Basmatiotics

2 c. Basmati rice

2 c. firm tofu, cubed

1/2 c. white onion, cubed

1/2 c. green onions, chopped

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 c. white cooking wine

1 pinch salt

1 tsp. curry

3 c. mushrooms, diced

1 c. coconut milk

1/2 c. yellow and red bell pepper, diced

1/2 c. pistachio

1/2 avocado

Prepare rice in salted water. Brown tofu and set aside. Sauté onions, then add mushrooms with soy sauce and white wine. Add coconut milk, then salt, pepper, and curry to taste. Add remaining ingredients and simmer. Serve with tofu over rice, and follow with metaphorical or literal Dampfnudeln (both are delicious!).

Rigatoni con salsiccia del pollo

2 c. wide rigatoni pasta

1/2 lb. smoked chicken sausage

1/2 onion

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tbsp. honey

1/2 c. light sour cream

1/2 c. marsala cooking wine

5 bay laurel leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Chop sausage into small pieces and sauté with chopped onion in olive oil or butter. Add tomatoes, bay laurel leaves, salt and pepper, honey, and wine and reduce. Add sour cream and cook for two minutes more. Serve over pasta cooked al dente in salted water.

Black beans and rice with chicken and apple salsa

1 cup chopped Granny Smith apple
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon (or more) fresh lime juice
1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups cooked brown or white rice
1 2–3-pound rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded

Combine apple, 1/4 cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons onion, and 1 teaspoon lime juice in a small bowl; toss to coat. Set apple salsa aside.

Combine remaining onion, bell pepper, and oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until completely softened, 6–7 minutes. Add garlic and next 3 ingredients; stir constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in broth and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer briskly, mashing some of the beans with the back of a spoon and stirring often, until sauce is thickened, 8–10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and more lime juice.

Divide rice and beans among plates. Top with some chicken and apple salsa. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and lime wedges.

Whole-wheat pizza with butternut and fontina

1 whole-wheat pizza crust

1 c. fontina cheese

1/2 Romano cheese

1 onion

1 tbsp. butter

1 butternut squash

1 bunch fresh parsley

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the butternut squash into small cubes. Spread on a cookie sheet and cover with olive oil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Roast at 450° until squash starts to brown. Drizzle pizza crust with olive oil. Cover with small cubes of fontina cheese. Slice onion thinly and sauté with butter, salt, and pepper until soft and brown. Add to pizza, along with cubes of butternut squash. Add grated Romano cheese and chopped parsley. Bake at 450° for 8-10 minutes.

Chicken casserole with green beans

2 large chicken breasts (or the meat of one rotisserie chicken)

1 c. chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c. brown rice, cooked

1 sleeve Ritz crackers

2 tbsp. butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Pull or chop the chicken into small pieces. Mix in a casserole dish with cream of chicken soup and rice. Add broth until mixture is moist. Season with salt and pepper.

Crush Ritz crackers and toss with melted butter. Cover the top of the casserole. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Serve with steamed green beans.

Paella de colores with shrimp and scallops

2 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. tumeric
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
2/3 c. diced red bell pepper
2/3 c. diced green bell pepper
3/4 c. halved grape tomatoes
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 c. arborio rice
1 c. shelled edamame
1/2 lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 lb. sea scallops
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Heat broth; turn off heat. Add tumeric; let sit. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and bell peppers, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until liquid has almost completely reduced, 3 minutes. Stir in rice; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Add edamame, shrimp and scallops; simmer, covered, until seafood is fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

For a sweet October treat, wrap apples in caramel sheets, insert popsicle sticks, warm in a 200° oven on wax paper, let cool, and serve.

Pasta with parsnips, pancetta, and parmesan

1/2 c. chopped pancetta
1 handful fresh rosemary
4 tbsp. butter
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 parsnips, peeled, halved and finely sliced lengthways
1 lb. fresh fettuccine
3 good handfuls of grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In a large, non-stick frying pan, fry your pancetta and herbs in half the butter for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and parsnips. Cook for a further 3 minutes on a medium heat, until the pancetta is slightly golden and the parsnips have softened nicely. Cook fettuccine in salted boiling water, then drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Mix the pasta with the parsnips and pancetta and stir in the rest of your butter and the parmesan, adding a little of the cooking water to loosen the mixture and make it creamy and shiny. Season to taste.

