FEEDS: 6-8

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• ¼ C. granulated sugar
• ¼ C. maple syrup
• 1/3 C. olive oil
• 1/3 C. cider vinegar
• ½ t. celery seed
• a few grinds of black pepper
• ½ head of medium size cabbage, grated in a food processor
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 3-4 T. fresh chopped chives, if you have them

LET'S COOK

Place the sugar, maple syrup, oil, vinegar, celery seed and pepper in a sauce pot. Stir it over a low flame until the sugar dissolves and the mix is hot. Place the cabbage; carrots and chives in a mixing bowl, then pour the hot mixture over it all. Stir it up to combine the ingredients well, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This mix will keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

MORE IDEAS:

If you like the flavor of scallions, add a few that have been chopped in place of the chives.

FEEDS: 4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• salt and pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 lb. good quality ground beef
• 1 C. cooked rice
• ¼ C. grated Locatelli or Parmesan cheese
• 4 T. ketchup
• flavored breadcrumbs
• 1 15 oz. can creamed corn
• chopped parsley or chives

LET'S COOK

Heat the oil in a sauté pan and cook the onion, carrot and celery seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper. When the vegetables are just tender, mix in the crushed garlic and turn off the burner.

Place the ground beef, cooked rice and grated cheese in a mixing bowl. Add and stir in the cooked vegetables. Split the mix into four equal parts and form them into loaves. Place on a baking dish and then smear the top of each with about a tablespoon of ketchup.

Dust with a bit of flavored breadcrumbs and then bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree reheated oven. Heat the can of creamed corn.

To serve this dish, divide the creamed corn between four plates. Place one of the miniature meat loaves in the center of each plate, garnish with the chopped parsley or chives and serve while it’s hot.

MORE IDEAS:

You could use chili sauce or even salsa on top of the burgers in place of the ketchup. Fresh cilantro is another herb to consider as the final garnish.

FEEDS: 2-4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 rack center cut pork spare ribs
• beef broth to cover (about 1 qt.)
• 1/3 C. molasses
• 1/3 C. balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 C. Guinness Extra Stout beer

LET'S COOK

Cut the raw rack of ribs into 2 or 3 rib sections. Place them in a soup pot and cover with the beef broth. Bring to a boil, lower the flame and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Test the meat to be sure it’s tender enough for you. Meanwhile, mix the molasses, balsamic vinegar and beer in a bowl. Blend with a whip to incorporate it together well. When the ribs are tender, remove to a glass baking style dish, meat side down. Pour the liquid over the ribs, allow to cool, cover and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Overnight is best. Save the broth in the freezer for a future soup or stew.

When it’s time to cook, heat your grill to a medium flame. Grill the ribs, basting them as you go, just until they’re warmed through. They take just a few minutes on either side. Cooking too long will dry them out.

MORE IDEAS:

You can use chicken stock in place of the beef. Use all the leftover liquid to baste the ribs. If you can’t grill them, they can be finished off under a broiler, cooking just a few minutes on either side. These ribs are perfect with potato salad and a salad of mixed greens. Baked beans on the side can only make this meal better.

FEEDS: 2-4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 2 T. canola oil
• ½ red onion, sliced
• salt and pepper
• 1 small zucchini, cut into batons
• 1 small yellow or summer squash, cut into equal sized chunks
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
• 2 T. basil leaves, whole
• grated Parmesan or Locatelli cheese

LET'S COOK

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a medium high burner and drop in the sliced onions. Season with some salt and pepper and sauté until the onions take on some color and begin to caramelize. Add the zucchini and summer squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is limp and also takes on a bit of color. Then add the tomato and garlic and toss into the other ingredients. Finally, scatter the basil leaves over the entire dish, turn off the burner and stir it up to incorporate all the ingredients well. Serve with a scatter of the grated cheese of your choice.

MORE IDEAS:

You can use just one type of squash if you’d like. And, don’t be afraid to add some sliced raw mushrooms to the mix when you add the squash to the sauté pan.

FEEDS: 4-6

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 10 oz. package frozen raspberries in syrup
• 1 T. orange liqueur
• juice of half a lime
• ½ C. fresh or frozen whole raspberries
• chocolate syrup
• fresh pastries
• mint leaves

LET'S COOK

Place the defrosted berries in syrup, the orange liqueur, lime juice and fresh berries in a food processor. Whip to a frenzy. Strain the sauce thru a sieve over a bowl to remove the seeds. What you have now is a raspberry coulis, or raspberry fruit sauce.

To prepare a fun dessert, begin with a smear of the raspberry coulis across 4 large plates. Drizzle with some chocolate syrup for flair. Slice the individual pastries into four equal pieces and place one of each on the dessert plates. Add a pile of fresh berries such as blueberries, garnish with a mint sprig and serve immediately.

