Zero (0) Calorie Foods

• Broken cookies, and crumbs of any sort.
• Cake batter and icing from beaters and bowl-scrapings.
• Ice cream stuck to the lid or sides of the container, or which has melted.
• Anything the kids didn't eat, or off of anyone else's plate or utensil.
• Anything you eat in the store before you arrive to the cashier.
• Doughnut holes.
• The overflow from measuring cups and spoons.

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Pumpkin Pie

Wash the pumpkin, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and strings and bake the two halves cut face down on a shallow tray at 160C until tender when pierced with a fork. Let them cool until comfortable to touch, then scoop out the pulp and put it through a sieve or strainer or ricer (smooth; no 'strings'). Freeze any extra to use later.

Or you could use tinned pumpkin.

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Prepare the crumb crust

Crush:
graham crackers (American) or
digestive biscuits (British) or
ginger snaps
1,5 cups (350cc) of fine crumbs makes one 9" (225mm) pie

ADD:
~1/4 cup (60cc) powdered sugar, to taste (I don't add any sugar - the cookies are sweet enough)
6 tablespoons (90cc) melted butter
1 teaspoon (5cc) cinnamon (optional)

Pat (press with fingers) firmly into pie pan, chill in refridgerator for 1/4 hour

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While the crust is chilling...

separate 2 eggs

COMBINE:
1,5 cup (350cc) cooked pumpkin
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup (160cc) soft brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2,5cc) ginger
1/2 teaspoon (2,5cc) cinnamon
1 cup (240cc) of heavy cream
1 teaspoon (5cc) extract of vanilla
2 tablespoons (30cc) of brandy
3/4 cup (175cc) chopped black walnuts (optional)

ADD:
1/2 teaspoon (2,5cc) salt to
2 egg whites
Whip until stiff and fold gently (do not stir) into pumpkin mixture.

Pour into the chilled shell(s).

Bake at 450F (230C) for 15 minutes, then put the oven down to 325F (160C) for 30 minutes more or until done

Remove from oven to cool. Can be served warm or cold, topped with freshly whipped cream.

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Fruitcake

What is it about fruitcake?

It crumbles, that's what.

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The Upper Crust

Like to know what one difference might be? Crusty bread. The vast majority of the United States of America has little exposure, and no access to or taste for crusty bread. Same in Britain. Whereas, most places in Europe you'd be hard put to find anything else. The Irish fall somewhere in the middle. Crusty bread.

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Meatloaf

When I was a kid and invited a friend to supper and he asked, 'What are you having?' and I said, 'Meatloaf', I would only have to struggle to convince him the first time. Meatloaf was not one of the things I relished being served at friends' homes either. This is different.

(1/2 batch - scaled down)

1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/4 lb ground veal
1/3 C chopped celery
1/4 C chopped onion
3/4 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/2 T Worcestershire sauce or so
1/2 T fruity brown sauce (HP, A1, etc.) or so
2 eggs, well beaten
1+1/2 C bread slices (Pepperidge Farm sandwich white); crusts removed and cubed (with a sharp knife), then soaked in
1/2 C whole milk
strips of streaky bacon laid across loaf (but not overlapping)
preheated oven, 350 degrees Fahrenheit for ~1+1/2 hour


day 2: sliced in sandwiches with tomato catsup
day 3: add sauteed sliced mushrooms and tomato sauce for spaghetti bolognese

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