• 6 large baking potatoes
• 2 teaspoons cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
• 2/3 cup chopped Canadian-style bacon or chopped, cooked turkey bacon
• 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese or reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 1/2 cup dairy sour cream (optional)

Scrub potatoes thoroughly and prick with a fork. Arrange on a microwave-safe plate. Micro-cook, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 17 to 22 minutes or till almost tender, rearranging once. (Or, bake potatoes in a 425 degrees F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes or till tender.) Cool.

Halve each potato lengthwise. Scoop out the inside of each potato half, leaving about a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Cover and chill the leftover fluffy white part of potatoes for another use. Combine the cooking oil, chili powder, and hot pepper sauce. With a pastry brush, brush the insides of the potato halves with the oil mixture. Cut the potato halves in half lengthwise. Return to the baking sheet. Sprinkle potato quarters with bacon, tomato, and green onion. Top with cheese. To make ahead, cover and chill for up to 24 hours.

Bake in 450 degrees F. oven for 10 to 12 minutes or till cheese is melted and potato quarters are heated through. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Nutrition information: per serving: 70 calories, 2 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 107 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 2% vitamin A, 13% vitamin C, 3% calcium, 1% iron.
 

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup taco sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 10-ounce package refrigerated pizza dough
• 1/4 cup shredded American cheese or cheddar cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water

1. For filling, cook ground beef in a small skillet until brown. Drain off fat. Stir in taco sauce, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Set aside.

2. Unroll pizza dough. Roll dough into a 14x10-1/2-inch rectangle. Cut into twelve 3-1/2-inch squares. Divide filling among dough squares. Sprinkle with cheese. Brush edges with water. Lift one corner of each square and stretch dough to the opposite corner, making a triangle. Press edges well with a fork to seal.

3. Arrange on a greased baking sheet. Prick with fork. Combine egg and the 1 teaspoon water; brush onto turnovers. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition information: per serving: 113 calories, 4 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 31 mg cholesterol, 202 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 7 g protein.
 

• 2 cans (about 15 oz./425 g each) black beans, drained and rinsed well
• 1/4 cup (45 g) finely chopped salted roasted almonds
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) carrots, shredded
• 1 teaspoon grated lime peel
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) lime juice
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 pita breads (each about 5 inches/12.5 cm in diameter)
• 1 large can (about 7 oz./200 g) whole green chiles, cut crosswise into halves

In a large bowl, combine beans, almonds, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin. Mash with a potato masher or fork until hummus has a spreadable consistency.

In another bowl, combine carrots, lime peel, lime juice, vinegar, honey, mustard, caraway seeds, and red pepper flakes. Mix well.

To serve, cut pita breads in half crosswise. Fill breads with hummus, carrot slaw (serve slaw with a slotted spoon), and chiles.

Nutrition information: Per serving: 489 calories (17% calories from fat), 10 g total fat, 0.9 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1,220 mg sodium, 86 g carbohydrates, 14 g fiber, 18 g protein, 181 g calcium, 6 mg iron

• a 6-ounce can pitted ripe black olives (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 firm-ripe California avocado
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro sprigs
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• four 6- to 7-inch flour tortillas
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (about 5 ounces)

Drain olives well and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Halve, pit, and peel avocado and finely chop avocado and bell pepper. In a bowl stir together olives, avocado, bell pepper, cilantro, onion, and lime juice.

Preheat broiler.

Put tortillas on a large baking sheet and brush tops with oil. Broil tortillas 2 to 4 inches from heat until pale golden, about 45 seconds. Turn tortillas over and broil until pale golden. Sprinkle tortillas evenly with pepper Jack and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 30 seconds. Divide olive mixture among tortillas and cut each tortilla into 4 wedges.

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/3 cup minced parsley
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• Salt and pepper

In a bowl mix together mayonnaise, onion, garlic, parsley, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar and blue cheese. Transfer to serving bowl.
 

