It’s summertime, which means it’s time to get out and enjoy the sunshine. But be warned, with the sun comes the heat. Whether you’re enjoying the park with your family or exercising outdoors, it’s important to stay hydrated, especially during the hot summer months.

By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

The first cold soup I ever tasted was gazpacho many years ago. I loved it, and from then on it was full speed ahead.

If children are resistant to trying any of these because it “isn’t what they’re used to,” introduce it with scoops and let them try it as a dip.

Of all these recipes, my favorite is the cold cucumber soup. It has summer written all over it and is cool and refreshing.

So if you’re in a rut with food or just want to shake up your family, try one of these.

Remember, you can’t say you don’t like it until after you try it.

Classic Vichyssoise

In a large stock pot melt butter over low heat. Add leeks and onion, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add thyme, marjoram, bay leaf and stir well. Cover pot and continue to cook for 12 minutes.

Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, partially covered for 30 minutes.

Puree soup in blender or food processor and cool.

Prior to serving add cream. If you are serving this soup warm you need to reheat the soup slowly so that the cream does not change consistency.

Borscht (Cold Beet Soup)

Wash and peel the beets and cut into fine dice or grate on the coarse side of a grater. Pour five cups of water into a pot. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon, a pinch each of salt and sour salt, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the beets are tender, about 40 minutes. Add the juice of another 1/2 lemon. Remove from the heat.

Using whole eggs results in creamier, thicker borscht, but it’s easy to mess this up and end with coagulated egg. If you don’t feel confident about this step, just use the yolks… Either way you decide to go, beat the eggs with a fork until they are thin and watery. Slowly ladle some of the hot borscht into the eggs, beating constantly. When about half the soup has been added, pour the egg mixture back into the pot with the remaining soup; again pouring slowly and beating constantly. When all the egg mixture is beaten into the soup, pour the soup back and forth between the pot and a bowl or pitcher about 10 or 15 times until the mixture is smooth, airy, and creamy. Halfway through, add more lemon juice to produce a winy effect; add a tiny pinch of sugar, if necessary, and salt and white pepper as needed. Continue pouring to blend. Chill thoroughly.

It is best to add sour cream shortly before serving so that the borscht will keep longer. The sour cream can simply be served on the side, to be spooned in at the table. Or you can add sour cream (about one heaping tablespoonful per cupful of borscht) to the soup in a jar. Close tightly and shake vigorously to blend.

Roasted Tomato and Pepper Gazpacho

Prepare grill medium-high heat). Place first three ingredients on baking sheet. Brush with three tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of bread with two tablespoons oil. Grill vegetables until skins are charred, turning frequently, about eight minutes for tomatoes, 10 minutes for onion, and 15 minutes for pepper. Return to baking sheet. Grill bread until toasted, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Cut one garlic clove in half; rub over toasted sides of bread. Cut bread into small cubes; reserve croutons.

Remove charred skins and cores from tomatoes. Peel, seed, and core pepper; coarsely chop. Remove charred papery peel and core from onion. Set aside half of chopped cucumber for garnish. Working in two batches, add half each of tomatoes, pepper, onion, and remaining cucumber to processor and blend until coarse puree forms. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Repeat with remaining tomatoes, pepper, and onion. Using garlic press, squeeze in remaining two garlic cloves. Stir in remaining three tablespoons olive oil, three tablespoons vinegar, marjoram, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne. Thin soup, if desired, with cold water by 1/4 cupfuls. Season with salt and pepper. Chill at least two hours. Season gazpacho to taste with more salt and more vinegar, if desired. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with cucumber, croutons, and green onions; serve.

Cold Cucumber Soup

Cut several thin slices of cucumber for garnish; soak in ice water until needed. Chop remaining cucumber and onion. Sauté in butter until wilted but not browned.

Process sautéed vegetables with 2-3 drops of green food coloring in blender or food processor until smooth. Return to saucepan. Add chicken stock, lemon juice, dill (crush seeds lightly) and salt; simmer five minutes. Chill six hours.

Just before serving, stir in sour cream. Garnish with crisp cucumber slices and sprinkle with fresh or dried dill. Serves 6-8.

By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

If you’re craving something with a taste of sweet and don’t want to bake, try a smoothie. They are easy to make with readily available ingredients. And best of all, everybody loves them. They are great for breakfast or an after-dinner snack.

The iced mocha smoothie is an adult front-porch star, and you can experiment with ingredients.

I hope this starts your summer off with a bang.

