BOW TIES WITH ASIAN CHICKEN

1 pound bow ties, mostaccioli or other medium pasta shape, uncooked
4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard with seeds
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup chicken broth or pasta cooking liquid *
2 small red bell peppers, cored, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Stir the soy sauce, honey, lime juice and mustard in a small bowl until the honey is dissolved. Add the chicken pieces and turn until coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken and marinade to a large, nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour in the chicken broth. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain thoroughly in a colander. Return the pasta to the pot, add the contents of the skillet, the red peppers and the scallions. Heat to simmering over low heat. Toss the pasta once or twice, add the pepper to taste and divide among serving bowls. Sprinkle each serving with chopped fresh parsley.

* If you do not have chicken broth, ladle off and reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid just before draining the pasta. Serves 6.

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS AND PORCINI MUSHROOMS

Serve with Italian bread, green salad a good bottle of wine.

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
36 fresh clams, cleaned
2 cups dry white wine
4 tomatoes, cubed
3 8 ounce jars clam juice
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh parsley
1 16 ounce package linguine pasta

Soak mushrooms 20 to 30 minutes in cold water to rehydrate. Dry, and coarsely chop. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in mushrooms, garlic, and red pepper. Cook until browned. Stir in clams and white wine. As clams open, remove to a medium bowl, discarding those that remain closed. Mix tomatoes, clam juice, and parsley into the mushroom mixture. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Return clams to the broth mixture and cook until heated through. Thoroughly mix in cooked linguine just before serving. Serves 6.

CUBE STEAK PARMIGIANA

3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup saltine crackers, finely crushed
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano, divided
3 slices mozzarella cheese, halved
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 4 ounce cube steaks

In three shallow bowls, combine flour, salt and pepper; beat egg and water; and combine parmesan, saltines and basil. Dip steaks in flour mixture and egg mixture, then roll in cheese mixture. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Brown three steaks on both sides. Remove to a greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Repeat with the remaining steaks, adding additional oil as needed. Bake, uncovered , at 375F for 25 minutes. Drain any pan juices. Combine the tomato sauce, sugar, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the oregano. Pour over steaks. Bake 20 minutes longer. Place mozzarella cheese on steaks. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining oregano. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

MEAT LOAF WELLINGTON

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 pound ground veal
1 package dry onion soup mix
1/2 pound ground pork
4 bacon strips
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 packages crescent roll dough
2 eggs
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups cracker crumbs with 1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup ketchup
flour

Heat oven to 350F. Mix meats together by hand in a large bowl. Add Worcestershire sauce, eggs, cracker crumbs, ketchup, water and soup mix. Mix by hand and shape into a loaf in a shallow baking dish. For cleanup ease, use non stick cooking spray. Drape the loaf with bacon strips. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until done. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Separate 2 packages of crescent roll dough into 6 rectangles. Reserve the remaining 2 for decorating. Overlap the triangles on a large floured surface to make a large rectangle. Gently press together the seams and perforations. Place over meat loaf and mold to fit. Trim off excess dough. Use remaining rectangles to make a design for the top; cookie cutters may be used. Brush dough with egg white and return loaf to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

CAJUN POT ROAST

3 pound beef bottom round roast
1 tablespoon salad oil
2 large stalks celery
2 medium onions
1 medium green pepper
16 ounce can tomatoes
2 10 ounce packages frozen whole baby okra
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, minced

Seasoning Mix:
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Prepare seasoning mix; rub 2 1/2 teaspoons of seasoning mix over meat. Brown in hot oil in Dutch oven. Remove to plate. Cut onions into wedges. Slice celery diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces and cut green peppers into 1 inch pieces. Cook, covered in drippings till tender. Stir in tomatoes, with their liquid, bay leaf, garlic and remaining seasoning mix. Return roast to pan and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until roast is fork tender, stirring occasionally. About 10 minutes before roast is done, add frozen okra to mixture in Dutch oven; heat through. To serve, arrange meat and vegetables on warm, deep platter; discard bay leaf. Skim fat from liquid. Serve liquid with meat and vegetables. Makes 12 servings.

