So many good recipes here! If we make it again I'll try them. I didn't have a chance to check in before making it this morning. I started at 6:15 and at 8:15 after showering (oven turned off after baking at 350, not broiling, and burner for cider turned off) I was running to pour the cider in the 5 gal Igloo and get the pans in the cooler. But we made it - drove up to Springfield and found they'd pushed start to 11AM instead of 10. So it sat longer than expected but was still warm and the cider was so hot we had to add cold cider in. I did have a little problem with the sauce - I made a double batch (for 2 lbs of pasta) at a time, poured it in with about 1 lb diced ham (decided that was enough) and yes 1/2 package of peas. Then put the pan (which still had cheese sauce in it) back on burner to add more cheese sauce (I had almost 1C from last night) and more cheese, I didn't think I needed more roux. Burner was off but sauce burnt to bottom so I only poured a little over the 2nd pan before I realized, put 2nd lb of pasta in with just lots of shredded cheese, melted a stick of butter and some milk in the MW and poured over, mixed in, stuck in oven, mixed some more then topped with more cheese. Guess which one they went for first? But they said it was all good, they were going back for the ham & pea version even before the plain was gone. I think teenagers will eat anything (of course DD wouldn't touch it). I think we ate 3/4 of it (so 3 lbs of pasta) and there were 23 kids and 4 adults counting the bus driver (who said she didn't like peas but liked this and took the leftovers home). Next time I'm not going to get so involved making the sauce - I'll melt butter, milk and cheese together and if it's not thick enough I'll add roux but I'd definitely add more cheese, less milk and flour than CI calls for (I used less than 3 quarts b/c I wasted some in the burnt sauce, so 1/2 gal was probably enough for 4 lbs of pasta, but I used 3 sticks of butter, 2 in the roux and 1 in the last pan). The cayenne wasn't noticeable and I did heavily salt the water, and put about 1 tsp of salt in the first cheese sauce but none in the 2nd pan (butter/milk) and I don't think they missed it. I forgot to bring salt and pepper but I've got some plastic shakers I'll throw in the box with cups and flatware so we have it with us.

Here's my avorite recipe, I've made it many times. Siam Restaurant's General Tso's Chicken 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/4 cup water 11/2teaspoons minced garlic 11/2 teaspoons minced gingerroot 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup cup white vinegar 1/4 cup sherry 11/2 cups hot chicken broth 1 teaspoon MSG(monosodium gluconate), optional 3 lbs. deboned dark chicken meat, cut into large chunks 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 egg About 1 cup cornstarch 1 cup vegetable oil, plus more for stir-frying 2 cups diced green onion 16 small dried hot peppers To make sauce, mix 1/2 cup cornstarch and the water together. Add garlic, ginger, sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, the vinegar and wine. Add chicken broth and MSG, if desired, and stir until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until needed. In seperate bowl, mix chicken, 1/4 cup soy sauce and the white pepper. Stir in the egg. Add about 1 cup cornstarch, until chicken is coated evenly. Add 1 cup oil to seperate pieces. Divide chicken into small quantities and deep-fry @ 350 until crispy. Drain on paper towel. Place a small amout of oil in a wok and heat until wok is hot. Add green onions and peppers and stir-fry briefly. Stir sauce and add to wok. Place chicken in sauce and cook until sauce thickens, adding water or cornstarch as needed for the right consistency. Serve with rice. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Nancy

This is my favorite Brunswick Stew recipe. I've made it for years and always thought it was better than any made outdoors in big black pots by the local police dept. or by local churches. My recipe doesn't have any squirrel, rabbit, or roadkill in it and my area of the Piedmont region of North Carolina always put potatoes in not rice. The seasonings, including the bottle of catsup, are what make this taste so good, but you have the option of putting lots of seasoning in or just a little. You can change up the meats used if you want. Old South Brunswick Stew 1 (4-5 lb.) hen 2 lbs. boneless beef stew meat 1 lb. onions 3 lbs. potatoes, peeled 2 (16oz.) cans tomatoes 2 (16oz.) cans cream style corn 1 (16oz.) can green peas or same amount of frozen peas 1 (16oz.) can lima beans or same amount of frozen limas (I prefer the small butter beans) 1/2 to 1 14oz. bottle catsup 1/3 to 1/2 small bottle Worcestershire sauce 1/3 to 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice 2 to 4 t. Tobasco sauce 2 t. salt black pepper Cook hen and beef in large pot with water to cover. Cook until well done and meat leaves the bone easily. Grind meat and set aside or pick meat from bones and flake into small thin bits, both the beef and the chicken. (This step can be done the day before, refrigerate broth and remove fat when it has hardened on the surface.) Put onions and peeled potatoes through a food grinder or dice small, but not fine. Add all vegetables, meat,and seasonings to the broth and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 hours. Smash up the potato cubes as you stir. (If stew is not thick enough at the end of the cooking time, you can add some instant potato flakes to thicken it.) Serve hot with crackers or cool, pour into containers and freeze. Yields 5 to 6 quarts.

TEQUILA-GLAZED CHICKEN WITH JALAPENO 1 1/2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, coarsely ground in spice mill or mortar with pestle 1 3/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) cut-up (best of fryer) chicken 1/3 cup orange juice or pineapple juice 1/4 cup gold or silver tequila 2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar 2 tablespoons honey 1 to 2 red jalapeño chiles with seeds, finely chopped 1 shallot, minced Nonstick vegetable oil spray Mix coriander, salt, and red pepper. Sprinkle mixture all over chicken. Arrange chicken, skin side up, on baking sheet; cover and chill at least 6 hours or overnight. Combine orange juice, tequila, brown sugar, honey, 1 jalapeño, and shallot in small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Add 1 more jalapeño if more heat is desired. Cool glaze. Transfer 3 tablespoons glaze to small bowl and set aside for serving. Spray grill with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Arrange chicken, skin side up, on grill. Grill 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Brush chicken with glaze in saucepan. Turn chicken over; brush with glaze. Grill until juices run clear when pierced with fork or until instant-read thermometer inserted into chicken registers 170°F, turning and brushing occasionally with glaze, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer to platter. Spoon reserved glaze over. Bon Appétit, August 2007 Molly Stevens ====================================== Zesty Braised Chicken with Lemon and Capers 8 bone-in chicken thighs with skin (6 ounces each) Salt and freshly ground pepper All-purpose flour, for dusting 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 large peeled garlic cloves 1 1/2 cups Sauvignon Blanc 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade Four 1-inch strips of lemon zest 4 thyme sprigs 1 tablespoon capers, drained 1 bay leaf Preheat the oven to 350°. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with flour. In a large ovenproof skillet, melt the butter in the oil. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, lemon zest, thyme, capers and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up. Transfer the skillet to the oven and braise for about 45 minutes, until the meat is tender. Return the skillet to the stove and boil until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme, bay leaf and lemon zest, if desired, before serving.