Come Into My Kitchen
by

How many times have you found yourself with a perishable food you succumbed to at the market, just because it was incredibly priced and you couldn't resist a bargain? You brought it home where it languished in the refrigerator, waiting for you to decide what to do with it.

So it was recently with a special half-price celery sale.  Celery is rarely used as a dish in itself.  If it isn't used as an ingredient, it's likely to be found on an appetizer tray as a bow to dieters.

As I stood before the open refrigerator looking at my two bunches of celery, I thought of poet Robert Browning's:

Hm.

Optimist that I am, I wanted to do something different with my bargain since time was running out. I did what I normally do: consulted my collection of dozens and dozens of cookbooks that date back more years than I care to admit.

Strange to say, recipes for celery were practically non-existent in the indexes of most of the books I consulted.  Oh, now and then a recipe featuring celery would be listed, but invariably it was a trite, unimaginative dish that depended on cream of mushroom soup for flavor and character.

I remembered a recipe for Cream of Celery Soup with the comment "Excellent, low calorie." Since I never did belong to the let-well-enough-alone school, I made a few changes and below is the result, salvaging a mighty bad buy.

I like to serve cream soup in mugs; it emphasizes the casual tone of the meal.  I served it recently to keep a guest happy and grounded while I gained a few minutes' peace to put the finishing touches on dinner.
 

1   bunch of celery (include leafy tops)
1   medium onion
3 or 4 sprigs fresh parsley
1   Tablespoon butter or margarine
4   cups lean chicken broth (use bouillon cubes
      or canned diluted chicken broth)
Generous dash ginger, nutmeg, pepper, salt

Chop celery, onion and parsley.  Saute a few minutes in heated butter in heavy pot.  Add hot broth and all seasonings; cover and simmer 45 minutes.  Put through electric blender or sieve; check seasoning and heat again If you like curry powder, add it at this point, If you're serving it in a bowl, place a lemon wedge on rim of bowl. 

Remember, celery is a bland vegetable, so add seasonings with a heavy hand. 

Serves 3 to 4.
 

2 to 3 lb. potatoes, peeled and thinly shced
3  cups milk
2  cloves garlic, mashed
1  tsp. salt
1  large bay leaf
Several grinds black pepper
1/2  tsp. leaf thyme
2 cups grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Put potatoes in large heavy saucepan.  Add all other ingredients except cheese; milk should cover potatoes.  Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork but are not soft.  Discard bay leaf.

Grease shallow baking dish; arrange 1/3 the potato mixture in a layer; cover with 1/3 of cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese on top.  Bake in 350-degree oven about 50 minutes or until cheese is well browned and bubbly. 

Serves 5 to 6. (Reheats well)
 

1     stick butter or margarine,  room temperature
3/4   cup grated Parmesan cheese
4     Tablespoons mayonnaise
3     garlic cloves, minced or crushed
2     Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2   tsp. dried oregano, crushed
French bread (I used 2  loaves,  each  about 12-in. long)

In medium bowl, mash all ingredients thoroughly.  This may be done a day or two ahead of time and refrigerated, but bring to room temperature before using.

Cut loaves horizontally; spread with mixture.  Wrap each half securely in foil and place in 375 -degree oven for 20 min.  Premove foil and place under broiler a few minutes, until nicely browned.  Cut into shces, slanting about 2 inches wide. 

Serves 6 to 8.
 

1     large chicken breast,  boned,  skinned  and cut into 1/2-in. cubes
1     Tablespoon soy sauce
1     Tablespoon dry sherry
1/2   tsp. powdered ginger
1     clove garlic, crushed
4     Tablespoons oil
2     green peppers cut in 1/2-in. pieces
1/2   tsp salt
2 or 3  green onions cut in 1/2-in. pieces
1/2   cup chicken broth
1     tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon water

In small bowl, blend together soy sauce, sherry, ginger and garlic.  Add chicken and marinate about 20 minutes. 

In meantime, heat 2 Tablespoons oil in wok or large skillet over high heat.  Add green peppers; stir-fiy about 4 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt and add onions.  Stir-fry another minute; remove vegetables and set aside.  Heat remaining 2 Tablespoons oil; add drained chicken.  Sfir-fry 4 to 5 minutes, or until chicken tums white and becomes firm. 

Retum vegetables to skillet; stir in chicken broth.  Combine comstarch and water until smooth; stir into chicken and vegetables.  Cook, stirring conslantly, until slightly thickened.  Serve at once with hot fluffy rice. 

Serves 2.

2     eggs
1-1/4   cups sugar
4     Tablespoons flour
2-1/2   tsp. baking powder
1/4   tsp. salt
1     tsp. vanilla extract
1/2   tsp. almond extract
2     Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1     cup chopped  nuts  (pecans  and  walnuts  are best)
1     cup chopped peeled apple

In small bowl of electric mixer beat eggs and sugar thoroughly; don't rush it, it must be velvety.

Combine dry ingredients and sift into mixture.  Stir in vanilla, almond and lemon juice, then nuts and apples.  Turn into greased 8" x 8" baking dish and bake at 350 degrees about 35 to 40 minutes.  Serve plain or garnished with whipped cream or frozen yogurt. 

Serves 4 or 5.