Review of last recipe (photo above) - The cake got stuck to the bottom of the pan when I inverted it (talk about a mess!), and I had to piece together something to photograph.  It's quite delicious, with the instant potatoes being substituted for flour (and I used buttered flavored since that was the only 4 serving size available for me to buy, and I wouldn't think of eating instant mashed potatoes).  I would make this again, and would serve it with a dollop of whipped cream.

TODAY'S RECIPE - BASQUE CHICKEN
Serve over rice...

Serves 4-6

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 3 1/2 lb frying chicken, cut into 6 pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
4 large tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped
4 oz lean ham, diced
1 4 oz jar pimientos, drained and sliced OR 1 small roasted red pepper,
      peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture, shaking off excess.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides.  Transfer to a 3-4 qt baking dish with tight-fitting lid. 

Drain oil from skillet.  Add tomatoes and ham, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently; 5 minutes.  Stir in pimientos or roasted red pepper.  Add wine and simmer 3-4 minutes.  Pour over chicken in dish. 

Cover and bake until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.  Garnish with parsley and serve over rice.

Review of last recipe (photo above) - The picture isn't representative of the recipe.  Because this was going to be dinner for me and my husband, I needed an accompaniment, and I thought it might work with pasta.  So you can't really see the mushrooms, tomatoes and green onions because they were mixed with the linguine underneath the calamari.  This was my first time frying calamari, and I know that it either has to cook very quickly or very slowly in order to be tender.  Well, it was chewy, and way too big of a process (ie. mess) for me to ever want to make it again.

TODAY'S RECIPE - ALMOND-POTATO CAKE

Serves 8

1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg (4-serving size) instant mashed potatoes
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup unblanched almonds, ground
confectioners' sugar (optional)

Bring water and salt to a boil, then remove from heat.  Stir in potatoes; cool.

Cream butter and sugar until light.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then almond extract, almonds and potatoes until blended.

Turn into greased and floured 8" square baking pan.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely on rack. 

Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar or serve with a custard sauce, if you'd like.

Review of last recipe - I didn't thicken the sauce (would rather go sauce-less for lower caloric intake), so it looks a little greasy in the pic, but the meat is tender and flavorful; it just melts in your mouth.

TODAY'S RECIPE - CALAMARI PROVENCALE
From a Bon Appetit October 1983 column from a Trenton NJ woman asking for the recipe from Charley's Place in Langhorne PA.  Looked online, but the restaurant doesn't appear to be in existence anymore.

Serves 6-8

4 lbs cleaned squid
milk
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
oil

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 medium tomatoes; peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup quartered mushrooms
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp dry vermouth
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Place squid in large non-aluminum bowl and cover with milk.  Let stand 3 hours.

Discard milk.  Add eggs to squid and toss to coat.  Combine flour, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in medium bowl.  Dip squid into flour mixture, coating completely and shaking off excess.  Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet or tray.

Pour oil into a large saucepan or deep fryer and heat to 375 degrees.  Add squid in batches and deep fry until golden on all sides.  Drain well on paper towels.

Melt 1/2 cup butter with parsley and 1/4 tsp chopped garlic in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add fried squid and saute 3-4 minutes.  Transfer to heated platter and keep warm.

Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over high heat.  Add tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, lemon juice, vermouth, garlic, thyme and seasoning and cook 3 minutes.  Spoon sauce over squid and serve.

Review of last recipe - YES, just what I remembered.  I had low expectations when I piped the batter onto the cookie sheet, but they puffed up while cooking and are really delicious!

TODAY'S RECIPE - BARBECUED SHORT RIBS
Cook these in a slow cooker.  What could be easier?

Makes 4-6 servings

6 lbs. short ribs
1 bottle (12 oz) chili sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup frozen chopped onion (I'm using fresh)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp wine vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp salt

Trim excess fat from ribs and place in a single layer on a pan (disposable foil pan, or foil lined jellyroll pan), and bake in a 450 degree oven for 30 minutes, turning once.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.  Place 1/3 cup of the chili mixture in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Dip ribs, one at a time, in the remaining chili mixture and place in the slow cooker.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the ribs.

Cover the slow cooker and set to low.  Cook for 8-12 hours or until they are tender.

