Slowe (wife Susan) and I have always enjoyed cooking together. The stroke has made that (and a lot of other things!) harder, but we hang in there! Here's a recipe she made a couple of weekend ago, she got the recipe from one of her internet food groups.

She just made a half batch to see if it was any good -- everyone thought it was a hickory farms cheese log! Don't be afraid of doing it exactly like it says--the cayenne isn't enough to make it hot, just give it a bit of a kick at the very end. The flavors are just awesome together. Instead of doing the ring, she made a half batch, lined three 1/2 cup small stainless steel bowls with saran wrap, put in a layer of almonds on the bottom, and filled with the mixture, pulled the saran wrap up over the top. Chilled a couple of hours and then unmolded onto a plate, set out a cheese knife, some wheat thins, triscuits, little sourdough cocktail bread, and a small bowl of strawberry jam with a spoon. And we kept one of them in the frig for over a week and served it at Thanksgiving dinner!

YUMMY YUMMY

The potent flavors of sharp cheddar, green onion and bacon make this spread a hit. top each bite with a small amount of strawberry jam. This is a must!

Bacon Cheese Ring

1 pkg (12 oz.) bacon, crisp cooked, drained and crumbled

1 lb. extra sharp shredded cheddar

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

2 cups mayonnaise (NOT salad dressing)

1 tsp Cayenne pepper (important, don't leave it out)

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

In a mixing bowl, combine bacon, cheese, green onions, mayo and cayenne pepper. Mix well.

Place the almonds in the bottom of an oiled 7 cup ring mold. Press cheese mixture

into mold. Refrigerate overnight. Unmold cheese ring on platter. Place a custard cup in the center filled with strawberry preserves. serve with crackers or French bread slices.