Early Morning

Preheat oven to 425. Boil, mash and sieve enough Winter Squash to have a cup.

Mix with a cup of applesauce (the thicker the better, preferably homemade with a tart variety)

Mix in half a teaspoon salt, a cup of light brown sugar a teaspoon of cinnamon and of ginger, half a teaspoon of mace and a quarter of cloves

Lightly beat 4 eggs, add a cup and a half of heavy cream into it. Add that to your squash mix, then pour it into an unbaked 10 inch pie shell.

Bake it for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 and bake another 20 minutes or so. Do the knife test to insure it's done. If you don't know what that is, ask your Mom.

Put the pie in the fridge.

Three Hours before Dinner

Mix in a paper sack half a cup of flour, three-quarters teaspoon of salt and one quarter-teaspoon of pepper. Dredge two pounds of cubed stew beef. Pour about 6 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet and brown the meat. Place in a Dutch Oven.

Chop up 5 onions and finely chop 2 cloves of garlic. Saute until right before the onions start to brown. Add it to the Dutch oven.

Now we need a cup and a quarter of beer. It can be any kind but I use something with a deep amber color to it. This adds up to about a can and a half, finish the rest of the second can, you're going to need it. Pour the beer into the skillet and get it to boil while you scrape up the bits that were left behind.

Pour into the Dutch oven, add another half teaspoon of salt and quarter of pepper, a bay leaf, a half teaspoon of thyme and a quarter of basil.

Bring it all to a boil, cover and simmer for 90 minutes. Cut some carrots into 2 inch pieces until you have 2 cups worth and add them to the mix.

Take 2 pounds of asparagus and break off the hard white parts. Steam them in salt water. If you don't have an asparagus cooker (like everyone else I know) boil them quickly while flat until they're barely tender.

Arrange the Asparagus in a shallow greased baking dish and cover with 6 sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Turn the oven back on to 350, melt two tablespoons of butter, blend 2 tablespoons of flour into it, slowly stir in a cup and a half of milk then keep stirring while you get it to boil. After two minutes of it boiling add half a teaspoon salt, an eight of cayenne and half a cup of grated sharp Cheddar cheese. Pour it over the eggs and Asparagus.

Sprinkle with half a cup of soft buttered bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes. Store in a Warmer.

While the Asparagus bakes make 4 cups of Mashed Potatos. Do not use Instant Flakes or the recipe will flop.

20 minutes after the carrots were added (and after you've moved the Asparagus Cheese Bake) increase the oven to 400. Pour the meat into an oblong casserole and top with the potatoes. Don't forget to remove the Bay Leaf. Be creative and use a fork or something to swirl the potatos up a bit. Dot with a couple tablespoons of butter and bake for 15 minutes.

While it's baking put a cup of waterground white corn meal and a teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Slowly stir in a cup of boiling water. Throw in a teaspoon of sugar and about a half cup of milk so that you have a batter just a bit thicker than pancake batter.

Spoon it onto a greased griddle about 10 minutes per side. When the Johnnycakes are done split them.

Set the table, you'll need butter and syrup for the cakes.

Don't forget the pie afterwards.

The author wants to know if someone is going to cook this for him.