Uneasy sit the haunches of those constrained to ride the fluttery windup planes that carry travelers beyond the hub airports to land - or rather, skip and frolic - on gopher-pocked grassy fields. Most of these nervous passengers merely bite their nails; the tough-minded struggle to get some work done, take notes, or make plans.

Dr. Gary Fauskin prefers to devise recipes, and his French Gulch Corn Casserole is the happy result of his self-adminstered in-flight psycho-therapy.

On a recent trip from San Jose to Redding en route to French Gulch, he warded off apprehension by considering the inadequacies of existing corn casseroles and planning improvements. This is his winning formula.

Melt butter in a 10-12" frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; stir often until vegetables are limp, 5-8 minutes. Remove

from heat and mix in corn, cilantro, tomatoes, cornstarch mixture, and salt and pepper to taste.

Scrape mixture into a shallow 1-1/2 quart casserole; sprinkle with cheese. Bake in a 350'F. oven until bubbling around edges, 30-40 minutes.

Per serving: 159 calories; 4.2 grams protein; 5.8 grams fat; (3.4 grams saturated fat); 26 grams carbohydrates; 418 milligrams sodium; 15 milligrams cholesterol.

~ Dr. Gary Fauskin, El Cajon, California