Tomato Consommè

2 cups tomato juice
2 cups chicken broth
¼ cup chopped celery leaves
3 sprigs fresh parsley
2 onion slices
5 peppercorns
3 whole cloves
½ bay leaf, crumbled
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
¼ tsp salt
Lemon Slices

Combine all ingredients except lemon slices, in sauce pan. Bring to boil and cover; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool consommè to room temperature and refrigerate overnight. Strain then reheat. Garnish with lemon slices. Serves 4.

[back to menu]

Loose Leaf Salad w/ Apple-Cider Dressing

½ cup apple juice
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp finely minced fresh chives
2 tbsp finely minced fresh mint
½ tsp ground cinnamon
12 ounces (or 8 cups) loose leaf lettuce

Combine all ingredients except lettuce, in a bottle. Shake well to blend. Spray or splash on 3 ounces (or 2 cups) lettuce. Serves 4.

[back to menu]

Vegetable Frittata

½ tsp olive oil
6 large eggs
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper
4 cups lightly steamed mixed vegetables of your choice
1 tsp finely minced fresh garlic
1 tbsp finely minced sun dried tomatoes
2 tbsp minced chives

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease an 11-inch glass pie pan with oil. Whisk by hand in large bowl, eggs, salt, and pepper for about 1 minute. Add vegetables, garlic, and tomatoes until well combined. Pour into pie pan. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven; loosen edges with spatula. Sprinkle chives on top, cut into wedges, and serve. Serves 4.

[back to menu]

Poached Egg Tart w/ Mornay Sauce

1 cup minced cauliflower
8 eggs
8-3 inch baked tart shells
1 cup grated medium cheddar cheese
1½ cups hot Mornay Sauce

Steam cauliflower until tender. Stir cauliflower into mornay sauce. Poach eggs. Place an egg in each tart shell and smother with sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Place on baking sheet. Broil in a preheated oven until cheese melts. Garnish with sprigs of parsley. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Mornay Sauce
3 tsp butter
3 tsp all purpose flour
1¼ cups half & half cream
½ grated Parmesan cheese

Heat butter in a sauce pan. Add flour and cook 2 minutes over low heat. Stir in chicken broth and cream. Reduce heat, simmer until thickened. Stir in cheese and simmer for 2 more minutes. Yields 3 cups.

[back to menu]

Carrot Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups light brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cloves
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup applesauce
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2-2 ½ oz jars strained carrot baby food
½ cup fresh carrot (or orange) juice
4 oz unsweetened crushed pineapple in its own juice
¾ cup loosely packed unsweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray muffin tins with oil. Mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a large bowl. Add oil, applesauce, egg, vanilla, carrots, juice, and pineapple and its juices. Mix well then stir in coconut. Fill muffin tins two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Yields 18 muffins.

[back to menu]

Cheesy Biscuits

2 cups self rising flour
pinch of salt
¼ cup solid shortening
¾ cup milk
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425°. Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture. Add milk and cheese and mix until just blended. Set in refrigerator for 10 minutes, letting dough rest. Lightly dust board and hand press dough to ½ inch. Cut out dough and place on baking sheet with sides touching. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 12 biscuits.

[back to menu]

Strawberry-Banana Kebabs

24 ripe strawberries, hulled
4 bananas, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
3 tbsp sugar
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 400°. Place fruit in bowl and add 1 tbsp sugar, condensed milk and lemon rind. Toss then marinate 1 hour in refrigerator. Alternate fruit on wooden skewers and place on oven proof platter. Beat egg whites until stiff. Slowly adding remaining sugar and continue to beat for 1 ½ minutes. Carefully arrange dollops of egg whites on top of skewered fruit. Change oven setting to broil and brown 2 to 3 minutes at least 6 inches from top element. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

[back to menu]

Fruit Parfait

2 cups sponge cake
2 cups cherry pie filling
2 cups vanilla pie filling
2 cups crushed pineapple
1 cup whipped cream
½ cup chopped nuts

In successive layers, divide sponge cake, pie filling, vanilla pudding, pineapple and whipped cream among 4 dessert cups. Top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with nuts. Serves 4.

[back to menu]