Tiramisu bread (2011)

What went on (October 2011)

Tiramisu Bread

If that title doesn't intrigue you, nothing will.  Today I received my first issue of  Cuisine at Home.  True to advertised, not one ad appeared in the pages of this slick fifty-one page offering. I love it even more since one recipe caught my attention right away~ tiramisu bread.  I like making tiramisu since I first tasted it in Paris and thought then that was the best thing I had eaten during my many trips to France. My home rendition was spiked with more liquor than usual because I believe in being generous.  I am trying this bread recipe this week and will let you know how it is --or if you make it, let me know what you think.  Beth's birthday is Sunday, maybe I'll have it then.

Joe and Glenda Lechler spent the week end here with us.  I am always sad to see them go.  We made many plans for travel, however, the new one being two week on Sanibel Island in February.  In three and a half weeks there will be Thanksgiving in Hilton Head.  Matt is staying here with the dogs because he has intensive school obligations, but the rest of the Lechlers, all 26, are heading out of here and meeting us there. Then there is Christmas in New Orleans...life is good.

Glenda and I watched the entire OSU football game Saturday, a rarity for me, but she is a football fan for sure.  Andy and Joe and Matt carried on about the game for days.  It was such an up set and so much fun to watch.  The quarterback was stunned speechless with all of the attention since he is a mere freshman an unused to the limelight.  On Saturday Beth, Glenda and I went to Plain City, an Amish community, to shop for cheese and bulk food and then we had dinner at Der Dutchmen. My meal was not good, but that was unusual for that wonderful place which is always crowded and now I know especially on Saturday.

The blog pages have new additions and I find them less than usable.  I can no longer add or edit on the spur of the moment after the post has been published, so I will give you the tiramisu bread recipe before I try it.

Whisk:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. table salt
Beat:
1 pkg. mascarpone, room temperature (8oz)
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Combine:
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. espresso powder
1 tbsp. water
Alternately add:
1/2 cup buttermilk
Pour:1/4 cup sweet Marsala

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a loaf pan
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside
Beat mascarpone and sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
Combine cocoa and espresso powder in a bowl; stir in water to dissolve.
Alternately add flour mix and buttermilk to creamed mix starting and ending with flour until combined. Divide batter in half, transferring half to a separate bowl. Stir in cocoa mixture into half of batter until combined. Alternately spoon batters into prepared pan, light mixture, dark mixture and then swirl together with a skewer or knife to marble it.

Bake until toothpick comes clean about 50-55 minutes. Use a fork and poke small holes all over and pour Marsala over top of bread.  Let bread cool 15 minutes and turn out onto rack to cool.

Pasta 2011

Putting the Garden to Bed (2011)

Matt is taking advantage of a coolish day to strip the garden and clean it out for the winter. He and Andy are redefining the garden fence to make it more sturdy, and, I have pictures to show that lettuce is not ready to give up on the season. It is glorious as are the winter vegetables. I am now frying the last of the red skin potatoes with peppers and onions because I think freshly dug potatoes are the best. Note: 2018 was the last of our garden plot. Leave it to the deer, rabbits, and other animals. We have had a garden for 32 years here at Many Branches.

I did not grow up knowing pasta. I can never remember any pasta-in-a box dishes that we have today, except for my mother's homemade noodles which were served with chicken fresh from the hen house. I don't remember spaghetti or any of the fancy pasta served and used today. So I have had fun over the years finding and using the hundreds of pasta shapes and tastes that are ever present today. My favorite is Cavatappi which is shaped like a wiggle worm. It is very sturdy and stands up well when dressed with any number of sauces. When you bite it, it stands its ground and does not become weak and slippery. (In fact, we are having it tonight when Joe and Glenda come up to play cards before our day trip tomorrow.) Had I known how easy pasta is to use, I might have jumped on the band wagon sooner. Julia Child said that Italian cooking is not really cooking, it's too easy. I consider it cooking, however, even though it is easy. As you can see from the picture, I am intent on learning about pasta. I will not, however, order it in a restaurant because I can't stand to pay for something that is so cheap and easy to fix at home.

