Mom's meringue cookies

These were a Christmas tradition growing up -- airy shells of sugar filled with chocolate. They're delicate, crispy-crumbly, mostly dry but just a bit chewy in the middle. The recipe comes from my mother and her mother, and who knows before that. Prep is pretty simple and the ingredients are few, which may explain why Mom made hundreds of these for teacher gifts, family gatherings, and holiday parties.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip to until very foamy, but not yet beginning to peak (about 1 minute)

1. 2 egg whites

Any fat at all (greasy bowl, trace of yolk, etc) will keep the whites from reaching the appropriate volume.  Slowly add sugar, and whip at high speed until soft-to-medium peaks (this may take several minutes)

1. 2/3 c sugar (4 5/8 oz)

At medium speed, whip just until incorporated

1. 1 t vanilla extract
2. 1 t cream of tartar (can be omitted in a pinch)

With a rubber spatula, fold in

1. 1 c chocolate chips (6 oz)
2. 1/2 c pecans, chopped to the size of the chips (optional; I leave these out)

Portion out by level tablespoons into 3 dozen cookies on two well-buttered cookie sheets. (Parchment paper or a Silpat is even better.) The cookies don't spread, but will approximately double in volume when baked, so leave about 1.5" between. Place sheets in a preheated 350 F oven and immediately turn off the heat. Leave cookies in the closed oven overnight or at least 8 hours. They will be dry and crisp, but not browned.

My mother-in-law says that her mother made these with chopped berries, so I may try that next!

Pasta with smoked salmon and rosemary cream

This was a yummy dinner that came about almost by accident. We had some salmon that Neil from our parents' group had caught and smoked, and some fresh rosemary from the garden outside Liz and Bob's new house. The salmon wasn't the sort of barely cooked stuff you find sometimes; it was fully cooked, kind of a delicious salmon jerky. To top the whole thing off, we had some smoked salt from Market Spice down at Pike Place -- the crunch and extra smoke was a really nice touch.

Amounts are approximate because I'm guessing after the fact. Cook

1. 8oz dried pasta, such as penne

in boiling salted water until almost done. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, combine

1. 2 c heavy cream
2. 3/4 c shredded Parmesean
3. 1 sprig fresh rosemary
4. 6 oz smoked salmon, chopped

Cook just until cheese is incorporated and mixture is slightly thickened. Add drained pasta and cook until pasta is tender and coated in sauce. Serve garnished with

1. Salish smoked sea salt (from Market Spice)
   

Turkey gravy

We hosted Thanksgiving for the first time this year, so it was my first time cooking a turkey. I followed the salted turkey recipe from last year's Cooks Illustrated, and it came out well. I think icing down the breast meat really did help everything finish at the same time.

For the gravy, on the other hand, I didn't have a recipe exactly. The day before, I had seen Alton Brown making one with red wine on TV, and I had the trusty Ultimate Southern Living -- but neither was quite what I (thought I) wanted. Funny enough, the gravy got more compliments than anything else I made. So I'm recording it here for next year!

In a medium saucepan, simmer for 45 minutes:

1. half an onion, chopped
2. handful of carrot pieces
3. celery seed (would've used celery if I'd had it)
4. 2 bay leaves
5. large spring fresh thyme
6. small bunch fresh parsley
7. salt and pepper
8. turkey neck
9. turkey gizzard and heart (no liver) (pictures for identifying the pieces)
   
10. water to cover

Strain, chill, skim. Yields ~3 cups stock.

While turkey is resting, pour off all drippings from the roasting pan (don't scrape). Place over burners, add ~1 cup stock, and scrape until all browned bits are dissolved and pan is clean.

In a medium saucepan, make a roux with

1. 4 T butter (half a stick)
2. 1/4 c flour

Pour in pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve and whisk to combine. Whisk in additional broth as needed to reach desired consistency, keeping in mind that full thickening won't happen until the gravy comes to a simmer.

Thai glazed carrots

Carrots? Yes, carrots. I like them in things -- stir fries, pilaf, couscous. And they're fine for snacking, with dip or hummus. But on their own, cooked, I always thought of them as bland and mushy, not far removed from baby food. Even the carrots in ginger ale recipe was a little bland.

