The following are a few recipes that I have not tried yet but “sounded” like they would be good ones! Let me know if you try them and they are no good - then I won’t have to make them! I guess, you could also let me know if they are....

Soft Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks
3 tsp. instant yeast
1/4 c. hot water
1 T. white sugar
1/2 c. milk
1 T. butter
1 egg
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. Italian seasoning
1 T. garlic, minced
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Additional salt and Parmesan cheese to taste
Dissolve yeast in warm water and add sugar. Let foam for 10 minutes. Heat milk for one minute in microwave. Stir in butter, egg and seasonings. Add to yeast. Ad flour and Parmesan cheese. Mix and knead until combined.
Let rise in oiled bowl for one hour or until doubled.
Roll dough into rectangle. Use pizza cutter to slice lengthwise into 10 strips and cut the strips in half. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven (375º) 15 minutes, or until golden. Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt and Parmesan. Place under broiler until cheese begins to brown. Serve hot.

Chinese Pork and Shrimp Dumplings
When steaming these shao-mai dumplings, line the steamer with lettuce leaves to prevent the dumplings from sticking to the racks, especially when using a bamboo steamer. Serve the dumplings with Chinese hot mustard and chili sauce.
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 T. minced ginger
1 T. oyster sauce
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 T. cornstarch
2 tsp. oriental sesame oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, cut into 1/2-inch piece
8 large water chestnuts, fresh or canned
1 small carrot, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch dice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
30 round wonton wrappers
Lettuce leaves, for lining steamer basket
Chinese hot mustard
Chinese chili sauce
Place first 11 ingredients into work bowl of food processor. Using on/off pulses, mix ingredients until mixture begins to form one mass. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in shrimp, water chestnuts, carrot and cilantro.
Sprinkle baking sheet with flour. Place generous 1 teaspoon pork mixture in center of 1 wonton wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with water. Using fingertips, bring all corners of wrapper together over filling. Press edges of wrapper together, enclosing filling completely. Place dumpling on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pork mixture and wrappers.
DO-AHEAD TIP: Dumplings can be made 2 weeks ahead. Cover tightly; freeze. Do not thaw before steaming.
Pour enough water into large pot or wok to reach depth of 1/2 inch. Lightly oil stainless steel steamer with sesame oil or line bamboo steamer with lettuce leaves. Place steamer over water in pot. Bring water to boil. Working in batches, arrange dumplings in steamer. Cover and steam until dumplings are cooked through and firm, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let dumplings rest for a few minutes before removing.
Serve dumplings with Chinese hot mustard and Chinese chili sauce.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
1 lb. baby red potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 lb. chicken breast tenders
1 bag (12 oz.) broccoli florets
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cooked ham, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 c. milk
2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
In microwave-safe large bowl place potatoes and 2 T. water. Microwave until potatoes are fork-tender, stirring once.
Add chicken and remaining ingredients to potatoes. Toss to mix well. Transfer mixture to 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 50-55 minutes in 350º oven, until chicken is done and cheese begins to brown.

Magic Milk Shakes
1 1/2 to 2 cups ice water
1 1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 trays of ice cubes, as much as you can spare
2 tablespoons corn oil plus a 5-second squirt of non-stick spray for emulsification purposes

Place all of the ingredients into the blender, including the oil and the non-stick spray. Use less water for thicker milk shakes and more water for shakes that are easy on your blender motor. The blender should be about 3/4’s full. Place the lid on. Process for a full 2 minutes. Pour into cups and serve. Makes 4 - 12 oz servings. For preparation tips please see below.
This recipe makes a very rich milk shakes without any ice cream. With this recipe you can have delicious frosty milk shakes for a fraction of the cost of those using ice cream. And all the ingredients are on the pantry shelf.
Tip: You can makes these with Splenda by replacing the sugar measure for measure. If you like Splenda, then this tip would be a great way to reduce the calories and make them sugar-free.
Variations:
• Add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee for a mocha shake
• Add 1 very ripe banana for a chocolate banana shake
• Add a big spoonful of peanut butter for a decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake.
• Add a few broken red and white candy mints for a refreshing Chocolate Mint shake.
• To make Vanilla Milk Shakes, omit the cocoa powder, reduce the sugar to 1/2-cup and add 1 tablespoon (yes a full tablespoon) of vanilla flavoring.

