New Orleans Iced Coffee

-adapted from supermarketguru.com
To make coffee concentrate, steep 1 pound freshly ground coffee in nine cups water in a clean gallon jar for 12 hours, at room temperature or in the fridge. Use one part coffee concentrate to three parts milk or water. 

Spicy Sausage and Beans

-from MSN Lifestyle
Start to Finish: 30 min.
Ingredients 
• 3/4 pound bulk hot or mild Italian sausage 
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 2 cups water 
• 1 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1/3 cup raisins 
• 1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes or 2 cups chopped tomatoes 
Directions 
1. In a large pot, cook sausage and onion until sausage is no longer pink. Drain off fat. Stir in cinnamon and allspice; cook for 1 minute. 2. Stir in water, kidney beans, and rainsins. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; heat through. If desired, garnish each serving with snipped fresh parsley. Makes 4 servings.  

Curried Turkey Soup

-from MSN Lifestyle
Start to Finish: 15 min.
Ingredients 
• 5 cups water 
• 1 3-ounce package chicken-flavored ramen noodles 
• 2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder 
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 
• 2 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken 
• 1 medium apple, cored and coarsely chopped 
• 1/2 cup canned sliced water chestnuts 
Directions 
1. In a large sauepan, combine water, the flavoring packet from noodles, and curry powder. Bring to boiling.  
2. Break up noodles. Add noodles and mushrooms to mixture in saucepan; reduce meat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Stir in turkey, apple, and water chestnuts; heat through. makes 5 servings.  

Ginger Pineapple Punch

-from MSN Lifestyle
Makes 12 (6-ounce) servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 2 to 24 hours
Ingredients 
• 2 cups orange juice 
• 2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice 
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 
• 1 1-liter bottle diet ginger ale, chilled 
• Ice cubes* 
• 1 orange, thinly sliced 
Directions 
1. In a large pitcher, combine orange juice, pineapple juice, and ginger. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. Strain mixture; discard ginger and pulp. Slowly pour ginger ale into juice mixture. Serve over ice in chilled glasses. Garnish with orange slices.  

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Sticky Toffee Pudding

-from Gourmet Quick Kitchen March 2005

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing pan
1 cup self-rising cake flour plus additional for flouring pan
1 cup pitted dates (5 oz), finely chopped
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan. 
Simmer dates in 1 cup water in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, covered, until soft, about 5 minutes. Let stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes. 
Beat together 1 stick butter and 1/4 cup brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg until combined. Add flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt and mix at low speed until just combined. Add dates and mix until just combined well. 
Pour batter into pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. 
Meanwhile, melt remaining stick butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat and stir in remaining cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup water, and a pinch of salt. Boil over moderately high heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and sauce is reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 2 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. 
Transfer pudding in pan to a rack and poke all over at 1-inch intervals with a chopstick. Gradually pour half of warm sauce evenly over hot pudding. Let stand until almost all of sauce is absorbed, about 20 minutes. 
Run a thin knife around edge of pan. Invert a plate over pudding and invert pudding onto plate. Pour remaining warm sauce over pudding and serve immediately. 
Cooks' note:
Pudding, soaked with half of sauce, can stand at room temperature up to 2 hours. Reheat in pan in a 300°F oven 10 minutes. Warm remaining sauce before pouring over pudding. 

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Lemon Pudding Cake

-from Gourmet April 2003


2 large lemons
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Finely grate 1 tablespoon zest from lemons, then squeeze 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons juice.
Whisk together flour, salt, and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together yolks, milk, zest, and juice in a small bowl and add to flour mixture, whisking until just combined.
Beat whites in another large bowl with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks. Whisk about one fourth of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly (batter will be thin).
Pour into a buttered 1 1/2-quart ceramic gratin or other shallow baking dish and bake in a hot water bath (see Tips, page 156) until puffed and golden, 45 to 50 minutes.
Transfer to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Jalapeno Cheeseburgers with Bacon and Grilled Onions

-from Bon Appétit July 2005

Spicy Ranch Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño chile
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Burgers
2 pounds ground beef
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeño chile
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Worcestershire-Coffee Glaze
1/3 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals
2 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
16 bacon slices
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
8 hamburger buns or 3- to 4-inch square focaccia rolls, split horizontally
8 lettuce leaves
2 cups coarsely shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
Assorted additional toppings (such as tomato and grilled onion slices)

For spicy ranch sauce:
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
For burgers:
Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl. Form mixture into eight 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick patties. Place on small baking sheet. Cover and chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
For glaze:
Stir first 5 ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat until coffee is dissolved. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter. Season glaze to taste with salt and pepper.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Working in batches if necessary, cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and brown. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Toast buns until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer buns, cut side up, to plates. Place lettuce on each bun bottom. Grill burgers 5 minutes, basting with glaze. Turn burgers, baste with glaze, and grill until cooked to desired doneness, about 5 minutes longer for medium. Press cheese atop each burger and allow cheese to melt. Place some sauce, then 1 burger on each bun bottom. Top each with 2 slices bacon and desired additional toppings. Cover with bun top. Serve with remaining sauce.

Makes 8 servings.