PREPARE

• Boil macaroni in separate pan, drain and let rest covered
• In skillet – lightly brown ham in 1/2 stick butter (do not burn butter)
• After about 15 mins add onions, celery, peppers, peas, and garlic to skillet
• Bring to boil
• Add brandy (or white wine). Either cook out alcohol or light to flame out
• Reduce heat to low Cook in skillet till vegies are tender; then turn off heat; cover with a lid
• Put other half of butter in a 4-quart casserole dish.
• Pour macaroni into casserole dish and mix until butter is melted and coats bottom of dish and noodles
• Pour ingredients from skillet into casserole dish
• Add in dried spices, parsley, milk, soup, pimento, salt, pepper
• Mix ingredients well
• Sprinkle cheeses over the top

COOK – ROAST

• Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F
• Bake time :: 45-minutes

SERVE

The sweetness of sliced apricots, au-jus and tender meat of a pork loin –  combine to create a treat for the palette. Nothing seems to enhance and compliment the flavor of pork loin like apricots, wine, and other stuffing ingredients.

PREPARE

• Trim the pork as necessary
• Cut a 4/5 deep slit along one side of the loin
• chop –> onions, shallots, garlic
• chop –> sliced apricots into 1/4 pieces
• In microwave –> cook butter, onions, shallots, garlic, apricots, raisins

(cook for 2-minutes at a time until tender – DO NOT BROWN

• Transfer cooked mixture to a mixing bowl
• Add –> breadcrumbs, tarragon, thyme, celery salt, pecans –> MIX
• Add – –> wine, sherry vinegar, eggs –> MIX
• Coat the top-center area of loin slit (open) with light layer of Dijon Mustard
• Place stuffing onto the center of the tenderloin end to end

(left over stuffing will be cooked on the stove)

• Roll the loin up so stuffing is in center
  Tie the loin with cooking string to keep it rolled up
• Pour olive oil into bottom center of oven roasting pan
• Roll the loin in the oil until covered
• Place loin ion a roasting rack (see example) and return to baking pan
• Pour salt and pepper on top of loin – to taste
• Cover pork loin with lid or tinfoil

COOK – ROAST

• Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F
  Using a meat thermometer.
• Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of the loin registers 135°F
• Roughly 50 mins to 1 1⁄4 hours

SERVE

• Transfer loin to cutting board
• Cut and remove the string
• Carefully cut loin into 1 to 2 inch slices (keep the stuffing in center)
• Make gravy from the drippings and chicken stock

SERVE ::  with mashed potatoes, gravy, and almond-string beans or other vegetable

Cheese Fondue or Fondue Suisse Gruyère originated in Switzerland. This recipe builds on an original recipe given from a professor of computer science; who was also  – a professor of cheese, the Suisse – way. She taught this cooking enthusiast the importance of using the right blend of cheeses and how to artfully combine so that they become a creamy delight sought after time and again! 

Serves 4 to 6

Tablespoon = Tbsp

Teaspoon = tsp

PREPARE

• Prepare (cut) breads and vegie
• Warm crusty bread in the oven
• Coursely shred the cheeses

In an electric fondue pot

• Turn heat level to 2

** stirr cheese the whole time!
** do not let cheese burn on bottom
** cheese can bubble gently but not too much

• Add live oil and garlic and heat on low (do not let oil start popping)
• When is just starting to bubble add 1/3 of the cheese at a time and slow-melt
• After first third of cheese starts melting turn pot up to 5
• Add sherry, kirsch, lemon juice, pimentos, and garlic
• When first third is almost completely melted (starts bubbling) and add second 1/3 of cheese
• Add cornstarch, flour, and nutmeg, pepper
• When second 3rd is almost completely melted add last 3rd
• When cheese is bubbling turn heat level down to 3.5

SERVE

• DO NOT LET THE CHEESE BURN!

** turned heat from 3.5 to 4 and back and forth while dipping **

• Dip right out of the fondue pot using various skewered dipping ingredients