Savory Cheese Toast

Ingredients:

8 slices (any type) bread, crusts trimmed
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, crumbled
1 small onion, grated
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
8 dashes of Tabasco sauce
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Paprika to taste

Directions:

Toast the bread in a toaster. Combine the cheese, bacon, onion, mayonnaise, egg, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, Tabasco sauce and pepper in a bowl and mix well.
Spread each bread slice with 1/8 of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Cut each slice into 3 long strips or 4 squares. Arrange the strips or squares in a single layer on a baking sheet. Chill, covered in the refrigerator.
Let the cheese toast stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm. May be prepared up to 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, or freeze for future use. Bake just before serving.

Yields: 24 - 30

Chocolate Party Special

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup additional sugar
5 Tablespoons additional cocoa
1 cup hot water
Ice cream or whipped cream

Directions:

Sift together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt, baking powder and 1-1/2 Tablespoons cocoa. Stir in milk, melted butter, vanilla and pecans. Pour into well-greased large rectangular Pyrex dish. Make topping by mixing 1/2 cup sugar, 5 Tablespoons cocoa and hot water; pour over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cut into squares; invert onto dessert plates so that sauce is on top. Top with ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves: 8 - 10

Mexican Corn Bread

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup oil
2 – 4 chopped jalapeno peppers
2 Tablespoons chopped bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1-1/2 cups self-rising corn meal
1 cup cream style corn
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

Mix everything together except cheese. Pour half batter in pan. Sprinkle half cheese and pour rest of batter, then the rest of the cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.

Linguini with Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

3 yellow bell peppers
Vegetable oil
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 hard-cooked egg yolk
1 clove of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 pounds linguini, cooked, drained
5 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Rub the yellow peppers with vegetable oil. Place on a grill rack.Grill over hot coals until the skin is blistered and charred on all sides, turning frequently. Place in a sealable plastic bag.Steam until cool. Peel and seed the yellow peppers; cut into large pieces. Combine the yellow peppers, 3/4 cup olive oil, egg yolk and garlic in a food processor container. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a saucepan. Cook until heated through, stirring frequently. Pour over the hot pasta in a bowl, tossing to mix. Spoon onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Note: May substitute 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon instant minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt, or 5 drops of liquid garlic for 1 fresh clove of garlic.

Servings: 6

Grilled Peppers Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
2 ounces soft goat cheese (chevre)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives
2 Tablespoons snipped fresh basil

Directions:

Cut the bell peppers lengthwise into halves, discarding the stem ends, seeds and membranes. Combine the bell peppers with a small amount of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Drain cut side down on paper towels.

Combine the goat cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, chives and basil in a bowl and mix well. Spoon about 2 Tablespoons of the cheese mixture into each bell pepper half. Fold an 18x24-inch sheet of foil in half to make a 12-18-inch rectangle. Arrange the bell pepper halves inside the foil. Bring up 2 opposite sides of the foil and seal with a double fold. Fold the remaining ends to completely enclose the bell peppers, allowing space for steam to build.

Arrange the foil packet on a grill rack. Grill over medium to medium-hot coal for 5 to 6 minutes or until the bell peppers are tender-crisp and the cheese melts. To serve, cut each half into 2 wedges. Serve warm.

Serves: 8