Chicken & Spinach Enchilada Casserole

My friend Tara asked me for this recipe this morning. I haven't made it in ages, but it sounds just perfect for dinner tonight. This recipe is based on one from Martha Stewart. It was in one of the first cookbooks I purchased with her name on it, probably around 1990. I used to make these enchiladas for parties and work luncheons....one of my 'go to' dishes. When I wrote my cookbook many years later, I included my version of Martha's recipe. It was definitely a fan favorite. You can place the chicken/spinach mixture on individual tortillas and roll them, or place the tortillas in layers. You can also use the meat from a rotissierie chicken to save the first step. Enjoy!

Chicken & Spinach Enchilada Casserole

2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 cups sour cream
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
9 flour tortillas (taco size)
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack (plain or with jalapenos)

Place chicken in a deep skillet and add water or stock just to cover. Poach on medium heat until cooked through, approximately 20 minutes. While chicken is poaching, sweat the onion in the butter over medium heat until soft.

Remove and cool chicken before shedding or cutting into chunks. Place in a mixing bowl.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the cooked onion, spinach, sour cream, chilies, cumin and milk. Add salt and pepper and mix well. Add half to the chicken and stir to combine.

Layer three tortillas in bottom of dish and top with 1/3 chicken mixture. Repeat process two times, ending with a layer of tortillas. Cover with remaining sauce, spreading evenly, and top with cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly, approximately 45 minutes.

Key West Seafood Gratin

In case you are sitting around on this drizzly afternoon wondering what to serve for New Year's Eve or Day, I have a great recipe for you! For Christmas Day, I made a gratin with local seafood....delicious, kinda fancy, and very easy. I started with 1 pound of yellowtail snapper and 1 pound of shrimp. In a saucepan over medium heat, I warmed 1 cup chicken stock with 1 pint heavy cream. I cut the fish into chunks and peeled the shrimp. I cut them in half horizontally when I removed the vein, a trick I learned from Ina Garten. When the stock and cream are just at the simmer, add the seafood, stirring to distribute. Remove it after only a minute or so, using a slotted spoon to place in a casserole dish. Add a tablespoon of tomato paste, a few threads saffron, and salt and pepper to the pot, and adjust heat to bring to a boil. Simmer until it reduces slightly and taste for seasoning. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoon flour with the same amount of water, whisking to remove lumps. Bring liquid back to a boil and stir in the flour mixture, whisking to combine. Remove from heat after it thickens....only takes a few minutes. Pour over seafood. Top with a generous amount of panko, and dot with butter. Heat at 375 until bubbly, then increase heat to 425 for a few minutes to brown. Serve with rice. You can use any combo of seafood. Next time I want to try it with lobster.

Holiday Party Food, Pt 2

Well, the big day has come and gone, but there is still much to celebrate! I love the days between Christmas and New Year's. And that week is the perfect time to have friends over for a cocktail and some snacks. In fact, as soon as I get this post-Christmas morning mess cleaned up, we have several friends that we can't wait to have over. And depending on everyone's schedules, the visiting may last into the days after New Year's. Here are some things I will have on hand. You can't go wrong with a Christmas Margarita. We do 2 cups tequila, 1 cup triple sec, and 1/2 cup each of cranberry juice and orange juice. Make in a pitcher and keep in the refrigerator. A glazed ham can be sliced and served at room temperature, and made into sandwiches with small rolls or biscuits. I bought a Boar's Head Sweet Slice ham and glazed it with 1 cup Dijon mustard mixed with 1 cup apricot-pineapple preserves. Bake at 325 for an hour or so, depending on weight, until heated through. And finally for today, here is the easiest recipe for artichoke dip. Ever. Thaw one box frozen artichoke hearts, then coarsely chop them. Mix with 1 cup mayo, 1 cup grated parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bake in a small casserole dish at 375 until puffed and bubbly. It takes minutes to make, and everyone always loves it! :)

