• ½ C butter
• 2 OZ unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¼ TSP salt
• 2 TSP vanilla
• ½ C all-purpose flour
• ½ C chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.)
• ½ C semi-sweet chocolate chips — for an extra-chocolate, slightly chewy result (optional)

Oven: 350° F

1. Melt the butter, baking chocolate and sugar together in a double boiler or in a bowl over simmering water.
2. Use a wire whisk to stir and mix until smooth and sugar is mostly dissolved.
3. Cool for 15 minutes.
4. Beat the eggs lightly with a fork, add to the chocolate and mix well.
5. Add the salt, vanilla and flour, stir with whisk until smooth.
6. Add the nuts.
7. Fold in the chocolate chips (optional).
8. Pour into greased 8″ square baking pan (or any small, heavy baking pan).
9. Bake approximately 30 minutes, but do not over-bake – the brownies should be firm but soft and fudgy (not like the cake variety).

NOTE: This same recipe can be mixed the same way in a conventional electric mixer.  The results are the same, but the time and mess are unnecessary.

• 3 LB (~8 C) fresh cherries, rinsed, pitted and stems removed
• 1⅓ C granulated sugar
• Zest of 3 lemons (peel, no pith)
• 93 OZ (2.75 L) bourbon or brandy (enough to fill)

EQUIPMENT:

• Cherry pitter
• 1 GAL glass container, spill proof

1. Wash the glass container thoroughly and sanitize with either a commercial sanitizing agent or a mild bleach solution (1 TSP bleach in 1 GAL water).
2. Rinse, de-stem and pit the cherries (bing cherries are readily available at the beginning of July), then place in the glass container.
3. Strip the zest from the lemons using a vegetable peeler so it comes off in long strips for easy removal later, then add to the container.
4. Add the sugar.
5. Pour your alcohol of choice into the container to fill as close to the top as you can without overflowing. Typically, you will use one full 1.75 liter bottle and most of a 1 liter bottle (a little larger than a ‘fifth’) of alcohol. You can save the bottles and refill them with the infused mixture.
6. Seal the container and shake it gently to distribute the alcohol and begin dissolving the sugar. This will also dislocate any air that may be trapped inside the cherries which will allow you to top off the container with more alcohol.
7. Store the container in a dark, cool place and shake it every few days until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to infuse for a minimum of two to three months, and as long as six months (the longer the infusion, the stronger the flavors).
8. Strain the cherries out using a micro-screen strainer or pour it through a coffee filter. Discard the lemon zest.
9. If you saved the bottles, or chose to use new ones, make sure they have been thoroughly cleaned then sanitized using the same method(s) used for the gallon container.
10. Pour in the filtered cherry bounce and seal tightly
11. Enjoy. The bounce does improve slightly with age.

Yields approximately 3 liters of bounce.

The cherries will have absorbed the flavor of the alcohol, and consequently are very tasty with some further preparation.

1. Fill cleaned and sanitized pint jars with the cherries and add 2 TBSP of sugar to each – will
2. Top the jars with fresh alcohol of the type used for the bounce. Seal the jars and shake thoroughly until the sugar dissolves.
3. Allow the cherries to sit for at least 1 week, although they will get better the longer they sit. They are delicious served on ice-cream (as one of many examples).

Yield approximately 3½ pints of cherries.

Notes:
Cherry Bounce is a traditional Southern cordial, and bourbon is typically the alcohol used. Brandy will yield a sweeter drink, but bourbon makes for a sharper flavor.

Also, traditionally (yes, more tradition) the cherries that were used to make cherry bounce, in Louisiana at least, were from trees that grew profusely in people’s yards and in the wild – sometimes referred to as “black cherry” trees. In the spring, there are clusters of cobwebby flowers. Once the flowers disappear, the green fruit – the size of small peas – turn to purplish black. When they reach this stage, the cherries are picked to make cherry bounce. They are bitter and astringent, and not very appetizing to eat in and of themselves, but when used for bounce they impart a powerfully strong cherry flavor, and the sourness is tempered by the bourbon and the sugar used in the mix.

