 Bag flour tortillas

1 lg Bar of softened cream cheese

Roast beef sliced thin

Ham sliced thin

Turkey sliced thin

Colby Jack cheese, sliced thin

Lettuce shredded thin strips

Garlic powder

Sliced tomatoes very thin

Use the back of a spatula and cover each tortilla with a thin layer of cream cheese. Sprinkle lightly with garlic powder. Use half of the tortilla: to layer meats, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Then roll up tortilla with cream cheese side rolled up last so it will seal as if using glue. Cut in 1 inch pieces and serve. Yield: 8-10 Servings

KING RANCH CHICKEN

(Preheat oven to 375 degrees)

4 large boneless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

(save your chicken stock to soften the flour tortillas)

1 package, fajita-size flour tortillas

1 large (or two small) bell pepper(s), chopped

1 large onion chopped

12 ounce package of shredded cheese (I prefer medium cheddar)

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Can Diced tomatoes and green chilies

1 tspn chili powder

Spray a large casserole dish with a nonstick spray, and then line with tortillas that have been softened in the warm/hot chicken stock where you have cooked the chicken breasts. On top of the tortillas spread the chopped/shredded chicken then add the following items in this order:

Bell Peppers

Onions

Shredded Cheese

Chili powder (just a little will do)

Mix the cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups together with the tomatoes/ green chilies, and spread on top of the previous layers. You may want to add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock, just to make sure the casserole is moist. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven, and serve.

LEMON AND CUMIN COOKIES

Makes 30

1 1/4 cups superfine sugar (or use regular granulated sugar that has been whirled in food processor until very fine in texture)

9 tablespoons butter

2 egg yolks

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and cumin.

Sift together flour and baking soda, then fold into butter mixture to form a soft dough. Place dough on a sheet of wax paper and roll into a cylinder about 2 inches in diameter, twisting ends of paper together and being careful not to wrap any of the wax paper into the dough. Place in freezer until dough is hard.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with a piece of foil or parchment paper. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place slices on baking sheet, leaving a generous space between them to allow for spreading. Bake cookies for 10 minutes or until firm to touch. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

LEMON CHEESECAKE PIE

1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons butter or margarine -- melted

3 ounces lemon gelatin powder

1 cup boiling water

2 cups lowfat cottage cheese

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and

butter; mix well. Press in bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 4 to 5 minutes or until crust is light brown. Refrigerate to chill. In small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Cool to lukewarm. In blender container, blend cottage cheese and lemon peel until smooth. Slowly blend in gelatin mixture; pour into chilled crust.

Refrigerate until set; about 2 hours. Yield: 8 servings.

LEMONY OLIVE CHICKEN

Prep/Cook Time: 20 minutes

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 boneless chicken breast halves

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives

4 lemon slices

4 cups hot cooked rice

HEAT oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned.

ADD soup, milk, lemon juice, pepper and olives. Top with lemon slices. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until done. Serve with rice. Serves 4.

LIGHT AND FRUITY PIE

1-3 oz pkg gelatin mix any flavor

2/3 cup boiling water

2 cups ice cubes

1-8 oz container whipped topping

fruit (optional)**

1 premade graham cracker crust

Dissolve gelatin completely in boiling water. Add ice cubes and stir until gelatin starts to thicken. Remove any unmelted ice cubes. Using wire whisk, blend in whipped topping until smooth. Fold in fruit, and if necessary chill until mixture will mound. Spoon into crust. Chill at least 3 hours. Garnish with additional fruit if desired. **suggested fruits-diced orange sections, strawberries, banana, drained crushed pineapple or fruit cocktail.