Lemon drop cake

Oldie but delicious (2011 blog)

Monday, August 15, 2011

Lemon Drop Cake

I might have just found a cake to rival the Hawaiian cake. I made this for Sunday with the Lechlers and it was almost gone in an evening. We ate late because we were all gathering to watch the new season of Food Truck Road Race on the food channel. (The time has been changed, by the way, to 9:00 for next Sunday.) The cake and the show did not disappoint. One note about the cake, if you have any left, it is actually tastier, if that is possible, the next day--especially with morning coffee. The cake is very moist and lemon zest added to the icing that is dribbled on top of the cake gives it extra zip. The good thing about this cake is if you really love lemon you can go all the way, but if you want just a nip, then adjust the lemon dosage. I used real lemons, rather than the bottled kind that was written into the recipe. This recipe is from justapinch.com and you might keep an eye on that site because it has real home-tested delicious recipes for every occasion and every day at home.

Ingredients For Lemon Drop Cake:
from justapinch.com

1 box Duncan Hines moist deluxe lemon cake mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 3oz. lemon instant pudding mix (dry)

icing:
4 cups confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup bottled lemon juice (I used real lemons)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used real butter)
3 Tbsp water

Directions

In large bowl, stir together dry cake mix and pudding mix. In another bowl, combine all wet ingredients and eggs that the cake mix calls for plus the buttermilk.(where your box reads the amount of water (1 1/3 cup usually), put in 1 cup water and 1/3 cup lemon juice to make the cake even more lemon tasting if you like) Beat with mixer until blended. Add to dry mixture and beat until combined.
Bake in a greased 9x13 baking pan in a preheated 350-degree oven for the time the cake mix box calls for...depending on your oven. It will require a couple minutes longer baking time than cake mix box calls for because of the extra moisture produced by the milk.(This is so true, so Stick a toothpick in the center to check for doneness.)

ICING: Combine water, oil, powdered sugar and lemon juice with a mixer until smooth. Add one more tablespoon of water if consistancy isn't saucy. "Glaze" the cake when just a little cooled. Do not over glaze it because the icing is sweet. Just a THIN layer is required. There will be icing left over for a couple more cakes. Store in fridge and just stir it real good to use again.

Store cake in fridge and serve cold or room temp.(The cake is even better the next day.) 

My new dish

Or, as Andy says, your new concoction...
I started marinating chicken for 24 hours trying to duplicate the taste of Chuy's chicken.  I found a recipe on line from copy cat recipes and it actually is very close to Chuy's.  I did not have cilantro, but other than that it is very good.  So I turned part of it into chicken salad.  Then I craved rice, so I made a big pot of delicious rice cooked in homemade beef broth.  Tasted it and thought it needed a kick, so I added the remainder of the chicken salad in, gave it a stir and Bob's your uncle. 

Chuy-like chicken marinade:
1 cup oil (I used olive oil)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 can beer (I used Corona)
1 teaspoon each of the following: salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne powder, and one tsp. serrano minced pepper. Mix it together, put in plastic bag, add the chicken, turn it several times in the fridge for 24 hours and use it as you please. (It calls for cilantro, but I had none.)

My new concoction

Sticky buns

2/1/2019

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

London Has Sticky Buns

After over one hundred trips to England I got to know some really good tea and bake shops.  While the British are not known for fine cuisine, their baked goods and their baked potatoes are really tasty.  I have eaten many piping hot baked potatoes after covering a flea marked or antiques fair.  The spud not only warmed the inside but it soothed icy cold hands as well. My most memorable ones were outside in the cold after the Birmingham flea market and at the Newark flea market which was held in the cold and in the extreme heat...no matter the weather the baked potato was a good thing.  The locals layered everything tasty on the fluffy white bed...slaw, cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, chives, bacon--no end to the ideas when it came to jacket potatoes.