Peach Raspberry Smoothie

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and serve.

Orange Pineapple Smoothie

Combine all ingredients together in a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Serve.

Banana Strawberry Smoothie

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Iced Mocha Smoothie

Place all ingredients together in blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately

By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

If you would like to turn a good pie into a great pie, rethink the crust.

Using these nut-based pie crusts will really jazz up an old favorite. The pecan and almond crusts are delicious with a chocolate or banana cream filling. And pairing them with coconut cream is also a winner.

Lemon meringue pairs well with the pistachio crust, and pumpkin or apple go the extra mile with the walnut curst.

Actually, it’s hard to come up with anything that wouldn’t taste good with nuts… So go ahead and knock their socks off.

Come up with your own pairings. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little with these.

Almond Pie Crust

Start by cutting the sticks of butter into 1/2-inch cubes and placing in the freezer for 15 minutes so that they become thoroughly chilled.

In a food processor, combine flour, almond flour, salt, and sugar, pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse six-eight times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it’s ready, if not, added a little more water and pulse again.

Remove dough from machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully shape into two discs. Do not over-knead the dough! You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These bits of butter are what will allow the baked crust to be flaky. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Gently fold in half. Place on to a nine-inch pie plate, lining up the fold with the center of the pan. Gently unfold and press down to line the pie dish with the dough.

Add filling to the pie.

Roll out second disk of dough, as before. Gently turn over onto the top of the filling in the pie. Pinch top and bottom of dough rounds firmly together. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork. Score the top of the pie with four two-inch long cuts, so that steam from the cooking pie can escape.

Walnut Pie Crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You will need one buttered, nine-inch deep-dish pie pan either a light-colored or glass pan.

Place the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Place the nuts in a food processor or blender and pulse just long enough to chop the nuts finely, not into a paste. Scrape the nuts into the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Add the melted butter and combine well.

Press the mixture into the buttered pie pan making certain that the crust is of even thickness.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until it just starts to brown on the edges. Do not over bake. A light-colored or glass pan will absorb less heat than a dark one and help ensure against over baking.

Pistachio Pie Crust

Chop pistachios and confectioners’ sugar in a food processor until nuts are ground into a powder, 30 seconds. Add flour and salt; pulse until combined. Add butter; pulse several times until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg mixture; pulse until dough just comes together into a ball. Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a nine-inch pie plate. Prick bottom of shell with a fork in several places. Freeze shell 15 minutes.

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place pie plate on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Remove parchment and weights from shell. Bake shell eight minutes longer, until golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Pecan Pie Crust

Stir together ground nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix in melted butter.

Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a nine-inch, deep-dish style, pie pan. Chill the unbaked crust in the refrigerator for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Place pie crust on a cookie sheet, and position on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Watch it carefully, as nut crusts burn easily; they don’t have to turn black to taste burnt! Cool completely before filling.

By Olivia Fowler

For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

For a few short weeks in late May and June we have access to new potatoes. These are potatoes just rolled from the dirt with skins so thin they easily wash away when cleaned.

They have a unique flavor. And though there are hundreds of ways to cook potatoes, sometimes simplest is best. My favorite is to just have them cooked in water that’s been salted and eaten with a little melted butter.

But variety is the spice of life, so this week a few other options are available. Enjoy.

Dill Potatoes

Place the potatoes in a steamer basket, and set in a pan over an inch of boiling water. Cover, and steam for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender but not mushy.

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, dill, garlic, and salt. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl, and pour the seasoned butter over them. Toss gently until they are well-coated.

Oven Roasted New Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place the olive oil, garlic, chives and salt and pepper, to taste, in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add the potatoes, seal and toss to coat evenly. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Roast the potatoes for about 30 to 40 minutes until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

New Potatoes and Green Beans

Remove the ends from the beans. Snap the beans into pieces, wash and drain

Meanwhile, in a large cast iron Dutch oven, lightly brown the salt pork in the bacon grease over medium heat, turning often, for approximately 10 minutes. Toss the green beans into the pot, stirring them with a wooden spoon to coat well with the pork fat. Add the broth and seasoning. Cook over medium-low heat, covered tightly, for approximately 30 minutes, or until the beans are half done.

