Avocado and Chicken Tortas

1 fully ripened Mexican avocado
2 (6-inch) sandwich rolls (such as Portuguese or submarine rolls), halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 ounces grilled chicken breast, sliced
1 cup shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
1 tomato, sliced
2/3 cup mashed black beans, divided
1/4 cup pickled jalapeño pepper slices
Cut lengthwise around middle of avocado; twist avocado to separate halves; strike pit with a knife
blade to remove; scoop out pulp with a spoon.
In a small bowl, mash avocado.
To assemble tortas: Spread mashed avocado on cut sides of rolls, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper. On bottom halves, layer sliced chicken, lettuce, tomato, black beans and
jalapeño pepper slices. Firmly press tops of rolls on tortas.
Yield: 2 sandwiches

Avocado Bacon Sandwiches

1/4 pound bacon slices, chopped
1 ripe avocado
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons butter, softened
4 large slices whole wheat bread
Lemon twist and parsley sprig, to garnish
Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Peel avocado, taking care not to remove bright green flesh just inside the skin. Cut in half and
remove seed. In a bowl, mash avocado, then stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Butter two slices of bread. Spread avocado mixture on buttered sides of 2 bread slices. Scatter
bacon over avocado. Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered sides down, and press
together.
Cut off bread crusts. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles. Arrange on a serving plate, garnished
with a lemon twist and parsley sprig.

Avocado Chicken Melt

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 firm ripe avocado, peeled and sliced thin, divided
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
4 wheat bread slices, toasted
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped sweet red bell pepper
Rinse chicken with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place between two sheets of plastic
wrap and pound to flatten to 1/4-inch thickness.
In resealable plastic bag, combine cornmeal and garlic salt. Add chicken; close bag and toss to
coat well. In large nonstick frying pan, heat oil. Cook chicken in hot oil for 2 minutes per side or
until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan and place in shallow baking pan.
Place half of avocado slices over chicken and sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese. Bake at 350
degrees F for 15 minutes or until chicken is done and cheese is melted.
Place each chicken breast on a slice of toast. Top with remaining avocado slices. In small bowl,
combine yogurt and pepper; serve with chicken.
Yields 4 servings.

Avocado Quesadillas

2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 firm-ripe Haas avocado, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6- to 7-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups coarsely grated Monterey jack cheese
Fresh cilantro sprigs (for garnish)
In a small bowl stir together tomatoes, avocado, onion, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. Season
with salt and pepper.
In another small bowl stir together sour cream and cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat broiler. Put tortillas on a large baking sheet and brush tops with oil. Broil tortillas on a
rack set 2 to 4 inches from heat until pale golden. Turn tortillas and broil until other sides are pale
golden. Sprinkle tortillas evenly with cheese and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling. Spread
avocado mixture evenly over tortillas and top each with 1 of remaining tortillas, cheese side down,
to make 2 quesadillas. Transfer quesadillas to a cutting board and cut each into 4 wedges.
Top each wedge with a heaping teaspoon of sour cream mixture and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Avocado Monte Cristo

A signature sandwich served west-coast style. Fresh avocados layered with turkey, Jalapeno
Jack cheese, cilantro and salsa.
Serves 12
3/4 cup garlic mayonnaise (aioli)
24 slices firm white sandwich bread
6 California avocados (3 pound)
48 (1 ounce) slices sliced roasted chicken or turkey (3 pound)
24 (1 ounce) slices sliced Jalapeno Jack cheese
16 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Unsalted butter, as needed
3 cups fresh fruit salsa of choice
12 fresh cilantro sprigs
Spread 1/2 tablespoon garlic mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread. Cover 12 slices of
bread with avocado slices. Top each with 2 slices of chicken or turkey and 1 slice cheese. Cover
each with remaining slice of bread, spread-side down, diagonally cut each in half. Reserve.
Beat together egg, milk, and salt; reserve. Dip 2 halves of a sandwich in egg mixture, coating
well. Brown in hot butter, about 2 minutes per side.
Serve with 1/4 cup fresh fruit salsa. Garnish with a cilantro sprig.

PIZZA HUT PIZZA DOUGH

1 1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/8 teaspoon MSG
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
(You may use all-purpose flour only for this recipe)

Bread machine: Add ingredients to machine bread pan in order
 given or as per
manufacturer's instructions. Set to 'dough' mode.