Holiday Party Food, Pt 1

I haven't been very good about blogging...we have been busy doing all of those things I wrote about in my last post. It's certainly been festive here on Duncan Street, for sure. The girls only have a few days of school left before the long holiday break, which means I only have a few days to do the projects that are best done 'kid free.' I've got presents to wrap and hide! And lots of favorite holiday foods to prepare. We will be inviting friends over for several small get togethers, starting this evening. And we are attending two parties tomorrow evening. So I need something to serve and something to take. My Cheddar & Blue Cheese Pinecone is perfect. It's my favorite holiday appetizer, and it couldn't be easier. In a mixing bowl, combine 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar, 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese, 3 tablespoons dry white wine, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons sour cream, and an 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Use an electric mixer to combine. Turn the mixture out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a teardrop shape, like a pine cone. Arrange sliced almonds, inserting some into the cheese mixture so that they stand up and pressing some onto the sides, to complete the pine cone picture. (see photo) Or, just form the mixture into a ball and roll it in chopped nuts and skip the whole pine cone thing......it's ok. Plate with some water crackers and grapes. Serve to your guests, or wrap and take to your hostess. I just made two from this recipe, and they only get better with age. Another easy and delicious cheese appetizer is Baked Brie with Spiced Winter Fruits. Combine a chopped apple, chopped pear, a handful of cranberries, and some orange juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Add cinnamon to taste, and a pinch of salt. Let cool in the saucepan....it will thicken slightly. Slice a small wheel of Brie in half horizontally. Place one slice on a nonstick baking sheet (or spray a baking sheet with oil) and top with half the fruit mixture. Place the second round on top and cover with the remaining fruit. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, and serve with assorted crackers. Both recipes are holiday classics at my house, and both recipes are in my cookbook. I actually dust it off this time of year and use it.

Turkey Posole

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that all those brined turkeys turned out juicy and flavorful. Our holiday was lovely. There were ten of us for dinner, and we really ate! After the big day, we enjoyed quite a few turkey sandwiches, but I only had enough leftovers for one replay of the entire meal. I used up my last Thanksgiving leftover yesterday, turning the remaining turkey broth and bits of dark meat into a delicious soup. Posole is a traditional Mexican soup, originally made with the head of a pig, but now generally made with pork. Posole always contains hominy. It's available in the canned vegetable section. Hominy is corn soaked in lye. The kernels become larger and have a richer, denser texture...very nice in a soup. So, to my pot of about four cups of turkey broth, I added chopped turkey, a can of diced tomatoes, one can of white hominy, a can of black beans, some chicken stock, and two packets of Goya Sazon seasoning, which is a mix of Latin spices including annato seed, which adds a nice color to soups. I chopped onion and red and yellow bell pepper and sauteed them in oil until softened and just beginning to brown, and added those to my soup pot. After simmering for a half hour, I tasted it and added a bit more salt and pepper. To serve, I crushed up some corn tortilla chips for the top. It was delicious....the best soup I have made in a long time. Glad we have enough for one more meal! :)

How to Brine a Turkey

I'm afraid people are going to start calling me the Crazy Turkey Brining Lady....the subject has come up many times this past week, and I've certainly done my best to share my enthusiasm. If you haven't already heard this in person at Isle Style, Publix or the Basilica School, here is how to do it:

In a large stock pot or brining bag (they have those now at the grocery store), combine about 2 gallons cold water with 1 cup kosher salt and 1 cup brown sugar. Stir to dissolve. Slice two oranges into quarters....do the same to two lemons. Toss in lime if you've got it or want to use it up. Add a handful of fresh rosemary stems, and a handful of fresh thyme stems. Add the thawed or fresh turkey - make sure you removed the package of giblets from inside the cavity! This needs to sit in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, and I usually do it overnight.

When it is time to get the turkey ready for the oven, remove it from the brine (discard the brine) and drain any remaining liquid by turning it upside down. Place in your roasting pan and dry with paper towels. Rub with softened butter or oil, and season liberally with salt and pepper, inside and out. I roast my turkey at 325 degrees. And here is another tip - start roasting it BREAST SIDE DOWN. About half way through, flip it over. This ensures that the breast meat won't dry out and the dark meat will cook through. There are many cooking time charts online to figure out just how long to cook your bird....just type in the weight. The photo is last year's Thanksgiving turkey....it was delicious!

