Cauliflower with Cheddar Sauce& Rye Bread Crumbs

Toast the bread crumbs in a jelly-roll pan in the middle of a preheated 350 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are golden, and let them cool. In a saucepan, cook the onion in 3 TBS of the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until just melted. Stir in the flour and cook the roux over low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, scalded, in a stream, whisking vigorously until the mixture is thick and smooth. Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, add the cheddar cheese, and cook the sauce, stirring, until the cheese is melted. Season the sauce with salt and the white pepper and let it cool. Cover its surface with plastic wrap.

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the florets for five minutes, or less, until the florets are just tender. Drain the cauliflower, plunge it into a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking, and drain it well. Pat the cauliflower dry with several thick paper towels, and transfer to a buttered 2-quart oven-proof baking dish. In a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 TBS butter, melted, pour the cheddar sauce over the cauliflower, and sprinkle the cauliflower with the bread crumbs. Brown the cauliflower with sauce and bread crumbs under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat. Serves 8.

Contributed by: Eileen Bakley, Northfield, NJ

Chicken and Olive Saute

6 whole chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut in half 2 Jersey Fresh garlic cloves, peeled and minced ¼ cup olive oil mixture of flour, salt, pepper & paprika For the Sauce: 2 TBS chicken pan drippings 1 cup Jersey Fresh onion, chopped ½ cup Jersey Fresh green pepper, chopped ½ cup tomato sauce ¼ cup water ¼ tsp Jersey Fresh basil, chopped 1 cup pitted black olives, halved 1 Jersey Fresh garlic clove, peeled and crushed 2 cups Jersey Fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped 4 cups Jersey Fresh spinach, washed, stems trimmed and packed

Rub chicken pieces with flour mixture. Brown garlic in hot oil. Add chicken and brown well. When browned, remove chick and set aside. Prepare sauce.

Saute onion and green pepper in pan drippings, Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, garlic and basil. Heat together over low heat for 10 minutes. Add chicken pieces and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken in tender. Stir sauce occasionally. When chicken is cooked, remove from sauce and place in wide serving dish. Add spinach to sauce and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes. With slotted spoon, lift spinach and spoon alongside chicken in serving dish. Add olives to remaining sauce and heat thoroughly. If necessary, boil sauce gently to reduce and thicken it. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serves 6.

Contributed by: Rosemary Coceano, Westampton, NJ