1 oz (2 T.) honeydew melon
1 oz (2 T.) kiwi
1 oz (2 T.) apple slices
2 oz (1/4 cup) Tillamook Vanilla Bean Yogurt
2 oz (1/4 cup) Beet juice
2 oz (1/4 cup) orange juice
1 oz (2 T.) skim milk
1 tsp. honey
Dice all the fruit into small pieces. Put the fruit in the blender, then add Tillamook Vanilla Bean Yogurt, beet juice, orange juice, skim milk, and honey. Mix until consistency is smooth. For a sweeter taste, add more honey and blend again.
4 (3oz.) boxes Strawberry Jello
2 envelopes Knox Unflavored Gelatin
5½ cups boiling water, divided
1 can (14oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
½ cup cold Water
Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, add the 4 packages of Strawberry Jello. Mix in 4 cups boiling water and stir for about 2 minutes, or until dissolved. Pour into the prepared pan and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm. In a medium bowl add the ½ cup cold water and sprinkle the gelatin over the top, let stand for 1 minute. Stir in 1½ cups boiling water and sweetened condensed milk, mix well and allow to cool. Remove the firm red jello from the fridge and invert onto a cutting board. Re-spray the same 9 x 13 pan with non stick spray. With a heart cookie cutter, cut hearts out of the jello. Take care to cut them as close together as possible to reduce waste. Arrange the hearts in the pan. Pour milk mixture over the hearts and place in the fridge for 2 hours until firm. Remove and cut into squares.
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2½ cups half and half (half and half is a half cream, half milk mixture found next to the heavy cream)
2½ cups milk
1 Tablespoon chicken base, or two chicken bouillon cubes crushed
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2½ cups chopped rotisserie chicken (cooked chicken breast will work)
½ cup cooked and chopped bacon
1 cup cubed ham
2 cups grated Swiss cheese
In a large sauce pan melt butter and then add the flour to make a roux. Cook for about a minute. Add the half and half, milk and the chicken base. Heat for a few minutes and then add the cream cheese. While continuously stirring, bring to a boil and add chicken, bacon. and ham. Take off heat and stir in Swiss cheese. Bring back to the stove on low heat and stir until cheese is melted.
6 poblano chiles
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon plus 2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced lengthwise (about 1-1/2 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
two 10-inch flour tortillas
grated Monterey Jack cheese (4 to 8 oz.)
sour cream or crème fraiche to taste
To roast the peppers using a gas flame: Turn a gas burner to high and char the poblanos directly over the flame, turning them with tongs as soon as each side becomes fully blackened, about 6 to 8 minutes per pepper. To roast the peppers in the oven: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Halve and seed the peppers and place on a parchment-lined (for easy cleanup) baking sheet. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or until charred in some places. (Don’t let them get too black as I did here or you will have trouble peeling them.) Immediately after roasting, put the poblanos in a bowl, cover, and set aside to steam and loosen the skins. When they’re cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin off with your hands or a small paring knife. Pull out and discard the stems and seed clusters (if you haven’t already). Slice the peppers into 1/4-inch-wide strips and put them in a small bowl. Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 150°F (or its lowest setting). Meanwhile: heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the poblano strips, season with a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are heated through, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and wipe the skillet clean. Heat 1 tsp. of the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add one tortilla and scatter over it half of the cheese, half of the poblano mixture, and half of the cilantro. When the tortilla smells toasty and the bottom is browned in spots, in 1 or 2 minutes, fold it in half, pressing it with a spatula to flatten it. Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make one more quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve with the sour cream or crème fraiche on the side — I like to open my quesadilla up and drop spoonfuls of crème fraiche inside.
2 T. vegetable oil
1 pound boneless pork shoulder for stew, cut into chunks
2 large leeks, washed well and chopped
3 C. water
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 T. Green Jalapeño Pepper Sauce
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
3 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 C. frozen peas
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
3 C. hot cooked rice (optional)
Heat oil in a 5-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add leeks and cook 3 minutes. Add water, salt, TABASCO® Green Sauce, and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add parsnips, carrots, peas and parsley; cover and simmer 30 minutes longer or until pork and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Serve with rice, if desired.