While the beans are cooking, peel a center strip from each new potato with a potato peeler. At the end of 30 minutes, add the potatoes and onion to the beans; add 1/4 cup more broth, if needed. Cook, covered tightly, until the potatoes are tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes, periodically checking the pot to make sure a small amount of liquid remains. When the potatoes are tender, tilt the lid slightly, off to the side of the pot, and continue to cook until the green beans are wilted, approximately 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Baby New Potatoes in Parmesan Sauce

Cover potatoes with water, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until tender, about eight minutes. Drain and cover to keep warm. In a pot over medium high heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, then milk, stirring constantly until thick.

Season sauce with salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Stir in cheese. Pour sauce over potatoes and stir to coat. Serve.

Although we take advantage of frozen peas in order to enjoy the legumes year-round, there’s simply nothing that can replace the toothsome snap of a freshly shelled English pea. English peas — also known as shell peas and garden peas — enjoy a short-lived season during late spring and early summer, and they are at their best in May and early June.

For peas that are sweet and crisp, start by looking for shiny, firm, brightly colored pods that feel swollen and heavy. When cooking with English peas, buy much more than you think you will need, as one pound of peas will only equate roughly one cup (one serving) of shelled peas. While it’s ideal to eat garden peas as soon as they’re picked, they can keep for up to three days when wrapped tightly and placed in the coolest part of the refrigerator.

Unlike sugar snap peas or snow peas, the fibrous pods of English peas cannot be eaten (although they can be used to enhance the flavor of vegetable stock). Shell English peas immediately before they’re to be cooked: Break off the stem and pull the fibrous string down the length of the pod. Press each pod between your thumbs and forefingers to open, pushing out the individual peas.

Rinse and drain the peas, discarding pods, stems, and strings.

They can be prepared in a multitude of ways. Make sure not to overcook or use really big, tough ones.

— Courtesy popsugar.com

English Pea Salad

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Let cool.

In a medium serving bowl, combine the bacon, peas, cheese, and eggs. Stir in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fresh English Pea Soup

Heat olive oil in soup pot. Add shallots and garlic and cook over med. Heat until shallots are just wilted. Add 3 1/2 cups water, bring to boil, turn down heat and simmer for 1/2 hour.

Add peas, tarragon, salt and pepper and bring back to boil. Turn down heat and let simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temp. Purée in a blender in batches until very smooth. Force through fine sieve into clean pot, discarding small amount of pea skins left in sieve.

Stir in half and half and add salt if necessary to taste. Can be reheated and served hot or chilled and served cold.

Fresh English Peas

Cook peas in a small amount of boiling, salted water, until tender (if using frozen peas, follow package instructions).

Drain, and set aside.

In another saucepan, heat the butter, and add the peas, mint and sugar.

Cook over low heat for two minutes, tossing gently to mix.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas

Take the strings and bloom ends off each pea. Wash thoroughly. Note: Use small to medium pods and check them for freshness. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar snap peas, salt and pepper and sauté, tossing occasionally for three to five minutes, until the sugar snap peas are crisp tender.

Place the sugar snap peas in a serving bowl, salt and pepper to taste and serve.

By Olivia Fowler

For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

There’s only one place in the whole world that grows authentic Vidalia onions, and that’s Vidalia, Ga.

They have the perfect soil to produce this sweet, flavorful onion. The only drawback is the onions only come into the market once a year. And now is the time.

So, don’t let the grass grow under your feet. Buy some and use them as much as possible while they’re available. Even people who say they don’t like onions have been known to change their minds when they taste Vidalias.

I hope you’ll like them, too.

Vidalia and Tomato Salad

Mix all ingredients together and let marinate 20 minutes at room temperature.

Vidalia Casserole

Set oven to 350 degrees. Butter a two-quart casserole dish. In a large saucepan, melt butter.

Add onions to pan, over high heat, sauté until soft, and just starting to brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Place half of the onions in the baking dish; cover with half the crackers, and half of the Parmesan.

Repeat to make another layer of onions, crackers and Parmesan.

Bake, uncovered, until cheese on top is lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Note: if made a day ahead, let cool and keep refrigerated until time to reheat for serving.

Baked Stuffed Vidalias

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Trim a thin slice from both ends of each onion, then peel away the papery skin and place the them in a large pot, cover with salted water and cook covered on stovetop on medium for about 10 minutes until just tender but not soft.

Remove from heat, drain off the water and let stand, uncovered, until cool enough to handle.

Begin removing the inner layers of the onion by inserting a fork into the center and twisting. Pull upward gently, remove the core and transfer to a cutting board.

Remove additional layers until you are left with a hollow shell about 3/8-inch thick. This could consist of either one or two of the outer layers, depending on the individual onion.

Roughly chop the inner layers of the onion into 1/2-inch pieces.

