Gourmet, January 2006

1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese, softened	1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ cup mayonnaise	¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese	8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallions

Preheat the oven to 350º F. In a food processor with the S blade in place or in a blender, process the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese mixture, Cheddar, chives, parsley, and garlic powder until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly on the bottom of a 9-inch glass pie plate. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the cooked bacon into small pieces. Garnish the top of the cheese spread with the bacon pieces, and bake for 15 minutes. Serve with low-carb crackers

Yield: 12 servings, each with 2 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 7 grams of protein.

¼ cup grey poupon mustard	2 teaspoons chopped cilantro or parsley	6 ounces thinly sliced deli roast beef
3 ounces cream cheese, softened	2 (10-inch) flour tortillas	1 large tomato, cut into 8 slices
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish	1 cup torn spinach leaves	Lettuce leaves

Blend mustard, cream cheese, horseradish and cilantro in small bowl. Spread each tortilla with half the mustard mixture. Top each with half the spinach leaves, roast beef and tomato slices. Roll up each tortilla jelly-roll fashion. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Cut each roll into 10 slices; arrange on lettuce-lined platter. Serve immediately.

1¾ cups all-purpose flour	½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
½ cup yellow cornmeal	1½ cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon sugar	½ cup cold water
¾ teaspoon salt	2 tablespoons white vinegar
¾ teaspoon baking soda	Coarsely ground black pepper

Mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking soda in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese, water and vinegar with fork until mixture forms soft dough. Cover dough and refrigerate 1 hour or freeze 30 minutes until firm.

Preheat oven to 375º F. Grease 2 large cookie sheets. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a paper-thin circle (about 13 inches in diameter) on floured surface. Sprinkle with pepper; press pepper firmly into dough.

Cut each circle into 8 wedges; place wedges on prepared cookie sheets. Bake about 10 minutes or until crisp. Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.

A composition of recipes from The (Illinois) Machine Shed Restaurant, Judy Kyler (Loves Park, IL); Kathy Rubey (Rockford, IL) and Jan Marr. Makes about 3 ½ quarts.

In large heavy pot, sauté finely chopped bacon, onions and celery over medium-low heat until celery is tender and bacon starts to brown. Separately, sauté enough bacon for garnish.

Drain bacon grease from pot. Add milk, water (w/chicken broth), chicken base, salt and pepper. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot. DO NOT BOIL.

Check potatoes. When cool enough to handle, cut them into bite sized pieces. Leaving the peels on is optional.

In heavy, large sauce pan, melt butter and add flour slowly, stirring to make a roux. Cook on low heat until roux is bubbly (2 to 4 minutes)

Serve hot. Garnishes can include: fried bacon bits (not the artificial junk), chopped green onions, shredded Colby cheese, or all three.

6 T	Butter or Margarine	1 tsp	Salt
2 T	Minced shallot	1/2 tsp	Dried thyme leaves, crumbled
2 c	Sliced fresh mushrooms	4 c	Half-and-half
6 T	Flour	1/2 c	Chopped Walnuts, toasted
1 tsp	Dry mustard

SAUCE: Melt 3 T butter in saucepan; saute shallot and sliced mushrooms until tender. Blend in flour, mustard, 1 tsp salt and thyme. Gradually stir in half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in walnuts.

4 lb	Walley fillets	2/3 c	Minced celery
2 tsp	Salt	5 c	Cooked wild rice
1/2 tsp	Pepper	4 T	Snipped fresh parsley
8	Slices bacon, diced	1 tsp	Salt
2 c	Chopped fresh mushrooms	4 T	Butter or margarine, melted
1/2 c	Minced Onions	6 T	Snipped fresh parsley

FILLETS: Heat oven to 350° F. Grease two 13 x 9-inch pans. Cut fillets into serving size portions; place in perpared pan. Sprinkle fillets with 2 tsp salt and pepper. Fry bacon in medium-sized skillet until lightly browned. Stir in chopped mushrooms, onion and celery; cook until tender. Stir in cooked wild rice, 4 T parsley and 1 tsp salt. Spoon heaping 1/2 c of rice mixture on top of each fillet. Drizzle melted butter over rice. Bake, covered at 350° F. for about 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. To serve, transfer to dinner plates with long pancake turner. Spoon a dollop of mushroom-walnut sauce over rice. Sprinkle with 6 tablespoons parsley. Pass remaining sauce.