Hi Linda! My sister just made this yesterday for a May Breakfast at work. She said it was a huge hit. Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup Description: Recipe courtesy Paula Deen Ingredients: 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces) 8 large eggs 2 cups half-and-half 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Dash salt Praline Topping, recipe follows Maple syrup Directions: Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup. Praline Topping: 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole. Recipe Summary Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 20 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours Cook Time: 40 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 servings This one is also yummy! Nice and light. Garden Medly Quiche From the Beasly House in Napa, CA Ingredients: 10 Eggs 1/2 cup all -purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 3 cups cottage cheese 1 cup cooked fresh spinach, 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1/2 red pepper, chopped 1/2 yellow or green pepper, chopped 1 bunch green onions, chopped 12 oz. shredded Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a blender or food processor, combine eggs, flour, baking powder, onion powder, garlic powder, butter or margarine, and 1 cup of the cottage cheese; blend well. 3. Pour blended mixture into a large bowl and add remaining cottage cheese, spinach, peppers, green onions and shredded cheese. Mix all thoroughly. 4. Divide mixture between 2 greased 10-inch pie pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until set. Number Of Servings:16-20 Preparation Time:20 minutes Another winner!! Blintz Brunch Bake I have served this with blueberries and strawberries. Ingredients: 2 pkg. (8 oz. each)Cream Cheese, softened 1 container (15 oz.) Ricotta Cheese 5 eggs, divided 3/4 cup sugar, divided 2 tsp. grated lemon peel 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 cup flour 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted 1/4 cup milk 1 Tbsp. Baking Powder Directions: Beat cream cheese, ricotta cheese, 2 of the eggs, 1/4 cup of the sugar, lemon peel and lemon juice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth; set aside. Stir flour, melted butter, remaining 3 eggs, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, milk and baking powder in separate large bowl; whisk until smooth. Pour 1/3 of the flour mixture into greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over flour mixture. Gently spoon remaining flour mixture over top. Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes or until set. Cut into squares. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Topo, I've looked over the link, I think I would try your original recipe w/o the lemon, use the pomegranate liqueur for the flavoring, with the option of the Pomegranate Sauce, it would make a great presentation. I will try that way when I next make it. Totally agree w/you about sharing recipes, can you image if recipes weren't shared, porridge might still be the staple in our daily menus. I know for a fact that someone gave her that tart recipe; I just dont know who. In fact, while out w/friends one evening this topic came up and there was a women in the group knew exactly what I was talking about, she had the recipe but someone stole her personal cookbook with that recipe in it, maybe it was MY COUSIN!!! "You can check the torture newsgroups for techniques" LOL !! I have 3 recipes I want to work with; one w/a small amount of ricotta, another w/a small amount of amaretti cookies crushed in the batter, and the other escapes me right now. Each different, so I will try my hand at breaking down each recipe into 3rds as each recipe makes approx 40 tarts & I basically just want samples. Who knows may end up with something far better. Lucy

mst, Thanks for your contribution to my Amaretto Cheesecake recipes! I have a lemon cheesecake recipe from Cook's Illustrated, and it's the one that everyone usually goes nuts for. They are big on ''instruction'' so it looks far more complicated than it really is. Lemon Cheesecake CookÂs Illustrated Serves 12 to 16 While this recipe takes several hours from start to finish, the actual preparation is simple, and baking and cooling proceed practically unattended. The finished cheesecake should be chilled for at least 4 hours before being sliced, and it can be made up to a day in advance. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, although the crust will become soggy. Crust 5 ounces Nabisco's Barnum's Animals Crackers or Social Tea Biscuits 3 tablespoons sugar 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and kept warm Filling 1 ¼ cups (8 ¾ ounces) sugar 1 tablespoon grated zest plus ¼ cup juice from 1 or 2 lemons 1 ½ pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, cut into rough 1-inch chunks and left to stand at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes 4 large eggs, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup heavy cream Lemon curd 1/3 cup juice from 2 lemons 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk ½ cup (3 ½ ounces) sugar 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled 1 tablespoon heavy cream ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch salt 1. For the crust: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process the cookies to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds (you should have about 1 cup). Add the sugar and pulse 2 or 3 times to incorporate. Add the warm melted butter in a slow, steady stream while pulsing; pulse until the mixture is evenly moistened and resembles wet sand, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer the mixture to 9-inch springform pan; using the bottom of a ramekin or a dry measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the pan bottom, keeping the sides as clean as possible. Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes. When cool, wrap the outside of the pan with two 18-inch-square pieces of heavy-duty foil; set the springform pan in a roasting pan. 2. For the filling: While the crust is cooling, process ¼ cup sugar and lemon zest in a food processor until the sugar is yellow and the zest is broken down, about 15 seconds, scraping down the bowl if necessary. Transfer the lemon sugar to a small bowl; stir in the remaining 1 cup sugar. 3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on low to break up and soften slightly, about 5 seconds. With the machine running, add the sugar mixture in a slow steady stream; increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until the mixture is creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the eggs two at a time; beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl well after each addition. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds; add the heavy cream and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds longer. Give the batter a final scrape, stir with a rubber spatula, and pour into the prepared springform pan; fill the roasting pan with enough hot tap water to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center jiggles slightly, the sides just start to puff, the surface is no longer shiny, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the cake registers 150 degrees, 55 to 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop open the oven door with a potholder or wooden spoon handle; allow the cake to cool in the water bath in the oven for 1 hour. Transfer the springform pan without the foil to a wire rack; run a small paring knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the sides of the cake, and cool the cake to room temperature, about 2 hours. 4. For the lemon curd: While the cheesecake bakes, heat the lemon juice in a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Whisk the eggs and yolk in a medium nonreactive bowl; gradually whisk in the sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot lemon juice into the eggs, then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and is thick enough to cling to a spoon, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cold butter until incorporated; stir in the cream, vanilla, and salt, then pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a small nonreactive bowl. Cover the surface of the curd directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until needed. 5. To finish the cake: When the cheesecake is cool, scrape the lemon curd onto the cheesecake still in the springform pan; using an offset icing spatula, spread the curd evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. To serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and cut the cake into wedges.

I used to have it in my yard, and it grew well in Venice, but I have not tried growing it here in Westchester (L.A.), although I probably should. It is easily available in markets, and so I can always buy it when I need it, but I also have it in a tube from Gourmet Gardens, which makes it easier to use, since it is tough, and I generally remove it before serving, especially if I use it in soups. I make Tom Yum soup frequently, as I have a Kaffir lime tree, and I keep galangal root in the freezer, although I have pieces of dried galangal as well for that recipe. Lemon grass is good in a cold Thai beef salad, but I only get this in restaurants, as I do not book beef at home. I do use it when I make my own Thai curry paste, but then you can buy Thai curry paste easily enough now. My favorite Thai soup is made with shrimp and mushrooms, but I cannot find where I saved the recipe. I know I posted it here at one time. It is similar to this. Most of the time when I use it, I just add it to a Pad Thai recipe, or a Thai or Japanese soup.