valeriel's Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Salad

val doesn't love me enough to email me recipes anymore, but it sounds delicious, so I worked through my pain and posted it.

Here are her notes about the recipe: If you use cherry tomatoes, cut them in half. The key with a salad like this is to make all the pieces bite-sized or smaller.

Using asparagus with more slender stalks is recommended. Thicker stalks are tougher and can give your salad a “woody” taste.

This salad is very fresh-tasting, so using fresh ingredients is best, but using regular salt, pepper and lemon juice won’t hurt the end results.

Doubling the recipe is recommended for potlucks or any large group. You won’t have any leftover, I promise!

Once you have your serving of salad, sprinkle the top with a pinch of kosher salt. It really brings out the flavors!

• 1 lb. asparagus
• 1 pint cherry (or grape) tomatoes
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• 3 T capers, drained
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 ½ T red wine vinegar
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• Freshly ground black pepper

Trim the tips from the asparagus, about 1 ½ inches in lengths. Cut the woody stem ends from each spear and discard. Cut the remaining stalks into 1 ½ inch pieces.

In a medium pot, bring three cups of water to boil. Add the asparagus and blanch until tender, 1-1 ½ minutes. Remove with a strainer, and refresh in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Drain and put into a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes, onion, capers and garlic. Toss with olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

adharas' Asparagus Soup

adharas reported in the Hizzy that she made this soup & pronounced it delicious. Enjoy!

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 cup sliced shallots (about 6 large)
• 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth

• 1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and coriander; stir 1 minute. Add vegetable broth and simmer until asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Strain into same pan, pressing on solids to release liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Stir crème fraîche, lemon juice, and lemon peel in small bowl. Divide soup among bowls. Top with dollop of lemon crème fraîche and serve.

valosin's Sesame Pork Loin

valosin emailed this to me last week! I somehow lost it in my inbox. Thank god she said something about it in the Hizzy! You know I'm stressed when I'm missing recipes... Anyway, valosin writes: I mentioned this recipe to sylph and I told her I'd send it to you to put up on the blog. It's from the Joy of Cooking.

Mix:

• 1/4c Soy sauce
• 1/4c Hoisin sauce
• 1/4c honey
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp peeled, grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp minced garlic

Trim 2 pork tenderloins (~12 oz each). Place the tenderloins in a heavy plastic bag. Add marinade and turn to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 2 to 24 hrs.

Spread 1/2 c sesame seeds on a plate.

Remove meat from the marinade and drain the excess. Roll in the seeds to coat. Place in a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 500 F until an instant read thermometer reads 150 to 155 F (20 to 25 min). Let the pork stand, loosely covered with foil for 5 to 10 min (the temp will rise 5 degrees or so), then slice. Serve with rice and stir-fried vegetables.

SaraWolfe's Bourbon-Glazed Peach Chutney Ham

Sara told us in the Hizzy how wonderful this recipe is, then kindly shared it! Thanks, Sara!

• 6-7 lb bone-in shank portion smoked ham
• 12 oz peach preserves
• 1/3 cup bourbon whiskey
• 2 tbs dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups sliced peaches (1/2" pieces)
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325. Trim skin, and most of the fat from the ham. Place ham on foil-lined roasting pan, on a rack, cut side down. Score fat 1/4" down, in a diamond pattern. Roast about 1 hour, 45 minutes, or until 140 degrees.

In small saucepan, over medium heat, stir preserves, whiskey, and mustard for about ten minutes, until thickened. Cool slightly, then brush over ham several times during the last half hour of cooking.

In another pan, boil the vinegar and sugar, and stir in the remaining ingredients. Simmer until thickened. This is the glaze for the peach slices.

lostdwarf's Quinoa Salad

I was such a brat about this recipe, I can't believe lostdwarf still shared it. Thanks for being so wonderful, lostdwarf!

