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This week keeps the tradition of “Groundhog’s Day.” If the groundhog sees his shadow, the prediction is that 6 more weeks of winter weather will occur. If, on February 2, he does not see his shadow then the prediction is that winter will soon end. It’s an upside-down way of thinking. To celebrate, make it a tradition to feature the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
2 and 1/2 tsps. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 – 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
Mix the above ingredients together. Symmetrically set whole rings of pineapple in the bottom of a heavily greased baking dish. Pour the cake mixture on top of the pineapple rings.
Then, sprinkle with: 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 3/4 cup of walnuts on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. When the cake is done, poke holes in the cake to pour on the icing.
Icing
1 small can of evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla favoring
1 stick of butter or margarine
Bring the above ingredients to a boil in a pot on the stove. Pour onto the cake.
When the cake has cooled. Invert the cake onto a cake plate. Top the center of each pineapple ring with a Maraschino cherry.
For more fun, paint the dessert plates with chocolate to represent the shadow image of a groundhog. Life is fun!

This week marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Dragon. Many of the food selections utilized during the New Year holiday represent our comforts in life such as prosperity, longevity and good luck. Fish, generally, represent abundance and prosperity. A Mediterranean Scorpion fish is gourmet fish selection which has a head that looks similar to a dragon. Many families will enjoy a whole fish presentation for their holiday dining. Though the Scorpion fish has many bones, it can be cooked well in a soup or the meat of the fish can be mixed with Chinese noodles. A lettuce wrap that includes the fruit of oranges, the fruit of tangerines and peanuts can represent wealth, good luck and long-life. A dish of Asian orange chicken can add to the culinary excitement. For dessert try rice cakes with coconut.

With a colorful holiday like this, each plate presentation becomes an artist’s palette. A “dragon” for each plate can be built by using a yellow squash for the head and body. Slice off the bigger end of the squash for the “dragon” to sit up right. Use a small red pepper for his tongue. Use sliced olives for his eyes. Use two almond slivers for his horns. Use oriental kale for layers of multiple collars. For a longer body use half of an Italian zucchini and extend his kale collar to the edge of the two squash. Attach all of the above with cream cheese. The rule is, “if it goes on a person’s plate, all things must be edible.” A dragon’s roar of delight will be heard from your guests as they enjoy the plated creatures.

Don’t forget to decorate with red. Red envelopes containing money are a traditional gift from the parents to the children. Chinese red lanterns can decorate the table area. Some of the most spectacular theme floral displays combined with great dragons can be found in the major hotels in Las Vegas. It is a fun-filled holiday. Enjoy this world-class celebration and create your our prosperity, longevity and good luck.

January gives us an opportunity to get excited about life. With winter’s dim light, the mid-January season creates a need for the artistic spectrum of bright colors to showcase the table. Let your home entertaining glow with stimulating colors by setting out bowls of fresh lemons, limes and oranges. Bowls of yellow squash, eggplant and pomegranates add more to the table canvas. For an artist’s worthy menu, slice red, yellow and green bell peppers length-wise and fill each with your favorite lasagna recipe. (I only use the frilled edges of the lasagna pasta since the hollow space in the pepper is small.) Top each pepper with fresh Parmesan cheese for a vibrant delight.
Another multihued dish that I love to make is:
Shrimp and Mango Etouffee
In a pot on the stove sauté:
1/4 stick of butter
half of an onion, finely chopped
half of a green pepper, finely chopped
3 teaspoons of chopped parsley
Cook until tender – about 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper and a pinch of salt.
Add 1/2 lb. of peeled shrimp. Sauté just until lightly pink. Add 1 – 12 oz. can of tomato sauce, 3/4 can of dice Rotel® diced tomatoes and 1/2 cup of boiling water. Add a pinch of sugar. Simmer for about 40 minutes. Just before serving add diced mango. Serve with rice.

