Menu for the Week of June 1, 2014

Weekly Menu at One Perfect Bite... 

Beans, Biscuits and Bread Part Two - Cornmeal and Buttermilk Biscuits

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I found the recipe for these biscuits on the Food Network website. It caught my eye because I was looking for something to serve with the bean trio that was being sampled for the holiday barbecue. I thought the touch of cornmeal would add some texture to the biscuits and go well with the spicy sweet flavor of the beans we were testing. I must tell you, these biscuits are lovely. I do want to clarify what I think was meant by the specification for "polenta-style" cornmeal. I think it is fair to categorize any medium to coarse ground cornmeal as "polenta-style" and if you avoid the really finely ground type you'll be fine. As with any biscuit, you'll want to use an easy hand and be sure not to overwork the dough. This recipe can be doubled if you have a gang to feed. Do give these biscuits a try. I really think you'll like them. Here is how they're made.

Beans, Biscuits and Bread Part 1 - Cowboy Baked Beans

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I found three contenders for the beans I was asked to prepare for the barbecue today. When I learned that burgers and bratwurst were to be the main feature of  the "cue", any plans for an upscale dish were discarded and, despite the Silver Fox's  insistence that cassoulet would be perfect, I exercised my veto power and narrowed my search to what I hoped would be American barbecue favorites. Trouble is, I don't have a lot of recipes for beans and I don't make them often. Tea may work for two, but beans, when there are just two diners at the table, requires a commitment I'm not willing to make on a regular basis. So, of course, luck of the draw being what it is, I was the person asked to bring beans to barbecue where we will be meeting our new neighbors. I wanted them to be especially good because these folks don't know that I can cook, and I wanted their first impression of my abilities to be positive. While this will come as no surprise to those who know me, I ended up making a big deal about something that should have been really simple. I found and tested three recipes for good old American beans and, as it turned out, all three were exceptional. I decided my first feature would be the Cowboy Beans because they will go so well with a simple barbecue menu. These beans are sweet and have some heat, and I think they will appeal to anyone who likes beans with their burgers and brats. The recipe, which comes from America's Test Kitchen is clear and simple to follow, so you'll have no trouble duplicating their results, but do be sure to use a strong cup of coffee and a barbecue sauce that you are familiar with. The trick with these simple recipes is to layer flavors wherever you can, so be sure your ingredients are up to muster. These beans can be made several days before you plan to serve them, so they are definitely hostess friendly. I hope you'll give them a try. Hot and sweet is hard to beat. Here is the recipe.

My Best Burgers for Your Holiday Barbecue

Chances are you'll be firing up the grill at some point this holiday weekend. I thought you might enjoy this retrospective of burger recipes that I have featured in past posts. They are all easy to prepare and a bit unusual without being weird or contrived. I hope you'll have the opportunity to try one or two of them. I know you'll enjoy them.

Menu for the Week of May 25, 2014

Weekly Menu at One Perfect Bite... 

Before going to the menu for the week, I wanted to address an issue that is frustrating many of you. I understand that Feedburner email subscriptions are no longer being delivered to many of my readers. I've learned the problem is not specific to this blog and many of you are not receiving email from any of the blogs to which you subscribe. The problem appears to be related to DMARC changes that were instituted by Google a couple of months ago. With the help of the readers who reported the problem to me, I've come up with some workarounds that seem to circumvent the problem at least for readers here.

First, if you are not receiving anticipated email, please check your spam folder. In many instances the subscription posts are there and simply identifying them as legitimate - not spam - will clear up the problem.

Second, if your problem is more pervasive, and the system will not allow you to resubscribe, contact me via email with your email address. It will be necessary for me to delete you from the subscription list, but once that is done and you've been notified that you can proceed, you will be able to resubscribe. Thank you for your forbearance.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Stuffed Eggplant Creole

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple recipe is for a stuffed eggplant dish that is both inexpensive to make and delicious to eat. The ingredients needed to prepare it are readily available and I think you'll be able to find the Grapenuts in the cereal aisle of your grocery store. Just be sure to get the original cereal rather than the newer flaked variety. The nut-like morsels of the original give some texture to the soft filling while also helping to absorb excess moisture in the stuffing. This is a very old recipe that was published back in 1969 in The New McCall's Cook Book. I still have my dogeared copy of the book and while many of the recipes it contains have been eclipsed by time, this is one that those of you with gardens might want to try this summer. It is easy to follow and the minimal cost of its ingredients make it a perfect candidate for a Frugal Friday feature. I've pretty much kept with the original recipe, save for the omission of a 1/4 cup of butter that was used in the breadcrumb topping. Delicious, but verboten these days. I do hope you'll give it a try. Here is how this version of stuffed eggplant is made.

