Fresh Scallop Tacos Use about one pound of large scallops for two people. If they are frozen, let them defrost thoroughly and drain on paper towels before cooking. Then salt with sea salt (not too much if at all) and freshly ground pepper. Heat oven to 200 degrees (just for keeping tacos warm.) Cook corn tortillas (6-8) in canola oil to make taco shells. Drain on paper towel and put in warm oven. Prepare the rest of the ingredients: Chop fresh cilantro and fresh lettuce, slice avocados thinly, thinly slice fresh garlic (we like a LOT, like 8 cloves) put in small serving dish a good quality fresh salsa or a small can of Herdez Salsa Casera, slice a small round of herbed goat cheese, cut half of lemon, and crushed red and green dried peppers (ours are from the garden, dried then frozen). When scallops are defrosted and drained and all other ingredients prepared, cook scallops in hot frying pan (canola or grapeseed oil) on one side just to brown, then turn over and add the chopped garlic. Cook four or five minutes, making sure you do not overcook, as scallops will toughen if you do and garlic should not overcook either. Put cooked scallops on a plate and cut each scallop into three slices. Each person can add scallop slices and choice of all other ingredients to the warm taco shell. Garnish with more fresh cilantro and lemon. These are delicious!! I have pictures of them on my website, http://www.bigwhitedog.com/recipes.html (Is it OK to put a link in these comments?) -Judy

For E. Bennett- you can use any kind of sausage, pork, chicken, turkey.

My best recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law Peggy. These are so good that of course they have become a family Christmas tradition but also we once advertised a garage sale with the caption: “Free Martha Washington Jets” and we had hundreds of people show up. They didn’t know what we were offering but after they tasted a few they all wanted the recipe! We do not know why they are called Martha Washington, the Jets is obvious with the jet black color from the chocolate: Without further ado— ~~MARTHA WASHINGTON JETS~~ 1 box powdered sugar (16 oz, 1 lb) 1 stick butter small 3” wedge cream cheese 1 teaspoon vanilla Cream these and chill. When hard enough to work with , roll into small balls and rechill—usually on cookie pan for ease of transport to fridge. Melt 3-4 squares bittersweet chocolate on top of double boiler with ½” wedge of paraffin. Melt this all together and stir. Dip chilled balls into chocolate holding onto ball with toothpick, swirl to cover completely. Dry—eat—keep cool—store in freezer, not so great when get warmed-Delicious. Variations for fillings: blend crushed nuts into mixture; food coloring for holiday festivity; coconut

This question was intended as a joke - yes?

I love to cook, and I love recipes! I’m in the process of making a cookbook for my adult children. It’s over 100 pages and still growing! I have so many favorites! I’ve been thinking about this question for the past few days, and now have an answer. An easy favorite is baked chicken. I start with a fennel bulb. Quarter it and place in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the chicken on top of the fennel, and cook according to any cookbook directions. I stuff the chicken with a quarter of an onion, a few celery leaves and a quarter of a lemon. The fennel gives the chicken a wonderful flavor!

MRS. KING’S COOKIES 2 CUPS BUTTER 2 CUPS BROWN SUGAR 2 CUPS WHITE SUGAR BLEND THE ABOVE UNTIL CREAMY AND ADD… 4 EGGS 2 TEASPOONS VANILLA GRATED RIND AND JUICE OF ONE ORANGE BEAT UNTIL WELL MIXED SIFT TOGETHER 4 CUPS FLOUR 2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER 2 TEASPOONS SALT 2 TEASPOONS BAKING SODA STIR INTO THE EGG AND BUTTER MIXTURE AND MIX UNTIL JUST BLENDED THEN ADD: 2 CUPS WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS 2 CUPS SEMI SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS 3 CUPS RAISINS 3 CUPS CHOPPED NUTS 2 CUPS OLD FASHIONED ROLLED OATS 3 CUPS ORANGE ALMOND GRANOLA, OR any GOOD GRANOLA WHEN WELL MIXED, SHAPE INTO PING PONG OR GOLF BALL SIZE AND BAKE ON AN UNGREASED COOKIE SHEET 350 FOR 8 TO 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL JUST TURNING BROWN AROUND THE EDGES. BEST WHEN WARM FROM THE OVEN. DOUGH KEEPS REFRIGERATED OR FROZEN. BAKE THEM FRESH AS NEEDED. MY COOKIES WERE FEATURED IN THE NOVEMBER 1990 ISSUE OF FAMILY CIRCLE MAGAZINE, AND ROSE LEAVY BURANBAUM’S,”CHRISTMAS COOKIE BOOK.” IN THE LAST YEAR THAT I HAD THE BABBLING BROOK INN IN SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA, OVER 9,000 COOKIES WERE BAKED FOR GUESTS. THEY ARE STILL BEING BAKED AND SERVED EACH DAY HERE AT THE HIGHLAND INN OF SAN JUAN ISLAND. HELEN CHAPMAN KING