For lively winter dessert serve Cinnamon “Red Hot” Baked Apples. Remove the apple cores. Fill the core areas with “Red Hot” candies and a little water. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Paint your table with colorful food to feed your soul and inspire your guests for the New Year!
* Our applause goes the Picasso restaurant in the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. The cuisine and service this weekend were stellar and we can highly recommend this restaurant for a divine dining experience.

It’s the playoff season. Cheer with an entertaining “sports” menu.
Texas Queso Dip
32 oz. Velveeta Cheese, melted in microwave
3/4 of a 10 oz. can of Rotel® tomatoes
3/4 of a 15 oz. can of chili
Mix well and heat thoroughly. Serve hot with corn/tortilla chips

Chicken Enchiladas
Boil a chicken and reserve the best pieces. This can even be done the night before; refrigerate the chicken. Heat oil in a skillet to lightly fry corn tortillas. Only cook the tortillas one at a time for about 10 seconds. Drain on paper towels.
In a heat resistant oven pan, roll up the lightly fried corn tortillas with pieces of the cooked chicken. On the stove, in a sauce pan, heat 2 cups of sour cream and 16 oz. of green Mexican salsa. Mix well and pour over the top of the rolled up chicken tortillas (in the oven dish). Then top the dish with a light colored cheese. I prefer Swiss cheese. Heat in the oven until heated through and the cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Taco Salad
I always use organic ground beef. I can taste the difference. When feeding a hungry group, save some time and energy with a good taco spice mix. Brown according to directions. The taco salad makes a big impression when served in a large Teak wood salad bowl. Since the lettuce wilts, I line the sides of the bowl with grated lettuce and not the bottom of the bowl. Alternate layers the prepared meat, grated cheese, guacamole (with a little lemon to keep from turning brown), sour cream and diced tomatoes. Serve with taco shells.

Red Salsa Dip
1 – 15 oz. can of stewed tomatoes
3 Serrano peppers, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 chopped Cilantro leaves
1 tbl. of balsamic vinegar
2 tbls. of vegetable oil
1 tsp. black pepper
pinch of salt
Mix in a food processor and serve with chips.

Green Salsa Dip
3 large avocados, mashed
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Serrano peppers, chopped
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro 2 tsps. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sour cream
Mix in a food processor and serve chilled with chips.

Kelly’s Easy Fajitas al Carbon is listed in my Blog under Get Ready for the Holidays! (Nov. 27 – Dec. 3). Serve with tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, diced tomatoes and grated cheese.
All of these recipes create a winning combination for you and your family team!