Remove the ribs to serving platter.  Pour cooking liquid into a 4-cup measure and allow the fat to rise to the top.  Skim the fat off.  If desired, to thicken the sauce, combine 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup water for each cup of the cooking liquid in a small cup.  Heat cooking liquid in a medium sized saucepan and stir in cornstarch mixture.  Heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles.   Spoon some over the ribs, and serve additional on the side. 

Review of last recipe (photo above) - Sorry ... I had taken a picture of just the shrimp, but my card wasn't in the camera (I left it in my computer), so had to take the picture while my husband was in the act of eating dinner.  On the side, I sauteed veggies and added some bulgher to it.  This was easy and quite delicious!

TODAY'S RECIPE - ALMOND MACAROONS
Another macaroon recipe .. and I'm hoping more like what I used to have in my youth.  Chewy and golden. This is from October 1983 Bon Appetite column that ran asking for this recipe from The Denver Athletic Club.  In looking up the DAC, it's a huge place with 150,000 square feet of fitness area and 150,000 feet of social area (with a ballroon, etc), and multiple dining options.  Those lucky Denverites!

Makes about 5 dozen

8 oz almond paste
1/3 cup egg whites (2-3)
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Combine almond paste with 1/4 of the egg whites in a medium bowl, and blend with an electric mixer at low speed until just combined.  Add remaining egg whites with sugars and blend about 2 minutes; do not overmix.

Spoon mixture into pastry bag fitted with #8 plain round tip.  Pipe onto prepared baking sheets in rounds about 1" in diameter, spacing 1" apart.  Bake until lightly colored, about 10 minutes.  Slide macaroons (still on parchment) onto racks to cool, then peel off paper.

Store macaroons in airtight container.

Review of last recipe (photo above) - The meat was tender, but was in need of salt and pepper.  The sauce broke down too much.  It was just ok, although the husband liked it.

TODAY'S RECIPE - BROILED SHRIMP WITH GARLIC SAUCE
Circa 1980 ...

Serves 2 (+) ... it's 1980, 1/2 lb of shrimp per person was the norm

1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup oil (it's 1980, so it states vegetable; I will substitute olive)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Preheat broiler.

Melt butter in a shallow broiler pan large enough to hold one layer of shrimp.  Do not let the butter brown.  Stir in oil, lemon juice, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper.  Add shrimp and turn them in the mixture until well coated.

Broil 3 inches from the heat, about 5 minutes, turn and broil 5 minutes longer on the other side until slightly browned and tender, but firm.  Do not overcook.

Transfer shrimp onto serving dish, pour sauce on top and sprinkle with parsley.  Serve with rice.

Review of last recipe - Not really that great to look at, but they taste really good. 

TODAY'S RECIPE - BARBECUED BEEF STRIPS
This recipe was created by Mrs. Leroy Scott of Hecla, SD ... you can imagine how old this recipe is as Mrs. Scott doesn't have a first name.  In googling leroy scott helca sd, nothing came up ... This recipe was one of 168 National Beef Cook-Off prizewinners that were published in a paperback cookbook by the American National CowBells, Inc., in cooperation with the National Live Stock and Meat Board.  The Cowbells weren't google-able either.  I'm guessing this recipe goes back pre-1980.

Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours
Serves 6

2 lbs. round steak,  3/4" thick
1/3 cup spicy brown mustard
1/4 - 1/3 cup flour
5 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (I prefer red, so will substitute)
1/4 cup minced celery leaves
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Cut the steak into strips about 1 1/2" wide and 3" long.  Lightly brush each with mustard, then dip in flour.  Allow coated strips to air dry at room temperature about 30-45 minutes (this helps to make the coating stick for even browning).

Brown strips a few at a time in 4 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet.  As the meat browns, transfer to a shallow 2 quart casserole.  Add remaining oil to the skillet and stir fry the garlic, onion, pepper, celery leaves and parsley just until limp; about 5 minutes.  Blend in tomato sauce, water, cider vinegar, sugar and salt and simmer slowly, scraping up browned bits on bottom of skillet, about 10 minutes.  Pour tomato sauce over meat, cover and bake in 325 degree oven for 2 hours, or until meat is fork tender.  Serve over potatoes or rice.