hummmmm…I thought mushrooms got “mushy” if you wet them and was always told to brush them when dry…I will also give this a try. Thanks for the tip!

My favorite recipe? Take a female, any female, tell her she is not defined by a man, any man. Add some independence, a tad of salt & vinegar, encourage her to graduate from college, insist that she find a job she truly loves, impress on her that she’s a slave to no man (even her boss), and turn her loose to achieve anything she wants—-even President of the United States.

First, you put your two knees close up tight. Then you swing ‘em to the left, And you swing to the right. Then, you step around the room,kinda nice and light, And then you twist around and twist around with all your might. And that’s what I call Ball and the Jack. Peace and grace

Sorry this is so late I just found the question. Usually a fine cook well ask you to steal a chicken. I find this a very difficult task in Burbank, the odds of finding a live chicken here would like trying to find Britiney’s underwear. So skip the chicken and go to the food of the Gods…. Snails. First of all chickens I would think are much harder to catch, feathers flying small children gather and start crying hysterically,typical neighborhood drama. Now snails only require a little bowl, flashlight, damp dark places patients, small scarf around your neck and walla your Julia Child’s Jones and living is one the popular states in U.S in fact the we are the largest snail export state, thus getting the reputation for our slow moving freeways. Nighttime in your own backyard and at least two weeks before serving these delicacies can be served to your guests and you need not be a Heliciculturistes laid back artist/writer can also take part. You can turn this into a fun prelude to the party and invite your friends and get on all fours crawling around in the backyard with flashlights, how fun is that ! After gathering oh about 4 dozen sluggish creatures, put them in your pre-made snail cage or retreat made out of wood, glue, fiberglass window screen, nails, hinges, and 8 terra-cotta mission tiles, you get the picture. They need to fast them for two weeks keeping them moist, changing the snail water every two days. Then feed them cornmeal, wheatbran, for two weeks then they become hearty and pudgy, yummm. After the fast they are yummy ready to become Escargots! And this is when your culinary teachings can explode in imagination. Many choices but the Escargots Bourgiugnonne is this cooks 1st choice. Well her we go ! You well need: 4 dozen snails, fully retreated into their shells, like x husbands. 2 gallons of water Boil the water, you can call a help line on this one there is one open 24 hours. When maintaining a rolling boil, add the snails, and “no” they don’t scream, they’ve been horse since crying for help when they were kidnapped from the garden weeks ago anyway. 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 to 12 cloves of garlic, depending on your taste and positively crushed beyond recognition 3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley 1 Tbsp. finely chopped shallots or green onions 1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives 1/2 cup dry white wine ( optional ) 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper a pinch of nutmeg Mix well all ingredients except wine and nutmeg. Place some of the butter in the cooking container, add the cooked escargots, top with remaining butter. Place in preheated 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. You may prepare the dish earlier and keep in the fridge. You can use this free time to watch a car chase on the news. Serve hot with lots of crusty French bread and I recommend a dry or wet Champagne. I don’t drink anymore so a sassy chilled pomegranate juice works well with me. If I missed something look it up, Betty Crocker has one recipe under mollusk delights. And I got to tell you don’t start naming them this can make this dumping in hot water part tricky. Bon Appetite