• 24 chicken wings
• 1/2 cup butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup Captain Bob's Habanero-Garlic Sauce
• vegetable oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Blue Cheese Dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and preheat oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees. Reserve wing-tips for stock. Fry wings for 8 minutes. Transfer to a tray with paper towels and let drain. Season with salt and pepper.

In a saucepan melt butter. Add hot sauce, salt, vinegar and pepper. Toss wings in sauce. Roast 15 to 20 minutes.

Arrange wings on serving platter. Garnish with flat leaf parsley. Serve with blue cheese dressing.
 

• 10 slices white bread
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 6 ounces cooked shrimp, cleaned and chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss Cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Dill weed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Using a 2-inch round fluted pastry cutter, cut 2 circles from each bread slice. (Reserve scraps for crumbs). In small saucepan, melt butter and add thyme. Brush bread circles with this mixture. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes, until golden. Meanwhile, combine shrimp with cheese, mayonnaise, bread crumbs and salt. When circles are cool, put a rounded Tablespoon of shrimp mixture on each. Sprinkle with a pinch of dill and place under broiler for about 3 minutes.

• 16 ounces light cream cheese, softened
• 1 can Crab meat, drained and crumbled
• 2 green onion, whole
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 package Won ton skins

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except won ton skins and spray coating; mix until well blended. (To prevent won ton skins from drying out, prepare one or two Rangoon at a time.) Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each won ton skin. Moisten edges with water; fold in half to form triangle, pressing edges to seal. Pull bottom corners down and overlap slightly; moisten one corner and press to seal.

Deep-fry in hot (375 degree) oil two or three at a time until browned. Serve warm with mustard or sweet and sour sauce.
 

• 2 pounds chicken wings (about 10)
• 4 tablespoons curry powder
• 4 tablespoons Major Grey's chutney, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• a 5-inch length of seedless cucumber, seeded and chopped fine (about 1 cup)
• 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Cut off the wing tips, reserving them for another use such as stock if desired, and halve the wings at the joint. In a bowl stir together the curry powder, 2 tablespoons of the chutney, the lemon juice, the salt, and the cayenne, add the wings, and toss them to coat well. Let the wings marinate, covered and chilled , for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a small bowl stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons chutney and the soy sauce. Arrange the wings, marinade discarded, skin side up, on the oiled rack of a broiler pan and bake them in a preheated 475 degree oven for 25 minutes. Brush the wings with the soy-sauce mixture and broil them under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are crisp.

In a small bowl stir together the yogurt, the cucumber, the minced coriander, the juice, and salt to taste.

Transfer the wings to a platter, garnish them with the coriander sprigs, and serve them warm or at room temperature with the sauce
 

• 2 pounds chicken wings (about 10)
• 4 tablespoons curry powder
• 4 tablespoons Major Grey's chutney, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• a 5-inch length of seedless cucumber, seeded and chopped fine (about 1 cup)
• 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Cut off the wing tips, reserving them for another use such as stock if desired, and halve the wings at the joint. In a bowl stir together the curry powder, 2 tablespoons of the chutney, the lemon juice, the salt, and the cayenne, add the wings, and toss them to coat well. Let the wings marinate, covered and chilled , for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a small bowl stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons chutney and the soy sauce. Arrange the wings, marinade discarded, skin side up, on the oiled rack of a broiler pan and bake them in a preheated 475 degree oven for 25 minutes. Brush the wings with the soy-sauce mixture and broil them under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are crisp.

In a small bowl stir together the yogurt, the cucumber, the minced coriander, the juice, and salt to taste.

Transfer the wings to a platter, garnish them with the coriander sprigs, and serve them warm or at room temperature with the sauce
 

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Scotch bonnet or Habanero chile, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 24 chicken wings
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Carrot and celery sticks

Use side burner or preheat grill. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour into a large bowl and let cool. Add chicken wings to the marinade and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours. Grill over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with celery and carrot sticks.
 

