Maple Bacon Herb Cheese Crescents

• 1 package pepperidge farm puff pastry sheets
• 1-16 0z (1 pound) package bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ¾ cup herb cheese
• ¼ cup real maple syrup (not the fake stuff)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs water

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees.  Mix egg with water in a small bowl.  Mix together cheese with maple syrup in small a bowl.

Lay out thawed pastry.  Roll into 16-inch square.  Cut into 8 uniform rectangles and then into 16 triangles.  Spread each triangle with a thin layer of cheese mixture.  Put about a tablespoon of bacon in the middle of each triangle.  Starting at the wide end, roll each triangle up bending the edges in.  Place seam side down on baking tray.  Brush tops with egg.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Alix's Cauliflower

My good friend Alix Jaffe shared this amazing recipe with me. Here's my twist on it.

As my friends often say, I "Lulu-ized it!"

1/2 cup oil (sunflower,grape seed,or canola) 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons turmeric 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper Sea salt 3 heads of cauliflower—halved, cored and cut into 1-inch florets 4 cups chick peas 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/4 cup white raisins 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons chopped mint

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small bowl, combine the oil, cumin, turmeric, crushed red pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. On 2 large rimmed baking sheets, drizzle the cauliflower with the spiced oil and toss well to coat; season with salt. Spread the cauliflower in an even layer and bake for 30 minutes until browned and tender; switch the baking sheets halfway through cooking. Meanwhile, in a pie plate, bake the pine nuts for about 1 minute, until toasted. Let cool. Transfer the cauliflower to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, raisins,cilantro and mint. Ready to serve!!!

Just an idea: Great to put over a piece of fish or chicken. Or use it for a bruschetta

Lulu's Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 pound asparagus, washed and trimmed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Blender Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 2. Spread the asparagus on a jelly roll pan. Pour 1 tablespoon water and the olive over the top. 3. Bake for 10 minutes, turning the asparagus once. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Hollandaise Sauce.

Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Makes 1¼ cups

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 4 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco

1. Melt the butter on low heat in a small saucepan until very hot, but do not let it brown. 2. Combine the egg yolks, heavy cream, lemon juice, salt, and Tabasco in a blender. Turn blender on low speed and blend. 3. With blender on low speed, remove the cover and pour in hot butter in a steady stream. 4. Use immediately, refrigerate, or freeze. To freeze, transfer the sauce into a freezer container, leaving ½-inch space. Let cool, cover, and freeze. To reheat, heat the sauce in the top of a double boiler.