Spinach and Orange Salad

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh spinach, washed and patted dry
8 whole scallions, cut into pieces
3 oranges, peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces, and reserved
8 slices bacon
3 Tablespoons bacon drippings
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon tarragon

Procedure:
1. Stem spinach and tear leaves into bite-sized pieces.
2. Toss with scallions in a salad bowl.
3. Fry bacon, reserving drippings.
4. Drain well, crumble, and set aside.
5. Mix three Tablespoons drippings, lemon juice, oil, sugar, salt, and tarragon in a small saucepan.
6. Bring to a boil and pour over spinach and scallions; toss.
7. Add orange pieces and bacon.
8. Toss again and serve immediately.

Serves eight people.

Banana Nut Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 small bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
2-1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs
1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional)

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch pan.
3. Mash bananas well and stir in sour cream.
4. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
5. Stir in the chopped nuts and set aside.
6. Cream butter for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.
7. Add the sugars, blending well.
8. Add the eggs one at a time.
9. Stir in vanilla.
10. Add the flour mixture alternately with the banana mixture.
11. Mix well.
12. Spoon batter into the prepared pan and smooth surface.
13. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cake is golden brown on top and comes away from sides of pan.
14. Cool completely on cake rack.
15. Just before serving, dust top with powdered sugar, if desired.

Serves eight people.

Steak with Gingersnaps

Ingredients:
2 pounds beef round steak
Seasoned flour
Bacon drippings
2 onions, finely chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
6 peppercorns
4 whole cloves
2 cups beer
6 gingersnaps, crushed
2 or 3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Procedure:
1. Cut steak into cubes or bite-sized strips.
2. Dredge in seasoned flour and brown on all sides in small amount of bacon drippings.
3. Add onions, and saute until soft.
4. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper.
5. Tie bay leaves, peppercorns and cloves in a cheesecloth bag and add to beef.
6. Stir in beer.
7. Cover and simmer slowly 2 to 3 hours, or until beef is tender.
8. Thicken gravy with crushed gingersnaps; add lemon juice.
9. Serve with buttered noodles.

Serves six people.

Red Beans

Ingredients:
1 cup red beans, washed and drained
3 cups of water
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 large bay leaf, crushed

Procedure:
1. Cook beans in water.
2. Season with salt and bacon drippings, ham or other seasoning meat.
3. Cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
4. Add onion, garlic, celery, and bay leaf.
5. Continue to cook over low heat for 1/2 to 1 hour.
6. If beans become too dry, add heated water.
7. Two tablespoons of sugar improve the whole effect.
8. Serve with rice.

Serves four people.

Scrambled Eggs in Sour Cream

Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons butter
8 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Procedure:
1. Melt butter in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water.
2. In bowl, lightly beat eggs, sour cream, salt, and pepper with a rotary beater.
3. When combined, pour mixture into top of double boiler with butter.
4. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom as mixture begins to set.
5. Serve as soon as cooking is completed.

Serves six people.

Pepper Cheese Spread

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese
4 ounces bleu cheese
5 Tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Dash hot pepper sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Soften cheese and butter. Mix well.
2. Add remaining ingredients, stirring in enough bourbon to make a spreadable paste.
3. Refrigerate 24 hours.
4. Serve with crackers.

Makes two cups.

Simple Orange Chicken

Ingredients:
2 chickens, cut in pieces
Salt
Pepper
1 cup butter or margarine
2 (6-ounce) cans frozen orange juice
1 can slivered almonds
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin sections, or 1 bunch seedless grapes

Procedure:
1. Salt and pepper chicken.
2. Brown in butter. Arrange in large shallow baking dish.
3. Into remaining butter, pour frozen undiluted orange juice.
4. Mix and pour over chicken.
5. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes or 1 hour.
6. In the last 5 minutes, add mandarin sections, or grapes, and almonds, just to get them warm.
7. Extra gravy can be made with orange juice and butter.

Serves six people.

Broccoli Bisque

Ingredients:
1 large bunch broccoli
1 large onion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
28 ounces chicken broth
2 to 3 Tablespoons lime juice

Procedure:
1. Wash and trim broccoli.
2. Simmer broccoli, onion, curry powder, salt, pepper, and butter in broth about ten to fifteen minutes or until tender.
3.Process in blender or food processor until coarsely chopped. Do not puree.
4. Can be served hot or cold.
5. Pour lime juice on top before serving.

Serves eight people.

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Easy Fettucine

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine (room temperature)
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
8 ounces cream cheese
Freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup boiling water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces fettucine (cooked al dente and drained)
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Procedure:
1. Combine 1/4 cup butter, parsley, and basil in a medium bowl.
2. Blend in cream cheese; season with pepper.
3. Mix in water; blend thoroughly.
4. Set bowl in large pan of hot water to keep warm.
5. Melt remaining butter in large skillet over low heat.
6. Add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes being careful not to burn.
7. Add pasta and toss gently. Sprinkle with one-half cup cheese and toss again.
8. Transfer to serving platter and spoon sauce over top.
9. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and serve immediately.

Serves four people.

Goat Cheese and Garlic

Ingredients:
2 large heads garlic
16 ounces olive oil
11-ounce log Montrachet goat cheese
1-1/2 Tablespoons dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
French bread

Procedure:
1. Carefully separate garlic into cloves.
2. Peel, leaving cloves whole.
3. Place peeled garlic in a small saucepan and add just enough olive oil to cover well.
4. Cook very slowly over low heat until garlic cloves soften.
5. Remove from heat and cool.
6. Meanwhile, slice goat cheese in 1-inch rounds and place in a crock or jar with a tight-filling lid.
7. Add remaining olive oil, herbs, pepper and cooled garlic with its cooking oil.
8. Cover and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
9. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
10. Serve at room temperature with lightly toasted French bread.

Serves eight people.

Cheese Salad Sherbet

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup light cream
4-ounce package Bleu cheese, crumbled
2-1/2 cups milk

Procedure:
1. Combine sugar and lemon juice.
2. Blend cheese, milk and cream.
3. Add to sugar mixture.
4. Pour into 2 ice cube trays.
5. Freeze until firm. Break into chunks and beat with mixer until smooth.
6. Return to trays and freeze until firm.
7. Serve sherbet in small scoops with fresh fruit.

Serves eight people.