Auntie Marcie’s

Family Favorites from the Heart

Homemade

Homemade Entertainmnentpublished by

PLATTERS…And all my favorite recipes

1980 to 2013and recipes from the heart...and recipes from my heart...

Dedicated toHillary, who asked me for

the Latka recipe and to Megan, who asked me for

the eggplant recipe...

3.

Table of Contents

Introduction....................................................................................

Little Notes......................................................................................

Drinks, Before, During & After.......................................................

Appetizers and Accompaniments....................................................

Soups...............................................................................................

Salads & Sandwiches......................................................................

Pasta and Sauces.............................................................................

Casseroles.......................................................................................

Eggs................................................................................................

Fish................................................................................................

Poultry.............................................................................................

Meats..............................................................................................

Vegetables & Sides.........................................................................

Desserts...........................................................................................

The Jewish Calendar.......................................................................

We Don’t Eat Like This Everyday..................................................

Acknowledgements.........................................................................

4.

IntroductionThe kids and I traveled to Florence in the summer of 1998 where I bought a beautiful hand bound leather cookbook with blank pages. It sat empty on the shelf until one day in 2005. Megan asked me for the eggplant parmesan recipe, again, and I finally took her seriously. I picked up a pencil, started writing, and 4 weeks later, with barely having to refer to a printed recipe, I had filled the whole thing in. I gave it to her for Christmas.

Hillary came home for Passover with a friend. They both wanted to learn how to make potato latkes. Then she asked me to come to Boston and the two of us prepared soup, roast chicken and latkes from her tiny apartment kitchen for her CFA class.

Hillary continued to cook for herself and called frequently with emergency preparation questions. I realized the kids would one day want it all, the recipes, the family favorites, written with care while I could still remember the details. I decided to add pictures and give it to family and friends whenever they asked for a recipe.

I especially enjoyed writing the Jewish Holidays section. I am exhilarated to imagine the kids taking over . When they ask, “How did she do it?” it will be right here.

Typing the recipes proved to be more difficult than I thought. I showed some to cousin Carol in Napa who pointed out the need to be much more precise; difficult for me, a diehard improviser. I frequently change ingredients at the last minute, and adjust a recipe because I can see it looking differently in my mind’s eye. I am very visual, adaptable and creative in the kitchen. It relaxes me. I am happiest when preparing and serving food to family and friends.

Have fun, try everything, make changes, and most importantly, make it your own.

With love from me to you,

Marcie Polier Swartz2010

A NOTE ON GARLIC: You will notice that garlic in all its forms - raw, salt, powder, dried, even garlic greens and green garlic - is absent from this book (except for one recipe. See if you can find it…) Why? Because in my opinion garlic is too strong, cloying, overpower-ing and overused today. Nothing can spoil beautiful fresh vegetables and meats faster than hunks and chunks of overly pungent garlic. Further, there is the constant debate. Is she really allergic to garlic or does she just not like it? I finally get to state in print that garlic coats the inside of my mouth and makes it dry, gives me heart palpitations, and if I make the infrequent mistake of actually eating it, ask Dave or Uncle Brad how the odor oozes from every pore, fills the room and stays with me for two days. So you tell me, am I allergic? Feel free to add it to any recipe to your taste. This collection reflects mine.

5.

Little NotesYou know I don’t cook with garlic. It makes me feel sick. But you can add garlic, fresh or lightly sautéed, to any of these recipes. My philosophy is resolute. Food cooked without garlic almost always tastes better! Use it sparingly. Always try to buy fresh baby garlic. The big dry bulbs have been around so long, and taste too severe. NEVER use garlic salt or garlic powder. They are truly bad ingredients.

Parsley…my favorite ingredient. I prefer the curly leaf to the flat Italian. It has more flavor and texture. When in doubt, use more…

Always keep your oil refrigerated because oil turns rancid at room temperature. You never know how long the oil has been on the shelf when you buy it or how much heat it has been exposed to, which all contribute to its life span at room temperature. You will never use it fast enough to be able to keep it fresh at room temperature. Same with butter. It is so nice at room temperature, but it will go rancid every time. My advice is to keep them cold and gently heat before use. A small inconvenience for fresh oil and butter.