MANGO, CUCUMBER, AND CANTALOUPE SALAD

with toasted sesame seeds

Serves 6

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 large cucumber, halved, seeded and sliced 1/8-inch thick

1/4 cantaloupe, peeled and cut into chunks

2 1/4 cups plain yogurt

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a dry frying pan, toast sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, then set aside to cool. Combine mangoes, cucumber and cantaloupe in a bowl. Stir in yogurt, vinegar and sesame seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

MARINATED VEGETABLE MEDLEY

3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices (5 cups)

2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices (1 cup)

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion, separated into rings

1/2 cup coarsely chopped red pepper

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup spicy vegetable juice

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine zucchini, carrots, onion, pepper and water in 3-quart saucepan. Cover. Cook over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring

occasionally. Drain. Set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in 1-cup measure. In large mixing bowl or salad bowl, combine vegetable mixture and juice mixture. Toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with slotted spoon. Yield: 12 Servings (approx 1/2 cup ea)

MICROWAVE RISOTTO

3 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads or 1/8 teaspoon powdered saffron

1 3/4 cup good-quality chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup Arborio rice

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese

In a three-quart glass container, combine butter, garlic and onion. Microwave on high three minutes. Set aside. Microwave broth on high two minutes and then combine the broth and the rice with the onion mixture, along with the saffron. (You can omit the saffron, if it's not to your taste.) Cover. Microwave on high for five minutes, then on medium for eight to 10 minutes, or until the rice swells and almost all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the cheese and allow to stand, covered, for about five minutes before serving.

MIXED CHERRY CLAFOUTI

Before proceeding read page 9, Cherry Information (Clafouti)

1/2 teaspoon butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons sugar

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk (2 percent or skim)

1/4 cup creme de cassis or raspberry puree

2 tablespoons plain yogurt or sour cream

4 tablespoons honey

2 cups pitted sweet cherries (Bings, Lamberts or Rainiers), whole or sliced in half

1 cup pitted tart cherries (morella variety), whole or sliced in half

Vanilla frozen yogurt or mango ice cream

Confectioners' sugar

Sprigs of mint for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10-inch quiche or shallow tart pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, creme de cassis or raspberry puree, yogurt and honey until smooth. Slowly incorporate the egg mixture into the flour and sugar mixture, stirring until smooth but not overworked.

Pour one-third of the batter into the prepared tart pan and place on the lower rack of the oven. Cook until it starts to firm up, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and flatten, if necessary, to make room for the remaining mixture.

While the batter is cooking, combine the cherries and the remaining batter in a large bowl. Pour into the tart pan over the cooked batter and return to the oven to finish. Bake until solid and golden, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cake rack. Cut into wedges and place in the center of serving plates. Place scoops of the frozen yogurt or ice cream next to the clafouti. Sprinkle the plate and clafouti with confectioners' sugar. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve. Makes 8 servings.

NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS AND RICE

1 pound red kidney beans -- dried

1/2 pound salt pork

1 whole onion -- chopped

2 cloves garlic -- chopped

1/4 cup celery -- chopped

1 quart ham or beef stock

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 whole bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon thyme

3 cups rice

Soak beans in water overnight. Drain. In a Dutch oven, brown salt pork. Add onions, garlic, and celery and sauté for 3 minutes. Add beans, stock, Tabasco sauce, salt, and herbs. Simmer 3 hours or until beans are tender. Add water when necessary during cooking; water should barely cover beans at end of cooking. Remove 1 cup beans and mash to paste. Add mashed bean paste back to beans; stir until liquid is thickened. Serve over hot rice.

OKINAWAN SPINACH SALAD

Serves 4

For citrus vinaigrette:

1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons minced shallot or onion

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

For salad:

1 cup citrus vinaigrette

10 ounces Okinawan spinach (or substitute fresh baby spinach)

2 large oranges, segmented

1/2 cup shaved or grated Parmesan Reggiano

1 ripe avocado, diced (optional)

In a small mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, honey, parsley, shallot, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and whisk to blend. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, toss spinach with citrus vinaigrette until all leaves are coated. Divide spinach equally between 4 salad plates. Garnish each plate with orange segments and Parmesan cheese. If desired, add avocado. Serve immediately.