• 1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed well
• 3 cups vegetable broth or water (chicken broth works too)
• ½ cup Basic Salad Dressing (I just use as much as I’d like)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
• ¼ cup red onion, diced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced or 1 shallot, chopped (I just use green onion, include the white)
• ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped (dried works too)
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped

Add quinoa to broth or water in a medium sauce pan, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer; then cover and cook 15 minutes without stirring or until liquid is absorbed. Remove ingredients from saucepan and place in a bowl. Cool slightly and toss with salad dressing and remaining ingredients. Add more dressing if desired and adjust seasoning to taste. Add any leftover veggies for variety. (12 servings)

Basic Salad Dressing
(2 – 3 Servings)

• ¼ cup flaxseed oil (or 2 tbsp. each flaxseed and olive oils) – I only use olive oil
• 1 – 2 tbsp vinegar (apple cider, tarragon, rice, red wine, balsamic, ume plum) – I like apple cider best and I use 2 tbsp
• ½ - 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp Dijon-type mustard (optional but delicious), whisked in to liquid for easy mixing
• Whole or minced garlic, oregano, basil or other herbs of choice

Mix well in a shaker jar and store any leftovers in your refrigerator.

My additions: I will typically throw the salad dressing in a blender to liquefy the garlic. I find that it’s nicer to not chomp on a huge piece of garlic. I will also throw the red onion from the quinoa recipe in the blender with the salad dressing (doubled because I like red onion) for the same reason. It also gives it a lovely reddish-purple colour. Most of this is to taste. I prefer it cold so I’ll make it the day before and let the dressing just seep into the quinoa.

Snuggle Muffin’s Easy Peasy Chocolate Chip Easter Bunny Cookies

So SnuggleMuffin made the coolest, absolutely adorable House & Wilson bunny cookies, then generously offered the recipe. I, of course, accepted the offer immediately! She writes, "This is a real cookie recipe that I adapted and turned into bunnies, if eating bunnies isn’t your thing then just make them as cookies. This makes about 10 Bunny Cookies. I’ve included a diagram in case my instructions are a bit hard to follow, the bunny making method I made up myself and I wasn’t sure how to word it." SnuggleMuffin rocks!

• 4 oz (100g) margarine
• 2 oz (50g) light soft brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tea spoon vanilla essence
• 8 oz (225g) plain flower
• ½ level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 to 3 oz chocolate chips (optional: You can make plain bunnies with
• chocolate chip decoration, chocolate chip bunnies with no decoration, or
• chocolate chips bunnies with chocolate chip decoration)
• I also added some (about half a table spoon) ground almonds, but you don’t have to you don’t want to.

Heat the oven to 375oF, 190oC, gas mark 5. Grease on e or two baking sheets/trays. Put the margarine in a bowl with the sugar and beat until soft and creamy.

Mix in all the remaining ingredients until the mixture forms a stiff dough.

Divide the dough in to balls leaving some for the heads and ears, they should be about 2 to 2 ½ inches across when flattened and ½ an inch thick. Make the heads in the same way and they should be about an inch and ½ across when flattened. Then sort of squish them onto the bodies. (See diagram.)

Use the spare dough to make the ears: roll pieces of dough into sausage shapes about an inch long and stick on the heads. Use chocolate chips, raisons or bits of died fruit to make eyes on the bunny biscuits. (You could even make little chocolate chip bow ties and add a little cookie cane to one of them.)

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

MisaGoddess' Coconut Chicken Curry

Thank you, Misa!

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons of chicken soup base (Penzey’s)
• 2-3 tablespoons of red curry paste (I used Roland’s)
• 1/3 to ½ cup of lite coconut milk (also Roland’s - nice coincidence)

I washed the breasts, rubbed them with black pepper and placed them in a glass pan. I poured the coconut curry mixture over them and baked the dish, uncovered, at around 375 degrees for about an hour (or until just done). I served them over brown rice but I also tried them with orzo pasta. Yummy with both.

