
Dear BBS User and Fellow Food Lover:

These recipes have been downloaded from the FIDO COOKING echo between Dec. 1,
1994 and July 31, 1995.  They are all from Kathy Pitts an excellent cook who
is a chef/supervisor at a Red Lobster in Texas.  Many but not all have a Tex-Mex Southwest
flavor to them.  They have been converted from free form to Meal Master format
by me for easy imput into a data base and are ready for import.

These recipes may be freely used, copied and ditributed under the following
conditions:

"Assuming that I am the copyright holder of the recipes in the group
that are attributed to me (should be, as they are, insofar as possible,
original to me), I would be more than happy to give my permission for
distribution via FIDO and COOKFDN for individual home use only.  All other
publication rights, including secondary publication rights, are
reserved.

Jim, you and/or anyone else for that matter have my permission to distribute
any of my recipes, with the proviso that the recipes be used for private
distribution, only (no commercial/for-profit permission implied or given) "

                                                                -Kathy Pitts


                                        Enjoy,

                                        Jim Weller,
                                        Yellowknife, NWT.
                                        1:3414/3.8

 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Carnitas
 Categories: Mexican, Pork, Meats
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      3 lb Boneless pork ribs
      2    Strips  Lime peel
  2 1/2 lb Lard
    1/4 c  Water
 
  Place the lard and water in a deep heavy pan (a dutch oven or one of
  your deep cast iron pots would be perfect.)  Heat over medium heat
  until the lard is melted.  Add the lime peel and meat (one cook I
  knew marinated the meat in half orange juice, half beer before
  cooking -- made a nice flavor).
  
  Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the pork in the lard until
  cooked through, but not browned, about 1 hour).  Increase the heat to
  medium high, and cook another 15-20 minutes or so, until the meat is
  well browned and crispy on the outside.
  
  Drain meat, and serve with tortillas, guacamole, homemade pico de
  gallo, sprigs of fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sliced onion, whatever
  other condiments appeal to you.
  
  The lard can be cooled, strained, and poured into a container.  It
  will keep indefinately under refrigeration, and may be reused 3-4
  times.
  
  When cooked this way, the lard seems to render all of the fat out of
  the pork, leaving crispy bits of meat that taste like the good, crisp
  exterior of a pork roast.  The inside is tender, juicy, and delicious.
  
  In Mexico, they do this in BIG outdoor kettles, and cook most
  portions of the pig.  The result is used for taco fillings, tortas
  (Mexican- style Po-Boys), and various other dishes.  I've seen
  versions of the dish that call for cooking the meat very slowly in an
  oven (probably developed by someone who was horrified at the amount
  of lard used in the dish), but IMHO, these variations seem to
  actually be greasier and fattier than the old-fashioned method of
  frying the pork in lard.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Left-Handed Chili (Well, Why Not????)
 Categories: Chili, Beef
      Yield: 1 servings
 
      2 lb Lean beef (stew meat, round,
           -or something similar), cut
           -into
    1/4    Inch chunks or run through
           -your butchers' chili blade
      1 lb Sweet Italian sausage,
           -casing removed
      2 tb Lard, bacon drippings or
           -cooking oil
      1 lg Onion, chopped
      2    Cloves garlic, minced
      2 tb To 1/4 cup Hungarian Sweet
           -Paprika (since we suspect
           -you have a
           -problem with capsicum, I'd
           -start with the smaller
           -amount and work up)
      1 tb Ground cumin
      2 tb Mexican oregano, crushed (if
           -you can't get Mexican
           -oregano,
           -substitute Italian oregano,
           -but cut the quantity in
           -half -- or let me
           -know, and I'll mail you
           -some)
      1 ts Coriander seed (not the
           -fresh spice), ground
      1    12-oz  can beer
      2    Beef bouillon cubes
      2 tb Tomato paste
      2    Heaping Tablespoons of masa
           -or cornmeal
           -water as needed
           -salt, WHITE pepper to
           -taste
 
  Melt the lard in a large, heavy pot.  Add the beef and sausage, and
  cook until about half done.  Add the onions and garlic, and cook
  until the onions are transparent, and the meat is nicely browned. Add
  the dry spices, and cook, stirring, until they develop a fragrance.
  
  IMPORTANT -- do not drain off the fat at this point.  We'll get rid
  of it later, but it is a flavor carrier, and needed for a while.
  
  Add the tomato paste, beef bouillon cubes, and beer, and enough water
  to barely cover the mixture.  Cover, and simmer on lowest possible
  heat, until the meat is tender (2-3 hours).  Stir frequently, and add
  additional water or beer as needed to keep the mixture from burning.
  
  At this point, and in an ideal world, you would refrigerate the chili
  overnight to develop flavors and let the excess fat rise to the top.
  If you absolutely can't wait, skim off as much fat as possible from
  the surface of the mixture.  If you have developed the virtue of
  patience, lift the fat off the mixture and return the pot to the
  fire, bringing it up to a slow simmer before continuing.
  
  Mix the masa or cornmeal with an equal quantity of water, and add to
  the mixture.  Stir, and simmer another half hour or so, stirring
  frequently, and adding additional liquid if the mixture seems too
  thick.
  
  Adjust the seasonings, adding salt (for my taste it shouldn't need
  much) and white pepper (which doesn't contain capsicum, but will give
  the chili a bit of a "bite") to taste.
  
  If you absolutely must have beans in your chili, please, please, cook
  them separately, according to your favorite recipe, and spoon them
  into the bowl, then spoon the chili on top of 'em and mix.  (You
  could even do this with heated canned beans, just don't tell me about
  it ;-)
  
  If you decide to try this, let me know how it turns out.  My head
  says it should be pretty good, if mild, chili.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX From: Kathy Pitts Date: 01 Dec 94 MMMMM

MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Grant's London Broil W/bbq Rub Ala Pitts
 Categories: Bbq, Meats
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      1 tb Lemon pepper
      1 tb Garlic powder
    1/2 ts Pepper, black, fresh ground
    1/4 ts Cayenne pepper
           -or to taste
    1/4 ts Paprika
      3 lb London broil, 2" thick
 
  Combine spices in a shallow pan large enough to hold London Broil.
  Coat entire broil with rub mixture and cover pan with plastic wrap.
  Set aside at room temperture for approximately 2-3 hours or
  refrigerate overnight. Meat will look wet. Pat dry but don't remove
  rub. Pre-heat gas grill on HIGH for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to MEDIUM
  and place meat on center of grill. Close cover and grill for 10-15
  minutes; turn meat over and grill for an additional 10-15 minutes for
  medium-rare. Use tongs. Don't pierce meat with fork, so as to retain
  jucies. For conventional charcoal grilling, start coals and let burn
  down to a light grey. Place rack approximately 6 inches from coals.
  Proceed as above.
  
  Source: Grant Ames w/ thanks to Kathy Pitts Formatted for Meal-Master:
  Grant Ames 04/05/95 Posted: Grant Ames
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Veal Picatta
 Categories: Veal
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      1 lb Boneless veal cutlets
           Flour seasoned with
           Salt and lemon pepper
           Dry white wine
           Chicken broth
           Olive oil or clarified
           Butter for frying
           Fresh lemon juice
           Pepper & oregano for taste
 
  Heat oil or butter in a large frying pan until it develops a
  fragrance. Meanwhile, pound the cutlets lightly (do not break the
  meat), and dip in the seasoned flour.
  
  Pop the cutlets into the pan (in batches if necessary, do not
  overcrowd the pan), and brown on both sides.  Remove from the pan and
  keep warm.
  
  Pour off the excess fat, leaving just a thin film, and the brown bits
  on the bottom of the pan.  Add a healthy glug of wine, and stir
  wildly until the browned bits come off the bottom and begin to
  dissolve. Add chicken broth, and continue cooking, stirring, until
  reduced by half (you only want a couple of tablespoons of sauce per
  serving). Add the juice of a fresh lemon, salt, pepper and oregano to
  taste. Pour the sauce over the cutlets, and serve.
  
  We like this with pasta dressed with a little butter or olive oil and
  Parmesan cheese, and a steamed green vegetable.
  
  Sorry there are no quantities here -- I just toss stuff in the general
  direction of the saute pan and keep cooking until it looks right.
  
  If you really want to get fancy, cut a lemon into thin slices and use
  the slices to garnish the meat.  A sprinkling of parsley wouldn't hurt
  anything, either....
  
  Courtesy of Kathy Pitts
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Chicken Fried Steak
 Categories: Beef
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      4    Round steaks
           (about 1/3 lb. EACH)
           Flour, seasoned with
           -salt, pepper, garlic powder
      1    Egg, beaten with
      2 tb Water
           Milk
           Oil for frying
 
  Beat the steaks very well with a meat pounder (they should be almost
  falling apart).  Dip first in the flour, then in the egg, and again
  in the flour.  For a really crisp crust, dip again in the egg, and
  the flour.
  
  Heat the oil in a large frying pan (the oil should be to a depth of
  1/4 inch or so).  Fry the steaks in the oil until nicely browned.
  Remove and keep warm.
  
  Drain all but 3 Tbsp of oil from the pan, being sure to leave the
  crusty bits on the bottom in the pan.  Add 3 Tbsp. of flour (leftover
  from breading the meat), and stir to make a white roux.
  
  Whisk in 1 1/2 to 2 cups of milk,  and stir until the mixture loses
  its floury taste.  Season to taste with salt and a generous amount of
  black pepper (the pepper flavor is important in this dish).
  
  Serve the gravy over the meat and with mashed potatoes.
  
