Creme Caramel

This dessert is one of my favorites to order after a meal in a restaurant. It is light and after a meal, when you really don't have room for dessert, this is the sweet touch that can satisfy.

This makes 6-8 servings.

Prepare these ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 can (300 ml) condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Heat until mixture turns golden and caramelizes. Pour into 4 cup souffle or round baking dish. Swirl over bottom and up the sides of the dish. (take care not to burn or splash the hot sugar on yourself...HOT) In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs; stir in water, condensed milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour through a sieve into prepared dish. Set in shallow pan; pour hot water into pan about 1 1/2 inches up the side of the dish. Bake in 325 degree F oven for 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool to lukewarm in water bath, then cover and refrigerate about 4 hours until chilled. Run knife around inside edge of dish. Place serving dish over custard dish. Hold mold and dish together and invert. Shake gently to release custard and lift off dish allowing caramel sauce to drizzle over custard. Serve with strawberries or other fruit if desired.

Dad's Cookies

I was cleaning out boxes in the basement, and found some recipes I had tucked away but forgotten about. Let me post them for now, and when I get time to make them I will take pictures. It doesn't seem like there is time to do much baking lately. The festive season is looming and I have to make 10 dozen of something before Dec 4, 2007. So much to do...so little time.

At any rate, here is a forgotten but much loved Dad's Cookie recipe:

Cream 1 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar with 1 cup butter. Add 1 beaten egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 cup oatmeal, 3/4 cup coconut. Sift 1 tsp soda, 1 tsp baking powder with 1 1/2 + 2 heaping tbsp flour. Mix well. Form into balls and flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake in greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

I recommend you double this recipe.

Ceasar Dressing

Try this salad dressing with your next head of Romaine.

Ingredients:
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
1/4 cup salad oil
Parmesan cheese
1 tsp lemon juice
1 egg, coddled (To coddle the egg place it in boiling water for 2 minutes. Break the egg into a bowl and whisk.)
1/4 tsp dry mustard
salt and pepper
1 garlic clove chopped fine
1/4 cup old cheddar finely shredded.

Mix and serve with lettuce and croutons.

Easy Homestyle Baked Beans

This easy recipe feels like cheating, but since canned beans really are a healthy option - this is for those times that you don't have time to bake your beans yourself. (when you bake your own beans, you can control the sweet and the salt)

Ingredients:
28 oz can brown beans (I prefer the version without pork added)
7 oz can tomato sauce ( or use your home made spaghetti sauce - blenderized)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2- 1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 lb polish sausage, peeled and sliced
2-4 strips of bacon diced
1/2 medium onion diced.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Fry the onions and bacon until onions are transparent. Pour beans into 2 liter casserole. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, including bacon and onions. Bake uncovered in oven for 30 minutes.

Take along potato salad, pickles, rye bread, cheeses , sliced cold meat like chicken, turkey, and ham (deli meats are too full of nitrates and salt....try to make the meat the day before) and of course fruit. Don't forget the ice box full of cold beverages, and plastic cups!

(Tip- pre-freeze clean milk cartons full of water to keep your picnic bounty cool and safe for consumption during transport. Toss a roll of paper towels into your picnic basket, with paper plates and disposable utensils- and a few zip lock bags. Don't forget the garbage bags. These are lifesavers!)

Have fun!