My food memory: “How I Found Peas and Quiet in Aisle 6.”

I have a boss who’s always making advances toward me. And when I don’t acquiesce, he over-fills my in-box, so I have to work overtime. I like my job, and I know I am lucky to have one. But I hate the boss. Can you help?

Overtimed

Dear Overtimed,

You should not have to put up with this behavior. There are laws against sexual harassment. Use your NOODLE.

Noodle Pudding

1 8-oz. package of cream cheese

6 eggs

scant ½ cup sugar

¼ lb butter or margarine, melted

2 ¾ cups hot milk

1 tsp. salt

1½ tsp vanilla

1 8-oz. package of broad noodles, cooked

½ cup of corn flakes, crushed

Optional: 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ cup raisins

Beat cream cheese and eggs together until well-blended. Add sugar, margarine, milk, salt, and vanilla. Stir noodles into this mixture. Add cinnamon and raisins if you’d like.

Pour into a well-greased, large baking pan. Cover with crushed corn flakes. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

* * *

Ask your boss for a copy of the company’s sexual harassment policy. If that “warning” doesn’t stop his behavior, then follow the outlined procedure.

Every woman with whom I become serious usually ends up leaving me, saying they want to have a more open relationship and date others. Usually, when I’m content to spend my time with just them, they decide it is time to end the relationship. What should I do?

Left Behind

Dear Left Behind,

Chill out with some GAZPACHO!

Chilled Gazpacho

2 15oz. cans tomatoes, drained (reserve liquid) 1 red pepper

1/2 onion

5 cloves garlic

1 TBL parsley flakes

3 basil leaves

½ tsp. cumin

1 TBL cilantro

1 TBL lime juice

Chop all ingredients in food processor except for tomato juice and lime juice. Place in a large bowl and add tomato juice. Then chill in freezer. For serving, ladle into cups and sprinkle a few drops of lime juice.

Coarsely chopped, this can be used as a dip.

Chill in freezer. Then ladle into cups and add a few drops of lime juice before serving.

* * *

Now’s the time to enjoy dating a variety of people. When you find that special someone, and the relationship is good, she will not want to see anyone but you.

My neighbor is “high-strung,” and I try to maintain cordial relations with her and her husband. At times, she is overly friendly, and can tie me up, carrying on a conversation for hours. The rest of the time, she totally ignores me. I’m tired of dealing with her, but need to remain friendly, for the sake of the neighborly thing. Any suggestions?

Fed Up

Dear Fed Up,

Sounds like your neighbor is a PESTo.

David’s Basil Pesto

2 cloves of garlic

1 ½ TBL lightly toasted pine nuts

2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed

¾ cup plus ½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients, except the ½ teaspoon olive oil, in a food processor and process until a puree forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer to an airtight container and pour the remaining ½ teaspoon of olive oil over the pesto, covering completely. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

The pesto will keep for several days, tightly covered, but will lose its bright green color after the first day.

* * *

You neighbor may have serious problems that you don’t know about. When you see her, smile, even if she’s in a bad mood. If she tries to engage you in conversation, keep it brief and excuse yourself. If she persists, tell you have an appointment or need to return a phone call. After a while, she may get the hint.

My best friend ran off with my boyfriend. What can I do? Should I follow them and try to get him back? Maybe all is lost, but I still have feelings for him. He said he still loves me.

Lost

Dear Lost,

Leaving you for your best friend was not a loving gesture. Leave them be. In time, everyone gets their JUST DESSERTS.

Aunt Evelyn’s Cherry Fudge Brownies

1 package Pillsbury’s Devil’s Food Cake Mix (must be Pillsbury’s)

1 21-oz. can Cherry Pie Filling

1 tsp almond flavoring

2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Mix together by hand. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Cool and enjoy!

* * *

The end of a relationship is still a loss. Take time to heal and then move on.

I have a possessive girlfriend who tells everyone she’s THE girlfriend vs. A girlfriend. What should I do?

Playing the Field

Dear Playing,

Have you BEAN honest with your girlfriend?

Bean Sauce

1 onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 red pepper, chopped

1 cup water

2 cans black beans with liquid

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn with liquid

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 TBL cilantro, chopped

2 TBL barbeque sauce

1 TBL red pepper flakes

In a large skillet, combine onion, garlic red pepper and water. Bring to a boil; then simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve over rice or in a tortilla. If you prefer soup, add 3 cups of vegetable broth to the mixture.

* * *

Does she know you are seeing other women? Or does she truly believe she is the one and only? Regardless, it’s time for the two of you to sit down and talk.

I tend to take every single thing very seriously and when annoying things happen, it hurts me very badly. How do I prioritize difficulties, so I can smile when it rains?

Short Fuse

Dear Fuse,

Keep your PIEorities in perspective.

Key Lime Pie

1 can sweetened, condensed milk

½ cup lime juice

1 medium container Cool Whip

1 graham cracker pie crust

Mix lime juice and milk until thickened.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Pour filling into pie crust and freeze for at least 2 hours.  Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

* * *

Write a list of things that make you happy, and have it ready to read when life gets you down. Remember, when the rain stops, everything is clear and bright again.

My closest “girlfriend” in our mid-life phase has a different circle of professional responsibilities and contacts from my own. As a result, she always asks me, the outsider to her career, to give her advice. In effect, she wants me to decide for her how she should handle the difficult people she works with. I am tired of dancing around politely and trying to dodge her request for advice.

Can I just tell her to grow up and handle her own work life?

Fed Up

Dear Fed Up,

Absolutely! If you are uncomfortable with the situation, tell her so. Just do it in a nICE way.

ICEd Mocha

2 cups strong brewed coffee, chilled

½ tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 TBL brown sugar

¾ cup low-fat milk

Crushed ice

Combine coffee, cocoa powder, brown sugar and milk in blender. Process well, and pour over crushed ice.

* * *

Tell her that you are there for her if she needs to vent. But she’ll have to figure out how to deal with these people on her own.