SHRIMP AND MUSHROOMS IN SPICY BLACK BEAN OYSTER SAUCE

12 medium size dried Chinese black mushrooms or dried shiitake mushrooms
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 tablespoon dry Sherry or dry white wine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons salted black beans
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil
freshly cooked rice

Soak mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups hot water in medium bowl until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms, reserving 1 cup soaking liquid. Squeeze out excess moisture. Cut off stems and discard. Cut caps in half. Toss mushrooms, shrimp, Sherry and 1 tablespoons cornstarch together in medium bowl to coat evenly. Let stand 15 minutes. Whisk 1 cup reserved mushroom soaking liquid, oyster sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and sugar in small bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Cover black beans with hot water and soak 1 minute. Drain beans and chop finely. Combine beans in small bowl with garlic, ginger, chili and half of green onions. Heat 1/4 cup oil in wok or heavy large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp mixture and stir fry until shrimp curl and turn pink, about 2 minutes. Pour content of wok into sieve to drain shrimp. Line platter with cooked rice. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil in same wok over high heat. stir fry black bean mixture until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return shrimp mixture to wok. Stir mushroom liquid mixture and add to wok. Cook until sauce thickens and begins to boil, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Spoon contents of wok over rice on platter. Garnish with remaining green onions and serve. Serves 4.

FAJITA BURGERS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
guacamole

Prepare a hot fire in a grill. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion and red pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until vegetables are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. In medium bowl, combine cooked vegetables, ground beef, lime juice, chili powder and salt. Using wet hands, form into 4 ovals about 2 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches long. Place patties in center of oiled grill set 4 to 6 inches from coals. Cook, turning once, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer burgers to outside edge of grill and continue grilling, turning once, until burgers are cooked through and meat springs back when pressed lightly with a finger, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place on sides of grill to heat through. Place warm tortillas and bowls of salsa and guacamole on table. Let each guest place a burger on a tortilla, top with salsa and guacamole, roll up and enjoy.

JALAPENO POTATO SOUP

1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup margarine
5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup jalapeno chiles, coarsely chopped
1 pinch baking soda
4 cups evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream
green onions, chopped

In a large stockpot, saute onion in butter or margarine until just tender. Add potatoes, chicken broth and cumin, then cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 or 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add jalapenos with liquid, baking soda and evaporated milk. Coarsely mash potatoes in the pot with a potato masher. Stir well, then season with salt and pepper, Return to heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Garnish individual servings with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped green onions. Serves 16 to 18.

THAI STIR FRIED RICE AND PINEAPPLE

1 pineapple
2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped shallots
1 to 2 tablespoons grated ginger
4 to 5 jalapeno peppers
2 spring onions, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped coriander or cilantro
2 tablespoons dried shrimp
2 to 3 tablespoons garlic, coarsely chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups of cold, steamed Thai jasmine rice and coriander leaves as garnish

Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and scoop out the fruit, then chop it into bite sized chunks. Put the fruit in a bowl and add the shallots, jalapeno, ginger, scallion and coriander, mix and set aside. Add a pinch of salt to bring out the juice. In a wok, heat about a tablespoon of oil and stir fry the shrimp until crispy and the oil is aromatic. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and drain, then set aside. Add a further tablespoon of oil and stir fry the garlic until golden brown. Add the rice and stir thoroughly. Add the fish sauce and sugar and continue stirring. When the rice is heated through, add the pineapple mixture and cooked shrimp and stir until thoroughly heated through. Pour the mixture into the pineapple shells, garnish and serve. If you prefer fried rice to be darkish brown in color, then replace half the fish sauce with dark sweet soy sauce.

