Afghan Meatballs

4 cups crusty bread torn into small pieces soaking in 1 cup milk
Squeeze the liquid out of the bread and place in large bowl.
Discard the liquid.

Make lamb balls by squishing the following with the squeezed bread crumbs:
1 pound ground lamb
1 egg
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
salt and pepper
1 minced garlic clove
2 TBS grated onion
2 pinches allspice
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Make sauce in large, deep skillet over medium heat:
Grate the rest of a small onion into 3 TBS oilve oil
Saute onion with 3 minced garlic cloves
Stir in 1 (28-oz) crushed Italian tomatoes
Add 1/2 cup chicken stock and when bubbling - put in the raw meatballs.
Simmer for 8 minutes.
Add  fresh parsley and mint, finely chopped (1/4 cup each).

Serve over basmati rice with cilantro chutney.

Tapas lunch

Instant Spinach
Roasted mushrooms with garlic oil 
Salted cucumbers (dressed with lime and chilantro)
Roasted Vadalia onions topped with pine nuts, bleu cheese, and olive oil dressing
Apple and manchego salad  (thin sticks dressed with Olive oil and lemon juice)
Grilled shrimp tossed in garlic olive oil and lemon juice
Ciabatta, cornichons, and olives
Chocolate truffles with extra virgin Olive oil, salt flakes & cocoa powder

Cathy's Birthday Dinner

Grilled rack of baby lamb with olive oil and rosemary
Baked potato (shaped in a little cup and overturned)
Broccoli with Hollandaise Sauce
Popovers
Crazy cake

Apricot Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix
3/4 cup apricot nectar (1 small can)
3/4 cup salad oil
2 tsp lemon extract
4 eggs, one at a time

Preheat oven 350oF
Add ingredients to cake mix in order of listing.
Beat 4 min. longer.
Bake in ungreased tube pan for 35 to 45 min.

Glaze: 1 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice.
Pour over hot cake in pan.
Let cool before removing.

Cottage Cheese Soufle with Raspberries

2 10 oz frozen raspberries or 1 pint fresh
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup + 3 Tbs sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated lemon rind
3 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups small curd whole milk cottage cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup raisins
powdered sugar

1. Sprinkle a buttered 2 qt souffle dish with granulated
sugar enough to coat bottom and sides. Spread raspberries
over bottom.

2. In a bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light &
fluffy. Beat in the salt, vanilla, rind & add egg yolks
one at a time; beating well after each. Then, beat in
cottage cheese, sour cream & raisins.

3. In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form,
add 3 Tbs sugar gradually and beat until peaks hold shape.
Stir 1/3 whites into cheese and fold remaining whites in
gently but thoroughly. Turn into prepared dish and bake
350oF for 40 45 min. Sprinkle hot souffle with powdered
sugar and serve immediately. Serves 6 8 people.

Crazy Cake

Preheat oven 350oF

Sift together into greased 8" sq pan:

1 & 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbs breakfast cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Add in separate holes in dry ingredients:

1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
5 Tbs salad oil
1 cup water over all

Mix until smooth and bake for 35 min.
Serve plain or with whipped cream or ice cream & chocolate
sauce.

Campfire Bacon and Eggs

Prepare campfire or charcoal grill. Let the flames die down and coals are covered with ash.  Lay 2 bacon halves across the bottom of a lunch size brown paper bag so that its completely covered.  Reach into the bag and gently crack the egg over the bacon.  Season with salt and pepper. Securely fold down the the top of the bag three times and poke a hole through the fold with a sharp knife.  Thread a long green stick through the hole and hold the bag so that that the bottom is as close to the hot embers as possible- but w/o touching them.  Cook for 10 minutes, until the egg white is cooked through.  Each person should have their own lunch bag for this.

NB:  Do not let the bag be anywhere near an open flame and do not attempt this on a gas grill.  The bacon fat protects the paper from burning and steams the egg.  This is from a Girl Scout camp.  You can do it with scrambled eggs as well.

Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic Oil

Toss large, fresh mushrooms caps (shiitake preferred but I've used all kinds) with a generous amout of garlic oil, sea salt , and fresh ground pepper.  Put them in one layer on a sturdy sheet pan or caste-iron skillet and roast at 450 F in oven for 10 minutes, or golden all over, slightly crispy on the edges, but still juicy inside.

Instant Spinach

1 pound spinach leaves (e.g., Savoy, tough stems removed)
2 TBS olive oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Pile the spinach in a large bowl that will fit in the microwave oven. Cook it on HIGH for 25 seconds, until it is warm but not wilted.  Toss the spinach with the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 30-60 seconds until the spinach is wilted and its volume reduced less than half.  It should be hot, but not so cooked that it starts to throw off liquid.

Salted Cucumbers or Onions

Put thinly sliced or minced cucumbers or onions in a bowl, season generously with kosher salt, and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes and up to an hour.  Drain the accumulated liquid before using.  Serve as a salad alone or with a fresh herb like dill or cilantro. A dollop of Greek yogurt is always a nice touch.