Tea with Bea is a new recipe book from Bea's of Bloomsbury published in 2011. I got the same cozy feel as I used to get entering a British tea room or bakery. Usually a small area housed sticky buns, spice cakes, lemon tarts, almond cherry muffins, scones, and dense slices of fragrant goodness. (I never saw too many pies as we know them.) I really liked the dense loaf cakes which kept for days and seemed to be more moist with each passing day. I guess the best high tea that I had with friends at Harrods in London was the most memorable but the ones in New Orleans at Windsor Court were very nice memories as well. I wish, however, there were more savory items rather than all the sweets offered both places. I learned to love trifles as well and make them for almost all entertaining endeavors here at the house.

On a new note, I love cauliflower and try to put it in many things such as potato salad. Today, in the Cook's Corner from the Columbus Dispatch is a recipe for cauliflower mac 'n' cheese. That sounds so good to me! Let's try it.

Cauliflower mac 'n' cheese:

Non stick cooking pray in an 8 inch baking dish. Oven at 375
1 large head cauliflower cut into small florets
salt
1 cup heavy cream
2 ounces cream cheese
1 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Cook cauliflower in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender. Drain well and PAT DRY with paper towels. (These florets hold so much water.)
Meanwhile, place cream in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a simmer.
Whisk in cream cheese and mustard until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese, pepper, garlic powder and salt to taste until cheese melts.
 Pour over cauliflower. Stir to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until browned and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Sigh.

Today in our backyard 

2/1/2019 Our back yard.

Many recipes, little time (2010)

July 2010

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

So Many Recipes, So Little Time

I have totally stopped entertaining for the rest of the month. I don't care if a baby drops from the sky, or Matt gets his Masters degree tomorrow...no more parties! My plate is full for the rest of the month and probably for longer than that. Yesterday I never got out of my pajamas--the dogs got worried. After all we have a ritual that must be kept. Their outing first, my coffee second, their breakfast, my crossword puzzles, and then out of the pajamas.

I am also not going to the store for an entire week. My cupboards are bulging and so is the frig. I made a scrumptious mac and cheese today using up all of the cheese board left overs from two weeks of heavy entertaining. This dish was topped with sliced tomatoes and bread crumbs made from all of the left over buns. (Our cherry tomatoes are just now coming in...remember Andy planted 72 tomato plants.)I think what made the dish was the addition of some left over goat cheese and the rush of pepper cheese. It will never turn out the same again, so no recipe for that. As people revolve in and out today, it is mac and cheese and left over ribs. So far no one has complained.

I got a Food Network magazine today with an interesting item called an Oatmeal Souffle--no recipe since it is featured at the Red Feather Lounge in Boise. But I got on the Internet and found some recipes that had much in common. If I ever do Sunday breakfast again, I am trying this. I have taken several pictures of the picture in the magazine, but they did not turn out so great, but will give you an idea... in case there is anyone reading this blog. (LOL) Here is one of the recipes. If you try it, let me know so we can compare notes.
Oatmeal Souffle

1 cup Milk
2 tablespoons Butter
3/4 cup Quick-Cooking Rolled Oats
1/3 cup low-fat Cream Cheese
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3 Eggs, separated
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and sugar 1 1/2 quart souffle dish or casserole; set aside.

Put milk and butter into a small saucepan and heat until barely boiling. Slowly add oatmeal, stirring constantly. Cook oatmeal until thick, stirring often. Remove from heat and add cream cheese, salt, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir briskly to blend and smooth the mixture.

Beat the 3 yolks slightly and slowly add them to the oatmeal, stirring constantly. Stir in the raisins and walnuts.

Beat the egg whites until they are stiff but still moist. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir and fold the whites into the oatmeal mixture. Don't overfold; fold only until no large lumps of whites remain. Spoon the mixture into the souffle dish.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the center still trembles a trifle but most of the souffle is set. Serve immediately with cream or warm milk.