Start the year with a gathering of neighbors and friends. The New Year is energized with exciting brunch concepts. Try these exciting worldly culinary concepts: Explore The Earth Florentine, Salmon and Avocado Tower, Eggs Benedict, Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon, Grand Mariner Blintzes, Fresh Herb Biscuits, Mini-Blueberry Pancakes, Fresh Fruit and Cheese, Lingonberries and a condiment tray that includes Sour Cream & Preserves. Set up a Cappuccino bar and offer Bloody Mary drinks and Champagne. Toast to a wonderful year ahead! Toast to the Exploration of the World and the Exploration of the Culinary Arts!
Explore the Earth Florentine
This is a brunch/main course selection that is formed by the use of a dome shape (a sphere bowl). Boil a whole chicken and reserve the best bits for this dish. Use about half of the chicken. On the stove, heat 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 1/4 stick of butter, 1/4 cup of flour, 1 cup of strained chicken stock, 2 tablespoons of cream and the reserved pieces of the half of a chicken.
In a separate pot, boil fresh spinach for 30 seconds. Drain by pressing the spinach between two plates. To complete this dish, enough spinach will be needed to line the dome shape and as a layering filler.
Line a sphere shaped bowl with plastic wrap. Carefully, line the bowl with a thin layer of the spinach leaves forming a outer layer for the “Earth.” Next, layer in the chicken mixture. Then, add a layer of chopped spinach. Add another layer of chicken and another layer of spinach until the bowl is filled. This can be refrigerated briefly and then reheated just prior to serving. Pour off any excess juice before unmolding. Unmold the dome by inverting onto a plate or serving platter. It an artful presentation and tastes delicious. The spinach green dome resembles the “Earth” shape for a fun theme. Serve by cutting it as you would cut a cake.
Salmon and Avocado Tower
The ease of the recipe is that the fresh salmon can be baked the night before. Bake a fresh, skinned, salmon fillet at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes. Before baking, sprinkle the fish with a generous about of Balsamic Vinegar & Pepper.
The next morning, crumble the salmon. Line small ramekins with plastic wrap. Put in a layer of avocado (food processed with sour cream) and salmon; then the avocado mixture again. When serving, simple invert the lovely towers on a plate or serving platter. Serve cold.
Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict has many variations, but basically it is an English muffin, Canadian bacon, a poached egg and a topping of Hollandaise sauce. When serving buffet style, never but the muffins directly onto the heated tray because the muffins will stick to the pan and dry out. Set the muffins onto hash browns or fine onion rings to lift the bread off of the heat.
* On a personal note, Michael and I experienced a lovely afternoon tea at the Hotel Granduca in Houston. It was a beautiful presentation and the ambience made us feel like we were visiting an Italian villa. We can highly recommend it for a true European oasis.

The light of friendship burns bright with our many talented friends who, like us, love to wine and dine. Our evergreen tree of friends includes, Ralph and Phyllis Ruiz who have touched our lives and made our lives better this year.
As a chef and as a food writer, I frequently measure life in a measuring cup and contemplate with a teacup; however, I would not be as participatory in life without full recognition going to Michael and Honni. Like water for our living tree-of-life, they revitalize and inspire me.
The Yule Log is our family tradition and it serves as a centuries’ old custom that is celebrated through the New Year. It can be the largest log to burn during the holiday season or it can be interpreted as a delightful dessert made to resemble a pastry log called Bûche de Noël. May your personal Yule Log burn bright into the New Year and may your New Year be filled of goodness, friendship and loved ones.
Bûche de Noël
3/4 Stick of Butter
1 Bag of Powdered Sugar
1/3 can of Evaporated Milk, as needed
Nutella®
Mix the above ingredients to make a “dough,” reserving enough powdered sugar to dust the pastry board with powdered sugar. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Cover the top of the rectangle with Nutella®. Roll up the dough like a jelly roll. Chill in the refrigerator.
When chilled, shape the roll into a log shape; create limbs by trimming the log. Cover the log with brown colored icing and dust with powdered sugar.

The Loft household has been a flurry of busy elves with cooking glitz, decorating sparkle and Jingle-Bella. That’s right, Jingle-Bella. Bella, the family dog – a Weimaraner, has supervised every aspect of the package wrapping, home for the holidays decor and yes, enjoyed the aromas from Kelly’s kitchen. Michael is the mixologist and the keeper of the flame in the fireplace. It’s a happy place with the relatives staying for the weekend and Christmas Dinner. We do feel blessed and for that thankfulness we will say a blessing prior to Christmas Dinner. Here is a sneak peak at the menu:
The Loft Cafe
Presents Christmas Dinner
Sunday, December 25, 2011

Champagne Welcome
Rosemary Crusted Lamb Noisettes
Smoked Salmon Canapés
Seared Scallops with Sherry Sauce (served in spoons)

First Course
Butternut Squash Soup

Second Course
Lobster with Dill Butter

Third Course
Citron Sorbet

Fourth Course
Veal Crown Roast with Mirliton Stuffing
Served with Caramelized Fennel, Caramelized Pear, Baby Carrots and Baby New Potatoes

Fifth Course
Trilogy of Cheeses

Sixth Course
Floating Islands

Christmas represents many celebratory aspects of life. “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”…we will remember the reason for the season and we wish you and yours a very Merry and Blessed Christmas.