Eilan's Pork Tenderloin Yumminess

sylph was cooking a (doomed) pork tenderloin today (doomed because she forgot about Alan Rickman!), so Eilan kindly submitted this recipe. Apparently, this recipe is by Nancye DeLoach. Who is she? I have no idea. Why does she have a weird, extraneous "e" at the end of her first name? I do not know.

2 pork tenderloins, 1 pound each

Marinade:

• ¼ cup bourbon (Jim Beam)
• ¼ cup (or less) vegetable oil
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Mix marinade ingredients, stirring well. Pour over the thawed tenderloins. Cover and refrigerate overnight to two days. (If you freeze it for a couple days, it’s even better, just thaw before cooking.) Cook 4 – 8 inches high over hot coals and grill for 15-20 minutes, basting occasionally. Or put into a casserole dish and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, basting twice. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more.

Eilan's concocted (appropriated/bastardized/whatever) recipe

Eilan wrote in the Hizzy: So I had some veggies in the house and needed to cook them. It's something that probably a lot of people have on hand (or should), so here's an easy dinner when you don't have a lot of time.

Cut some potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips (I didn't have these tonight), and whatever else into bite-sized(ish) pieces. Parboil them briefly in some salted water. Meanwhile, dice up a couple shallots and sautee them in some oil/butter/whatever (I used Ghee, since I had some). Put in the vegetables, and some chopped (canned or frozen) artichoke hearts. Sautee those for a couple minutes until soft(ish). I also put in some fresh rosemary, because what isn't improved by fresh rosemary? (I probably would have put in some other fresh herbs, but all I have is rosemary.) Then sprinkle with some (toasted) bread crumbs and enjoy!

Eyeroller's Fusion Carrot Slaw

This is another "what's in the fridge?" dish from Eyeroller's Kitchen.

The original version used rainbow carrots, but if you can't get those, regular carrots will do just fine--but not those baby carrots, and don't use the pre-shredded carrots. I know that anybody reading this is smart enough to use a grater.

Wash four carrots, but do not peel. Grate. Set aside.

Chop four spring onions, white and green parts; add to carrots and mix.

Toast 1/4 c. chopped walnuts. (Stovetop toasting method: heat a dry frying pan until a drop of water sizzles; add nuts and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, until you can just smell the nuts. Remove from heat.)

Dressing

• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp grapeseed oil
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp grade B maple syrup
• Juice of half a lemon
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Combine ingredients in a bowl, mix with a fork until a smooth emulsion forms. Correct seasoning to taste.

Toss dressing with veggies. Add toasted nuts and serve.

Eilan's Balls of Eeeeevilll (a.k.a. CPBoEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE)

In response to crazed popular demand, Eilan kindly emailed me this recipe. It does seem, though, that you should attempt this recipe with caution. Don't come whining to us if you become horribly addicted to this treat and can't stop eating it.

• 10 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 2 1/2 cups peanut butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 1/2 cups rice krispies
• about 2 12-ounce packages chocolate chips (any combination of milk and semi-sweet)

1. Mix together melted butter and peanut butter in a large bowl.
2. Work in powdered sugar (use a wooden spoon first, then your hands)
3. Add the Rice Krispies and mix well. The dough will be stiff.
4. Form into small balls and refrigerate for a few hours.
5. Melt the chocolate chips over low heat or in the microwave, stirring frequently.
6. Dip the chilled peanut butter balls into the chocolate. Reheat the chocolate when it thickens.
7. Place the dipped peanut butter balls on waxed paper to harden. Keep cool. These freeze very well.

ersatz reality's (Normal?) Pound Stew

In other news, since my wife is out of town, decided to make simple stew for dinner. Being extraordinarily lazy today...and since Wegman's even has choppped onions, my normal pound stew was even easier than normal.

