1/4 cup cornstarch, or 1/3 cup flour

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups hot milk

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the cornstarch or flour and sugar. Add the 1/2 cup milk, salt, and eggs; whisk until smooth. Whisk in the hot milk, and microwave on high power, stirring every two minutes or so until it boils. Add the butter and vanilla. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly touching the filling (to avoid a skin forming) and cool for about 30 minutes if you have time. Pour into a baked and cooled 8" pie shell; cover and chill at least 4 hours.

Variations:

Banana Cream: stir in 3 or 4 bananas

Butterscotch Cream: Use brown sugar instead of white and increase butter to 3 tablespoons

Caramel Cream: Heat 1/4 cup of the sugar till it turns dark brown; stir into the cooked filling

Coconut Cream: Stir in 1 cup flaked coconut; top with whipped cream and toasted coconut

Chocolate Cream: Increase sugar to 1 cup. Add 2 squares unsweetened chocolate along with the milk

Date Cream: Stir in 1/2 cup chopped dates

Pineapple Cream: Stir in 1/2 cup well-drained crushed pineapple

Peach Cream: Stir in 1 cup drained sliced peaches

Cherry Cream: Pour filling into shell and let chill. Spread 1 can cherry pie filling on top (use 9" pie shell)

Butternut Squash Risotto

Pressure Cooker

6 Servings

1/4 cup butter, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes

1 cup Arborio rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

5 to 7 saffron threads

2 cups chicken broth, or 2 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups water, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup fresh baby spinach

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in the bottom of the pressure cooker pan. Add the onions and squash and stir over medium-high heat until the onions begin to soften. Stir in the rice and cook for a minute or two, then add the wine and saffron. Turn the heat to high and stir until the wine is mostly absorbed. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Place the pressure cooker lid on according to manufacturer's directions; bring the pressure to 15psi, and let cook 6 minutes, adjusting the heat while keeping the pressure steady. Turn the heat off and let the pressure drop naturally. When the pressure has dropped, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, the spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Apricot Coffee Cake

Bread Machine

Dough

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup powdered milk

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons orange zest

1 tablespoon dry yeast

Topping

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups apricot jam

1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Place the dough ingredients into the pan of the automatic bread machine in the order given. Set the machine to the dough cycle. When the cycle has finished, dump the dough onto a lightly floured pastry cloth.

Prepare the topping: mix the sugar, cocoa, flour, cinnamon, and butter with a fork; set aside.

Roll the dough to a rectangle about 15 x 15. Spread with the apricot jam and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Sprinkle half of the topping over the jam and walnuts, then roll the dough up tightly, jellyroll style and seal the seam, using a little water if necessary to make a tight seal.

Transfer the roll to a parchment-lined baking sheet and, with a sharp knife, cut in half lengthwise, making two long strips. Take one of the strips and lay diagonally over the other; braid each of the ends, twisting so that the cut side is on the outside. Sprinkle the remaining topping on the top of the braid.

Let the braid rise until double in bulk.

Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes to make it easier to cut.

Note: the braid may be prepared the night before, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated overnight before baking.

Creamy Triple Meat Pasta Sauce

Pressure Cooker

8 Servings

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium carrot

1 stalk celery

1 medium onion

1 clove garlic

3/4 pound ground turkey

1/2 pound lean ground beef

3/4 pound mild Italian pork sausage

1/2 cup white wine

2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup heavy cream

fresh basil, for garnish

Melt the butter in a 5-7 quart pressure cooker.

Cut the carrots, celery stalk, and onion into coarse chunks; add them to the bowl of a processor with the garlic. Pulse on and off until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Add them to the melted butter and stir over medium-high heat until they are beginning to soften. Add the ground turkey, ground beef, and Italian sausage. Stir occasionally while they are browning, breaking them up as much as possible. Drain extra fat off, if any.

Turn the heat to high; add the wine and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Blend the tomatoes in the food processor and add them to the meat mixture along with the tomato paste, tomato sauce, bay leaf, salt, and pepper; stir.

Fit the lid of the pressure cooker on the pan according to the manufacturer's instructions. Bring to high pressure over high heat; adjust heat, and cook for 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and release the pressure. Be careful of any escaping steam.

Place the pot back on the stove and add the cream, stirring over medium heat until the sauce is slightly thickened. Garnish with fresh basil.

Serve over pasta.

Gado Gado

Microwave

8 Servings

4 cups Chinese cabbage, shredded

8 small red potatoes, sliced

2 large carrots, thinly sliced diagonally

1 cup green beans

2 cups bean sprouts

1 6 oz. package deep fried tofu, coarsely chopped

4 hard boiled eggs, halved lengthwise

1/2 batch Indonesian Peanut Sauce

Steam or microwave each of the vegetables until barely tender. Arrange them on a serving platter. Sprinkle the tofu over all. Top decoratively with the egg halves.

Drizzle with the peanut sauce.

