*Reunions & Holidays* That Means "POTLUCK"

A potluck is a gathering of people where each person or group of people contributes a dish of food to be shared among the group. Synonyms include: potluck dinner, spread, Jacob's join, Jacob's supper, faith supper, covered dish supper, bring and share, shared lunch, pitch-in, carry-in, bring-a-plate, smorgasbord, dish-to-pass.

A widely known but little-discussed fact about potlucks is they tend to inspire fierce competition. After all, who can hang around a potluck table without wondering whose dish will disappear first?

*Macaroni Coleslaw*

Ingredients

• 1 package (7 ounces) ring macaroni or ditalini
• 1 package (14 ounces) coleslaw mix
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, finely chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 can (8 ounces) whole water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• DRESSING:
• 1-1/2 cups Miracle Whip Light
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  

Directions

• Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl; add the coleslaw mix, onions, celery, cucumber, green pepper and water chestnuts.
• In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

*Broccoli Salad*

"Confirmed broccoli haters have changed their minds after tasting this salad. It is great for potlucks or buffet meals. Make a day or so before you wish to serve to meld the ingredients. You can use sugar substitutes for the white sugar and also used nonfat or low-fat mayonnaise and it still tastes great!"

Ingredients

• 10 slices bacon
• 1 head fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sunflower seeds

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli, onion and raisins. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise. Pour over broccoli mixture, and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
3. Before serving, toss salad with crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds.               

*Chicken Potpie*

"Chock-full of chicken, potatoes, peas and corn, this autumn favorite makes two golden pies, so you can serve one at supper and save the other for a busy night. They're perfect for company or a potluck."

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced peeled potatoes
• 1 3/4 cups sliced carrots
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

Directions

1. Place potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken, peas, corn, potatoes and carrots; remove from the heat.
2. Line two 9-in. pie plates with bottom pastry; trim even with edge of plate. Fill pastry shells with chicken mixture. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pies. Cut slits or decorative cutouts in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal and flute edges.
3. Bake one potpie at 425 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Cover and freeze remaining potpie for up to 3 months.               

*Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole*

"Creamy sweet potatoes are treated to a brown-sugar-and-pecan topping in this pared-down casserole."

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 2 tablespoons beaten egg
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• TOPPING:
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

1. Place sweet potato in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place potato in a bowl; mash. Stir in the sugar, milk, egg, butter and vanilla until blended. Transfer to a 3-cup baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

*Banana Trifle*

"Pound cake, whipped cream, banana pudding and vanilla wafers are layered to form this easy trifle that's sure to please."

Ingredients

• 2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant banana pudding mix
• 1 quart cold milk
• 2 bananas, chopped
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 (12 ounce) package prepared pound cake, cubed
• 1/2 (12 ounce) box vanilla wafers (such as Nilla®), crushed

Directions

1. Whisk pudding mix with milk until smooth. Stir in chopped bananas; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, or cream will become lumpy and butter-like.
3. Layer half the pound cake cubes, half the pudding, half the whipped cream, and half the crushed vanilla wafers in a trifle bowl. Repeat with the remaining cake, pudding, and whipped cream, and top with the remaining crushed wafers. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.               

*N.Y.Style Cheesecake*

Recipe adapted from Chantals New York Cheesecake on Allrecipes.com
Crust Ingredients:
18 graham crackers
3 tablespoons melted butter
Filling Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup milk
4 eggs
1 or 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 or 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

*Zucchini Brownies*

"A fast-to-fix peanut butter and chocolate frosting tops these moist brownies that are a sweet way to use up your green garden squash."

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yogurt and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in zucchini.
• Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• For frosting, in a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and peanut butter. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Spread over warm brownies. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

*Citrus Pineapple Coleslaw*

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 packages (3 ounces each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese (softened or cubed), softened
• 1 medium head cabbage, shredded
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• Carrot curls, optional

Directions

• In a saucepan, combine the first six ingredients until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir a small amount into the eggs. Return all to saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture reaches 160°. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Refrigerate.
• In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, pineapple and marshmallows. Add dressing; toss to coat. Garnish with carrot curls if desired.

