LEMON TORTE Cake layers: 1 cup butter 2 cups sugar 3 cups flour 2 TBL baking powder 1 cup milk 8 egg whites Filling: 2 cups powdered sugar 8 egg yolks 1 TBL butter Grated zest of 1 lemon Juice of 2 lemons For the cake layers: Cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Sift together flour & baking powder & add to butter mixture alternately w/milk. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into mixture. Grease three 9" cake pans & divide the mixture evenly between them. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool layers. For the filling: combine all filling ingredients in the top of a double boiler & heat over boiling water, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat, cool & spread between layers. Frost top & sides w/White Icing, if desired.~~ Food for Thought White Icing 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 egg whites 1 TBL light corn syrup 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup chopped marshmallows Beat first 5 ingredients at high speed for 1-2 minutes. Pour into top of a double boiler. Add marshmallows & cook over rapidly boiling water for 5-8 minutes. Pour into a bowl & beat until spreading consistency.~~

My husband and I just returned from a weekend getaway with just such a situation as you describe..."fully equipped" kitchen and with us in the mode of hanging out watching the sun set over the ocean rather than driving into town to eat etc. We do this twice a year, for a long weekend, and I've gotten quite expert. The accouterments of the "fully equipped" kitchen tend to change, so I always bring some basics. The important thing is to remember is kitchen items can play double roles in situations like this. A frypan can double as a lid for a large pot, a mixing bowl can serve as a serving dish or a soup tureen. Ziplock bags are your friends. And a roll of saran wrap and foil can save you in any number of problem situations. I find it helpful to write out a menu listing for all meals. Saturday breakfast, Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner...etc. Once this is accomplished, it is much easier to think about what special utensils or seasonings you might need to bring. The menu, once written, is not chiseled into stone by any means, but it gives you a framework for packing. When you visualize making any given meal, you will find yourself suddenly remembering that you would need this or that which you hadn't thought of. I have also found it a good idea to pack a few food items to cover, "just in case." Tins of smoked oysters, sardines, pate, Vienna sausages, crackers, a can or two of fruit, olives, pickles,some cheese, a few Top Ramens or Cup O'Noodles, cans of Campbell's soup, chili or pork and beans. Whatever quickie foods your family would eat without mutiny. These come in handy for the unexpected incident or the instance where the one whom everyone depends on to cook gets a bad headache or something.

Pickled Eggplant with Brown Vinegar, Onions & Peppers Salt 4 or 5 eggplants -- cut into cubes. 3 large onions 2 large green peppers -- or 1 green and 1 red 1/4 cup salt 2 1/2 cups brown vinegar (apple cider vinegar) 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon mustard seed teaspoon tumeric 1/4 tablespoon cloves Put cubed eggplants into a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Place a heavy plate that is large enough to cover the eggplant and weigh down so that the eggplant is compressed. Let stand for about 3 hours, drain well. Thinly slice onions and peppers. Combine vinegar, sugar and spices and bring to a boil. Add the above vegetables and heat thoroughly, but do not boil. Pack into hot, sterile jars. Cover with syrup and seal. Cucumbers can be used in place of eggplant. 12 to 15 cucumbers. Source: This recipe is just as it was given to me by a very good friend's Italian mother. I have made it and it is a tasty condiment for sandwiches.

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