hungry?

Tomato-based Bread Dipping Oil

quite similar to Aqua Terra...
1T minced garlic
1T minced onion
2T creole mustard
1T dry oregano
5 cans diced tomatoes
2 1/2 c evoo
1c balsamic vinegar
1/2 c sugar
1t pepper
1t salt

Mix all. Let stand.
Serve chilled with dense white bread (e.g. Ciabatta.)

Coconut Cream Pie

Toasted coconut blankets a whipped cream-covered coconut pudding – this pie is a hit in any household.

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks

2 T. butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flaked coconut

1 baked 9-inch pastry shell

1 cup whipping cream

¼ cup sifted powdered sugar

Garnished: additional flaked coconut, toasted

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan, gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Cook 1 minute.

2. Beat egg yolks; gradually stir about one-fourth of hot mixture into yolks; add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in butter, vanilla, and 1 cup flaked coconut. Pour into pastry shell. Cool completely. Cover and chill 1 to 2 hours.

3. Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until soft peaks form. Pipe or spoon sweetened whipped cream onto cooled pie. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes.

Baked Brie

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coarsely chop pecans. Chop jalapeño into tiny cubes. In small bowl, combine jalapeño and preserves; mix well.

Cut Brie in half horizontally. Place one half Brie, cut side up, onto center of large round stone. Spread half the apricot mixture evenly over the bottom half of Brie. Top with half of the pecans and remaining half of Brie, cut side up. Spread remaining apricot mixture over the Brie; sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Using bread knife, cut baguette on a bias into twenty-four 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange baguette slices around Brie; spray lightly with olive oil. Bake 8-10 minutes or until baguette slices are golden brown and Brie begins to soften. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Greek Pasta Salad

3 cups farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1 cup Feta Cheese Crumbles

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup rinsed canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1/2 cup Kraft Greek Vinaigrette Dressing

Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt; drain.

Place pasta in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly.

Also excellent when topped with slices of grilled chicken.

Pizza Bar

This isn't a recipe, but a grilled pizza bar is one of our favorite things to do.

Crust options: Stonefire Naan, or Toufayan Flat Bread.

Toppings: Pizza Sauce, Garlic Olive Oil, or Pesto; Pepperoni, Ground Beef, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Steak, Bacon, Ham, Sautéed Mushrooms, Roma Tomato Slices, Spinach, Thinly Sliced Bell Peppers, Thinly Sliced Sweet Onions, Slightly Pre-Cooked Broccoli Florets, Artichoke Hearts, Pineapple, Avocado, Feta Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese.

Exercise caution when placing a pizza stone over direct flame. Suggestion: Put two bricks on the grill and your pizza stone on top of the bricks. This will prevent your stone from cracking.

Another option: Grill one side first, take it off, flip it over, add all the toppings like normal, and put it back on the grill until the bottom is golden brown. Forget the stone.

Chocolate Cheesecake

24 Oreo Cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup Sour Cream

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted, slightly cooled

4 eggs

Heat oven to 325ºF.

Mix crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch foil-lined pan. Bake 10 min.

Beat cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, flour and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil to lift cheesecake from pan.

[In the top picture, I reserved a little of the plain cheesecake batter (before adding the chocolate), so that I could create a white "layer" on the bottom...]

Fried Okra

(Thanks, mom.)

Mix 1 egg and 1/3 cup milk in a bowl. Place 1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix and 1/4 cup self-rising flour in a Ziploc bag. Submerge the okra in the milk mixture. Remove okra with a slotted spoon, and put it in the Ziploc bag. Shake until evenly coated. Place okra on wax paper and repeat until all okra is coated and ready. Make sure your oil is hot, and fry until lightly browned.