Two pounds beef, cubed, two large onions, diced, one can plum tomatoes, one large can tomato sauce, one pound radishes, one pound redskin potatoes, one pound baby carrots, one pound corn (frozen), one pound green beans (also frozen), one carton beef stock, spices to taste. In a big Dutch oven, brown the beef, toss in onions. After onions are glistening, put in stock, reduce heat to medium. After a couple of minutes, add plum tomatos and tomato sauce. Make sure to smash the tomatoes. Add spices (I used garlic, pepper, cayenne, salt, and shallots). When liquid is hot again. add radishes, potatoes, and carrots. Simmer as long as you like. After the starchy things are cooked, add corn and green beans.

Serve when hot. A baguette on the side if you like.

ChickenGrrl's Tortilla Soup

We have a fan. I'm so tickled! ::waves merrily at ChickenGrrl:: You're undoubtedly insane to like us lunatics, but we definitely like you right back.

I was so tickled & charmed by her email, I'm pasting it in here so everyone can be so charmed:

Hola, whomever is doing the recipes at the moment. Somehow I have a feeling our dear sylph has other things on her mind...

Is it weird that I am a Hizzy Fan, but not a Hizzizen? I would love to be one as I'm very jealous of y'all - you may well be the most fun, literate group of people on TWoP - but couldn't possibly keep up with the Hizzy forum. Sigh.

I got this lovely recipe for Shortcut Tortilla Soup from the Dallas Morning News recently, and tried it tonight. I would love to share it with the Hizzy Chefs if you think anyone would like it? It was really easy, as the name suggests, but of course I had to make amendments. For example, if it is to make 5-6 servings as it says, I think you would want more avocado - one was perfect for Mr. Chicken and me, but I think that would be skimpy for 5 or 6, and you can never have too much avocado! I used mild salsa so I could control the amount of fire - I added a bit of Tiger Sauce for that. I also added a dash of worcestershire sauce, some garlic, onion, and chili powder, as well as a smidge of cayenne pepper. Oh, yeah, and I used faux chicken strips instead of actual chicken, being one of those freaky vegetarians. And the recipe calls for Gebhardt's enchilada sauce, which I couldn't find, so I used Old El Paso; I imagine any brand of non-green-chile enchilada sauce would be fine. It was excellent!

Also, if you don't know from Tex-Mex food or tortilla soup, you might not know for the tortilla strips to cut several corn tortillas in half then in strips and crisp them on the stove or in the oven. Some people prefer to put the tortilla strips in the bowl first, then ladle the soup over them; some like to add them on top so they stay crispier. Then garnish with the shredded cheese (I bought a pre-shredded mixture of jack and cheddar) and avocado, plus a dollop of sour cream if you like. Yum!

I'm pasting the recipe (including "preamble") below, with a link to the original article for propriety's sake. But if you don't feel it worthy of posting, I won't be offended. I just so enjoy reading all y'all's (that's the plural for "y'all," you know!) recipes (even if I never make any of them!) that I wanted to contribute something.

From the Dallas Morning News.

• 1 package Knorr tomato with basil soup mix
• 1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ cups prepared salsa or picante sauce
• 1 (10-ounce) can Gebhardt's Enchilada Sauce
• 1 ½ to 2 cups diced, cooked chicken (frozen cooked chicken or breast meat from a rotisserie chicken)
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack or Longhorn cheddar cheese
• 1 ½ cups tortilla strips

In a medium saucepan, combine the soup mix with chicken broth, water, salsa and enchilada sauce. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the diced chicken, and, if using a rotisserie chicken, add the accumulated juices from the chicken.

Place avocado, cheese and tortilla strips in bowls so people can garnish their own soup. Serve the soup in warm, shallow soup bowls. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

PER SERVING: Calories 382 (46% fat) Fat 20 g (5 g sat) Chol 58 mg Sodium 1,440 mg Fiber 5 g Carb 30 g Protein 21 g

MartianIceQueen's Utterly Vague Ham and Lentil Soup with Smoked Paprika Recipe

Okay, this is also in the running for best recipe title ever. Thanks, Martian, for indulging my whiny gluttony. It sounds delicious!