OLD FASHIONED APPLE CAKE

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon mace

1 egg

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups tart apples; diced

1/2 cups raisins

brown sugar

Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda and spices. In mixer bowl put egg, egg whites, vanilla, apple sauce and milk. Mix with electric mixer. Gradually add dry ingredients,

blending well. Stir in apples and raisins by hand. Pour batter into 8x8 pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes. Yield: 9 Servings

ONE SKILLET SPAGHETTI

3/4 lb ground round or chuck or 1/4 lb Italian sausage and 1/2 lb ground beef

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1 14 1/2 oz. can stewed Italian Tomatoes

2 8 oz. cans Italian style or Garlic tomato sauce

1/4 tsp oregano

1 4 oz. can drained mushrooms, sliced or stems and pieces

1 cup hot water

4 oz. thin spaghetti, broken in 3rds

Brown beef and or sausage, add hot water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, celery, onions, mushrooms, oregano. Stir and mix in skillet , until everything is incorporated well, then add broken spaghetti. ( I add about a tbsp of olive oil after the spaghetti keeps it from sticking together, and stir well again) Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with garlic bread and a nice salad and that's all there is to it. Makes a fast meal, easy to put together, all food groups covered. Plus you can add garlic if you like it a little more

heavily flavored or I add extra oregano and garlic.

ORANGE RICE PUDDING

1 cup fresh orange juice

2/3 cup long-grain rice

1/2 cup water

2 cups buttermilk

3 eggs -- lightly beaten

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

In a small saucepan, combine the 1 cup orange juice, the uncooked rice, and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, sugar, and the 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Spray a 2-quart square baking dish with vegetable spray. Spoon rice mixture into dish, spreading evenly. Pour egg mixture over rice mixture. Place dish in a large baking pan; pour hot water into baking pan around dish to a depth of 1 inch. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until mixture is firm around the edges and is almost set in center. Remove square dish from outer pan; cool 30 minutes on a wire rack. Cover and chill 4 hours before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

OVEN BAKED CHICKEN

with a sour cream and Parmesan cheese crust

Serves 4

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

6 chicken legs and thighs or 6 chicken breasts, wings removed

3 cups dried bread crumbs

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Oil for greasing

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine sour cream and mustard in a shallow bowl. Dip in each chicken piece and turn over until completely coated with the mixture. Shake off any excess back into the bowl.

Combine bread crumbs, garlic, thyme, basil, pepper and cheese in another shallow bowl. Immerse each sour cream-mustard coated piece of chicken into the crumb mixture and turn until completely coated. Place chicken pieces on a rack to dry for 30 minutes before baking.

Lay chicken pieces on a well-greased sheet pan and bake 40 minutes or until coating is nicely browned. Serve at once or cool and refrigerate to eat cold later.

OVEN CRISP FISH

1 lb whitefish fillets

3/ 4 cup cornflakes, finely crushed

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 tsp lemon pepper

1 Tblsp parsley flakes

1 Tblsp paprika

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Coat fillets with crumbs. Place on baking sheet coated with vegetable spray. Combine remaining ingredients. Drizzle over fillets, bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Serves 4.

PORK CHOPS FOR TWO

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper

1 tsp Johnny's Dock seasoning

2 pork chops

10 medium size fresh mushrooms - sliced

1/2 onion - chopped

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk

1 tbs. butter

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

3-4 medium size potatoes

5 or so cauliflower florets

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Dredge pork chops in first 6 ingredients and brown chops in butter.

Peel and cut potatoes into chunks and place in 1 quart casserole dish. Add cauliflower. Place pork chops on top. Sauté mushrooms and onion in pork chop drippings. Add mushroom/chicken soup and 1 cup milk. Simmer for five minutes. Pour sauce over pork chops and top with parmesan cheese. Cover and bake in 325 deg. oven for one hour.