Refrigerate, or freeze your flour…just do it. Flour contains oil and the oil turns rancid. Nothing is worse than forgetting to smell the flour for freshness and the recipe tastes a little “off.” Then it gives everyone a stomach ache. Keeping it cold makes it heavy, so always use a little less when measuring. I always use 1-2 T. less flour than called for. It’s a secret. Less flour makes the recipe taste better and lighter.

Don’t throw anything away. Dave is always saying, “This is too old, can’t we throw it away?” No! Make a soup. Wilted greens, wilted veggies, old onions…cut away the old sections (do not use any-thing spoiled or moldy) and make soup. If you learn how to make your own stocks, then soups, sauces and gravies, will become a snap. Just make it…it will make your cooking taste incredible. And eat soup at least once a week. It’s good for you. It helps us stay slim. “Soup is so great. Eat soup. Be Happy.” I said that.

Think creatively. That is the secret to enjoying cooking. In the 80’s, I was leafing through an issue of Sunset Magazine without my glasses and saw a picture of a stuffed squash. It looked incredible. From the image in my head, I roasted the whole squash, and stuffed it with baked beans and sliced peaches. I made it that way for years. Then I found the old magazine. Turns out they had stuffed the squash with pork stew! The little yellow chunks that I thought were peaches were really scoops of the squash! I cracked up!

If you run low, you can extend ground meat with ground mushrooms. Pulse in a Cuisinart until it looks the same as the ground meat, sauté and add to the meat mixture. It adds great flavor and lightens it up, too.

Always put your leftovers on a pretty plate and cover them with plastic wrap. They will look better and people will actually want to eat them. If you dump them in a plastic bag they will get soggy in their juice. You will end up wasting a good bag not to mention throwing the food away.

6.

Little NotesHave fun buying platters. Serve the same dishes in the same platters so that you associate certaindishes visually with your platters. I always make the grapefruit salad in the floral platter and the Mexi-can layered dip in the crystal platter.

How can you cook with all this butter, fat, meat, salt, and stay slim? Only use natural sea salt. Don’t combine protein and carbs in the same meal…that means no pasta with the lamb shanks…(except on special occasions...we have alot of special occasions...).

Mashed roots are incredible. Substitute for potatoes at every opportunity. I only make mashed potatoes once a year…on Thanksgiving!

Salt and pepper, bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, basil and parsley are the most used spices and herbs.

Simple recipes taste the best.

“So many recipes, so little time.” I said that.

Maria loves to pick out flowers for our party table flowers...fill the house with as many little vases of flowers as you can for parties. Stretch them with greens from your pretty green trees and bushes. If there are no flowers, just use the greens, they look fresh and great.

7.

Drinks...Before, During & AfterFresh, Homemade MargaritasJuice of 5 or 6 limesJuice of 2 lemonsTotal juice should amount to ¾ cup.1 cup Triple Sec1 cup Herradura or other excellent quality tequila

Dave and I love to serve the margarita’s over ice with no salt. To make slushy blended margaritas, combine with ice in a VitaMix or other high poweredblender.

For the salt lovers, take a lime wedge, wipe the rim to moisten, then dip in kosher salt. Garnish with the wedge. Very pretty. We make these alot.-

Beer Margaritas(Sounds yucky but they are so good).

½ c. chilled tequila - Herradura or other excellent brand½ c. frozen limeade concentrate2 cold bottles of your favorite beer¼ c. coarse salt1 lime cut into eighths

Rub lime around glass rims. Dip into salt. In a pitcher, combine beer, limeade and tequila. Fill glasses with ice, then pour in drink mixture. Garnish with lime slice.

Beer Bloody Mary’s(Sounds yucky but they’re not...)

1 c. beer1 c. your favorite tomato juice or Bloody Mary mix.

Add garnishes like a lemon wedge or a stalk of celery.

Force it on your snobby friends...

8.

“A dry martini,” [Bond] said. “One. In a deep champagne goblet.”“Oui, monsieur.”“Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”“Certainly, monsieur.” The barman seemed pleased with the idea.“Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,” said Leiter.