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the flour evenly over the onions and combine.

Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the flour turns uniformly golden in color, 4 to 5 minutes longer.

Add the white wine and combine thoroughly. Stir in the chicken broth and continue cooking until the mixture is thickened and smooth, about three minutes more. Add the half-and-half, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Using a teaspoon, fill the onion shells with the creamed mixture, pressing down gently after each spoonful. Top with a sprinkling of panko crumbs and dust with a bit of paprika for color.

Bake uncovered for eight to 10 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden brown.

Pickled Icebox Vidalias

Slice onions thin, about 1/4-inch-thick and cover with ice water in a bowl. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drain off water and pack into a clean quart-sized Mason jar.

Beat the remaining ingredients together briskly using a whisk until all the sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture over onion, put lid on jar sealing tightly and put into the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before using. They will keep in refrigerator for about four months.

By Olivia Fowler

For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

The first time you confront an artichoke in the raw, you might find it a little off-putting.

But once you know how to prepare them, it’s not such a frightening experience.

Fear of the unknown kept me from cooking my own artichokes for some time. I’d just buy the canned ones. And I still use those on occasion, because they are delicious, too.

But nothing can really compare to those you cook yourself, so this week we’re featuring some recipes that include the use of fresh artichokes.

I hope you find some of these to your liking. And still use them for some recipes.

Lemon Butter Artichokes

Bring three quarts of water and 1/4 cup of the salt to a boil in a large pot.

Place the artichokes on a cutting board. Trim the stem ends off until the bottom is flat so the artichokes can sit upright. Cut the top third from each artichoke and discard.

Then cut the pointed tip from each of the remaining outer leaves. Discard.

Rub the cut areas with the lemon halves.

Squeeze any remaining juice from the lemon halves and add the juice to the boiling water along with the juiced lemon halves themselves.

Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, carefully add the artichokes to the boiling water. Top with a heavy pot lid or heat-proof baking dish that will fit inside the pot, so that the weight will keep the artichokes submerged in the water. Lower the heat and cook at a slow boil until the artichokes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. With oven mitts or pot holders, carefully remove the lid or weighted dish from the top of the artichokes.

With a slotted spoon or skimmer, and with a small bowl or dish held underneath to catch the hot water, carefully transfer the artichokes to a colander set in a sink. With tongs, turn each artichoke upside down and place in the colander. Let drain, inverted, until cool enough to handle.

To make the lemon-butter sauce, melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan.

Add the remaining two tablespoons of lemon juice and the remaining teaspoon of salt, and stir to combine.

Remove the lemon-butter sauce from the heat and transfer to small dipping bowls to serve with the artichokes.

Serve the artichokes either warm or cold.

Artichoke Salad

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the green beans and blanch until crisp and tender, about one minute. Remove the beans from the hot water with a strainer or slotted spoon and refresh in a pot or bowl of cold water. Pat the beans dry to remove excess water.

Add the quartered red potatoes to the same pot of water and cook until the potatoes are tender, about eight minutes. Drain and cool.

Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving two tablespoons of the marinade. In a bowl, add the reserved two tablespoons of artichoke marinade, plus the olive oil, lemon juice (or orange juice), Dijon mustard, parsley, oregano and orange zest. Whisk together until combined.

Add the potatoes, green beans, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes to the bowl of dressing nd toss to combine.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Grilled Artichokes

Combine fresh chopped herbs, except for the bay leaf, in a small microwavable bowl and cover with olive oil.. Either heat oil and herbs on stovetop until warm or microwave on high heat for 30 seconds.

Set aside and leave the herbs to steep.

Put an inch of water into a large pot, add the bay leaf and cut cloves of garlic. Put a steamer rack into the pot.

Trim the tips of the pointed eaves off the artichokes, then rub the cut areas with juice from the lemon wedges so they want turn brown.

Cut off the thick outer layer of the artichoke stems with a vegetable peeler. Trim all but two inches off the artichoke base. Cut off the top half-inch of the artichokes and cut the artichokes in half.

Scoop out the fuzzy chokes and the small inner artichoke leaves. Rub lemon juice all over the inside and exposed cut areas of the artichokes.

Bring pot of water to a boil, reduce the heat to medium high and place the artichoke halves, cut side down on the steam rack.

Cover. Steam for 20 minutes or until the heart of the artichoke is just tender when you stick a knife into it.. Heat the grill to high. Brush the artichokes thoroughly with the oil. Sprinkle with salt. Place the artichokes on the grill cut side don, cover and grill for five to 10 minutes until grill marks are visible on the cut side.

