Cheese Soup

3 carrots
1 small head celery
1 1/2 gal water
1 pkg frozen peas
1 yellow onion
1 lb cheez whiz
6 oz chicken base
1 1/2 lb butter
Flour to thicken (about 2 cups)

Dice vegetables, place cheese (in jar) in boiling water until melted. Melt butter, add flour, add to water until creamy. Remove from heat, add cheese until creamy. Add vegetables and food coloring if wanted. Add frozen peas and simmer for 15 minutes. Watch heat and stir often. Salt and pepper (I like more vegetables, any kind, potatoes, broccoli and etc. Can be frozen in smaller amounts for later use.) (Milk can be added with more thickening for still another variety of soup.)

Indian Spice Rub

Makes about 1 cup.

6 tablespoons curry powder
3 tablespoons coarse salt
4 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dried mint
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ground ginger

Combine curry powder, salt, crushed red pepper, cumin, coriander, mint, turmeric and ginger in a small bowl.

Tuscan Spice Rub

Makes 1 cup.

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
6 tablespoons dried basil
3 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons coarse salt
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons dried oregano

Grind fennel seeds in a spice grinder (such as a clean coffee grinder) or a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground. Combine with basil, garlic powder, salt, rosemary and oregano in a small bowl.

Spanish Rub

Makes about 1 cup.

6 tablespoons smoked paprika (see Ingredient note)
3 tablespoons regular paprika
3 tablespoons dried cilantro
3 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon ground dried lemon peel
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

Combine smoked paprika, regular paprika, cilantro, salt, lemon peel and pepper in a small bowl.

Blueberrry-Pecan Pancake Mix

Makes 2 1/2 cups dry mix, enough for 16 pancakes.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted (see Tip)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, blueberries, pecans, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.

To make pancakes:
Whisk 2 large eggs, 2 large egg whites, 1 1/2 cups nonfat buttermilk and 2 tablespoons canola oil in a medium bowl. Put Blueberry-Pecan Pancake Mix in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mix; add wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Use about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.

Quail with Ginger-Cranberry Pilaf

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 semi-boneless quail (about 4 ounces each; see
Shopping Tip)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
2 cups chopped peeled pears (about 2 medium)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, high-sided, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add onion and ginger to the pan; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in cranberries, sage, thyme and rice. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, season quail with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the quail, in 2 batches, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

When the rice is done, stir in pears, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the quail breast-side up on top of the rice. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake uncovered until the rest of the liquid is absorbed and the quail is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the quail with the pilaf.

Chicken Baked over Mushroom Dressing

1 4 1/2-pound chicken
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly
sliced
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
2 cups chopped portobello mushroom caps (about 2 small), gills removed if desired (see Tip)
2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (4 1/2 ounces with stems)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
5 cups stale whole-wheat bread cubes (1-inch; see Tip)
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Remove giblets (if included) from chicken and trim any excess skin. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat and rub thyme, 1 teaspoon pepper and 3/4 teaspoon salt under the skin. Tuck wing tips under and tie legs together with kitchen string. Place breast-side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Roast the chicken for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, place sliced leeks in a colander; rinse and drain well. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add cremini, portobello and shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates to a glaze, about 7 minutes. Stir in rosemary, sage and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in bread and broth.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Skim or blot any fat from the pan juices. Add the bread mixture to the roasting pan and spread in an even layer.

Place the chicken, breast-side up, on top of the dressing. Return to the oven and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, about 45 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes before removing the string and carving. Serve the chicken with the dressing.

Roasted Pheasant with Wheat Berry Salad

1 1/4 cups wheat berries (see Ingredient Note)
2 medium Gala apples, peeled and cut into eighths
2 cups halved peeled shallots (10-12 small shallots)
1 tablespoon walnut oil or canola oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 3-pound pheasant (see Sources)
1 1/2 cups apple cider
One 4-inch cinnamon stick

Place wheat berries in a large saucepan and add water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; reduce heat, cover and simmer gently until tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F.

Toss apples, shallots, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Remove giblets (if included) from pheasant. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat and rub the remaining salt and pepper under the skin; place the pheasant, breast-side down, on top of the apple mixture. Roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring cider and cinnamon stick to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; discard the cinnamon stick.

After 30 minutes, turn the bird over and baste with a couple tablespoons of the reduced cider, stirring it into the apple mixture. Continue roasting, basting with reduced cider every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, 40 to 50 minutes more.

Transfer the pheasant to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Transfer the apple mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the reserved wheat berries and any accumulated pheasant juices. Serve the pheasant with the wheat berry salad.

Orange Roasted Duck

1 5-pound duck
2 small oranges
1/2 cup orange marmalade
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large roasting pan with foil.

Remove both wingtips at the top joint with kitchen scissors or a heavy knife; reserve wing tips. Reserve neck (discard the rest of the giblets). Trim the excess skin and fat around the neck and cavity opening. Grate 1/4 teaspoon orange zest and set aside. Cut oranges into quarters. Set aside 3 sections and place the remaining orange sections inside the duck; fold the wings under and tie the legs together with kitchen string. With a skewer or fork, prick holes in the skin without piercing the flesh. (This allows fat to drain during roasting.)

Whisk marmalade and 2 tablespoons soy sauce in a small bowl. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat and rub about 3 tablespoons of the marmalade mixture under the skin. Place breast-side down on a rack in the prepared roasting pan.

Roast the duck for 1 hour. Remove the duck from the pan and carefully pour off the fat. Return the duck to the rack, breast-side up. Continue roasting, basting every 15 minutes with another 2 tablespoons of the marmalade mixture, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, 1 to 1 1/4 hours more.

Meanwhile, place the reserved wing tips and neck in a medium saucepan, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth is reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Strain and discard solids; return the broth to the pan. Squeeze the juice from the reserved orange sections into a small bowl; add cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Stir the juice mixture, reserved zest and brown sugar into the broth; cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce.

Transfer the duck to a cutting board; let rest for 15 minutes before removing the string and carving. Serve with the sauce on the side.

Freezer Cheese Balls

This recipe come from my mother-in-law. It makes enough for three cheese balls so every year she makes the cheese balls up before Thanksgiving. You keep one out to serve at Thanksgiving, then put the other two in the freezer for Christmas and New Years--a fun idea! I made the cheese balls last year so I have tried it myself with good results. Just in case you don't know, these are the kind of cheese balls that you put on a tray with bunch of crackers for an appetizer or hors 'deoeuvre.

1/2 lb shredded sharp cheddar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 lb blue cheese
1/4 lb butter, softened
1 clove garlic, minced or mashed
1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Let everything sit at room temp for a few hours. Beat in mixer until creamy. Chill in fridge one hour. Shape into balls. Roll in nuts. Wrap in plastic wrap (a couple of layers) and freeze.