Six days out....Thanksgiving prep

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and the traditional turkey dinner is my favorite meal to prepare. I look forward to it, and I really enjoy the planning and preparations. Brining the turkey is truly the best thing you can do for a moist, flavorful bird. Seriously. If you haven't done it yet, make this year the year....you will never go back, I promise! (I will post my brine recipe in my next post.) In Maryland, I would put the turkey and brine mixture outside on the patio over night, with a rock on the stock pot lid to prevent any squirrels or other critters from getting involved. The outside temp was always in the high 30s or low 40s, just like the inside of the refrigerator. Not the case here in Key West! So my first official prep project is to clean out our outside 'beer and bait' fridge to make room for the turkey and all the extras. I've been cleaning out the refrigerator in the kitchen all week, using up or discarding leftovers and produce. It's nice to have the space available, plus it's a great way to start the shopping list. This morning I am also going to go through the freezer and check the cabinets to see what staples I already have on hand. My small island kitchen dictates these inventories....I don't have the space to keep extra stuff. The photo below shows John's cooler contraption to brine the turkey for our first Thanksgiving here in 2010, before we had the second refrigerator. We had only lived here for seven months but we had a house full of friends join us. The more the merrier on Thanksgiving, for sure. :)

Two Recent Soups

Last week I made a minestrone, which is a great clean out the fridge and freezer soup. Any veggie can go in. I started it with onion, celery and carrot sweating in olive oil. I added a thick slice of ham I had frozen for just this purpose, dicing it into cubes. A few inches of chicken stock, and I brought it to a boil to form the flavor base. Eventually zucchini, potato, corn, green beans, canned tomatoes and white beans joined the pot. More stock, some chopped garlic, finely chopped rosemary, and some grated parmesan finished the soup. We ate it for two dinners. On Monday of this week I got a text that they needed a vegetarian soup for a luncheon at the girls school. Again, I looked to the veggies I already had on hand since I had just gone grocery and didn't want to make a special trip. Onion, celery, and carrot in oil. A few small red-skinned potatoes diced. Two crowns of broccoli, and three cloves of garlic, chopped. I added water to cover and let it simmer for 20 minutes or so. No chicken stock this time. Salt and pepper. I found a jar of roasted red peppers, so I chopped several slices for some color and sweetness. I used my immersion blender to puree the mixture, and I decided to add some shredded cheddar for body. Usually I would add a tablespoon or two of chicken base at this point, if I feel the soup needs some flavor. Instead, I added a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and a dash of hot sauce to round out the finished product. I hope the vegetarian teachers and staff enjoy it!

Spicy Chicken Corn Chowder

So here is my latest soup creation, and it's a good one! Chop two onions and sweat them in oil along with some chopped pickled jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper. After the onion is soft, add a large bag of frozen corn to the pot, along with chicken stock to just cover. Bring to a boil. Scrub a handful of red-skinned potatoes, quarter them, and add to the pot. I also added a half can of Rotel tomatoes with chilies that were left in the refrigerator from Sunday's huevos rancheros. Add more stock to cover and bring to a simmer. Taste to check seasoning. I pulled the meat from a rotisserie chicken....the 'mojo' version from Publix is one of my staples for soups, salads, enchiladas, etc. The girls ate most of the breast meat, but I chopped everything else and added it to the pot. Add more stock to cover, if needed. Turn the heat up to bring the soup to a boil. Add two heaping tablespoons of flour to a half-cup measuring cup, add water to fill, and whisk together with a fork to combine and to remove any lumps (do it over the sink!). When the soup is at a full boil, add the flour/water mixture (or slurry, if you want to get technical) and stir well to combine. This will thicken the broth....now the soup will have a more chowder-y mouth feel. Lower the heat back to simmer and stir as it thickens. This next step is completely optional, but since I was cleaning out the fridge while I was cooking last evening, I added the two half packages of shredded Cheddar from the deli drawer. Oh, and I crumbled three pieces of crisp cooked bacon left from the weekend. John would tell you the last two additions made the chowder so good, but it would be plenty tasty without them. To serve, I crushed up some tortilla chips to add some crunch. A friend (hey, Jasmine!) asked if she could do this in the crock pot. Yes, but with just a few changes. I would start with raw chicken breasts, cut into chunks and seasoned. Add the frozen corn, potatoes, Rotel tomatoes with juice, and onion, plus chicken stock to cover by a few inches. Cook on low. You may need to add more stock when you get home, and you may need to turn it up to high and add a slurry to thicken. Stir in cheese and bacon, if using, and top servings with the crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy. :)

