Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread

[Jolie Rouge]

It's the Time for Gift Giving...

In case you need a last minute idea for a homemade gift, here's an option. You're welcome to "steal" as much of this idea as you want.

First a bit of background.

Those of you who have checked out my web site have found out things about me that go beyond the realm of cooking. For example, my first name isn't REALLY Zola (although I'm completely used to being called that). It's really Sarah. You'll find that I am not a full-time food writer. I'm a full-time CEO of a training company.

The copy that follows is a note that we included in all of our company Christmas gifts this year. The reason I am passing it along to you is that, whether this year or next, you might want to pick up on the idea of sending a homemade gift, in a special box with a note, to your colleagues, friends and/or family. The personal touch has rewarded me with more Thank You cards for gifts than I could have ever imagined. In this time of mass-production, people really notice when a person takes time to make something and to tell a story.

This curry-flavored nut recipe is a snap to make. Zola knows. I've made almost one hundred pounds in fewer than six hours. Call this my version of a "family holiday newsletter" -- only this one is edible.

Enjoy the recipe. I hope you make a batch for yourself and eat them watching some wonderfully sappy holiday movie in front of a crackling fire. Go to www.apexperformancesystems.com/recipe/00000077 to see the original Zola's Nuts recipe and pictures of the holiday-wrapped Zola's Nuts packages.

Here's how the letter goes. . . .

The True Story of Zola and Zola's Nuts

Holiday Greetings!

Sarah McCann (aka Zola) is the CEO of Apex Performance Systems. She is also married to Chris Lytle. If you are getting a box of Zola's Nuts, you are truly a valued customer of Apex. (Thank you!)

These nuts are created in the Lytle-McCann kitchen, packaged, boxed and shipped from Apex to you with the hope that you will share them and make them again for your friends and family in your home oven. They are incredibly delicious and astoundingly simple to make.

Sarah whipped up the first version last year for Chris as a low-carb alternative to Chex Mix. Chris loved them and so did dinner guests. They were so popular, in fact, that she decided to "mass produce" them for gifts for friends, family and clients.

Speaking of dinner guests, Sarah's "hobby" is entertaining. She runs the company and still manages to squeeze in 40-45 dinner parties a year in our home in Madison or our office/home in Chicago. Those dinner parties can be a Sunday dinner for our friends down the street, a lavish dinner for clients who are visiting Madison or the neighborhood Christmas party for 40 couples. No caterers. In fact, Sarah loves the challenge of pulling off a party in three hours or less including shopping. Some call her "the anti-Martha." She teaches people how to arrange the three bags of flowers for $10.99 into beautiful centerpieces, how to prepare simple, elegant meals, and even how to get guests laughing and dancing while they help clean up!

Not long ago, a popular local magazine got wind of that and published a feature article about the CEO who entertains for fun. That turned into a monthly column and later an Internet column (ArcaMAX) that goes to 150,000+ avid readers who try her recipes and entertaining tips. She gets more fan mail and feedback each week than her sales trainer husband. Seems that people are hungry for ideas on how to simplify rather than complicate the art of the dinner party.

This has led to speaking engagements for Sarah and she's got a book in the works too ("The Art of the Dinner Party") and a web site, www.dinnerwithzola.com (Click Here).

So where does the name Zola come from? One day as we were driving from Tampa to Naples, we were talking about naming the column and perhaps using a pen name. At the time we were both reading John Grisham's The King of Torts. One of the characters was named Adelpha Pumphrey. Chris made the comment that he could name characters better than that. "How about Zola Gorgon?" We "tested" the name at dinner that night with a group of Madisonians who winter in Naples. Most of them "got it" . . . . "Oh I get it. Zola Gorgon. Gorgonzola (blue cheese) backwards." In any event "Zola" stuck. Comments like, "Zola knows cooking and entertaining" and "Let's ask Zola" surfaced repeatedly. So "Zola" is the alter ego who loves to entertain.

And whether or not you were entertained by this true story, we hope you'll enjoy Zola's Nuts (unless you have acid reflux and no purple pills). By the way, this year's nut recipe is the most popular of 2004. It's the curry-flavored ones. (There are now four flavors being prepared for market). This small batch was made with love in Zola Gorgon's own kitchen with the help of her assistant Parmi Zahn (get that one?) and even of sous-chef Chris. And with that we wish you a very Zola Holiday season.

For this recipe and variations on the theme, please visit www.dinnerwithzola.com You'll find ideas and recipes that simplify your life and make entertaining a breeze. It's part of the Apex Web Site-and oftentimes the most visited pages.