Bond laughed. This drink’s my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I can think of a good name.”

— Ian Fleming, Casino Royale

The Vesper Martini3 measures of Gordon’s Gin1 measure of vodka

Bond eventually calls it The Vesper, named after the novel’s lead female character, Vesper Lynd.The Lillet Bond speaks of is white or blond Lillet. It is not very well known but it should be, it is so delicious. It has been made in Franch since the late 1800’s.

Bloody Mary Martini’sYou won’t believe how utterly sublime these are. We had them over and over again at the restaurant next to the Commonwealth Hotel every time we visited Hillary. It became a tradition and we were so sad when they closed. The bartender gave me his recipe and a jar of martini tomatoes. The airline wouldn’t let me take them on the plane and I almost walked home from Logan…

Take 4 or so fresh tomatoes, chop and strain the juice so you will have approximately one cup.

Add to taste:Horseradish

Combine juice with your favorite vodka in a shaker with ice.Pour into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with pickled martini tomatoes and olives. Mmmm good.Garnish with pickled martini tomatoes and olives

9.

1/2 measure Lillet lemon peel for garnish

WorcestershireLemon juice

Finely ground pepper Celery SaltTobacco

Fresh Homemade Lemonade

One cup of freshly squeezed lemon juiceOne cup of sugarSprigs of freshly picked chocolate mintand or spearmint

Take the cup of sugar and boil it with a little water until it is melted and smooth. You don’t want gritty sugar in the lemonade.You want to melt it.

Combine the juice, sugar syrup and add water to taste. It is different every time…why? Because the juicyness of the lemons varies……it’s ok…just to taste is the best way to describe how to make it.

Then put the mint sprigs into the warm lemonade and refrigerate it all. To serve, fill pitcher with ice and add fresh sprigs of mint so you can see the mint and the ice through the pitcher. Very pretty. Add a fresh sprig to each glass and fill. They will ask for more. There is never enough. And YES, you can make it with Splenda. I do it for Uncle Brad all the time. Just add the Splenda to the lemon juice/water mixture. No need to make simple syrup out of it.

Spa WaterSpa water is flavored water. When you have a garden you can make all kinds of Spa Water. Take some sprigs of Stevia (yes, yes you can grow it) and Chocolate Mint from your garden. Wash them off and put them in a pitcher of water then add flavoring of your choice: a sliced orange, a slice lemon, a sliced cucumber or a potpourri.

LilletI like to serve Lillet cocktails before beautiful parties like showers, or luncheons. It comes in blond or red. It is served cold with ice cubes. I like to serve the red with fresh raspberries and coarsely crushed. Place a spoonful in the bottom of your most beautiful glassware. Fill with a few ice cubes and chilled red Lillet. You can use frozen raspberries in place of the ice cubes.I like to serve the blond deeply chilled with a slice of orange. You can mix and match. You can serve the blond with the raspberries and the red with the orange. Lillet tastes like a fruity sherry. If you like sherry (I’m crazy for it) you will love Lillet. One of my favorite Martini’s...we made them at our great WPO Oscar Bash of 2007. Bond specifies a grain vodka instead of potato vodka...I’m crazy for the Lillet.

We like our lemonade tart…that is the secret

to really good lemonade. When it is too sweet, it is just

tastes terrible.

10.

Kahlua - White Russian, Black Russian and Kahlus and CoffeeReally, I was drinking them before The Big Lebowski.

For a white Russian, fill the glass with ice. Add vodka and kahlus. Float the milk on top.

You can also add a banana and more ice and blend it milkshake style. My personal fave.

I also like to add Kahlua to coffee after the meal or anytime I am super cold, like on a rainyday. I also like Irish Whiskey and coffee. Omit the sugar and cream. It is better straight.

BeerDave likes beer. Corona Light is his favorite. He also likes Pilsner, Urkell and many othersin this category.

I like Dos Equis Dark, Dortmunder Dark and Guiness. Yum.

Johnny Walker BlueOur favorite Scotch.

We drink it neat...that means without ice. It is the most delicious Scotch. Cousin Jim taughtus to put little drops of water into our Scotch until it goes down smooth. That is fun and very interesting but the Blue needs no water...it is perfect the way it is.

