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SPICY MEXICAN POTATO SALAD NEW!!

Boil four potatoes (I used Yukon Golds) with plenty of salt. Drain and cool. While potatoes are cooking, made a sauce with two minced garlic cloves, the zest and juice of two clementines (any oranges will do), a drizzle of honey, one large chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced, three tablespoons adobo sauce from the can, ½ cup olive oil and a small bunch fresh basil, chopped. Salt and pepper. (In spicy foods, coarse Kosher salt works the best) Pour sauce over cooled potatoes and serve at room temperature. Could also add corn, scallions, chicken, etc.

ORZO & ROASTED CORN SALAD

Cook up some orzo, cool. Drizzle with lots of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt and pepper. Add about 2 cups of Trader Joe’s Roasted Corn kernels, two chopped scallions, one clove of garlic, minced, minced fresh basil and a dash of hot pepper flakes. (If Sophie is coming to dinner, omit hot peppers until she is 3) Chill or serve, as the Italians do, room temp.

ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Spread a layer of cherry tomatoes in a shallow roasting pan and slather with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a good mixture of Italian herbs (preferably from the little herb man in the Campo Di Fiori in Rome. Barring that, use some dried oregano, rosemary and basil.) Roast at 400 degrees until the tomatoes are yummy. Just before removing them from the oven, grate some good hard cheese over top (Parmesan, Gouda, etc)

ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES (does anyone really want this?)

Roast a small filet mignon at about 400 degrees but keep a close eye on it because if it gets well done, it’s ruined. When it starts to sizzle, GET IT OUT! Let it rest while you mix ½ cup of light mayo with two big tablespoons of prepared horseradish. Spread mayo on some good crusty bread and then slice the beef fairly thinly across the grain on an angle. Pile on bread, top with some baby spinach and more bread. Eat. Or not if you have given up beef as I have. In that case, eat……

ORANGE CHICKEN

Sauté chicken breasts in a spray of oil in a large frying pan. When the chicken is nearly done, add a couple of cloves of garlic, minced to the little crusty bits off the bottom of the pan and stir that about a little. Then, add about 1 cup of orange juice, about 1 Cup of white wine, a handful of mandarin orange sections (from a jar) and a good two tablespoons of Orange Marmalade. Stir it all up, simmer till a bit thicker and pour over the chicken. Serve.

JERK RUB SALMON

Rub salmon filets with olive oil. In a bowl combine ½ C. granulated brown sugar, plenty of chipotle chili powder (if you can’t find the chipotle, use regular chili powder) and coarse salt. Rub all over fish on both sides. Place in baking dish and roast till about ½ done. Pour white wine over bottom of pan and finish cooking. Serve with sprigs of dill.

“THE INDIAN PLATTER” An appetizer plate with the taste of India.

In a food processor put two 8 oz pkgs of cream cheese and two cups grated cheddar cheese. Add lots of curry powder and process until very smooth. Add a little warm water if it is very stiff. You want to be able to form a patty with the mixture. Dump it all onto a pretty plate and form into a flat...about one inch thick…patty. Layer the patty with the following in roughly this order:

One entire jar of Major Grey’s Chutney (pickle section of the grocery store)

½ to ¾ C of golden raisins

1 ½ C. toasted, coarsely chopped pecans

About ¾ C. chopped scallions

2 C. shredded coconut

Decorate the rim of the plate with slices of apple, alternating red and green if you like a Christmasy look. Also serve crackers with the platter.