I always use fresh bread for making croutons. I think it ends up tasting fresher than old bread. I slice it thick and cube it. Then I put it on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven on maybe 250°F for a half hour or until it dries fairly well on the outside, enough to hold the individual shapes, but not so much to make the whole thing crunchy. Just before serving them with a salad, I'll heat some butter and good olive oil in a large pan, throw in a smashed clove of garlic, some salt and pepper and whatever dried herbs I feel like that day. I'll toss the croutons quickly and really well to make sure they all get coated on all sides with the oil and herbs. Then I'll let them sit to get just a bit toasty, toss them again and toast the other side. Joe

That's an interesting spelling for Tijuana - it would mean "Aunt Jane" or something like that. Most non-Hispanic Americans would mispronounce it that way, however, possibly because the aspirated Spanish "J" is difficult. I've been corrected several times in Mexico, but I finally got the "J" sound down. If you go to Mexico, you've been forewarned! I found Marilyn's recipe here a few years ago (You may know her as Danain, I think) and made my own slight variations to it - basically I just increased the olive oil, mustard, and Parmesan: Caesar Salad Dressing 2 tablespoon anchovy paste (or 4 anchovies minced) 1 coddled egg* 1 large clove garlic, or two medium ones 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 dashes Tabasco sauce 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 3/4 cup olive oil 1/4 to 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese In a blender or food processor, blend together all ingredients except the olive oil and Parmesan cheese until well combined. While still blending, slowly drizzle the olive oil in until well combine and thickened. Pour into a container and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Serve over romaine lettuce with freshly shaved Parmesan cheese and croûtons. To make croûtons, cut sourdough or Italian bread into half inch thick slices and spread one side with garlic butter. Lightly toast the bread in a toaster oven. When the toast is somewhat cool, spread the other side with garlic butter (or plain butter or EVOO), and cut into cubes. You can finish toasting the croûtons on a baking sheet in the oven or in a skillet at low heat, tossing every few minutes. I put a lid on the skillet when I toss the croûtons. Like Ann, I believe it is very crucial to make your own croûtons. The whole recipe is extremely quick and easy, despite the number of ingredients. After all, the blender does all the work. I've tried simpler recipes, and this one has become my favorite by far, and I make it fairly often. Generally I do not bother to coddle the egg, but you can if you are afraid of raw eggs. I think the lime juice takes care of it, however. I also switched to EVOO, simply because I have so much of it, but it does give the dressing an even more peppery flavor. I tend to like that, now that I'm used to it. Lars

Pork Diane (Campbell's) 4 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 small sweet onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup brandy 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup (Regular, Healthy Request or 25% Less Sodium) 1/2 cup Swanson Chicken Stock 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. coarse-grain mustard 1 Season the pork as desired. 2 Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until it's well browned on both sides. Remove the pork from the skillet. 3 Add the onion to the skillet and cook until it's tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 4 Stir the brandy in the skillet and heat to a boil. Cook and stir until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the soup, stock, Worcestershire sauce and mustard and heat to a boil. Return the pork to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until the pork is cooked through. TIP: Instead of the brandy, you may increase the stock to 3/4 cup.

Summer squash of all kinds should be a staple for veggie lovers. No peeling or removal of seeds required, very low in calories, great raw, baked, fried, in soups and casseroles and a large variety of baked goods, grilled, steamed, and stuffed. Heck...you can stuff and fry the squash flowers! It's also very good for you, packed with many hidden surprises and health benefits. Most people like the mild, nutty flavor of the summer squashes. I grow several different varieties of yellow (straight neck and crook neck), zucchini and patty pan.....7 in all....and each are unique in flavor.