Pasta twists with tomato-banana sauce

1/4 lb. fusili pasta

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 white onion, diced

1 tbsp. butter

1 c. white cooking wine

1 banana, sliced

1/2 c. mixed nuts

1/2 c. sour cream

5 leaves fresh basil

Brown onion in butter. Add other ingredients and reduce to sauce. Cook pasta and mix; garnish with chopped fresh basil. Pack into square containers and plastic bags and bike across town to delight a waiting comrade.

Orecchiette with sausage and red grapes

6 oz. mild Italian sausage
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. salt
2 c. seedless red grapes
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
10 oz. whole-wheat orecchiette (small shells)
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring and breaking up, until well browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer sausage to a paper towel. Add oil to skillet; return to medium heat. Cook onion and garlic with salt, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add grapes, broth and pepper flakes; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until grapes soften or burst and liquid thickens, about 10 minutes. Return sausage to skillet and stir; turn off heat. Cook pasta. Drain, add to skillet, and turn on heat to high. Cook, stirring, until sausage is hot and pasta is coated with sauce, 30 to 60 seconds. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley before serving.

Cauliflower-quinoa stew

1 pound of ground turkey breast
1 1/2 c. lima beans
3/4 of a cauliflower head
1/2 lb. quinoa
1/4 white onion
Salt and pepper
6 c. chicken broth

Brown the turkey breast in a pan together with the cubed onion. Add with all other ingredients to a slowcooker and cook for 4 to 6 hours. Serve with spicy mango-coconut sauce. If your lucky tenure fish Fleisch happens to die, chop him up and mix him in for extra color and good luck!

Dampfnudeln mit Vanillesoße

1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
4 tbsp. sugar, divided
1/4 c. lukewarm water (110°F)
3/4 c. lukewarm milk (110°F)
4 tbsp. melted butter, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. sifted all purpose flour, or more if necessary
1/2 c. cold milk

Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes, or until bubbly.

In a bowl, stir the milk, melted butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until dissolved. Add the bubbling yeast mixture and then the flour, beating until a smooth dough forms. Add flour as necessary, until the dough can be formed into a soft ball.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes. Place it back in the bowl, which has been lightly greased or sprayed. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Punch dough down, divide into 12 pieces, shape the pieces into balls. Place the balls 2 inches apart on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 10 inch skillet or saucepan with a tight lid. Stir in 2 tablespoons of sugar and the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, arrange the dumplings in the saucepan and cover. Simmer for 25 minutes without peeking and then check. Keep simmering until the dumplings have absorbed all the liquid. Remove from heat but keep warm until serving.

Vanillesoße

4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until the yolks are thick and pale yellow and the sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes.

Bring the 2 cups of milk to a boil in a heavy 2-quart saucepan and then pour over the egg yolks in a thin stream, using a whisk or electric mixer to stir constantly. Pour back into pan and heat without boiling until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Serve the Dampfnudeln on a dish bottom side up and pour the vanilla sauce over. Savor this sweet and unusual dessert, because this is the first and last time you will ever make it!

Lasagna alla carbonara

15 no-cook lasagna nooles
4 tbsp. butter
6 cloves minced garlic
2 ¼ c. heavy cream
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
¼ c. pecorino cheese
1 c. grated parmesan cheese
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. chopped pancetta

1 ½ c. chopped roasted chicken
1 ½ c. frozen peas
1 tsp. dried basil

Heat olive oil in a small skillet. Sautée half the garlic; add pancetta and chicken. Cooked through. Remove and drain meat on paper towel. Use drippings as base for sauce.