Variation: do not cook the fruit mixture. Instead put the fruit mixture and the stir fried rice in the fridge separately and chill all the ingredients. Just before serving mix them and put them in the pineapple skins. If you are serving cold then you can also add a few maraschino cherries as garnish. This cold variant makes an excellent counterpoint to hot curries and spicy chilli dishes on a hot day.

JALAPENO TERIYAKI GRILLED FLANK STEAK

1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 cloves garlic; minced
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper
2 1 pound flank steaks
nonstick cooking spray

Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a large ziploc plastic bag; seal bag and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight. Remove steak from bag, reserving marinade. Prepare grill or broiler. Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray and cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness, basting frequently with reserved marinade. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. 8 servings.

AVOCADO FILLED WITH MANGO CRAB

100gm can crab meat
1 small mango, peeled and sliced
100ml sour cream
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons brandy
good pinch paprika
salt and pepper to taste
8 lettuce leave
2 avocados halved and seeded
dill sprigs and cherry tomatoes to garnish

Mash crab meat and mango together. Add the sour cream, shallot, lemon juice, brandy, paprika, salt and pepper and blend well together. Make a bed of lettuce leaves on a flat serving dish. Place an avocado half on the leaves and fill with the crab mixture. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with dill sprigs and cherry tomatoes.

BLUEBERRIES AND CREAM CHEESECAKE

Crust:
12 ounces vanilla wafer cookies, crushed
3/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
5 8 ounce packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup whipping cream

Topping:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
16 ounces blueberries

For crust, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into bottom and halfway up sides of a greased 9 inch springform pan. Cover and refrigerate. For filling, beat cream cheese 25 minutes in a large bowl, adding 1 package at a time. Add sugar and beat 5 minutes longer. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating 2 minutes after each addition. Beat in flour and vanilla. Beat in cream. Preheat oven to 500F. Pour filling into crust. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 200F. Bake 1 hour. Turn oven off and leave cake in oven 1 hour without opening door. Cool completely on a wire rack. Remove sides of pan. For topping, combine cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water in small bowl; stir until smooth. Combine sugar and remaining 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Stirring constantly, add cornstarch mixture and cook until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in blueberries. Spoon topping over cheesecake. Loosely cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

SPINACH STUFFED MANICOTTI WITH RED PEPPER SAUCE

Filling:
1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Pasta:
8 manicotti shells, uncooked

Sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 egg
1 7 ounce jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained, rinsed and blotted dry or roast your own
salt and pepper
1/2 cup additional shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spinach according to package directions; drain and cool. Blot with a paper towels to remove moisture. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute onion until tender about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute. Stir in cooked, drained spinach and stir over medium heat to remove moisture further. In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, beaten egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper till blended. Stir in the spinach, onion and garlic mixture; set aside. Cook manicotti shells in boiling salted water till just barely cooked about 4 to 7 minutes. Carefully remove them and place in a bowl of cold water until ready to stuff. Blot manicotti shells before stuffing. Evenly divide stuffing mixture and carefully fill shells. Arrange them in 2 rows in a lightly buttered or nonstick sprayed 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and gradually stir in flour. Cook and stir constantly about 3 minutes. Gradually add the milk, stirring over medium heat until the mixture comes to a slight boil, stir and lightly simmer as it thickens about 10 minutes as you would do if making any white sauce. Beat egg in a small bowl and gradually whisk in some of the hot sauce to warm temper the egg. Mix egg into the sauce and stir until blended. Meanwhile, puree roasted peppers in a food processor or blender. Gradually add the hot white sauce to the peppers. adjust with salt and pepper to taste, add the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and finish blending until smooth. Preheat oven to 375F. Pour red pepper sauce over all. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until sauce is bubbly about 15 minutes. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

ORANGE BOURBON TURKEY

12 pound fresh or frozen whole turkey, thawed
2 cups fresh orange juice
1 cup water
3/4 cup bourbon, divided
1/3 cup molasses
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 oranges, peeled
nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
orange slices, optional
flat leaf parsley sprigs, optional

Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey; discard. Rinse turkey thoroughly with cold water; pat dry. Combine orange juice, water, 1/2 cup of the bourbon and the molasses in a 2 gallon, heavy duty, resealable plastic bag. Add the turkey, seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Remove the turkey from the bag; reserve the marinade. Preheat the oven to 350F. Tie the ends of the turkey legs with kitchen string. Tuck the wing tips under the bird. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt into the body cavity. Stuff cavity with the oranges. Place the turkey on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray or on a rack set in a shallow roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer into the meaty part of the thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake for 3 hours or until thermometer registers 180F. Cover turkey loosely with foil if it gets too brown. Remove turkey from oven, cover loosely with foil and let stand at least 20 minutes before carving. Discard the oranges. Remove turkey skin before serving. To make the sauce: Pour the reserved marinade into a saucepan; bring to a boil. Skim the foam from the mixture with a slotted spoon; discard. Reduce the heat to medium; cook until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup of the bourbon and the flour in a small bowl, whisking well. Add to the reduced marinade; bring the mixture to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Serve the sauce with the turkey. Garnish with orange slices and parsley sprigs, if desired. Makes 12 servings.

HONEY ROASTED PORK ON BED OF SWEET POTATOES

Pork tenderloin, in addition to being the leanest cut of pork and one that can be cooked with no added fat, is also convenient for time-pressured cooks. Here it roasts in just thirty minutes, on a bed of vegetables that are also used to make a delicious sauce to serve with the pork.


1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch squares
3 cloves garlic, slivered
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup chicken broth, canned
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 pound well trimmed pork tenderloin

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, red and green bell peppers, the garlic, salt and black pepper, and toss until well combined. Spoon the vegetables into a 7 by 11 inch baking pan and toss with 1/3 cup of the chicken broth. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the honey, mustard and lemon juice. Place the pork on top of the sweet potato mixture and brush with half of the honey mixture. Pour the remaining honey mixture over the vegetables. Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Remove the pork to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, spoon 1 cup of the vegetable mixture into a food processor and purée with the remaining 1/3 cup chicken broth. Slice the pork and serve topped with the vegetable purée, with the roasted vegetables on the side. 4 servings.

GAME HENS WITH PESTO RUB AND ROASTED POTATOES

4 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped

4 Cornish hens
cooking spray
2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
fresh basil sprigs, optional

Use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to split the hens. Preheat oven to 375F. Combine first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Remove and discard giblets and necks from hens. Rinse hens with cold water; pat dry. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub pesto under loosened skin. Gently press skin to secure. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under hens. Place hens on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of a thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Combine potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, tossing well to coat. Arrange potatoes around hens; bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until thermometer registers 180 degrees and potatoes are tender. Remove hens and potatoes from pan and cover loosely with foil. Let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin. Cut hens in half and cover loosely with foil. Place a zip top plastic bag inside a 2 cup glass measure. Pour pan drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes; the fat will rise to the top. Seal bag and carefully snip off 1 bottom corner. Drain drippings into pan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Place the pan over medium high heat. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch, stirring well with a whisk. Add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 3 minutes. Serve sauce with hens and potatoes. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired. 8 servings.

PINEAPPLE CHICKEN AND RICE WITH PEAS

Pineapple Chicken

1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups cubed, cooked chicken
2 5 1/2 ounce cans pineapple chunks, drained
1 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

In a large saucepan, combine the first six ingredients until smooth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken, pineapple, water chestnuts and ginger; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice with peas. 4 servings.

Rice with Peas

2 cups rice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup peas
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Wash rice and leave to soak for half an hour. Allow to drain. Heat oil in a pot and saute onion till it becomes translucent. Add bay leaves, salt, pepper and rice. Cook until the rice grains become opaque, stirring occasionally. Add peas and stir together until the peas are well coated in oil. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over a low heat until the rice is tender about 15 to 20 minutes. 4 servings.