Water Chestnut Appetizers

Salty, smoky and sweet, these bacon-wrapped bites taste best when made ahead, the heated.

1/4 cup soy sauce
16 canned whole water chestnuts (from one 8 oz. can), drained
4 slices bacon
1/4 cup sugar

Pour soy sauce into a small bowl; add water chestnuts and let stand for 30 minutes. Cut each slice of bacon in half clockwise; then cut each piece in half again lengthwise.

Drain water chestnuts briefly. Roll each one in sugar, ten wrap in a piece of bacon and secure with a wooden pick. Arrange bacon-wrapped chestnuts on a wire rack in a shallow baking pan lined with foil. Bake in a 400 degrees even until bacon is browned and crisp (20 to 25 minutes). Drain on paper towels. Serve hop. If made ahead, let cool; then cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. To rehear, arrange in a shallow baking pan and heat in a 350 degrees oven for about 5 minutes. Make 16 appetizers.

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Shrimp Appetizer Spread

Curry powder brings nippy flavor and brilliant color to a sherried cheese spread dotted with tiny pink shrimp. It is especially good dolloped onto red bell pepper strips.

1 large package (about 8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 green onion (white part only), finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 cup milk
6 ounces small cooked shrimp; or 1 can (about 4 1/4 oz.) tiny shrimp, drained and rinse well
Crackers or crisp raw vegetables

In a medium-size bowl, mix cream cheese and sherry until smoothly blended. Stir in garlic, onion, curry powder and milk; then lightly mix in shrimp until evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until next day to allow flavors to blend.

Before serving, let spread stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Serve with crackers. Makes about 1 1/2 cups (6 to 8 servings).

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Appetizer: Cherry Tomato Salsa

Nippy with garlic and fresh jalapenos, this salsa tasted great with crisp cucumber slices or tortilla chips. For the prettiest presentation use both red and yellow cherry tomatoes.

2 cups red or yellow cherry tomatoes (or use some other color)
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/3 cup jalapeno chiles, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons each thinly sliced green onion and lime juice
Salt and pepper
About 3 cups cucumber slices
Tortilla chips (optional)

Cut tomatoes into halves. In a food processor, combine tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and chiles; whirl until tomatoes are coarsely chopped. (Or chop coarsely with a knife). Transfer to a bowl and stir in onion and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve salsa with cucumber slices and, if desired, tortilla chips. makes about 2 cups (about 6 servings).

Per serving: 24 calories, 5 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 0.3 g total fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 8 mg sodium.

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Osso Buco Milanese

Osso Buco, an authentic Italian dish featuring braised veal shanks accompanied by risotto, is such an Italian staple that it often becomes overlocked on menus. The plate practically spills over with creamy, saffron-enhanced risotto. On top sits a slow-cooked veal shank with meat so tender and velvety it slides off the bone with the simplest fork touch. Rosemary sprigs poke out from the top of the shank and introduce an aromatic herbal quality. Next to the rosemary stands a tiny fork meant to scoop out the bone's succulent marrow. A dark red veal - demi-glace laden with carrots, onion and red wine dresses the veal and sinks into the rich risotto, adding another flavor dimension and a stew-like consistency. With its soothing aroma and rustic flavors. This can't-miss dish will surely deliver warmth, and comfort during the cold winter months.

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Noodles

Noddles are always good for one's appetite especially when the stomach calls for urgent satisfaction. This Nutty Noddles is easy to prepare in just 10 minutes and after, you are on your way to full your stomach.

You will need:

8 oz. wheat (soba) noddles or multigrain thin spaghetti
1 cup crinkle-cut carrots
2 cups frozen shelled edamame
1 cup snow peas, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/2 cup Thai peanut sauce
2 Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce
Chopped fresh cilantro
Coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Procedure:

1. Bring lightly salted water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add noodles and carrots, return to boiling and cook 5 minutes. Stir in edamame and snow peas, cook, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes longer or until noodles and vegetables are tender. Drain and return to saucepan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together peanut sauce, peanut butter and soy sauce until it is smooth. Stir the peanut sauce into pan with the noodles and veggies. Sprinkle on the cilantro and peanuts.

You will get 427 calories; 22 g protein; 12 g fat; 64 g carb; 107g calcium; 10 g fiber in each serving.

Happy eating!

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Food on stick.

Nothing's more fun than food on a stick. But make sure yo soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before you put food on them. It'll keep them from burning on your barbecue.

Berry Pound Cake

Lineup blueberries, pound cake, raspberries, strawberries. Sliced boxed pond cake then cut out shapes with a cookie cutter or a small round glass.

Fruity French Toast

Lineup peaches, French toast. Cut toast into triangles; serve syrup in a small bowl so kids can dip their skewers right in.

Banana Bites

Lineup banana, strawberry, yogurt, rainbow sprinkles. Dip chunks of banana in yogurt first, then skewer. Up the fiber factor by rolling bananas in crushed granola instead of sprinkles.

Apple-PB Crisp
Lineup Rice Krispies Treats, peanut butter, apples. You can pipe the peanut butter onto the RK Treats, or just spread it with a knife to save time.

Marshmallow Surprise
Lineup strawberries, marshmallows, fudge sauce. Put fudge sauce in a zip-top bag, clip off a tiny corner, and drizzle designs onto marshmallows.

Double Melon
Lineup cantaloupe, honeydew melon. Marinate fruit in a mixture of line juice,. brown sugar and mint' cut out shapes with cookie cutters.

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Food Poisoning

Children are most likely to wind up in the emergency room as a result of an injury during the summer - in fact, doctors often call it "the trauma season." One way to protect your kids is to avoid various hazards.

Bacteria grow quickly in perishable food that's left out at picnics and barbecues. Symptoms resemble stomach flu: nausea, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea and in severe cases, fewer and body stool.

Make sure food is cooked thoroughly. Wash your hands often and prevent cross-contamination by using separate plates for raw and cooked foods. Never leave food out for more than an hour when it's hot outside; store it in a well-insulated cooler packed with plenty of ice.

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