Whether the student is a youngster or a scholar returning home from college, the moments spent at home during this season can create meaningful memories. I recommend a Christmas Tea. Tea’s warmth waits patiently for us when we are weary and serves to perk us up when we need to be revived. It is poured into individual cups; yet, it bonds the conversation of those gathered. Tea service is reminiscent of centuries past; however, it is never outdated.
Afternoon Tea is often confused with High Tea. Afternoon Tea is a cream tea because cream (Devonshire Cream and/or Clotted Cream) is served with scones and fruit jam as a first course. Cream, as liquid, is never offered for the tea beverage, only milk. Afternoon Tea is traditionally 3-courses. The second course will consist of tea sandwiches, Artful canapés with the crust removed is appropriate. I suggest smoked salmon, cucumber, chicken salad and watercress tea sandwiches. The third course will consist of delightful petit fours, tiny tarts and extraordinary pâtisserie bites of joy. Teatime is traditionally from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
High Tea is more of an evening meal concept. I like to create a High Tea on a cold winter’s evening with the fireplace glowing. I set up the tea table in front of the fireplace and serve more wholesome food such as Kelly’s Beef Braid, (Re: A Veteran Tribute in the Home in the Blog). More of my favorites include quiche, smoked fish or Yorkshire Pudding.
Allow tea to steep your family’s moments with great conversation and stories from the children’s school experiences. Finish your Christmas Tea with some mini fresh baked Christmas cookies, mini chocolate peppermint favored brownies or even Cherries Jubilee. It will be a Christmas to be remembered as quality family moments are shared.

Holiday parties are food events! Entertain with French style for creativity and inspiration.
Guests will be enchanted with a French pâtisserie called a Croquembouche. This glorious towering pastry design incorporates an abundance of round cream puffs into a cone shape (that is shaped like a Christmas tree) and it is held together with golden caramel.

For culinary grandeur, serve Fruits de Mer. This is a French style appetizer in which a large tray is elevated in the center of the table. The tray is filled with iced lobster, crab, oysters and seafood delicacies.

Cheese displays are exciting. I love to carve little mice from chunks of cheese. A radish can be used as a tail and cloves can be used for the eyes. A French consideration is to serve honey with blue cheese. I shape the Roquefort into a beehive formation and pour the honey inside. Then I set on marzipan shaped bees for decorations. It is attractive to display the honeycomb with the cheese, also.

As the end of the party is near, offer French style hot chocolate by simmering the hot chocolate with a split vanilla bean. Strain before serving and intrigue the guests as you pour the delicious chocolate from an authentic chocolate pot. A porcelain chocolate pot looks similar to a porcelain coffee pot except the spout is at a right angle to the handle instead of being directly across from the handle. There is an open space in the lid to hold a wooden spoon called a molinet for stirring. The hot chocolate will warm the hearts of your guests and may take off an alcoholic edge as the guests begin to exit.

Entertaining does not have to be expensive. By providing a few dynamic food features and an international flare, your guests will delighted. May your entertaining season be “joie de vivre” – the joy of life.

It’s time to celebrate the organized week to have more time to “Deck the Halls.” Planning ahead helps take pressure off. Throughout the year and especially this week, I tend to cook more than one meal on Sunday. The versatility of a braised chuck roast is perfect since it can simmer, slowly, for 4 hours uninterrupted. Sear it & cover it, just to the top, with spring water. Pour on 2 cans or 2 jars of your favorite onion soup, add 1 whole peeled onion & season. Finish with fresh carrots and potatoes, if desired. Here is the best part. If you don’t eat the roast the day you prepare it, it can be magnificently transformed into wonderful meals that are fast and easy because the meat is cooked. Let the culinary transformation begin:

Fajitas al Carbon. In olive oil, sauté a thinly sliced onion & a green pepper. Once tender, add the sliced cooked roast. Add 1/4 cup of Balsamic vinegar & season. Toss & heat thoroughly. Serve with tortillas, guacamole, sour cream and shredded cheese.