This souffle is still tasty when cold and fallen. For a touch of decadence, serve with whipped cream.

To reheat, place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or heat individual servings in the microwave.

Another set of inspirations that we enjoy on Saturday mornings, starting in the spring, would be the street markets. The biggest and best, so far, is the Worthington outdoor market. They close the main street and spread out far and wide so that it takes a bit of time to do it properly. It is like Paris, but right in the home town of many people now days. The freshness and beauty draws the crowd. We spend more per item or per bunch, but the taste claims victory.

Today I bought new tiny beets which I washed and sprinkled with olive oil and salt and bundled them tightly in a foil package to bake. That way the skins slide right off and you can have your way with the sleek bulbs. Yummy! Sometimes I leave a bowl of slices or tiny bulbs in the frig and pop one or two in my mouth as I search for dinner items. They are a great and tasty snack.

I bought Matt's favorite, fresh new green beans. I've taken a ham bone from the freezer and coupled it with the green beans and onions in the slow cooker. I will add new potatoes as the day goes on (don't want them mushy) and lay corn on the cob on top for the last half an hour. It's a summer one pot meal. They are going to the zoo today to meet the new polar bear, so the bean dish will hit the spot as the sun goes down.

The salad fixings were especially nice today. Butter lettuce for chicken wraps and and a big summer salad with tomatoes from Andy's garden, will tempt those that arrive for Sunday with the Lechlers. Life is good!

Though a bit pretentious, I love Ina's (Barefoot Contessa) recipes and I have all of her books. She giggles less now days, we all appreciate that, and, she has some new shows for us. The Barefoot Contessa entertains in an easy manner and once she settles into cooking, the results are very tasty. Her mustard roasted fish is so good it can be served to guests as well as to the family for an easy healthful week day treat.

Mustard-Roasted Fish
2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, All Rights Reserved
Prep Time: 10 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 15 min Level:
Easy Serves:
4 servings Ingredients
4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces creme fraiche
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons drained capers
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the fish.

Love potatoes with vineger!
Grilled Salt & Vinegar Potatoes

The original recipe calls for white vinegar. I used part white balsamic vinegar and regular white vinegar. - but you can use either. I suspect you could actually experiment over time w/ different types of vinegar. I used fingerling potatoes that were on the large size, but any waxy potatoes will do.
2 cups / 475 ml white wine vinegar
1 pound / 16 oz / 450 g waxy potatoes (see head notes), cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper salt to taste (optional)
Pour the vinegar into a medium saucepan, then stack (or arrange) the potatoes so the vinegar covers them completely. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are just fork tender. You want them to hold their shape, so they don't fall apart on the grill later. Let the potatoes cool in the vinegar for 30 minutes. Drain well, then very gently toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Heat the grill to medium high. Grill potatoes, covered if possible, until golden on one side, then flip and grill the other side - roughly 3 - 5 minutes per side. Serve sprinkled with Kosher salt to taste.
Serves 4.

Sundays in Paris

Another oldie today since it is difficult to develop a dish when dressed like the Michelin man.  We are frozen in place until tomorrow.  Our poor furnaces. I know we do not have it as bad as some states, but it is bad enough. 2019

0

Sundays in Paris

Sundays in Paris are exciting, colorful and heady. We always head for the outdoor markets where food is displayed like art work. The shrimp are calibrated to fit into a design that is mouth watering as well as beautiful. The strawberries are red through and through and there is never a bad one in the bunch. We learned, however, not to touch the produce or the flowers--the French have their own way of doing things. I remember picking up a wrapped block of cheese and turning it over to see the price and all hell broke loose in the booth. We save spells like that in America for something more important than a piece of cheese. He lost a sale, but I learned a lesson. The flowers, too, seem so much prettier in Paris and the scent has not been bred out of the stock. Not everything is better in Paris, but the outdoor markets are at the top of the very best list. You have to shop early and carefully and when it is over, about 1:00, it's over! All of a sudden there are mountains of cast off produce with people picking over the freebies. They have, in fact, come to the market just for that. All of a sudden the street cleaning men in green arrive and an hour or two later everything is clean as a hound's tooth. Outdoor markets go on each week day in different parts of town. The vendors move from place to place and they sell everything from pig's ears to knock of purses. I love the one at Bastille.