Honeycrisp Apples

If you have never had a honeycrisp apple, you need to go out and buy some. Like right now. I promise it will be the most crisp, sweet and juicy apple you have ever eaten....it is the most apple-y of the apple varieties, at least that I have found. In Maryland, I would watch the signs at my favorite orchard for them to arrive each fall. I got my parents hooked on them, too. Honeycrisp is a relatively new variety but it has become very popular. Of course, we don't have local apples here in Key West, except for a tropical fruit called a sugar apple, which I still need to try. But we get Honeycrisp apples now through Thanksgiving from other states. We are about done with our second batch from Publix....so good! I miss my frequent trips to Catoctin Mountain Orchard in Maryland and to Hinish Orchard while visiting my family in Pennsylvania, but I'm glad I can enjoy a favorite taste of autumn so far south.

White Bean & Sausage Soup

I love to make soup. Everything goes in one pot, and you can use up all those leftover bits crowding the refrigerator. And leftover soup is even better! It always tastes better the second day. I make soup once a week, maybe every other week, and I make every soup pretty much the same way. I chop up onion, celery and carrot and saute in olive or canola oil. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Yesterday I added a pound of bulk sausage and cooked it along with the veggies. Here is the most important step for flavor - after the sausage is cooked through deglaze the pan with a few inches of chicken stock and boil for several minutes. This step creates that long simmered flavor without the extra time. Next I added three cans of small white beans (I drained and rinsed them first). Then more chicken stock to cover by a few inches and bring it to the boil. I added more salt and pepper and a tablespoon of chicken base. Simmer until the beans start to break down slightly and thicken the broth. Another great thing about making soup is that you can 'stretch it' for more guests by just throwing some more stuff in the pot....which is what I will have to do this evening. Last night when I was cleaning up I accidentally dropped the soup pot, sending a shower of beans all over the place. I didn't lose all of it, but boy did Murphy have a nice feast. :)

French Onion Soup

I received a five pound bag of yellow onions as part of my last organic veggie share, so I've had French Onion Soup on my mind. I grabbed a pile of cookbooks off the shelf to see if there was anything interesting to add to my usual recipe....not really. The key to good onion soup is slow cooking the onions until they are a rich brown and meltingly tender. I usually deglaze the pan with beef stock, but this time I took Ina Garten's advice and deglazed with 1/4 cup sherry before adding the stock. I found recipes for French Onion Soup in two different cookbooks by Garten, both pretty much the same. She is never one to shy away from butter, and she certainly likes some booze in her soup....along with the sherry she called for cognac or brandy, plus white wine. I brought my soup to a rolling boil and then turned off the heat to let it hang out and blend the flavors. When I tasted it later I added a bit of beef base and some more salt (I seasoned the onions with salt and pepper as they were cooking in the canola oil). To get that delicious crusty top, it is best to start with cold soup. I filled two bowls, added some croutons, and then the shredded gruyere. Put the bowls on a sheet pan and place in a hot oven until bubbly and golden.

Key West Pinks

That is what our locally harvested shrimp are called. They really are pink, even when raw. They are also sweet and tender when cooked well. Yesterday I stopped by Eaton Street Seafood on my way home from school (volunteer duties start early!) and bought two pounds. They have added some more gourmet and grocery items, and the owner told me they just acquired a license to sell beer and wine....heading towards one stop shopping. Along with the shrimp I got a lemon and a loaf of Rosemary-Olive Oil bread. With those extras I avoided a trip to Publix...nice! Once home I peeled and deveined, and put the shrimp to marinate with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Not long on the grill....perfection. Really yummy. For lunch today, I rough chopped the leftovers with two stalks of celery and mayo to bind. Seriously delicious on the toasted bread.