MORE IDEAS:

Shop for a brownie or fudge nut bar, a lemon square, even a small individual cheesecake to cut into quarters for your final dessert presentation. You might even add a small scoop of your favorite ice cream for more visual and taste treats. Get creative!

FEEDS: 3-4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 3-4 stems broccoli, sliced in half lengthwise, steamed and cooled
• 2 T. olive oil
• Black pepper and some salt
• 2 eggs, hard cooked and peeled
• 3 T. grated Locatelli or Parmesan cheese
• 3 T. roasted garlic breadcrumbs

LET'S COOK

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium high burner. Using a long paring knife, literally whittle the cooked broccoli stems into the pan, getting the pieces fairly small.

Season it with some salt and grated black pepper.

Using an egg slicer, slice each egg in one direction, turn the egg around and slice again, making smaller pieces and drop into the pan with the broccoli.

Stir it up, add the grated cheese and breadcrumbs, stir it again and heat it through.

For a great presentation, select a cup that’s a sensible portion size. Use a tablespoon to fill the cup with the broccoli mix, tamping it down to compact it gently. Invert the cup onto your serving plate; remove the cup and BOOM, mounds of broccoli.

MORE IDEAS:

A scatter of diced red pepper or tomato makes this a dramatic addition to any dinner plate.

It's wonderful how foods can carry fond memories. For me, peaches immediately conjure up a scene of over 45 years ago in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. My maternal grandparents were Polish immigrants, and their mini-farm was a gastronomic playground.

My grandmothers’ cooking was fueled by my grandfathers’ ability to raise flavorful produce and other delicacies that scented the kitchen.

But, when August rolled around, the kitchen was the farthest thing from my mind.

Instead, I would beg my Uncle Bob to park his old Chevy under the sprawling peach tree by the tiny gray garage. We'd then climb to the roof of that precious old car and pick the ripe peaches that clung to the branches.

I can still remember that sweet heavenly aroma wafting from their golden, fuzzy wrapper. Tinges of red illuminated the skin giving it a soft, jewel-like appearance. Beneath it laid the treasure; rich, orange gold flesh, bursting with flavors, practically overburdened with succulent juices.

Even now, I distinctly remember how those sweet juices ran down my arm, dripped off my elbow and made a tiny pool in the dent we created in the roof of that old car. The pleasures continued when the thick and glistening flesh gave way to the pit, encased in a red crown that was detached from the stone.

My appreciation and love of this fruit has not waned through my years. I still crave peach ice cream, indulge in peach jam and savor peach salsa and peach nectar. Those delightful and carefree days of gorging on fresh picked, homegrown peaches are not lost. My wife Debbie and I planted 2 dwarf peach trees 3 years ago. And, this summer, we picked baskets of fresh peaches from those trees. I get chills when I think about it.

Peaches, I love them.

FEEDS: 4-6

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 each zucchini, yellow squash, red, yellow and green pepper
• 5-6 scallions
• olive oil
• seasoned salt
• 3-4 cloves crushed fresh garlic
• ½-3/4 lb. aged provolone cheese
• ½ lb. dry sausage such as Abruzzi, Sopressata or salami
• 1 C. green and Kalamata olives
• 4 hard cooked eggs
• fresh basil

LET'S COOK

Start by washing and trimming the squash and peppers. Slice into wedges, then toss liberally with olive oil, crushed garlic, seasoned salt and pepper. Add the cleaned scallions and toss together well to evenly coat the vegetables in the oil and seasonings.

Grill the vegetables until they’re just done. Back in the kitchen, arrange wedges of provolone on the edge of an attractive serving platter. Slice the sausage of your choice and arrange on the cheese. Pile the grilled vegetables in the center of the platter, arranging the scallions on the very top.

Place quarter cuts of the hard cooked egg around the platter, scatter with the olives and garnish with a final dusting of chopped fresh basil. Serve with a basket of warm, crusty bread. A bottle of Chianti is the perfect match.

MORE IDEAS:

You might add grilled fresh mushrooms, green beans, even grilled carrots for additional appeal. Use any olive you like. Fresh parsley is a fine substitute for the basil

FEEDS: 4-6

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• ½ C. granulated sugar
• 2-3 strips of fresh lemon and orange zest
• juice of ½ a lemon and ½ an orange
• 1 banana, peeled and sliced
• ½ fresh pineapple, peeled and sliced into chunks
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 6 cloves
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leave
• 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise
• ½ C. water
• 1 bottle chardonnay

LET'S COOK

Place all the ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about an hour. Let it cool down, cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain the solids from the liquids. Serve a small amount of the wine soup in a fancy glass as an aperitif or between dinner courses as a palate cleanser. It’s great served cold in the summer. Or, serve it warm in a nice demitasse in colder weather.

MORE IDEAS:

After you strain the fruits out, remove the spices and vanilla bean and use the remaining fruits as a topping for ice cream.