*Antipasto Platter*

Ingredients

• 1 jar (24 ounces) pepperoncinis, drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups halved fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 pound provolone cheese, cubed
• 1 can (6 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained
• 1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
• 1 bottle (8 ounces) Italian vinaigrette dressing
• Lettuce leaves

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the peppers, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese, olives and pepperoni. Pour vinaigrette over mixture; toss to coat.
• Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Arrange on a lettuce-lined platter. Serve with toothpicks.

*Truffled Potato Gratin*

If you've never had truffles before, and are wondering what all the fuss is about, then this is the recipe to try for experiencing the real magic of these fabulous fungi. The great thing about this recipe is you don't need a fortune worth of fresh truffles to make it, thanks to an Italian cheese called sottocenere.Sottocenere is a semi-soft, fairly mild cheese that's studded with fragrant truffles. When baked into a potato gratin like it's done here, you get the full punch of truffle flavor and aroma, but at a fraction of the cost.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
5 cups sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
5 medium russet potatoes, sliced thin
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
6 oz sottocenere cheese, grated
2 cups cream
1 cup chicken broth

*Potato Salad Deviled Eggs*

"Deviled eggs get a stuffing of potato salad for a tasty little bite on a summer day. Bring to a picnic, a cookout, or just serve for brunch or a light meal."      

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 1 large potato, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons pickle relish
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• 4 teaspoons creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip®)
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• paprika for garnish

Directions

1. Place the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water, then cool the eggs under cold running water in the sink. Peel once cold. Slice the cooled eggs in half lengthwise, and scoop out and reserve the yolks.
2. While the eggs are cooking, place the cut-up potato into a saucepan with water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the potato pieces are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potato, and let cool.
3. In a bowl, mash the reserved egg yolks with pickle relish, mustard, creamy dressing, salt, and pepper until well combined. Place the potato into a bowl, and coarsely mash with a fork. Lightly combine the potato with the yolk mixture. Stuff each egg half generously with potato salad, and sprinkle with paprika. Cover and chill until ready to serve, at least 20 minutes.

          

 

 

 

*The Magic of the Family Meal*

Close your eyes and picture Family Dinner. June Cleaver is in an apron and pearls, Ward in a sweater and tie. The napkins are linen, the children are scrubbed, steam rises from the green-bean casserole, and even the dog listens intently to what is being said. This is where the tribe comes to transmit wisdom, embed expectations, confess, conspire, forgive, repair. The idealized version is as close to a regular worship service, with its litanies and lessons and blessings, as a family gets outside a sanctuary.

 Sit down and enjoy the meal with your family. Make it a pleasant experience, rather than a time for discipline or discussing problems, so that kids want a second helping of family dinnertime.

Main Course

*Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops*

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
• 3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
• 4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 ounces)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

*Southern Fried Chicken*

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• About 1 cup hot red pepper sauce (recommended: Texas Pete)
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• House seasoning, recipe follows
• 1 (1 to 2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into pieces
• Oil, for frying, preferably peanut oil

Directions

In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add enough hot sauce so the egg mixture is bright orange. In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Season the chicken with the house seasoning. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg, and then coat well in the flour mixture.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot. Do not fill the pot more than 1/2 full with oil.

Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp. Dark meat takes longer then white meat. It should take dark meat about 13 to 14 minutes, white meat around 8 to 10 minutes.

*Surf 'n Turf*

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons beef broth
• 8 medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 (6 ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick

Directions

1. In a small skillet, saute the onion and garlic in 1-1/2 teaspoons oil and 1-1/2 teaspoons butter until tender. Add broth; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the shrimp; cook and stir until shrimp turn pink, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in parsley. Cut a pocket in each steak; place three shrimp in each pocket. Cover remaining shrimp and broth mixture; keep warm.
2. In a large skillet, heat remaining oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook until meat reaches desired doneness (about 10-13 minutes for medium), turning once. Top with reserved shrimp and broth mixture.               