Summer Sangria

Sangria. The word just sounds summery. It's a great way to use up the wine that people bring to your dinner parties, and an economical way to provide drinks for a crowd. This afternoon I diced some pineapple, apple and watermelon into small chunks....that goes in the bottom of the pitcher. A generous splash of triple sec, plus a half cup or so of lime vodka gets poured over the fruit. I always let that sit for a bit before adding the wine. Today it will be an ice cold bottle of pinot grigio. In cooler weather I use brandy instead of lime vodka with pinot noir. You can add sugar to any sangria combo if you think it needs it. You can also add seltzer to make more of a spritzer. And you can get really creative with the fruit....frozen blueberries and orange wedges, diced strawberries and lemon slices, cranberries and lime. Well, look at that! It's 5 o'clock.....enjoy.

Lemony Zucchini Bread w/Recipe

I got four lovely zucchini in my weekly veggie share and I had a bag of lemons to use up, so I hit pinterest to find a quick bread recipe to use both. Several recipes called for buttermilk, which I don't have on hand today, but I found a good one.....a nice amount of zucchini and not too much sugar. I think that quick breads (ie, loaf breads made with baking soda and baking powder instead of yeast) which contain vegetables or fruit often work best with vegetable oil instead of butter. This applies to carrot, zucchini, banana, pumpkin and squash. I also find that grating the zucchini on the largest holes on a box grater works better than shredding it in the food processor. The grated version is dryer and somehow lighter, probably because it doesn't become weighted down with extra moisture. My 4 zukes made enough grated for three full size loaves with a bit left for freezing for my next batch of vegetable soup. This is the recipe I used:

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil

Using a mixer, blend to combine. Add the dry ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Grated zest from 2 small lemons

Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Leave in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely. 

The loaves turned out great, with a lovely lemon flavor and aroma. I may add a lemon glaze. Just some confectioners sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice, stir until smooth and drizzle over top. Enjoy!

Rainy Season = Kitchen Time

Yesterday I picked up my share of organic fruits and veggies from Annie's Organics. After a long hiatus, it felt like Christmas in July! When I resumed my weekly subscription to Key West's version of a CSA, I switched to a half share and added two dozen organic eggs. I love getting these boxes of organic goodies but I hate wasting any of it. Hopefully the smaller share will prevent much waste. I like to use the box as inspiration for my own personal 'Chopped' competition. And perfect timing with all of this rain! This is my fourth summer in Key West and I don't remember this much rain in any other rainy season. This is the RAINIEST of rain seasons. Lots of indoor time, for sure. Monday evening I made a pan of baked ziti with sausage. I've been using Al Fresco brand chicken sausage in place of pork sausage in recipes with great results. Great flavor, much less saturated fat. After emptying my box of stuff from Annie's, I gave myself extra points in my solo 'Chopped' competition for coming up with a meal using a new item PLUS finishing up leftover ingredients already in the refrigerator. I added the box of assorted cherry tomatoes to baby arugula already here, along with sliced red onion, blue cheese crumbles and bottled balsamic dressing. A perfect salad with the ziti. This morning, I dumped the leftover salad into a non stick pan with a touch of oil. A few of those organic eggs scrambled made for a lovely frittata. Now I have to figure out how many points I get for that...

Baked Ziti and Arugula Salad on Monday evening.

Leftover salad sauteed this morning.

Frittata!

Almost-No-Cooking Party Menu

This second week of summer was busy! Lots going on, plus getting the house ready to leave town, laundry ready to pack our bags, AND have a little going away party for friends. Since I love to cook, and I'm known for cooking, I can stress myself out about what to make when we have guests. But with the pace of this week I realized that I wasn't going to have time to do much preparation, plus, I didn't want to have a big kitchen mess to clean up. I ditched my original menu. At first I considered ordering pizzas and appetizers from our local go-to for that sort of thing, Big John's. Instead, I decided to see what inspiration I could find at GFS, Key West's answer to Costco. Mini hot dogs in puff pastry, check. A frozen Buffalo Chicken dip that could be placed in the oven frozen and baked in just 35 minutes. Tortilla chips (regular corn and blue corn) and a jar of fresh salsa from the cooler. I also found a nice sized wheel of brie. Off to Publix for the remaining ingredients - watermelon chunks, water crackers to serve with the brie and some macadamia nuts to top it. I found a Toasted Coconut sheet cake in the freezer there. The bakery lady wrote on it for me, and assured me it would be thawed perfectly in about 45 minutes. (It was!) When I got home, I turned on the oven and added the still frozen dip. I put the wheel of brie on a baking sheet, topping it with chopped fresh mango, brown sugar, and chopped macadamia nuts. I made a pitcher of margaritas, and had the watermelon, salsa, chips and salted cashews on the table when guests started arriving. I put the brie in the oven with the dip, giving it about 15 minutes at 375 to melt a bit. Both were big hits, and I would definitely purchase the dip again. Eventually I baked the hot dogs in puff pastry.....those always go in about two minutes! And the guests (most of whom I didn't know....co-workers of the guest of honor) brought some yummy additions - fried chicken, Caprese salad on crackers, chili con queso, extra chips, apples and caramel dip, beer and wine. We sliced the cake and I brought out chocolate cup cakes for the kids, also from Publix. It was a really fun party - casual, comfortable, fun and delicious. I need to stop stressing about entertaining and just do it more often!