Let's Dish - Dish Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."Pride goeth before the fall." I was a bit taken back today when I was asked to make beans for a neighborhood get together. I had hoped to contribute something a bit more challenging, but the the Silver Fox restored my spirits when he pointed out that it could have been worse. I could have been asked to bring the wine. At least this way, I'll have plenty of wine to sip as I prepare the beans. While searching for an outstanding bean dish, I came across the recipe for the Dish Bread that I'm sharing with you tonight. It comes from the Texas Cooking website and it makes the easiest yeast bread that I have ever encountered. It's also PDG. The finished loaf has a lovely crumb and a crust that is only slightly resistant to the tooth. It is also one of those loaves whose aroma when baking will drive men mad. This bread is truly effortless to make and your only problem might be finding a pan to bake it in. The "dough" is an extremely loose, amoeba-like batter  and you'll need a rounded pan or casserole dish to bake it in. I ended up using one of my vegetable serving bowls to provide the structure needed to make a rounded rather than flat loaf. This is one of those recipes that I didn't think would work, but it was so simple I had to give it a try. I'm glad I did and I am delighted to pass it onto you. Here is the recipe for this rather extraordinary bread.

Waist Watchers Special - Bean and Broccoli Soup with Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This nutritious, low-calorie soup comes together quickly and is great to serve with a salad or more substantial man-sized sandwich. It is thickened with pureed beans, and while it does use cheese, the beans help keep the quantity needed to thicken the soup under control. The soup will probably need more salt than is suggested in the recipe and you'll definitely want to use a really sharp cheese to flavor it. I use both cheddar and Parmesan cheese to get the taste I want in this type of soup. It takes about 20 minutes to make this, and I know that those of you who try it will be pleased. The Silver fox calls this Shrek Soup, a moniker that needs no further explanation. Color and calories aside, I hope you'll give this simple soup a try. You won't regret it. Here is how it's made.

Table for Two - Lemon Blueberry Cobbler

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's really hard to find dessert recipes designed for two people. This one comes from Gourmet magazine and it was featured on one of Sara Moulton's shows over a decade ago. I still use it when I have a supply of truly flavorful, fresh or frozen berries on hand. These berries actually moved with us. Space made it necessary to be more selective with my pots and pans, and the need to winnow led to the elimination of duplicates in my collection of bakeware. I kept most of my 9-inch pans but smaller sizes were sent to the Salvation Army for redistribution. While it's embarrassing to admit, I actually had to borrow an 8-inch pan to make this dessert, providing yet another example of my penchant to demonstrate that we "grow too soon old and too late smart". I think you'll like this dessert, especially if you serve it while it is still warm. I've cut way back on the amount of cardamom originally called for in the recipe and I've slightly increased the amount of cream used to make the biscuit topper. While cardamom is lovely with the fresh lemon, you can substitute cinnamon if you have an aversion to it. I hope those of you who are cooking for two will give this recipe a try. You will not regret it. Here is how the cobbler is made.

Chocolate Nut Loaf

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had planned to make strawberry shortcake this weekend, but the berries available in the markets were so sour that I had to quickly devise and execute an off-the-cuff "Plan B". That plan involved using this chocolate nut loaf as the base for a death by chocolate-type sundae that I knew everyone would enjoy. The recipe for the loaf cakes came from a dogeared copy of an old Farm Journal cookbook, so you'll find it is straight forward and should have no trouble following it. My only caution regards baking time. Unless you are vigilant about testing for doneness, you may end up with a damp streak in your cakes. In this batch, I had one cake that baked perfectly, while the other streaked on me. The lesson? Religiously test both cakes. It's a right-side left-side thing and my oven obviously does better on one side than it does on the other. It probably is a good idea to swap positions of the cakes at the 30 minute mark to help insure even cooking. I hope you'll keep this simple recipe in the back of your mind. The cake is wonderful when it is served warm with a dollop of cream or a scoop of good ice cream and I think you'll really enjoy it. Here is how the loaves are made.Enjoy!