Split Pea Soup
8 c. water
1 lb. fully cooked ham, chopped
2 pkg. (12 oz. each) dry green split peas
4 lg. potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 med. onion, chopped
2 med. carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 t. black pepper
In a 6-quart soup pot, combine all the ingredients over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Potato Soup
4 med. Potatoes, cubes
1 onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 c. chopped fresh mushrooms
2 c. milk
1 c. water
2 t. chicken bouillon
4 oz. shredded Swiss or cheddar cheese
Put first 4 ingredients in 3 quart saucepan, cover with water and cook till tender. Season with garlic salt to taste. Bend 1/4 c. flour with 1/4 c. melted margarine. Add remainder of ingredients. Add to potato mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Last week it was my turn to serve at an organization I belong to. I decided to go with a picnic theme so I decorated with an antique picnic basket, marshmallows, barbecue tools and even some plastic bugs. I made the following Faux Fries for the dessert.

Faux “Fries” with Raspberry “Ketchup”
1 loaf pound cake
1 cardboard french fry container
Raspberry Ketchup, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut pound cake lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Turn slices on their side and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Trim to 4 to 5 inches in length (if this sounds confusing, just remember, you are creating French fry-shaped strips).
Arrange strips on cookie sheet and bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until browned on top and bottom. Turn strips and bake for approximately 4 more minutes, or until remaining 2 sides are browned. Let cool, then arrange in fry container.

Raspberry “Ketchup”
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen raspberries, thawed, or 2 cups fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons confectioners’ (icing) sugar
2 oz. lidded plastic containers
Place raspberries in a blender or food processor, and puree (add a few tablespoons of water, or lemon juice, if necessary, to facilitate blending). Add sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, to taste, until tartness is gone.
Place raspberry puree in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to force the puree through the strainer. Discard the seeds and transfer the puree to plastic containers. Serve alongside “fries”.

Pound Cake
3 cups cake flour
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 pound butter, room temperature
1 pound sugar
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Stir in salt and the sugar. Add the butter. Next add the whole eggs. At this point break out a mixer and begin mixing on slow. Slowly add the buttermilk, and then the vanilla extract. After it is thoroughly combined, turn the mixer up to medium for a few minutes, and then finally on high. If the mixture is a little thick add just a touch more buttermilk. If you don’t mix things thoroughly you will have lumps that will form air bubbles in your mixture and leave holes in your finished cake. It is a matter of pride not to have air pocket holes in your cakes so make sure to get all of the lumps out. In the pre-electric-mixer day that involved a lot of whipping the cake by hand.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take your standard tube cake pan and oil it with butter. Then lightly flour the buttered pan. (Don’t use a name brand cake release product as this gives the edges a softer texture.) Shake the excess flour from the pan.
Pour the mix in, bake the cake for about an hour and twenty minutes. Keep looking at how your cake is doing through the oven door but avoid opening the door too much while it is cooking. When you think it is done, do the toothpick test. Stick a wooden toothpick into one of the thickest parts of the cake. If it’s dry when you pull it out, the cake is done.
Allow the cake to cool 15 or 20 minutes in the pan. Then gently remove it.

The following recipe is included just because I thought it sounded really good!