A December 2010 potluck

Friday, December 17, 2010

Andy's Staff Christmas Potluck Recipes

I thought you might like some of the (50 dishes) recipes from Andy's staff potluck that took place today, December 17th. I didn't have a chance to submit the cheese ball recipe that I had Andy offer. These recipes seem really interesting.

Also, here is a summer picture of a dish I miss more than any other summer food. Waaa, I want tomatoes! Now!
However, I will settle for this cauliflower-bacon gratin that's pictured. When I traveled to Paris to buy antiques I mostly stayed in a family owned hotel in Nation. Beside this hotel was a tea room that was only open for lunch...so French. They had a limited menu: quiche, gratins, desserts, tea, coffee. Their gratins were wonderful if you got there at 11:00 or even 12:00 after that, forget it; the cheese starts to separate and it is not a pleasant sight. Also their salads were awful--lettuce, no dressing, but, their seafood gratin was out of this world. That and the cauliflower gratin had me coming back. (I find it is better to eat the gratin right away or at room temperature, otherwise it gets watery...does not store well) Their variety of teas was staggering and I brought many bags of tea home with me each time along with one of those little iron tea pots that you can buy in most cook speciality stores all over the country now. It was so pleasant to sit in that tea room and have a pot of Christmas tea in the winter after a long day of antiquing. It was one of my best memories of Paris.(Scroll on down for the recipe from Dori Greenspan's Around My French Table.)

Andy especially liked the red skin potatoes dish from the potluck. I am going to try it for sure.2010

Holiday Potluck Recipes




Hot Artichoke Dip


1 large can artichokes in water - drained
3/4 c mayo
1 clove garlic - chopped
4 oz shredded Swiss cheese
4 oz shredded Parmesan cheese
1 small can diced green chilies (optional)

Chop artichokes
Mix the remaining ingredients with the artichokes
Spoon into a pie plate
Cook, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes
Serve with tortilla chips



Submitted by Amy Shaffer







Salsa Hors D’oeuvres Wraps

1 pkg - 8 Fajita Tortillas
16 oz - cream cheese
A few tablespoons - salsa (medium flavor)

Soften cream cheese and mix in salsa. Lay tortilla out and spread mixture on tortilla until covered (almost to edge). Roll up. Repeat until everything is used up. Store in a container and place in refrigerator overnight. Before serving, slice roll into 8 pieces each, discard edges (or eat them while slicing!). Place pieces on a platter and serve with unmixed salsa as a dip.

Submitted by Chuck Weiden




Barbecue Lasagna


1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained (I use Barilla Lasagne, Oven Ready no boiling required noodles)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg


Meat: In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.

Barbecue sauce: Combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Layering: Spread about ¼ cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef. Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.

Topping: Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
Yield: 8 servings

Submitted by Patti Guseman
Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs Sauce

1 lb. Hamburger 1 - 15 oz. Tomato Sauce
1 Chopped Onion 1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C dry Bread Crumbs 2 Tbsp. White Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Pepper 1 1/2 tsp. Seasoning Salt

Combine ingredients for meatballs and brown. Simmer sauce uncovered for 15 minutes.
Add browned meatballs & simmer uncovered for 3 hours.