Sauce: Pour drippings into sauce pot. Add butter, and cook on medium heat until it begins to melt. Add remaining garlic, cream, salt, pepper, pecorino, and parmesan cheeses. Stir well, then add in one cup of the mozzarella cheese. Stir often until sauce begins to thicken, roughly ten minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Once sauce has thickened, ladle some into lasagna pan, enough to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Place layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom. Add layer of meat, peas, more grated parmesan cheese, and a bit more mozzarella cheese on the top. Ladle more sauce, and repeat with three more layers: noodles, meat. and cheese, then sauce. Cover with the last few sheets of lasagna noodles, and cover the top with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle with any remaining mozzarella cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and cook for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil, and place back in the oven, cooking uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes.

Homegrown tomatoes

2 tomatoes from the Mayo backyard garden

Olive oil

Salt

Delicious!

Tip-toe tilapia

1 filet tilapia

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 c. bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450°. Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices in a small bowl. Coat both sides of fish with mixture, then dip into bread crumbs, covering entire surface. Move around the kitchen on your tip-toes to avoid aggravating your heel. Lay tilapia filet in a small baking dish and bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy. Put your foot up and enjoy the last of the tilapia excavated from the archaeologist's freezer.

One-footed pizza

1 whole-wheat ready-made pizza crust

1 c. marinara sauce

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. ripe black olives

1/2 dry pint sliced mushrooms

2 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the pizza crust with olive oil. Cover with a layer of mozzarella cheese, then add salt and pepper. Add layer of mushrooms, then black olives. Finish with a thin layer of cheese and more salt and pepper. Bake at 450° for 10-12 minutes. Slice into quarters, put your foot up, and enjoy with a side of grapple!

Cucumber and sweet apple salad

2 big and strong cucumbers

2 sweet and crisp apples

1 bunch fresh mint

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. olive oil

Chop cucumber and apple into small pieces. Finely chop mint leaves and toss with cucumber and apple in a bowl. Mix other ingredients in a small bowl, then toss with fruit mixture. Cucumbers and apples are the perfect complements! ¡Vivan pepino y manzana dulce!

Everyday crunch lunch

1 lb. peeled baby carrots

1 dry pint grape tomatoes

3 tbsp. light cream cheese

8 whole-wheat woven crackers

Arrange on a plate. Serve with a tall glass of water for lunch every day in the summer!

Everyday smoothie

1 c. peach yogurt

1 c. frozen blueberries

1 c. frozen strawberries

1 banana

3 c. leaf spinach

1 c. apple juice

5 ice cubes

Blend and drink through a long straw. Enjoy!

Tilapia for one

1 1/2 c. chopped cilantro

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. chopped canned chipotles in adobo
1 tbsp, water
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
4 tilapia fillets

Preheat broiler to high heat. Purée cilantro, oil, chiles with some adobo sauce, water, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a blender until smooth, then coat fish with sauce.

Broil fish 3 to 4 inches from heat until just cooked through, 6 to 9 minutes. Serve with brown rice, broccoli, and plenty of yellow squash.

Roast chicken with chick peas and cherry tomatoes

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1/2 c. plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
4 small chicken breasts
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained
1 12-oz. container cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 450°. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Pour 1 teaspoon spiced oil mixture into small bowl; whisk in yogurt and set aside for sauce. Place chicken on large rimmed baking sheet. Rub 2 tablespoons spiced oil mixture over chicken. Add beans, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup cilantro to remaining spiced oil mixture; toss to coat. Pour bean mixture around chicken. Sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper.

Roast until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cilantro. Transfer chicken to plates. Spoon bean mixture over. Serve with yogurt sauce. Add plain steamed asparagus as a side dish. Best when accompanied by a fizzy fruit beverage. Haben Sie Durst? Dann trinken Sie Apfelsaft!

Chili con chompipe

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey breast

4 c. chicken broth

1 c. red wine

1 can diced tomatoes

2 habanero peppers

1 lb. carrots, cubed

1 lb. pinto beans

1 lb. kidney beans

1 white onion (cubed)

4 garlic cloves

Cook for 4-8 hours over low heat or in slow cooker. Cook longer if using raw beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken with crimini mushrooms and tomatoes over rotini pasta

1/2 white onion

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 lb. chicken breast

1/2 lb. crimini mushrooms

1 bunch green onions

5 tomatoes on the vine (as depicted here)

1 can of tomato paste

6 bay leaves

1/4 pound light sour cream

1/2 cup white cooking wine

Sautée onion and garlic in butter. Add cubed chicken breast, sliced mushrooms, and chopped green onion. Cube tomatoes and add with tomato paste, bay leaves, sour cream, and wine. Simmer and reduce for thick sauce. Serve over rotini pasta.

