New Cookbook for a Good Cause

My friend Shane Whybrew and his wife Kris are trying to adopt a child from Africa. They have put together a cookbook to help raise money. If anyone wants to support them in this, please contact me or reach Shane through the FAME organization, Indianapolis Ind.
The Blueberry French Toast is from Shane's book!

Blueberry French Toast (Overnight Prep)

1 loaf french or Italian bread, cubed
1 8oz pkg. of Philly cream cheese, cubed into small bits
2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
8 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/2 c butter, melted
Spray a 9x13 pan and place 1/2 the bread cubes in it. Melt the butter is a separate bowl and allow it to cool slightly. Over the bread in the pan place 1/2 the blueberries and all of the cream cheese. Cover with the remaining bread then the blueberries. In a big bowl mix syrup,eggs, milk and butter and pour over the bread evenly. Cover and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Next day bake at 350 degrees x1 hour (check at 45. min of baking and cover with foil if need be.) Dust with powdered sugar and serve with blueberry syrup. Yum!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies That I Had at Beth's

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 lg. egg + 1 egg yolk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

3/4 c choc. chips (semi sweet)

3/4 c. white choc. chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts (your pleasure)


Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan. Set aside.


Whisk flour, salt & baking soda in a med. bowl. Set aside. In a mixing bowl place butter & sugars. Beat until blended and fluffy. Beat in eggs,vanilla & extract. Add dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in nuts & chips by hand. Place evenly in pan. Press down if needed to make it even. Bake 25 min. (or longer) until toothpick in center comes out clean. This dough can be made ahead and frozen.

Too Much or Dip It in Chocolate?

Humbling Picture

This is a picture of a "kitchen" in the village in Haiti where the money
we raised from the cook book went. The pink tub is a hospital wash
basin. Very humbling!

Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese Soup (Page 10)

4 c. chicken broth 1 large onion, chopped
6-8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 T. flour
2 c. chopped, peeled potatoes 1 c. chopped, peeled carrot
1/4 tsp. each-dill, dried mustard and 3 cloves garlic, minced
pepper Salt and pepper to taste
2 c. chopped cauliflower Ham is optional
3/4 c. milk

Combine broth, potatoes, cauliflower, onion, carrot, and garlic in a large pan and
bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender.

Return pan to heat and gradually add cheese, dill, mustard, and pepper.


Stir until cheese melts.


Blend milk and flour until smooth and pour slowly into hot soup, stirring until well blended.

Enjoy! (This is served with Amish dill bread and garlic scape pesto butter)

This freezes very well!

PARMESAN BACON BREAD STICKS Page 5

25 Thin Alessi Bread Sticks
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
13 slices Thick Bacon cut lengthwise

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place the bacon in a plastic bag with the cheese and coat
(Can do a few hours ahead of time). Carefully wrap the cheese covered pieces of
bacon around the sticks. They break very easily. Lay on an un-greased cookie sheet. (Do not use foil, as it will stick to the bacon....trust me on that one) Bake for 1 hour. This can be served warm or at room temperature.
Yields 25 (or number of bread sticks/ bacon you have)
Note: Make this ahead of time, as there will be greasy, messy baking sheets to clean.
I've tried parchment paper,and it does help with clean up. I make these ahead of time,
and place them upright in a decorative vase. It let's me have more room on the table
for plates.

Baked Cod (Or Tilapia) Parmesan (Page 33)

*Cook Book correction page 33 - add 1/2 tsp. garlic powder to the mixture

BAKED COD PARMESAN
1 1/3 lbs. cod fillets, about 1/2 inch thick. (I also use tilapia)
salt and pepper to fillet
1/3 c. Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
3 T. unsalted butter, melted
1-2 tsp. Italian parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 c. dry bread crumbs ( I like panko- Japanese bread crumbs)
few grinds of fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine butter, bread crumbs,pepper, cheese, garlic
powder,and parsley in a small bowl. Season both layers of the fish with salt and
pepper, then the mixture. Place fish in a single layer in a shallow greased baking dish.
Sprinkle crumb mixture on top and pat down. Bake about 10 minutes (until fish flakes
when touched with a fork). Bread crumbs should be golden.

How Ham Came to Be Easter Food

Did you know how ham became associated with Easter? Apparently, since they didn’t have refrigeration back then and meat wasn’t a popular commodity during the Lenten season, all the meat that they had left over from the winter was cured in order to help preserve it. And right around the end of the Lenten season was when the meat was done curing, and so ham became a natural and popular choice for Easter celebrations.

From Arnold's Bar & Grill - Irish Breakfast

Arnold's Bar & Grill is a unique restaurant downtown (Cincinnati)> I think of him as the unofficial Mayor of Cincinnati!

Dublin Coddle

Dublin Coddle is an Irish breakfast casserole that is easy and delicious. I make it the night before and just bake it off in the morning. I also put a twist on it by cooking it on a cooking sheet instead of in the pan. Hope this isn't too confusing for you.

In a casserole pan make put 6 slices of thick whole wheat bread or bread of your choice on the bottom. Next top each with 2 pieces of cooked pepperwood bacon, 1 piece of cooked sausage patty, crispy fried hash browns, sauteed onions and then top with another piece of bread. Mix 12 eggs with 1tsp. salt, 1 tsp pepper and 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Pour mixture over bread and let sit until mixture is absorbed into bread or overnight. With a pancake turner pull entire layer of bread slice from casserole pan and place on a cookie sheet. It is going to be gooey but that is okay. Sprinkle with smoked gouda cheese and bake for about 30 minutes or until firm.

