Here's one of my favourite Spanish dishes - Although I have been making it for years the way a Spanish cook once showed me, this time I followed the preparation seen recently on a Spanish Cooking TV channel. Their ingredients included a small piece of or pork fat and a stewing chorizo (chorizo para guisar). If choosing a chorizo for this dish, be sure it is the right type which has the red pimiento colour. The small piece of tocino can be seen just to the right of the sprig of rosemary. Stewed Lentils (Lentejas Estofadas) 350 grams (1 1/2 cups) of small dark lentils - put them to soak the night before in water to cover 100 grams (3.5 oz) red stewing chorizo sausage - lightly pricked over with tines of a fork 50 grams (1.7 oz) salted tocino pork fat - cut into large diced pieces 1 TBSP flour 2 carrots diced fine 2 medium leeks, using only white stems sliced finely in rounds 1 lg clove garlic (this was optional but I wouldn't leave it out) - pass through garlic press 2 cups beef broth (I used 2 Knorr cubes) 1 bay leaf fresh rosemary - small sprig olive oil - about 1/4 cup 2 cups extra water to add after 1st hour 1. Soak lentils the NIGHT BEFORE in water to cover. * Note this if now often unnecessary with newer fast cooking lentils. 2. Next day drain and rinse lentils, put aside. 3. Heat olive oil in heavy cooking pot. When sizzling, add carrots, garlic and leeks. Lightly brown while stirring. 4. Add 1 TBSP flour and keep stirring for about a minute. 5. Add lentils, beef broth, whole chorizo, tocino, laurel and rosemary 6. Put on lid and simmer very gently for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Check after 1st hour and add up to 2 more cups water as needed. 7. Adjust seasoning and serve. ***************************************** Lentil & Potato Potaje (Potaje de Lentejas y Patatas) 3 cups of presoaked lentils 4 medium potatoes - cut into large dice 2 slices of stale bread 3 cloves garlic vinegar salt Put lentils in large pot, cover with water and begin to boil. As soon as lentils have begun to cook do the following: In a frying pan with 1/2 inch of oil brown the garlic and then add the bread and fry until brown. Remove garlic before it's too dark. Put browned bread and garlic into a mortar and grind to a paste. During the early part of cooking the lentils add the paste from the mortar to the lentils together with the oil that's left in the pan After about half an hour and before lentils are tender, add the diced or quartered potatoes, salt and finish cooking until all is tender. Check and correct salt and a dash of vinegar before serving. Source: A cook friend from Mallorca. *************************************** LENTIL & VEGETABLE SOUP Ingredients: lentils - 250 grams (slightly over 1 cup) garlic - one whole head onion - 1 large - quartered Kasseler smoked pork chop - 1 large (or 250 grams other smoked pork or bacon) ham or pork bone as for making stock 4 medium carrots - sliced into coins 2 stalks celery - diced 5 medium potatoes - peeled and cut into 8ths 6 flowerettes of cauliflower green beans - handful sliced tomato puré - small 4 oz tin olive oil - 4 TBS fresh garden herbs: 1 bay leaf, several sprigs thyme, Italian flatleaf parsley 2 or 3 sprigs chicken stock 1 liter (4 cups) or water and 3 Knorr chicken stock cubes salt & fesh ground pepper water to cook lentils vinegar - 1 teasp garlic croutons - optional garnish Method: 1) Turn on oven to 350F. Put lentils in large heavy bottomed stew pot with water to cover plus about 2 inches, bring to boil and simmer 45 minutes. Check water level and add more as needed. 2) Meanwhile put whole head of garlic into shallow baking pan together with quartered onion, Kasseler or smoked pork and ham or pork bone, drizzle with olive oil and roast in oven at medium heat about 45 minutes. 3) Remove baking tray from oven when all is nicely browned and cut meat into small dice and add to lentil pot along with onion. Squeeze garlic from skin into lentil pot, adding ham/pork bone along with oil and juices scraped from roasting pan. 4) Add rest of vegetables to lentils, chicken stock (or water and stock cubes), tomato puré, fresh herbs and bay leaf, parsley - reserving one sprig, fresh ground pepper. Bring to boil and simmer about 1 hour until vegetables are done, adding more water if needed. 5) When vegetables are tender, remove ham/pork bones and any bare thyme stems from pot, check for flavour and add salt as needed. Add vinegar and stir. 6) Serve with a bit of chopped parsley and more fresh ground pepper. Homemade garlic croutons are also nice as a garnish. Source: Recipe as I learned from a Mallorquin housewife years ago. ******************************* Lentil Purée Convert leftover stewed lentils into a delicious purée by putting them into a food processor and adding the following: 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth 2 lg cloves of garlic crushed and browned in 1/4 cup oil in small frypan 2 slices brown bread broken in small pieces and fried in the garlicky oil until brown Processed the above until smooth and then heat it gently. Dice more pieces of brown bread and toasted them in the frying pan with oil and garlic salt for the croutons. SharonCb