Beef Pot Pie en Croute. Create your favorite stew mixture to include the beef broth from the roast (thickened), sliced carrots, small potatoes, peas & pearl onions. Heat until all the vegetables are tender. Pour the stew into individual ramekins and top with frozen puff pastry. Bake and serve hot.

Roast Beef Roulade. Prepare mashed potatoes very stiff. Smooth out the mashed potatoes onto a large rectangle of baking parchment paper. Add an thin layer of thinly sliced pieces of cooked roast mixed with fresh herbs. Beginning at one end, gently roll the roulade to form a loaf. Heat, slice & serve.

Beef & Potato Latkes. With the food processor, shred peeled fresh zucchini (2 cups), shred fresh peeled potatoes (1 cup), shred fresh peeled carrots (1 cup) and minced fresh onion (1/4 cup). Mix in 1 cup of cracker meal, 2 eggs and small bits of tender cooked roast. Pan fry the latkes until cooked.

Shepherd’s Pie. Cook and create fluffy mashed potatoes. Cut the cooked roasted into small bites. Heat & season the meat with 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, Provencal herbs, minced sautéed onion, salt & pepper. In a greased pan, layer the beef mixture with the potatoes on top. Top this with Gouda cheese and dry bread crumb sprinkles. Heat & serve.

Oriental Ginger Beef & Broccoli. Marinate the cooked sliced roast meat in 2/3 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon of corn starch & 1 teaspoon of ground fresh ginger root. Stir fry broccoli tops. Add the marinated beef, with the marinate and continue to stir fry. Serve with rice.
Pâté of Roast. In a greased glassware loaf pan, layer fine pieces of cooked roast (seasoned with tarragon), asparagus set length-wise, pistachios and thin cooked carrots set length wise. Pour on aspic flavored with clear beef broth and dissolved gelatin. Chill and serve with a loaf fresh bread.

Roast Wellington. Sauté mushrooms until tender. Add fresh herbs & 6 oz. (1/2 bottle) of Stonewall Kitchen’s Vidalia Onion Fig Sauce. Set out a frozen puff pastry rectangle. Top with the sliced cooked roast meat. Top with the mushroom mixture. Cover with another puff pastry sheet or cut that sheet into lattice strips for appeal. Bake according to directions. Serve hot.

Puff Pastry Cups à la Bœuf. Heat the frozen puff pastry cups according to directions. Fill each cup with bits of roast and thickened seasoned sauce. Sprinkle with fresh herbs.

Classic Southern Stew. In a large pot add spring water, 1 – 12 oz. can of tomato sauce, fresh herbs, peeled carrots, peeled parsnips & peeled new potatoes. When the root vegetables are tender, add the sliced cooked roast. Season, add 3 tablespoons of fresh butter & 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add a sprinkling of macaroni noodles. Serve when the macaroni is cooked.

Beef Rolls Stuffed with Prosciutto & Gherkins. Cut the cooked roast into long thin slices. Top each slice with a thin slice of Prosciutto. Place Gherkin (pickles) on top of that & gentle roll the beef into a tight roulade. Serve with potato salad.

Beef Quiche. In a large bowl blend by hand, small pieces of cooked roast, 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1 cup of pecans, 1 cup of finely chopped celery. Place the mixture into a browned pie shell. Top with, first, cheddar cheese and, second, finely crumbled potato chips. Bake until heated & serve hot.