This sauce turns out very spicy, so there must be a secret ingredient not listed here. Use your excavation skills and try to figure it out. Resist the hegemony of traditional culinary discourse. Attend to your particular context and remain aware of yourself as participant observer. The spicy ingredient will make itself known, most likely through click sounds (which are among the oldest sounds). Enjoy!

Chicken enchiladas with chipotle cream sauce

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup Ro*Tel tomatoes, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups shredded jack cheese, divided
12 corn tortillas

For the sauce:
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup diced onion
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once it shimmers add the onion and jalapeno. Cook until they begin to soften, about three minutes. Add the spices and cook for one minute more, or until the spices become very fragrant.

Add the Ro*Tel and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about a minute. Add the diced chicken and turn to coat then turn off the heat and add one cup of shredded cheese. Set aside to cool slightly.
Wrap the toritllas in a damp towel and heat in the microwave for thirty seconds, flipping half way through. Heat until the tortillas are warm and slightly steamy.

In a medium pan over medium heat melt the butter. When it begins to foam add the onion and chipotle pepper. Cook until the onion is very tender, about six minutes. Add the garlic and cook for thirty seconds. Add the flour and cook for one minute before adding the chicken broth. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream. Whisk until completely blended. Cook over low heat until the sauce is warm, but do not allow the sauce to simmer or it might break.

Many thanks to Evil Shenanigans for such delicious shenanigans!

Spicy turkey chili with vegetables and sour cream

1 1/2 lb. ground turkey breast
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
4 cloves garlic
2 habanero peppers, diced
1 c. white cooking wine
1 can yellow corn, drained
2 cans diced tomatoes
3 c. kidney beans
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1/4 lb. sour cream

Sautée onion and turkey breast with olive oil or butter. Season with salt and pepper. In slow cooker, combine meat with chopped vegetables, broth, wine, and sour cream. Cook for four hours on high heat.

Serve on a cleared kitchen table. Goes nicely with a carefully mapped out and agreed upon agenda for the rest of the evening that includes product packaging, general hijinks, and other shenanigans.

Roasted color vegetables over four-cheese ravioli

1 package grape tomatoes
6 miniature zucchini
1 summer squash
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. fresh parsley
1/4 c. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 c. shaved parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. crushed red pepper
250 g. fresh four-cheese ravioli

Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice squash and zucchini into thin round pieces. Peel and crush the garlic. Coat the surface of a large baking pan with olive oil. Spread out the squash, zucchini, and grape tomatoes and drizzle with more olive oil. Add garlic, parsley, red pepper, salt, pepper, and shaved parmesan cheese.

Place pan in heated oven and roast for 20 minutes, stopping halfway through to stir vegetables. Prepare fresh ravioli according to package directions. Serve vegetables over ravioli and add more parmesan and red pepper to taste.

Best enjoyed on the sofa when excavation tools, string-a-pits, and a pouch laminator have overtaken the kitchen table.

Strawberry habanero tofu sauce over whole wheat spaghetti

1/4 stick butter
1/2 white onion
1/2 lb. chicken breast
1/2 lb. white mushrooms
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 Habanero pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. white cooking wine
1/2 lb. firm tofu
3 laurel leaves
1/4 lb. strawberries
1 tsp. honey

This recipe requires a special Gemüsehobel all the way from Germany. Once you have cut everything up into perfectly shaped little pieces, simmer together until chicken is cooked and sauce has a nice consistency. Serve over whole wheat pasta.

The heat of the Habenero is tempered by a cucumber-dill salad in light yogurt sauce. Serve this only if you can use a Gemüsehobel all the way from Germany to slice the cucumbers as thinly as possible.

die Gemüsehobel

Fuji apple sake mango sorbet

2 or 3 fresh mangoes
1/2 c. sugar
1 lemon
1/4 c. Hana Fuji Apple Sake

Purée mango slices with a small amount of water until smooth. Add half the sugar, then continue until the taste is right. Do the same with the juice of the lemon. Add the sake and continue to blend.