Chicken Cacciatore
4 chicken thighs
2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

(Both of these recipes came from: Spirit of the West: Cooking from Ranch House and Range)

“With limited supplies, chuck-wagon cooks had to be creative to provide satisfying desserts for the cowboys. Cowboys craved sweets; this may be related to the fact that in most outfits, alcohol was not allowed on trail drives. A cook who could whip up a tasty cobbler or pudding won high marks with the crew, even if he was ornery and cantankerous. Chuck-wagon staples usually included flour, molasses, dried fruit, salt, and saleratus (baking soda). A well-stocked wagon might also carry some sugar, a few eggs stored between layers of salt, canned evaporated milk, and a closely hoarded stock of seasonings and luxuries such as vanilla and lemon extracts, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and nuts.
The pudding known as Son-of-a-Gun-in-a-Sack was a very special treat. Despite its colorful name, this dessert is really just the cowboy version of English and colonial suet puddings. On the trail, the pudding was mixed and placed in an empty cotton flour or sugar sack. The top of the sack was twisted and tied and the pudding was lowered into a big kettle of boiling water to cook. We couldn’t wait to try this traditional recipe but didn’t expect to enjoy eating it. We were wrong-it is delicious and fun to make. It is wonderful topped with Howard Rogers’ Whiskey Sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.”

Sun-of-a-Gun-in-a-Sack
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1 cup ground suet (5 ounces) or vegetable shortening
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 (5-1/3 ounce) can evaporated milk (2/3 cup)
1/2 cup light molasses
Howard Rogers’ Whiskey Sauce (optional)
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, bread crumbs, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Fold in the raisins, suet, and nuts. Stir in the milk and molasses; mix well.
Arrange 6 to 8 layers of cheesecloth to form a 16-inch square. Set in a 1-quart mixing bowl and fill with the pudding mixture. Bring up the sides of the cheesecloth and, leaving room for the pudding to expand, tie tightly with string.
Place the “sack” in a colander. Place the colander in a kettle and add enough boiling water to cover the sack. Cover and boil gently for 2 hours. Carefully lift the colander out of the pan and immediately remove the cheesecloth from around the pudding. Place the pudding, rounded side up, on a plate. Let stand 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature topped with Howard Rogers’ Whiskey Sauce and whipped cream.

Howard Rogers' Whiskey Sauce
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup Jack Daniel’s Whiskey
Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Gradually stir in the cream and half-and-half and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring for 10-12 minutes, until the mixture becomes a smooth, medium-thick sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey. Serve the warmed sauce spooned over Son-of-a-Gun-in-a-Sack. Makes about 2 cups.

Milk-Can Supper
Milk-can suppers are the Western equivalent of clambakes. In the high plains of Wyoming and Colorado they are a popular way of entertaining a crowd during the late summer and early fall when fresh corn is available.
This recipe comes from Leonard Wiggin. The Wiggins, intrepid Bostonians, homesteaded in northeastern Colorado in the 1870s, during the days of the open range and the big roundups. Milk-can suppers at the Wiggin Ranch near Grover, Colorado, are often followed by a fierce but friendly game of “ten-point pitch,” the still popular card game seen in old westerns.
When removing the lid, be careful to avoid the scalding steam. Two strong men wearing heavy oven mitts usually empty the can into the serving containers. We have seen everything from a wooden hog trough to a wheelbarrow to a washtub used as serving vessels. Guests usually serve themselves and move on to a separate table set up with accompaniments.
25 ears sweet corn, shucked (reserve a few husks for lining can)
25 medium red potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled
3 pounds carrots, peeled and halved
6 medium onions, peeled and quartered (optional)
4 heads green cabbage, cored and quartered (optional)
50 Polish or German sausages, or for a spicier taste include some chorizo sausages
3 to 4 cups beer
Accompaniments:
Butter or margarine
Sour cream
Tossed green salad
Hot bread or biscuits
To prepare the fire, dig a shallow pit 8 inches deep by 20 inches wide. Place two cement blocks, which will support the milk can, on either side of the pit. Build the fire using about 10 to 15 pieces of hardwood (about 1-1/2 inches in diameter and 15 inches long). When the embers are white hot, the fire is ready. (Continue to add wood little by little to maintain a slow, even temperature while cooking.)
Place a thin layer of corn husks on the bottom of a clean, unrusted 8- or 10-gallon milk can to insulate the food from the fire. Place the potatoes in the can, then add layers of carrots, onions, corn, cabbage, and sausages. If necessary, stuff the sausages into the can. Combine 3 cups of the beer and 3 cups of water and pour into the can. If your can has a lid, place it on gently to allow some steam to escape. (This is very important as a lid that is jammed on may cause steam to build up and blow both the lid and the contents of the can out the top.) If you do not have a lid, improvise one by placing a doubled sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the top of the can and crimping the edges.
Set the filled milk can on the cement blocks above the fire and cook gently for 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Add more wood to the fire as needed. If the liquid in the can seems to be boiling away, add the remaining 1 cup of beer combined with 1 cup of water. Empty the can into serving containers. Serves 20 to 25