Submitted by Kelly Gaier













Red Skin Mashed Potatoes


1 5 lb. bag of red skin potatoes
1 3 lb. tub of Daisy Sour Cream
1 2 lb. tub of Smart Balance Margarine
Salt

Serves many! (at least 15 servings)

• Wash potatoes and peel away only the bad spots/blemishes so that most of the peel stays on the potato.
• Place potatoes into a large cooking pot on stove and fill with water to about ¾ full (Note: I do not salt the water.)
• Boil potatoes until fork tender (This can take about a half hour, and then if fork slides easily through potatoes, they are ready to be mashed.)
• With a large slotted spoon, remove/drain potatoes and place well-drained potatoes into a large mixing bowl
• While the potatoes are steaming hot, add about one cup of margarine, and about one cup of sour cream into to the bowl, and sprinkle in some salt. (You’ll “taste test” as you go along to add in generous amounts of margarine, sour cream and some salt, so add salt sparingly as you blend.
• Mix the margarine and sour cream into the potatoes (I use an electric hand mixer.)
• Taste the mixture. You’ll need to add more margarine and sour cream and a little salt until the potatoes are creamy white and well mixed. Note: I use at least half of the tub of margarine and about half of the tub of sour cream for this dish.

Potatoes should have a nice balance of flavor with the butter and sour cream (you should not notice one flavor over the other), and the potatoes shouldn’t taste salty, just flavorful.

Serve immediately (note that the margarine and sour cream cools down the potatoes, so you may need to pop them into microwave for a few minutes to get them nice and hot again to serve), or store the mashed potatoes in a sealed container in the fridge until ready to heat and serve. These ‘taters re-heat well in the microwave or on the stove top.


Submitted by Char Rogge
Raspberry Punch

1 2 liter bottle of Sprite
1 gallon jug Hawaiian Punch Fruit Drink
½ gallon Raspberry Sherbet
1 pint fresh Raspberries (or thaw 1 package of frozen Raspberries)

A few minutes before serving the punch, set out the Raspberry Sherbet so that it softens some at room temperature (you want it to be soft and easy to scoop out). If fresh raspberries are not available, thaw frozen raspberries at room temperature (do not defrost raspberries in the microwave!)
In a large punch bowl, pour in ½ jug of Hawaiian Fruit Punch Drink. (Reserve the other half jug for a second serving of punch.)
Pour in ½ of the 2 liter bottle of Sprite. (Reserve the other half of the bottle for a second serving of punch.)
Scoop out large dollops of Raspberry Sherbet and place on top of the fruit punch (try to cover sherbet all over the top of the punch. The Sprite soda will help the sherbet foam up to cover the surface.) Reserve half of the sherbet for a second serving of punch.
As a garnish, place a fresh raspberry (or thawed from frozen) on top of each sherbet scoop. (Reserve half of the raspberries for a second serving of punch) Note: If you try to move the punch bowl after you garnish with raspberries, the berries will drop down to the bottom of the bowl!
Serve and enjoy (serves many!)

Submitted by Char Rogge

Cauliflower-bacon Gratin
1 cauliflower
1/2 pound bacon, cut crosswise into slender strips
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup whole milk
salt and pepper and freshly grated nutmeg (Nutmeg is needed in this dish as well as green vegetable dishes to give any of them a boost.)
3 ounce Gruyere cheese
Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 425
Generously butter an oven dish that holds about 2 1/2 quarts. Put the dish on a baking sheet.
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Pull or cut the florets leaving about an inch stem. Drop the florets into the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse the cauliflower under cold running water to cool and PAT DRY. (Cauliflower is like a sponge, so pat it dry.)
While the cauliflower cooks, toss the bacon strips into a heavy skillet and crisp it up, drain it and dry it too.
Spread the cauliflower in the buttered pan and scatter over the bacon bits.

Put flour in a bowl and gradually whisk in the eggs. When the flour and eggs are blended, whisk in the cream and milk. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir in about 2/3 cup of the cheese. Pour the mix over the cauliflower, shake the pan to settle the liquid and scatter over the remaining cheese.
Bake the gratin for 25 minutes until puffed and golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (It's like a quiche, except for the flour) If you need it to be browner, run it under the broiler...it's a pretty dish alone with a salad, or as a special side dish. I love it!