These carrots are much nicer: a little tangy, a little sweet (not too much), even a little spicy. And since Katy and I are really trying to watch our food budget, it doesn't hurt that they're 75 cents a pound and used things I had in the refrigerator anyway. (They got created in a what-have-we-got-in-the-fridge moment one night.) They dirty up only one pan and one spoon, which is a big plus in my book. Plus, any vegetable that brightly colored has to be good for you, right?

I used some lemongrass paste from a tube that I had left from some other recipe, when the grocery store didn't have fresh. But I think real lemongrass would be good here too. Ginger would also be nice and would probably be a perfectly respectable substitute.

The Key limes were also a bargain at ~$3 for a whole bag. Although the Key lime cupcakes looked and tasted like playdough, the rest of the limes kept nicely in the refrigerator and made themselves appreciated at several meals later in the week.

This technique is from The Best 30-Minute Recipe, but the flavors are mine. The amounts below are guesses, because I wasn't measuring when I made this :)

Thai glazed carrots

In a large skillet over medium heat, combine

1. 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into coins on the bias (about 4 large carrots)
2. 1/3 cup water
3. 1 T sugar
4. 1/2 t salt
5. 1 t hot Asian chili or chili-garlic sauce
6. 2 t lemongrass (paste or fresh), or fresh ginger

Cover and steam until carrots are just tender when poked with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove lid and stir in

1. 1 T butter
2. 2 T sugar

Increase heat and cook, stirring, until carrots are tender (but not mushy) and glaze is thickened and lightly caramelized. Remove from heat and toss with

1. juice of 2 Key limes, or 1/2 - 1 regular lime

Goes nicely with a variety of things, even if the rest of the meal isn't Asian.

No-knead Dutch oven bread

Despite the name -- and the technique -- this recipe makes far and away the best loaf I've ever made home. The crust is deep golden brown, and so crisp that it crackles and sings as it cools on the counter. The interior has large air pockets, an open structure, and a nice chewiness. The recipe appeared in the Jan/Feb 2008 Cook's Illustrated.

So far, I've only tried it with water in place of the beer, but it's still quite good that way. Supposedly the beer enhances the flavor further, but only very mild lager beers -- anything else adds weird spicy notes. And although I usually use King Arthur flours, Cook's develops their recipes with Gold Medal (if I remember correctly). So I can use basically any old unbleached all-purpose flour, which is nice since my local grocery charges double for the King Arthur stuff :(

As for timing, I start the dough in the late evening, shape it in the early afternoon of the next day, and then eat it with dinner. You pretty much have to be home the day of the baking, although there's very little active time.

In a large bowl, combine into a shaggy dough

1. 15 oz unbleached all-purpose flour (such as Gold Medal), a bit more than 3 cups
2. 1/4 t instant or bread-machine yeast
3. 1.5 t salt
4. 7 oz water
5. 3 oz mild lager (such as Budweiser), or 3 oz water
6. 1 T white or apple cider vinegar

Stir just until the dough comes together into a shaggy ball, then cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours. (Yes, really. The long rise is essential for autolysis and gluten development.)

Grease a sheet of parchment paper and greased side up in a 10" skillet. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and kneed 10 - 15 times, then shape into a ball and place on the parchment. (So little kneeding is necessary due to the extra long autolysis.) Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise 2 hours, until doubled in size.

30 minutes before baking, place a 6 - 8 qt Dutch oven or heavy stockpot in the oven and preheat to 500 F. Make a 6" long, 1/2" deep cut in the top of the bread, then gently transfer to the hot pot by lifting the edges of the parchment. Replace the lid, return to the oven, and decrease heat to 425 F. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove lid. Bake another 20 - 30 minutes, until dark golden brown or interior temperature hits 210 F. Transfer to wire rack and cool 2 hours. Best the day it's made, but keeps up to 2 days wrapped in foil.

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Bars

Well, I guess the title says it all. Nice bar cookies that ridiculously easy to make. Not healthy by any stretch, but tasty.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9" x 13" pan in oven, melt

1. 1 stick (1/2 c) butter

Sprinkle evenly over butter

1. 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

Pour evenly over crumbs

1. 1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Top with

1. 1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
2. 1 cup peanut butter chips

Press down firmly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until lightly browned. Cool and cut into bars. Makes 24 to 36 bars.
I learned the hard way I would spray the pan with Pam next time I make these.

Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Cake comes from my wife's Grandma Rose, who produces all manner of good ol' Southern treats.  I shouldn't be surprised, but Paula Deen makes an almost identical recipe (though she uses a cream cheese frosting).  This cake is alarmingly pink but supremely delicious.