All so easy. All so fast. All these meals leave extra time for wrapping packages, shopping on-line or dreaming around the fireplace. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving gives us a moment to show gratefulness for the bounty of our food. Stylish presentation not only enhances the table setting but an imaginative presentation will add excitement to the meal. I always try very hard to create an artist design with the table composition. Frequently, many cooks and even some chefs offer “piled-on” dressing. May I suggest putting the dressing into a decorative crown or ring mold (lightly sprayed with no-stick cooking spray) and then plating it on a lovely pre-heated tray. The crown mold and ring mold designs can provide ledges to decorate with fresh cranberries. Smaller molds shapes such as those used for mini fruit cakes can be used to highlight individual servings of dressing.
Try another helpful tip by adding a touch of Chambord liqueur (from the Loire Valley) to your favorite cranberry recipe. This wonderful French liqueur, flavored with black raspberries, infuses the cranberries to delight the palate. Unflavored gelatin can be added (by following the gelatin directions) to your favorite cranberry sauce and then set the cranberry mixture into a mold for a stunning presentation. It takes a little bit more effort to plate food artistically but from the initial joy of the visual appeal, the delectable aroma and then the pleasurable taste, endearing relationships are kindled for those who have gathered during the stylish and thoughtfully planned Thanksgiving meal.
Another special thing that can be done to enhance the family moment is to ask everyone, just after dessert, to write a short time capsule message of what they would like to accomplish in the coming year until next Thanksgiving. The host keeps the messages of the attendees. Have fun the following year by seeing how the participants’ plans stayed on course or deviated. It’s engaging and a great conversation booster that is sure to bring some laughter to the table.

Some of my fondest memories are those that evoke the images of time spent with my grandparents. Their homegrown vegetables and fruits taught me canning skills. More importantly, I learned that agricultural cycles were inexplicitly intertwined with my family’s sense of bonding. We gathered the harvest together, we prepared meals together and we dined together. There was a large grove of pecan trees behind their home. In November, with the north wind in pursuit, I gathered the autumn treasures for golden and bronze pies that marked the beginning of the Thanksgiving season. In honor of my grandparents and National Georgia Pecan Month, enjoy the Garden & Grove Table Celebration.
MUSHROOM PECAN APPETIZERS
Toast & crumble (in the food processor) 3 slices of onion buns Finely chop 3/4 cup of pecans (in the food processor) In a bowl, stir in the 2 above ingredients and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Salt & pepper as needed.
Break off the stems of fresh mushrooms. (Reserve for another dish.) Heat 1/4 stick of butter in skillet. When hot, add 1/4 cup of Sherry & stir. Place the cleaned mushroom caps in a skillet. Sauté and baste the caps by cooking at a low simmer and turning the mushrooms.
When the mushrooms are tender, remove and place each onto a baking sheet with the cap up. Fill each mushroom cap with the mixture. Drizzle the sauce onto each mound to add more flavor.
Heat just prior to serving.

KELLY’S PECAN CRUSTED CHICKEN
In a bowl mix together:
1 cup of sour cream 1/2 cup of buttermilk 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper Marinate, at least one hour 1, a package of fresh chicken breast tenders (the tendon may be removed if time permits)
Roll the marinated & chilled chicken tenders in: Finely chopped pecans mixed with 2 teaspoons of orange zest.
Slice 2 oranges to create 1/4 inch thick slices. Line a casserole dish with the sliced oranges. Place the crusted chicken tenders on top of the orange slices. Bake 350 degrees until thoroughly cooked. (About 30 minutes) The orange flavor will be infused into this delicious main course.

NANNY’S PECAN PIE
2/3 cup sugar 3 eggs (beaten) 1 cup white or dark syrup 2 Tablespoons of melted butter 1 teaspoons vanilla flavoring 2 teaspoons of almond flavoring 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar 1 cup pecan halves or chopped
Combine the ingredients & mix well. Prepare your favorite pie crust. Pour the mixture into an unbaked pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 (arrange any pecans halves that may have shifted or that you may wish to create a symmetrical design). Finish the pie at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.
* As a note to tea enthusiasts, I purchased a new hat for a tea party that I am officiating the tea service. The choice was from Polly Singer’s collection. Très Bon, Polly! The hat is beautiful and Polly’s service, style and shipping was impeccable. I can highly recommend her hats.