11.

Appetizers and AccompanimentsParmesan Cheese CrispsAn old standard and my favoritehot appetizer…

½ c. minced onion½ c. mayo½ c. grated parmesan cheeseminced parsleymelba toast rounds, 1 box

Combine all ingredients and chill in the fridge. It thickens. Spoon onto melba toast rounds. Broil under hot broiler for a few minutes until golden brown. Serve hot. Really good. The cheese, mayo, onion combo is terrific. You can vary the proportions to taste. Debbie, my caterer uses white bread rounds… she likes it that way. Raw Zucchini Rounds would be great, now that I think of it, and raw thin sliced beet rounds...I’ll try that next time. And add minced parsley...I do.

Aunt Diane made these for Thanksgiving one year. I couldn’t

believe how good they were and asked for the recipe. She sent it to me on a

pretty blue 3x5 recipe card. I just loved that card.

Artichoke Nibbles - Antie Marcie Style

The list of ingredients are the same but the details have changed...I use seasoned bread crumbs, more of everything, especially parsley. In fact I usually double the recipe and make it in an 11 x 7 pyrex dish. Why? Because they are such a crowd pleaser…and of course, I have left out out the garlic.

Preheat oven to 325o

2 jars marinated artichoke hearts1 small onion, minced4 eggs¼ c. seasoned Italian Bread Crumbs (Progresso)¼ t. salt¼ t. pepper¼ t. dry oregano¼ t. Tabasco…or a bit more!8 oz. or 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese2 T. minced parsley (I always use more) Drain marinade from one jar of artichokes directly into frying pan. Drain other jar and save for other uses. Chop all artichokes. Set aside. Heat marinade in pan and sauté onion until soft – 5 minutes.In a bowl beat eggs to blend. Stir in crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, Tabasco, cheese, parsley, artichokes, and onion mixture. Pour into greased 7 x 11 inch baking pan, spread evenly. Bake in 325° oven until center of custard feels set when lightly touched…about 30 minutes.Let cool in pan. Cut into 1-inch squares. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.

12.

This recipe canbe made ahead

and frozen.

Best Foccacia …Onion and Olive1 loaf Bridgeford Frozen Bread Dough1 pint your favorite olivesAnchovy paste2 onions, chopped

Thaw bread. Saute onions in olive oil until golden brown and caramelized. Chop pitted olives in foodprocessor very fine. Add 1 T. anchovy paste or moreto taste.

Press bread into bottom of 9 x 13 baking pan. Spread with olive mixture. Sprinkle onions on top.

Bake at 325o until done.

Lydia made this at the first Christmas party at her Ground Zero Liberty Street apartment. It was right next store to the Fed...don’t get me started...but I loved that apartment and this bread.

13.

Appetizer Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 300°

¼ c. grated parmesan cheese ½ c. cream⅓ c. fine bread crumbs ½ lb. bacon3 ½ - 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese 1 medium onion4 lg. eggs 2-3 drops Tabasco½ lb. bleu cheese, gorgonzola. I salt and pepperreplace part or all of the bleu cheesewith spicy jack or chedder. Combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and press into a buttered watertight 8-inch spring form pan.

1 T. each minced parsley and chives.

Sauté bacon. Combine cream cheese, eggs and cream. Sauté onion in the bacon drippings. Chop the bacon. Add to cheese mixture with bleu cheese, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Pour into pan. Set inside larger pan. Pour boiling water 2 inches deep. Bake 1 hour 40 minutes at 300°. Turn off oven and let set for 1 hour. Cool 2 hours. Garnish with chopped greens.

14.

Mom used Lawry’sgarlic bread spread.

Spread along with thebutter and all the toppings.

Wish I could...Snobs will scoff and

tell you to rub the breadwith raw garlic...but it’s

too sharp. Don’t do it. It overpowers

the meal.

Jalapeno Cheese Bread1 loaf Bridgeford Frozen Bread Dough2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese – yellow for visual effect.10 tempered jalapeno peppers, sliced

Thaw bread. Mix in cheese and peppersPlace in loaf pan and let rise to loaf size.