1½ C. (7.3 oz) cornmeal
2¼ C. (10.1 oz) self-rising flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Cayenne pepper to taste
3 large eggs, beaten
2 T. (1 oz) canola oil
2½ C. (21 oz) buttermilk
3½ slices (3.5 oz) Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese, diced
7 pieces cooked bacon, diced
¼ C. chives, diced
1 T. black pepper
1½ T. sugar
Whisk together cornmeal, self-rising flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine and whisk together eggs, oil, and buttermilk. Slowly pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Once combined, slowly stir in the rest of the ingredients (diced cheese, cooked diced bacon, diced chives, black pepper, and sugar). Use a small/medium size scoop to spoon batter and drop at close range in a deep fryer. If you don’t have a deep fryer, a deep cast iron kettle full of soy or canola oil at 350°F will also work. Cook for 7-8 minutes until dark brown (you’ll know if they are undercooked as the middle will not be hot). Serve hot right out of the fryer with your favorite vinegar, buffalo or hot sauce.
2 tablespoons dry cranberries
1/2 cup organic pear nectar
32 ounces Moscato d’Asti wine
8 small sprigs fresh rosemary
Put cranberries in a small bowl; add 2 tablespoons warm water. Soak until cool, about 15 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and refrigerate until serving. Divide pear nectar evenly among eight tall champagne glasses. Add cranberries, and then gently pour the Moscato d’Asti into the glasses. Garnish each with a rosemary sprig.
1 can orange juice concentrate, slightly thawed
1 cup milk (half and half, cream, nut milk, soy milk, vegan milk, etc.)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste (you can reduce the sugar or use an alternate sugar substitute such as stevia but it won’t taste as close to classic Orange Push-Ups. Many people use much more than 1/2 cup, myself included. I used about 1 cup in my version)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups ice, or to taste
1 to 2 ounces of Rum, Malibu, Vodka, Citron, Marshmallow Vodka, Gran Marnier or similar, per smoothie portion, or to taste, optional
Combine all ingredients, except ice and optional alcohol, in a large blender or Vita-Mix and blend until smooth and creamy, taking care the sugar has dissolved and is well incorporated. Keep blending until it dissolves. If desired, add a splash more water or milk. Add the ice and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
6 T. salt-packed capers
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1/3 C. extra-virgin olive oil
3 canned whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), chopped
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 T. chopped fresh mint
1/8 tsp. black pepper
3/4 lb dried linguine
Garnish: fresh mint leaves
Rinse capers in a sieve and transfer to a small bowl. Cover capers with water by about 2 inches and soak 30 minutes. Drain, and then repeat soaking. Drain and rinse capers, then squeeze dry and coarsely chop. Cook onion, cut sides down, and garlic in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add capers and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove and discard garlic and onion. Add canned and cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in mint and pepper, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours. Shortly before sauce is done, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve about 1 C. cooking water, then drain pasta. Add pasta to sauce and cook over high heat, tossing, 10 to 15 seconds. If pasta seems dry, add a few T. reserved cooking water. Cooks’ note: Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.
Add 1 oz. (30ml) Ciroc Raspberry to glass with ice. Top with Sprite/7up, until 3/4 full. Add a Splash of Grenadine and ½ oz. (15ml) Blue Curacao. Garnish with cherry and lime if desired.
4 cups hot cooked bow tie pasta
4 cups halved cherry tomatoes (about 2 pints)
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped pitted niçoise olives
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Red wine vinegar (optional)
Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl, and toss well. Sprinkle vinegar over each serving, if desired.
1 1/2oz light rum
1/2oz triple sec
1 T. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. maraschino liqueur or kirsch
Sparkling water to taste
Garnish: maraschino cherry
Shake all ingredients except sparkling water in a cocktail shaker with 1 C. ice cubes, then strain into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Add sparkling water and stir.