This week we salute our American veterans with Veterans’ Day. It is also National Split Pea Soup Week. Create a teachable moment for youngsters and honor those who helped to preserve our freedoms with a family-style meal. Enjoy of menu of Split Pea Soup, Kelly’s Beef Braid and Mom’s Apple Pie. Tell an interesting aspect of American history during this shared family moment.
SPLIT PEA SOUP
Follow the instructions on the package of Split Green Peas (16 oz.). This can be cooked on top of the stove or in a crock pot. Add several slices of Serrano Ham (found in the deli section of many grocery stores). It will warm your home and provide a heartwarming taste.
KELLY’S BEEF BRAID
In a skillet: Brown 2 pounds of lean ground meat. Remove & drain completely.
In the skillet: Brown with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion, 1/2 cup of chopped black olives, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, 1/2 teaspoons of ground cloves, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 3/4 cup diced apples, 1/2 cup slivered almonds & 5 medium peeled drained finely chopped tomatoes (canned tomatoes acceptable). Stir the browned ground meat back into the mixture.
Lay out a sheet of frozen puff pastry. Cut 6 inch strips of 3/4 inch wide. (A pizza wheel cutter works well.) With a second sheet of frozen puff pastry, cut a solid rectangle of puff pastry the length of the rectangle baking pan. On a greased baking pan, place the pastry rectangle. With a touch of water, adhere the strips to the backside to the rectangle leaving the strips free to lace over the top of the beef. Space the strips 1/2 apart.
Scoop the meat mixture onto the rectangle and fold the strips over the top of the meat in a criss-cross pattern. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 375 degrees.
MOM’S APPLE PIE
Prepare your favorite Pie Crust (double the recipe for enough Dough to create the pie top).
Prepare 2 sticks of melted Butter 6 Sliced Red Delicious Apples (completely peeled if preferred) Coat the peeled Coat the Apples with the melted Butter
In a bowl, thoroughly mix 3/4 cup Sugar, 1/3 cup Flour & 3 tablespoons Cinnamon.
Fill the Pie Crust with layers of Apple & the Sugar mixture. Attach the Dough for the pie top and seal the edges. Bake at 400 degrees for a total of 40 to 45 minutes. (Check the pie after 30 minutes.) During the last 10 minutes of baking, brush on an Egg White wash to create a golden brown crust. The aroma and the home-baked flavor will put smiles on everyone’s faces.

Halloween and harvest parties abound. For a fun dish of “Mole in the Hole” Try mixing 1 cup of Mahatma uncooked rice into your favorite meatloaf recipe (per 1 lb. of ground beef) and then shape the meat into multiple oval shapes (the Moles). Bake. Then, top one end of each “Mole” with sliced green olive eyes. Simultaneously, bake acorn squash, with cinnamon and butter, that has been cut to form an igloo shape. Serve the “Mole” with acorn squash over him so that he appears to be hiding in his “Hole.” It’s an inexpensive dish and entertaining for children.
Ghostly Floating Islands
Prepare instant pistachio pudding and pour a shallow amount into individual serving bowls. Refrigerate. Whip your favorite sweetened stiff meringue. On the stove, simmer 1 quart of milk. Gently place a heaping scoop of meringue (one at a time, per serving) into the hot milk. Using wooden spoons, turn once and lift onto the chilled pistachio pudding in the bowls. It’s a ghostly sight!
Soup warms the soul but there are times when time runs short. I just tried Williams-Sonoma’s Butternut Squash Puree. To the 2 lb. jar of Butternut Squash Puree, I added 1- 1/4 cup of chicken stock, a touch of Sherry, 1 – 5oz. jar of Kraft Old English Sharp Cheese Spread and a touch of cream. It is delicious!