  Kathy Pitts in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Green Beans, Southern Style
 Categories: Vegetables
      Yield: 8 servings
 
      2 lb Green beans, trimmed
           -and washed
      1 lg White onion, chopped
      1    Green (Bell) pepper,
           -chopped
    1/2 lb Sliced smoked bacon,
           -cut into squares
           Salt (it won't need much)
           And black pepper to taste
      6 sm New potatoes, (about the
           Size of golf balls),opt'l
 
  If the beans are very small and tender, leave them whole.  Otherwise,
  cut in half lengthwise (known for some obscure reason as
  "Frenching"), and cut the individual beans into bite-sized lengths.
  
  Place the beans, onion, pepper, bacon into a large stewing pot.
  Cover with water.  Cover the pot, and cook on low heat until the
  beans are very tender (2-3 hours is about right -- these are NOT
  supposed to be crisp). About 30 minutes before serving, add the
  potatoes if used, and season to taste. Don't worry about overcooking
  the beans, you can't -- they're supposed to be a dull green and very
  tender :-)
  
  Serve the beans, along with a generous portion of the liquid, and the
  potatoes, if used.  This may be used as an accompaniment for any
  Southern-style meal, or may serve, with cornbread or biscuits on the
  side, as a meal itself.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits
 Categories: Breads, Cheese
      Yield: 12 biscuits
 
MMMMM--------------------------BISCUIT-------------------------------
      2 c  Bisquick
    1/2 c  Cold Water
    3/4 c  Cheese, Cheddar; grated

MMMMM--------------------------TOPPING-------------------------------
      2 tb Butter, melted
        pn Garlic powder*
        pn Italian seasonings*
        pn Parsley flakes*
 
  Preheat oven to 450.  Mix bisquick, water and cheese.  Drop by large
  (heaping tablespoon) spoonfuls onto GREASED baking sheet.  Bake 10-15
  Min. After baking (while still hot) brush on melted butter/spices.
  
  *Spices can vary - but a little goes a long way.
  
  Note:  Try parmesan cheese
  
  From: Kathy Pitts, Cooking echo
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Red Lobster's Cheesy Garlic Rolls (Kathy's)
 Categories: Breads
      Yield: 1 servings
 
  2 1/2 lb Baking mix *
     21 oz Cold water
      6 oz Grated mild cheddar cheese
 
  *RL uses a specially made product, but Bisquick buttermilk baking mix
  is a decent substitute
  
  Mix together above ingredients (by hand, an electric mixer will NOT
  work) until JUST combined --do not overmix. Scoop with a 1 1/2 ounce
  scoop onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets (20 per sheet), and bake
  in a 450 convection oven for 4-5 minutes.  Rotate the sheets, and
  bake another 4-5 minutes. (Note, a commercial convection oven cooks
  about 25 percent faster than a home oven -- for the same results,
  increase the baking time somewhat, but be careful not to overbrown
  the rolls, they should be a light golden brown).
  
  Remove rolls from the oven, and brush with garlic butter mixture
  (again, RL uses a proprietary product, but you can make a decent
  imitation by adding garlic powder, NOT salt) to taste, plus some
  dehydrated parsley flakes to liquid margarine.  Do not add too much
  butter to the rolls, or the garlic flavor will overpower the cheese.
  
  For variations, increase the cheese to 8 oz. (better, and the way the
  Lobster used to do it), or substitute about 5 oz. shredded Parmesan
  (NOT the dried stuff that comes in a can) for the cheddar. The
  Parmesan variation is excellent. IMHO, better than the original. As a
  breakfast bread (or snack for the cook), you may also add 4-5 slices
  of crisp cooked bacon to this.  In this case, brush with regular
  liquid margarine instead of garlic butter.
  
  Note: this is a half recipe for the ones made at the Lobster.  It
  makes 40 rolls, which is a LOT for home use.  You might want to scale
  it down somewhat.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Crab and Asparagus Quiche
 Categories: Shellfish, Seafood, Pies
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      1    8" pate brisee or
           -regular pie crust
      1 c  Crab meat, chopped
  1 3/4 c  Milk, scalded
      3    Eggs, beaten
     10    Asparagus spears,
           -tips reserved
      4 oz Parmesan cheese
        ds Nutmeg and cayenne pepper
           Salt to taste
 
  Preheat oven to 375. Place crab meat in bottom of pastry shell. Cut
  bottom parts of asparagus spears into half-inch slices and scatter
  over crab. Scatter parmesan over asparagus. Beat eggs and milk
  together, and season to taste with nutmeg, cayenne and salt. Pour
  over crab/asparagus mixture. Arrange reserved asparagus tips in a
  spoke-like pattern on top. Bake in preheated oven until set (about 45
  minutes to an hour). Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving.
  Next time, I might substitute Swiss cheese for at least part of the
  Parmesan (didn't have any handy, and at 1 ayem, wasn't gonna make a
  run to Kroger to get any).
  
                               Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Spinach, Kathy Pitts' Way+
 Categories: Vegan, Vegetables
      Yield: 2 servings
 
      1 lb Spinach, washed, stems
           -removed (still wet)
      1    Clove garlic, minced
      2 tb Olive oil
           Salt to taste
           Pepper to taste
 
  Tear the larger leaves in two. Wash well to get rid of any grit.(There
  should still be quite a lot of water clinging to the leaves.
  
  Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan (that has a lid.) When the
  oil is hot, toss in a clove or two of the minced garlic, and then the
  spinach. cover, and occasionally pick up the pan and shake it (as if
  with popcorn.) Do this for 3-4 minutes and the spinach will be
  wilted, tender and well seasoned (you can add some salt and pepper if
  you wish.) Serve immediately.
  
  typed up by Mary Riemerman with recipe from Kathy Pitts.
 
MMMMM
 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Steve's Mum's Lentil Soup
 Categories: Soups, Main dish
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      1 lb Lentils (washed)
      1    Large onion
      3    Cloves garlic
      4 oz Mushrooms, sliced
      2    Ribs of celery, sliced diag.
      2    Carrots, grated
      2 ts Oregano or thyme
      1    Salt to taste
      1    Pepper to taste
    1/2 lb Small pasta shells, cooked
 
  Place all ingredients except pasta in a large pot.  Cover with cold
  water to the depth of the 2nd knuckle of your index finger.  Cover
  pot and simmer over low heat until the lentils are tender (about one
  hour). Taste and correct seasoning.  Stir in cooked, drained pasta,
  and garnish with parsley.
  
  ~ by Kathy Pitts
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Cauliflower, Kathy Pitts' Way
 Categories: Vegetables
      Yield: 1 recipe
 
      1    Head cauliflower
      4 oz Butter
    1/2 c  Dry bread crumbs
      1    Lemon, juice only
 
  Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and remove most of the core
  (leaving enough core to keep the cauliflower in one piece.) Steam
  till just tender.
  
  Meanwhile, melt about half a stick of butter in a small frying pan.
  Toss in the bread crumbs, and cook till the crumbs are brown,
  stirring all the while. Add the juice of a lemon.
  
  Place the steamed cauliflower in a serving bowl and pour the
  lemon/butter /crumb mixture over it. Serve.
  
  Kathy's Pitt's recipe typed into MM format by Mary Riemerman
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Bbq Goat
 Categories: Delete
      Yield: 1 goat
 
      1 sm Goat kid
           Orange juice
           Beer
           Lemon pepper
 
  I've barbecued it succesfully, using a wet marinade of half orange
  juice and half beer (marinate at LEAST overnight, longer would be
  better.) Rub the meat well with lemon pepper, pop on a covered
  barbecue pit with VERY low heat, and hot smoke until tender, basting
  occasionally with the orange juice/beer mixture.  This is going to
  take a LONG time, something close to 12-18 hours.
  
  The folks who ate the goat said it was delicious.  Personally, I
  haven't a clue, because I was so tired of smelling the darn thing, I
  didn't eat any.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Stuffed Jalapenos
 Categories: Spice
      Yield: 1 batch
 
 
  Get a quantity of fresh jalapenos (whole canned will work, too, just
  won't taste quite the same.)
  
  Cut slits in the side of the peppers, and scoop out the seeds and
  veins, leaving the peppers whole.  Note:  if you're doing this in
  quantity, wear rubber gloves, the oil in the peppers is strong enough
  to cause serious burns.  For smaller quantitites, coat your hands
  liberally with cooking oil if you have sensitive skin.
  
  Stuff with a mixture of half grated sharp cheddar cheese and half
  cream cheese (if you like, you can add ground cooked shrimp, crab or
  lobster meat to this -- if so, allow about 1/3 seafood to the total
  quantity of cheese used.)
  
  Stuff the cheese mixture into the inside of the peppers, and roll the
  filled peppers first in flour, then in an eggwash (1 egg beaten with 2
  Tbsp. of cold water), then in a mixture of 1/3 cornmeal and 2/3 flour.
  
  Allow the coated peppers to dry (re-bread if you want a reallty crispy
  coating), and fry in deep fat until brown.  Serve immediately.
  
  For a cold version of this, use whole pickled peppers, cut in half,
  and seeded.  Simply pile the cheese or cheese/seafood mixture into
  the peppers, sprinkle with a little paprika for garnish, and serve.
  
  From:    Kathy Pitts,  Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: About Mole
 Categories: Info, Mexican
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  Mole (pron. mole-a) is a series of Mexican sauces that contain ground
  chiles, spices, nuts, often chocolate, sometimes raisins, ground
  seeds, etc.
  