Food processor:
Place water, sugar, salt and olive oil in bowl of food processor
 and pulse
to dissolve sugar and salt. Add yeast, bread flour, all purpose
 flour other
dry ingredients. Process until a soft ball forms. Remove from
 machine and
allow to rest, covered with a tea towel, about 45 minutes.

Dough hook:
Place water, sugar, salt and olive oil in bowl of mixer and
dissolve sugar
and salt. Stir in yeast, bread flour, all purpose flour, other
 dry
ingredients and knead with dough hook to form a soft, but not-too
 sticky
dough (about 8 minutes). Remove from machine and allow to rest,
 covered with
a tea towel about 45 minutes.

By Hand:
In this case, use only all-purpose flour. Place water, sugar,
salt and olive
oil in bowl and dissolve sugar and salt. Stir in yeast, all purpose
 flour,
other dry ingredients and knead to form a soft, but not-too sticky
 dough
(about 8-l0 minutes). Allow to rest, covered with a tea towel about
 45
minutes.

(*) For a breadier pizza dough - depending on taste and recipe
 requirements,
you can add an additional 1/4 tsp. yeast.

Deflate dough very gently before using and allow it to rest a
further 15
minutes before using in a recipe. You may refrigerate dough in
 an oiled
plastic bag for up to two days.

PIZZA HUT CAVATINI

Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        WALDINE VAN GEFFEN
                        VGHC42A-----
   4       c            Uncooked assorted pasta --
                        Cook al dente
   2       lb           Ground round
   2       tb           Oil
   1 1/2   pk           Onion soup mix
  28       oz           Stewed tomatoes -- sliced
                        Styl
   1       cn           V-8 juice -- (6 ounces)
   1       lb           Jar Prego spaghetti sauce --
                        Flavored in meat
     1/2   c            Grape jelly
                        Mozzarella cheese
                        Provolone cheese

  Brown the meat in oil. Crumble with a fork, browning
  until the pink color disappears. Turn heat to low. Add
  remaining ingredients. Stir lightly to combine. Allow
  sauce to cook, uncovered about 20 minutes, but do not
  let it boil. Alternate layers of cooked pasta, the
  sauce and slices of  mozzarella and half the provolone
  ~ sufficiently to fill individualau  gratin dishes -
  or small oven-proof serving dishes.

Popeye's Dirty Rice

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        -----WALDINE VAN GEFFEN VGHC42A-----
   1      pound         Spicy bulk breakfast sausage
   1      Can           clear chicken broth -- (14 ounces)
     1/2  cup           Long-grain rice
   1      teaspoon      Dry minced onion

Brown sausage in skillet until pink color disappears, crumbling with  fork.
Stir in broth, rice and minced onion. Simmer gently, covered, 18 to  20
minutes or until rice is tender and most of broth is absorbed.

Olive Garden Tiramisu Dessert

1 sponge cake (10-12") - about 3" tall
3 oz strong black coffee
3 oz brandy or rum
 1½ lbs mascarpone - room temp
1½ cups superfine/powdered sugar
unsweetened cocoa powder

Cut across middle of sponge cake forming two layers,
 each about 1½" high. Blend coffee and brandy.

Sprinkle enough of mixture over bottom half of cake to
 flavor it strongly. Don't moisten cake too much or it
may collapse on serving. Beat room-temperature cheese and
 1 cup sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and cheese
 is light and spreadable. test for sweetness during beating,
 adding more sugar if needed. Spread cut surface of bottom
layer with half of the cheese mixture. Replace second layer
 and top this with remaining cheese mixture. Sprinkle top
liberally with sifted cocoa. Refrigerate cake for at least
 2 hours before cutting and serving.

Chicago Hot Dogs

All-beef hot dogs

Green sweet bell pepper, diced

Yellow onions, diced

Mustard

Sweet pickle relish

Dill pickle chips

Cucumbers, sliced thin

Iceberg lettuce, shredded

Tomatoes, diced

Hot peppers (pepperoncini)

Celery salt

Steam hot dogs and put condiments on table. NEVER USE CATSUP! Celery salt is a MUST!

Serve on poppy seed buns, if they are available.

