More than a cake, this delicious, melt-in-your-mouth dish is really a serving of vegetables.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs

4 large eggs, separated

3/4 pound ( 3 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted

butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3/4 pound carrots, grated (about 3 cups)

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups bleached all-purpose flour

2 medium-size carrots, boiled in water until fork-tender, drained, peeled, and cut into small dice

pearl onions boiled as above (optional)

1 pound English (sweet) peas (fresh or frozen), Blanched in boiling water for 2 minutes and drained

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan with the vegetable oil. Dust the bottom and sides of the pan evenly with bread crumbs.

With an electric mixer in a medium-size mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

With the mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, in a large mixing bowl, cream 3/4 pound (3 sticks) of the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg yolks one at time, beating after each addition. Add carrots, milk, and lemon juice and beat until well mixed. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt, the baking powder, baking soda, and flour and beat again until well mixed. Fold in the beaten egg whites until no white streaks remain and pour into the prepared pan.

Bake until golden brown and the top springs back when touched, about one hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. With a thin knife, loosen the sides of the cake and remove it from the pan, turning it, bottom side up, onto a serving platter.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mirliton and peas, season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper, and cook for 5 minutes.

Spoon the mixture into the hole of the carrot ring. Slice the ring and serve with the vegetables.

Whisk together two extra large eggs, 1/2 oz kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper add 1/2 lb. flour to egg mixture and whisk well Ratio of five to one washed but unpeeled potatoes to onions (five pounds potatoes to one pound peeled and trimmed onions) shred potatoes and onions in a food processor and dump into a colander. Drain well by pushing with spoon or wrapping in cloth and squeezing (my preference). Immediately add drained potato-onion mixture to the egg-flour mixture. Use a ice cream scoop to scoop about 8oz of mixture into a cast iron skillet with 4 of very hot peanut oil. Immediately flatten pancake with the bottom of a pan or a metal spatula. Cook about two minutes until golden brown and turn to brown on the second side. Serve with apple sauce.

Apple Sauce

Core but do not peel about eight mutsu or Rome apples. Cook with 1/4 cup of apple cider and cinnamon stick, 1/2 cup of dried cherries, and 1/4 cup of sugar until mushy. Add 1 Tb of butter, stir to mix and chill. Remove cinnamon stick.

Ingredients

1 box elbow macaroni

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Fresh pepper & sprinkles of Accent salt

2 eggs

1 capful of olive oil

1/2 stick butter

Boil noodles and drain. Mix in milk and eggs. Bring to slight boil and add cream of mushroom. Bring to medium boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add melted butter and oil. Place mixture in a greased pan and bake at 375 for 30-45 mintues. Add shredded cheddar cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with pepper and serve

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeo chilies, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups milk

1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, the juice discarded and the tomatoes chopped and drained well

cayenne pepper to taste if desired

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Monterey Jack (about 6 ounces)

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 6 ounces)

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan (about 1/4 pound)

In a large heavy saucepan cook the onion, the garlic, the jalapenos, the coriander and the cumin in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened.

Stir in the flour and cook the mixture, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the milk in a stream, whisking. Bring the liquid to a boil, whisking, and whisk in the tomatoes. Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes and add the cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.

In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the macaroni for 6 to 7 minutes, or until it is barely al dente. Drain it well, and in a large bowl combine it with the tomato mixture. Stir in the Monterey Jack and the Cheddar and transfer the mixture to a buttered 13- to 14-by-9-inch shallow baking dish or 3-quart gratin dish.

