Super Cheesy Garlic Bread

I'm going to share my recipe for my very popular Super Cheesy Garlic Bread. This bread is soooo good but I must admit it is not the healthiest thing to eat. It will however put a smile on your face so it all evens out.

Ingredients
1 Loaf of Sweet or Sour Dough Bread
1 cp Parmesan or Three Cheese Blend (Parmesan, Romano, Asiago), shredded
1 stick Butter
1/2 cp Mayonaise
2 Tbls Parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cp Garlic, finely chopped or minced (or to taste)

Directions
Set oven to broil or 500º. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Cut loaf in half lengthwise and spread mixture thickly on both sides. Place on baking sheet with garlic spread facing up into oven for approximately 10 minutes or until mixture is melted and bubbly with slightly brown edges. Cut into thick slices and serve hot.

Grape, Blue Cheese & Candied Pecan Salad

Grape, Blue Cheese & Candied Pecan Salad

Ingredients:
1 Bag Baby Spring
Mix Greens
1 Bunch Red or Black Grapes
1/2 cp Crumbled Blue cheese
1/2 cp Candied Pecans or Walnuts
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:
Mix greens, vinaigrette and grapes in a bowl. Place in salad bowl or plate. Sprinkle walnuts and blue cheese on top and serve.

Lovely Lemon Meringue Pie

Growing up I had a neighbor who lived across the street named Eleanor Platt. She was from the midwest and had a overflowing lemon tree in her backyard. She taught me how to make real pies from scratch. Her pie crust was perfectly flaky and tasty! Although I must admit I just buy pre-made crust now but I concentrate on making the fillings fabulous!

Lovely Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients
Lemon Filling:

* 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
* 1/3 cup cornstarch
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 cup sugar (add more if you like it really sweet)
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1/2 cup fresh squeezed Meyers lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
* 1 (9-inch) par-baked pie shell (I like Mrs Smith)
Meringue Topping (see below)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400º F.

Bake pie shell for half the time the instructions suggest and set aside. Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Place saucepan on medium heat and add water, lemon juice, and zest. Whisk until well combined and stir constantly bringing mixture to a boil. Boil for a couple minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and gradually add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.

Return egg mixture to saucepan and butter, turn heat down to medium and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Pour mixture into par-baked pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake on cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cool and set completely before slicing.

Meringue Topping:
* 4 egg whites
* 1 pinch salt
* 1/2 cup sugar

Place egg whites and salt in bowl and beat with mixer until peaks form. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.

Make one 9" pie

Notes:
Make sure to not get a speck of yolk in your egg whites before beating or it will not rise.

I prefer Meyers lemons for flavor. They taste like a cross between a citrus lemon and a sweet mandarin orange. If you can't get Meyers lemons substitute a little orange juice

You can add up to 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar to the Lemon filling if you prefer your pies really sweet.

Roll lemon across counter before juicing to extract maximum juices.

Use Baker's sugar for a smoother filling

Sprinkle sliced almonds on top of meringue prior to baking for an extra crunch.

Bacon & Queso Quiche

  Ingredients:

• One 9-inch pie crust
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 4 eggs, well beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup half & half 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose unbleached flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Black and red pepper to taste

Crumble bacon into the bottom of prepared pie crust. Sprinkle cheeses on top of bacon. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over bacon and cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Serves: 6

Note: For our vegetarian friends substitute 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen spinach and 5-6 mushrooms browned with butter.

Chocolate Fondue

You will need:
12 oz pkg Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cp Half n' Half
3 tbls Kahlua

Mix all ingredients and heat over double boiler. Simple & Sweet!

Fondue Set
To keep fondue at the perfect temperature, add your own tea light to the candle burner of this elegant set. Included are a 24-ounce ceramic pot, and metal stand, 61/2H" overall and four metal forks, 9"L. Pot, 3"D x 5 1/4" diameter overall.

Baja Citrus Marinade

The beer based citrus marinade works well with Beef, Pork and Lamb.

INGREDIENTS
2 - 12 oz. Mexican Beers
1/3 cp fresh Orange Juice
1 tsp grated Orange Zest
2 tbls Red Wine Vinegar
2 tbls Soy Sauce
1/4 cp Canola Oil
1/2 cp Minced Onion
2 tbls Minced Garlic
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients together in a blender, pureeing until onions and garlic are liquified. Reserve one cup for basting, and use remainder as a marinade for beef, pork or lamb. Use a shoulder or leg cut. Marinate meat for at least two hours for best flavor.

Darlene's Tips;
If you like it sweet add 1/2 cup brown sugar or honey.

To make it spicy add 2 chopped chipotle peppers OR 2 chopped red chili peppers.

Ensalada de Nochebuena (Mexican Christmas Salad)

Traditionally served on Christmas Eve with tamales, beans, & rice.



Ingredients:
2 medium-sized Limes
1 cup of Mayonnaise
3 tablespoons of Sugar
2 tablespoons of Milk
1 small head of Iceberg or Romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1 medium sized Pineapple, sliced or 1 (20 oz.) can sliced Pineapple, drained
3 medium-sized Oranges, peeled & thinly sliced
3 small Bananas, peeled & sliced
2 small Red Delicious apples, cored & cut into thin wedges
¼ pound Jicama or additional Red Apple
1 16 ounce can of sliced Beets, drained
¼ cup Pomegranate seeds
½ cup of Peanuts

Prepare dressing: Grate 1 tablespoon peel and squeeze ¼ cup juice from limes. In small bowl, mix lime juice, 2 teaspoons lime peel, mayonnaise, sugar and milk. Sprinkle remaining peel on top of dressing. Place bowl with dressing on large platter. Line platter with sliced lettuce. On lettuce, arrange in separate piles of pineapple, oranges, bananas, apples and beets. Sprinkle peanuts over fruit. Serve salad with dressing.