  There are three basic types of moles:
  
  1.  Mole Poblano (the most famous type, and the one that ALWAYS
  contains chocolate) was originated in Pueblo during Colonial times
  (Mexican colonial, not ours) by the nuns who wanted to make a special
  dish for a visiting Archbishop.  The sauce contains ground dried
  chile peppers, ground nuts, ground raisins, broth, chocolate,
  sometimes ground corn tortillas, a small amount of sugar, and various
  spices. It is traditionally served over turkey, with a side dish of
  unfilled tamales (just the cornmeal masa steamed in corn shucks.)
  It's one of those dishes that rarely finds its way out of the country
  of origin, and you either passionately love or passionately hate. I'd
  post a recipe if I could find one (Have recipes for all three
  versions floating around SOMEWHERE, but never got the time to enter
  'em into the computer, so they're a little tough to find). It may
  also be purchased pre-made (something I recommend, as the bottled
  version is excellent, and this is NOT something you'd want to attack
  from scratch on even a semi-regular basis). If Shirley is interested,
  I'll pick up a jar and ship it your way.
  
  2.  Mole Verde (green mole) contains green chiles, broth, ground
  pumpkin seeds, various herbs and spices.  It's usually served over
  chicken or pork. Nice stuff, and much easier for the beginner to like
  than the Mole Poblano.
  
  3.  Mole Roja (red mole) is a sauce that contains red chiles, herbs
  and spices, ground nuts or seeds, ground corn tortillas, usually no
  chocolate. I THINK it comes from the region around Oxaca.  Again,
  it's marginally easier to like than the more well-known version. It's
  usually served over chicken or pork.
  
  All of these dishes are virtual throwbacks to the complex (and to our
  palates unusual) combinations of ingredients that were common in that
  part of the country before the arrival of the Spaniards.  None of the
  dishes is particularly hot, they have a complex, haunting flavor that
  speaks of cultures long gone, but not entirely forgotten.
  
  Don't know if you'd like 'em or not, Unka Burt (I do), but if you
  want just a hint of what I'm talking about, throw a square of
  unsweetened chocolate in your next batch of Left-Handed Chili, and
  let us know what you think.
  
  From: Kathy Pitts, Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: About Pork Chops
 Categories: Pork, Info
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  SS> But I don't even bother buying pork chops any more, I don't want
  SS> to put leather on the table.  :(
  
  Don't know if you caught my post to Marlon or not, Sylvia, but the
  problem is not with you, it's with the pork.  Now that pork producers
  are looking for a leaner, lighter product, pork requires much less
  cooking than is recommended in most cookbooks.  Most cookbook authors
  recommend cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160-175 to
  eliminate any possible danger of trichinosis (a problem that's been
  eliminated in commercially produced pork anyway).  These temperatures
  are WAY too high for the leaner version, which tends to resemble shoe
  leather if treated this way. Try cooking your chops to an internal
  temperature of 140 or so instead (still well done, but not
  overcooked), and you'll have MUCH better results.
  
  My favorite thing to do with pork chops is to stuff 'em.  Allow one
  double-thick pork chop or two thinner chops for each person you're
  feeding.
  
  Make a stuffing with cornbread (or one of the cornbread stuffing
  mixes), chopped onion, chopped celery, a small can of whole kernal
  corn, a bit of chicken broth.  Simmer the onion and celery in the
  broth until tender, and add the remaining ingredients.  Season to
  taste with salt, black pepper, a generous amount of either sage or
  thyme.
  
  If using double-thick chops, cut a deep pocket in the chop, and
  insert the stuffing.  If using thinner chops, don't stuff yet. Either
  way, melt a small amount of shortening in a frying pan, and quickly
  brown the chops (brown thinner chops on one side only).
  
  Place the chops in an oven-proof baking dish.  (If using thin chops,
  place one chop, browned side down in the dish, top with a scoop of
  stuffing, and top with another chop, browned side up).
  
  Place just enough liquid in the pan to cover the pan bottom, cover
  the pan, and bake in a 350 degree oven until the chops reach an
  internal temperature of 140 (35-60 minutes, depending on the
  thickness of the meat).
  
  Any leftover stuffing can be baked separately.
  
  I usually make a pan gravy with the drippings from browning the
  chops, plus some flour and chicken broth (pork stock would be better,
  but I never seem to have any :-).  If you don't want gravy, just
  deglaze the baking dish with more chicken stock, and spoon this
  liquid over the chops.
  
  Sorry not to offer an official recipe here, but this is one of those
  home-style dishes that I just throw together.  Have never measured
  anything for it, and I suspect it's never QUITE the same any time I
  make it. Good stuff, though.  At least it's one of Mooseface's
  favorites :-)
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
  
  From:    Kathy Pitts
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Texas-Style Chile Con Queso
 Categories: Mexican, Spice
      Yield: 1 batch
 
      1 pk Velveeta cheese
      1 cn Rotel tomatoes
           And green chiles
 
  Cube Velveeta and place in a saucepan.  Pour in tomatoes, and stir
  well. Heat (or nuke) until smooth, stirring occasionally.
  
  Serve warm with tortilla chips or Fritos for dipping.
  
  Any leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for close to forever, and
  may be re-heated as needed as a topping for nachos, spicy
  cheeseburgers, cauliflower, whatever.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
  
  From:    Kathy Pitts
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' New Mexico Chili
 Categories: Chili, Pork
      Yield: 1 batch
 
 
  I don't have a real recipe for New Mexico-style chile, although I do
  make it occasionally when I manage to drag home more fresh Anaheim or
  Poblano chiles than I can dispose of otherwise.  (Kroger's sometimes
  has BIG bags of them for 99 cents a bag ;-)
  
  What I do is first roast the chiles (either in the broiler or --
  better -- over charcoal).  The number of chiles I use depends on the
  size/heat of the chiles, and can range from 2-3 to 10 or more.  If
  the chiles are really hot (it happens sometimes, even with Anaheims),
  I'll also add 3-4 roasted green bell peppers to give the dish the
  required pepper taste without rendering it inedible by anyone without
  an asbestos esophagus.
  
  After the chiles have cooled a bit, I peel and seed them, and cut
  them into coarse dice.  I sometimes (not always) will also roast/peel
  5-6 tomatoes to place in the chiles, but tomatoes are optional in
  this dish, and I usually don't use 'em.
  
  Next, cut up 3-4 pounds of lean boneless pork (beef is sometimes
  used, but isn't as good in this dish, IMHO, and I would imagine lamb
  would be very good here indeed).
  
  Coat the meat in seasoned flour, and brown it in hot lard.  Remove
  from the pan and set aside.  Toss a couple of chopped onions into the
  pot, along with a clove or two of garlic.  When the onions are
  golden, I add enough flour to make a roux, and cook until the roux is
  light brown.
  
  I then add chicken broth to make a fairly thin gravy, the pork,
  chiles, tomatoes (if used), and season the dish with cumin and
  Mexican oregano.
  
  Simmer for a couple of hours, until the pork is tender and the
  flavors have blended.  The end dish should have a pronounced green
  chile/pepper flavor and be the consistancy of a thick stew.  It's
  very good by itself, or as a filling for burritos/soft tacos, and is
  wonderful reheated the next morning and served as a side dish with
  scrambled eggs for breakfast. Wes, for some bizarre reason, likes it
  over rice...
  
  Sorry for the inexact recipe/directions.  I learned to make this dish
  from an ex-neighbor who was or mixed Hispanic/Native American
  ancestry, and never QUITE got around to rendering her directions into
  a real recipe. (She served the dish with fry bread, and a pot of
  white beans on the side -- have no idea whether this was traditional
  or simply the way she liked it.)
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Breakfast Tacos
 Categories: Mexican, Breakfast
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      1 md Potato, boiled and cut
           -into chunks or grated
      4 sl Bacon
      4    Eggs, lightly beaten
      4    Flour tortilla
 
  Place bacon in a cold pan, and cook until almost crisp.  All the fat
  should be rendered.  Remove bacon from pan, and drain.
  
  Place potato chunks in the pan, and cook, turning occasionally, until
  well browned and crisp.  Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces, and add to
  potatoes. Immediately pour eggs over the potato/bacon mixture, and
  cook, stirring frequently, until soft-scrambled.
  
  Spoon mixture into heated flour tortillas, and roll or fold.
  
  Serve with pico de gallo, hot sauce, chopped cilantro, jalapeno
  peppers to be added as desired.
  
  In actuality, the filling can be darn near anything you have handy
  (eggs optional).  Leftover fajitas are great, as is Mexican-style
  chorizo (which makes the greasiest breakfast tacos known to man, if
  you don't drain the cooked chorizo mixture VERY well before adding
  the eggs). Cheese may be added to the mixture, or sprinkled on the
  cooked ingredients before rolling.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Eva's Beans
 Categories: Mexican, Beans
      Yield: 1 batch
 
      2 c  Pinto beans, washed and
           -picked over
      8    Roma tomatoes, seeded
           -and chopped
    1/2 lb Sliced bacon, cut
           -into squares
      1 lg White onion, diced
      1 cl Garlic, crushed
      8    Jalapeno peppers, seeded
           -cut into strips
      4 c  Water
      2 c  Beer
      1 tb Mexican oregano
      2 ts Ground cumin
      1 c  Chopped cilantro
           Salt to taste
 
  (Eva's beans were HOT, if you don't tolerate hot stuff well, feel
  free to reduce the amount of peppers)
  
  Place all ingredients except salt and cilantro in a large pot.  Bring
  to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat.  Allow mixture to stand
  for 1 hour.
  
  Return the pot to the heat, and simmer until the beans are tender.
  Add cilantro and salt to taste.
  
  Remove about 1 cup of the cooked beans from the pot, along with some
  of the cooking liquid.  Mash the beans into the cooking liquid, and
  return the bean puree to the pot.  Stir to combine.
  
