2 small bunches broccoli

½  C of mayonnaise                            1 T lemon juice

1t dry basil                                            1 T chopped pimento

1 tomato chopped                               salt & pepper to taste

¼ C chopped green olives

Trim broccoli and discard tough stems. Cook in boiling salted water until barely tender.  Drain well and cool. Separate into florets and slice the tender stalks. Blend mayonnaise, lemon juice, basil, pimento, tomato, olives, salt and pepper. Mix with broccoli. Chill slightly before serving. Makes four to six servings

4 T butter                               1 crushed clove of garlic

1 minced onion                    ¼ C breadcrumbs

1T parsley & chives             ½ green pepper minced

¼ t salt                                   1/8 t pepper

4 fillets (flounder or sole)

10 cooked shrimp (8 diced fine, 2 cut in half)

Melt 2 T of butter in skillet. Add garlic and onion and saute until lightly browned. Add green pepper, diced shrimp, crumbs, herbs and seasoning. Remove from the flame. Place 2 T of the sauted mixture on boned side of each fillet and roll up to enclose filling. Heat an oven dish with 2 T of butter in a 350 degree oven. When butter is melted, roll the fillets in the butter and place them flap side down, close together. This way they will not require being tied. If there is additional filling, poke it into open sides of the fish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Before serving, top with sauce. Garnish with ½ shrimp on each fillet. Serves four.

3/4 lb peeled, trimmed carrots

¼ lb snow peas trimmed

1 T butter                                       2 T  sesame seed

½ t garlic                                         1 T  light soy sauce

 2 T chopped chives or scallions

Slice carrots into julienne strips, about 1 ½ “ long. Slice snow peas ¼” wide. Put carrots in sauce pan with a little water. As soon as the water starts to boil, simmer for four minutes. Add the snow peas. Stir and cook 2 minutes.

Drain. Melt butter in a non stick frying pan. Add sesame, and move the sesame seeds around the pan until they turn light brown. Add the rest of the ingredients. Saute for one minute and serve.

2 lbs of chicken wings                        1/3 cup soy sauce

½ Cup of honey                                    1 T oil

2 T ketchup                                           ¼  t or 1 clove of garlic

1 t minced fresh ginger

Choice of preparation:

A) Mix honey, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger, oil and garlic. Dip chicken wings in it and bake at 375 degrees for one hour             OR

B) Mix ingredients and marinate the chicken wings overnight. Then Choose either (A) or (C) to cook the wings   OR

C) Follow Directions (A) . Place chicken wings in a crock pot and put it on low for several hours, Ideally set it  up in the morning to serve in the evening.

8 slices of white bread buttered / crusts trimmed

½ lb grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 eggs                   1  t salt                       ¼  t dry mustard

2 cups milk           3  t melted butter     ½ C  minced onions

8 oz of Italian sausage, optional

In skillet: Brown the sausage and bread; drain fat and add the onion. Saute briefly until onion becomes soft. Cut the bread into cubes. In a 2 quart casserole, layer bread cubes, sausage, mixture and cheese, ending with the cheese. Whisk together milk, eggs and seasonings. Pour over bread. Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Cover and refrigerate over night. To bake, set dish into larger pan of water. Place in oven and heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 1 ½ hours or until goldown brown and puffed. Serves six

In place of sausage you may substitute ham, bacon, lox, sautéed mushrooms, etc.

½ cup melted butter

2/3 cups minced parsley

1 medium head of garlic (6 – 8 cloves) peeled

¼  cup medium onion

4 t white wine

2 t lemon juice

½ t nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set mushroom caps in a shallow baking dish. Place remaining ingredients in processor and blend in high speed for 10 seconds. Spoon sauce into caps. Bake until butter sauce begins to bubble / about ten minutes. Place under broiler about one minute until sauce turns golden brown. Serve with French bread with white wine. Makes six servings

2 large green peppers                    2 large red peppers

4 Tablespoon of oil                         2 T.  white vinegar

1  T.  Sugar                                     1 anchovy mashed

1 med. Onion thinly sliced             1 crushed garlic clove

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut peppers in half, remove the membranes and blanch in boiling water for a minute or so. Drain and cool under cold running water. The peppers should stil be firm and crunchy. Cut them lengthwise in slices. Blend oil, vinegar, sugar, anchovy, onion, garlic salt and pepper. Toss with the peppers. Chill until serving time. Makes four savings.

4 pears                          ¼ cup apricot preserves

2 T brandy                     1/3 cup slivered almonds /  

                                                Strawberries

In 2 qt. saucepan, combine sugar and wine. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Peel pears, leaving them whole and stem intact. Add immediately into the syrup. Turn to coat on all sides.  Place pan over low heat and simmer gently until pears are tender. Turn from time to time. Cool pears in syrup to room temperature. Remove ¼ cup syrup and reserve. 

Apricot sauce: Combine preserves with brandy in small saucepan. Boil until preserves have melted. Add wine syrup to thin to desired consistency. Place one pear on each dessert plate. Spoon sauce over and sprinkle with almonds. Serves 4

2 eggs                           2 yolks

6 T sugar                       ¼ C Marsala

In top of double boiler, beat eggs yolks and sugar until thick and light. Beat in Marsala. Place over simmering water and continue beating until thick and foamy. Serve over fresh fruit or cake.

Zuppa Inglese

4 Slices pound cake                   2 Tablespoons  Rum

2 Tablespoons shaved chocolate           Brandy

Place cake on serving dishes. Sprinkle with rum and cover with Zabaglione.

Chill until serving time. Sprinkle with chocolate and brandy. Serves 4

Allow the cakes to cool after baking.  Remove one of the cakes from the pan. Place it on a dish that can be put in the freezer.

Place ice cream instead of  frosting on the top of the bottom layer of the cake. Place the other  cake layer.

Frost

Place in freezer uncovered only until the frosting is frozen. Cover the cake with a heavy aluminum foil.

Place it back into the freezer for the intended festive occasion. Enjoy!