PORK CHOW MIEN

2/3 c uncooked instant rice

2 T. butter or margarine

1/2 t. salt

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 t chicken bouillon granules

1 1/2 c. boiling water

1 cup cubed cooked pork roast

1 T. cornstarch

1 T. cold water

1 T. soy sauce

chow mien noodles

In a skillet, saute rice in butter and salt until golden. Add the onion, celery and green pepper; cook until crisp tender. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water; add to the rice mixture. Add pork; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover; cook for 5 minutes or until the rice is tender. Combine cornstarch, cold water and soy sauce until smooth; add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over chow mien noodles. Makes 3 servings.

QUICK SHRIMP AND PASTA BAKE

16 ounces bow-tie pasta -- uncooked

14-1/2 oz (can) diced tomatoes -- undrained

12 ounces frozen small shrimp -- thawed

8 oz (can) tomato sauce

4-1/2 oz (jar) sliced mushrooms -- drained

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta to desired doneness; drain. Place pasta in ungreased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Stir in tomatoes, shrimp, tomato sauce, mushrooms, oregano, and red pepper flakes; sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Yield: 6 servings.

RASPBERRY SUMMER DELIGHT

2 beaten egg yolks

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 8-ounce carton vanilla yogurt

1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

2 cups fresh raspberries

Fresh raspberries (optional)

Fresh mint leaves (optional)

In a small heavy saucepan combine egg yolks, water, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just comes to boiling. Cool mixture to room

temperature quickly by placing pan in a sink or bowl of ice water, stirring constantly.

In a small bowl combine yogurt and lemon peel; stir in cooled yolk mixture. Cover; chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. To serve, divide berries among 4 dessert dishes

or wine glasses. Spoon yogurt mixture atop. Garnish with additional raspberries and fresh mint, if desired. Makes 4 servings. Make-Ahead Tip; Prepare as above. Cover and chill in refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Serve as above.

RHUBARB SOUFFLES

with ginger

Serves 4

Before proceeding, read SOUFFLE MYSTIQUE in the General Information Category, also shown on page 16 above.

Butter for ramekins

2 to 3 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup rhubarb or rhubarb-strawberry jam

3 teaspoons finely chopped ginger

2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

5 egg whites

Pinch sea salt

1 tablespoon powdered sugar (more for sprinkling)

Generously butter four 1 1/2-cup ramekins. Sprinkle a little sugar into each, tilting ramekin so sugar coats bottom and sides. Place in freezer. Preheat oven to 400 degrees; place baking sheet on bottom rack. Meanwhile, put jam, ginger and lemon juice in a small pan and place over medium-low heat, just until the jam becomes runny. Remove from heat. Put egg whites, salt and powdered sugar in bowl. Whisk until mixture forms fairly stiff peaks. Take ramekins from freezer. Using rubber spatula, add a third of egg whites to jam; fold together. Add jam mixture to egg whites in bowl. Fold until mixed well and spoon into ramekins, being careful not to smear sides and leaving 1/2 inch on top. Bake until souffles have risen 2 inches above ramekins, 8 to 10 min; they should be wobbly. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

ROASTED CHICKEN POTATO SALAD

Serves 2

3/4 pound red potatoes

3/4 pound roasted or rotisserie chicken breast

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 celery stalk, diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 small head romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces

1 medium tomato, cut into wedges

1/2 French baguette

Wash unpeeled potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Cover with a lid and boil 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

Meanwhile, remove skin from chicken and debone. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Whisk vinegar and mustard together in a medium-size serving bowl. Whisk in oil and water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken, onion and celery and toss well. When potatoes are cooked, drain and add, while still warm, to bowl. Toss. Add parsley. Add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Place a layer of lettuce on serving platter. Spoon salad onto lettuce. Place tomatoes around edge of platter. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. Serve with baguette.

SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

1 # pork sausage (see * below)

1/2 c. chopped celery

1 c. cooked rice (1c. water, 1/2 c. rice)

1/4 c. minced onion

1/4 c. chopped pimento

1 c. cream mushroom soup

1/4 c. water

Saute' sausage, celery, and onion. Drain off fat. Combine with rest of ingredients and bake in casserole at 350 for 30 minutes. * Experiment with your sausage, I have used hot Cajun, Italian or just plain regular sausage. It is your choice. Depending on how you like your sausage.