  These may be served as an accompaniment to a meal, or as a meal in
  themselves, accompanied by a stack of flour tortillas.
  
  Eva insisted that these beans did not reheat well, and should be made
  fresh daily.  I disagree -- the leftovers are great.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Salsa Fresca/pico De Gallo
 Categories: Beans, Mexican
      Yield: 1 batch
 
      6    Roma tomatoes or
      3    -regular tomatoes,
           -seeded, and chopped
      4    Green onions, chopped
           Juice of two limes
      3    Jalapeno peppers,
           -seeded and chopped or
      2    Seranno chili peppers
      1 c  Cilantro leaves,
           -coarsly chopped (opt'l)
      2 tb Bland salad oil (opt'l)
 
  Combine the ingredients, and allow to sit for an hour or so to blend
  the flavors.
  
  All of the ingredients in this dish can be freely varied to suit the
  individual cook's taste.  Some cooks also include a small, firm but
  ripe avocado, cubed.
  
  The mixture will keep under refrigeration for about a day, but I
  wouldn't hold it much longer than that, and it's really best when
  freshly made.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Grilled Chicken Breast (For One)
 Categories: Chicken
      Yield: 1 servings
 
      1    Boneless chicken breast,
           -skin on is best, but
           -skinless will work
      1 tb Mayonnaise
      1 ts Spicy mustard (I use
           -Zatarain's Cajun Mustard
           -for this, but any
           -spicy coarse-grained
           -mustard is okay)
           -Juice of one lime
           -Coarsely ground pepper to
           -taste (I use quite a bit)
 
  Mix the last four ingredients together, and smear liberally over the
  chicken breast.  Allow the chicken to sit in the mixture for about an
  hour if possible.
  
  Preheat the grill on medium-high for about 10 minutes.  Place chicken
  breast, skin side down on grill.  Cook until chicken is about half
  done (maybe 6 minutes).  Turn, and baste skin side of chicken with
  any marinade remaining in the pan.  Continue cooking until chicken is
  done.
  
  From: Kathy Pitts                     Date: 05 Feb 94
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title:  Kathy Pitts' Frijoles Refritos (Refried Beans)
 Categories: Mexican, Beans
      Yield: 1 batch
 
      2 c  Beans, well washed and
           -picked over
      1 lg Onion, finely chopped
      1 sm Dried red chile pepper
           -crushed
      6 c  Water or ham broth. Up to
           -1 cup may be beer
      1 ts Ground cumin
      1 tb Mexican oregano
           Lard/drippings for frying
           Grated mild cheddar
           Cheese for garnish (optl)
 
  Do not soak the beans overnight (Mexican cooks don't).  Instead,
  place all ingredients in a deep pot, and bring to a boil.  Turn off
  the heat, cover, and allow the beans to sit for an hour.
  
  Return the beans to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the beans
  are tender (to test, remove one bean from the pot, and blow on it.
  If the skin splits, they're done).  Cooking time will depend on the
  type of bean used (pintos cook fairly quickly, black beans take close
  to forever), the age of the bean, and the mineral content of your
  water.
  
  Salt to taste.  Never salt beans at the beginning of the cooking
  process, as the salt will toughen them and they will take longer to
  cook.
  
  In a large shallow pan, preferably a black iron frying pan, melt 3
  Tbsp. of lard or drippings.  When the lard is melted, ladle about a
  cup of beans, including some of the cooking liquid, into the fat.
  Use a potato masher to mash the beans into a puree.  Continue adding
  beans and liquid, along with more fat as needed, and mashing until
  all beans have been used.
  
  The consistancy of this dish varies with personal preferance.  Some
  cooks like a very smooth, almost liquid puree, while other prefer a
  stiffer mixture with some pieces of bean remaining.  The end result
  should be glossy, well flavored from the fat, and very rich tasting.
  
  The beans may be served plain, used as a filling for warm tortillas,
  or garnished with shredded cheese.
  
  A bean and cheese taco (refried beans, shredded cheese in a fresh
  tortilla) is one of my favorite things to have for breakfast.  They
  are also good served as an accompaniment for scrambled eggs.
  
  NOTE:  Some Mexican recipes for beans call for a sprig of Epasote (ep-
  puh-ZOH-tay) to be cooked with the beans.  This is an herb/weed known
  as Pigweed in the U.S.  It doesn't dry well, but it is very easy to
  grow (U.S. farmers consider it a pest).  If you can get ahold of a
  plant, it's worth cultivating, as it adds a nice, if undefinable
  flavor to the bean pot. It is not common in Tex-Mex beans, however,
  so if you encounter it in a recipe, feel free to omit it.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Guacamole
 Categories: Appetizers, Dips, Relishes, Sauces, Mexican
      Yield: 1 batch
 
      2    Ripe avocados
      2    Green onions, minced
      1 sm Tomato (preferably Roma),
           -seeded and minced
           Juice of 1 lime
      1    Jalapeno or serrano
           -pepper, seeded & minced
           Salt to taste
 
  This next recipe is for the closest thing you will find to a green
  salad in classic Mexican cooking.  Although many fresh vegetables are
  used in both Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, they usually are
  incorporated in the dish, rather than served separately.
  
  Guacamole (Wahk-uh-MOLE-ay) is an avocado-based relish/sauce/salad
  that may be used as a garnish, accompaniment or first course (often
  in this role, accompanied by crisp-fried tortilla wedges for dipping).
  
  For a really elegant (and typically Mexican) presentation, serve the
  Guacamole in individual lettuce cups, garnished with a radish rose.
  
  Peel and seed the avocados.  Place one avocado in a bowl and mash
  until smooth.  Coarsely chop the second avocado and stir it in, along
  with the remaining ingredients.  Serve immediately if possible.
  
  NOTE:  Some cooks prefer to puree all the avocado.  For my taste, this
  makes the dish seem uncomfortably like baby food, but if you prefer it
  smooth, go for it.
  
  If this sauce is to be held for any length of time at all, return the
  avocado pits to the mixture (this helps prevent discoloration), and
  cover with plastic wrap, placed directly on the mixture, pressing
  down to eliminate all air.  Avocados discolor to a nasty brown if
  left exposed to the air.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Crisp Quesadillas
 Categories: American, Cheese, Mexican
      Yield: 1 servings
 
           Flour tortillas (the biggest
           Thinnest ones you can find)
           Oil for frying
           Shredded cheddar, jack or
           Jalapeno cheese (or a
           Mixture)
           Salsa for spooning on the
           Above
 
  Heat the oil in a large skillet (it should be at least 1/4 inch
  deep). When the oil is very hot, but not smoking, place a flour
  tortilla in it. It will almost immediately puff up slightly and begin
  to brown. Turn and cook the other side, and when the tortilla is
  quite crisp, remove from the oil, and drain on paper towels.  This
  may be done several hours in advance, if necessary.
  
  At serving time, top the tortilla with a generous handful of grated
  cheese, and pop it under the broiler until the cheese is just melted
  (this will only take a couple of minutes).
  
  To eat this, everyone breaks off a hunk, tops it with a little hot
  sauce or salsa, and eats.  I normally allow one 8-inch tortilla per
  person, or 1 12-14 inch tortilla for 2 people.
  
  From: Kathy Pitts
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Pot Roast
 Categories: Beef, Info
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  Don't really have a recipe, David, but would you settle for
  directions on how to make one?
  
  First select a good-sized hunk of not too tender beef roast.  A 3-5
  lb. hunk of chuck, bottom round or brisket would be good.  Look for a
  fairly lean piece that has at least some fat marbling inside and a
  light fat coating on the outside.
  
  Select a covered casserole or Dutch oven large enough to hold the
  roast with a bit of room left over.  Place the cooking pot on the
  stove, and add enough oil or fat (rendered bacon fat is good, if not
  heart healthy) to the pot to cover the bottom to the depth of about
  1/4 inch. Heat the fat over medium-high heat until it is hot, but not
  smoking.
  
  Meanwhile, either dry the outside of the roast very well with paper
  towels or roll it in flour seasoned lightly with pepper, maybe some
  garlic salt, whatever other herbs seem appropriate.
  
  When the fat is hot, add the roast, and brown well on all sides.
  Take your time with this.  You want a nice, crusty coating, but you
  don't want to burn it.  Remove the browned roast from the pan, and
  set aside.
  
  Add about one cup of chopped onion, 1/2 cup of chopped celery and 1/2
  cup of diced carrots to the fat remaining in the pan.  Cook, stirring
  frequently, until this mixture is nice and brown.  Drain off most of
  the remaining fat, leaving the vegetables in the pot.
  
  Smooth the vegetables out to make a base for the roast, and add the
  roast to the pot.  Now add enough liquid (beef stock, 3/4 beef stock
  plus 1/4 dry red wine, tomato juice, whatever you feel like) to come
  about 1/4 inch over the bottom of the beef.  The amount of liquid you
  need (don't use too much or the beef will boil instead of braising)
  will depend on the size of the pot and the size/shape of the roast.
  
  Cover the pot, and either simmer on top of the stove over very low
  heat, or place it in a preheated 325 degree oven.  Either way, check
  the roast every half hour or so, turning the meat occasionally, and
  adding more liquid as needed.
  
  After an hour or so, you can add small whole peeled carrots, peeled
  potato halves or whatever other vegetables appeal to you to the
  roast. If you do this, tuck the vegetables around the side of the
  roast so they sit in the liquid.
  
  Cooking time will depend on the cut of beef, and the tenderness of the
  meat, but you can count on at least 2-2 1/2 hours.  The meat is done
  when a large cooking fork can be inserted easily.
  
  At this point, remove the meat and vegetables (if used) to a serving
  platter and keep warm.
  