Pour mixture into ice cream maker and churn until mixture is the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Place in freezer for about an hour until firm.

Lasagna with hot italian sausage and mushrooms

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 8-ounce packages sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp. Italian seasoning blend
1 lb. hot Italian sausages
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 c. dry red wine
4 c. marinara sauce
1 9 oz. package no-cook lasagna noodles
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
4 c. Italian blend grated cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and seasoning blend; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add wine; cook until almost all liquid evaporates, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Spread 2/3 cup marinara sauce over bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Place noodles (about 4) over sauce, forming 1 layer (noodles may overlap slightly). Spread 1 cup sauce over noodles. Top with 1/3 of ricotta, then 1 cup grated cheese. Spoon 1/3 of sausage mixture over. Repeat 2 more times with noodles, sauce, ricotta, grated cheese, and sausage mixture. Cover with 4 more noodles. Spoon remaining 1 cup sauce over; sprinkle remaining 1 cup grated cheese over.

Cover with foil, tenting in center to prevent cheese from touching foil. Bake lasagna 45 minutes; remove foil. Bake until bubbling at edges and cheese is browned, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes.

Pairs nicely with Girl Scout Thin Mints and Samoas.

Chicken carrot cream sauce with striped quill pasta

1 white onion
2 chicken breasts
1 lb. carrots
1/2 lb. cut green beans
1/4 lb. cashew nuts
1 c. white cooking wine
2 c. sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
curry and parsley to taste

Sauté onion until translucent. Add cubed chicken, cubed carrot, cut green beans, and cashew nuts. Mix in white cooking wine, sour cream, and spices.

Serve over white penne rigate noodles. Save leftover noodles and sauce together in one container. This dish is especially exquisite when reheated the following day with a box of Junior Mints for dessert.

Spicy black-eyed pea and tomato soup

5 slices bacon cut into small pieces
2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch salt
3 c. beef broth
3 c. swiss or cheddar cheese, grated
1 c. chopped onion
2 cans diced tomatoes
4 15-oz. cans black-eyed peas

Sauté bacon in large saucepan until lightly browned. Add onion, jalapeños, tomatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper to bacon drippings; sauté five minutes. Add broth. Add peas to mixture. Add cheese and simmer gently until cheese is melted.

Mother's hot water cornbread

1 1/2 c. self-rising cornmeal
2 c. boiling water
3 tbsp. vegetable oil

Place cornmeal in a mixing bowl. Bring water to a boil in a tea kettle or pan. Pour oil in skillet on high heat. Pour water slowly over cornmeal until it is thick enough to spoon into hot oil. Reduce heat a little and brown on each side, using spatula to press flat after turning once, being careful not to burn. Place cornbread on plate with paper towel to cool.

Be sure to make enough of this so an archaeologist can have seconds, because he really likes it!

Savory shrimp and couscous with cucumber-dill salad

1 c. baby shrimp
4 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. butter
1 package couscous-orzo-garbanzo blend (such as Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend)
2 cucumbers
1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 tsp. dill
1 tsp. salt

Cook shrimp in chicken broth. Transfer to pan and sauté in butter. Cook couscous blend in chicken broth. Add shrimp to couscous. Practice acting as though you selected and blended the grains yourself instead of opening a pre-mixed package.

Peel cucumbers. Cut in long quarters and slice. Add yogurt, dill, and salt.

Striped chicken vegetable pot pie

2 or 3 chicken breasts chopped
2 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 small carton heavy cream (1 cup)
1/8 tsp thyme
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 small bag frozen peas and carrots
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 rolled pie crust

To prepare roux, melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook over low heat stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken broth and cream. Heat to boiling stirring constantly. Stir in chicken and vegetables.

Pour into casserole dish. Place thin strips of pastry across top. Cook at 400° in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Be sure to eat a healthy portion to build up strength for the archaeologist-comrade dance party.