So, I had gotten ham the previous week, and had all this leftover ham. In my family, you get a ham with the bone in, and you simmer it in water for a while to heat it up and get some of the saltiness out (no baking, no cloves, no honey glaze or whatever). Then you have leftovers until you cannot stand ham anymore. Yesterday there was a huge rainstorm, so it seemed like a good soup day. I was working from home, and I decided to try and put something together with what I had on hand, since there was no chance of me leaving the house and driving with the crazy people who seem to hit the freeways in Los Angeles on days like that.

I chopped the large, good hunks of meat off the bone, but wasn't too meticulous about it – there was still meat left on it. I put that in my biggest soup pot and put enough water in to just about cover the bone. I don't really know how much that was, but it was a lot – emptied my Brita pitcher. I added a bag of lentils (the generic kind you get from the grocery store) and two bay leaves, and left it at just under a simmer for about 3 hours.

Then I added one and a half chopped onions (what I had – one red and half a white) and 6 or so large carrots, chopped. Also a bunch of fresh thyme, spices from Penzeys (minced garlic, toasted onion, smoked Spanish paprika, Ancho chili powder, celery seed), salt and pepper. Half an hour later I added more smoked paprika and a few more pinches of celery seed as well as regular Hungarian sweet paprika (also from Penzeys) and some roasted garlic chips from Trader Joe's. I then diced the leftover ham (approximately 1-inch chunks), and then removed the ham bone and added the ham. I fished out the thyme sprigs and the bay leaves, and then added more of both types of paprika. Basically I just kept tasting and adding more spices until I liked it. All spices were added by the "pour some amount into your hand and then toss it in" method of measurement, so I don't actually know how much I used.

This made like a gazillion servings. I hope it freezes well.

lostdwarf's Nacho Nacho Man

Okay, lostdwarf definitely should win some award for best Hizzy recipes titles. And she confesses to being a garlic freak in this recipe, so I declare her my garlicky soul mate.

Bottom Layer (bean layer)

• 1 cup canned low-fat refried beans
• 1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
• 2 tbsp salsa
• 1 tbsp lime juice

Second Layer (guacamole layer)

• 1/2 cup peeled and chopped avocado
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, cooked
• 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
• 2 tbsp chopped red onions
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• (I normally add more garlic and onions than is listed but I'm a garlic freak)

Third Layer (sour cream layer)

• 1 cup low-fat sour cream (a thick brand - if you have a Safeway nearby, I've found their Lucerne or store non-fat version to be a good thickness)
• 1 tsp taco seasoning (El Paso has a low salt version that's very good)

Fourth Layer (salsa layer)
1 cup salsa

Top Layer (cheese decoration)
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients for bottom layer in a medium bowl, spread evenly over the bottom of a 9 in. pie plate.

Comine all guacamole ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse on and off until mixture is well blended but still slightly lumpy, Spread over bean mixture.

Combine sour cream and taco seasoning. Spoon over guacamole and spread evenly.

Pour salsa evenly over sour cream. Spread to sides of pie plate.

Sprinkle cheese over salsa and top with green onions. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. This is probably the favourite snack for any of my parties. If you can make it the night before, it's even better.

lostdwarf's Eenie Meenie Fettucine

Say it aloud a couple times! It's fun.

• 12 ounces uncooked fettuccine (plain or spinach)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced (I usually use 2 - 4, depending)
• 1 1/2 cups 2% milk (I used skim and it still has a fantastic creamy texture)
• 1 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp each salt, black pepper (meh, do it to taste)
• 1 can (6 1/2 ounces) water packed tuna, drained
• 1/2 cup low fat sour cream
• 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

While pasta is cooking, prepare sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Mix the milk and flour together until smooth. Add to garlic. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir until mixture is bubbly and thickened, about 4 - 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in Parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 - 2 more minutes, until cheese is melted. Stir in tuna, sour cream and peas. Cook until heated through about 2 minutes.