One of the earliest memories I have of my father is the humongous bottle he used to make bounce.  It was mounted to a stand that allowed it to tip like a teeter-totter on a swivel. In hindsight it likely wasn’t more than a 1.75 liter bottle… but I was a kid and it looked huge at the time. We had two wild black-cherry trees in our yard, and he would make the bounce from the fruit gathered from those.

Another variation on cherry bounce that dates back to the mid-1900’s and earlier involves fermenting the fruit before blending it with an alcohol:

1. In a 3-5 GAL crock, alternate layers of white sugar and washed, dried, de-stemmed cherries, with the tops of the cherries visible after each layer of sugar. Continue this until you have filled the crock up to 12″ deep.
2. Cover the crock with a cheesecloth and store in a dry, dark place for about six weeks. You will end up with a concoction that is a thick, black, syrupy combination of sugar, cherry skins and pits.
3. Strain this formula through cheesecloth by forming a ball of about six to eight inches, twisting it to force the liquid into a container. Do not to twist too tight at the end of each strain, so as not to introduce the bitterness of the pulp and pits into the liquid.
4. Blend the results with an inexpensive light, dry white wine (to taste), and store in tightly closed containers.

• 24 OZ boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 6 TBS Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade
• 1 C prepared mashed potatoes
• 8 OZ pea pods (frozen)
• 1½ TSP wasabi powder

Temperature: 450° F

1. Place the chicken in a Ziploc bag and add the teriyaki marinade. Shake and make sure the chicken is well coated, remove excess air from the bag and seal.
2. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, flipping the bag over half-way through.
3. Bring a large oven safe pan (with lid) to medium heat on the stove. Spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray and brown the chicken breasts for 2 minutes per side.
4. Cover the chicken and place in the oven for 10 minutes or until they reach 165° F in the center, flipping the breasts half way through.
5. While the breasts are cooking, bring ½ C of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the frozen pea pods to the water, return to a boil, cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Drain and season to taste.
6. Add the wasabi powder to the mashed potatoes during the preparation process. Serve the chicken with the potatoes and pea pods.

Yields 3 servings.

Calories: 365.0 | Fat: 1.0 g | Carbohydrate: 21.5 g | Protein: 51.8 g

• 2 C fresh broccoli
• 15 OZ Golden Star Whole Baby Corn
• 4½ OZ mushrooms, fresh
• 1 MED onion (sliced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 13 OZ bay scallops (raw)
• 4 OZ small green peas
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• ½ C chicken broth or bouillon
• 2 TSP corn starch
• 2 TBS olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. Add the corn starch to the soy sauce, mix thoroughly and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and onions and sauté until the onions start to turn clear and soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add the rest of the vegetables, season lightly with salt and pepper and stir-fry until warmed through. Remove the vegetables to a bowl.
4. Bring the skillet back up to temperature and add the scallops, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until just done, approximately 3 minutes.
5. Add the vegetables back to the pan and then add the chicken broth. Cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the soy sauce / corn starch mixture to the pan by drizzling slowly while stirring the contents of the pan. Cook while stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened.
7. Serve over rice or noodles.

Yields 4 servings.

Calories: 269 | Fat: 7.9 g | Carbohydrate: 25.7 g | Protein: 24 g

• 3 OZ sliced mushrooms
• 2 C chicken broth
• 1½ medium onions (chopped)
• 1½ C brown & wild rice
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS parsley (snipped)
• 1 TSP salt
• ½ TSP black pepper

1. Sweat (do not brown) the onions over medium to medium-low heat until clear.
2. Add the chicken broth, parsley and butter and bring to a boil.
3. Add the salt, pepper and rice and return to a boil.
4. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 40 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and let sit covered for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the cover and fluff the rice with a fork.
7. Serve.

These proportions are for one pouch (each pouch is one serving). Increase the ratio according to the number of pouches you are making.

