Now that I think of it, I have made this recipe many times and it could probably fit under a broad definition of a cheesecake. I'll include it for your research, Jim. [Sorry these directions are so long but my stepfather used to make this with just a list of ingredients on a scrap of paper. I finally got him to write down the instructions. There are easier versions of this that don't involve cooking the cheese mixture but this one comes out so creamy that it's worth the extra step.] PASKA (Ukrainian Easter Cheese) 1 1/2 cups sugar 7 egg yolks 2 1/4 lb. dry curd cottage cheese 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup blanched almonds, chopped fine 1/2 cup chopped candied or dried fruits 1 - 2 Tbs. liqueur Grated rind of 1/2 lemon 15 Tbs. soft butter 2 tsp. vanilla Scrub a 6 inch clay pot (measured across the top) thoroughly with a brush and soap and water. Rinse inside and out with hot running water; wipe dry and bake in a 300 degree oven for an hour or until thoroughly dry. Let the cheese, butter, egg yolks stand covered at room temperature for 2 hours. Mix fruits with liqueur. Place sugar and yolks in a mixing bowl; beat until light and lemon colored. Set aside. Break up cheese. Put half in the container of an electric blender. Add half the yolk mixture; blend at low speed until smooth. Scald the heavy cream; add half to blender. Blend until smooth. Empty into a saucepan. Repeat with the remaining yolk mixture, cheese and cream. Add salt and mix. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, until it thickens slightly. Do not allow it to boil. Remove from heat; add fruit, nuts and lemon rind. Put the mixture in a cool spot until it is completely cool. Place butter in a mixing bowl; beat until soft, fluffy and pale. This will take several minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir and fold this into the cooled mixture. Add vanilla. The mixture should be very well blended. The flower pot must be thoroughly cooled before using. Cut off a large length of cheesecloth, rinse in cold water and squeeze until it is almost dry. Line the flower pot with a double layer of the damp cheesecloth. Allow the cheesecloth to extend way over the edges of the flower pot. Place the pot on a rack over a shallow pan. Pour in the paska mixture. Fold edges of the cheesecloth over top. Cover top with foil. Fit a small saucepan into the top of flower pot and weight down to press on mixture. Place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Whey will drain into the shallow pan. Run a knife around between cheesecloth and flower pot to loosen paska; open up cheesecloth to expose the top of the paska. Put serving plate on the top and gently turn over; ease paska out. Carefully remove cheesecloth. Garnish with fresh or glazed fruits. Cut in small wedges. Serves 16.

Tricia posted a recipe a while back when she finally managed to make meatloaf similar to her mother's. I'm in the middle of making my MIL's meals (for her Christmas gift) and decided to try her recipe. It's very good! The best part is I know my MIL will think so too! It's old-fashioned comfort food of the best kind. I'll list the recipe as she wrote it, along with her comments. Thanks Tricia! Posted by triciae I've been trying to duplicate Mom's meatloaf my entire adult life. I realized some years ago a large part of my problem was the type of ground meat plus the filler ratios but still could never get it just right. Last night, I made meatloaf just as good as Mom's. It's probably slightly different but the end result is just as good. Thought some might be interested since I don't recall seeing these particular ingredients used on the CF for meatloaf/meatballs before. Mom's Meatloaf 5 Dinner Rolls (these were homemade 1.5 ounce rolls made with milk, eggs, & potatoes) 1 Can Evaporated Milk 1/2 Cup Sour Cream 1 Egg, whisked 2 lbs. 80% Ground Chuck (actually it was like 1.87 lbs. 2 lbs. Ground Pork 1 Small Spanish Onion, chopped fine 2 Cloves Garlic, minced 1/4 Cup Worchestershire Sauce 1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes 1/4 Cup Ketchup Salt & Pepper (I used about a teaspoon of each) Tear the rolls in small pieces & pour the evaporated milk & eggs over the rolls. Add the sour cream, stir & allow to sit about 15 minutes for the bread to absorb the moisture. Place all other ingredients into bowl, add the bread/milk mixture. Gently mix with a wooden spoon or your hands (not in a FP). Divide into sizes appropriate for your family. I made 5 meatloaves & froze 4 for another time. I topped ours with a ketchup-based sauce but it wasn't the sauce that made the difference. I'm sure it was the evaporated milk & the sour cream. The rolls ingredients probably also contributed to the finished meatloaf as opoposed, for example, of using unenriched bread. Gosh, it was so good...moist, tender, flavorful. Anyway, anybody still struggling with their meatloaf mixture...try adding sour cream. I doubt Mom used Worchestershire Sauce but I don't care...as far as I'm concerned...mission accomplished. /tricia