Happy Holidays to you and yours, Zola, Chris and the team at Apex

(That's the end of the letter.)

Curry-Flavored Zola's Nuts

1 can mixed nuts, no peanuts (2 cups) (Mixed nuts that include macadamia, almonds, pecans and Brazil nuts work the best, but really any nuts will do.)

Olive oil spray
1 tsp (or to taste) curry powder (not hot curry powder)

1 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Instructions:

Pour the can of nuts into a baking pan. Spray nut surface with olive oil and toss. Sprinkle on your curry powder, cayenne and salt. Spray with olive oil again (lightly) and toss again.

Roast in your oven at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. When the nuts are just starting to get a tinge of brown on the top, they are done.

Cool.

Eat slightly warm or at room temperature.

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[Jolie Rouge]

I'm wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season, but even as I do, I know several will overindulge, in both food and drink. Moderation in both is a good mantra.

I've just started back on a low-carb diet regimen so I know my mashed potato consumption will be seriously curtailed going forward. Darn. Not to mention forgoing plenty of other little treats.

In many cultures, drinking alcohol seems to go right along with celebrating. Here in Wisconsin we hold the "distinction" of being the state that consumes more brandy per capita than any other state. Most of us don't turn down a good brandy Manhattan, a brandy old-fashioned sweet or even a hot toddy laced with brandy. We love it. Is that a good distinction? Doubtful.

Serving drinks to your friends and family brings up another thing to have to organize at the holidays. (Just what we don't need -- one more thing.) Not many of us stock a full bar in our houses. We aren't trained as bartenders either, so deciding what to serve guests in the line of a "cocktail" can be daunting.

At my house (where you probably heard we do upwards of 40 dinner parties a year), we deal with this challenge on a regular basis. I came up with an idea that has benefited me many times in cutting down my bar coordination and has benefited those who have a cocktail at my house because they get to experience new and different libations. We call it The Drink of the Day.

There's a formula for The Drink of the Day and anyone can do it. I guarantee you that if you follow this process and start serving The Drink of the Day at your parties, over 50% of your adult guests will gladly drink it, and that saves you money on stocking a bar, gives your guests something fun to drink and keeps the mess of making all different kinds of cocktails off your counter. I hate cleaning up dried maraschino cherry juice, and I bet you wouldn't miss it either.

Here's the formula:

Choose two liquors. The ones that work best are white or dark rum and vodka. The vodka can be flavored or regular; it depends on the drink you are making. Then choose a fruit juice and a "thinner." What's a thinner? It might be club soda, it might be another fruit juice, or it might even be a lot of ice that you are counting on to thin out the drink and make it less potent.

There are so many combinations I can't count. When you get the hang of this, you might choose one of your liquors to be Southern Comfort, a whiskey (rye), or even a bourbon or brandy. I don't recommend gin (except with tonic) or scotch (Scottish whiskey) for a drink of the day ingredient. The people who drink gin and scotch are pretty puritan in how they want it served, and those two things are difficult, for the most part, to mix with too many other things. The juices and sodas are pretty endless. Any kind of fruit juice makes the grade. Most white sodas work well and the others you can experiment with to your taste. Don't forget lemonade and iced tea as possible candidates. When you get really fancy, you might start using liqueurs as an ingredient.

Then the next fun thing is to name your drink. This year I am serving Merry Berry Margaritas and Dreamy Martini's. I'm going to give you the recipes for both. The drink can have a name that goes along with the theme of your party. For a Super Bowl party the drink might include the name of the team you are rooting for. For St. Patrick's Day the drink might include Midori Liqueur which is green and you could name your drink The Leprechaun. You get the idea. People love waltzing up to your bar and saying, "I'll have one of those little Leprechauns!"

If you feel completely inept, buy a bar book and just rename one of the drinks and serve it as your Drink of the Day.

Here are two drink recipes to get you started. Don't forget the non-alcohol drinkers and the designated drivers. You can make a non-alcoholic version of any Drink of the Day. Just leave out the "booze" and toss in a white soda instead.

Keep in mind if you want your drinks less potent, you can always add MORE juice or soda. I like to put in just enough liquor so they can still taste it. This seems to remind them that they are drinking alcohol and not a fruit punch. I usually keep the proportions at least four times higher on the juice than the alcohol.

Try it. It's fun!

Both of these recipes are for a pitcher which can serve as many as 20 drinks served over ice.