Black Walnut Cake with Sea Foam Icing

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had a special celebration in our house this weekend. The Silver Fox turned 75, and while that's a big number, I'm happy to report he is much younger than those years might suggest. Our youngest, who shares his sense of humor, sent him a card that might have upset a more timid soul. The gist of the message suggested that should he see a bright light, he might want to avoid it. That sent him into gales of laughter, so I think it's fair to assume that age has not diminished his rather wild sense of humor. He had some special requests for his birthday dinner. One of them was for this very old-fashioned black walnut cake. This cake was once popular in areas of the Midwest and it was a late summer and early fall favorite, despite problems associated with harvesting the nuts. The black walnut has a much stronger flavor than the more common English walnut. The nutmeats provide a robust, distinctive, earthy flavor that also adds texture to food. I suggest you forget the harvest and purchase chopped black walnuts online. While the nutmeats are extremely flavorful, cracking their shells is a Herculean task best left to those who have the equipment needed to do it. I also suggest you use only black walnuts to make this cake. Their English counterpart simply doesn't have the flavor needed to pull this cake off. At some point, the 7 minute boiled icing used to frost this cake was renamed and called Sea Foam icing. I guess if you close your eyes and concentrate, the myriad peaks and color of this icing might resemble foamy sea waves, but you'll really have to concentrate to see that. I'm always humbled when I make a boiled icing. It's work to make with an electric mixer, and it is amazing to think that homemakers once stood at the stove with a rotary mixer and made this icing by hand. If you wish, and you have the time, you can make a chocolate mousse filling for the cake, rather than use packaged pudding mix. This is a lovely cake that you might want to keep in mind for really special occasions. It's a lot of work and costly to make, but the end result is a grand combination of flavors and textures that I know you will enjoy. Here is how the cake is made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Cube Steak with Mustard Cream Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I  haven't been tracking the cost of beef lately. The Silver Fox and I don't eat a lot of it, so when I buy beef I generally go for the higher end cuts and don't pay too much attention to what they cost. I was, however, really set back on my heels last week when I went to purchase a pound of ground beef. Hamburger meat was a dinner staple in the early years of our marriage. Its cost was perfect for a pauper's purse and most women my age owned, or were familiar with, a little book called 101 Ways to Cook Ground Beef. We knew them all, but with its cost approaching $5 a pound I'm not sure our younger counterparts would find the book a terrific money saver. The irony was that some steaks cost less than ground meat and I was able to buy cube steaks for $2.99 a pound. I was looking for something I could share with you on Frugal Friday, so I picked up a package and decided that "cube steak something" would be my feature for the week. Fortunately, I found a terrific recipe for cube steaks on the Epicurious website and can report, that while these steaks are not filet mignon, the sauce makes this pedestrian cut of beef quite delicious. If you use red onion instead of shallots and beef stock or chicken stock instead of vermouth, the cost of this entree will fit within the confines of most food budgets. The steaks are simple to prepare, and if you don't overcook them, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by just how good they are. I served the steaks with a salad and rosemary roast potatoes. The rosemary in the potatoes was a great counterpoint to the mustard in the sauce and together the combination was a match made in heaven. I have one caution to share with you. The recipe calls for rubbed sage. Rubbed sage is feathery, so if you have to substitute the ground variety, cut way back on the quantity you use or your cube steaks will end up tasting like turkey dressing. Budget conscious or not, this is a nice family recipe that also happens to be easy on the cook. In my book, it's really hard to beat fast, easy and cheap. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the cube steaks are made.

Linguine with Smoked Salmon and Capers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I really like this recipe. I don't make it often because the sauce for the pasta uses heavy cream. I feel guilty when I use it, but the sauce is very, very good and I've convinced myself that the use of cream once or twice a year will not kill anyone. I have, however, included a recipe for a quick white sauce for those of you who would like to try the pasta without the cream. This sauce comes together in 10 minutes, so the dish is perfect for those nights when you are harried, but still want to serve something special to your family and friends. I like to use Nova lox when I make this pasta because it is always available and its quality and flavor are consistent. I do hope you'll give this simple dish a try. The ingredients used to make it are special and I know those of you who try it will be pleased. Here is how the dish is made.

