4-6 large sweet potatoes
3 TBS butter or margarine (melted)
Light brown sugar (1/3 C to start)
½ TSP cinnamon
Dash salt

Temperature: 350

Microwave (or oven cook) potatoes until they are very soft. Split the skin open and scoop out the potato pulp. Place it in a baking bowl and mash it lightly with a fork (well cooked potatoes are easily mashed). Add 2 TBS brown sugar at a time (usually takes about 1/3 cup), salt, cinnamon and melted butter. Mix well to blend. Taste for sugar and bake or microwave until hot.

Note: potatoes can be peeled and sliced before cooking, mixed with all ingredients, covered, and bake until soft and tender.

4 C rice (cooked via standard salted water method)
½-1 LB shrimp
½ LB thin sliced roasted pork
½ LB thin sliced chicken breast
2 eggs
1 small onion (sliced thin)
4 TBS cooking oil
1 TBS sesame oil
1 TBS soy sauce (good quality)
4-6 cloves garlic (minced)
1 TSP fresh grated ginger root
½ C green onions
½ C celery (medium sliced)
Mushrooms (any kind) (optional)
½ C bean sprouts (optional)
Pinch of salt

Temperature:

This dish requires meat of some kind, traditionally roasted pork, shrimp, chicken or ham is used. The ingredients are all a matter of taste, and some can be omitted without compromising quality. Many items can be added as well – bamboo shoots, mushrooms, green peas or even thinly sliced carrots.

Use a non-stick wok to reduce need for cooking oil – rolled steel is good but requires 1-2 TBS of cooking oil at each fry-step. Beat the eggs and pour into a hot wok with a small amount of heated cooking oil. Scramble and cut into very small pieces then set aside. Add any raw meats and stirfry until done then set aside. Run sesame oil around the top and inside surface of the wok. Add all vegetables and stirfry until soft and blended. Add 1 TBS of soy sauce (more if desired) and mix. Add the cooked meats and egg then mix well. Pepper to taste (¼ TSP). Add the cooked rice and mix well. Heat until rice is hot and blended with other ingredients. Taste for salt and soy sauce and add more (cautiously) if needed.

Brownies:
4 OZ sweet baking chocolate
¼ C butter or margarine (½ stick)
¼ C sugar
2 eggs
1 TSP vanilla
½ C flour
½ C nuts (chopped)

Topping:
4 OZ Philly cream cheese
¼ C sugar
1 egg
1 TBS flour

Temperature: 350

Melt the chocolate and margarine together, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted. Stir the sugar into the melted chocolate. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and flour. Mix until well blended. Stir in the nuts. Spread into a greased 8″ square pan. Mix the topping and spoon over the brownie mix. Swirl with a knife to marbelize. Bake for 35 minutes being careful not to over bake.

Brownies:
4 OZ unsweetened baking chocolate
1 C butter or margarine
2 C sugar
2 TSP vanilla
4 eggs
1½ C flour
½ TSP salt
1 C nuts (coarsely chopped)

Filling:
16 OZ Philly cream cheese
½ C sugar
2 TSP vanilla
1 egg

Temperature: 350

Melt the chocolate and margarine together then cool. Beat the chocolate, sugar, vanilla and eggs on medium speed for 1 minute. Beat in the flour and salt on low for 1 minute. Stir in the nuts. Spread ½ the batter in a greased and floured 13x9x2″ pan. Mix the filling and spread it over the batter in the pan. Spread the remaining batter over the filling. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool in the pan and keep leftovers refrigerated.

1½ C butter (3 sticks)
5 eggs
3 C sugar
3 C flour
1 TBS lemon extract
¾ C 7-Up soda

Temperature: 350

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Add the flour on low speeed. Add lemon extract and soda. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 12 C bunt mold. Bake 1-1 hour 20 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Dust with confectioner’s sugar or glaze with a lemon glaze.

