SLEUTH’S CORNER

Q. I got a recipe from a magazine in the early 1970s and made it each year as a Christmas pie. When we moved in 1986, the recipe got lost and I have tried repeatedly to duplicate it, to no avail. It was called a French fruit tart. The crust was made of Jiffy pie crust mix, sugar and heavy cream. The filling was Jell-O vanilla pudding mix — not instant — with cream and vanilla among other things. The top was mandarin oranges, canned pineapple segments and bananas. I would love to wow my family with it again.

Sharon Roetger, Wilmington, N.C.

Breakfast

Make-Ahead Baked French Toast

1 loaf crusty sourdough or French bread

8 eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter, chilled and cut into pieces

Fresh fruit (optional)

Maple syrup

Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan. Mix eggs with milk, cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Mix flour with brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Cut butter pieces into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Refrigerate, covered.

When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle crumb mixture over casserole. (If using fruit, sprinkle it on first.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, bread-pudding texture, 1 hour or more for a firmer texture. Scoop into individual portions, and drizzle with maple syrup. Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 363 calories, 41 percent from fat, (9.1 saturated, 4.7 g mono) 162 mg cholesterol, 10 g protein, 43 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 351 mg sodium

Dessert

Quick Crescent Pecan Pie Bars

Crust

1 (8-ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls

Filling

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll dough and separate into 2 long rectangles. Place in ungreased 9-by-13-inch pan, pressing over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust. Firmly press perforations to seal. Bake 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix filling ingredients. Pour filling over partially baked crust. Bake 18 to 22 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour, before cutting into bars. Makes 24 bars.

Per bar: 97 97 calories, 39 percent from fat, 4.3 g fat (1.2 saturated, 1.6 g mono) 9 mg cholesterol, 1.1 g protein, 13.8 g carbohydrates, 0.2 g fiber, 85 mg sodium

Main Dish

Beef and Guinness Stew

5 pounds stew beef, such as chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup flour

Salt and freshly ground pepper

5 tablespoons vegetable oil or suet

3 or 4 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped

1 pound white mushrooms, halved

2 (12-ounce) bottles Guinness Extra Stout

2 cups beef stock

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Generous pinch of nutmeg

4 bay leaves

In a large bowl, toss the meat, flour and some salt and pepper, until the meat is coated. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When the fat is very hot, add the meat, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding. Fry, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 10 minutes.

Remove meat from the pot and set aside. Add the onions and cook over medium heat until just become translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Return the beef to the pot and add the mushrooms, Guinness, stock, sugar, thyme, nutmeg and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper, using a light hand with the salt at this stage. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 2 hours. Stir occasionally. Makes 10 servings.

Per serving: 434 calories, 35 percent from fat, 17 g fat (5.2 saturated, 6.8 g mono) 145 mg cholesterol, 53 g protein, 13 g carbohydrates, 1.1 g fiber, 283 mg sodium