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 6 scallions, chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons minced green bell pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco
• 4 pounds chicken wings, separated at the joint

In a large bowl or shallow glass dish stir together the soy sauce, the Sherry, the hoisin sauce, the scallions, the garlic, the vinegar, the honey, the marmalade, the zests, the bell pepper, and the Tabasco.

Add the chicken wings, stirring to coat them well with the marinade, and let them marinate, covered and chilled, stirring occasionally, for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Transfer the chicken wings to the rack of a foil-lined broiler pan, reserving the marinade, and bake them in the middle of a preheated 375 degree oven, turning them every 20 minutes and basting them with the reserved marinade, for 1 hour.
 

• 5 oz (1 1/4 cups) mixed brown and white cooked crab meat
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) softened butter
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
• lemon juice to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or. better still, puree them in a food processor. Taste carefully and continue to season until you are happy with the flavor; it may need a little more lemon juice. Press the mixture into a pottery bowl, cover and refrigerate. Serve with hot buttered toast points.
 

• 12 large hard-cooked eggs, shells removed
• 2-4 oz (100 g) cans of sardines, thoroughly drained
• 1 cup (250 ml) mayonnaise
• 4 Tbs (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 4 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 tsp (5 ml) salt, or to taste
• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives
• 12 to 24 capers

With a small sharp knife cut a 1/8 inch (1 mm) slice off the bottom of the eggs so they will stand up. Then slice off the top 1/3 of each egg, and chop the scraps of egg white finely and set them aside. Gently squeeze the yolks out of the eggs, being careful not to break the white cases. Mash the yolks and the sardines together with a fork, then beat the mayonnaise into the egg-sardine mixture. Add the lemon juice, mustard, cayenne and salt, mixing thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the filling into the egg white cases, dividing it evenly among them and mounding it on top. Mix the reserved chopped whites together with the parsley and chives in a shallow bowl, and dip the filled eggs into the mixture, rolling to coat the tops thoroughly. Place a caper or two on the top of each egg. Stand the eggs on a chilled platter and serve at once, or cover the platter loosely with waxed paper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
 

• 2 pounds chicken wings
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup beer (not dark)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying
• Parsley sprigs for garnish

Cut off the wing tips. Halve wings at joint. Separate the "drumstick," or first-joint, pieces (the thick ones) from the second-joint pieces. Beginning at the narrower end of each "drumstick," with a sharp knife cut the tendons and , holding the exposed end of the bone with a kitchen towel, scrape the skin and meat down the bone as far as possible toward the thicker end to make a plump drumstick shape. Cut through the cartilage at one end of each second-joint piece, separating the bones, scrape the skin and meat down the larger bone to make a plump drumstick shape, and pull out and discard the smaller bone. Arrange all of the "drumsticks" in a shallow dish, sprinkle them with the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, and let them marinate, covered and chilled, for 1 hour.

Make the batter while the chicken is marinating: In a bowl whisk together the flour, the salt, the paprika, the cumin, the pepper, the thyme, and the cayenne and make a well in the center. Add the beer and the oil in a stream, and whisk the batter until it is smooth. Let the batter stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Stir the batter before using it.

In a large deep fryer or large deep kettle heat 2 inches of the oil to 375 degrees on a deep fat thermometer. Dip the chicken in the batter and fry in oil, 5 pieces at a time, turning it, for 3 minutes, or until it is cooked through and golden. Transfer the chicken with a slotted spoon as it is fried to paper towels to drain and make sure the oil returns to 375 degrees before adding each new batch. Sprinkle the drumsticks with salt to taste, arrange them on a platter, and garnish the platter with the parsley sprigs.

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano flakes
• 1 tsp. Cajun spice
• 4 large onions
• corn oil for frying
• salt

Preparation:
Cut onions into very thin slices and separate into rings. Soak onions in ice water for one hour. Set aside. Combine flour, salt, pepper, oregano and Cajun spice in a large bowl. Heat oil. Remove onions from ice water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Dredge in coating, then fry until brown. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and serve.