• ⅓ C fennel bulb (julienned)
• ⅓ C leeks, white part only (julienned)
• ⅓ C carrots (julienned)
• ⅓ C snow peas (julienned)
• ⅓ C red onion (julienned)
• 1 TSP salt
• ⅛ TSP black pepper
• ⅛ TSP coriander seeds (ground fine)
• 8 OZ salmon fillet (boneless)
• 5 OZ canned mandarin orange slices (in juice, not syrup) (or fresh orange cut into wedges with white, pithy membrane removed)
• 1 TBS dry white vermouth

Oven: 425° F

1. Take a 15″x36″ piece of parchment paper and fold in half like a book. Draw a large half heart on paper with the fold being the center of the heart. Cut out heart and open.
2. Lay fennel, leeks, carrots, red onions and snow peas on parchment in center to one side of fold.
3. Mix together salt, pepper, and ground coriander. Sprinkle vegetables with half of the seasoning mix.
4. Sprinkle seasoning on the bottom of the salmon and lay it on top of vegetables, then season the top with the remaining mix.
5. Top with the orange wedges and sprinkle with the vermouth.
6. Fold other side of heart over fish and starting at top of heart shape, fold up both edges of parchment, overlapping folds as you move along. Once you reach the end tip, twist several times to secure tightly.
7. Place on a pan and bake for 15 minutes or until the fish reaches 131° F. Open parchment carefully and serve for a complete meal.

If baking more than three pouches at once, start the oven at 450° F and then back it down to 425° F once you have put the pans in the oven.

Microwave Directions: Place on microwave safe plate and cook for 4 minutes on high in microwave, or until fish reaches 131° F. Open parchment carefully and serve for a complete meal.

• 18 OZ watermelon or peach flavored Jell-O
• 12 OZ Lite Evaporated Skim Milk (95% fat free) no other milk will work
• 5 drops green food coloring
• 2½ C boiled water
• 1 C cold water
• Vegetable oil or non-stick spray (to lubricate the mold)

1. Spray or smear oil into a dry mold wiping the excess away, and set the mold aside.
2. Empty the packets of Jell-O into a large bowl. Add the boiled water and whisk until the powder is dissolved, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in the cold water.
3. Pour in the skim milk and mix for 2 minutes.
4. Add 5 drops of green food coloring to darken the mix and add that ‘gray’ color.
5. Pour the mixture into the mold, but don’t fill it to the top — leave approximately one inch.  Refrigerate overnight.

NOTE: If a clear brain is desired, leave out the skim milk and add an additional 1½ cups of cold water.

• ½ C apricot jam or preserves
• 1 TBS Grand Marnier or water (can also use other liqueurs) 

1. Heat the apricot jam or preserves and water (if using) in a small saucepan over medium heat until liquid (melted).
2. Remove from heat and strain the jam through a fine strainer to remove any fruit lumps (if using liqueur, add it at this point).
3. Let cool until it is only slightly warm and then glaze the fruit or tart crust, using a pastry brush.

Yields enough to glaze the fruit on a 8 or 9 inch (20 to 23 cm) tart.

NOTE: Only lightly coat the fruit or tart shell with the glaze so that it does not look jelly-like when dry.

Variation: If glazing strawberries, raspberries or any other red fruit you can substiture red currant jelly for the apricot.

• ½ C grenadine syrup
• 1 C light corn syrup
• 1/3 OZ red food coloring
• 3 drops blue food coloring

1. Mix all ingredients together. Thin with more grenadine if needed.

• 3 QT water
• 1½ LB green beans (trimmed)
• ¾ C walnuts (coarsely chopped)
• 8 green onions (minced)
• ¼ C parsley (chopped)
• ¼ C dill (snipped)
• ¾ C olive oil
• ¼ C cider vinegar (may use part balsamic)
• ½ TSP salt to taste
• ¼ TSP black pepper to taste

Optional Garnishes:

• ½ C radishes or radish roses (thinly sliced)
• 2 TBS parsley and/or dill (snipped)

1. In a large saucepan, bring the water to boil over high heat. Add the beans, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until crisp but tender.
2. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain well and place in serving bowl.
3. Blend the walnuts, green onions, parsley, dill, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender until smooth – about 1 minute.
4. Spoon over the beans and toss well.
5. Refrigerate, tightly covered, for about 1 hour. This will keep up to 24 hours.
6. Just before serving, garnish with the radishes and parsley, if desired.
7. Serve as a side dish or a light luncheon dish with cheese and a crusty bread.