"Tap into your resources" ...and your friends

At this time of year we always think of what we have to be thankful for. At some dinner tables, on Thanksgiving Day, people go round the table and everyone relates something they have experienced in the past year for which they are grateful.

The one that came to my mind this morning was all of you readers. What a resource you have become! And I am so thankful! The stories of the glow worms and the tan slices have sent a flurry of emails around the world. I got tons of email telling me that lightening bugs and glow worms were the same thing. I had to inform many that this is not the case. We love lightening bugs but glow worms are different. I said how the Maori woman who gave us the tour of the caves told us they are only in two parts of the world. Australia and New Zealand. Well, lo and behold a woman wrote me a really funny email where she related that she was going to tell me that they are in fact the same bug but then she went to the internet and looked them up! She found out they are different-- but additionally, she found out they are located in northern Alabama at Dismal Canyons and she'd seen them there! Those of us in the US don't have to travel to Australia to see them, we have them here! So add THAT to your travel schedule!

The other issue that came up was "what in heaven's name is golden syrup?". I never even thought to check it out. I just assumed it was maple. Patricia wrote from across the globe to tell me that golden syrup is not made from maple trees; it is in fact a product from that part of the world and is made from sugar cane. Hmmm. Does that make a tan slice made with maple syrup less tasty? No! I loved them! So if you can get golden syrup you can use that. Use maple if you like maple flavor. Next time I make tan slices I'm going to try birch syrup. Birch syrup is a wonderful little gift I brought back from Alaska. It's stronger than maple syrup and has a nice bite to it. I guess the only one I'd suggest staying away from in a tan slice is molasses. Probably a bit too strong. So have at it. Customize your tan slices with whatever syrup you have access to in your part of the globe. It all just makes it even more fun.

But look at what a resource you all are - to me and to each other! I, for one, am grateful. When you write you are respectful and friendly; even when you are correcting me. And I love hearing from each of you. That's what makes this labor of love all worth it.

When you have relatives in town this holiday season here's one more casserole for a crowd. Hearty and certainly not diet conscious but yummy just the same. Enjoy!

Hearty Mac and Cheese Strata with Bacon
Serves 4. Can be doubled

One half pound of elbow macaroni (I use the smaller ones if I can find them). You can use macaroni or even penne or rigatoni. (2 cups of noodles)
2 Tbl of butter
one half cup of shallots diced
one pound of sliced mushrooms (button or exotic)
1 Tbl of white flour
one half tsp of dry mustard
one quarter tsp of salt
one quarter tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of Worchestershire sauce
three quarters of a cup of grated Emmenthaler cheese or Swiss
one and a half cups of grated mild cheddar
6 slices of bacon
one half cup of breadcrumbs made from fresh bread

Cut the bacon crosswise into small strips. Fry until crisp. You'll have automatic bacon bites. Wipe out the pan. You can now re-use it for your sauté portion of the recipe.

Cook your pasta in a pot of boiling water. Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot. Add the milk, flour, mustard, salt, cayenne, worchestershire and the cheese. Stir until well blended.

While the pasta is cooking....

In a sauté pan melt the butter and add the shallots and mushrooms. Cook on medium high until onions are loose and mushrooms have reduced and are beginning to brown just slightly on the sides.

Now you're ready to assemble your strata.

In the bottom of a 9 X 9" oven-proof pan with tall sides, add your mushroom mixture. Then add half of the bacon. Add the mac and cheese mixture. The other half of the bacon and now the bread crumbs.

Bake the pasta for 30 minutes on 350. The top will be crunchy and the flavor delicious!

Serve with a salad....suggestion: romaine, sliced yellow pepper, cherry tomatoes and Caesar dressing.

Cheers,
Zola