After reading the NY Times list of healthful foods, I decided to place a few recipes containing some of these ingredients. The following recipe comes from a good friend who always came to my house with some fresh vegetables or fruits from his garden. He grew up on a farm, became a Navy pilot and [...]

 
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca which means “Spaghetti in Harlot’s Sauce” in Italian. This famous tomato sauce of Naples is a variation of the marinara sauce. It contains items found in most kitchens, and can be varied to suit one’s taste. It is quick and easy, and most importantly– it is delicious. The first time I tasted [...]

 
Most of us always have a pack of cream cheese handy, so this is a wonderful recipe when you need to entertain company and do not have much time. It’s quick and easy. This recipe is a hit with everybody who has tasted it.
1 cream cheese
jar of pesto
finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
chopped parsley
sheets of wax paper [...]

 
This recipe has evolved over many years. I wrote before that anything chocolate is my favorite dessert, so I experiment often. The most unusual ingredient in these brownies is the ground cardamom. I have used cardamom for years in my Christmas Stollen (a festive raisin and fruit bread). Cardamom comes from the Middle East. On [...]

Ingredients:
½ cup dried Italian mushrooms, chopped.
½ cup dry vermouth or water
1 5-6 pound pork loin, butterflied  (cut, spread open like wings of butterfly.)
2 onions, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped,
¼ cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
¼ cup chopped parsley or 1 tsp dried
Salt and fresh pepper
Pork rind to cover top of loin
string [...]

 
A friend shared this recipe with me when we lived in Memphis. This is the best Pecan Pie recipe I’ve tried. It’s from a beautiful Southern Belle who grew up on a farm in Mississippi. Here is her recipe:
 
1 ¼ cup dark corn syrup
1 cup sugar (I reduce it to ½ a cup)
4 whole eggs
4 T melted [...]

 
This is a Dutch recipe my daughter Sophie has loved since she was a little girl. She prepared it recently for a dinner party. Her guest raved about it so here it is.
Ingredients:
2 bunches of leeks
2 T butter
3 T flour
1 ½ cups milk, heated to a boil
Salt and pepper
1 cup of any white cheese
Directions:
Cut [...]

This not your ordinary pumpkin pie! The crust is first filled with pecans, butter and sugar. The pie is topped off with a meringue. It is a show piece and delicious.
Pie Shell:
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 T sweet butter, softened
1 unbaked pie shell (I like the Pillsbury one the best. You will [...]

Andrea brought home this recipe from kindergarten at St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Memphis. It has become a family tradition for us. No Christmas or Thanksgiving has passed without this delicious treat.
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup butter, room temperature
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp grated orange [...]

My  favorite dessert is chocolate anything! This mousse is absolutely delicious and  easy to make. Buy the best chocolate and butter you can find. It does make a difference. I serve it in little cups with lids. The spoons should be demitasse. I found 12 for $17.95 at 1-800-expresso.com. They are 4 ½ inches long. [...]