Recipe: Looking for a Front Porch Design - Menu: Ham and Cheese Roll, Spinach Salad, Filet Mignon with Mushrooms, Corn Pudding, Vegetable Saute, Carrot Cake

LOOKING FOR A FRONT PORCH DESIGN

For about two years now, my friends from San Juan, Poncho & Carmen, had announced a greatly expected visit to Ponce. As perhaps you remember, they were my closest neighbors & friends & they bought my townhouse for their recently married/ graduated/ doctor daughter & husband.

They have a house high in the Orocovis mountains that was the object of an article in Architectural Digest, when that magazine was not yet well known in Puerto Rico. Now, they are looking for new ideas for renovating the front porch of that gorgeous home.
During the previous week I did a research in the internet & made available most of my past issues of Architectural Digest. Mainly, our discussion was centered in the fact that Carmen would love to introduce modern characteristics to a very elegant but traditional house.

For that delightful visit I cooked a simple but elegant Menu. It was such a pleasure to see them again!

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Ham and Cheese Roll
Spinach Salad
Filet Mignon with Mushrooms
Corn Pudding
Vegetable Saute
Carrot Cake (Diabetic)
Beverages: White Albari o wine: Lagar de Cervera

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HAM AND CHEESE ROLL

8 ounces cream cheese softened
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon grated onions
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 1/4 ounces deviled ham
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Parsley sprigs

Combine first 7 ingredients, mixing well, chill thoroughly. Shape into an 8 inch roll, and coat with pecans. Chill.

Garnish with parsley and serve with assorted crackers.

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SPINACH SALAD

Fresh spinach
Salad greens
6 slices crisp bacon crumbled
4 Hard cooked eggs chopped
1/2 package frozen green peas
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

Fill a 3 quart rectangle casserole with bite size pieces of raw spinach and salad greens.

Layer bacon, eggs, and peas on top. Cover with a mixture of mayonnaise and Miracle Whip. Top with cheese. Seal with Saran Wrap and chill for 24 hours.

Source: Possum Kingdom Lake Cookbook

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FILET MIGNON WITH MUSHROOMS
Servings: 6

3/4 pound fresh mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream heated
6 filet mignons
6 French bread slice
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup scotch

Slice mushrooms and saute in 3 Tbsp. butter.

Add flour and salt and pepper to taste. Blend well. Stir in warm cream. Keep well heated.

In a separate skillet saute the filets in hot butter for 2 1/2 minutes per side (for rare).

Saute bread slices in 6 Tbsp. butter, turning often to prevent butter from being absorbed. Arrange bread slices in a ring on well heated platter.

Top with the filets and arrange the mushroom sauce in the center. Stir the Scotch into pan juices, boil up for a minute or two and spoon sauce over the meat.

Additional sauce can be passed separately.

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CORN PUDDING

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs, beaten until frothy
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups milk
3 cups fresh corn or frozen, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour, salt and sugar. Cook until bubbly.

Add milk and cook until thick.

Stir in corn and eggs. Pour into well-buttered casserole.

Bake, sitting in a pan of water to pudding level, at 350 degrees about 45 minutes.

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VEGETABLE SAUTE
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

1/4 cup olive oil
6 cups vegetables (sliced yellow squash, zucchini & red pepper
1 envelope Good Season's Salad Dressing
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add vegetables; cook and stir until tender-crisp.

Sprinkle salad dressing mix over vegetables; too to coat well. Stir in vinegar until well mixed. Serve warm.

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CARROT CAKE (Diabetic)
Makes 1 (8-inch square) cake

1/2 cup grated carrot
1 1/4 cup chopped dates
1 cup raisins
1 1/3 cup water
1/4 cup applesauce unsweetened
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

F. Place the carrots, dates, raisins, water, applesauce, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a saucepan, bring to boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool.

Stir the dry ingredients together. Combine the wet and dry mixtures and stir until well blended. Spoon the batter into an 8x8-inch nonstick cake pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

VARIATION:
You may add 1/2 cup chopped nuts to the wet ingredients before combining with the dry.