Waist Watchers Special - Asian-Style Green Beans

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Here is a slightly different way to prepare green beans. These Asian-style beans serve as a side dish for the Silver Fox, but I combine them with a handful of rice noodle and make them the main course of my meal. Whichever approach you take, I think you'll enjoy beans prepared in this manner. The recipe, which comes from Fine Cooking magazine, is simple to follow, and my only caution regarding its preparation is the need to exercise care when you blanch the beans. You really want the beans to be crisp tender when they are served, so do not over cook them. In order to preserve their color, the beans should be served as soon as they have finished cooking. You can, by the way, use frozen beans to make this dish. I think you'll like these. Here is how they are made.

Sour Cream Coffeecake Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a great recipe to have on hand when you're otherwise engaged but still expected to contribute baked goods to a morning coffee or afternoon tea. You'll also find that these muffins make a wonderful addition to a festive family breakfast or brunch. Make no mistake about it, these are dangerously delicious and habit forming. The recipe comes from The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook, so it is flawless and you'll find the muffins are very easy to make if you have a food processor. I would, however, like to make a suggestion. The streusel that ribbons through the muffins contains lots of sugar and the muffins will stick to the pan if you're not vigilant in your preparation of the muffin tins. I suggest you use cupcake liners and also spray the liners with a nonstick spray to insure release. This recipe makes enough batter for 14 muffins. The batch I photographed for this post flat-topped because I had too much batter in the muffin cups, so do beforewarned. That didn't hurt their flavor, but it does nothing for their appearance. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. It is fast, easy and consistently makes delicious muffins. Here is how they are made

Vanilla Cake with Old-Fashioned Chocolate Frosting

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I must warn you that the flood gates have been loosed. Two weeks ago I was asked to feature a recipe for a vanilla cake. As it happens, I have several recipes for that type of cake but they were all tucked into shoe boxes and it took some time to find them. While I love all of them, today's cake, in combination with an outstanding, albeit old-fashioned frosting, happens to be my favorite. The cake is soft, moist and absolutely delicious, a true standout. The frosting is fudge-like and if you love dark chocolate, your tears can mingle with those of the gods who wept when they first tasted it. That's probably an exaggeration, but the frosting is awfully good and those gods woulda if they coulda. The cake and frosting are both simple to make and I know those of you who enjoy old-fashioned desserts will consider the time needed to pull this combo together time well-spent. I have one caution regarding the cake. Be sure to line the pans with parchment to insure release. You will also want to stir the frosting until it thickens. It's guaranteed to lump if you do not. Now, onto the flood gates part of this post. While in those shoe boxes, I came across a whole series of old-fashioned cakes that I haven't see in years. I thought it would be fun to resurrect them, so over the course of the next few weeks I plan to feature the best of them here. Here are the recipes for today's vanilla cake and fudge-like frosting. Enjoy. 

Book Review - Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France

Before getting into my review of Michael Steinberger's fascinating exploration of the French food and wine culture, I want to take a moment to wish all of you who care for children, in whatever capacity, a happy Mother's Day. I hope your day is bright and that you are showered with the affection you are due. You deserve every accolade that comes your way. I'm not cooking today, so I thought that rather than reprise an old recipe, I'd use this post to share my thoughts regarding Steinberger's book Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France.

Make no mistake about it, while this book is a eulogy, it orchestrates a funeral that respect and curiosity for the deceased will prod you to attend. Three decades ago the French food establishment ruled the culinary world. Nowadays, the world's most influential chefs and most sought after restaurants are no longer French. Segments of the French wine industry have been in shambles since the Judgement of Paris favored American over French wines, and the French artisanal cheese industry is fighting for its life. Cost, consumption and complacency have all contributed to the decline, but the root causes are more pervasive and Michael Steinberger takes a look at them all.

He begins with a brief history of French food and the great chefs who codified its recipes and service. He moves on to interview today's top chefs and a handful of bright young chefs who are attempting to stay the decline. Even the once untouchable Michelin Guide is examined and its role in the decline is explored. There are, of course, visits to vineyards and a dissection of the appellation system that has actually contributed to the problems it was designed to prevent. And then there is McDonald's and its influence on French food culture. France, which has become a fast food nation, is the 2nd most profitable market in the world for McDonald's and other food conglomerates are bringing artisanal cheese makers to their knees.