Easter Egg Bread
12 eggs in shell, uncooked
Easter Egg coloring
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 c. shortening
Grated peel of 2 lemons
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water (110 to 115º)
2 eggs (at room temperature)
4 1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour (about)
1 eggs, beaten
Tiny colored candies
Wash 12 uncooked eggs. Tint shells with egg coloring; set aside.
Scald milk; add sugar, salt, shortening and lemon peel. Cool to lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast on warm water; stir to dissolve. Add to milk mixture with the 2 eggs, slightly beaten, and 2 1/2 c. flour. Beat until smooth.
Stir in enough remaining flour, a little at a time, to form a dough that is easy to handle. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn dough over to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place free from drafts until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch down; cover and let rise again until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.
Make 2 large braided rings or 12 individual rings as follows:
large Rings: Divide dough into 4 parts. From each part into a 36” rope. On a greased baking sheet, shape 2 of the ropes into a very loosely braided ring, leaving space for 6 eggs. Repeat with other 2 ropes of dough for second ring. Insert 6 tined eggs in spaces in each ring.
Individual Rings: Divide dough into 12 parts. Form each part into a ring around a tinted egg.
Cover; let rise until doubled.
Brush evenly with beaten egg. Sprinkle with tiny decorating candies.
Bake in moderate oven (375º) 15 minutes for individual rings, 20 minutes for large rings, or until lightly browned. Serve warm. Makes 2 large or 12 individual rings.
Note: Easter Egg Bread can be baked the day before. Refrigerate. At serving time, reheat in moderate oven (350º) 8 minutes.

Hot Cross Buns
1/4 c. milk
1/3 c. sugar
3/4 t. salt
1/2 c. shortening
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water (110 to 115º)
3 eggs
4 c. sifted all-purpose flour (about)
3/4 c. currants
1 egg white
1 t. cold water
White Frosting
Scald milk, add sugar, salt and shortening; cool to lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast on warm water; stir to dissolve.
Add eggs, yeast and 1 c. flour to milk mixture; beat with electric mixer at medium speed about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping the bowl. Stir in currants and enough remaining flour, a little at a time, to make a soft dough that is easy to handle. Beat well. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn dough over to grease top. cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down. Turn onto lightly floured board.
Roll or pat to 1/2” thickness. Cut in rounds with 2 1/2” biscuit cutter; shape cutouts in buns. Place about 1 1/2” apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
With a very sharp knife, cut a shallow cross on top of each bun. Brush tops with unbeaten egg white mixed with cold water.
Bake in moderate oven (375º) 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks about 5 minutes. Then, with top of knife or teaspoon, fill in crosses on buns with White Frosting. Best served warm. Makes about 18 buns.
White Frosting: Combine 1 c. sifted confectioners sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 2 T. hot water. Mix until smooth.
Variation: Fruited Hot Cross Buns: With currants stir in 3 T. finely chopped candied orange peel and 3 T. finely chopped citron.