Salads

*Fresh Spinach Salad*

Crisp fresh spinach is tossed with melt-in-your-mouth crumbled bacon, diced hard-boiled eggs and crunchy water chestnuts and drizzled with a sweet and tangy homemade dressing.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5 slices bacon
• 3 eggs
• 1 pound fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite size pieces
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine sugar, vinegar, oil, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and onion, and process until smooth. Set aside.
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
3. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
4. In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, water chestnuts, bacon and eggs. Serve with the dressing.

*Pear & Blue Cheese Salad*

A sweet-tangy brown sugar-maple syrup dressing gets its zip from apple cider vinegar and performs as the perfect partner for a leafy green salad tossed with pears and candied pecans.  

Ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) bag mixed field greens
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion (optional)
• 1 Bosc pear, cored and sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped candied pecans
•                 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese                    
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup walnut oil

Directions

1. Place the salad greens in a large bowl. Add the red onion, pear, pecans, and blue cheese, and toss to mix evenly.
2. To make the dressing, place the maple syrup, vinegar, mayonnaise, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a blender, and blend thoroughly. With the motor running, slowly pour in the walnut oil. Blend until mixture becomes creamy, about 1 minute. Pour over salad mixture, and toss to coat greens evenly. Serve immediately.               

*Asian Potato Salad*

"Want to try a new and completely different potato salad? Then look no further. The ingredients - bok choy, cilantro, soy sauce and sesame oil - blend together beautifully to give a unique Asian slant to a potato salad."

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
• 6 new red potatoes
• 1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/8 teaspoon dry hot mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped bok choy
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and chop into bite-size chunks.
3. To make the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, mustard powder, and salt.
4. Combine the potatoes, bacon, bok choy, red pepper, green onion and cilantro in a large bowl. Pour over dressing and mix well. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend, and serve.     

          
*Beet Salad w/Goat Cheese*
"This is a delicious and easy salad which takes little time and is a great meatless main course. It uses beets, goat cheese, candied walnuts and baby greens. For a main dish salad, add chicken. Feel free to include more of your favorite vegetables too."

Ingredients

• 4 medium beets - scrubbed, trimmed and cut in half
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 (10 ounce) package mixed baby salad greens
• 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces goat cheese

Directions

1. Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool, then cut in to cubes.
2. While the beets are cooking, place the walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat until warm and starting to toast, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook and stir until evenly coated, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make the dressing.
4. Place a large helping of baby greens onto each of four salad plates, divide candied walnuts equally and sprinkle over the greens. Place equal amounts of beets over the greens, and top with dabs of goat cheese. Drizzle each plate with some of the dressing.               

Sides
*Cajun Dirty Rice*
"Make it as spicy or mild as you please. It is hearty on a cold winter's night. If you are cooking for a crowd, this recipe can easily be doubled. Be sure to serve this with cornbread!"

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound beef sausage
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 (8 ounce) package dirty rice mix
• 2 cups water
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
• 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, sausage, and onion; drain.
2. In a large pan, combine rice mix and 2 cups water. Add diced tomatoes and chilies. Stir in the kidney beans. Bring to a boil, then add meat mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Return to boil, reduce heat, and cover, stirring occasionally. Cook for 25 minutes, until rice is easily fluffed with a fork.               

*Honey Roasted Red Potatoes*
"These slightly sweet potatoes are perfect with most entrees."

Ingredients

• 1 pound red potatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons diced onion
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly coat an 11x7 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place potatoes in a single layer in prepared dish, and top with onion. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, honey, mustard, salt and pepper; drizzle over potatoes and onion.
3. Bake in the preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 35 minutes or until tender, stirring halfway through the cooking time.

*Duck Fat Fried Potatoes*

"The recipe is the easy part, finding duck skin is a little more challenging. The easiest method of attainment is to know a duck hunter. They can hook you up faster than you can say, "Nice Elmer Fudd hat." If that's not an option, try and make friends with line cooks who work at restaurants that serve duck. They can make it happen, and it will probably only cost you a couple draft beers."