8 slices bacon
1 LB andouille (or any smoked) sausage (sliced)
2 LG onion (chopped fine)
1 MED bell pepper (chopped fine)
4-8 cloves garlic (minced)
1 C fresh or canned crushed tomatoes
1 C milk or light cream
2 cubes chicken bullion
2 TBS flour
¼ TSP black pepper
1½ TSP salt
2 TSP sugar
¼ TSP cayenne
2 bay leaves
1 TSP dried basil leaves
1 TSP Worcestershire
¼ TSP Tabasco
8 C corn (fresh, or ~40 OZ/weight frozen)

In a heavy 4-6 QT pot cook the bacon, then set aside and reserve 3 TBS drippings or use olive oil. Brown off the sausage, then set aside. Sauté the onions, garlic and bell pepper until soft. Return the bacon and sausage to the pan. Add the tomatoes, milk, bouillon, flour and seasonings, cover the pot and simmer on low 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until all vegetables are soft and flavors are blended.  Add the corn, cover the pot and simmer on low until tender, stirring frequently (15 or 20 minutes if frozen corn is used).  Add water or chicken stock if it gets too dry.

Cake:
½ C butter or margarine
1 C sugar
4 egg yolks
¾ C milk
1 TSP vanilla
2 C cake flour
3 TSP baking powder
1 TSP salt

Meringue:
4 egg whites
1 C sugar
1 C pecans (finely chopped)
1 OZ unsweetened baking chocolate (grated)

Temperature: 325

Beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar until the mixture stands in stiff peaks. Stir in the nuts and chocolate. Grease and flour the sides of a 9″ or 10″ tube pan and line the bottom with parchment. Spread the meringue evenly on the bottom and ¾ of the way up the sides.

Cream the butter with the sugar then add the egg yolks one at a time. Mix in the milk and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients together then add to the creamed mix alternately with the milk. Pour carefully into the meringue lined tube pan. Bake for 65-75 minutes. Allow to cool for ½ hour before gently loosening sides with a knife and turning out onto a serving plate. Garnish the edge with pecan halves which have been half dipped in sweet or semi-sweet melted chocolate.

2 TBS butter
1 TBS onion (chopped)
2 TBS flour
1½ TSP Worcestershire
½ TSP salt
¼ C dry sherry
¾ C milk
1 egg yolk (slightly beaten)
6-8 OZ fresh crabmeat
¼ C buttered bread crumbs
Dash pepper

Temperature: 350

Saute the onion in butter until soft.  Add the flour and seasonings.  Add the milk gradually, stirring constantly until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in the egg yolk.  Return to the heat and cook for 1 minute, stirring.  Add the wine and crabmeat.  Spoon into patty shells and top with buttered bread crumbs.  Bake for 5-10 minutes.

The patty shells are also known as vol-au-vent, and are used in many common forms of canapé.

2 C fresh strawberries
1½ C water
¾ C sugar
2 TBS cornstarch
3 OZ strawberry gelatin (Jell-O)
½ pint whipped cream or Cool Whip
9″ baked pie shell or graham cracker shell

Temperature:

Cut the strawberries in half and place in the pie shell. Mix the water, sugar and cornstarch well and cook over low heat until clear and thick. Remove from the heat, add strawberry gelatin powder and stir until dissolved. Pour over the strawberries in the pie shell. Chill then top with Cool Whip or whipped cream.

Cream Base:
8 OZ Philly cream cheese (softened)
1 can condensed milk
½ C lemon juice
1/8 TSP salt
1 TSP vanilla
9″ graham cracker pie shell

Strawberry Layer:
2 PT fresh or frozen strawberries
¾ C sugar
2½ TBS cornstarch
¼ TSP salt
1 C water

Temperature:

Beat the cream cheese until light. Add condensed milk and beat in. Stir in the lemon juice with a spoon (do not beat). Add the salt and vanilla. Pour into the graham cracker crust. Chill for 2-3 hours.

Blend or food process 1 PT of strawberries. Add the sugar, cornstarch, salt and water. Cook on low until thickened then allow to cool for 10 minutes. Slice the remaining PT of strawberries and arrange half of them over the cream base. Pour the strawberry mix over them. Layer the other half of the strawberries on top then chill another 3-4 hours. Top with Cool Whip or whipped cream.