For vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled

1/4 cup sliced almonds
20 red seedless grapes
1 crisp apple such as Fuji
8 ounces mesclun (mixed baby lettuces)
1/4 cup crumbled Stilton cheese (about 1 ounce)

Preperation

Make vinaigrette:
In a large bowl whisk together mustard and vinegar. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Whisk in tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a shallow baking pan toast almonds in middle of oven until pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes, and cool. Halve grapes. Core apple and cut into 16 wedges. Add mesclun to vinaigrette and toss to coat well.
Divide greens and apple slices among 4 plates and top with grapes, cheese, and almonds.

Serves 4.

12 small scallions, trimmed to 6-inch lengths
1 (1-lb) piece flank steak (roughly 6 to 7 inches square)
1/4 cup sake (Japanese rice wine)
1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil Special equipment: a meat pounder; kitchen string

Prepare scallions:
Blanch scallions in a pot of boiling salted water 45 seconds, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Transfer scallions to paper towels to drain and pat dry. Prepare beef:
Cut flank steak with the grain holding a large knife at a 30-degree angle to cutting board into 12 (1/8-inch-thick) slices (1 1/2 to 2 inches wide). Arrange slices 1 inch apart on a very lightly oiled sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap, then cover with another very lightly oiled sheet of parchment or plastic wrap (oiled side down) and pound slices with flat side of meat pounder until about 1/16 inch thick.

Assemble rolls:
Arrange 3 beef slices side by side on a fresh sheet of plastic wrap, overlapping slices slightly to form a 6-inch square with short ends of slices nearest you. Sprinkle square lightly with a pinch of salt, then lay 3 scallions (with some white parts at both ends) across slices at end closest to you and tightly roll up meat around scallions to form a log, using plastic wrap as an aid. Tie log with kitchen string at ends and where meat slices overlap. Make 3 more negimaki rolls in same manner.

Marinate rolls:
Stir together sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.

Put rolls in a small baking dish and pour marinade over them, turning to coat. Marinate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, turning occasionally, 15 minutes.

Cook rolls:
Heat a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. While skillet is heating, lift rolls out of marinade, letting excess drip off, and pat dry. (Save marinade.) Add oil to skillet, swirling to coat bottom, then cook rolls, turning with tongs, until well browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer rolls to cutting board. Add marinade to skillet and boil until slightly syrupy, 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Cut off and discard strings, then cut each roll crosswise into 6 slices. Pour sauce into a shallow serving dish and arrange negimaki in sauce.

Cooks’ note:
Negimaki can be rolled and tied (but not marinated or cooked) 4 hours ahead and chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap.

Makes 4 main-course or 6 hors d’oeuvre servings.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 tablespoon of unsaled butter, melted
• 3 apples – peeled, cored, and chopped
• 3/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/8 cup chopped blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter, chilled
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (the real stuff if you can get it)

1. In a small bowl, mix flour, almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon together. Add chilled butter and vanilla extract. Cut together with a pastry blender until small crumbs form.
2. Unfold pastry and cut into a 10 inch circle. Place on a large, ungreased baking sheet. Brush with melted butter. Arrange apples in the center of the pastry, leaving a 1/2 inch wide border of pastry. Spoon almond topping gently over the apples, being careful it doesn't spill over the edges of the pastry.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

For Rum Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons white or dark rum. Spiced rum also works quite well.

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix together the sugar and cornstarch, and stir into the butter. Pour in milk, and cook stirring frequently until the mixture begins to boil. Continue cooking until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in rum. Serve warm.

-1 1/2 cups butter, softened
-2 cups white sugar
-4 eggs
-1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
-5 cups all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-A pinch of salt.

DIRECTIONS:
1.In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven.

4.Cool completely and serve.

I like to ice the cookies when they have cooled, but it's not necessary. If you'd like to ice them, and make your own icing, here's a recipe I use quite often.

Buttercream Icing

-1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons shortening
-1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons butter, softened
-3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3 cups confectioners' sugar
-1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons milk

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to use.

Ingredients

4 cups chilled cranberry juice cocktail
2 cups chilled orange juice
2 cups vodka
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Ice cubes
2 oranges, thinly sliced

Directions
Mix first 8 ingredients in large glass pitcher; stir until well blended. Refrigerate 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Fill 8 tall glasses with ice cubes. Pour punch over. Garnish each glass with orange slice and serve.

Serves 8.

ingredients
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 bananas, halved lengthwise, then crosswise
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch of ground cardamom
Pinch of ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Accompaniment: vanilla ice cream

preperation

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of bananas, cut sides down first, turning over once, until golden, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spatula to 2 dessert bowls. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and sauté remaining bananas in same manner, transferring to 2 more bowls.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over moderate heat, then add brown sugar, cream, cardamom, a pinch of nutmeg, and a pinch of salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.

Spoon sauce over bananas and ice cream.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced
6 small skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
9 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup and one tbs fresh lime juice

1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, diced
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
Chopped fresh cilantro
Minced jalapeño chilies
Lime slices

Preperation
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and stir 20 seconds. Add chicken and oregano to pot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and lime juice and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide crushed tortilla chips among 6 bowls. Ladle soup into bowls. Top soup with avocados, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and jalapeños. Garnish with lime slices and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 cup soy sauce
* 1/2 cup of kiwi juice
* 3 tablespoons white sugar
* 2.5 tablespoons chopped garlic
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
* 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
* 1 (2 pound) beef rump roast, sliced into thin strips
* 1 onion, cut into thin strips
* Kochujang to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, mix together soy sauce, kiwi juice, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds, black pepper, and monosodium glutamate. Place beef and onions into the mixture, and stir to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

2. Preheat grill. Brush oil over grill pan, and add beef and onions. Cook, turning to brown evenly, for 3 to 6 minutes, or until done.

Ingredients
1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, diced
1 tomato, seeded, diced
2 green onions, finely sliced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 jalapeño chili, minced
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, diced

Preperation
Combine first 5 ingredients in bowl.
(Can be made up to 3 hours ahead; refrigerate.)

Stir in diced avocado and season to taste with salt and pepper.

nutritional info
Per 1/4-cup serving: calories, 40; fat, 3 g; sodium, 3 mg; cholesterol, 0 mg

makes about 3 cups.

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, blend soy milk, water, 1/4 cup margarine, sugar, syrup, flour, vanilla and salt. Cover and chill the mixture for at least 2 hours. [[hint: Chilling the batter overnight makes them easier to flip.]]

2. Lightly grease a 5 to 6 inch skillet with a little soy margarine. Heat the skillet until hot. Pour approximately 3 tablespoons batter into the skillet. Swirl to make the batter cover the skillet's bottom. Cook until golden, flip and cook on opposite side.

Makes 4 servings