*Orange Glazed Carrots*

"Baby carrots are simmered in a sweet sauce of orange juice, brown sugar and butter." 

Ingredients

• 1 pound baby carrots
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pinch salt

Directions

1. Place carrots in a shallow saucepan, and cover with water. Boil until tender. Drain, and return carrots to pan.
2. Pour orange juice over carrots, and mix well. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, butter, and salt. Heat until butter and sugar melt.

               *Caramelized Brussels Sprouts w/Pistachios*
"Caramelizing is a delicious treatment for the often maligned Brussels sprout. The onion and vinegar add bite, while the pistachios add crunch."      

Ingredients

• 4 pounds Brussels sprouts
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 small red onions, cut into strips
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

Directions

1. Place Brussels sprouts in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover saucepan and steam 8-10 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are tender yet crisp.
2. Melt the butter in a deep skillet, add the onions and 3 tablespoons vinegar; cook until onions brown.
3. Add the Brussels sprouts, sugar and remaining vinegar. Saute over medium heat until the Brussels sprouts are lightly caramelized.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with pistachios.

        
Dessert
*Peach Cobbler*
"Sweetened peaches are piled into a baking pan, sprinkled with cinnamon, and topped with yellow cake mix. Cubes of cream cheese and butter are then added, and the cobbler is baked until golden and bubbly."

Ingredients

• 12 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Spread peach slices evenly into a 9x13 inch baking dish. If using canned peach juice, pour 1 cup of it over peach slices. If using fresh peaches, combine water and sugar in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve, then pour mixture over peaches.
3. Sprinkle cinnamon over peach slices, followed by dry cake mix. Top cake mix with pats of cream cheese. Dot cobbler with butter or margarine.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until golden.               

*Portugese Rice Pudding* "Stovetop rice pudding with eggs added at the very end for a rich texture." Ingredients 1 1/2 quarts milk 1 cup uncooked white rice 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs, beaten Directions In a large saucepan over high heat combine sugar and milk. When bubbles form at the edges, stir in rice and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 60 minutes, stirring often, until rice is tender. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat and vigorously stir in beaten eggs, a little at a time, until well incorporated. Serve warm. *Gingerbread Cake* "The beautiful, deep brown color and rich flavor in this gingerbread recipe comes from the dark molasses, which is very traditional in these old-style recipes. The ground ginger and cinnamon gives this simple-to-make gingerbread recipe it's spicy kick, and the quick lemon glaze finishes this classic American dessert perfectly." *Pavlova* "This is an elegant dessert with a fluffy meringue that 's filled with whipped cream and fresh fruit. Once you get the technique down, this pie will easily become one you'll often make." (To keep your meringue from being flat and grainy, try beating egg whites until stiff but not dry. Overbeaten egg whites lose volume and deflate when folded into other ingredients. Also, when beating in sugar, beat in about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition. Then beat until meringue is thick, white and glossy. Be absolutely sure not a particle of grease or egg yolk gets into the whites.) Ingredients 4 egg whites 1 1/4 cups white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 pint heavy cream 6 kiwi, peeled and sliced Directions Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw a 9 inch circle on the parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until thick and glossy. Overbeaten egg whites lose volume and deflate when folded into other ingredients. Be absolutely sure not a particle of grease or egg yolk gets into the whites. Gently fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice and cornstarch. Spoon mixture inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper. Working from the center, spread mixture toward the outside edge, building edge slightly. This should leave a slight depression in the center. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack. In a small bowl beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. Remove the paper, and place meringue on a flat serving plate. Fill the center of the meringue with whipped cream, sweetened if desired. Top whipped cream with kiwifruit slices.                The idea of gathering the family together in the same place at the same time in the 21st century may seem impossible for many, but it can be done. Eating together as a family these days may not look like Sunday dinners of a generation ago. However, the goal can still be the same. Family mealtime provides an opportunity to spend time with family members and talk with one another. Eating meals together can help families feel closer and provide better nutrition – two ingredients for happy, healthy families.