Merry Berry Margaritas

1 cup white tequila
3 cups Margarita mix (Sauza is one brand. Margarita mix qualifies as one of your fruit juices.)
1 cup cranberry juice cocktail

Dreamy Martinis

These taste like a Dreamsicle.

1 cup vanilla-flavored vodka (Stoli is one brand.)
1 cup orange-flavored liqueur (Cointreau or Grand Marnier; this is instead of a second liquor.)
5 cups orange juice

Cheers! Enjoy! Be Safe and Be Merry!

[Jolie Rouge]

Potted Shrimp

3/4 pound of butter
1/2 tsp. mace
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 and 1/2 cups canned tiny shrimp, drained

Slowly melt 1/4 pound of the butter over low heat. Skim off the surface foam and remove the butter from the heat for a couple of minutes. Spoon the clear butter on top into a skillet and discard the solids at the bottom of the pan. Reserve this clarified butter.

Melt the remaining 1/2 pound of butter over moderate heat. When the butter has melted, add the mace, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and salt. Add the shrimp and mix well. Spoon the mixture evenly into 8 individual custard cups or individual baking dishes. Pour a thin layer of the clarified butter over each individual cup. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving. Serve with hot toast.


Chicken and Dumplings

One large chicken cut up into serving size pieces (breasts, legs, etc.)
1 large white onion chopped
3 - 4 ribs celery chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 and 2/3 cup Bisquick baking mix
2/3 cup milk

Place chicken, onion, celery, salt and pepper in large pot. Add water to cover chicken. Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Remove just chicken from pot and cool. Remove chicken meat from bone and discard skin. Tear chicken into small pieces and return to broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Mix baking mix and milk and add to broth in tablespoon measurements. Reduce heat and cook 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Serve hot.



Welsh Rarebit

8 slices of thick white bread, crusts trimmed and toasted
4 cups grated Cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup beer
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. English dry mustard
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Combine Cheddar cheese and flour. Put cheese/flour mixture in a 3 quart saucepan and combine with beer, butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and cayenne pepper. Stir constantly until cheese has completely melted and mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture evenly over the toast and place under a broiler for a minute or two to lightly brown the cheese. Serve immediately.



Marmalade Pudding

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup orange marmalade

Coat bottom and sides of a large loaf pan (9-inch) with non-stick spray or a thin layer of the butter. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and set aside. Combine butter and sugar together in a large bowl and mix well with a fork. Add the beaten eggs and mix with a beater. Add the flour mixture a little at a time alternating with equal amounts of the milk and water, beating constantly. In other words, add a little of the flour, and then add a little of the milk and water and repeat the process. Continue beating until mixture is smooth. Then add the orange zest and vanilla while beating. Melt marmalade in a small pan stirring constantly. Pour the marmalade into the loaf pan. Pour the batter over the marmalade and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the cake. When cooked, cool the pudding for about 15 minutes. Run a long knife around the edges of the pan. Place an upside-down serving dish over the pan and then quickly turn them over together. Slowly lift the pan and the pudding should slide out easily. Serve warm.

[the fugative]

[Jolie Rouge]

did ya'll miss me ?

[the fugative]

Yes

[Jolie Rouge]

Roast Beef

8 lb. standing rib roast
Salt and pepper to taste

Rub roast with salt and pepper. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Place roast, rib side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. Place roast beef in the oven and cook at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook an additional hour and a half. Let stand and cool for 15 minutes before carving.



Yorkshire Pudding

1/4 cup roast beef drippings
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together, then add eggs and milk and beat well until smooth. Pour roast beef drippings in a small roasting pan. Heat drippings in oven until very hot and almost smoking, then pour flour mixture over drippings. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer or until pudding has risen and is golden brown. Cut pudding into squares and serve warm. This is a great accompaniment to rare roast beef.


Roasties

Nonstick cooking spray
6 - 8 yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup beef drippings
2 - 3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray large baking dish with nonstick spray. Add potatoes to the dish. Combine beef drippings, oil, salt, pepper, oregano together and pour over potatoes. Cook for 30 - 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.



Frozen Cranberry Salad

1 16-oz. can cranberry sauce
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 14-oz. can low fat sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups whipped topping
1/4 cups pecans, chopped

Combine all ingredients except nuts in a large bowl. Spread out in baking dish. Top with nuts and freeze. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving. Cut into squares.