Chicken Crescents

3 ounces cream cheese

1 to 2 large cans chicken

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup crushed croutons

2 tablespoons melted butter

Cream butter and cream cheese with milk, salt, and pepper. Blend in the chicken. Open crescent

package, and create four rectangles with the crescents, don’t tear them into triangles. Place 1/4

of chicken mixture in the center of each rectangle. Pull the corners up around the chicken and

seal. Brush with butter, and top with crushed croutons. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Calzones

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 pound)

1 cup sliced, fresh mushrooms

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/4 cups milk

1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (17 1/2 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

8 thin slices deli ham

4 slices Provolone cheese

Place chicken in a greased 2-quart dish, cover with water. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for

30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Meanwhile in skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender.

Combine cornstarch and milk until smooth, stir into skillet mix. Add basil and seasonings. Bring to

a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened. Drain chicken.

Cut pastry sheets in half widthwise. On one side of each half, place a chicken breast, 1/4 cup

mushroom mixture, two ham slices and one cheese slice. Fold pastry over fillings and seal edges.

Place on a greased baking sheet. Brush tops with milk if desired. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20

minutes or until puffed and golden.

Serves 4.

Cherry Chicken Salad Sandwich

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

3 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Lettuce leaves

Chopped fresh parsley

2 to 4 croissants

Combine chicken, cherries and onions in a large bowl; mix well. In another bowl, combine

mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice and pepper; pour over chicken mixture. Mix gently. Refrigerate,

covered, 1 to 2 hours.

Spoon chicken salad onto sliced croissants; top with lettuce. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Makes 2 to 4 servings, depending on size of croissants.

Cheesteak Po’Boy

6 super-thin slices beef

2 teaspoons oil

Salt and pepper

French loaf, split

3 slices mozzarella cheese

1 cup very thinly-sliced onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a very hot skillet sear beef in 1 teaspoon of oil, about 30 seconds per side, or until just

browned. Season with salt and black pepper. Stuff meat into open bread loaf. Top with cheese

and bake until bread is slightly crispy and cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in the same skillet and sauté onions until tender. When sandwich is

ready, top sandwich with onions.

Serve with potato chips.

Yields 1 sandwich.

Cheesesteak Pockets

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1 (14 ounce) package frozen beef or chicken sandwich steaks,

separated into 8 portions

1 can Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup

1 (4 1/2 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

4 (6-inch) pita breads, cut in half, forming two pockets

Heat oil in skillet. Add onion and cook until tender. Add sandwich steaks and cook until browned.

Pour off fat. Ad soup and mushrooms and heat through. Spoon meat mixture into pita pockets.

Serves 4.

Cheese Sandwiches

1 jar Old English cheese spread

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine

1 clove garlic, crushed

Mix well. Cut crusts from bread. Cut into halves or fourths. Cover top and sides with cheese

spread. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.

These freeze well.

Cheese Flautas

In a pan a littler larger than a corn tortilla, melt enough shortening or lard to fill it 1/4 inch deep.

With tongs dip a corn tortilla in the hot shortening or lard for a few seconds, just long enough so

that it is soft and pliable. Remove and lay on a plate. Sprinkle grated Longhorn or Monterey Jack

cheese down the center of the tortilla. Place 1 tablespoon tomato puree in the center of the

cheese. Lay a strip of green chile about 1/2 inch wide on top of the cheese. Roll the tortilla up into

a cigar-shape without pinching ends together. Fry until brown on both sides.

These are delicious served with guacamole and sour cream on the side

Carnival Corn Dogs

8 hot dogs

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 cup pancake mix

2/3 cup water

Mix together cornmeal, sugar, pancake mix and water. Dip franks in batter, draining the excess

over the bowl. Fry in deep fat for 2 to 3 minutes at 375 degrees F. Drain on paper towels.

Carnitas

This is one thing you can do with extra pork roast. Serve with warmed flour tortillas, more lime

juice and finely chopped avocado.

2 to 3 cups cooked pork roast pieces

At least 1/2 cup chopped scallions

Juice of 1 Mexican lime

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped garlic

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients in a roasting pan coated with nonstick spray. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes

on highest rack in oven. Then turn on broiler and broil about 5 minutes to desired shade of brown.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Candied Corned Beef Sandwiches

1 (4 pound) corned beef brisket

20 black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon molasses

Place brisket in a pot and cover with water. Add peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to a

simmer. Cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until fork tender, Set aside and make glaze.

Glaze

Drain corned beef and place on a foiled baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix together sugar, soy sauce, mustard, ginger, ketchup, pepper flakes and molasses.

Brush brisket with glaze. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, re-glazing two times while baking.

Refrigerate overnight and slice across the grain very thin for sandwiches.

Yield: 10 sandwiches