Amish Ham Loaf
Loaf Ingredients:
1 pound cured ground ham
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
2/3 cup cracker crumbs
1/3 cup minute tapioca
1/4 cup milk
Dressing:
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon mustard
Mix loaf ingredients and form into a loaf. Boil dressing a few minutes. pour over loaf and bake in moderate oven (325-350ºF) about 2 hours basting occasionally. Dressing should become thick and syrupy.

Ham and Cheese Chowder
Leftover ham with bone in it
2 c. diced potatoes
1/2 c. chopped celery
3/4 c. onion
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
2 c. milk or non-dairy creamer
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. prepared mustard
1 1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. Cheese Whiz or 1/4 lb. Velvetta cheese
1 T. parsley
Boil the ham bone. Strain off the broth. Add potatoes, celery, and onion to the broth. Boil for 15 minutes. Add butter. Combine flour with milk/creamer in a blender. Add flour/milk mixture to soup along with the pepper, mustard, and Worcestershire. When soup is thick add cheese and parsley. Add any ham that has been cleaned off the bone and heat through.

Breakfast Bundles
Pastry:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. masa harina
1 1/2 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. chilled butter
2 eggs, separated
3/4 c. ice-cold water
Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. milk
1 T. all-purpose flour
8 eggs
1/4 t. salt
pepper
1/2 c. finely chopped ham
1/2 c. grated cheese
1 T. butter
Preheat oven to 400º.
Combine flour, masa harina, sugar and salt. Cut in butter using pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk egg yolks and water together; slowly stir into flour mixtures, mixing until dough forms into a ball. (Add additional water, 1 T. at a time, if necessary.) Form dough into disk and wrap tightly; refrigerate while preparing filling.
Whisk cream cheese and milk together in med. sized bowl; add flour and whisk until smooth. Add eggs, salt, black pepper, and ham to cream cheese mixture; whisk until smooth.
Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, 4-6 minutes until eggs are set but still moist. Remove pan from heat.
Cut dough in half and roll out to about 1/8” think. Cut out circles using a 4” round cookie cutter. Transfer circles to greased cookie sheet. Scoop filling onto dough. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Fold dough in half. Press down edges to seal. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Easter Eggs
Of all the symbols associated with Easter the egg, the symbol of fertility and new life, is the most identifiable. The customs and traditions of using eggs have been associated with Easter for centuries.
Originally Easter eggs were painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring and were used in Easter-egg rolling contests or given as gifts. After they were colored and etched with various designs the eggs were exchanged by lovers and romantic admirers, much the same as valentines. In medieval time eggs were traditionally given at Easter to the servants. In Germany eggs were given to children along with other Easter gifts.
Hard Boiled Eggs
Pierce the large end of the egg shell with a needle. Place the eggs in a single layer in cold water to cover by one-inch with a tablespoon of vinegar added to it. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover pan. After 20 minutes drain and dump eggs in cold water to stop the cooking; peel immediately. If you don’t peel them right away the sulfur from the egg will be trapped and will turn the edge of the yolk green. I am allergic to sulphur so I get very sick if I eat hard boiled eggs that have not been peeled right away. - “Hard Boiled” eggs is a misnomer as you should never boil the egg as this makes them rubbery!

Natural Easter Egg Dyes
An alternative to “store bought” dye is to use things you have around the house.
Wash eggs in mild soapy water to remove oily coating which could prevent dye from adhering. Cook the eggs following the directions above. Place hard boiled egg in one of the listed ingredients to acquire different colors.
SPRING CHICKEN YELLOW:
1 tsp Turmeric
2/3 cup Boiling water
1/4 tsp Vinegar
Add turmeric to boiling water, stir until dissolved. Add vinegar.
EASTER BUNNY BROWN:
1 heaping tbsp Instant coffee
2/3 cup Boiling water
1/2 tsp Vinegar
Add heaping Tbsp heaping instant coffee to boiling water, stir to dissolve. Add vinegar
SEREN”DIP”ITY:
2/3 cup Boiling water
1/4 t. vinegar
Add with one of the following:
Onion skins - (golden orange)
Beets - (reddish purple)
Spinach - (pale green)
Red Cabbage Leaves
Walnut shells - (buff)
Grape Juice - (mauve)

Pickled Eggs
Years ago I was visiting a friend and her mother had made some “pickled eggs.” I had never heard of such a thing so naturally I wanted to try one. They were great. They had a garden and her mom always pickled beets, she used the pickled beet juice and put the peeled hard boiled eggs in this juice and put them in the refrigerator. After a couple days the red dye and flavor had penetrated through the egg. I have also seen that some people use dill pickle juice to do the same thing.