  Pour the liquid remaining in the pan through a strainer, into a bowl,
  pressing down on the strainer to extract as much of the juices from
  the chopped vegetables as possible.
  
  Skim the fat from the surface of the juices, and return about 4 tbsp.
  of fat to the cooking pot (do not wash the pot first, any goodies
  remaining in the bottom will add to the flavor of the gravy.)
  
  Add an equal amount of flour to the fat in the pot, and cook, stirring
  constantly, until the flour/fat mixture has turned a nice brown color
  (about the color of peanut butter.)  Slowly wisk the reserved cooking
  juices back into the flour/fat mixture, adding additional liquid as
  needed to make a smooth, not too thick gravy.  Season the gravy to
  taste with salt and black pepper.
  
  Slice the pot roast into fairly thin, even slices, and cover with a
  small amount of gravy.  Serve garnished with the vegetables (if
  used), and the additional gravy on the side.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Sandia Liquado
 Categories: Mexican, Fruits, Beverages
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  When we were living in Mexico, I got virtually addicted to the
  liquados (freshly-made fruit juices) they served.  My favorite was
  Sandia (watermelon).  They made it by placing whole chunks of
  watermelon (without the seeds) in a blender, and whirling it until
  pulverized, then adding a squeeze of lime juice, and some water
  (usually lightly carbonated mineral water).  No salt or sugar (I
  watched ;-), but it was the best, most refreshing drink imaginable. I
  remember one night, we sat in a little restaurant in the plaza of
  some little town, and (to the everlasting amazement of our waiter), I
  drank FIVE beer-scooner-sized glasses of the stuff.
  
  I've always thought this would also be good as an ice (either made in
  one of those little crank-style freezers you can keep in the
  refrigerator, or poured into a freezer tray and stirred occasionally.
  Never quite got around to trying to do that one, though.  Maybe this
  summer.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Choosing Beef
 Categories: Beef, Info
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  First, look at the cut of the beef.  Meat from the part of the animal
  that works the least, i.e. the tenderloin, short loin, top portions
  of the rump, is gonna be more tender than meat from the parts of the
  animal that work a lot, such as the chuck (front shoulder), brisket,
  bottom rump, etc. If you're planning on cooking the meat using a dry
  heat method (broiling or roasting), go for cuts from the tender
  section of the cow. For moist heat methods (braising and stewing),
  meat from the less tender sections is fine, and may be preferable
  because of the additional flavor found in these cuts.
  
  Next look at color.  The nice, red meat you associate with a good
  piece of cow is NOT gonna be particularly good eating.  Ideally, the
  meat should be a darker, less appetizing color, which means that the
  enzymes in the meat have been working a bit, and some aging has taken
  place.
  
  Now, look at the cut of meat itself.  If it looks nice and lean, with
  no fat marbling in the meat itself, forget it.  If you broil meat
  like that, it's gonna be tough as the proverbial boot.  Instead,
  choose the piece that everyone else is rejecting 'cause it has some
  streaks of fat in the middle of the meat, maybe a little more outside
  fat coating than is politically correct.
  
  Also look at the texture of the meat.  All muscle contains two kinds
  of connective fibers, called collagen and elastin.  These fibers
  bundle the individual strands of muscle together, and allow the
  muscle bundles to function.  When exposed to heat, they contract,
  toughen, and make the end product tough.  In dry heat cooking, look
  for a piece of meat with a velvety surface, indicating that these
  bundles are not overly developed.
  
  In moist heat cooking, collagen softens and dissolves, and becomes
  gelatin. Elastin, unfortunately, doesn't do much of anything except
  transform itself into gristle.
  
  Finally, if in any doubt whatsoever as to the overall tenderness of
  the meat, you can resort to treating meat to be broiled with a
  commercial meat tenderizer containing papin.  If you follow the
  directions exactly (more/longer exposure to this enzyme is NOT
  better, and will result in a flabby, disgusting mouthfeel), you can
  get a pretty decent steak out of some fairly unpromising hunks of
  meat.
  
  Another hint, which your nephew Wes learned the hard way the other
  night, is to avoid steaks with strange, butcher-generated names like
  the plague. He dragged home a couple of little beauties with the
  colorful name of "Ranch Steaks" the other night. (I tried to tell him
  not to buy 'em cause they were gonna be tough, but he didn't seem to
  hear me :-)  He tossed his on the grill, chewed, cussed and chewed
  his way through as much of it as he could manage before consigning
  the remainder to the cat.  I treated mine with papin, cooked it very
  rare, and got something that was marginally edible.
  
  Moral to the story:  If the butcher doesn't thing it will sell under
  its REAL name (in this case Sirloin Tip, which is a polite way of
  saying Heel of Round), he's gonna give it a fancy handle and mark the
  price up 50 cents a pound, just to see who's gullible enough to buy
  it.
  
  Have to agree with Jeff, though.  The quality of beef has gone WAY
  down recently.  Guess its the move toward leaner, lighter beef that's
  the culprit.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- there's
  NO WAY lean, unmarbled beef is going to even begin to approach the
  succulence and tenderness of the old-fashioned, un-heart healthy
  stuff we grew up on. Personally, I'd rather feast on the real thing a
  couple of times a year than gnaw my way through my regular portion of
  the tasteless, tough junk we're being subjected to these days.
  
  I realize that in a changing world, the production of old-fashioned,
  grain fed beef is ecologically unsound.  In a world with limited
  resources, we just can't devote that much time/grain to feeding a cow
  for my pleasure. But there must be some sort of compromise.
  Personally, I'd rather have a little bit of something REALLY good
  occasionally, than a lot of something mediocre on a regular basis.
  
  I yield the soapbox to the Gentleman from Maryland (or whoever else
  wants to climb on).
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Cinda (And Whoever Else's) Peanut Butter Cookies
 Categories: Cookies, Nuts
      Yield: 1 batch
 
      1 c  Peanut butter
      1 c  White or (firmly packed)
           Brown sugar
      1    Egg
      1    Bag Hershey's kisses, opt'l
 
  (the brown sugar version is best, IMHO)
  
  Since you like peanut butter and chocolate, here's one for you that
  shouldn't challenge your abilities too much.  The original recipe for
  this came from my sister-in-law (the overworked mother of 5 boys) who
  got it from a neighbor when she lived in Alaska.  Another version was
  posted here a couple of years ago by someone (can't recall who), and
  I've posted it several times since, but just in case you missed it....
  
  Mix the peanut butter, sugar and egg together.  Roll into balls the
  size of large marbles, place on a cookie sheet, and either flatten
  with a fork or flatten by pressing a kiss in the center.
  
  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the edges just start to
  brown.
  
  NOTE:  This is NOT a misprint.  There is NO FLOUR or anything else in
  this recipe, just the peanut butter, egg and sugar.  It seems as if
  it would be a dreadful mess, but the result is a very good cookie.
  
  From:    Kathy Pitts
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Eggplant
 Categories: Vegetables
      Yield: 1 batch
 
 
  Try slicing the eggplant in half inch slices, then covering each
  slice with a generous amount of salt, and placing it in a sieve.
  Place a heavy weight (one of your cast iron skillets would be about
  right) on top, and let it sit and drip for about an hour.  (Longer
  would be even better). This removes the astringent tasting juices
  that many people don't care for.
  
  Rinse the eggplant very well to remove the salt.  Bread the slices by
  dipping them in flour, egg, then flour or breadcrumbs.  Fry in hot
  olive oil until brown.  (You'll be amazed at the amount of oil this
  requires -- eggplant absorbs the stuff like a sponge.)
  
  Now layer the eggplant in a casserole, and cover with a good garlicy
  homemade tomato sauce, and a generous handful of grated mozarella and
  Parmesan cheese.  Place in a 350 oven, and bake until the cheese is
  melted and slightly browned.
  
  Even Wes, who thinks he hates eggplant, will eat it this way.
  
  He also likes it brushed with a little olive oil (herb-flavored oil is
  better, basil-flavored oil is best), and grilled, IF I give it the
  salt treatment first.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Fried Zucchini
 Categories: Vegetables
      Yield: 1 batch
 
 
  First, cut the squash (we use zucchini, but yellow crookneck should
  work, too) in coin-like slices about 1/4 inch thick.
  
  Place the squash in a deep pan, and pour evaporated milk over it.
  
  Swish the squash around a bit until all pieces are well coated with
  milk.
  
  Now, place a thin layer of breading (any commercial breading mix will
  work, or your favorite breading mix containing flour, seasonings, and
  cornmeal will do well) in a fairly deep, rimmed pan.
  
  Carefully lay one layer of squash slices on the breading.  Cover with
  another thin layer of breading, layer on more squash, more breading,
  etc., until all squash is used.
  
  Cover this mess, and refrigerate for AT LEAST 15 minutes (30 minutes
  is better).  Remove the squash from the breading mixture, being
  careful not to disturb the crumb coating.
  
  Drop into hot deep fat, and fry until well browned.
  
  Drain, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve with either Marinara
  sauce (bottled Ragu or something similar is fine) or Ranch dressing
  as a dip.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts on Hominy
 Categories: Info, Grains
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  The Mexicans make a wonderful pork stew called Pozole that contains
  hominy, pork, chunks of chiles, onions, etc, topped with fresh
  chopped veggies, lime juice.  Don't have a recipe handy, though....
  
  My mother used to make a pretty good hominy dish by draining the
  corn, and making a cheese sauce (whatever you make for macaroni and
  cheese will do nicely).  She would then combine the hominy and
  cheese, top with some pieces of cooked bacon or leftover ham, and
  baked the whole thing until it was browned.  I loved it as a kid.
  Made it for Wes one time, and discovered he hates hominy as much as
  he hates grits, so haven't had it in a while.
  