Chocolate-Mint Cookies



1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 egg
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. mint extract
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup peppermint candy, crushed

Combine shortening and sugar and beat well. Add melted chocolate, egg, corn syrup, vanilla and mint extract, continue to beat. Slowly add flour and salt and stir until smooth. Stir in candy. Shape into 1/2 inch balls and roll in sugar. Cook for 12 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

[Jolie Rouge]

Angels on Horseback

1 quart shucked oysters, drained
Bacon slices
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut bacon slices so they are just big enough to fit around each oyster. Place one oyster on each piece of bacon. Mix together lemon juice, parley and salt and pepper. Place some of this mixture on each oyster and wrap the bacon around it securing with a toothpick. Broil for 12 - 15 minutes or until bacon is crisp and oysters are curling up around the edges.


Tangy Pineapple Chutney

1 15-oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tangerines, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. green onions, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. This chutney goes very well with roast beef, ham and also other roasted meats for the holidays.



Christmas Wassail

4 cups apple cider
1/2 cup sugar
4 Cinnamon sticks
1 lemon sliced
1 tsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. whole cloves
4 cups pineapple/orange juice
4 cups dry red wine

Place apple cider, sugar, cinnamon sticks, lemon slices, allspice and cloves in a large saucepan and heat over medium high heat for 20 minutes. Add pineapple/orange juice and red wine and heat thoroughly. Remove lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice before serving. Serve warm.

[Jolie Rouge]

Salmon Stuffed Mushroom Caps

6 oz. smoked salmon
12 oz. Chevre cheese
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. dried dill
1 and 1/2 pound small white mushrooms

Thoroughly mix salmon, cheese, lemon juice and dill. Remove stems from mushrooms. Fill caps with salmon/cheese mixture and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.


Simple Salad

Variety of Romaine, endive, Boston, radicchio lettuce
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese 1
cucumber seeded and sliced
6 fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 plum tomatoes chopped
1/4 cup pitted and halved Greek olives
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except olive oil and vinegar, toss well. Mix together oil and vinegar and sprinkle over salad just before serving.


Chicken Parmesan

1/4 cup olive oil
6 - 8 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 - 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oil in a skillet. Dip chicken breast into the milk and then coat with bread crumbs. Cook in the skillet until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside. Place tomatoes, tomato paste, and garlic in a saucepan and heat through. Serve chicken over cooked pasta with the tomato mixture poured on top and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese


Blueberry Pineapple Dessert

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained reserve liquid
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 - 9 inch graham cracker pie crust
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 15-oz can blueberries, drained reserve liquid
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, pineapple and butter together. Spread this mixture at the bottom of the pie shell, chill. Combine 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt and the reserved liquids from the blueberries and the crushed pineapple and mix well. Place in a saucepan and cook until mixture starts to thicken. Add blueberries and lemon juice. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Spread this mixture over the cream cheese mixture and chill for several hours before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.

[Jolie Rouge]

The Miracle of the Web and a Fortuitous New Year!

When I married my husband, some Southern traditions came into my life. That's because his mother (Sara or Sally) was born in Arkansas. My husband (Chris) was born in Newark, Ohio where his father (Jack) hailed from and, for some, that's close to being Southern -- so close many of the folks there speak with a modified Southern accent.

Sally brought some of her family's Southern traditions to Ohio. One of them was eating pork and black eye peas on New Year's. I had never eaten a black eye pea until one New Year's when I decided to check out this tradition. I had heard from Sally that eating pork and black eye peas on New Year's brought you luck throughout the year. Couldn't hurt, I thought, and we had to eat anyway, so why not?

Little did I know that when I got to my Northern grocery store that first year, they'd have just one bag of black eye peas left on the shelf. I thought to myself, "There has to be something to this." Every year since then I've made a pork dish and something with black eye peas. Since I'm constantly varying things, it's never been the same dish twice. But experimenting each year has been fun, and I must admit, it's the only day of the year I eat black eye peas.

This year, I was thinking of you readers when I called my wonderful mother-in-law Sally to ask her what the tradition was all about. I thought I'd write a column for you on why their family ate pork and black eye peas on New Year's.

Her answer was short and sweet. "I don't know. We just did it." Then she went on to tell me wonderful stories of how she made pork roast with sauerkraut, drained the mixture, added white wine and that was her simple roast. She combined her black eye peas with tomatoes and chili sauce and served mashed potatoes on the side. She told me of one memorable New Year's when they had Ohio friends over and she served her traditional Southern dish. One man, an architect, told her he'd have nothing to do with her black eye peas and then proceeded to down three helpings!

During our discussion, Sally apologized several times for not knowing more about the tradition. I said, "That's okay, you've told me plenty. I have the same challenge when I want to ask about my family traditions and now there's no one left alive who can tell me. I guess I'll go to the Internet and see what I can find out." She asked to tell her if I found anything.

Forty-five seconds later (I swear, no more than that) I had typed in "southern traditions, black eye peas and pork New Year's" on my browser. I clicked on one entry that came up and it spit out 13 pages (the unlucky number) of reasons why Southerners eat black eye peas and pork on New Year's. Talk about interesting and FAST! I remember when I had a question like that as a child, I was directed to the Funk and Wagnall's encyclopedias my family owned and I'd be gone for hours trying to find my answer. Here it was -- instantaneously!

So why, you ask, DO Southerners eat black eye peas and pork on New Year's? Condensed from the 13 pages, here are just a few short, summarized answers.

1. During the Civil War when no other food could be had, the Southerners ate the black eye peas which were normally fed to the pigs.

2. People who eat a simple diet with black eye peas are showing their humility and therefore spare themselves from the wrath of selfishness.

3. Why eat pork on New Year's? Because hogs can't look backwards.

4. Hogmany is a Scottish New Year's tradition . . . although it has nothing to do with hogs or pork.

5. Pigs were traditionally slaughtered in winter for health reasons. Then people fired up the smokehouse!

6. Some eat greens with their peas. "Peas for health. Greens for wealth."

That's enough for me! Now, in honor of my mother-in-law Sally, whom I love dearly, I offer you my latest pork and black eye peas recipes. I've changed the pork roast to pork tenderloin just because I love it. I changed the "greens" to spinach, and I followed her tradition of "spicing up the peas."

Enjoy! And Happy, LUCKY New Year!

P.S. Get your peas early, lest you be unlucky and they're all gone.


Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4

2 pork tenderloins (They usually come wrapped two to a package. You can use plain or the lemon-garlic flavored ones.)

Meat seasoning (Your choice. I found one recently called "Chicago Steak House," but you can choose one of the Emeril series, the Paul Prudhomme series or even your homemade favorite. It can be spicy or mild.)
Olive oil

Spray your pork tenderloins with olive oil. Coat with a liberal sprinkling of your topping. Roast at 400 degrees until your meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees. This usually takes about 20 minutes. Take out at 160 degrees and let rest 10 minutes. The tenderloins will continue to cook while they sit. When you slice them you'll maybe see a little pink. That's okay. As long as you cook pork past 135 degrees, it is no longer a danger for food poisoning. If you like your pork cooked more, go ahead; just don't expect it to be moist.

The other day I also found a new cut of meat. This was a center-cut tenderloin pork roast. Similar in flavor to the tenderloin but a little larger. If you use this cut, you can buy one for four people.

Serve 4 slices of the tenderloin for each person. If it's the roast, you can serve 2 or 3 slices.

Black Eye Peas, Spinach and Tomatoes

Serves 4

10 oz frozen black eye peas
15-oz can diced tomatoes (I use the ones with chilies added because I want the zippy taste. You can decide which are best for your taste.)
4 cups fresh baby spinach (4 handfuls)
2 tsp minced garlic (Jar garlic is fine.)
1 Tbl butter

Put your frozen black eye peas in a sauce pan. Cover them with water. The water should be 2 inches above the peas so they are generously covered. Turn on high to boil and then simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. At 30 minutes take out one pea and see if they are soft yet. You can decide if you want mushy peas or if you like yours crunchier. I like mine right in the middle. When the peas are done, drain them. Take out your saute pan. Melt your butter and add your garlic. When the butter is melted, add the spinach and the tomatoes. Toss the mixture until the spinach wilts. This means you are loosening the spinach but not cooking it until it's mush. As soon as the spinach is all coated and the tomatoes are warm, you can sprinkle with salt and pepper to your taste and you are ready to serve.

The modern thing to do would be to put a portion of the pea mixture on your plate and serve the meat on top. If you want, you can add another side dish like mashed potatoes, but it's not necessary. And if you are following a low-carb lifestyle, this should fit your specifications without the potatoes.

Enjoy! Zola

For more information on Zola and to see more of her recipes, visit her Web site at www.dinnerwithzola.com/recipes/.

[flute]

Egg Nog - Kahlua
1 oz Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
4 oz Eggnog
Nutmeg

Mix kahlua with eggnog in a wine glass and then sprinkle nutmeg on top.