Avocado and Egg Pate
Large bunch of parsley
Small bunch of spring onions (scallion) bulbs
4 ripe avocados
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
1 tsp salt
10 grinds of black pepper
1 rounded tbsp mayonnaise
Chop the parsley and the spring onions finely in the food processor. Add the peeled, stoned and roughly cubed avocados and the lemon juice, then add the hard-boiled eggs, salt, and pepper.
Pulse until the hard-boiled eggs are finely chopped. Turn into a bowl and add enough of the mayonnaise to bind the mixture into a pate. Taste and re-season if necessary. Pile into a shallow bowl and chill until required. Serve with scoop crisps or spread on fingers of challah.

Egg Salad with Capers and Olives
4 hard-boiled eggs
2 Tbsp minced red onion
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp prepared mustard
2 Tbsp minced red bell pepper
2 Tbsp minced pitted kalamata olives
1 Tbsp minced parsley
1 Tbsp capers
Salt and pepper
Finely chop the hard-boiled eggs and transfer them to a medium-sized bowl. Add the red onion, mayonnaise, mustard, bell pepper, olives, parsley, capers, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix well.
You can easily make this egg salad recipe into deviled eggs, for a convenient, portable breakfast item.
Simply cut the hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise, and pop the yolks into a small bowl. Mash the yolks with the remaining ingredients, then stuff this filling back into the “yolk compartment” of the egg whites. Chill in a tightly covered container until serving time.

Curried Hard-Boiled Eggs
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely minced onion
1 teaspoon curry powder (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm beef or chicken broth
1 cup warm milk (half-and-half is best)
6 hard-boiled eggs
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Hot rice or toast
Melt the butter in a medium nonreactive skillet, add the onion and saute over low heat until the onion is clear. Stir in the curry powder, salt, and flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Off the heat, gradually stir in the broth and milk, stirring until smooth. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes. The sauce should be slightly thickened and smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
Cut the hard-boiled eggs into quarters and add to the sauce. Cook just until the eggs are hot, but do not boil. Just before serving stir in a drop or two of fresh lemon juice. Serve over hot rice or toast points.

Scotch Eggs
2 raw eggs
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
8 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1 pound bulk country-style sausage
Vegetable oil for frying
Beat the raw eggs and mustard together in a shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. Encase each hard-cooked egg completely in a thin layer of sausage, using both hands to mold the sausage around the egg.
Dip one sausage-encased egg first in the egg mixture and then coat with the bread crumbs. Set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining hard-cooked eggs. Refrigerate covered at least 3 hours or overnight.
Heat 3 inches oil in a deep-fat fryer to 375 degrees F. Fry 2 or 3 eggs at a time, turning occasionally, until quite well-browned, 10 to 15 minutes. (You want to make sure the sausage meat is thoroughly cooked.) Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve the Scotch eggs, cut into quarters, at room temperature. Pass additional mustard if desired.

When I was in Japan we took the Train to Tokyo and were served a meal in a Bento Box. One of the things in the box was a flower shaped hard-boiled egg. I inquired as to how they got it into that shape. They said you take hot hard-boiled eggs that have been peeled while they are still hot and push them into a special mold, clamp the lid down and let them cool in the mold. When they come out they hold the shape of the mold. Recently I went to the Internet and found that you can order all kinds of shapes from squares to animals. What a fun way to dress up a plate!