Pour sauce over fettuccine and toss to coat. Sprinkle parsley over top. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese and black pepper, if desired. Best if served immediately.

If you want, you can add chicken or salmon to this as well and when they say serve immediately, they do mean it. Don't leave the sauce sitting for long. It becomes VERY thick. My baby sister loves it and she can't stand tuna.

WackieJackie's Drunken Noodles

WackieJackie writes: "There isn't a drop of alcohol in this, the name refers to how much you'll want to drink to combat the heat. I suggest a sweet sparkling wine, or a good cold beer." She also comments, "I think I prefered it with the chicken breast chunks, but just barely. This really is hot, it left my lips burning, but it's very good and easy to make."

• 2 14oz packages 1/4 inch wide flat rice noodles
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 12 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Thai chiles
• 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken (I've also used boneless chicken breast, cut in to small chunks)
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup black soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 4 large plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 4 Anaheim chiles cut into strips
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves (or regular basil leaves)

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy large (seriously, huge pot) pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and Thai chiles; saute for about 30 seconds. Add chicken, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar, and saute until chicken is cooked through. Add noodles, tomatoes, and Anaheim chiles, toss to coat and heat. Transer to a large platter, sprinkle with basil leaves and serve.

Makes 6 servings

MisaGoddess' Fettucine Alfredo (The Light Version!)

I rejected this recipe, so in love am I with the full fat version. Though I also hate it. It's a complicated, unhealthy relationship I have with fettucine alfredo. Misa hit me when I finally did ask for this. But she still sent it. Misa writes: "Okay, you lucked out! WackieJackie requested that I send in the recipe anyway. I have been making this for ten years now and think it is pretty good. But to each his own."

• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups skim milk
• 2 tablespoons light process cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (cooked without salt or fat)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• Freshly ground pepper

Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic, and saut 1 minute. Stir in flour. Gradually add skim milk, stirring with a wire whisk until mixture is blended. Cook, stirring constantly, 8 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly.

Stir in cream cheese; cook 2 minutes. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until Parmesan cheese melts.

Pour sauce over hot cooked fettuccine, and toss well to coat. Top fettuccine with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and pepper.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 345(25% from fat); FAT 9.7g (sat 4.4g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g);
PROTEIN 16.8g; CHOLESTEROL 18mg; CALCIUM 333mg; SODIUM 401mg; FIBER 2.3g;
IRON 2.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.7g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 1996

digmom3's Velveeta Cheese Fudge

This sounds weird, but have faith! Apparently, the original recipe is an Amish one, courtesy of a Mrs. Leroy Auker. digmom3 writes: "This came up at Hizzycon. I have actually made it and Beachbum said she had no idea it was velveeta".

• 1 lb. oleo or butter
• 1 lb. velveeta cheese
• 4 lb. powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• chopped nuts

In a saucepan, melt oleo and cheese. Sift together sugar and cocoa, then add the cheese and oleo mixture and add the vanilla and nuts. Mix well and spread evenly into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Cool and cut into pieces. “Makes about 6 1/2 lbs. of creamy, inexpensive delicious fudge. This is the best fudge ever!”

digmom3's Corning Beef

I bet this is divine! I've never heard of pickled beef before. digmom rocks.

Put trimmed 4-lb. brisket (preferable flat cut) in large non-metallic container big enough to hold brisket completely. Dissolve 1 cup Morton Tender Quick in 4 cups water. Add 2 Tbsp. pickling spices and 5 cloves of garlic, crushed. Pour mixture over brisket. Put small saucer on brisket to keep it submerged. Cover with tight-fitting lid and refrigerate 24 hours. Flip brisket and refrigerate another 24-48 hours.