Buy yourself a good baguette–Panero’s makes a Asiago cheese baguette that’s to die for.

Slice it into slices about 1/3 inch thick on the diagonal.

In a small sauce pan, put two or three sticks unsalted butter, about six cloves of garlic, finely minced, and salt to taste.  Heat until butter is completely melted.

With a pastry brush, brush the butter on both sides of the slices and place them on a cookie sheet with raised sides—so the excess butter doesn’t slip off.

Set the temperature to around 280-300 degrees in oven and place the cookie sheet on middle rack.

When the slices are light golden, turn them over and bake for the same amount of time.

You will know they’re done when you touch them and they’re firm to the touch–not spongy.

Remove to a rack to cool, and when completely cool, put in zip-lock containers.

Will keep for weeks and weeks.

These are a must floating on the Basque Fish Stew,  (under ‘fish’ and ‘soups’,) or as a base for different kinds of hors ‘d oeuvres:

Baguette slice, the little tomato surprise (under ‘vegetables’), and black olives

Baguette slice, thin slices of pepperoni, your favorite cheese, chopped green onions, or carmelized onions (under ‘vegetables’)

I think you get the idea—use that great imagination of yours!

A great crowd-pleaser.  Freezes well and can be pulled out at a moment’s notice for a ‘go-to’ meal, and oh, so easy!

Ingredients:

One pound pork, cubed and trimmed

One pound beef , cubed (I use stew meat)

One small bottle catsup

Two teaspoons sage

One large onion, chopped

One half cup cider vinegar

One cup beer

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meats in a small amount of oil

Add the onion, sage, salt and pepper and vinegar. 

Simmer covered for about one hour.

Add the beer, and catsup and simmer covered until thick and you can shred the meat.

Serve in toasted buns.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can make it your own with a little tweaking of the ingredients.  Ideas to follow recipe.

The day or night before:

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SANDWICHES:

A dozen mini dinner rolls, sliders, etc., of your choice, slliced.

1 lb. shaved Black Forest Ham

1/2 lb. shaved Mozzzarella cheese

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE:

1 stick unsalted butter

2 or 3 T minced onions

2 tsp. poppy seeds

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T good grainy mustard

TECHNIQUE:

Spray a 9 by 13 baking dish with butter spray, or lightly grease the dish with butter. 

Place the bottom halves of the rolls in the dish. 

Mound the ham GENEROUSLY over the halves, followed by the cheese.

Put the tops on the sandwiches and weight down while you make the sauce.

THE SAUCE:

Bring the sauce ingredients to a boil and slowly spoon over the sandwiches.

Cover overnight and keep refrigerated.

When ready to bake, bring to room temperature and bake at 325 degrees until hot.

IDEAS;

Reubens–combo of shaved Pastrami, shaved Swiss vheese and drained sauerkraut.  Same sauce, but substitute 2 T French Dressing for the Worcestershire, and 1 T Caraway seed for the poppy seeds.

Fiesta Chicken–Shaved Sausalito type chicken, shaved pepper Jack cheese. and chopped cilantro.  Same sauce, but substitute 2 T Spicey Ranch Dressing,, or other spicey dressing for the Worcestershire, and 1 tsp ground cumin.

Now—Come up with some of your own! 

I kid you not—Once you’ve made homemade croutons, you’ll never buy another store-bought box again.  Also, stored in airtight containers, they keep forever!

Ingredients:

1 loaf Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse bread, or an equivalent amount of any good gread (or even your left-over breads.)

1 stick unsalted butter

3 or 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 cup Canola Oil

Salt

Technique:

Cube the bread into the size you desire for croutons, place in a deep bowl and ‘fluff’ for a day so they’re not soft.

In a large frying pan, melt the butter and Canola oil, adding the garlic.  Cook until the garlic is soft, and then remove.  (Put the garlic in a little container to be used later for other purposes.)

Bring the butter mixture to a bubble, and add all the bread at once, stirring quickly to coat.

Shake salt over the croutons, stirring again.

Stir often until the cubes are no longer soft, but are a golden brown, and firm.

Completely cool on a cookie sheet–then store in zip-lock bags.

Keeps indefinitely, and is a must with salads and soups.  (In particular, Gazpacho.)