Braised Cabbage with Apples

Ingredients
1 Tbs Olive or Vegetable Oil
1 large Yellow Onion, coarsely chopped
1 Tbs Sugar
2 medium size Apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 medium size Red Cabbage trimmed, cored, quartered, and thinly sliced (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 cup Chicken or Beef Stock or canned chicken or Beef Broth
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 cup dry Red Wine
2 Tbs all-purpose Flour
2 Tbs Currant or Grape Jelly

Directions
Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 1 minute. Add the onion, sugar, and apples, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the cabbage, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted - about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, 1/2 cup of the stock, the salt, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, stirring all the while. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cabbage is crisp-tender.

Add the wine and remaining 1/2 cup of stock and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle with the flour and stir well. Add the jelly and simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove the bay leaves.  Serve with Tuscan Roast Pork.  Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients
3 slices Bacon, cut crosswise in julienne strips
2 large Yellow Onions, coarsely chopped
2 cups fresh Corn Kernels (2 large ears) or 2 cups frozen Corn Kernels, thawed
2 tsp Chili Powder, or to taste
1 tsp dried Oregano, crumbled
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp each Ground Cumin and Black Pepper
3 medium size Yellow Squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 1 pound)
2 large ripe Tomatoes, peeled and cut in slim wedges (about 1 pound)
2 large ripe Tomatoes, peeled and cut in slim wedges (about 1 pound)
1 large sweet Green Pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch squares
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese (about 4 ounces)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cook the bacon in a heavy 10-inch skillet over moderately high heat until crisp - about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter lined with paper toweling and reserve. Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the onions to the skillet, and cook, stirring, for 5 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the corn, chili powder, oregano, salt, cumin, and black pepper, and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until the corn is crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, in a 13" x  9" x  2" baking dish, combine the squash, tomatoes, and green pepper. Add the corn mixture and toss well. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir, then bake, uncovered, 30 minutes longer or until the squash is tender. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and bake, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Serve with beef or chicken tostadas or with roast chicken or pork.  Serves 8.

Onions Stuffed with Pecans, Mushrooms, and Rice

Ingredients
1-1/2 tsp Salt
6 large Spanish Onions, 1 inch cut from tops and peeled (about 5 pounds)
1 Tbs unsalted Butter or Margarine
2 ounces Mushrooms, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup cooked Rice
8 ounces Pecans, finely chopped (about 2/3 cup)
1 Egg, slightly beaten
1/4 tsp dried Thyme, crumbled
1/8 tsp Black Pepper
Pinch ground Nutmeg or Mace

Directions
Pour 1-1/2 inches of water into a large saucepan, add 1/2 teaspoon of the Salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the onions, return to a boil, and reduce the heat to moderate. Cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the onions are almost tender but retain their shape.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy 10-inch skillet over moderate low heat. Add the mushrooms, and saute for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

Drain the onions on a platter lined with paper toweling. When cool enough to handle, gently scoop out the insides with a serving spoon, leaving shells 1/8 to 1/2 inch thick. Make sure that the bottom of each shell remains intact. Chop up the pulp. Preheat the over to 350° F. In a medium size bowl, mix 1 cup of chopped pulp (use the remainder for soup, stew, or meatloaf), the mushrooms, rice, pecans, egg, the remaining, teaspoon of salt, the thyme, pepper, and nutmeg until well blended.

Stuff the onions with equal amounts of pulp mixture (about 1/2 cup per onion) and place in a lightly greased, 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes, uncovered and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve with Marinated Rock Cornish Hens or Tuscan Roast Port. Makes 6 large servings.

Ingredients
4 medium size, hot, baked Potatoes (Idahoes or russets)
2 ounces Brie Cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted Butter or Margarine, at room temperature
1 Egg yolk
1 Tbs minced Chives or Green Onion tops, or to taste
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Ground Nutmeg to taste (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375° F. slice 1/2 inch lengthwise off each potato. Taking care not to pierce the skin, scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell. In a medium size bowl, mash the potato flesh until smooth. Add the Brie, butter, egg yolk, chives, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, if desired; mix well. Stuff each potato shell with the mixture, mounding it in the center; transfer to a shallow baking dish.

Bake the potatoes, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and the stuffing is heated through - 12 to 15 minutes. Run under the broiler, five inches from the flame, until lightly browned - 3 to 5 minutes. Serve as a side dish with steak, roasts, poultry, or broiled fish, such as Herbed Bluefish Fillets or as a light luncheon dish, accompanied by a spinach salad with tomatoes and mushrooms. Serves 4 as an entree, 8 as a side dish.

Ingredients
6 medium size Sweet Potatoes, peeled, quartered, and boiled until tender (about 2-1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup Orange Juice
1 tsp grated Orange rind
1 Tbs Brandy
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp ground Ginger
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
5 Tbs unsalted Butter or Margarine
1 Egg
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Pecans or Walnuts

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375° F. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes. Add the orange juice, orange find, brandy, salt, ginger, pepper, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and the egg. Beat with an electric mixer, a whisk, or a wooden spoon until smooth and fluffy. Spoon the potatoes into a buttered, shallow, 1-1/2 quart casserole or 10 inch quiche pan, smoothing the top.

In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, the sugar, and cinnamon. Over low heat, cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until blended - about 3 minutes. Spread the mixture on top of the potatoes and sprinkle with the pecans. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until heated through. Serve with poultry, pork chops, or ham. This dish goes especially well with Herbed Turkey Roll or Marinated Rock Cornish Hens.  Serves 6.

Ingredients
1 Eggplant
1/2 pound chopped fresh Mushrooms
3/4 cup Milk or 1 can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 beaten Eggs
1 small Onion, chopped
1 cup soft Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup melted Butter
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper

Topping:
1/2 cup dry Bread Crumbs mixed with
2 Tbs melted Butter

Directions
Cut ends off eggplant and peel. Cut into large pieces. Boil in a small amount of salted water about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. stir in rest of ingredients. Pour into greased 1-1/2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with topping. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
1 pound Wild Rice
2 quarts Water
3 Green Peppers, finely chopped
2 ribs Celery, finely chopped
1 large Onion, finely chopped
4 ounce can Mushrooms, drained and chopped
3 Eggs
1 cup Oil
2 Tbs Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
3 cups Brown Gravy

Directions
Cook rice in water about 2 hours over low heat, or until tender. Watch carefully as rice swells more than four times in volume and more water may be needed. Blanch peppers, celery, onion and mushrooms about 10 minutes. Beat each egg separately. Fry, one at a time, in oil on both sides. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. When all eggs are fried, chop finely. Make medium gravy. Mix all ingredients. Pour into 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.  Makes 16 servings.