That looks good, Tracey! This past year I have been combining regular tea bags and flavored herbal teas, usually one regular bag and two herbal bags or two reg. and four herbal - usually Celestial Seasoning, peach, cranberry, or berry. I also like mint tea (herbal) mixed with white grape juice. This is a favorite recipe: Four-Fruit Refresher 3 c. cranberry juice cocktail, chilled 1 1/2 c. apple juice, chilled 3/4 c. orange juice, chilled 1/4 c. lemon juice, chilled 1 1/2 bottles (about 33.8 oz.) ginger ale, chilled orange slices to garnish Combine all the juices. Stir gently. Serve over ice. Garnish with orange slices. This is very good, even though it does not have any tea in it. But I've had this made with the addition of tea and it is delightful. Tea + ginger ale = ahhhhh!

Here is a recipe I have had since the 70's and it is very good. 1 large 36oz can unsweetened pineapple juice 1 12 oz can frozen orange juice concentrate 1 12 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate 1/2 cup sugar 6 cups water 2 quarts ginger ale or one bottle of champagne dissolve 1/2 cup sugar in 6 cups of water. Add orange juice and lemonade concentrate and amount of water called for on each can. usually 3 cans each add pineapple juice. Pour into containers and freeze. I use old 1/2 gallon milk cartons. This makes 1 and 1/2 gallons mix. When ready to serve, thaw until slushy add the ginger ale or champagne. This can be done in a punch bowl or in a pitcher. I usually use half mixture and half ginger ale when serving if making in a pitcher. Sometimes I make it up and just let it completely thaw in fridge and mix it half and half with ginger ale in a glass for one serving at a time. I have mixed it up and just used it, didn't freeze. Pretty versatile stuff.

Yum, I love caramel, too! Don't get me wrong, I like chocolate, but LOVE caramel! If you can stand a couple more.... Chocolate Turtle Torte Source: St Paul Hotel Crust: 3-2/3 c pecans 1-1/4 c sugar 7T unsalted butter In food processor blend pecans and sugar, add melted butter in steady stream until combined well. Turn out mixture into a 12" tart pan with removable bottom. Press to 1/8" thickness on bottom and 3/8" on sides. Bake at 350F for approximately 20-25 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool. Filling: 1lb semi sweet chocolate 2 c heavy whipping cream Bring cream to a boil and pour over coarsely chopped chocolate. Mix until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined well. Pour into cooled crust and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to overnite. Caramel Sauce: 4oz unsalted butter 1 c sugar 1 c heavy whipping cream 3/4 c crushed pecans (for garnish) In heavy saucepan melt butter, add sugar and cook until dark brown (not burnt). Add cream and remove from heat. Mix thoroughly until mixture turns a rich golden color. Drizzle over slices of torte and serve. Sandies by the Sea 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2/3 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup pecans, lightly toasted and very finely ground* 20 caramel candies 3 tablespoons cream or whole milk 2 to 3 tablespoons large crystal sea salt or fleur de sel, as needed** 1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate morsels 1.Combine flour and salt in bowl; set aside. 2.In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat to blend. Add dry ingredients in batches, mixing between each. Stir in ground pecans. Cover and chill dough until firm. 3.Preheat oven to 350�F (175�C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or butter the sheets. 4.Roll dough into 1-inch balls with floured hands. Place on baking sheet at least one inch apart, and form a cavity in center of each ball with thumb. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are brown and set. 5.Remove cookies from oven; cool briefly on baking sheet. Transfer with a metal spatula to a wire cooling rack set over a piece of parchment paper. 6.Melt caramel candies and cream together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Fill center of each cookie with approximately 1/2 teaspoons of caramel. Sprinkle warm centers evenly with sea salt, and let sit until firm. 7.Place chocolate in plastic bag in a bowl, heat on medium at 30-second intervals in microwave. Massage between each interval until melted. Cut a small hole in bottom corner of bag, drizzle chocolate across each cookie; add additional salt if desired and allow cookies to sit until chocolate has become firm. Makes about 4 dozen. *To toast pecans, place nuts in a single layer in an ungreased shallow pan. Bake at 350�F (175�C) for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool. Finely chop cooled nuts in a food processor or blender. Linda