All this gloom and doom, in the hands of a lesser writer, would be too academic to enjoy or find even passably interesting. Fortunately, Michael Steinberger is a gourmand who has a way with words. He knows what he is talking about and he manages to ferret out truly interesting and humorous characters to flesh out his tale. This is a funny book that takes a hard look at what went wrong in France. It is obvious that Steinberger loves France and has an affinity for its people, and while he may report the funeral, you get the feeling he wants to be wrong and would rather not attend. I urge all of you who love food and/or France to read this sharp and witty dissection of French food culture.

                    

                                                    Older Posts

                 One Year Ago Today:                                                                   Two Years Ago Today:

  Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole                                               Strawberry and Lemon Crush

              Three Years Ago Today:                                                        Four Years Ago Today: 

              Stuffed Anaheim Peppers                                    Spoon Bread with Leeks and Gruyere Cheese

Child's Play - Almond Pound Cake (A.K.A. Bob's Armadillo Cake)

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Back in the day, Bob's mother spent many a Mother's Day with us. At the time, we belonged to a parish that scheduled First Communion and Confirmation on Mother's Day, and she made it a point to attend the "passage" ceremonies of her grandchildren. My kids all adored her and when she was with us they reveled in making something special for her to remember. This pound cake, with the help of an old Farm Journal cookbook, was one of their creations. Now you must understand, that while my children are accomplished and comely, time has made it abundantly clear that the chromosome for fine motor skills never made it to our family gene pool. My son is the only member of the crew who can artistically dot his I's and cross his T's, and this pound cake, known in the annuls of family history, as Bob's Armadillo Cake gave him the opportunity to shine. The cake is normally made with a sprinkling of chopped almonds, but using tweezers and an entire bag of sliced almonds, he completely covered the cake with overlapping almond slices, giving it an armadillo-like mien. I, who regularly boast about my well-stocked pantry, had planned to make his version of this cake for you, but when the time came to finish it, I learned that while I had ground almonds, slivered almonds, whole almonds and almond meal, there were no sliced almonds in my cupboard. That means you'll have to wait another year to see the armored pound cake. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but in the interim you'll be able to enjoy this wonderful, nearly naked, pound cake. It is really easy to make and while it is wonderful to eat out of hand, it makes a terrific base for macerated fruit or trifle. The ease with which it comes together has made it one of my favorite go-to recipes, and because I'm not always on top of things, I make it more often than I should. I do hope you'll give this simple cake a try. Here is how it's made.

Child's Play - Raspberry Mazurka Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These homespun and tasty treats will set you dancing. The cookies are loosely based on Maida Heatter's Polish Wedding Cakes and more about their creation can be found at the Cake Spy, which you can find HERE. I wanted to post this recipe before Mother's Day, because this is another treat that the kids can make for Mom or Grandma. It, obviously, is a simple recipe and the only problem that you might encounter is that the cookies can be hard to cut and very crumbly if the bottom layer of the bars is not firmly packed into the pan. I have used raspberry preserves in this rendering of the recipe, but strawberry, peach, apricot and blueberry can also be used with delicious results. If you have never tried a Mazurka I hope you will give this simple version of the recipe a try. Here is how the bars are made.

Child's Play - Old-Fashioned Peach Coffee Cake for Mom

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I wanted to include at least one cake that Dad and the kids could make to surprise Mom on her special day. This old-fashioned cake is best served warm for breakfast, but it makes a great evening snack if served with a scoop of really good ice cream. It is simple to make and almost foolproof. The only problem I've ever had with it was the result of little fingers too eager to see what they had wrought. Slammed at the wrong time, an oven door is a weapon of mass destruction that can cause the cake to fall. I speak from bitter experience and prefer not to dwell on the experience. While the cake is best made with fresh peaches, the canned variety can be used, making it easier still for the kids to make this cake for Mom. This is a cake that I treasure for the memories it invokes. It is a nice cake, especially if viewed through that prism. Here is how it is made.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Citrus Glaze

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I find it next to impossible to bypass recipes for cheesecake or pound cake, so it was a given that when I stumbled on this recipe I would have to give it a try. The recipe comes from Bon Appetit magazine and I thought the citrus flavors would make a wonderful base for macerated fruit. Fresh berries have made their way to our markets and I wanted to sample the cake with berries to see if it would work as a simple Mother's Day dessert. Fortunately, I read the comments others had made, here, so I knew there were some problems associated with the recipe. I, who have grown too soon old and too late smart, decided to try it anyway and see what would happen. I'm glad I did. This cake has wonderful flavor and if you enjoy layers of citrus in your desserts, I suspect this recipe will quickly make it to your permanent rotation. I am, however, only cautiously recommending the recipe to you. While I did not experience the difficulties some reported, the fact that so many reported the same problem makes me leery to endorse it. Apparently, the cake has a tendency to sink as it cooks and that is more than mildly off putting if yours is the one that falls. I do hope, however, that some of you are adventurous enough to give this recipe a try. The cake is delicious and out of the ordinary. Here is how it is made.

