Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Procedure:

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan. In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Beat in the remaining ingredients in the order listed. Pour the mix into the pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack. Meanwhile, mix together the glaze ingredients. Prick the loaf with a fork and pour the glaze over the top (place a plate beneath the cooling rack to catch drips).

Ingredients:

20 prawns (shrimp), medium size
4-5 cups water
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 stalks lemon grass, lightly pounded, cut into 1 inch long segments
2 table spoons fish sauce
2 slices fresh or dried galanga root
20 small mushroom, halved or whole
6 kaffir lime leaves
3 table spoons lime juice
2-3 chilies
5 coriander leaves and spring onions

Procedure:

Wash the prawns and shell them without removing the tails. Pour the water into a pan. Add the shallots, lemon grass, fish sauce and galanga root. Boil for 3 minutes. Add the prawns and mushrooms, and cook until the prawns turn pink. Add the kaffir lime leaves, lime juice and chilies. Cover and remove from the heat. Sprinkled with coriander leaves and chopped spring onion and serve hot. Makes 4-5 servings.

Ingredients:

2 potatoes
2 sweet potatoes
2 turnips
2 parsnips
4 carrots
2 stalks celery
2 red onions
3 tbsp. olive oil
salt
1/4 cup fresh rosemary
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Procedure:

Peel the potatoes and turnips, scrape the parsnips and carrots, and cut all the vegetables into 2-inch chunks. (Cut the onions into quarters or sixths.) Put all the vegetables in a large roasting pan and rub all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and half the rosemary. An hour before dinner, put the pan into a 450 degree oven and roast, tossing the vegetables now and then, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and browned. Take out of the oven, pour on the vinegar and toss rapidly to glaze. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons rosemary needles. Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

1 (17-ounce) package Hormel Refrigerated Entrees Beef Roast Au Jus
4 hoagie buns, sliced
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing

Procedure:

Remove roast from package, reserving juices. Slice roast thinly. To make sandwiches, place half of shredded cheese on bottom halves of each roll. Layer sliced beef on top of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange bell pepper slices and onion over meat. Drizzle each with a little Italian salad dressing. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Place tops on rolls. Wrap sandwich in foil. Heat in a preheated 350º F oven for 10-12 minutes or until warmed through. Slice in half and serve.

Au Jus
Place meat juices in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until it comes to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve in small bowls on the side for dipping sandwiches.Serve with frozen, seasoned steak fries prepared as package directs, and green grapes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Procedure:

Using a wooden spoon, cream the butter until it’s smooth (see tip below.) Stir in the sugars and vanilla extract until they’re evenly blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture one third at a time, stirring after each addition, until the dough is evenly blended. Set aside half of the cookie dough. Add the cocoa powder to the remaining dough and stir until it is fully incorporated. 3. Divide the chocolate dough in half. Place each half on a large piece of plastic wrap, pat it into a 2-inch-thick square, and then wrap it in the plastic. Repeat the process for the vanilla dough. Refrigerate the 4 squares until firm, about 1 to 2 hours. Unwrap one piece of the chilled vanilla dough, leaving it on the plastic. Cover it with a second piece of plastic wrap, then roll it into a rectangle measuring about 9 by 7 inches. If the dough gets too soft and difficult to roll, slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate it until it’s firm again, about 5 to 10 minutes. Unwrap a piece of the chocolate dough, cover it with another piece of plastic, and roll it into an 8- by 7-inch rectangle. 5. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap from both rolled doughs and invert the chocolate dough on top of the vanilla dough, lining up 3 sides and leaving about 1 inch of vanilla dough exposed on one side. Starting at the opposite side, lift the vanilla dough by the plastic wrap underneath it and snugly roll up both layers into a log, peeling away the plastic wrap as you go. Wrap the log in the plastic and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. Repeat the process with the 2 other pieces of dough. Heat the oven to 350°. Line 2 shiny, heavy baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap one of the logs and slice it into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Arrange the slices on the parchment about 1 inch apart and bake them for about 13 minutes. When done, they’ll still be a little soft to the touch — the cookies will have a better texture if you don’t let their edges brown. Leave the cookies on the sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Slice and bake the second log as the first. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

lamb
3 1 1/4-pound racks of lamb, frenched
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint

Parsley sauté:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
6 cups (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves (from 2 large bunches)
3/4 cup very coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
3/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (about 2 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Procedure:

For lamb:
Place lamb racks on heavy large rimmed baking sheet. Brush lamb with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons coarse salt and pepper. Mix all herbs in small bowl; press firmly over meat side of lamb to adhere. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb, meat-and-herb side down, and cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer racks to baking sheet, meat-and-herb side up. Roast lamb until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 125°F for medium-rare, about 13 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare sauté:
Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add parsley and sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add mint, 1/2 cup water, and lemon peel and cook until parsley is tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in walnuts, walnut oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cut lamb between bones into individual chops. Divide parsley sauté among 6 plates. Top with lamb chops and serve.