Pear Tea Bread with Lemon Glaze

1 can (16 oz) of Barlett pear halves, undrained.
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c.sugar
1 Tb. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cardamon
1/4 c. corn oil
1 egg slightly beaten
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 c. chopped pecans
Lemon Glaze

Drain pears and save syrup.
Set aside one pear for garnish.
Puree remaining pears.
Add pear syrup to pureed pears to equal one cup.
Lightly stir flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cardamon.
Combine pureed pear mixture with oil, egg and lemon peel;
stir into the dry ingredients.
Pour into a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Slice reserved pear into sixths; arrange slices on top.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 - 55 minutes,
or until bread tests done.
Let cool in pan for 5 minutes; turn out on wire rack
and sppon Lemon Glaze on top.
Cool completely; wrap in foil and let stand overnight.

LEMON GLAZE

1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1 Tb. fresh lemon juice

Blend the two ingredients to make a thin glaze.

Pear

Chocolate Banana Bread

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
1 c.mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
2 eggs, slighlty beaten

Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking poweder,
baking soda and salt in a large micxing bowl;
cut with two knives or pastry blender
until mixtures becomes like coarse crums.
Add bananas and eggs; stir with fork until blended.
Spread evenly into a greased and floured 9 x 5 x 2 3/4 inch loaf pan.
Bake in 375 degree preheated oven for 50-55 minutes,
or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes
out clean.
Cool in pan 10 minutes.
Remove from pan; cool completely.
Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar

Shrimp Pasta Salad

1 package (9.7oz)ranch pasta salad.
! cup cooked medium shrimp
1 can (7 oz. ) salmon, draine dand broken into chunks
Green onion strips or slices.

Chicken Tetrazini

2 chicken breast, boneless, skinless.
1 c. low fat milk
1 can reduced sodium Cream of Mushroom soup
1 c. Chicken broth
2 TB. wochestershire sauce
1 buillion cube
1 bag No Yoolks fine noodles
1/4 c. Parmesan/Ramano chees

Boil chicken until cooked, about 30-40 minutes. Save the broth.
Cook noodles and drain.
in a separate casserole dish, mix milk, stock, soup, buillion cube,
worchestershire sauce and cheese until hot an dissolved.

Cut up the chicken and mix it with the noodles.
Pour sauce over, cover .
Bake 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes

Crab and Shrimp Quiche

Crust:

1 c. flour
1 Tb. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 lb. butter

Sift flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together.
Blend in butter.
Mix with hands until rolling consistency.
Roll or pat into a 10 inch pie plate.

Filling:

1/2 lb. Swiss cheese
1 c. crab meat
1/2 can small cooked shrimp
1 1/2 c. light cream
4 eggs, beaten
1 Tb. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
dash of pepper
dash of cayenne
2 Tb. butter, melted
2 Tb. dry sgerry

Cut cheese into 1/4 inch slices.
Place cheese in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.
Cover with crab and shrimp.
Beat well the remaining ingredients.
Pour over filling in crust.
Refrigerate or freeze.
When ready to serve, bring to room temperature.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until browned.
let satnd for 20 minutes before serving.
Serves 4-6.

Spareribs with Raspberry Barbecue Sauce

Marinate ribs for 6 hours for the best flavor.
The left over sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.

4 lbs. pork spareribs
cut into 3 -4 rib sections.
Cold water
1 pkg. raspberry gelatin
1 c. boiling water
1 bottle (12 oz) tomato chili sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
5 drops hot pepper sauce

Put ribs in a large pot with cold water to cover.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer
uncovered for 30 minutes or until the meat
can be pierced easily with a fork.
Remove ribs, drain and cool.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl dissolve the gelatin
in the boiling water: stir in the remaining ingredients.
Place ribs in a double plastic bag and add one cup sauce.
Turn a few times to coat.
Close bags and refrigerate, turning occassionally,
six hours up to two days.

Drain meat and reserve the sauce.
Place ribs meaty side up on rack in a broiler pan.
Broil at least 5 inches from the heat source,
brushing 4 times with the reserved sauce
and turning ribs once, 30 minutes or until the meat
is a reddish brown.
Cut between the ribs into serving side portions.
Serves 4 with 2 1/2 cups extra sauce.

Chinese Brown Sauce

3/4 c. beef broth
1 TB. plus 1 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 TB. cornstarch

With all ingredients in a saucepan,
bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir constantly until thickened.

Pear Chutney

3 medium size ripe pears
1 T. lemon juice
1 c. seedless red grapes, cut in half
2 T. honey
2 T. Dijon mustard
5 T. olive oil
1 small chopped red onion
1/4 c. raisins
1 T. mustard seed
1/2 tsp. allspice


Peel and cut pears in 1/2 inch pieces and toss with the lemon juice.
Add the grapes, honey and mustard.
Mix and set aside.
Cook onions in the olive oil until soft.
Add the raisins, mustard see and allspice.
Stir until the raisins plump up, about 5 minutes.
Mix gently with the fruit.
Serves 6.

Green Beans Genovese

1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 T. butter
1/2 c. minced Italian parsley
tsp. olive oil
2 anchovy fillets, patted dry and minced
Pepper to taste.

Steam beans until done.
Saute the garlic in butter and oil
over low heat until golden.
Add the beans and heat through.
Add the parsley, anchovies and pepper.
Toss and serve.

Makes six servings.

Peaches Francais

4 c. dry white wine
1 lemon, unpeeled, sliced
1 orange, unpeeled, sliced
1/4 c. honey
1 vanilla bean
6 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
6 sprigs of mint

With a sharp knife, slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise.
Scrape small sticky seeds from the pod.
Combine the wine, lemon, orange, honey and vanilla seeds
in a stainless steel sauce pan.
Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil for 3 minutes.
Remove from stove and cool completely.
Divide peaches between 6 large wine glasses.
Strain wine syrup over the peaches.
Garnish with mint.
Serves 6 for dessert.