Yellow Layer Cake with Chocolate-Sour Cream Frosting

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This week belongs to Mom, yours and mine. I thought the days leading up to Mother's Day would be a great time to experiment with some new desserts and resurrect a few from my childhood that you have not yet seen. The first feature this week is a yellow layer cake that appeared in Bon Appetit magazine several years ago. It is a large, almost obscene tower that uses cake layers to hold a sinful amount of chocolate frosting. You will love it, especially if you have a gang to feed on Mother's Day. The cake is not difficult to make, but frosting it can be a problem if you do not let the icing sit until it is spreadable. You will need more time than is suggested in the recipe for it to reach that point. I also had to sacrifice the sixth layer of my cake. The cake was so tall that it started to lean like the Tower of Pisa and common sense dictated it be staked or sacrificed. I chose the later. If you decide to make this cake, use the best bittersweet chocolate you can get your hands on. The frosting is the star here and it makes no sense to stint on it. Later this week, I'll be featuring a really old-fashioned version of this cake that is less voluptuous and more budget oriented. If, however, you are looking for a basic yellow cake that can be made special by using a delicious frosting, you'll love this one. Here is how it is made.

Cinco de Mayo Round-Up

Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick's Day have one thing in common. While both are celebrated in the United States, they are not major holidays in their countries of origin. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that commemorates the battle of Puebla, a fight in which Mexican troops were victorious over French forces, and that's really important — if you live in Puebla or love an excuse for a party. I'm a party girl, so tomorrow this Irish lass will be setting a colorful table and serving Mexican inspired food to commemorate the day. I hope this round-up of Mexican inspired recipes will give like-minded souls some ideas for their own fiestas.

Menu for the Week of May 4, 2014

Weekly Menu at One Perfect Bite... 

Frugal Foodie Friday - Slow Cooker Moo Shu Pork

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another simple dish that is as easy on the pocketbook as it is on the cook. This recipe was developed for the slow cooker and while it takes six hours to cook, it requires only 15 minutes to prepare. In all fairness, and to avoid the ire of my Asian friends and readers, this dish really should be called Moo Shu-ish Pork. It is similar to the genuine article, but some real shortcuts have been taken in its assembly. The most prominent of them being the substitution of flour tortillas for the Mandarin pancakes with which the dish is usually served. Does it make a difference? Sure, but when you are hurried, harried and hungry, a lot can be forgiven. This is a nice family meal that's perfect for those days when you are on the run and cannot tend to pots simmering on the stove. If money is really tight, you can, of course, shred the carrots and other slaw components yourself, but the packaged varieties add only pennies to the cost of this dish, so the savings will not be significant. The pork can also be served over rice if you wish to completely eliminate the pancakes. I hope you'll keep this dish in mind for some of your busier days. It will neither make nor break your reputation as a cook, but you'll win points for your budget acumen and ability to deliver a timely meal on a dime. Here is how this version of Moo Shu-ish pork is made.

Baked Ravioli

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple preparation is a godsend for busy cooks who feed teenage athletes or youth groups. It is almost effortless to make and it always pleases its target audience who are generally more hungry than discerning. This is a can't fail recipe, much like a lasagna, but with a looser appearance. The recipe relies heavily on prepacked ingredients that make it possible to have a pan of baked ravioli on the table in a little over 30 minutes. You can add a bit more flavor to the casserole by using ravioli that is stuffed with something other than plain cheese. I favor the cheese and spinach combination that is usually available in supermarkets in my area. I also use Romano rather than Parmesan cheese. I think Romano is more assertive and it is an easy way to boost flavor in this type of casserole. This is not a dish that will have universal appeal, but if you are very busy and have to feed a group of kids, this is the way to go. Here is how this version of baked ravioli is made.