• 16 ounce can refried beans
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 to 5 chili peppers (your choice) seeded and rinsed
• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Sliced green onion
• Broken tostada shells, or plain nacho chips

Blend together refried beans and sour cream. Finely chop the peppers; mix well with the bean mixture.

Spoon into serving bowl; garnish with cheese and onion to liking. Serve with broken tostada shells or nacho chips for dippers.

Makes about 2-3/4 cups

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup wheat germ (2 cups of whole wheat flour can be substituted for the regular flour and wheat germ
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup plain yogurt

Beat together butter and sugar. Add in vanilla and eggs and beat till smooth.

Combine flour, wheat germ and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture alternately with yogurt to batter, blending well after each addition.

Bake at 325º in two greased and floured loaf pans or one tube pan for about one hour. Cool for half an hour before removing from the pans.

Makes 2 cakes

• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 seasoned, dry bread crumbs or Nature’s Burger mix
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 Tablespoons milk or water
• 1 teaspoon vegetarian Worchestershire sauce (no anchovies, please)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350° (F). In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Place in greased 8×4-inch loaf pan; form into a loaf. Bake 40 to 60 minutes or until no longer pink in the center. Let stand a few minutes to set; invert onto serving platter.

To Microwave: Combine all ingredients as above. Shape into a loaf (about 8×4-inches) in a 12×8-inch microwavable dish. Cover with wax paper and cook at medium 20 to 24 minutes. Drain liquid occasionally and, if necessary, shield ends of loaf with aluminum foil halfway through cooking. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Combine oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper for marinating sauce. Seal chicken and sauce in plastic bag. Marinate in refrigerator 4 to 5 hours. Place chicken, skin side down, in broiler pan (without rack). Broil 5 to 7 inches from heat about 25 minutes, or till lightly browned. Brush occasionally with sauce. Turn; broil 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl combine Ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, parsley, onion, basil, pepper and eggs; mix well.

In a 12×1x2 baking dish spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce. Layer with half each of the uncooked noodles, cheese mixture, sausage, reaming pasta sauce and Mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering.

Wrap tightly in heavy duty foil: bake for one hour. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

• 6 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup peanut oil
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 6 medium-sized tomatoes, finely chopped (the food processor is a wonderful invention!)
• 6 small onions, chopped
• 6 scallions, with some of the green, chopped
• 6 medium Anaheim chilies
• 1.75 – 2 oz bottle curry powder (I usually use the yellow stuff as it’s the only one I can find in most stores in organic form)
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground pepper

Place the lamb in a large bowl. The larger the better. In another medium-sized bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over the meat and mix well. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight.

Remove the meat from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Thread the lamb onto 24 prepared metal skewers (no matter how long I soak them, the bamboo ones always burn). Grill over white hot coals for 25 – 30 minutes, or until tender. Turn frequently, basting with remaining marinade.

Makes 24 kebabs

• 18 to 22 pound turkey
• 2 large oranges, cut in half
• Salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 to 4 teaspoons crushed garlic
• Paprika

Remove the giblets and neck of the turkey. Preheat the oven to 325º F. Wash the turkey well, inside and out. Dry the turkey, inside and out with paper towels. Squeeze the juice of the oranges over the outside of the turkey and rub some juice on the inside of the cavity. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Rub the outside of the turkey with 3/4 cup of the butter and smear the crushed garlic all over it as well. The butter acts as a basting juice during the first half of the cooking time. Season the turkey with salt and pepper and then sprinkle paprika all over it (I go nuts with it). Carefully place the turkey into prepared oven roasting bag, within a roasting pan. Tightly close up bag and cut slits into it, if required. Place the turkey in the oven.

Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness (180º F). A turkey is done when the thigh juices run clear yellow when pricked, there are no traces of pinkness, and the drumstick moves easily in its socket. Expect to cook about 7 hours. Allow turkey to stand for 30 minutes. Carve turkey and serve on a festive platter.

Serves 15 to 20

• 1/4 cup Italian dressing
• 2-3 pounds fresh fryer parts
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pour chicken parts and salad dressing into a freezer bag (I use the wide bottom 1 gallon size). Combine the parmesan cheese, dry bread crumbs, parsley flakes, paprika, salt and pepper in a quart-sized freezer bag and shake well to mix. Attach to the bag of chicken or put both bags into a larger freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze.

To serve, thaw marinated chicken and crumb mixture. Roll chicken one piece at a time in the crumbs, or shake in a bag, then place chicken in a greased 9×13-inch pan or on a cookie sheet. Spoon excess dressing over chicken. Bake at 350º(F) for 1 hour or until thickest piece is done.

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 400° (F). In a 13×9-inch pan, melt butter with garlic. In bowl or shallow pan, combine bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, thyme and pepper; mix well. Dip chicken pieces in garlic butter and then in crumb mixture. Place skin-side-up in baking pan containing garlic butter. Bake, uncovered, about one hour or until tender, basting occasionally with pan drippings.

Serves 4

• 8 bacon strips, diced
• 3 pounds beef stewing meat, cubed (the original recipe called for 2-1/2 pounds)
• 1 can (28 ounces) stewed tomatoes
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans (8 ounces, each) tomato sauce
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups sliced carrots (I used sliced frozen)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (I used 4 teaspoons of dried parsley)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper (I used coarsely ground black pepper)

Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain on a paper towel.

Brown beef in bacon drippings, in skillet.

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker (I did not include the remaining bacon drippings).

Cover. Cook on Low for 9-10 hours, or until meat is tender. Stir occasionally.

Makes 15 servings