SPICY CORN BREAD

2 pkg (8 1/2 ounces each) corn muffin mix, batter prepared according to pkg directions

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 jalapeno peppers chopped

1/2 cup canned or frozen corn kernels

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoon honey.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl combine the corn muffin batter with the remaining ingredients mix well. Pour into the baking dish and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Let cool, then cut and serve. Note: Sprinkle a little paprika on top for nice color, and serve with butter or honey for additional sweetness.

SPINACH SOUFFLE

Before proceeding read about Souffles on page 16 above.

3 Tblsp butter or margarine, melted

3 Tblsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 cup onion, very finely minced

1 cup milk or thin cream

1 cup cooked spinach

3 eggs, separated

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix together the butter, flour, seasonings and onions, gradually add the milk. Press spinach dry and put through a sieve, add to the flour mixture. Beat the egg yolks and add to the flour mixture. Fold in the grated cheese. Beat the egg whites until stiff and add to mixture. Pour into a buttered dish, and place dish into a larger pan containing hot water. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Serve when set.

STIR FRY BEEF AND BROCCOLI

Prep/Cook Time: 25 minutes

3/4 pound boneless beef sirloin or top round steak, 3/4 inch thick

3 cups broccoli flowerets

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's(r) Tomato Soup

1/4 cup water

2 packages (2.8 ounces each) oriental flavor ramen noodle soup

SLICE beef into very thin strips.

SPRAY skillet with vegetable cooking spray and heat over medium heat 1 minute. Add broccoli and stir-fry until tender-crisp. Remove broccoli. Remove skillet from heat.

SPRAY with cooking spray. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir-fry beef until browned and juices evaporate. Remove beef.

ADD tomato soup, water and 1 ramen seasoning packet. (Reserve remaining seasoning packet for another use.) Heat to a boil. Return broccoli and beef to pan and heat through.

PREPARE noodle soup according to package directions without seasoning packet. Drain. Serve beef mixture over noodles. Serves 4.

STRAWBERRY DELIGHT

1st layer

24-32 oz Fresh Whole Strawberries*

15 oz Crushed Pineapple, Drained

1 Large Package Strawberry Gelatin (More jello is needed for 32 oz of strawberries)

Cap strawberries, mix with drained pineapple and gelatin in large bowl.

2nd layer

8-16 oz of Cool Whip or Real Whipping Cream

8 oz Soft Cream Cheese

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1 1/3 cup Powdered sugar

Layer the strawberry mixture in a large class bowl and top. Mix Cool Whip mixture thouroughly. It may be necessary to soften the cream cheese to prevent lumps. I alternate the layers until my mixtures are all gone (usually about 4 layers total) ending up with the Cool Whip mixture on top. Arrange several large strawberries on top of the mixture and sprinkle with nuts or blueberries. Chill for several hours in fridge.

*Blueberries and Blueberry Gelatin may be substituted for Strawberries. Pick

what is in season.

STRAWBERRY FOOL

3 c. sliced strawberries

3T. sugar

1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

2 (8 oz.) cartons vanilla low-fat yogurt

1) Combine strawberries and sugar in a large bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours.

2) Combine brown sugar and yogurt in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Cover and chill 2 hours.

3) Gently fold strawberry mixture into yogurt mixture until swirled. 4 servings.

SUGAR-CRUSTED MELTAWAYS

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter or margarine -- softened

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup nuts -- finely chopped

Sugar

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In small bowl, combine orange peel and orange juice; set aside. In large bowl, cream 1/4 cup sugar, salt, butter, water, and vanilla. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts; mix well. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until firm to touch. Remove from cookie sheets; cool completely. Strain orange juice mixture. Dip cookies in orange juice; roll

in sugar. Allow to dry to form sugar shell. Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen (21 servings).

THYME AND GARLIC CRUSTED BEEF FILLET

Serves up to 6

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use

1 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-pound piece of beef fillet

Make thyme and garlic paste by mixing thyme, garlic, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl. This can be done ahead.

