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My friend Judy made a beautiful lasagne for me on my birthday.  Lasagne has been one of my favorites since my aunt Shirley started making them way back in the 1960's.  Judy layers her noodles with sweet Italian sausage, ricotta, spinach, and tomato sauce, with a topping of mozzarella.  It was delicious and just perfect with a nice glass of Chianti.

Judy always makes the cakes-its her specialty.  This one was a spice cake with cooked brown sugar frosting.  The frosting is so intriguing-a combination of marshmallow and meringue.

My beloved aunt Shirley( the lasagne lady and the best cooker in the world) and uncle Keith, who live in Plano Tx sent me two books.  Dean Fearing's "Mansion on Turtle Creek", I can't wait to try some of chef Fearings recipes-he has a very unique way and elegant style of presenting regional Texan cuisine.

The other book they sent is one that I have been reading for many years when visiting their home.  It is the "Treasury of Great Recipes" by Mary and Vincent Price.  It is such a grand book filled with incredible photograpy, stories about their world travels, menu facsimiles, and some very fussy recipes in the Haute Continental style that was popular in the 50's and 60's.  I have coveted this book for years-I am enjoying it so much.


Other gifts this year included fine wine, artisinal gin, artisinal olive oil, and a very fussy Victorian Cruet set in perfect condition.  I have been scouting the flea markets and sales for years for one of these, but they are usually incomplete with a bottle or stopper broken or the silverplate gone.  This one is a perfect little beauty.