• 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
• dash of garlic powder
• Lemon Juice
• Olive oil

Preparing Artichokes:

• Cut the stem off, level with the bottom of the artichoke, so it will sit flat. Snip all the sharp ends off each leaf with a scissors. Remove the bottom row of leaves.

1. Using a small spoon, fill each leaf with the above mixture, then put remaining mixture into the center at the top.
2. Place artichoke in about 1" of boiling water. Drizzle the stuffed artichoke with lots of lemon juice and then pour a good olive oil over each leaf and top.
3. Cover, turn heat on medium-low, and let cook for about 45 minutes, or until a leaf will pull off easily.
4. Can serve hot or at room temperature. Simply pull off leaves, being careful to get all the stuffing. Using top teeth, scrape the pulp from the leaf, and eat it along with the stuffing. I wouldn't advise eating the whole leaf.
5. When the leaves are finished, tear off the top portion of the artichoke, and be sure to remove the "choke" - which is the fuzzy stuff. Then you'll see the artichoke heart, which is ready to be eaten!!

Variation:

• Prepare artichoke as above, but don't use any stuffing. Steam artichoke until leaves pull off easily. Can dip leaves in either Hollandaise sauce or lemon-butter.

(Cotton)