Set oven to 375 degrees

½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons apricot preserves

brandy

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup cream cheese

½ cup Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

4 eggs

3/4 cup cream

dash of nutmeg

4 tablespoons butter

6 apricot halves

½ cup sugar

12 pieces of cinnamon raisin toast

Filling:

Combine ½ cup apricot preserves and 3 tablespoons brandy.  Heat to a boil, careful not to burn.  Cool to room temperature.  Combine 3/4 cup ricotta, 1/4 cup cream cheese, and ½ cup Monterry Jack cheese.  Add cooled apricot and brandy mixture.

Apricot Topping

Heat 4 tablespoons butter.  Add 6 apricot halves and ½ cup sugar.  Cook 2-3 minutes.  Add 2 tablespoons of brandy and flame (or cook longer to reduce brandy).

Batter:

Combine 4 eggs, 3/4 cup cream, and dash of nutmeg.

Assembly:

Spread filling on 6 slices of bread, leaving 1/2″ from edges.  Top with another slice of bread.  Dip french toast in batter, allowing it to soak for 1 minute or so.  Add butter to saute pan or griddle.  Cook each side of French toast until browned.  Heat 2 tablespoons of apricot preserves and brush over French toast.  The toast can now be held at this point until ready to cook.

Ready to cook!!

Set over to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease sheet pan.  Place French toast on pan and cook approximately 10-12 minutes until puffy and glaze shines.  Remove from oven.  Cut in half.  Garnish with ½ sliced apricot and teaspoon of apricot juice.  Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. 

Serves 6

Roulade

1 cup milk

6 eggs

½ cup flour

1/4 cup melted butter

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

dash of Tabasco

Filling

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 ½ cup roasted red peppers, chopped (2 roasted red peppers)

1 ½ cup tomatoes, chopped (2 plum tomatoes)

Set oven at 400 degrees.  Combine all until ingredients until frothy.  Spray a 10×15 jelly roll plan with vegetable shorting in a can.  Line with parchment paper (have paper come over sides of pan).  Spray paper again.  Pour batter in plan.  Bake 18-20 minutes until set and slightly firm.  Lower oven to 325 degrees.  Let roulade cool slightly.  Spread filling on roulade and roll-up like a jelly roll.  Cover with foil and put back in oven for approximately 10-15 minutes to melt cheese and warm vegetables.  Can cover with aluminum foil so it will not dry out.

To serve - spread tomato coulees on plate (see receipe for tomato coulee).  Slice roulade about 1″ thick.  Place on top of coulees.  Garnish with Romano cheese and parsley. 

This recipe serves 8-10 people

3 -4 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup orange juice

1 cup yogurt

Combine all ingredients.  Place 2 tablespoons on center of each plate.  Top with melon slices and garnish appropriately.

Blueberry peach filling

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup. Fresh blueberries

1 ½ cups (1 lb.) Fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter

Cobbler

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, cut into bits

1/3 cup milk

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix sugar, flour, and slat in medium bowl.  Add blueberries, peaches, and lemon juice and toss the mixture to coat fruit.  Place fruit mixture in greased 7″x11″ baking dish.  Bake for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

While fruit is baking, mix topping.  Combine flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add milk and egg.  Sitr with fork until just blended.  Remove fruit from over and drop topping mixture onto top of hot fruit.  Return to oven and bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over cobbler.

Note: Frozen unsweetened blueberries and peaches may be substituted if fresh fruit is unavailable.  Can also be made with blackberries and peaches.

1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest

Combine all of the above to make glaze.

Esp. good with Sliced Apple with raisins and walnuts

Core and slice apples into 1/4 inch pieces.  Toss with 2 teaspoons lemon juice to prevent browning.  Coat apple slices with glaze.  Arrange slices in fan shape on individual dishes.  Wprinkle with walnuts and raisins, spoon additional glaze on top.

1 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered

10 fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

In a small bowl, toss the strawberries and mint leaves.   Refrigerate for 1 hour or more.  Remove and discard the mint leaves.  In a blender or food processor, combine strawberries, lemon juice and sugar and process until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Especially Good over when served with bananas and strawberries

1 cup blueberries

1 ripe banana, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

raspberries

In blender or food processor, combine blueberries, banana, orange juice, lemon juice and sugar.  Process until smooth.  Raspberries make nice garnish.

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons honey

Combine above, and use pastry brush to glaze fruit.

1 cup blackberries

2 medium-ripe peaches, peeled, pitted & quartered

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

blackberries

blueberries

In blender or food processor, combine blackberries, peaches, lemon juice, and sugar.  Process until smooth.  Garnish with blackberries and blueberries.

9 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

4 cups shredded coconut

1 ½ cups whole hazelnuts

1 ½ cups slivered or sliced almonds

3/4 cup honey

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup dark raisins

1 cup cranberries

½ cup chopped apricots

½ cup chopped dates

1. Preheat over to 375.

2. Toss the oats, coconut, hazelnuts, and almonds together in a large 17 x 11 pan (or larger).

3. Whisk the honey and oil together in a small bowl.  Pour over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated.

4. Bake, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon, until the mixture turns a nice even golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes.

5. Remove the granola from the oven and stir constantly to aerate the mixture and keep it from sticking together, until the granola is cool.  Stir in the dry fruits.  Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 18 cups.