#7 walnut balls

1 cup walnuts
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup monteray jack cheese (grated)
1 egg
2 tsp fennel
2 tsp italian seasoning

olive oil and garlic for frying

coursely chop walnuts in a food processor (not to small, not too big), mix with all other ingredients, form into balls. Fry balls in oil (flavored with garlic-add a crushed/smashed clove to the oil) until brown on all sides. Alternatively, bake in the oven until golden brown at 375C.

Recipe from Kim/Pete

#6 meatballs

4 large eggs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
6 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp mayonaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 large garlic cloves (minced)
2 tps salt
1 tps ground black pepper
1.5 lbs ground beef

Additional olive oil (for frying)

Stir eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, mayonaise, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend. Add ground beef and mix thoroughly. Form meatballs.

Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to coat bottom; heat over medium-low heat. Add a few cloves of garlic (whole, smashed) to flavor oil. Working in batches, add meatballs and fry until brown and cooked through, turning frequently and adding more oil as needed, about 15 minutes per batch.

Adapted from Epicurious

#5 smoked gouda and eggplant lasgna

2 lbs eggplant
no boil lasagna noodles
1 jar tomato/pasta sauce
1 lb ricotta cheese
2 shallots (diced)
8 oz smoked gouda (sliced thinly, or grated)
parmasean cheese

Dice eggplant, toss with 2-4 tbsp olive oil and bake at ~375C for ~20-25 mins (until very soft when pierced with fork). Meanwhile, mix ricotta with shallots.

Lasagna assembly: 1/2 cup sauce followed by 3-4 lasagna noodles (make single layer), spread 1/3 ricotta mixture onto noodles, layer 1/3 eggplant on top of ricotta, layer 1/3 gouda on top of eggplant, add 1 cup sauce and repeat steps 2 more times. Finish with a sprinkle of parm cheese.

Bake at 375C for ~45 mins.

Adapted from Epicurious recipe

#4 garlic potato leek soup

1-2 tbsp butter
1 medium leek (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 whole garlic heads (cut off top 1/3 of each garlic head)
6 cups broth (I used 4 cups veg stock, 2 cups water)
2 bay leaves
1.5 lbs russet potatoes (peeled and halved)
1 lb red bliss potato (unpeeled, chopped into bite size pieces)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1-2 tbsp thyme leaves (fresh)
salt/pepper

3-4 cloves garlic, sliced thin and fried until golden brown in olive oil (to make "garlic croutons")

Cook leeks until soft in butter. Add minced garlic, cook until fragrant (about 1 min). Add garlic heads, broth and bay leaves. Cook about 30 mins, add potatoes. Once potatoes are cooked (20 mins) take out russet potatoes, mash, and put back in the pot. Remove garlic heads, squeeze out garlic, mash, and put back into pot. Remove bay leaves. Add cream, thyme, salt/pepper.

Serve, garnish with garlic croutons.

Recipe from Cooks Illustrated Magazine

#3 tomato/cucumber salad w/ yogurt-dill dressing

A few tomatos (diced)
1-2 cucumbers (depending on size) (diced)

1-1.5 cups yogurt
3 green onions (chopped finely)
1 clove garlic (minced)
5-6 tbsp dill (rough chopped)
tsp lemon juice
tsp honey

Combine yogurt, onions, garlic, dill, lemon juice and honey. Add tomatos and cucumber and mix.

#2 baked brie

1 wheel brie
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup walnuts
1 egg

1 puff pastry

Roast walnuts in dry pan ~5 mins, until fragrant.

Defrost puff pastry 30 mins, roll out to increase by 1 inch each side, place brie wheel in center. put walnuts on top and jam on top of that. Pull up corners to encase, brush with egg and bake until golden brown, ~30 mins @350

adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_36697,00.html?rsrc=like

#1 Sangria

2 bottles white wine
2 apples
1-2 cups club soda

Mix together, let hang out a while, and serve!