Bake 325o for 20 mins.

Cool before slicing a must.

My Favorite ‘Non’ Garlic Bread

1 large fresh in paper bag French bread, sliced in half lengthwiseSesame seedsPaprikaParmesan cheeseButter or Brummel & Brown (the only margarine I will use)

Butter exposed halves. Butter again liberally with Lawry’s spread. Sprinkle liberally with grated parmesan, sesame seeds, paprika and chopped parsley.

Broil close to flame. Watch carefully.

Bubbe’s Favorite AppetizersBubbe made 4 appetizers -

Egg Salad, Tuna Salad and these two...

Lamb RibletsMy mother made these when I was a kid. Now that I am buying fresh grass grazed lambs from Rindonada Dairy, I have riblets…which are impossible to find any other way.

Mix together orange marmalade and Chris & Pitts BBQ Sauce, 1 t. vinegar (might be 1 T., mom can’t remember). Pour over ribs and bake at 350°. De-fat. Reheat and serve.

Bubbe’s Sweet and Sour MeatballsBubbe used ground beef, but I use ½ lb. ground chicken and ½ lb.ground turkey. Use 1 jar Welch’s Grape Jelly and 1 jar of Chris & Pitts BBQ Sauce. Mix some sauce into the meat before forming the meatballs.

Heat jelly and sauce until combined. Simmer meatballs in sauce until cooked through about 20 minutes. “They can’t be good, who cooks like this today?” You ask. “Oh yes they can, just make them!” I said that.

15.

16.

Hummus1 can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed⅓ cup tahini¼ c. lemon juice¼ t. ground cumin

Drain garbanzo beans, and rinse to remove the residue from the canning liquid. It tastes terrible. In food processor, combine rinsed beans, tahini, salt, cumin, cayenne and lemon juice until smooth. Add water and process until white and fluffy. You will have a light as air beautifully coiled smooth paste. Adjust seasonings, you may need a teaspoon more lemon juice or a ¼ t. more salt depending on your brand of beans. Put it in the fridge and let it get COLD. Then before serving, spoon it onto a flat plate and coil it prettily, it should be the consistency of a soft frosting…

MY FAVORITE GARNISHES: Pour a thin stream of extra virgin olive oil directly on top letting it pool up in the coils.

A dusting of cayenne pepper and cumin, a fresh sprinkling of paprika, A fist full of finely chopped parsley – yes right on top.

Before serving, I swirl it with a chopstick. That leaves most of the garnish on top but swirlssome in for flavoring. Then I let it sit like that on the buffet while coming to room temperature. Variation: add a jar of drained red peppers/pimentos to food processor and puree together. This makes Red Pepper Hummus, my personal fave.

NOTE: You must make sure the tahini is fresh. It is like oil, it goes bad and most people don’t even know it. It must be stirred and kept in the refrigerator immediately after purchase. It must be smelled for freshness before every use. If it smells like old oil, rancid at all, discard.

¼ t. cayenne pepper½ t. salt¼ c. water⅓ c. chopped parsley

Tahini Dip

⅓ c. Tahini2 T. Lemon Juice2-4 T. WaterCayenne pepper to taste

Combine to taste in food processor.

Tahini Dip is so versatile.It makes an excellent salad dressing, just add minced

parsley, tomatoes and green onion. Spoon it overcooked vegetables or

on a baked potatoinstead of sour cream.

Raw Zucchini DipIt tastes a lot like hummus only lighter. 2 zucchini, peeled and chopped½ c. raw tahini¼ c. fresh lemon juice2 T. olive oil2 t. sea salt½ t. ground cumin1/8 t. CayenneBlend all ingredients in food processor until thick and smooth. Proportions may need to be adjusted becausefresh and storebought zucchini behave differently.If it’s too thin, add a bit more tahini.

Megan and I found this recipe in Cool Food,

a fun cookbook that was in the condo in Hawaii. I had

to adjust the proportions and ingredients to suit my

home growngigantic zucchinis.

