Ingredients:

4 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
14 caramel candy squares
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 1/2 cups crisped-rice cereal
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Procedure:

Line a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with a piece of foil that extends at least 2 inches over each end. Grease the foil; set the pan aside. Melt the marshmallows, butter, and caramels in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir continuously until smooth, approximately 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Add the cereal and chocolate chips; mix well. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. Let it cool completely, about 45 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a cutting board by lifting up the foil. Carefully peel off the foil. Using a sharp knife, cut the mixture into 12 large bars, as shown above, or 24 small bars. Store in an airtight container.

Ingredients:

1 lb. shrimp, 25 count to a pound
4 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. Spanish paprika
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2-3 oz of cognac (you may substitute dry sherry instead)
¼ cup virgin olive oil
3 tspb. chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon for juice
French bread baguette

Procedure:

The shrimp can be peeled first, before cooking them if you prefer. In addition, if you like larger shrimp, you may purchase shrimp with fewer count to a pound. However, 25 to a pound are about the right size for this tapa. In a sauté pan or heavy frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for about one minute or until they begin to brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Raise the heat to high and add the shrimp, lemon juice, sherry or cognac and paprika. Stir well, then sauté, stirring briskly until the shrimp turn pink and curl – about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer shrimp with oil and sauce to a warm plate or serve right from the pan. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with fresh bread. Makes 4 servings for appetizers. If preparing for a main course, double the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 pounds starchy baking potatoes (such as russets or yukon golds), peeled
1 medium onion, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
sour cream and applesauce (optional)

Procedure:

Grate the potatoes and onions in a food processor using a medium-size shredding disk. Wrap a third of the grated potatoes and onions in a clean tea towel and wring out as much moisture as possible. Removing the excess water helps reduce splattering during frying and results in firmer, better-tasting latkes. Empty the towel into a separate bowl and repeat the process with the remaining potatoes, using a clean, dry section of the tea towel each time. Add the salt and pepper to the mixture. Toss to evenly distribute. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a fork, then pour them over the potatoes and stir to combine. Set the mixture aside, covered with plastic wrap. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, drop 3 to 4 mounds of the potato mixture an ice-cream scoop works well for this into the skillet. Flatten the mounds with a fork or spatula and fry each side until nicely browned, about 5 minutes per side. Serve the latkes immediately with sour cream or applesauce (or keep them warm on a baking sheet in a 300° F oven). Makes about 10 latkes.

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup ground cashew nuts
3 pieces egg whites
1/3 cup sugar

Cream Filling:
3 pieces egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
1 can (439 grams) Del Monte Fiesta Fruit Cocktail, drained
3/4 cup butter, cut into cubes and chilled

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 280ºF. Grease and flour the back of two jelly roll pans or metal utility pans. Set aside.

Crust: Mix the first sugar and cashew nuts. Set aside. Beat the egg whites and remaining sugar to stiff peak. Using wire whisk, gradually fold in cashew nut mixture. Divide into 3. Spread/pipe into prepared pans to form into 7”x7” squares, 1/4 cm thick. Bake for 40 minutes or until light brown. Using spatula, loosen from the pan while still hot and slide onto wire rack. Trim sides to even out . Cool. Crush trimmings to make into crumbs.

Cream Filling: Combine sugar and egg whites in a bowl and place over simmering water. Heat with constant whipping for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and beat at high speed until slightly cooled. Add butter and beat until spreading consistency is reached. Combine 3/4 cup of this mixture with Del MonteFiesta Fruit Cocktail. Chill cream filling and fruit cocktail mixture for 1 hour. Divide fruit mixture into two.

To Assemble: Layer the first crust with half of the fruit mixture. Cover with the second crust then the fruit mixture. Top with half of cream filling then another layer crust. Cover top of cake with remaining cream filling. Chill for 3 hours. Sprinkle with crust crumbs. Garnish if desired.

Ingredients:

4 cups carob chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts or chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Procedure:

In a bowl, melt the carob chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir them with a wooden spoon, then microwave for 30 seconds more. Stir in the peanut butter and microwave for another 15 seconds. Stir the ingredients again to combine. Add the nuts and the cinnamon, then stir the mixture to coat the nuts. Line an edged cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the mixture onto the foil and chill it for 15 minutes in the freezer or 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove the bark and break it into roughly 1- by 2-inch pieces. Store it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 70 pieces.

Ingredients:

21/2 cups Basmati rice
1/2 package extra firm tofu - small cubes
2 cups white cabbage - shredded
1 medium onion - sliced in half moons
2-3 tomatoes chopped thinly or 1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. cinnamon and cloves powder
31/2 cup olive oil
few strands saffron
1 tbsp. lime juice
salt and pepper to taste.

Procedure:

Soak the rice for about an hour and then cook it till it is al-dente or just short of tender. Heat about 11/2 tsp. oil in a pan and fry the onions till it starts turning brown. Add tofu and cook it tofu starts turning golden. Add about 1/4 cup water, clove and cinnamon powder, 1/2 of the saffron strands (soak them in water first), tomatoes, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cook it for another 2-3 minutes till everything mixes well together. Add 1 tsp. oil in a pan and add the cabbage. Cook it for 5-6 minutes till it starts turning golden and tender. Add salt and pepper and cook for another min on low. Add chopped cilantro and set it aside. Now bring 1/4 cup water and 1 tbsp. to a boil. Then add layers of rice alternating it with cabbage and Tofu. I did ice-tofu-rice, cabbage-rice-tofu-rice. The top layer should be rice and it is usually arranged so that it builds up to a dome shape. Heat another 1/4 cup water and 1 tbsp. oil and pour it over the rice. Close the lid tightly and cook it on low heat for 30-40 min. In the meantime, mix about 2 tbsp. rice with the rest of the saffron water and keep it aside for garnishing. For serving, toss the rice gently together and serve garnished with saffron rice.