Baked Roasted Pepper Pasta

2 ounces log chevre
2 ounces water
1 bay leaf
2 ounces uncooked small pasta
1 large roasted red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1/8 cup plain breadcrumbs plus 2 teaspoons, divided
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons olive oil
sea salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees (325 F convection). Lightly grease a small, 7-inch gratin dish and set aside.

In a small sancier over very low heat, melt the chèvre with the water and bay leaf. Remove the bay leaf. Add the pasta, pepper, 1/8 cup breadcrumbs, and salt. Pour into the prepared dish and sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and olive oil. Tent with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes (40 convection). Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until browned.
Makes 2 servings.

Tired of Scrambling to Throw Together a Last-Minute Salad?

This 24-four-hour wonder is more than a great time-saver—it’s always a big hit with family and friends.

Twenty-Four-Hour Salad

This is one salad you have to make the day before … which frees you up for all kinds of dinner-party fun. SAM

1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 cups stemmed and chopped fresh spinach
1 (10-ounce) package frozen green peas, thawed
2 cups mayonnaise
Sea salt and Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon

Lightly grease a 9 x 13 x 2-inch cake pan. In the pan, layer the lettuce, celery, bell pepper, onion, spinach, and peas. Do not stir. Spread the mayonnaise over the salad, then the salt, pepper, Parmesan, and bacon. Cover tightly and chill in the fridge for 24 hours. Cut into squares to serve.
Makes 16 servings.

Blond Brownies

No chocolate? That’s right. With these ‘blondies,’ you may never crave chocolate again! SAM

1/4 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans or English walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, mix the flour baking powder, and salt and add to the egg mixture. Add the pecans. Spread into the pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan before cutting into squares.
Makes 16 brownies.

Easy Spinach Casserole

The only caveat with this recipe is to wring the spinach dry. If you thaw it slightly in a microwave, wringing out the water is easy. SAM

1 (10-ounce) package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and wrung dry by hand
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, melted and divided
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a small casserole dish. In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, cream cheese, 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons butter, salt, and pepper. Spoon into the casserole dish and sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs, paprika, and remaining butter. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Makes 2 servings.

Real Lemon Pie

Just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it’s not great! And, yes, you use the whole lemon, rind and all. SAM

3 eggs
1 large lemon, unpeeled, seeded, and quartered
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 9-inch prepared pastry shell,, unbaked

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, lemon, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Process until smooth. Add the butter and process 5 seconds longer. Pour into the prepared pastry shell and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Makes 8 servings.

Adapted from Emily’s cookbook All-American Comfort Food.

Layered Dinner Salad

A great do-ahead recipe is a cook’s best friend. SAM

PS Substitute ham or turkey for the chicken, if you like. Shrimp would also be good.

1 cup uncooked macaroni
4 carrots, pared and finely shredded
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 (10-ounce) package tiny frozen green peas, thawed but uncooked
1 medium red onion, cut into very thin rings
1 cup diced celery
1/2 pound roast chicken, diced
1/2 cup shredded Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
2 tablespoons capers
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 hard-cooked eggs, crumbled

Cook the macaroni until al dente, according to the instructions on the package. Drain. In a small bowl, combine the carrots, lemon juice, and honey. In a 3-quart bowl, layer the lettuce, macaroni, carrots, peas, onion, celery, turkey, and cheese. In another bowl combine the mayonnaise, mustard, dill, capers, pepper, and egg. Mound the mayonnaise mixture in the center of the salad, cover tightly, and chill for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, toss well.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Curried Turkey Salad

Light and crunchy and fun … plus this spicy salad makes fabulous leftovers! SAM

2 quarts coarsely chopped cooked white-meat turkey
1 (20-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and diced
2 pounds seedless green grapes, halved
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups slivered almonds, toasted and divided
3 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet curry powder
2 tablespoons soy sauce

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, water chestnuts, grapes, celery, and 1 1/2 cup almonds. In another bowl, combine the mayonnaise, curry, and soy sauce. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the turkey mixture and chill for several hours. Garnish with the remaining almonds.
Makes 18 servings.

Adapted from Emily’s cookbook All-American Comfort Food.

Velveeta Chili

Use ground turkey if you like, rather than beef, and serve with sour cream and fresh corn bread. Yum! What a great supper! SAM

1 medium green onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 pound ground beef
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chili peppers, drained
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Sour cream

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion in the oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and beef and sauté until the meat is no longer pink. Add the tomato sauce, chili peppers, Worcestershire sauce, and Velveeta. Cook, stirring constantly until the cheese melts. Serve in bowls with sour cream.
Makes 4 servings.

Adapted from Emily’s cookbook All-American Comfort Food.

Ham Casserole

So good, it’s worth baking a ham just to make this casserole. SAM

1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 (4-ounce) cans chopped mushrooms, drained with liquid reserved
Water
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs, hard-cooked and chopped
1 cup chopped cooked ham
Sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/4 cup toasted breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the onion until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the flour, stirring with a whisk until browned, about 5 minutes. Add water to the mushroom liquid to equal 1/2 cup and pour into the onion-flour mixture along with the cream, whisking until smooth. Add the mushrooms, eggs, ham, salt, and sherry and pour into the prepared casserole. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and oil. Bake for 30 minutes or until set and browned.
Makes 6 servings.

Adapted from Emily’s cookbook All-American Comfort Food.