Summer Smoothies

A great way to get some fruit, protein and antioxidants into your diet, all in one sip. We make them quite often to use up fruit when it's past its prime. Even more so when there's no school since making smoothies covers a snack AND an activity. I like to add frozen fruit instead of ice cubes, and some Greek yogurt for protein. This morning we made a family favorite, blueberry banana. Three extra ripe bananas, orange juice, blueberry Greek yogurt, and about 1 cup of frozen blueberries. Blend to combine, adding more juice to reach the desired consistency. The girls love to drink them in the pool. It is gorgeous in Key West today with sunny, blue skies and a nice breeze, so I had no problem heading outside to enjoy my smoothie. It is something I plan to do quite often this summer.

Greek on the Grill

One of my favorite meals is a Greek salad. I love the combination of crunchy lettuce, cucumber, tomato and onion with salty feta cheese and olives, mixed all together in a nice lemony vinaigrette. Add some chicken, or some tuna or shrimp. Or even a drizzle of hummus. Yum! I love to use those same flavors and textures with grilled meat or seafood. The other night we grilled some thin-cut New York strip. While it was resting to redistribute the juices, I tossed some flat bread on the grate. It only needs a minute or two per side, but it really enhances the texture and flavor. We loaded up the warm flat breads with sliced steak, chopped romaine, sliced tomato, cubed feta and a generous dollop of tzatziki sauce. To make the sauce, combine plain Greek yogurt with shredded cucumber, salt, chopped garlic, and lemon juice. If I have fresh dill I add that as well. Last night we turned plain old burgers on the grill into Greek burgers by topping them with everything we had put on our New York strips. I think we have yet another new favorite! It's also delicious on grilled chicken and shrimp.

Recipe Cards as Memories

Stuck at home with two sick little girls....time to start organizing stuff. I went through a small file box I brought from Maryland and spent some time remembering people and food-related events from my foodie past. When I owned Someone's in the Kitchen, I did cooking classes and had a loyal following of Maryland cooks. We covered entertaining menus, making stocks, easy weeknight dinners, grilling, wine, holiday baking and much more. I would have guest chefs in to teach every month or so, which was always fun. I got to assist or actually sit in class as a student....drinking wine and laughing with people who grew to be longtime friends. Every so often we would have a potluck class. I would demonstrate just one or two recipes and ask everyone else to bring a signature dish along with the recipe to be copied and shared. I went through some of those cards this morning and it was like a little visit with people I haven't seen in years! And I need to make some of these things now that I found the recipes. Toby's Chocolate Nut Zucchini Cake, Gretchen's Greek Vinaigrette from a Greek church in Pittsburgh, and the best fruit salad drizzle I have ever tasted, Lara's Amaretto Fruit Dip. We don't have many family mementos here in Key West. All of that stuff is in storage in Maryland. So it was nice to find two cards hand written by my grandmothers, both of whom passed in the last two years.  I also found the recipe cards from a charity lunch event I attended in Baltimore where I actually MET Martha Stewart back in the day when she was all the rage. And the handwritten quantities for La Paz margaritas (I remember finally asking for that sitting at the bar upstairs at the old site) and the Maryland Fried Chicken that John used to love from...sadly I can't remember the name of the place, but I'll keep it since you never know when I may need to make fried chicken for 50.

Recipes from Martha's event.

Recipes from cooking classes.