Mix together

1. 1 box white cake mix (18.25 oz)
2. 1 small box strawberry Jell-O (3 oz.)
3. 3/4 c vegetable oil
4. 4 eggs

Stir in

1. 1 c strawberries, thawed (from frozen sweetened strawberries, juice reserved)

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until done. (Can also be baked as two 9" rounds, although baking time may have to be adjusted.)

In an electric mixer, cream

1. 6 T butter (3/4 stick)

Gradually add

1. 1 lb. powdered sugar (~4.75 c)
2. 1/4 c juice from frozen strawberries
3. 1 t vanilla

Slowly add about half the sugar, then half the juice and all the vanila, then the rest of the sugar. Add enough additional juice to reach frosting consistency. Allow cake to cool to room temperature before frosting, so frosting doesn't melt!

36-hour Ciabatta

This is my second bread recipe for weeknight baking, adapted from the original in the King Arthur Baker's Companion. It does require a fair bit of advance planning, and it doesn't hold super well in the fridge for extra days -- all the bubbles rise to the top and create a giant pocket.

The bread is probably not much like "real" ciabatta, but it makes a large flat loaf with a soft and almost sponge-like crumb -- large but even holes. It's wonderful for sandwiches because it soaks up any juices / dressings / sauces -- try grilled beef and chimichurri. With the crust peeled off and the bread battered, it also makes a killer fried sandwich (can't find the recipe right now).

When you wake up, the day prior to baking:
Mix together in a medium-small bowl to form a dry, firm, shaggy dough

1. 1/4 t instant (bread machine) yeast
2. 4 oz (1/2 c) water
3. 6.25 oz (1 1/2 c) King Arthur all-purpose flour

Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for about 12 hours, give or take a few.

As soon as you get home from work, the day prior to baking:
Pull the starter into walnut-sized pieces and place in mixer bowl. Add

1. 1 t instant yeast
2. 2 t nonfat dry milk powder
3. 1 1/2 t salt
4. 7.75 oz (1 c minus 1 T) water
5. 1 T olive oil
6. 8.5 oz (2 c) flour

Mix for ~3 min with paddle, then up to 10 more minutes with dough hook. Dough will be too wet, sticky, and slack to work by hand. Transfer to oiled bowl and cover. Every 40 minutes for 2 hours (3 times total), fold the dough over on itself a couple times. This is the key to developing enough gluten for the bread to hold its shape later. Turn it out onto a half sheet pan covered with a Silpat, forming a large flat oval blob. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise 1.5 - 2 hours at room temperature. Transfer to refrigerator until the next night (about 20 hours).

Total time for this step is approximately 4 - 4.5 hours, or from 6pm until 10 - 10:30pm. It's tight for a workday, but doable. If you've changed the schedule so you'll bake without refrigerating, total rising time should be 2 - 3 hours at room temperature. (With refrigeration, the room temperature rising time is shorter because the dough will continue to rise somewhat in the refrigerator, especially before it gets chilled all the way through.)

As you start making dinner, the day of baking:
Preheat oven and stone to 425 F. Move second rack to top of oven. Heat 8oz of water to a rolling boil in a covered cast-iron skillet over high heat. Three minutes before baking bread, uncover skillet and transfer to top rack of oven. Place sheet pan with bread directly on baking stone and bake about 25 minutes total. Remove skillet with water after the first 10 - 15 minutes.

I use cast iron because it holds heat so well, so the water continues to boil in the oven and create steam. Also, you don't have to worry about the pan warping from the heat if it runs dry. To me, this is the best and easiest way to get steam in the oven of all the ones I've tried.

Chocolate pecan pie

A very tasty dessert from my friend Louis Metzger, who was a fellow graduate student with me in the Duke biochemistry department. He reports that it's an adaptation of a recipe in Taste and Tour of Texas.

Combine over low heat, stirring constantly until melted:

1. 2/3 c sweetened condensed milk
2. 2 T butter
3. 1 c semisweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, combine

1. 2 eggs, lightly beaten
2. 3/4 c granulated sugar
3. 2 T flour
4. 1/4 t salt
5. 1 t vanilla extract
6. 1.5 c whole pecans

Stir chocolate mixture into contents of mixing bowl. Pour into

1. 9” pie crust, unbaked (homemade or purchased)

Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes.