  I've also had an elaborate succotash that contained (in about equal
  proportions), hominy, fresh corn cut off the cob, fresh lima beans and
  cooked white (navy) beans.  Very nice stuff.
  
  One of my aunts (a Southerner from Mississippi) used to fry it in
  bacon drippings until it was brown and serve it as a side dish.
  Don't recall being all that thrilled with THAT presentation, though.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Turkey and Cheese Sandwich
 Categories: Breads, Poultry, Cheese
      Yield: 1 sandwich
 
      2 sl Whole grain bread
    1/2    Ripe avocado, sliced
        sl Smoked Monterey Jack or
           -smoked Gouda cheese
           Alfalfa sprouts
           Radish sprouts
        sl Very ripe tomato
           Olive oil
           Wine vinegar
           Fresh ground black pepper
 
  Here's one I invented a lot of years ago for a vegetarian friend.
  Not low fat, but it is good (what can I say, I'm originally from
  California).
  
  Lay the bread slices on a flat surface.  Put half the avocado slices
  on each bread half.  Top one bread half with the remaining
  ingredients, dressing this mess VERY LIGHTLY with oil and vinegar.
  Top with remaining avocado/bread half, and cut into quarters to serve.
  
  For a non-vegetarian version of this, I've added thin slices of smoked
  turkey.
  
  I've also made this by piling the whole mess into halves of pita
  bread, but if you can get good whole-grain bread, that's even better.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Fajitas
 Categories: Mexican, Beef
      Yield: 4 servings
 
  1 1/2 lb Beef skirt steak*
      1 c  Beer
    1/2 ts Liquid smoke
      2    Lime's juice
      2 tb Worcestershire sauce
      1 tb Soy sauce (opt'l)
        pn Cumin
        pn Mexican oregano
           Pepper; black or lemon
           Garlic powder
 
  This Tex-Mex favorite was around LONG before the yuppiefood industry
  snagged it, and turned it into a cliche. This is our version of the
  dish, which is (I think) pretty close to the original. Our marinade
  for this changes from time to time, depending on the mood of the
  cook, the contents of the pantry, and perhaps the phases of the moon,
  so feel free to fuss with it.
  
  Skirt steak is the diaphragm of the beef, a long very stringy cut of
  meat that accounts for the name of the dish (trans. "sashes"). It
  used to be dirt cheap, and was poor folks fare until the food
  faddists discovered it.
  
  (Depending on where you live, this cut may either be easily found at
  your market, or require a special order with the butcher.  In a
  pinch, you could substitute flank steak, just don't tell me about it
  :-) ) To be tender, the meat demands VERY careful handling.  Arm
  yourself with a small, sharp knife, and obsessively trim off ALL the
  fat, and as much of the silvery membrane surrounding the exterior of
  the meat as you can manage. This can take a while, but be persistant.
  The more you trim, the better the finished product.
  
  Place the meat in a deep non-metallic pan, and cover with a mixture
  of the remaining ingredients.  Marinate the meat, turning
  occasionally for at least 2 hours (overnight is better). When the
  exterior of the meat is grey, it's ready to cook.
  
  The soy is NOT authentic, but since Ninfa's, the Tex-Mex restaurant
  chain that originally popularized the dish uses it in THEIR marinade,
  I sometimes do, too. It gives the finished dish a nice shiny glaze.
  
  To cook, fish the meat out of the marinade, and dry well.  Season the
  exterior with a liberal quantity of cracked black pepper (lemon
  pepper is good, too), and garlic powder (not salt).
  
  Grill over a medium-hot charcoal fire (best), or broil or grill
  indoors. Either way, be VERY careful not to overcook the meat.  If
  you cook skirt steak beyond medium rare, it will be the toughest cut
  of meat imaginable. Since the steak itself is quite thin, cooking
  time will be brief. To serve, cut into thin, slanting slices, carving
  against the grain of the meat.
  
  The Accompaniments
  
  Fajitas are generally accompanied by sauteed or grilled onions and
  sweet green peppers (you can saute the onions and peppers well in
  advance, and re-heat on the grill if you are doing the dish outdoors).
  
  Also served is Pico de Gallo, a fresh tomato based salsa.
  
  You will also need a stack of the best flour tortillas you can find.
  Some refried beans on the side would be nice, too.
  
  Other possible accompaniments include guacamole or sliced avocados,
  lime wedges to squeeze over everything, shredded cheddar cheese, sour
  cream.
  
  To eat, take a few slices of meat, and lay on a tortilla.  Top with
  the sauteed onions and peppers, pico de gallo, and whatever else
  suits you.
  
  Fold into a soft taco, and enjoy.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Tom Moore's Irish Stew Casserole
 Categories: Irish, Lamb, Stews, Casseroles
      Yield: 2 servings
 
      1 lb Lean lamb, the shoulder
           -or leg, cut into 1" dice
      2    Potatoes, peeled and
           -thinly sliced
      1    Onion, thinly sliced
        pn [generous] rosemary
           Chicken or lamb stock
           Salt, pepper to taste
 
  Layer one third of the potatoes in a small casserole.  Top with half
  the lamb and half the onion.  Sprinkle lightly with rosemary, salt
  and pepper. Repeat layers, ending with a final layer of potato.  Add
  enough chicken stock to almost cover the stew.
  
  Cover the casserole and bake in a 325 oven until the lamb is quite
  tender and the potatoes begin to almost dissolve and thicken the
  mixture. (1- 1 1/2 hours)
  
  I've made this in larger quantities in a crock pot.  In this case, the
  cooking time will be about 8-10 hours.
  
  I got these directions for making Irish Stew (no real recipe) from the
  owner of Tom Moore's Tavern in Bermuda (don't know how authentic it
  is, as the gentleman was German, but it IS good) .
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' White Pizza
 Categories: Pizza
      Yield: 1 pizza
 
 
  Make your favorite pizza dough.  While dough is resting, slice and
  saute VERY slowly in olive oil a large quantity of thinly sliced
  white onions. (How many onions? Let your conscience be your guide --
  you can't have too many onions, in my opinion.) Cook the onions,
  stirring occasionally, until they are golden, and almost reduced to a
  pulp. Set aside to cool, while you roll out the dough.
  
  Form the pizza, and let rise for a half hour of so.  Using your
  fingers, make dents in the dough. Now drizzle the dough with olive
  oil. Sprinkle all over with rosemary (fresh if possible), and layer
  the cooled onions over the dough.
  
  Now, cover the onions with a good-sized layer of freshly grated
  Parmesan or Romano cheese. Bake as usual.
  
  This makes a wonderful snack with drinks, or we like it as a meal
  with a good salad of mixed greens.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Cornbread Mason-Dixon Stuffing
 Categories: Grains, Stuffing, Poultry
      Yield: 1 batch
 
      4 c  Dry cornbread crumbs
           (from your favorite NON-
           SWEET cornbread recipe)
      4 c  Dry white bread crumbs
    1/2 c  Butter or margarine
      2    Onions, chopped
      6    Ribs celery (including
           -some tops), chopped
    1/2 c  Chopped pecans or walnuts
      1 cn Corn, undrained, OPTIONAL
           Chicken broth/turkey stock
           -to moisten
           Sage, thyme, salt and
           -pepper to taste
 
  As a Californian, married into a Southern family, I can warn you that
  the traditional cornbread stuffing probably isn't gonna be to his
  taste. The first time I had the stuff, I found it gritty, nasty, and
  just plain wierd.
  
  Wes, on the other hand, was less than enthralled by the sage-laden
  stuff that *I* think ought to go into a bird.  Now, we compromise,
  with a dressing that we both enjoy.
  
  Crumble the cornbread and white bread into a big bowl.
  
  Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the onions and celery, and
  cook over low heat until the vegetables are soft, but not browned.
  Dump the butter/vegetable mixture over the bread.  Stir in the nuts,
  canned corn and its liquid (if used), seasonings.  Add broth to
  moisten to the consistancy you like (Western-style dressing tends to
  be a bit dryer than the Southern version).
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Brisket
 Categories: Beef, Marinades
      Yield: 1 brisket
 
      3 lb Brisket, trimmed of
           -almost all fat and
           -silvery covering
      3 tb Liquid smoke marinade
           (we used Figaro's)
      3 tb Worcestershire sauce
      1    Serrano pepper, seeded
           And cut into fine slivers
      3    The white part of 2-3
           -green onions, cut into
           -fine slivers
           Lots of paprika, lemon
           Pepper for a barbecue rub
 
  Marinate the brisket in a mixture of the liquid smoke and
  Worcestershire sauce for 2-3 hours.  Remove from the marinade, and
  cut slits all over the exterior of the meat.  Insert slivers of onion
  and serrano pepper in the slits.
  
  Cover the brisket with a VERY liberal coating of paprika and lemon
  pepper. Wrap securely in heavy duty aluminum foil (use a drug-store
  wrap to prevent leakage).
  
  Place the brisket in an ovenproof rimmed dish (we used our trusty
  cast iron skillet) and place in a preheated 250 degree (F) oven for
  at least 16 hours.
  
  After the first 12-14 hours, you may unwrap the brisket briefly, and
  ladle out some of the accumulated juices for use in your own homemade
  barbecue sauce.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: About Barbequing Roasts
 Categories: Info, Bbq, Beef
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  Subject: WHAT DID I DO WRONG?
  
