After-Work Gourmet by Lisa Messinger

As the season wrapped up on "Joan and Melissa: Joan Knows Best," Joan Rivers' and her daughter Melissa Rivers' WE-TV reality show, as well as "In Bed with Joan," the no-holds-barred web chat show the two started, where stars pop out of the comedienne's bedroom closet and gossip with her in bed, Joan had a scare. Was the shadow discovered by her internist on her lung an old scar, pneumonia or a tumor?

As she waited days for the results, the 79-year-old stand-up comedy legend, who also hosts the Melissa-produced hit series "Fashion Police" on E!, asked what she would do if time was short, and she could do anything in the world that she wanted. She screamed, "Eat!"

Known for decades for making fun of her body on stage (and calling her slim physique "fat," as well as many other derogatory terms), and seen on the WE series only eating plain salads, even when proclaiming how hungry she is, it seemed that perhaps her deprivation wasn't just part of a kitschy act.

It reminded me of what seemed like another extremely sincere comment I had heard on TV earlier the same week. When Katie Couric interviewed her friend, Broadway/TV star Emmy Rossum, the pivotal question at the end was, "If you could do anything else besides what you are doing now, what would you do?"

This was the standard what-other-career-would-you-choose-as-backup inquisition, but, in a split second, Rossum blurted out, "Eat!"

"Don't you eat now?" the slim Couric asked the even slimmer Rossum.

Yes, she said, but, explaining how she had always restrained herself, she noted that she would definitely be eating more — a lot more.

Taking that fantasy to heart, Rivers started a bucket list and besides wear her gorgeous diamond engagement ring that had long been locked away, use her mother's silver that had been in storage and literally dance on the graves of celebrities she felt had done her very wrong, her top item was still, "Eat!"

With her staff, friends and family, she had a buffet meal she said would be her last if she could choose it of pizza, pasta, lasagna, fried chicken, ribs, cornbread and glazed fruit tarts, and she also promised to regularly eat more than the pittance she had previously allowed.

She also went around the kitchen island where they were all excitedly eating with their hands and asked each of the guests what they would have been if they didn't have their current profession and to express any stinging life regrets they harbored.

Joan, whose daughter points out she can't sing, it turns out will be trying gospel singing before her time is up.

Following are some Rivers-inspired recipes if you'd like to throw an unrestrained "Eat!" party.

Don't forget the provocative questions that should be passed around the table along with the indulgent dishes.

PARMESAN-GREEN ONION CORN BREAD

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 3/4 cups chopped green onions

2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

1/3 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

Yields 10 servings.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a 13-by-9-by-2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully melt butter with oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add green onions; saute 3 minutes. Cool.

Whisk cornmeal, flour, cheese, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend.

Whisk buttermilk and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture and green onion mixture to dry ingredients; stir until just blended (do not overmix). Transfer batter to pan.

Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. —BonAppetit.com

FIVE-CHEESE PENNE

Kosher salt, to taste

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup crushed tomatoes in thick tomato puree

1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano (1 1/2 ounces)

1/2 cup shredded imported Italian fontina (1 1/2 ounces)

1/4 cup crumbled Italian Gorgonzola (1 1/2 ounces)

2 tablespoons ricotta cheese

1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced

6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 pound imported penne rigate pasta

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Yields 6 servings.

Preheat the oven to 500 F.

Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in a stockpot. Combine all the ingredients, except the penne and butter, in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Drop the penne into the boiling water and parboil for 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl, tossing to combine.

Divide the pasta mixture among 6 shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2-cup capacity). Dot with the butter and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 7 to 10 minutes. —FoodNetwork.com

Photo courtesy of BonAppetit.com

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "Cooks' Books" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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