To serve, sprinkle the cut sides with more lemon juice. Serve alone or with mayonnaise.

Artichoke, Spinach and Mushroom Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish with two teaspoons of the butter and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about three minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook until they give up their liquid, about five minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, artichoke hearts, mushroom mixture, ricotta, jack, and feta, and toss to combine.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, nutmeg, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add to the spinach mixture. Add the bread crumbs and mix well. Transfer to the prepared dish and top with a layer of Parmesan. Bake until the casserole is firm and the top is golden, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve.

By Olivia Fowler

For the Courier

ofowler@thepccourier.com

There are few things more delicious than fresh strawberries. Really good ones are ripe now, and there are so many good things you can bake to add to their goodness.

These cakes are universally loved for their ability to serve as foundations for almost any kind of fresh fruit desserts. Strawberry shortcake is an all-time favorite, so we had to include a recipe for shortcakes.

And you don’t have to limit the topping to just strawberries. As other fruits come in, they can also be a great addition to any of the cakes featured here.

Shortcakes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles coarse meal.

Whisk together 1/2 cup buttermilk, the egg, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Add to the flour mixture and lightly mix with your hands just until the dough just comes together. Do not over mix. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands, gently pat the dough into a seven-inch round about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 8 equal sized wedges. Space the shortcakes evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining one tablespoon buttermilk and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Sponge Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and two teaspoons of the butter together over medium-low heat. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip, beat the eggs and one cup of the sugar on medium-high speed in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and tripled in volume, about eight minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the warm milk mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly until smooth. Repeat with the other half. Add the vanilla and mix gently. Grease a 17-by-12-inch baking pan or jelly-roll pan with the remaining two tablespoons butter. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining two tablespoons sugar. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Cool for about two minutes, then gently flip it out onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Let cool completely.

Angel Food Cake

Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice; set aside.

Place oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350°. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, about two tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form.

Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time.

Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about one hour.

Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate.

Meringue Shells

Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add vanilla and cream of tartar; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, one tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

Shape into three-inch cups with the back of a spoon. Bake at 225° for one to one and a half hours or until set and dry. Turn oven off; leave meringues in oven for one hour.

Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Fill shells with berries; garnish with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

For Mexican food lovers everywhere, Cinco de Mayo provides the perfect excuse to host a fiesta. This year, try spicing up your party menu with Mexican-inspired bold flavors and fresh ingredients using these tips and recipe. With a little planning and some key fresh ingredients, you can host a fiesta everyone will enjoy.

Cinco de Mayo Menu Planning

Here are a few authentic dips and dishes to liven any party spread:

• Green, Green Guacamole — This flavorful dip embodies the festive flavors of the holiday. To make fresh guacamole, add green onions, cilantro and Tabasco green jalapeño pepper sauce to ripe, mashed avocados.

• Mexican Caviar — Not your average salsa dip, this hearty and zesty recipe combines black beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes and cilantro for a muy bueno party starter that is sure to please.

• Spicy Taquitos — Packed with genuine flavor, these savory appetizers can be served all year long. A satisfying blend of chicken, red beans and shredded cheese is rolled into buttery phyllo dough and baked until golden and crispy.

To add more authentic flavor to your table, be sure to serve Fiery Fiesta Empanadas. With a soft cornmeal crust, ground beef, cheese and olive filling, this dish boasts bold notes of cumin, garlic, and mild Tabasco green jalapeño pepper sauce – making these empanadas a sure-fire way to spice up your menu.

For more sizzling south-of-the-border recipes, visit www.tabasco.com.

Fiery Fiesta Empanadas

          Filling

Recipe makes four empanadas.

Combine flour, cornmeal and salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle in water, one tablespoon at a time, until dough sticks together.

On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out half of dough until 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough into two seven-inch rounds. Repeat with remaining dough and scraps. Cover; set aside.

Cook ground beef and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until beef is browned on all sides, stirring occasionally to break up beef.

Stir in scallions, taco sauce, olives, three teaspoons green jalapeño pepper sauce, oregano, cumin and salt until well blended. Stir in cheese.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease large cookie sheet. Spoon about 1/2-cup filling on 1/2 of each round, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

Stir together egg and remaining teaspoon green jalapeño pepper sauce.

Brush border with egg mixture.

Fold dough over filling, pressing out air. Crimp edges with fork or fingers to seal.

Place on baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes or until golden.