FEEDS: 2

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. good olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, sliced
• ½ t. fresh lemon juice
• 12 raw peeled shrimp, butterflied
• 1/3 C. roasted garlic breadcrumbs
• ¼ t. garlic powder
• ½ t. dried basil

LET'S COOK

Heat up the butter and the oil in a small sauté pan and then add the garlic slices. When the garlic sizzles, add the lemon juice, turn off the heat and set the pan aside.

Mix the breadcrumbs, garlic powder and the dried basil in a small dish. Spoon about 2 T. of the garlic butter in an oven proof dish that will hold all the shrimps in one layer. One by one dust the shrimps in the breadcrumb mix and place in the oven proof dish with their tails curled up.

Broil under a preheated broiler for about 2-3 minutes, until they take on pinkish orange highlights. Remove from the broiler, spoon the remaining sauce over them and then broil just until they’re firm and have some toasty edges.

MORE IDEAS:

This dish is a fine appetizer. Or, serve on a mound of rice as an entrée with asparagus spears.

FEEDS: 3-4

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 8 oz. white meat tuna packed in water
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 T. parsley, chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• ½ C. mayonnaise
• 3 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 T. capers
• 2 hard cooked eggs
• 12 oz. cooked pasta

LET'S COOK

Place a pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Next, drain the tuna fish and then rub it between your palms, in a large bowl, to break it down evenly.

After washing your hands, add the red onion, parsley, carrot, mayonnaise, olive oil, a pinch of both salt and pepper, the lemon juice, capers and the hard cooked eggs, which you’ve chopped.

Cook, drain, cool with cold running water and then add the pasta shapes. Mix it all together well.

Serve on a based of fresh greens tossed lightly with some oil and vinegar.

MORE IDEAS:

Use pasta shapes that are new and fun. And, multi-colored pasta lends a nice touch to this dish. Also, dice a ripe tomato and toss with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

After dishing up the tuna jumble, ring it with some of the tomatoes.

FEEDS: 2-3

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 lb. lamb shoulder steaks or chops
• 3 T. flour
• ¼ t. seasoned slat
• black pepper
• 2 T. canola oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5-6 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 6-8 crimini mushrooms, cut in half
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled, and cut into a rough dice
• 3 C. beef broth
• 1 T. balsamic vinegar

LET'S COOK

Cut the lamb from the bones and slice into small, bite size pieces. Mix the flour, salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a small bowl. Drop in the sliced lamb and toss well to combine it together.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy gauge pan over a high flame, drop in the lamb and any excess flour and brown off the meat, stirring occasionally. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, mushrooms and potatoes and stir it up.

Now add the beef broth and the balsamic vinegar. Bring it to a boil, lower to a simmer, partially covered, and simmer for about an hour and a half. When the vegetables are cooked, the lamb will be tender and flavorful.

MORE IDEAS:

Serve this dish with a Pinot Noir. This recipe will work with pork or even some beef as well.

FEEDS: 2-3

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• ½ lb. fresh green beans
• 4-5 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 T. good olive oil

LET'S COOK

Clean the green beans by snipping off the stem end of each one. Leave the other ends alone. Bring an appropriate amount of water to a boil to cook the beans, salt it and then drop them in. Set your time for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. When the timer is up, check the beans to be sure they’re tender enough for your taste.

Drain them, and then add the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil mix. Stir it up and set your burner on its very lowest setting and simmer for a few more minutes, stirring it occasionally.

Serve with grilled meats or chicken, hot or cold.

MORE IDEAS:

For more visual fun, use both yellow or wax beans and the green beans.

FEEDS: 4-10

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 5 different cheeses from the cheese counter of your favorite supermarket
• baguette slices
• nut bread
• dates or dried apricots
• salted nuts
• a chilled bottle of Chenin Blanc

LET'S COOK

A cheese tasting is a perfect theme for a gathering of family or friends. Shop for at least 5 different types or varieties of cheese. When you shop, be sure to select cheeses that range from mild to sharp, soft to firm. This is referred to as a flight of cheese. Ask questions when you shop and always request tastes of the ones you consider to be sure you like them. If you don’t get good advice from the staff, shop elsewhere.

Always allow the cheeses you’re going to serve to come to room temperature for about an hour before the tasting. Their flavor will be best that way. Start with the mild cheese and work your way to the strongest last. Savor a cheese like a fine wine, examine its appearance first, and rub a bit between your fingers to evaluate its texture, savor the aroma and then place a small amount in your mouth to enjoy its flavor. Pair salty cheeses with dates or other dried fruits. Mild cheeses do really well with nut breads and even salted nutmeats. Plain bread, like baguette, is fine for clearing the palate between cheeses.

MORE IDEAS:

Wash it all down with a glass of chilled Chenin Blanc.