Perfect Bernaise
Bernaise is easy if you have a food processor with a hole in the top.

Melt 1/4 pound of butter and let it get to room temperature.

In food processor add 3 egg yolks, 3 dashes of Tabasco, 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, 2 dashes of salt, 2 dashes black pepper and a pinch of cayenne (really just a pinch)
Turn processor on and VERY slowly add the butter. Try to stream it. When you see it thicken you are done.
If you are making eggs Benedict I have learned to bring your water to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer to poach your eggs.

Today I am serving Corned Beef Benedict's in honor of St. Patty's Day.
http://www.mylifeatarnolds.com/

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Herbs and Bacon (Optional)

Cook book page 23

Makes 6 servings.
3 lbs. spaghetti squash (Ideally have 1 squash that weighs 3 lbs.)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh herbs (mixture of rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder (I like extra)
6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled. (Can bake with squash ~ 10 min.) Optional...mandatory for me.

Cut the squash length-wise in half. Carefully remove seeds. Well-grease a bake sheet and turn the squash cut side or flesh side down. Bake 375 degrees about 50 min. until squash is soft. Remove and let it cool. Remove the inside flesh with a fork. It will come out in strands that look like spaghetti, hence the name.

Place a lg. heavy bottomed skillet over med. heat. Add the butter & olive oil, when hot add the herbs and garlic. And cook for 20 sec. (releases natural oils/ flavors)Add squash and toss to coat/ heat thoroughly. Pour onto a warm platter and serve immediately or with a sauce. Crumble bacon over dish.
*You can toast the seeds - oil & salt for a good snack.

Suppli al Telefono

* Recipe is from Jungle Jim's Carol Tabone. She KNOWS her risotto!
This is a popular appetizer from Italy that was designed to use up leftover risotto. For advance preparation, the risotto balls may be fried ahead and reheated in 350 degree oven before serving. When it's prepared and heated properly it should be stretched strands of cheese when one bites into it. It imitates telephone wires, ergo the name.
Base risotto:
4-5 c. chicken broth 1/4 cup olive oil 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion diced 2 cups Arborio rice 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste


Bring broth to a boil in a med. saucepan & keep it to a simmer (Don't let it boil away).
In a separate lg. saucepan pan, heat olive oil and butter. Add diced onion and saute over med. heat, until translucent 4-5 minutes.
Stir in rice and cook just long enough to coat the grains thoroughly 1-2 min.
Heat on med. add 1/3 cup simmering broth and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Always stir in the same direction "because". Con't. to add broth 1/3 cup at a time stirring constantly over med. heat until all liquid is absorbed until all liquid is gone ~ about 16 min. Until rice is tender with a bite to the middle. Remove from heat and add cheese, season with salt. Allow rice to cool about 2 hours before making the balls. You may also cover and refrigerate until the next day.

Mozzarella balls:
Risotto recipe as above.
3 large eggs DIVIDED, 1 in risotto and 2 eggs for dipping
4 oz. mozzarella diced
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese grated
2 Tbsp. minced Italian parsley
salt &pepper to taste
2 cups dried bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Beat 1 egg and add to cooled risotto, mix well. Combine mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley,salt and pepper.

Scoop up egg sized amount of risotto (1 1/2 Tbsp.) and lay it in the palm of your hand. The rice should be no more than 1/2 inch deep. Make an indentation in the center, fill with small diced cube of mozzarella and fold over, roll into a ball. Don't over stuff it. Lay it on a bake sheet and finish rolling all the balls. (Rinse hands every 4-5 balls)

Beat the remaining eggs with a little salt in a small bowl. Set breadcrumbs on a small bowl or plate. Dip the ball first into the egg,
and drop into the bread crumbs and roll.
"Wet hand" and "dry hand " technique works well here! Lay on separate sheet. You may need to refrigerate briefly until balls become firm.


Heat 3 inches of oil in the pan until 375 degrees. Test oil by dropping a few bread crumbs in the oil. They should bubble and turn brown almost instantly. Using a slotted spoon lower the rice balls into the oil.

Fry until golden brown about 2 min. (I did 3 at a time) Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels.
Serve immediately.
When you pull them apart the string should be line string. I have not tried freezing them. You can reheat in the oven 350 degrees until done or microwave (if you are a Type A Osler)
Makes 20-24.

Cilantro Rice Dish Page 25

Cilantro Rice:




1 1/2 c. white rice (I use med. grain)
3 1/2 c. chicken broth (I use conc. broth and mix with hot water as shown in photos
1 T. chopped cilantro
1 T. chopped chives (snip with scissors -it's easier)
* you can chop/ snip herbs and freeze in a freezer bag. The only thing that doesn't freeze well is basil or oregano)
1/2 juice of 1 lime.
Heat liquid in a sauce pan. When it comes to a boil, add the rice and reduce heat to low - cover. Cook for 20 min. Fluff with a fork and fold in herbs.

Sprinkle with lime juice. I lay this out on a cookie sheet to cool,



then freeze flat in freezer bags.

Side dish is ready to go. You can play around with herbs in this dish. Nice way to use up left over herbs. Consider lemon or orange juice as well.
This is my favorite when served with Chicken Orange Chipotle and Black Bean Salsa (in recipe book).

Where To Eat Food Chain Help

Click the pic to enlarge: