GREEN TEA PUNCH
3 cups boiling water
3 tbs green tea
3 oranges, juiced and zested
3 lemons, juiced and zested
1½ cups pineapple juice
¾ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
½ cup dark rum
3 Champagne bottles
Slices of orange and lemon for garnish

Pour 3 cups boiling water over 3 tablespoons green tea in a saucepan and let the mixture infuse for 5 minutes.  Strain the tea into a large ceramic or glass bowl and let it cool.  Add the juice and grated rind of 3 oranges and 3 lemons, 1½ cups pineapple juice, ¾ cup confectioners' sugar and ½ cup dark rum and chill the mixture, covered, for at least three hours.

Strain the liquid into a punch bowl set in a hollowed-out block of ice, add three bottles Champagne, chilled, and garnish the punch with orange and lemon slices. Makes 25 to 30 servings.

POLENTA GRATIN WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH
Prepared in 30 minutes or less plus 40 minutes to bake.

2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
12 oz sliced mixed wild mushrooms (5 cups)
1 large shallot, minced
8 oz pre-washed baby spinach (8 lightly packed cups)
½ tsp thyme
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs all-purpose flour
¾ cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
½ cup cream
One 18-oz log of prepared polenta, cut into ¼ -inch slices
3 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes.

Add the shallot and cook over moderately low heat for 3 minutes.  Add the spinach, thyme and nutmeg and cook over high heat until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. Spread the spinach evenly in a 2-quart baking dish.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour over moderately high heat. Add the stock and cream and whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and pour over the spinach.

Arrange the polenta slices on top of the spinach in overlapping concentric circles, pressing to submerge the polenta slightly.  Sprinkle the Gruyère on the polenta, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Preheat the broiler.  Uncover the polenta and broil 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, or until golden.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.  If left unbaked, the gratin can be refrigerated overnight.  Serves 8.

TRADITIONAL GREEK MEAT PIE
Prepared in 15 minutes or less plus 1½ hour to bake.

For the Filling:
2.2 lbs of beef, cut into cubes
1 lbs pork thigh, cut into cubes
1 cup yellow rice
½ cup long grain white rice
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 beefsteak tomatoes, minced
3 yellow onions, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Amaranth or anise
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, rinsed and chopped
8 twigs fresh marjoram
½ tsp cinnamon powder
Salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the Pie Crust:
1 lbs hard wheat flour
1 lbs all-purpose soft flour
1 cup vinegar
1 cup oil
Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 200°F.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and add 2 cups of water.  Set aside.

In a large pan, pour hard flour and soft flour.  Combine with a whisk.

Dig a hole in its center and add the vinegar, oil and salt.  Knead with hands and add lukewarm water if necessary until mix becomes a solid dough.  Divide into two equal parts and roll out to make two equal sized pastry sheets.

In a size 34 baking pan, put one pastry sheet on bottom, add meat mixture then cover with remaining pastry sheet.

Bake for 1½ hours.  Serves 4.

This brilliant and finger-licking lusciousness is best when served warm with vanilla bean ice cream.

BERRIES-BERRIES EVERYWHERE COBBLER
Prepared in 15 minutes or less plus 30 minutes to bake.

3 cups blueberries
3 cups blackberries
2 cups strawberries
(frozen berries defrosted work well, too)
2 cups sugar
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1½ tbs cornstarch
2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1 cup whole milk
½ tsp freshly ground cinnamon
½ stick melted unsalted butter
6 pieces nut biscotti broken into crumbled pieces, found on the grocer's cookie aisle.  My favorite gourmet biscotti are Be-Bop Biscotti out of an artisanal bakery in Bend, Oregon.  Check out their biscotti varieties at www.be-bop.net
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large mixing bowl combine rinsed berries, 1¼ cup sugar, nutmeg and cornstarch, stir with a wooden spoon until berries are well-coated.  Pour berries into a Pam sprayed 13 x 9-inch baking dish.  

In a medium bowl, with a fork, blend together Bisquick, ½ cup sugar and whole milk.  Spread this evenly over berries.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon.  Gently brush the top of the dough with melted butter then sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mix.

Top with crumbled biscotti.  Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes, until golden brown.  The berries will be bubbling and bursting with summer!

Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.  Dust with confectioners' sugar.  Serves 8.