Flowerpot Chicken by CK

1 chicken, approx 4 lbs.

2 lbs red or white new potatoes

1 lb plum or roma tomatoes

2 med. onions (approximately 2 cups chopped)

2 med. green bell peppers

3-7 cloves of garlic (depending upon your taste)

1 tsp marjoram and/or thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper (double if using preground)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

3/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup Parmesan, asiago or other hard cheese, grated

Instructions:

In advance if possible set your chicken in an cold brine to soak--at least 30 minutes per pound, but not more than 8 hours total.

1 quart cool water

1/2 cup kosher Salt

1/2 cup sugar

12 peppercorns

6 allspice berries

3 whole cloves

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Mix the salt and sugar in the water, add the whole spices and submurge the chicken in the pot, cover and place in refrigerator's bottom shelf. Be careful not to let the water drip on anything! Place the pot in a shallow dish such as a pie plate lined with a few layers of paper towels to be extra safe.

Make a rub mixture of all dry spices (marjoram and or thyme, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and nutmeg).

Lay onions, tomatoes, garlic and green peppers into pre-soaked flower pot and pour 1/4 cup red wine over the veg mix.

Remove chicken from brine and dry with paper towels from under the pot, then lightly coat with olive oil and rub chicken liberally with spice mix, being sure to coat all over, inside and out!

Place chicken on the bed of vegies in the saucer, add a sprig of fresh rosemary and cover with the flower pot.

Place the whole thing into cold oven, turn temperature to 350* and bake for one hour without interuption.

At one hour open and remove top. Baste liberally with juices from under chicken.

Turn oven temp up to 500*

Sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan or other hard cheese of your choice and cook for another ten minutes uncovered.

Serve over brown rice.

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Merlin’s Stuffed Peppers by BDM

Cut thin slice from stem end of 6 bell peppers

Remove seeds and membranes. Rinse. Place in a deep saucepan, cover with water and boil 5 minites. Drain

Brown 1 lb ground beef and 2 T chopped onion, drain.

Prepare Spanish Rice mix per package directions.

Stir ground beef, rice and 1 can tomato soup together. Use mixture to fill peppers.

Stand peppers upright in ungreased 8 by 8 inch baking pan. Cover, and bake at 350˚ for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

PIZZA STROMBOLI by CK

1 oz. dry active yeast (or 1 oz. cake yeast)

1 c. warm water

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

For filling:

1/2 lb of each ham, pastrami, pepperoni, hard salami

1/2 lb of sliced mozzarella cheese

1/2 lb of sliced provolone cheese

Make dough first.

Yeast mixture:

Combine yeast, warm water and sugar. Mix lightly. Float olive oil on top of yeast mixture. Yeast should stand for 10 to 15 minutes and be bubbly on top before use. Stir in flour

Take half of prepared dough and flatten it out in a rectangle as long as cookie sheet and 8 inches wide. In the middle of the dough, layer fillings from one end to the other along the longest part of the dough. Beginning with ham, layer all the way down the center, then add next layer using mozzarella cheese, then layer pastrami, pepperoni, provolone, and finish with a layer of hard salami.

Flatten remaining dough and fold over as to enclose all ingredients. Put seam facing down on a very lightly greased cookie sheet.

Poke a few holes with fork in roll to allow for steam to escape.

Bake at 500 degrees till slightly brown - about 10-15 minutes. Do not preheat oven!

Remove and allow to cool slightly. May use a pizza sauce for dipping.

Cheese Biscuits by BDM

Preheat oven to 400˚

In a medium bowl combine: ½ c shredded Cheddar cheese

2 c buttermilk baking mix (Bisquick)

Add 2/3 c milk, stir just until combined and evenly moistened

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a parchment lined baking sheet

Place on second baking sheet. Place in upper third of oven.

Bake about 12 minutes or until just beginning to brown.

Slide parchment with biscuits off pan.

Melt 2 T margarine

Stir in ¼ t garlic salt or 1/8 t garlic powder plus 1/8 t salt

¼ t dried parsley flakes

Brush over hot biscuits, ready to serve.

Oriental Salad by Gena

Mix together: 1/3 c. vinegar

1/4 c. oil

1/2 c. sugar

2 packages Ramen seasoning (from Ramen noodle pack)

Just before serving toss with:

2 packages crushed Ramen noodles

3/4 - 1 c. slivered almonds

3/4 - 1 c. sunflower seeds

1 package cole slaw mix

Roast Beef Wraps by BDM

Mix together: 1/2 c. Miracle Whip

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 tsp. horseradish

Spread sauce mixture over flour tortilla.

Top with: 2 slices of thinly sliced deli roast beef

1 slice thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Slices of peeled cucumber

Fresh baby spinach leaves

Roll up jelly roll style, wrap in plastic wrap. Cut in half.

(1/2 lb. or roast beef and 1/2 lb. of cheese will make 4 wraps.)

Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie Bars by CK

1 cup butter, melted

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 ¼ cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa

¼ cup milk

1 ¼ cups chopped pecans

½ cup butter

10 oz pkg Peanut Butter Chips

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add flour, coca and milk; beat until blended. Stir in 1 cup pecans. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or just until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. In medium saucepan over low heat, melt ½ cup putter and peanut butter chips, stirring constantly. Stir in sweetened condensed milk until smooth; pour over baked layer. Place chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds or until chips are just melted; stir. Drizzle bars with melted chocolate; sprinkle with remaining pecans. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Messy Berries by BDM

Meringue:

Preheat oven to 175˚ Line large baking sheet with foil

Beat with an electric mixer until they turn white and hold soft peaks:

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

¼ t vinegar

Still beating, add 1/3 c granulated sugar a bit at a time. Keep beating, gradually adding ¼ c powdered sugar. Drop rounded teaspoons onto the baking sheet. Bake for 1 ½ hours. Turn off oven, DO NOT OPEN, and leave for 2 hours

Berries:

Bring 2 c of mixed berries (strawberries – hulled and sliced, blueberries, raspberries,) ½ c sugar and 1 T lemon juice to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Turn into a medium bowl and stir in 2 c more of mixed berries. Refrigerate.

Whipped cream:

When ready to serve, whip 1 c heavy cream and 1 t vanilla to soft peaks

Assemble:

In glass serving dish, layer whipped cream, crushed meringue puffs, and berries, repeating until full. Can cover and refrigerate several hours.