In a bowl stir together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan, sprinkle the mixture evenly over the macaroni mixture, and bake the macaroni and cheese in the middle of a preheated 375-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is golden and bubbling. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Ingredients

4 cups peeled and diced white potatoes (about 2 pounds)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1 head roasted garlic

2 cups thoroughly washed stemmed, and roughly torn spinach

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Combine the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large saut� pan over medium heat. Cover the potatoes with water and cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Return the potatoes to the pan and, over low heat, stir them with a fork or wire whisk for about 2 minutes to dehydrate them. Add the cream, butter, garlic, and spinach. Stir to mix well. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the white pepper. Mix well. Serve immediately. Serves 5

Roasted Garlic

Ingredients

1 head garlic

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut a small square of aluminum foil. Cut the garlic head in half and place on the foil. Drizzle both halves with the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Bring the ends of the foil together to make a small bag or pouch. Bake until the garlic is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the bag from the oven and carefully open it up a bit. Return to the oven and let cool. Remove the flesh by squeezing each half clove between your thumb and index finger. Use immediately or refrigerate in a little olive oil in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days

Ingredients

3-4 cups red, ripe tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped green peppers

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 clove crushed garlic

1 Tbs. oregano or basil

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tbs. sugar

2 Tbs. butter or margarine

In a large saucepan, melt butter or margarine, add tomatoes and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Add all remaining ingredients. Blend thoroughly and cover. Simmer on lowest heat for 20-25 minutes. If using fresh chopped herbs, add at the end of the cooking time to insure peak flavor and color. Delicious! Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

4-5 medium yellow or zucchini squash

1 medium onion, diced

2 Tbs. margarine or butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

Salt and pepper (to taste)

With this simple, but delicious dish, the technique is as important as the recipe. In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat and saute the onion until they begin to brown or caramelize. Add sliced or diced squash and toss to coat evenly with onion and butter, cover and simmer till done but still a little firm (5-10 minutes). Add additional margarine if necessary, and then add brown sugar, tossing gently to form a glaze. Awesomely delicious. Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 lb. carrots

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp. ground ginger)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. dill

Peel carrots, cut off tips and tops and cut whole carrots into 2 or 3 sections. With a large knife on a cutting board, cut each round section in half lengthwise and place "flat side down" in a row on the cutting board. In assembly line fashion, you can go down the cutting board pressing your blade down throughout the carrots as thin as you want. A very quick and safe way to julienne carrots which makes an unusual plate appearance when served. Once prepared, put julienne carrots in a skillet with 1/2" water and boil or stew for approximately 2 minutes. Drain while hot and add butter or margarine, ginger and brown sugar. Cover pan or skillet and shake side to side (popcorn style) till butter and brown sugar blends and coats each carrot slice thoroughly. Sprinkle dill and toss again and serve. Very nice side vegetable, especially with pork, ham or lamb. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

6 medium-size red potatoes

1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 tbs butter or margarine

1 (10-3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp paprika

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool to touch. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch slices; set aside. Saut� mushrooms in butter in a large skillet until tender; set aside. Combine soup, milk, and onion in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat until mixture is thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside. Place potatoes in a lightly greased 1-1/2-quart casserole; top with mushrooms, reserving 1/2 cup. Spoon soup mixture over mushrooms. Top with cheese and paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Garnish with the reserved mushrooms. Yield: 6 servings.

Ingredients

1 or 2 heads garlic roasted (see below)

olive oil

2-1/2 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and chunked

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 C sour cream

1/4 C parmeasan cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

PREHEAT oven to 400� F. Rub much of the papery covering off the garlic, then slice the upper third off the top, exposing the insides of the cloves. Put the garlic into a small baking dish and drizzle a little olive oil over the top; sprinkle a teaspoon of water in the dish. Cover and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour; when done, the garlic should look amber and feel like a paste that you can squeeze out of the clove. Set aside. When the heads are cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic onto a plate and mash well with a fork.

Put the potatoes into a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and return to the pot to keep warm. Put the milk and butter into a saucepan and heat gently, just until the butter melts. Using a ricer, mash the potatoes in the pot, gradually adding the milk and butter. Blend in the sourcream, parmesan cheese, mashed garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6. Preparation Tip: Roast the garlic ahead of time when the oven is free, and then you'll just need the stovetop for cooking the potatoes. If you need to keep this dish warm for up to 30 minutes, complete the preparation, cover the pot full of mashed potatoes, and set it into a larger pan of very hot water.

Submitted by: Judy Clark (Judith127) from Florida