Here are three, Tried and True recipes. Ann Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Pumpkin Loaf ============ 3 Cups sugar 1 Cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 3-1/3 Cups flour 2 Teaspoons salt 2 Teaspoons cinnamon (or to taste) 1 Teaspoon nutmeg 2 Teaspoons baking soda 2 Cups pumpkin 2/3 Cup water 3 Teaspoons Vanilla 2 bags chocolate chips. . Mix sugar, oil and eggs together, add pumpkin and vanilla. Set aside. Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Blend into sugar mixture alternately with water. Bake at 350 for 1 hour if using large loaf pans, or for 50 minutes if using smaller loaf pans. Spray pans with Butter flavoured Pam. NOTE: The original recipe called for nuts (pecans or walnuts) which I used. Then I tried it with both nuts and chocolate chips, before settling on just chocolate chips. I use two bags of good quality chocolate chips. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Pumpkin Roll ============ 3 Eggs 1 Cup sugar 2/3 Cup pumpkin 1 Teaspoon lemon juice ¾ c flour 2 Teaspoons cinnamom 1 Teaspoon ginger 1 Teaspoon baking powder 1 Teaspoon baking soda ½ tsp nutmeg 1 Cup chopped nuts Filling 1 Cup powdered sugar 8 Ounces cream cheese 4 Tablespoons Butter 1 Teaspoon vanilla . Beat eggs 5 minutes at high speed, adding the sugar, until foamy. Fold in pumpkin and lemon juice. Sift together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg. Fold into egg mixture. Spread onto well greased and floured 15 X 10 X 1 inch jellyroll pan. Top with nuts. Bake at 375 degree for 15 minutes. While hot , turn cake onto a pastry cloth sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll in pastry cloth and let cool. Beat together filling ingredients. Unroll cake, remove cloth and spread filling on cake. Roll filling inside cake. Let stand until cold. Slices better when frozen, freeze, then remove for several minutes before cutting. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ================== Pumpkins! They are everywhere now! I once heard that the white ones make the best pumpkin pie, but have never heard it confirmed. Can anyone comment on this and the merits of one variety of pumpkin over another for assorted uses? While I like the idea of cooking and pureeing my own pumpkin for pies, I wonder how much difference it really makes. Any comments? Posted by Eileen, (Browntoestoo) My favorite pumpkin pie recipe is one I found in Bon Appetit: Favourite Pie crust recipe or 1 Buttermilk Pie Crust Dough disk 1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin 1 cup whipping cream 3/4 cup pure maple syrup 3 large eggs 1 tablespoon all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon natural maple flavor 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Pinch of salt For Maple Whipped Cream: 1 cup chilled whipping cream 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup . Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll pie crust disk out on lightly floured surface to 13-inch-diameter round (about 1/8 inch thick). Roll up dough on rolling pin and transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie plate. Gently press into place. Trim edges of crust, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold excess under. Crimp edges. Freeze until crust is firm, about 15 minutes. Line pie crust with foil, leaving 3-inch overhang. Fill foil with beans or pie weights. Fold extra foil gently over crust edges. Bake until crust is set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Cool pie crust slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Whisk all remaining ingredients (except Maple Whipped Cream) to blend in bowl. Pour filling into crust. Bake until filling is set, covering crust edges with foil if browning too quickly, about 55 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Chill.) Cut pie into wedges and serve with Maple Whipped Cream. To make Maple Whipped Cream: Whip cream with syrup in large bowl until soft peaks form. Makes about 2 cups. Serves 8.

Bob's Fiery Sweet Potatoes Time: About 40 minutes 5 pounds sweet potatoes 2 carrots (sliced thin) 1 Tbsp oil 1 cup coconut milk 1/2 teaspoon Thai Kitchen red curry paste 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon salt. 1. Peel and cube potatoes, place in large pot of water, and bring to a boil. 2. In a small frying pan heat oil over medium high heat, and add carrots, and cook and stir until they are lightly browned and starting to caramelize. 3. Reduce heat to low, add curry paste, and half the butter. Stir. Add the coconut milk and half the brown sugar. Stir. 4. Drain potatoes, lightly mash them and place in baking dish, then stir in the carrot/coconut milk mixture. 5. You can either serve it at this point or heat it further in the oven as follows: heat oven to 425 degrees. Cover potatoes with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover potatoes, dot with remaining butter and sugar and broil until brown and crusty on top, checking often to prevent scorching.