One hour before cooking, remove meat from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim most fat from meat, leaving a thin layer. Cut 1/2-inch gashes in the fat or top side of the meat and rub thyme and garlic paste into gashes and all over meat's surface. Brush meat generously with remaining olive oil.

Place meat on rack in a shallow pan and put it in the lower third of the oven. Roast 20 minutes, then check internal temperature. Remove meat when internal temperature reaches 115 degrees to 120 degrees for rare, 125 degrees to 130 degrees for medium-rare, or 130 degrees to 140 degrees for medium. Let meat rest for 10 to 20 minutes. The temperature will increase 5 degrees to 10 degrees or so. Slice 1/2-inch thick slices and serve.

TWICE BAKED SPINACH SOUFFLES

Makes 6 appetizer portions

Before proceeding, read SOUFFLE MYSTIQUE in the General Information Category, also shown on page 16 above.

1 pound spinach

1/3 cup butter

1 onion, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Pinch of grated nutmeg

1 1/2 cups light cream

5 egg yolks

6 egg whites

1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Pull stems from spinach and wash leaves in several changes of water. Pack wet leaves in large saucepan, cover it, and wilt leaves over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain spinach and let it cool. Squeeze handfuls of spinach in your fists to extract water, and then chop it.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in saucepan, add onion, and saute over medium heat until it is soft but not brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in spinach with salt and pepper and continue cooking, stirring, until it is quite dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

To make a white sauce, melt remaining butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, and cook until foaming but not browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Simmer it for 2 minutes and then take it off the heat. Transfer about a third of white sauce into a small saucepan and pour the cream on top so it coats the sauce and prevents a skin from forming. Set aside.

Generously butter six (1-cup) ramekins, and chill them. Stir spinach into remaining sauce and heat until very hot. Remove mixture from heat, taste, and adjust seasoning; it should be well seasoned to make up for bland egg whites. Beat in egg yolks a bit at a time so they cook in the heat of the sauce and thicken it slightly. Cover saucepan with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the spinach mixture.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a roasting pan of water to a boil on the stove for a bain-marie. Beat egg whites until stiff, adding a pinch of salt to help stiffen them. Warm spinach mixture gently until pan is hot to the touch. Add about a quarter of the beaten egg whites and stir until well mixed. The heat of the sauce will cook the whites slightly. Add this mixture to the remaining whites and fold them together as lightly as possible.

Fill ramekins with the mixture. Run a thumb around edge of each dish to detach the mixture so the souffle rises straight. Set ramekins in the bain-marie, bring it back to a boil on the stove and transfer it to the oven. Bake until souffles are puffed, browned and just set in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. They should rise well above the rim of the dish. Take ramekins from bain-marie and leave them to cool -- the souffles will shrink back into the ramekins, pulling away slightly from the sides.

Turn each souffle dish out into a gratin dish. Whisk cream with reserved sauce until smooth and bring it just to a boil. Season it to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and pour on top of the souffles, letting it pool around the sides. Sprinkle them with cheese. Note: The souffles can be kept covered with plastic wrap, for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

To finish, heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake souffles until browned, slightly puffed and sauce is bubbling, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

VEGETABLE PASTA

2 lbs leeks, (with 4" of green left on) quartered lengthwise

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup defatted chicken broth

2 Tblsps fresh thyme leaves or 2 tsps dried

1 Tblsp salt

Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

6 ripe plum tomatoes, (about 1 lb), quartered

2 yellow squash (about 1/2 lb), sliced in 1/4" thick rounds

1/2 cup pitted black olives

1/3 cup chopped parsley

1 lb fetuccine, cooked as directed on package

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place leeks in a shallow roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil and chicken broth. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil; add tomatoes, squash and olives. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes more or until vegetables are tender, tossing vegetables once or twice. Remove vegetables from oven. Toss with parsley and cooked pasta in a large bowl. Serve hot or at room temperature.serves 6