Potato Skins

1 large baked potato

bake however you like - I use a metal skewer through the center of the potato in a 450 degree oven for 45-60 minutes. Cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the mush (eat as a baked potato or make mashed potatoes, etc.), and cut into chip size pieces.

1 T. olive oil
1 t. grated parmesean cheese
dashes of salt, pepper, garlic powder

Mix and brush both sides of the potato skins. Bake at 450 or 475 degrees for 7 minutes, flip, and bake for another 7 minutes. Add grated cheese and bacon bits (or whatever you like - be creative!) and put back into the oven until the cheese is melted (2 minutes). Top with sour cream, chives, etc.

Hot Wings

10 wing portions (I like the part with the two bones, not the drumsticks)
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/8 tsp. salt

Mix the dry ingredients and coat the wings. Put in a container, cover, and refigerate for 60-90 minutes. The flour will mix with the juices and get a little gummy. This is what you want. Skip this step and they just won't turn out right. You have two options for cooking. Traditionally, fry in 375 degree oil for 10-12 minutes. If you want to cut down on the calories and oil, bake in the oven at 450 degress for 40-45 minutes, flipping the wings halfway through. I decided to bake them. I used a cooling rack on a rimmed cookie sheet.

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce (if you want the real taste, use Frank's hot sauce)
dashes of pepper and garlic powder

Melt the butter and add the hot sauce. This proportion is for a medium hotness. If you want mild, use more butter and less hot sauce (or vice versa if you want hotter - you can also add powdered cayenne pepper). Mix the wings with the sauce in a large bowl and enjoy. Serve with celery and blue cheese dressing.

Honey Yeast Rolls

2¼ tsp. instant yeast
1 cup warm water (105-115˚ F)
¼ cup honey
3 tbsp. canola oil
1¼ tsp. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups bread flour
Vegetable cooking spray
2 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. honey

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast and warm water. Add the honey, oil, salt, and egg and mix well. Add 3 cups of the flour and mix until the dough comes together in a sticky mass. Switch to the dough hook and, with the mixer on low speed, incorporate the remaining 1 cup of flour. Continue kneading on low speed for about 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 30 seconds. Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Punch the dough down and divide into 10-12 equal size pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place into a round, lightly greased 9- or 10-inch round baking dish (I use a glass pie pan), spacing evenly. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Mix together the melted butter and honey, and brush the tops of the rolls with the mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the rolls are baked through. Let cool slightly before serving.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Casserole:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup milk, cold
1 40-ounce can drained yams
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 dash cinnamon

Topping:
1 cup corn flakes, crushed
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup coconut

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the milk.
In a separate bowl, mash the yams with a fork.
Add the yams, butter, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon to the cornstarch and milk and mix well.
Pour into a 9x13 glass baking dish.
Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
In the meantime, mix the topping ingredients over low heat until combined.
Set aside until casserole has completed the 20-minute bake time.
Then carefully spread/sprinkle the topping over the casserole and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the topping begins to brown slightly.

Tomato Soup

from Gypsy Café in Westwood, Los Angeles

1 tablespoon oil or butter
1 red onion, chopped
1 large baking (russet) potato, baked and peeled
4 cups tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups half-n-half
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon chicken soup base or bouillon
1/2 cup hot water
dash of dried oregano

Heat oil or butter in skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Place onion and potato in a food processor and puree until smooth.  Combine tomato sauce with baking soda in a stockpot or large saucepan, and add half-n-half.  Bring to a boil and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.  Add potato-onion mixture to tomato sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and smooth.  Add cheese.  Mix chicken base with water and stir into soup; simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes.  Add dash of oregano before serving.  Approximately 150 calories per cup (using butter and regular half-n-half).

Beef Stroganoff

When I was a kid, beef stroganoff was one of our favorite meals. It was probably the most common birthday meal request in our home. Mom made two different recipes, and this was considered the "fancy one" because it's made with steak, rather than ground beef.

1½ pounds round steak
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
Fresh mushrooms
1 can beef broth
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup flour
Water

Cut steak into 2 x ½-inch strips across the grain. Brown over medium heat in skillet, then turn heat to low. Simmer long enough to tenderize meat.

Add onion soup mix, soup, mushrooms, and broth. Bring to boil. Thicken with flour/water mixture. Add sour cream and serve over egg noodles.

Our Favorite Falafel

1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
Chopped tomato for garnish
Diced onion for garnish
Diced green bell pepper for garnish
Pita bread
Tahini sauce

Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed.

Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onion in th ebowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.

Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons for flour, and pulse. You want to add enough flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl, covered, for several hours.

Form the chickpea mixture into balls abut the size of walnuts, or use a large cookie scoop.

Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion and green pepper. Drizzle with tahini thinned with water.

Makes 5 servings.

Fettuccine alla Carbonara

Recipe from Baci Trattoria in Salt Lake City.

6 slices bacon or 1/3 cup ham cut into narrow strips
1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
8 ounces dried or 16 ounces fresh fettuccine
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Place bacon or ham in a heavy saute pan over medium heat. Cook bacon until crisp, ham until hot, adding minced garlic about 30 seconds before the meat has finished cooking. Add cream and peas and cook at a slow rolling boil for four minutes. Set aside.
Fill heavy stock pot with half-gallon of water, add salt and oil. Bring to a boil. Add dry fettuccine and cook for 8-10 minutes or cook fresh fettuccine for 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse well with cold water.

Toss fettuccine with cream mixture, then add Parmesan cheese. Garnish with parsley and serve.