Magnolia Grill food processor pie crust

This is my favorite pie crust recipe, taken from Karen Barker's Sweet Stuff cookbook (she of Magnolia Grill fame). The idea of using half harder and half softer flour came from the King Arthur Baker's Companion; this gives just enough gluten to hold together but not enough to make the dough tough. This recipe makes enough for two 9" pie crusts, with plenty to spare.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse to combine

1. 12.5 oz flour (half all-purpose and half pastry flour)
2. 3/4 t Kosher salt
3. 3/4 T sugar

Pulse to cut in fats until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (very small chunks of fat)

1. 4 oz (1 stick) butter, cut in small pieces and chilled 20 min. in freezer
2. 4 oz (1/2 c + 2 T) shortening, cut in pieces and chilled

Sprinkle most of water over dough, adding last 1 oz if needed, and pulse just until dough starts to come together

1. up to 1/2 c ice water

Dump dough out and separate into halves, flatten into relatively thin disks (so they're as close as possible to the final desired shape!), wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least a few hours and as long as overnight. I like to roll the dough out between lightly floured sheets of plastic wrap, as this makes it much easier for me to roll quickly without having the dough stick or tear.

Baked Gruyere Scallops

Taken from the Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook, this dish has become a family tradition whenever we go to the beach. And you need a hard day playing in the surf to work this off...

The cheese for this dish will be relatively expensive, in the $10+/lb range, but don't skimp: you need good-quality ingredients to make this dish shine. Scallops aren't cheap either, come to think of it. I guess that's why I make it at the beach when my parents are paying!

In a large skillet, saute 2-3 minutes, then drain and set aside:

1. 2 T butter
2. 1 lb bay scallops

In same skillet, saute until tender:

1. 2 T butter
2. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
3. 8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms

Stir in scallops and

1. 6 oz shredded Gruyere or other Swiss cheese (e.g. Emmentaler)
2. 1/2 c mayonnaise
3. 1/4 c dry white wine
4. 1 T lemon juice

Spoon into greased oven-safe dish (one large or four individual) and broil 6" from heat until browned, about 2-3 minutes.

Tony Chachere's

"Tony's" is a hot and smoky seasoned salt product from Louisiana. Katy's cousins swear by the stuff, carrying a can with them everywhere in their purses. They gave us some for Christmas, but I just tried it the other day. I have to say: it's the best seasoned salt I've ever had. It rocks on french fries. I don't know what else it's good on ("great on everything," the label says), but I'll keep some around just for that!

Two pizza recipes

I recently created two successful pizza recipes and thought I would record them here. They're both built on my Refrigerator Flatbread dough, stretched out thin and baked on a pizza stone at 450 F for 10 minutes. (I tried using 1/3 part higher-protein flour and some dough relaxer, but the standard recipe is fine.) I put the dough on parchment to make it easier to slide into the oven. The high heat and stone are important for getting a nice crisp crust and nicely browned cheese.

I find that freshly shredded part-skim mozzarella works best; the whole-milk stuff gets awfully greasy. I use Polly-O because that's what the store carries. The secret is to go light with both cheese and sauce: too much of either makes the pizza heavy. Use less than you think you need, and it will come out just right.

Pork BBQ Pizza

Top the dough with a thin film of sweet tomato-based barbeque sauce, such as KC Masterpiece. Add diced red onions, fresh herbs if you have them (parsley, cilantro, or chives would all be nice), and some shredded pork barbeque. Top lightly with grated mozzarella and bake as above.

White Pizza

Brush dough with extra virgin olive oil. Use the really good stuff; this can make or break the whole thing. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle with mozzarella and grated Parmesan and bake as above.

Carolina-style pulled pork barbeque

This is a really easy recipe for pork barbeque that produces a reasonable imitation of the real thing. I got it from my friend Bryan Arendall, a true grill master. Since Carolina BBQ is going to be hard to find in Seattle, I'm really glad to have this recipe.

It's important not to get too large a piece of meat: 5 lbs would be about the limit of what my crockpot can handle. Removing the bone from a picnic ham was hard work and not something I would like to try again.

The key to NC barbeque is the sauce, made primarily of vinegar and cayenne pepper. I don't have a recipe for homemade sauce yet, but Scott's Sauce (www.scottsbarbecuesauce.com) is awfully good. Using some generic, tomato-based sauce in this recipe would really change the results (not for the better, in my opinion).

