Hot Artichoke – Seafood Dip

Ingredients:

2 (14 ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

2 cups mayonnaise

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

2 (6 ounce) packages frozen crabmeat with shrimp,

thawed, drained, and flaked

1/2 cup dry seasoned bread crumbs

Directions

Combine ingredients, mixing well. Spoon into a lightly greased 1-1/2 quart casserole. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with crackers. Can be assembled ahead.

Note: If the frozen crabmeat with shrimp is hard to find, use 1 (6 ounce) can crabmeat and 1 (6 ounce) can shrimp, drained.

Serves: 12 - 14

Double Baked Caramel Pears

Ingredients:

3 large ripe firm Bartlett pears, peeled, cored

and split lengthwise

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons dark rum

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

13 square caramels

1 teaspoon dark rum

Cooking juices from pears

Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking pan, arrange pears, cut side down with tops pointing toward center. Set aside.. Combine brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons rum, lemon juice and butter in microwaveable dish. Heat on high in microwave until butter is melted, about 30 seconds. Brush mixture over pears.. Bake, uncovered, until pears are just tender, 20-25 minutes, brushing with pan juices 2 times during baking. Reserve pan juices. (Pears can be baked 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated; let come to room temperature before reheating.). Melt caramels with 1 teaspoon rum and pan juices in deep microwaveable dish on medium (50 percent power) in microwave for 1 – 1-1/2 minutes, stirring twice. Watch carefully to avoid scorching. Stir until smooth.. Cut pear halves lengthwise into quarters. Pour sauce evenly over pears. Bake uncovered at 300 degrees until heated through, about 12 minutes. Spoon caramel sauce over pears once during reheating.

To serve, arrange 3 pear quarters in individual dessert dishes. Top with scoops of vanilla ice cream. Spoon caramel sauce over ice cream.

Serves: 4

French Toast

Ingredients:

10 – 12 slices stale French bread

5 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

Cooking oil

Confectioner's sugar

Directions:

Slice the French bread before it is stale, otherwise the crust crumbles and the bread slices lose the crust. Mix eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Place one slice of stale bread in the egg batter until the bread has "soaked up" the batter, about 15 minutes. Then fry the soaked slices on hot, oiled griddle. Fry the bread about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve while warm.

Egg Mold with Caviar

INGREDIENTS for Egg Mold:

2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold sweet pickle juice

3/4 cup hot water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon bottled onion juice

12 hard-cooked eggs, grated

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup Durkee Famous Sandwich and Salad Sauce

INGREDIENTS for Icing:

1 pint sour cream

1 (2-ounce) jar black caviar

TO PREPARE:

Soften gelatin in pickle juice, and dissolve in hot water. Add salt, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and onion juice. Chill mixture in refrigerator until the consistency of cream. Mix eggs, mayonnaise, and Durkee Sauce. Combine with gelatin mixture and pour into a greased four-cup mold. Chill several hours until firm. When ready to serve, unmold onto a platter. Ice mold with sour cream. Sprinkle caviar on top. Serve with crackers.

YIELDS: 1 (4-ounce) mold