  JC> This past Friday I made my first attempt in many years to
  barbecue JC> a rump roast. JC> I placed it on the spit over medium
  coals, using a meat JC> thermometer.  It roasted for about 2 hours
  before reaching the JC> medium setting, at which time I removed it
  from the grill ... JC> When the meat was sliced the center was a nice
  medium pink. JC> The meat was tough as a piece of shoe leather.  What
  could I have JC> done wrong, or was it just a case of a bad piece of
  meat to begin JC> with?
  
  From:    Kathy Pitts
  
  Tough to tell long-distance, Jean, but I'd say the problem was too
  hot a fire.  Rump isn't the tenderest meat in the world to begin
  with, and if you subject it to too much heat too fast, the connective
  tissues are going to tighten up, forcing the moisture out, and
  resulting in a dry, tough hunk of cow.
  
  Next time, try roasting the meat in an pan, rather than the
  rotisserie, building your fire by making SMALL mounds of coals on
  either side of the roast (no heat directly below).  If you like, you
  can place the roast directly on the grids of your grill, placing the
  pan in the center of the firebox to act as a buffer for the coals.
  
  Place a cover over the roast (if your grill doesn't have a cover, you
  can improvise one with some heavy wire and heavy-duty aluminum foil.)
  The heat from the coals should only result in an interior cooking
  temperature of 250-300 degrees.  If it goes down further, don't
  panic. Anything above 200 will cook the meat eventually, and the
  slower the better in this case.
  
  You also might try using a more acid marinade (wine, beer, lemon or
  lime juice in the marinade).  The acid will tenderize the meat
  somewhat (don't expect miracles, though).
  
  Good luck, and let us all know how the next one turns out.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
  
  From:    Dave Sacerdote
  
  I've found the most common cause of a tough roast isn't the cut of
  meat or how you cook it, it's how you SLICE it.
  
  When you carve, make sure you're cutting across the grain of the
  meat. With a tied roast, this usually means that you have to change
  the angle of your cuts as you go along.
  
  As for the dryness:  I like to slightly undercook a roast when I do
  it on the grill's rotisserie.  The meat continues to cook for a few
  minutes after coming off the heat, as you know.  Letting the roast
  rest for that time, like you did, usually gives it enough time to
  "finish off" without drying too much.  Remember that when you're
  rotisserie cooking, the fat side of the roast doesn't baste the meat
  nearly as much as a standing roast where the fat side stays on top
  throughout the whole time.
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Grilled Chicken Breast
 Categories: Chicken
      Yield: 2 servings
 
      2    Boneless chicken breast,
           -skin on is best, but
           -skinless will work
      2 tb Mayonnaise
      2 ts Spicy mustard (I use
           -Zatarain's Cajun Mustard
           -for this, but any
           -spicy coarse-grained
           -mustard is okay)
           -Juice of one lime
           -Coarsely ground pepper to
           -taste (I use quite a bit)
 
  Mix the last four ingredients together, and smear liberally over the
  chicken breast.  Allow the chicken to sit in the mixture for about an
  hour if possible.
  
  Preheat the grill on medium-high for about 10 minutes.  Place chicken
  breast, skin side down on grill.  Cook until chicken is about half
  done (maybe 6 minutes).  Turn, and baste skin side of chicken with
  any marinade remaining in the pan.  Continue cooking until chicken is
  done.
  
  From: Kathy Pitts                     Date: 05 Feb 94
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Kinda Ratatouille (I improvise a lot)
 Categories: Vegetables, Stews
      Yield: 1 batch
 
      1 sm Eggplant, unpeeled, and
           -cut into 1-inch chunks)
      1 lg Onion, sliced
      1    Green bell pepper, sliced
      1    Red bell pepper, sliced
      1    Yellow bell pepper,sliced
      3    Tomatoes, 1" chunks
      2    Zucchini or other summer
           -squash, cut in 1" chunks
      3 cl Garlic, minced
           Olive oil
           Chopped fresh herbs
           (basil, oregano, parsley)
           Salt, pepper to taste
 
  Use a big deep fryin pan for this (your chicken fryer would be about
  right).  It's the kind of dish that tends to "grow" alarmingly as you
  toss things in.
  
  Film the bottom of the pan with olive oil, and heat until hot but not
  smoking.  Add the onion and garlic, and saute until wilted.  Add the
  tomatoes and eggplant, and cook until they begin to release some of
  their juices.  Now toss in everything else, cover the pan, and cook
  over low heat, stirring frequently, until the remaining vegetables
  are tender. Season to taste with herbs, salt, pepper, and remove from
  the heat.
  
  May be served hot, at room temperature (best, IMHO), or slightly
  chilled.
  
  I can make a meal of this with some good French or Italian bread and
  butter, but it's also a nice side dish with grilled poultry.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Pescado en Mojo De Ajo (Fish in Garlic Sauce)
 Categories: Fish, Mexican
      Yield: 1 batch
 
           Skinless fillets of any
           Mild white fish
           Flour
           Clarified butter
           A LOT of garlic)
           Juice of one lime
           Additional lime wedges
 
  Use only Clarified butter (don't think of using margarine)
  
  Dust the fillets lightly with flour.  Meanwhile, heat some of the
  clarified butter in a frying pan until hot but not smoking.  Saute
  the fish until lightly browned (some Mexican cooks fry fish until it
  is the approximate consistancy of our potato chips <crisps>, but I
  feel this is taking authenticity a bit too far :-).
  
  Remove the fish from the pan, and add additional butter if needed
  (you will want about 2-3 Tbsp. of melted butter per fillet to sauce
  the finished dish).  Add garlic to the pan and saute garlic until it
  is a light brown color.  Do not allow it to burn, but do allow the
  garlic to take on some color and become slightly crisp.  Squeeze in
  the lime juice.
  
  Pour the hot butter/garlic mixture over the fish, and serve.
  
  This dish is quite common in Southern Mexico, and traditionally would
  be served with black beans (either whole or refried); perhaps a
  simple dish of rice, cooked in chicken broth with chopped cilantro
  and a few diced green chiles; a side relish of homemade fresh salsa
  (see Pico de Gallo).
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: About Shrimp
 Categories: Shellfish, Info
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  If I may, I'd like to give you some unsolicited advice on handling
  your shrimp.  The better it's treated, the better it's going to taste
  in the end.
  
  1.  Only defrost the quantity you're going to use at any one time (I'm
  hoping here that the shrimp arrived frozen in manageable blocks.  If
  not, place it in your refrigerator until it's thawed enough to
  portion, but still icy and essentially frozen.  Portion and re-freeze
  what you're not going to use immediately).
  
  2.  Thaw the shrimp in the refrigerator or in a bucket, by running
  COLD running water over it. If you use the cold water method, allow
  the water to run over the top of the bucket and into the sink, to
  ensure a constant supply of fresh water (the temperature of the
  thawing water should never exceed 70 degrees, and the temperature of
  the thawed shrimp should never exceed 40 degrees.) If your tap water
  is hotter, add ice to the thawing shrimp.  If the shrimp exceeds 40
  degrees, place it in a bath of half ice and half COLD water, and
  refrigerate until it comes down to below 40. Store thawed shrimp
  under refrigeration in a mixture of half shrimp, half ice.
  
  3.  To peel, devein your shrimp, go to your local seafood market or
  gadget center, and pick up a nifty little gadget called a
  "shrimptool". It will cost a couple of dollars, and for the quantity
  of shrimp we're talking about here, it's worth it.
  
  4.  If you want to peel/devein the shrimp for a recipe, keep the
  unpeeled shrimp on ice as you work with it.  Do not let the
  temperature exceed 40 degrees.  Drop your peeled, deveined shrimp
  into an ice water bath until you're ready to use it.  Peeled deveined
  shrimp may be held this way for up to 24 hours without much loss in
  flavor/texture.
  
  This seems like a lot of trouble, but shrimp begins to lose
  flavor/texture almost immediately once it gets the least bit warm.
  Health/safety questions aside, the ice method, while troublesome,
  results in a MUCH better tasting end product.
  
  One other tip -- the iodine in the shrimp will be irritating to your
  hands, if you handle a large quantity at a time.  To avoid this, soak
  your hands in a strong solution of baking soda and water after
  working with large amounts.
  
  Finally, a quick recipe for fried shrimp that we enjoy:
  
  Go to the store and purchase a package of tempura batter mix.  Make
  the mix according to package directions, substituting cold beer (or
  cold club soda, if you prefer to avoid alcohol) for the water called
  for in the recipe.
  
  Dip butterflied peeled, deveined shrimp in the batter, and fry in hot
  deep fat until light gold (it won't and shouldn't get deep brown).
  
  The leftover batter makes unbelievable onion rings.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Enchilada sauce
 Categories: Mexican, Sauces
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  Making your own isn't all that difficult.  Time consuming and sinus
  clearing, but not difficult.
  
  Don't have a recipe (when you're around here long enough, you'll know
  that I almost NEVER have a recipe), but I can tell you how to make it.
  
  Start with about 6 dried ancho chiles, 6 dried pasilla chiles.
  
  Place the chiles on a flat baking sheet and roast in a preheated 350
  degree oven until the chiles become fragrant (about 15 minutes).  Do
  not allow them to scorch.  NOTE:  You might want to open all the
  windows while doing this, the fumes will definately clear your
  sinuses.
  
  Remove the chiles from the oven and cool slightly.  Slit open and
  remove the stems, seeds and veins.  Place the remainder in a bowl,
  and cover with boiling water.  Allow to sit for about 30 minutes.
  
  Meanwhile, heat a can of chicken broth, to which you have added a
  small minced onion, 1-2 cloves of minced garlic, and a generous pinch
  of Mexican oregano and cumin.
  
  Simmer until the onion and garlic is very soft.
  
