SAUSAGE EGG CASSEROLE

This is an old stand-by recipe that I have been making for the family that I cook for since the early 80's and it is always a hit. It would be perfect for a large family breakfast or party brunch. Make it the night before and leave it in the fridge until you are ready to cook it. Do-ahead always works for me.

2 lbs. bulk sausage, 1 mild, 1 hot
6 to 7 slices wheat bread, crusts removed; spread with butter and cubed
2 or more cups shredded sharp cheese
7 to 8 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Cook sausage until done, stirring to crumble well. Remove grease while cooking, then drain well on paper towels. Place buttered bread into 3-qt. casserole baking dish. Sprinkle with sausage and top with cheese. Combine remaining ingredients and beat well. Pour over mixture in baking dish and chill at least 8 to 12 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.
Serves: 12

COOKS NOTE: Can use 1 1/2 lb. ham, bacon or Canadian bacon. Can use 1 cup grated cheddar and 1 cup cubed Swiss cheese.

"Never love a wild thing.... He was always lugging home wild things. A hawk with a hurt wing. One time it was a full-grown bobcat with a broken leg. But you can't give your heart to a wild thing: the more you do, the stronger they get. Until they're strong enough to run into the woods. Or fly into a tree. Then a taller tree. Then the sky. That's how you'll end up.... If you let yourself love a wild thing. You'll end up looking at the sky."~Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1958, spoken by the character Holly Golightly

HEATH BAR CAKE

German chocolate cake mix
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 jar hot fudge sauce
1 lg. container Cool Whip
6 Heath candy bars (sub. with Clark bar, etc.)

Bake German chocolate cake. While still warm, punch holes in it and pour Eagle Brand milk over it. Also while still warm, pour a jar of hot fudge sauce over cake. Let cool. Spread with Cool Whip. Then sprinkle 6 crushed Heath Toffee candy bars over that. Store in refrigerator.

MEXICAN CHEESE PIE

We love this Mexican themed pie which is topped with sliced avocado and my homemade salsa and dabs of sour cream. Serve with a green salad and a salt-rimmed Margarita.

6 6-inch flour tortillas
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
1 (4-oz.) can diced green chiles, drained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons self-rising flour
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 medium avocado, peeled and sliced
salsa sour cream

Line bottom and sides of a well-greased 9-inch quiche dish with tortillas. Top with onion, tomato, green chiles, and cheese.

Combine flour, milk, and eggs, stirring until smooth. Pour mixture into quiche dish.Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Top with avocado. Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Serves: 6

“I remember when I was around 12 I learned about the three A's for the first time: asparagus, artichokes, and avocados. I think I tried all three for the first time in the same year, and they've been favorites of mine ever since.”~David Reiley

AVOCADO TURKEY MELT

The velvety texture of the avocado blends with mayonnaise and garlic powder to form the base for this most delicious sandwich.

2 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 slices nutty wheat bread
thin sliced turkey
tomato slices
red onion rings
bacon slices, cooked
mozzarella cheese slices
softened butter

Stir together avocado, mayonnaise, and garlic powder. Spread avbocado mixture on 1 side of 4 bread slices. Top evenly with turkey, tomato, onion, bacon, cheese, and remaining bread slices.

Spread half of butter on 1 side of each sandwich. Place, buttered sides down, in a large hot nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat 6 minutes or until golden.

Spread remaining butter on ungrilled sides; turn and cook 6 more minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure for remaining sandwiches.
Yield: 4 sandwiches

"Give your cats something other than already established houseplants to play with, ... Avocado pits make excellent toys . . . and felines find them fascinating because the lopsided seeds never roll the same way twice.”~Barbara Kelly

MARGARITA GUACAMOLE

This is for Sharon Buchanun Fitzwater; here is your chance to enjoy the sweet-and-sour tang of a margarita's familiar blend of tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice. There are only 2 tablespoons of actual alcohol in the whole recipe so it is not enough to worry about and this happens to be one of my very favorite guacamole recipes.

2 avocados, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon tequila
1 tablespoon orange liqueur
4 green onions, sliced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 or 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine avocado and lime juice, stirring to coat; mash mixture with a fork. (mixture will be lumpy).
Add tequila and remaining ingredients, stirring until well blended. Serve with tortilla chips.
Yield; 2 cups

"...the avocado is a food without rival among the fruits, the veritable fruit of paradise"~David Fairchild

PARTY HARDY MARGARITAS

If you are having a party this is the perfect Margarita recipe as it can be done up to 2 days in advance and serves 15 to 20 thirsty people.

1 bottle (1.75 liters) tequila
2 cups Triple Sec
4 cans (12oz. each)frozen limeade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
4 quarts of water
2 cans (10oz. each) frozen margarita mix, thawed
lime juice
coarse-grained salt
lime slices for garnish

Two days in advance combine the first 5 ingredients in a large plastic container. Stir well, cover and freeze. (Mixture will freeze to a slushy consistency.) To Serve: wet rims of glasses with lime juice, coat rims in salt, fill glasses with lime juice, coat rims in salt, fill glasses with margarita mix and garnish with a lime slice.

"Nibblin' on sponge cake, watchin' the sun bake, all of these tourists covered with oil, strummin' my six-string, on my front porch swing, smell them shrimp their beginning to boil. Wastin' away again in Margaritaville, searching for my lost shaker of salt, some people claim that theres a woman to blame, but I know it's my own damn fault."-Jimmy Buffet

FROZEN STRAWBERRY MARGARITA PIE

This little number is always a hit in any kind of weather. It tastes of freshness....

1 large graham cracker crust
3 1/2 cups halved strawberries
1 tablespoon of freshly grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream

Puree the strawberries in a blender with everything but the heavy cream until smooth, pour into a large bowl. Beat cream in bowl of electric mixer and beat just until it holds stiff peaks. Fold 1/3 of cream into strawberry mixture gently but thoroughly, then fold in remainder in 2 batches. Pour into crust, mounding slightly, and freeze, uncovered, until firm, about 4 hours. Remove from freezer and let soften in refrigerator about 40 minutes before serving (should be semisoft.) Garnish with strawberries to serve.
Serves: 8 to 10

"One reason I don't drink is that I want to know when I am having a good time." ~Lady Astor