Start with

1. a 5 - 10 lb. Boston butt or picnic shoulder

Make sure it will fit in your crockpot! Start on the small side if you're not sure. 5 lbs is all mine will hold. Season liberally with choice of spices, such as

1. garlic salt
2. black pepper
3. cayenne pepper

Place meat in slow cooker and add

1. 32 oz vinegar-based Carolina barbeque sauce (enough to cover)

Cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce heat to low and cook for one hour per pound of meat, up to a maximum of 8 hours. (Adjust for your cooker as experience dictates.)

Remove meat from sauce and shred with two dinner forks, removing fat. Ladle over some of the leftover sauce to moisten. Serve on big fluffy hamburger rolls with coleslaw and extra sauce on top. Feeds a crowd!

Italian Bread with Sesame Seeds

This recipe makes a light, soft, slightly salty loaf that I just love. It comes from the King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion. It's amazingly similar to my Refrigerator Flatbread: both recipes use 19 oz flour and 12 oz water to make 2 lbs of dough, and both use some of the ingredients to make a pre-ferment. However, this one is slightly saltier and contains no oil, and its pre-ferment is not as wet and goes much longer. The result is a fairly different -- but equally delicious -- bread.

Make the starter (biga) the night before at about dinner time. It needs to sit at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours before you start the bread. In a medium bowl, mix

1. 8 oz water (at room temp.)
2. 8.5 oz (2 cups*) hard flour, such as King Arthur AP
3. 1/4 t instant or "bread machine" yeast

Mix just until a dough comes together. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit overnight.

The next morning, add to the starter

1. 4 oz water (room temp.)

and mix until fairly smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in

1. 10.5 oz (2 cups*) hard flour (19 oz / 4 c total)
2. 2 t instant yeast
3. 1 1/2 t salt

Mix until smooth but not necessarily elastic, about 3 minutes by machine or 5 by hand. (The gluten will be further developed as the dough rises, so you don't want to over-develop it initially.) Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 1/2 hours. Every half hour, gently fold the dough in half and turn it over, to develop the gluten.

Divide the dough into thirds, shape into balls (see below), cover, and let rise 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until puffy. Brush and sprinkle with

1. 1 egg white lightly beaten with 1 T water
2. sesame seeds

Bake 25 - 35 minutes at 425 F, until the internal temperature reaches 190 F. Cool on a rack.

There are several options for shaping. The easiest is balls, which come out a nice size to use as (large) bread bowls for soup. Grab the piece of dough by opposite edges, and tuck them underneath. Turn 90 degrees and repeat. Continue until you get a good tight skin -- near the end you may form a ring near the bottom of the ball with one thumb and forefinger draw it closed as you push the dough up inside. Set the ball on the counter. Gently cup one hand on either side and roll in small circles to tighten the skin further -- a good tight skin is the key to having the dough hold its shape as it rises.

If you're feeling more ambitious, roll the three pieces into ropes and braid them into a single loaf, as described in the original recipe. Again, pay attention to getting a tight skin on the individual ropes, or you end up with a fairly flat loaf. This is harder.

* 2 cups flour actually weighs 9.5 oz, so it evens out in the end if you use cup measures instead of weight.

Spicy Chicken with Green Onions

A yummy little recipe from a tiny book called "Bon Appetit Quick & Delicious". It definitely is hot, though, so you really have to serve it with some creamy coleslaw.

In a small bowl, whisk together

1. 2 T olive oil
2. 1 T hot pepper sauce (Tabasco, Texas Pete, etc)
3. 2 t honey
4. 1 green onion, minced

Save 2 T of this mixture and pour the rest into a zip-top bag with

1. 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then remove and grill along with

1. remaining green onions from the bunch, lightly salted

until done. Place on top of or alongside coleslaw and top with reserved marinade.

Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Pot Pie

A family tradition passed down from my great-grandmother (at least). It's not really a pot pie in the usual sense, but rather chicken, potatoes, and homemade noodles in a thick broth. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave (yummy) or pan-fried in butter (haven't tried it, but sounds good). Total prep time is 2.5 - 3 hours.