Crudités…When I make veggies for an appetizer platter, I love to cut them up into bite-size pieces.Then I put them in a colander. Boil a tea kettle full of water and slowly pour the boiling water over the vegetables. They are now perfectly ready for serving with dip.

My favorite veggie dip is Spinach Dip. I have never found a great recipe. My favorite used to be ‘Gelson’s’ brand. It was loaded with spinach and very green.They stopped selling it after the Spinach scare in the summer of ’06.

This year I steamed a big artichoke and hollowed out the middle. I filled it with Tahini dip and arranged the veggies all around. Smashing. (You can use any dip).

17.

Texas-Mexican DipIn a large platter with curved up sides, make in layers, each layer progressively smaller, forming a “pyramid.”

1st layer – Homemade refried beans* or cannedrefried beans - black or pinto, spicy or mild, or acombination.

2nd layer – 2-3 avocados, mashed 2 t. lemon juice ½ t. salt ¼ t. pepper

3rd layer – 8 oz. sour cream ½ c. mayonnaise (yogurt for calorie counters) 1 large pkg. Lawry’s Taco Seasoning mixMix together and chill before assembling.

Garnish: 1 bunch green onions, chopped 3 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 – 7 oz. can pitted black olives, sliced 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese – mound at top in a pyramid shape.

Arrange the tomato around the edge of the perimeter. Mound the cheese to form the pyramid. Sprinkle the green onions and olives all over. Serve at room temperature with your favorite tortilla chips. Looks smashing. Notice it says “large taco mix and 8 oz. of sour cream...yup, it is supposed to be strong.

* To make homemade refried beans wash and drain a bag of pinto or black beans.Bring to boil then simmer in a soup pot with plenty of fresh water and one clove of garlic. Yes, it neutralizes the beans and I like the effect. I discard the clove before frying. This is only one of two places in this entire cookbook where you will find me using garlic in a recipe. How much water? Four inches over the beans so you end up with 2 inches of velvety juice remaining when they are done. And yes, one clove of garlic is enough. After the beans have simmered for several hours and cooked down, so that the beans are tender and the liquid is velvety - thicker than water - put them in a blender in batches. Chop a white onion fine and sautee in 4 T. corn oil. Add the beans to the onions and cook down to desired consistancy. You can stop cooking when they are moist, dry or dryer, whichever consistency you prefer. I like them on the dry side. Use the corn oil. They don’t taste the same without it.Add salt to taste.

After Leila died Dan Sr. went to a resident’s

gathering at Mountaingate. A Southern lady named

Loyce made this dish. He flipped for it and had her

write it down the recipe for his daughter-in-law - me

- so I could make it for him. I have made it so many

times. It is such a visually stunning and delicious dish,

great for a crowd.

18.

Recipe: No-Knead Bread(from the NY Times)

Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakeryalong with my flourishes...Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising

3 White whole wheat flour (my flourish...so much better than the other flours) more for dusting.¼ teaspoon instant yeast1¼ teaspoons saltCornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart dutch oven in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.

I’ve made it alot.So easy and completely

perfect results...

20.

19.

Biscuits

I have made alot of average bisquits. They aresurprisingly hard to make.

Everyone is so grateful for a steamy hot biscit with butter and honey.

They never notice the biscuits are justaverage in quality. I have now solved the biscuitproblem.

Buy 1-2-3 Gluten Free Bisquit Mix.

Prepare accordingly to package directions.

Before baking brush with a little cream and add crystalized baking sugar on top for sweeter biscuits, or add a sprinkling of coarse salt on top for savory biscuits.

They are perfect and light. People fight over them.

Dave is grumpy if there are none left the next day.

20.

Chiles en NogadaInspired by “Like Water for Chocolate”

8 poblano Chiles1 lb. ground beef (I use ground turkey/chicken combo)¼ t. ground cloves¼ t. ground cinnamon

2 T. raisins1 T. shelled almonds1 cup peeled seeded coarsely chopped canned tomatoes¼ pound walnuts, chopped (3 T. reserved for garnish)Milk2 T. Queso frisco cheese¾ c. sour creamSeeds from 1 small pomegranateChopped parsley

Place walnut pieces in small mixing bowl and cover with milk. Let stand 8 hours or overnight.