Cooking note:
The oil temperature will drop when the onions are added, then rise as the onions cook; regulate the heat accordingly.
 

• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach
• 2 cups herb-flavored stuffing mix
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 6 eggs, well-beaten
• 3/4 cup melted margarine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 Tablespoon Cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1-2 teaspoons Tony's Creole Seasoning (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Cook spinach according to package directions and drain well, squeezing to remove excess moisture. Combine with stuffing mix, chopped onion, eggs, margarine, cheese, Cayenne and garlic salt. Mix well. Shape into 3/4-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes. (These are successfully frozen by placing on a pan in freezer until hard, then storing in airtight bags. To serve, thaw slightly and bake 20-25 minutes.)

• 1 medium-large sweet onion such as Vidalia or Walla Walla
• olive oil for brushing onion and tortillas
• four 6- to 7-inch flour tortillas
• 3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese with hot peppers (about 3
• 1/4 cup packed fresh coriander sprigs, washed well, spun dry, and

Prepare grill.

Cut onion crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange slices on a tray, keeping them intact. Brush both sides of slices lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill onion on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 4 minutes on each side, or until lightly charred and softened. Transfer onion as grilled to a bowl, separating rings.

Brush 2 tortillas lightly with oil on one side and put, oiled side down, on a platter. Divide onion, Monterey Jack, and coriander between tortillas and cover with remaining 2 tortillas. Brush tops of quesadillas lightly with oil.

With a metal spatula transfer quesadillas to a rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals and grill until undersides are golden brown, about 1 minute. Sandwiching each quesadillas between 2 metal spatulas, flip quesadillas over and grill until undersides are golden brown, about 1 minute.

Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board and cut into wedges.

Salsa

• 1 ripe Haas avocado, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon mince jalapeno
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
 

• 3 ears corn, to yield 2 cups of kernels
• 3 Hass avocados, peeled and chopped into large chunks
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
• 12 drops Tabasco sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chile powder
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 red onion, minced
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Blanch ears of corn in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain, and cool under cold water. Cut kernels off the cobs, and mix with remaining ingredients. Chill until ready to serve. To store, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

• 5 ripe avocados, preferably Haas
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 4 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Lettuce, shredded for serving

In a mixing bowl place peeled, quartered and seeded avocados. Mash with a potato masher or fork until chunky. Add the remaining ingredients and combine with a fork. Mound on a bed of shredded lettuce.

• 2 slices red onion, 1/2inch thick
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 12 jalapeno chilies, seeded and halved
• 3 Anaheim chilies, seeded and halved
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

In a cast iron skillet, over a very high heat, char the onion slices and remove. Toast the garlic, remove and peel.

Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the skillet and sear the chilies until charred. Add the remaining oil, the oregano, lime juice, and salt ingredients and cook 1 minute. Place all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until they are roughly chopped but smooth.
 

• 4 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, and finely diced
• 1/4 red onion, minced
• 2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded if desired and minced
• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves only chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients. Stir and toss well. Serve. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator no more than 1 day.

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 small red onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and quartered
• 8 plum tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup cilantro leaves, washed and dried
• Juice of one lime
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Combine garlic, onion and jalapeno in a blender or food processor and process until finely chopped. Add tomatoes and blend. Add cilantro, lime juice and oil and continue blending. Transfer salsa to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Roasted salsa variation: Place the garlic, onion, jalapeno and tomatoes on a sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, then proceed as directed.

• 6 tomatillo, peeled, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
• 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp oregano, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 lime

1. Combine the tomatillos, tomatoes, red onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, oregano, cumin, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Juice the lime into the mixture. Pulse until the mixture is well-blended and all of the ingredients are roughly chopped.

2. Use, or properly cool and store.