  Meanwhile, remove the chiles from the liquid, and force through a fine
  sieve.  Do not yield to temptation and whirl this mixture through a
  blender.  The chile peels tend to be bitter, and will transfer this
  bitterness to the sauce.  Discard the peels, and any remaining seeds,
  but be sure to force all the chile pulp through the sieve.  Scrape
  the chile puree (called a caribe) into the chicken broth mixture.
  
  Pour this mixture into a blender or food processor and process until
  smooth.  Return to the pan, and simmer, adjusting seasonings (it may
  need more cumin, will need salt) to taste.  If the mixture isn't hot
  enough for your taste, add pure ground chile peppers and/or hot sauce
  to taste.
  
  Continue simmering over low heat (careful, it scorches like crazy),
  stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick enough to coat a
  spoon.
  
  For a quickie version of this, you can always opt for the classic
  Tex- Mex Chili Gravy.  Melt 2 tbsp. of lard in a frying pan, and add
  2 tbsp. of flour, and as much chili powder (the stuff that contains
  ground chiles, cumin, oregano, sometimes salt, and
  God-knows-what-else) as your conscience allows (1/4 cup is a good
  starting point.)  Cook the flour/fat/chile mixture until a thick
  paste forms.  Do not allow it to brown. Now wisk in enough chicken
  broth to make a medium-thick sauce.
  
  Personally, I think this results in an enchilada sauce that tastes
  remarkably like the enchiladas in frozen TV dinners, but some folks
  like it.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Starving Artists' Fish
 Categories: Fish
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      4    Boneless skinless
           -fish fillets
      1 sm Jar artichoke hearts
           -in oil
      2 tb Sliced  almonds
      2 tb Butter or margarine
    1/2 c  Parmesan cheese
           Tarragon or
           Thyme to taste
           (tarragon is better,IMO)
           Freshly ground pepper
 
  The origin was when I was a college student (won't say how long ago).
  We were all broke, except that one member of the group had a typical
  Italian Mama who sent periodic care packages of exotic goodies.
  Another member liked to fish, so we came up with:
  
  Drain artichoke hearts, reserving oil.  Place oil in a small saucepan,
  along with almonds, butter, cheese and herbs/spices. Heat until
  flavors are well combined.
  
  Meanwhile, place fish fillets in an ovenproof baking dish, folding if
  necessary to make an attractive presentation. Chop artichoke hearts,
  or arrange hearts to cover fish attractivelyu (a subject of some
  debate, I vote for cutting the hearts into attractive portions, and
  covering the fish)
  
  Pour the oil/butter/cheese, etc. mixture over the fish, place in a
  preheated 350 oven, and bake until the fish barely flakes. (10
  minutes or less).
  
  Serve with pasta dressed with oil, garlic and cheese, a green
  vegetable. Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Ropa Veja (trans." Old Clothes")
 Categories: Mexican, Beef
      Yield: 1 batch
 
      4 lb Boneless chuck roast
      1 lg White onion, thin sliced
      1    Sweet Bell pepper,
           -thinly sliced *
      1 cn Beef broth (not condensed)
 
  * (I'd personally substitute several roasted Anaheim or Poblano
  peppers, but Bell would be a safer choice for the heat-shy)
  
  Lay half the onions and peppers in a large heavy stewing pot.  Add the
  roast, and cover with the remaining peppers.
  
  Add enough beef broth to come about halfway up the side of the roast.
  Cover, and cook over medium-low heat, turning the roast occasionally,
  until the meat is virtually falling apart (3- 4 hours). If you have a
  crock pot, all day (without turning) is fine.
  
  Remove the roast from the pot, pull off and discard any remaining
  fat, and using a fork or your fingers, pull the lean meat into
  shreds.  Mix in the onions/peppers and enough of the de-fatted
  cooking liquid to form a juicy, but not soupy mixture. Season to
  taste with salt. This will reheat very well, or hold nicely in a
  chafing dish.
  
  Use as a filling for soft or hard tacos (lowest in fat would be soft
  tacos made with steamed or lightly heated corn tortillas).
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy Pitts' Onion Rings
 Categories: Snacks, Vegetables, Appetizers, Side dish
      Yield: 1 batch
 
 
  Slice large onions into thick slices (about 1/2 inch thick)  Separate
  the slices into rings.
  
  Purchase a package of Oriental-style Tempura Mix at the grocery store
  (this is sold under the Ka-Me and various other brand names).
  
  Make the mix according to package directions, except substitute cold
  beer for the liquid called for in the directions.
  
  Dip the onion rings in the batter, and deep fry until light golden (it
  won't and shouldn't get too brown).  The result is a wonderful, crispy
  onion ring with a very light batter coating that even people who
  usually don't like onion rings seem to enjoy.
  
  This batter is also good for fish, shrimp, fried mushrooms, fried
  zucchini, etc.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Cheeseburgers With an Attitude
 Categories: Groundmeat, Beef, Cheeses
      Yield: 2 servings
 
      2    Thick hamburger patties
           -(pref. ground sirloin)
      2 sl Blue cheese big enough
           -to cover the  patties
      2 sl Sweet red onion
      4 sl Bacon, cooked until crisp
      2 sl Tomato (optional)
           Mayonnaise
           Salt, garlic powder,
           Coarse-ground pepper
      2    Kaiser rolls, split
 
  Preheat your grill, and toss on the hamburger patties and onion
  slices. Grill until the onions are nicely browned and the patties are
  done to your liking (medium rare around here).  Add the split kaiser
  rolls, cut side down, a few minutes before the burgers are done, to
  allow the rolls to toast slightly.  When you put the rolls on the
  grill, also place the blue cheese slices on top of the hamburger
  patties.
  
  Spread toasted rolls lightly with mayonnaise, top with the patties,
  bacon slices, grilled onions, a tomato slice.  Cover with the top of
  the remaining half of the rolls, and chow down.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Egg Cream
 Categories: Beverages
      Yield: 1 servings
 
    1/4 c  Cold milk
      2 tb Chocolate syrup
           Seltzer water *
 
  * cold, unflavored sparkling water (seltzer, club soda, whatever you
  call it)
  
  Pour the milk and syrup into a tall glass.  Stir to combine, and then
  pour in the sparkling water.  Serve immediately.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
MMMMM
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Beet Marbled Eggs
 Categories: Appetizers
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  Re: Pickled eggs and beets
  
  Here's a neat little trick that you may or may not know, Neysa.  When
  you drop the [hard cooked] eggs into the beet juice, DO NOT peel
  them. Instead, bash them around a bit to crack the shells really
  well, then drop 'em, shells still on, in the juice.
  
  Drain and shell before serving.  (Sorry for insulting your
  intelligence with the last direction, but someone, somewhere out
  there is going to miss this step :-)
  
  The result is a pickled egg that looks remarkably like the pretty
  marble eggs you can buy for decoration.  They make a beautiful
  garnish for a cold meat platter, and amazing looking deviled eggs.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
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MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Kathy's Egg and Tuna Salad
 Categories: Eggs, Fish, Salads, Sandwiches
      Yield: 1 text file
 
 
  I've frequently made an egg and tuna salad without mayo (NEVER made
  it with Miracle Whip, as I can't stand the stuff).
  
  Here's a rough guideline to go by (I tend to make tuna salad with
  whatever's on hand, so it varies a LOT):
  
  Drain a can of water-packed tuna, and dump into a bowl.  Add a couple
  of hardboiled eggs, chopped, maybe a half of a chopped green Bell
  pepper, half a chopped red Bell pepper, a couple of green onions,
  finely minced, a rib of celery, including a generous portion of
  leaves, finely minced, sometimes a few chopped green or black olives.
  Moisten the mixture with either a good oil and vinegar dressing, or a
  few tablespoons of your favorite fat-free Italian dressing.
  
  This makes a good filling for pita bread.
  
  If you like, you can turn this into a dinner salad by adding cooked
  pasta (rotini, elbow macaroni, whatever suits your fancy).  I've also
  tossed in chopped artichoke hearts on occasion (in which case, the
  marinade from the artichokes, plus a little vinegar becomes the
  dressing.
  
  If I want a really SERIOUS salad, I'll also toss in some thawed but
  uncooked frozen mixed vegetables (the Italian-type mixes are
  particularly good). Garnish with sliced cucumber, maybe some radish
  roses or whatever.
  
  Kathy in Bryan, TX
 
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MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Crab Alfredo Sauce
 Categories: Sauce, Alfredo, Red lobster, Kathy
      Yield: 1 servings
 
      4 tb Butter or margarine
      4 tb Flour
      2 c  Half-and-half (heavy cream
           If you REALLY feel wicked)
           About 1/2 cup (or more to
           Taste) grated Parmesan
           Cheese
           Salt and white pepper to
           Taste
           Few grains cayenne pepper
           (optional)
      6    8 oz. cooked snow crab meat,
           Cut into chunks
 
  Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Stir in the flour, and cook briefly
  until the mixture looks sandy.  Do NOT let it color.  Wisk in the
  half- and-half, and stir until the mixture forms a thick sauce.  Stir
  in the cheese, and season to taste.  Simmer for a few minutes to
  blend the flavors, and stir in the crab meat.  Cook JUST until the
  crab is heated through. Serve over cooked linguini, with additional
  Parmesan cheese and hot red pepper flakes on the side.
  
  Before some purist jumps me, I KNOW this isn't a classic Alfredo, but
  it is a very good dish, and remarkably easy to make.
  
  This may be varied by substituting cooked lobster meat for the crab,
  or by adding 36 cooked, peeled and deveined  medium shrimp, and about
  a quarter of a cup of chopped cooked broccoli instead of the crab
  meat.
  
  From: Kathy Pitts
 
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