Blacken chiles over flame or in broiler. Sweat and peel. In skillet, brown meat with onion till brown and dry. Add cloves, cinnamon, raisins and almonds. Add tomatoes and cook until thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine walnut milk, queso fresco, sour cream in blender and puree. (If too thick, add a little more milk). Split chiles. Fill with meat mixture. Top with sauce. Sprinkle walnuts, pomegranate seeds and parsley on top. This recipe is so me, my idea of incredible. Make a platter. Garnish with...what?...How about some friedbananas, or plantains. Wow!

21.

22.

CavierHillary memory. We were in Munich at the lovely Hotel Bayerischer Hof. Joe Fuhrman, my Munich M.D. had arranged it. I had never stayed in such a nice place, while working in Germany. We were still struggling in Europe, AIP was driving us crazy per usual, but I went for it. I had a meeting in the lobby. Someone ordered caviar. It came on a beautiful platter with all the accompaniments. Hillary came up and joined us on the couch. She tasted my loaded up toast point. She liked it. I made her one of her own. She ate the whole thing. I ordered her some sparkling apple juice to drink with it. She never ceased to amaze me. Michael wouldn’t touch it. The kids were such a handful on that trip. I remember leaving the hotel a day early with both kids in tow and so overloaded I didn’t bother to check out. Later I got a bill in the mail for two nights. I called them to say it was only one. They said “But you did not check out!” I asked if housekeeping hadn’t checked the room to verify we weren’t there. They said, “Oh, we wouldn’t have done that…!”

Then I started to have Debbie make caviar appetizers for my parties. She did it in a spring form pan. It was wonderful. Now this is what I do. White bread like Wonder Bread…no I’m not kidding.

Chopped egg salad mixed with mayonnaise, fresh cracked pepper and a squirt of fresh lemon juiceMinced celeryMinced onion

Cut the crust off the white bread and line the bottom of the spring form pan with the bread. Layer the egg salad in a thick layer on top of the bread. Spread a layer of celery. Spread a layer of onion. Sprinkle capers on top of the onion. Spread a layer of sour cream on top, like the topping on a cheese cake. Cover with a thick layer of cold shiny black caviar of your choice. Unmold from the pan and place on a platter. If you can’t remove the metal bottom, don’t worry, just put the whole thing on the platter. Offer individual plates and crackers and lemon wedges on the side.

Mom noticed I liked caviar. She bought me the most gorgeous gilded crystal dish suspended over an ice receptacle. I love to use it but I must admit, it is one of the few things I use sparingly, I’m so afraid I’ll chip it.

capersSour creamCaviar of your choiceSliced lemon wedges

Caviar Cheesecake

White bread like Wonder Bread…no I’m not kidding.Chopped eggs mixed with some mayonnaise, fresh cracked pepper and a squirt of fresh lemon juice (yes I do)Minced celeryMinced onionDrained small capers

Cut the crust off the white bread and line the bottom of the spring form pan with the bread. Layer the egg salad in a thick layer on top of the bread. Mix together the minced celery and on-ion and spread a layer on top. Sprinkle some capers on top of that. Spread a layer of sour cream on top, like the topping on a cheese cake. Cover with a thick layer of cold shiny black caviar of your choice. Unmold from the pan and place on a platter. If you can’t remove the metal bottom, don’t worry. Put a doily or two on the platter and place the whole thing on top of them. Serve lemon wedges on the side. Set out little individual plates so guests can use them if they don’t want to eat it pizza style.

Mom noticed I liked caviar. She bought me the most gorgeous gilded crystal dish suspended over an ice bowl. I love to use it but I must admit, it is one of the few things I use sparingly, I’m so afraid I’ll chip it.

Blini’sThis recipe came from Alex the computer guy whose father Boris is the head chef at Zabars! He’s been there 30 years. He started there as a dishwasher…

2T flour2T sugar2 eggs

Mix all together and fry in oil. (But I fry them in butter). Eat with cavier.....and capers, sour cream, caviar of your choice, chopped onion, chopped egg and sliced lemon wedges.

23.

2T sour creamPinch salt