From our kitchen ...

APPETIZERS & BEVERAGES

• Forgettin' Frances. An original drink concocted from supplies on hand following two days of hunkering down from a hurricane. No ice required.
• Faux Chevre (Fake Goat Cheese). From Ruth Marie, this tastes like an authentic version of the real thing at a fraction of the cost, and it's so simple to make!
• Our Favorite Ceviche. The fish cooks in lime or lemon juice in this spicy, healthy classic.
• Smoked Salmon Cheesecake. A great make-ahead appetizer for parties.
• Simple Sensational Sausage Balls. A three-ingredient appetizer that people love.
• Iowa Blue Cheese Tart. Elegant yet fun appetizer, if you can imagine a blue cheese cheesecake.
• Rosemary-flavored Grilled Red Peppers Great as side dish. Serve as a snack with crackers and a fresh white cheese, such as queso blanco or fresh mozzarella.
• Authentic Tapenade Provencale. Two versions, the really good one from southern France, and my quicker, less fattening version.
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. Easy, fast, tasty substitute for nuts. Spice 'em up or just use salt.
• Ruth Marie's Black Bean Dip. Bacon makes this special.
• Guacamole with Broccoli. You'll hardly know the difference and it so good for you.

• Sopa Mexicano (Mexican Soup)
  We were reintroduced to this on a trip to Belize and Guatemala. Simple, but good! Similar to Sopa de Lima.
• "I Can't Believe It's Turkey" Antipasto Soup. They'll love this even if they're totally sick of the turkey.
• Fast, Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup. Really satisfying for so little work.

• Gourgere with Mushrooms and Ham
  A wonderful brunch or supper dish to share with special friends, esp. those who'll help you put it together.
• Basil-stuffed Steak. From Home& Family TV show. Needs lots of fresh basil.
• Ethiopian Chicken. A make-ahead recipe for spicy chicken.
• Herbed Balsamic Chicken with Blue Cheese. Surprisingly fantastic. A load of flavor. All you need is a simple arugula salad to complete effect if you want a light meal.
• Jailhouse Chili. This took first prize in the St. Lucie County, FL, Chili Cook-off in 1988. I was part of the Port St. Lucie News team that created it.
• Penne with Tuna and Tomatoes. We were attracted to this because we had our own crop of cherry tomatoes, but it is so easy and tasty, we had to add  it to our favorites.
• Redneck Ribs. Adapted from a recipe from the late, great humor columnist. This is prompting us to buy a smoker.
• Shrimp and Corn Pudding. Fresh corn makes this a sweet treat as a main dish.
• Simple Simon Chicken. One of the first -- and still one of the best -- recipes for oven-fried chicken.
• Lemon Corn Pasta Toss Amazingly easy recipe from Del Monte, that's quick, virtually no-fat and absolutely delicious. A real surprise!
• Fiesta Corn and Pasta Skillet  Another winner from Del Monte, with ground beef. Really satisfying and quick to make.
• Sea Bass in Moho Sauce. A real treat of a solid white fish in a lime and garlic sauce ... mmmmm!

• Onion and Olive Pizza. This traditional Mediterranean no-tomato pizza makes a great supper with maybe some vegetable sticks on the side.
• Tomato Tarte from Ruth Marie. All you need is a nice green salad with this for a lovely supper.
• Classic Cheese Souffle. This is almost fool-proof ... as long as you follow the instructions.
• Curried Lentils. An easy version of a classic.
• Barley Stew with Lentils. A really satisfying main dish from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Good Book Cookbook, historically correct recipes from biblical times. Some real "whole food" here.
• Peppered Lentils. Yes, more lentils. This is quick to prepare, tastes fantastic. The flavor comes from sesame oil.
• Herb-roasted Sweet Potatoes. Sort of "invented" this ... really tasty and really good. Other herbs should work as well.
• Cassie's Soubise. Lots of onions combine with a little bit of rice and cheese for rich full-flavored creamed dish that is ever-so-elegant.
• Sunday Dinner Green Beans. A "canned soup" classic for those nostalgic meals.

• Classic Caesar Salad A couple years after discovering this recipe, we ordered Caesar Salad, with all the flourish, made at one of Toronto's better restaurants. Mary was flattered -- but the waiter wasn't -- when Jack said, "It's just like home."
• Mary's Mayo without Guilt. Uses low or no fat sour-cream and yogurt. Great with tuna salad.
• Lin's Spicy Cilantro Sauce. This is courtesy of a wonderful Chinese woman who was on one of our nature trips. It can be used for many things. I used it to stir fry some chicken and vegetables, adding some additional at the last minute, and serving over rice.
• Mary's Warm Spinach Salad with Apple & Thyme-scented Caramelized Onions. Tangy and refreshing, tart but with a hint of sweetness.

• Dutch-style Pancakes. We fell in love with these on a trip to the Netherlands and now have them often for brunch or supper.
• Grandma's Baking Powder Biscuits. A real old-fashioned, but easy recipe.
• Lazy Day Biscuits. There is no simpler way to bake than this.
• St. Augustine Bread. A no-knead crusty loaf, a la Cuban style, from the kitchens of the oldest European city in the U.S., St. Augustine, Florida.
• Irish Soda Bread. From our Nova Scotia days, this makes a nice Sunday morning treat.
• Jack's and W.O. Mitchell's Western-style Pancakes The Canadian author W.O. Mitchell revealed this secret to fluffy pancakes while appearing on a cooking show in the 1970s. He learned it from Chinese cooks brought in by the railway to feed its workers.
• Gary Player's Whole Wheat Bread. This no-yeast bread is so simple and so good I have to share the link. It keeps well in a plastic bag. It's a dense, soft bread with a real nutty flavor. (I've used All-Bran rather than the "digestive bran."

• Lemon-Zucchini Cookies  A good way to use up all that zucchini from the garden and a really nice flavor.
• Ruth Marie's Spiced Pumpkin Flan A new twist on a classic dessert is the perfect end for an evening of sharing Costa Rican memories. Can be made with soy milk.
• Ruth Marie's Mocha Flan.  Her own innovation, also can be made with soy milk.
• Ruth Marie's Chocolate Zucchini Sheetcake. A great choice if you are to bring treats for a gang. Also stores well. Delicious and rich, no one will suspect the main ingredient.
•  Mary's Flashy Fresh Fruit Fondue Easy and healthy dessert.
• Vandy's Jell-O Plum Pudding. This light version bears little resemblance to the English classic, but is a nice substitute.
• Mary's Fresh Nectarine and Green Grape Pie.  This is the dessert I make most for guests.
• Hot Drunken Bananas. Don't say you haven't got any dessert in the house if you have bananas.
• Rich Peanut Butter Pie. If you like pecan pie, this is an easy, gooey substitute.
• Crazy Mixed-up Chocolate Cake. Here's another quick dessert when you don't think you have anything.
• Aunt Persis' Perfect Pound Cake. My aunt made the best pound cake I've ever tasted. Here is her recipe.
• Mary's Sponge Candy. This old-fashioned sweet is  fun to make. It puffs up and can be broken into melt-in-your-mouth pieces.

Last updated 03/14/2010 02:22 PM   

Background art from a fresco in our kitchen

FAT FLUSH RECIPES