Halloween Baked Spider

Auto Bread Machine

Dough

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon yeast

Topping

1 egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

2 to 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds

2 raisins, or craisins

Place the dough ingredients in the order given into the pan of the bread machine. Set the cycle on dough. After the machine has mixed for a minute or two, check to make sure there is enough flour to make a soft dough; if it is too stiff, add a few tablespoons more water; if it is too soft, add a little more flour. When the cycle has finished, transfer the dough to a lightly floured pastry cloth.

Form the dough into a ball. Cut 1/3 of the dough from the ball. Pat that 1/3 into a rectangle; with a pizza cutter, cut the rectangle into four strips, then cut each strip in half (legs). Take the remaining dough and cut 1/4 off; form into a ball for the head. Make a ball from the remaining dough to form the body. Brush the pieces with the egg white mixture, place them to form a spider on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and sprinkle liberally with black sesame seeds. Press 2 raisins into the head for eyes.

Let the spider rise until doubled in bulk. Spray with water and place in a preheated 425° oven. Bake until browned, 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool thoroughly.

Mini Spider Bread Bowls:

Prepare the dough as above in Halloween Spider Bread. Divide the dough in four pieces and shape each into a miniature spider according to the directions for the large spider. Bake at 400° 20-25 minutes or until browned and crisp. Cool thoroughly.

When ready to serve, cut the top of the body off and hollow out each spider; fill with chili, soup, or stew.

Indonesian Beef Rendang

Slow Cooker

8 Servings

2 pounds Beef Rump Roast, or other braising cut

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh ginger

1 1/2 birdseye chilies, less or more to taste

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons lemongrass stalks, finely chopped (see note)

2 14 oz. cans coconut milk

2 cups Jasmine Rice, cooked with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Cut the beef into 1" pieces and place in a 2 or 3 quart slow cooker.

Cut the onion into coarse chunks and put it in the food processor with the garlic, ginger, chilies, salt, sugar, coriander, tamarind, turmeric, and chopped lemongrass. Process until the mixture is a fairly smooth paste; stir it into the beef. Add the coconut milk, stir, and turn the slow cooker to low. Cook on low 4-6 hours; there will be quite a bit of liquid in the pot. Stir, then turn the slow cooker to high and tilt the lid slightly. Continue to cook for 2-3 hours on high until the excess liquid has evaporated. Serve over cooked rice.

Indonesian Pickled Cucumbers

1 large cucumber, or 3 miniature cucumbers

1 tablespoon palm sugar, or substitute brown sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh mint, finely chopped

Slice the cucumber or miniature cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices and place them in a serving bowl.

Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the cucumbers. Refrigerate until serving.

Indonesian Peanut Sauce

Microwave

8 Servings

1 1/3 cups peanut butter

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup coconut milk

Whisk together the peanut butter, chicken broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, Sambal Oelek, garlic, and sugar. Microwave two minutes; whisk, then microwave until bubbly. Whisk in the coconut milk.

Pressure Cooker Stuffed Pork Chops

Pressure Cooker

6 Servings

6 8 ounces boneless pork loin chop, 1 1/2" thick

Filling

6 slices white bread, high quality thick sliced

1 to 2 eggs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup double strength chicken broth

fresh parsley, for garnish

Cut a deep pocket horizontally through the middle of each pork chop; set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the filling ingredients adding the extra egg if the filling is too crumbly. Divide between the pork chops stuffing it into each pocket. Sprinkle each side of the pork chops with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a 5-7 quart pressure cooker. Brown the pork chops on both sides, removing them to a plate as they brown. After all are browned, add the onions and cook for one minute, stirring. Add the wine and chicken broth, then return the chops to the pan.

Position the lid and lock in place. Bring to high pressure and adjust the heat to stabilize the pressure. Cook 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and lower the pressure using the cold-water release method. Open the pressure cooker and remove the pork chops to a serving platter. Pour the sauce over the chops. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Steamed Chocolate Pudding

Microwave

8 Servings

1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

Place the chocolate chips in the food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla; process until combined. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Thoroughly grease a 1 quart microwaveable bowl or pudding basin. Scrape in the batter and smooth the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave at full power for 5-7 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap, place a serving plate upside down on the top, then invert. Cool thoroughly.

Serve with custard sauce.

Thai Lime and Chili Fish in Banana Leaves

Rice Cooker

8 Servings

4 tablespoons finely chopped lemongrass

4 red Thai chilies, stems cut off

4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon lime zest

1/3 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

3 Tablespoons coconut cream powder

1/2 cup coconut milk

8 4 ounces tilapia fillets

2 large banana leaves, (frozen) each cut into four squares

8 pieces kitchen string, long enough to tie the bundles

Place the lemongrass, chilies, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, and cilantro in the bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping the sides occasionally, until finely chopped. Add the coconut cream powder and coconut milk and pulse a few times until mixed. Set aside.

Lay the squares of banana leaves out and place a tilapia fillet in the middle of each. Drizzle the coconut milk mixture evenly on the fillets. Bring the sides of the banana leaves over the fish, then fold the other ends over. Tie with the string.

Place the packages in the steamer basket of the rice cooker. Pour about 2" of water in the bottom of the rice cooker. Turn the cooker on and when it begins to steam, cook for 10 minutes.

To serve, cut the string and unwrap the fish.