In a large (10 qt) pot, bring to a boil over high heat

1. 2 lbs. bone-in chicken (small chicken quartered, or two breasts and a thigh)
2. 4-5 qt. water (about 3/5 full, still needs to be measured)

Boil for 20-25 minutes, covered, until chicken is done. Remove from heat and uncover. Remove chicken to a plate. Cool 20-30 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, combine in a large bowl

1. 4 c flour (King Arthur all-purpose)
2. 1 stick butter (8 T)

Rub butter into flour until the size of small peas. Whisk in

1. 1 t salt (maybe 2 if using unsalted butter)

In a Pyrex cup measure, beat

1. two eggs

Supplement with

1. ice water (about 1/2 cup)

to make 1 c total liquid (or a touch more). Mix into flour until a firm dough forms. Mom suggests working the dough as little as possible, but it still requires kneading to bring together. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.

Bone chicken and cut into bite-sized chunks. Strain cooled broth, clean pot, and return broth to pot. Add to broth

1. 1 large or 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" or 1.5" chunks

Cover pot and heat to a gentle boil. Take 1/8 of the dough from the refrigerator, flour liberally, and roll out as thin as possible, until translucent. (A pasta machine might make this easier, though don't go to the thinnest setting.) Cut noodles into 2" squares and add to boiling broth one at a time. (As the pot fills up, aim for the bubbling places.) Add a grind of

1. black pepper

stir carefully, and re-cover. Roll out another portion of dough, stirring pot again gently before adding noodles as before.

Cook at a gentle boil for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom. Add flour paste or chicken broth as needed to adjust the consistency to that of a thin gravy. Add chicken and cook until warmed through. Serve and gorge! Pass pickles on the side, if you like that sort of thing.

Crook's Corner Shrimp & Grits

Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill does a mean rendition of some Southern classics. This recipe, published in Duke Magazine, claims to be the authentic recipe of the late Bill Neal. I can't vouch for that, but it sure does taste like the wonderful stuff served at his restaurant.

Cheese grits
These take 4 cups of liquid rather than the 3 called for on the package because the cheese thickens up the grits considerably.
Bring to a boil

1. 4 c milk (or water, in a pinch)

Stir in

1. 1 c stone-ground or quick grits (not instant)

Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in

1. 1 c grated Cheddar
2. 1/4 c grated Parmesean
3. 4 T butter
4. 1/2 t salt
5. 1/8 t pepper
6. pinch cayenne pepper
7. 1/4 t Tabasco (or more to taste)

Shrimp and Grits
In a skillet, saute until browned but not crisp

1. 6 slices bacon, diced

Remove to paper towels to drain, leaving grease in pan. Add to pan

1. peanut oil (as necessary to cover the pan bottom with fat)
   
2. 1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined (optional), rinsed, and patted dry
   

Turn shrimp when colored on one side and add

1. 2 c sliced white button mushrooms

Saute about 4 minutes, stirring. Add

1. 1 c minced scallions (white and green parts)
2. 1 large clove garlic, minced

Cook another minute, then add

1. 4 t lemon juice
2. Tabasco sauce
3. salt and pepper
4. 2 T chopped fresh parsley

Divide grits (above) among 4 plates, top with shrimp mixture and reserved bacon. Serve immediately!

Guacamole

This was an accompaniment to some Emeril recipe on Food Network, but it's the best guacamole I've ever had. It's pretty much the only one Katy will eat, too. We like to serve it with the scoop-shaped tortilla chips and the white queso you can find in the refrigerator case (not the nasty orange "nacho cheese").

1. 2 large firm-ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and cup in 1/2-inch pieces
2. 1/4 cup minced white onions
3. 2 T minced fresh cilantro leaves
4. 1 T fresh lime juice, or more to taste
5. 1 t minced Serrano or jalapeño chile
6. 1/4 t ground cumin
7. 1/4 t minced garlic
8. 1/4 t salt
9. Pinch cayenne

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mash with the back of a fork until mostly smooth with a few chunks. Adjust the seasoning to taste, and serve. I tend to substitute 2 t dried cilantro or use less of the fresh stuff to tone down that flavor.

Turkey salad

A nice use for Thanksgiving leftovers, kindly provided by my Mom. The eggs really make it. I usually think Miracle Whip is too sweet compared to mayonnaise, but in this case it's not objectionable.

1. white and dark turkey meat, cooked and diced
2. eggs, hard-boiled and diced
3. celery
4. onion
5. celery seed
6. salt and pepper
7. Miracle Whip