Grilled Pear Pecan Pie

1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon rind
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
4 fresh pears, peeled and sliced
1 (15 oz.) package refrigerated pie crusts
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl,
add pears and toss to coat.
Fit one pie crust in a 9 inch deep-dish pie plate
according to directions.
Arrange coated pears in the pie crust.
Combine sugar, pecans and butter,
stirring until blended.
Spoon mixture over pears.
Top with remaining pie crust;
fold edges under and crimp.
Cut several slits in the top pie crust.
Light one side of a grill, place pie on the other side
on a large piece of aluminum foil.
Grill, covered with the grill lid,
over medium heat, for one hour and 15 minutes.

Asian Peach Sauce

2 T. soy sauce
2 tsp. peanut oil
3 T. honey
1 c. pureed peaches
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 T. minced green onions
2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
Yields one cup.

Norky's Sweet Potato Casserole

My Mom's recipe:

3 C. mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 C. Granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. melted butter

Topping:

1 C. packed brown sugar
1/3 C. all purpose flour
1/3 C. soft butter
1 C. chopped pecans

Mix together ingredients and put in a 1 1/2 qt or 8 inch casserole dish.
Cover with topping that has been crumbled with a fork.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Double recipe for a large crowd.

Sunday Gravy

Makes 3 cups

Sauce:

2 Tb. olive oil
1 lb. meaty pork neck bone or spare ribs
1 lb. veal stew meat or 2 veal shoulder chops
1 lb. Italian-style or fennel pork sausages
4 garlic cloves
1/4 c. tomato paste
Three 28-35 oz. cans Italian peeled tomatoes
2 c. water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground beef or combo of pork and beef
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/2 c. freshly grated Percorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 Tb. finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 Tb. oilve oil

To Serve:

1 lb. shells or rigatoni, cooked and still hot
Freshly grated Percorino Romano or parmigiano-Reggiano



To make the sauce heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
Pat the pork dry and place in the pot.
Cook, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes,
or until nicely browned on all sides.
Brown the veal the same way and add it to the plate.

Place the sausages in the pot and brown on all sides.
Set aside the sausages with the pork and veal.
Drain off most of the fat from the pot.
Add the garlic and cook for about two minutes or until browned.
Remove and discard the garlic.
Add the tomato paste and cook for one minute.
With a food mill, puree the tomatoes,with the juice, into the pot.
For a chunkier sauce, just chop up the tomatoes and add them.
Add the water, salt and pepper to taste.
Add the pork, veal, sausages and basil and bring to a simmer.
Partially cover the pot and cook over low heat,
stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.
If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water.

Meanwhile make the meatballs:

Combine all ingredients except the oil in a large bowl.
Mix together thoroughly.
Rinse your hands with cool water
and lightly shape the mixture in to 2" meatballs.
If you are making meatballs for bake s ziti or lasagna,
make them smaller, about the size of a grape.

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet.
Add the meatballs and brown them well on all sides.
Transfer the meatballs to a plate.

After two hours, add the meatballs
and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce
is thick and the meats very tender.

To serve, remove the meats from the sauce and set aside.
Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese.

From The Sopranos Family Cookbook

Baked Potato Chips

Cooking Spray
4 TB parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb. baking potatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
In a small bowl mix cheese, salt and garlic powder.
Slice potatoes thinly and place in a single layer
on the cookie sheet
Sprinkle both sides with cheese mix.
Bake 10-13 minutes.
Serves 4.

Nutty Stuffed Mushrooms

50 small mushrooms suitable for stuffing
1/2 c. Camembert or Brie, diced, including rind
1 Tb. butter
1 c. walnut pieces, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. bread crumbs
12 Tbs. freah parsley, chopped
2 - 4 Tbs. low fat milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Trim the stems off the mushrooms
level with the gill.
Chop stems and place in a bowl.
Add cheese, butter, walnuts, garlic, bread crumbs
parsley and enough milk to moisten.
Mix well. Place mushrooms stem side up
in a large shallow oven proof dish.
Put a spponfull of the mixture on top
of each mushroom.
Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or just until tender.

Stuffed Roasted Strawberries

12 large strawberries
1 - 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
Spray whipping cream
Cocoa powder

Preheta oven to 400 degrees.
Slice off the top of the berries below the stem.
Cut the tips off so they will stand up
Scoop out the center and stuff with chocolate.
Place in a baking dish an sprinkle with sugar.
Roast until the berries are tender and the chocolate melts.
Serve with whipped cream and sprinkle with cocoa.

From Rachel Ray 30 Minute Get Real Meals Cookbook

Walnut Butter Sauce

1 lb. butter
3 Tbs. heavy cream
3 egg yolks
1 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 c. lightly toasted ground walnuts
2 tsps. each salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

In a food processor or blender,
or by hand, cream the butter.
Add the cream and egg yolks
and blend until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Refrigerate, well covered,
if not using immediately.

From the Frog and Commissary Cookbook.

Basil, Lime and Peanut Dressing

I love Thai peanut dressing!
I put it on salads, chicken and fish.
This recipe is fabulous!


6 Tbs. each lime juice and nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1/2 c. corn oil or subsitute
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tsps. sugar
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsps. minced garlic
2 tsps. ground coriander
1/3 c. minced parsley
1/2 c. finely chopped peanuts

Whisk together all of the ingrdients except for the peanuts,
and chill. Just before serving,
either mix the peanuts in or sprinkle on top.