1/3 C. hot water
1/4 C. Barbecue Sauce
1/4 C. creamy peanut butter
1/4 C. lite soy sauce
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
2 T. Honey Dijon Mustard
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 12 thin strips
MIX water, barbecue sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, cilantro and mustard in medium bowl with wire whisk. Refrigerate half of the mixture to use as a dipping sauce. Pour remaining mixture into large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken; seal bag. Shake gently to coat chicken. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to marinate. PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto 12 skewers in ribbon fashion; discard any remaining marinade in bag. GRILL 5 to 7 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with the reserved dipping sauce.
About 14 vine tomatoes (not the huge beef ones, just firm-mediumly-sized ones, still on the vine)
3 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
Handful of basil
Salt, pepper, paprika, chili flakes, olive oil
1-2 mugs of vegetable stock (depending how thick you like your soup)
For the sandwiches:
4 pieces of bread
Few slices of gouda
Butter
Big handful of basil
Half a fist sized chunk of parmesan, grated
Handful of pine nuts
1 small clove of garlic, crushed
Olive oil
Pre-heat your oven to 190C/375F. Place your tomatoes into a baking tray with your garlic cloves, a good drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper. Pop them into the oven for about 45mins.
While they’re cooking, whip up your pesto. Gently toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat. When they’re golden put them in your food processor with your basil, parmesan, olive oil & garlic. Blend & you’re done. When your tomatoes are roasted to perfection (the skins should have popped open and peeled up at the edges) take them out and leave them on the side to cool down. Once they’re cold enough to handle, peel off the skins. Throw your naked, quivering tomatoes into a blender with your stock, a pinch of paprika, a dusting of chill flakes & a fist full of basil. You can always add a good splash of cream here for double comfort points. Blend until smooth & soup like.
To make your pesto grilled cheese, heat a dry frying pan on a medium heat. Grab your bread & butter each piece, on just one side. Smear a generous amount of your pesto onto the unbuttered side & top with a couple slices of cheese. Put the top of the sandwich on, butter side facing up. Place into the pan & weigh it down with a something flat (I used a pie dish but you can use a plate, just make sure it won’t melt) & pop something heavy, like a can of beans on top. Cook for about 2mins or until the cheese starts to melt, then carefully flip it over & repeat.
1/4 C. Soy Sauce
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary, optional
6 8oz rib-eye steaks
Combine glaze ingredients in blender; cover and blend until smooth. Brush both sides of steaks with mixture. Grill or broil 4 minutes; turn over and brush with remaining sauce. Cook 4 minutes longer (for med-rare) or to desired doneness.
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup cream cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup diced fresh strawberries
½ cup sugar
For the Drizzle:
3-5 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 375/190C. Grease a brownie/bar pan and set aside. (If you do not have a brownie pan, a muffin pan can be used in its place). In a small heat-safe bowl, soften the butter and cream cheese together in the microwave until very soft, but not completely melted. In a food processor, mix all of the ingredients (except the strawberries) until combined. Clean the sides with a rubber scraper and mix a few seconds more to mix any remnants into the batter. Remove the blade from the food processor and fold in the strawberries. Using an ice cream scoop, fill the sections equally (with one scoop in each section). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean, and the tops are nicely browned. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. For the Drizzle: In a mixing bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of the milk, the melted butter powdered sugar, and ½ tsp vanilla extract. Add in more milk as needed 1 teaspoon at a time until it is the desired consistency. Once the cakes have cooled ten minutes, drizzle with the glaze and serve.
3oz cream cheese, softened
2 T. honey, divided
1 T. minced green onions
1 (8ct) pkg refrigerator crescent rolls, separated into triangles
6oz (24 slices) thinly sliced ham
1 T. mustard
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. crushed pineapple, drained
Mix cream cheese, half the honey and green onions; spread over dough. Cut ham into triangles slightly larger than dough. Mix mustard, mayonnaise, remaining honey and pineapple in medium bowl. Preheat oven to 375. Layer 4 ham triangles onto each dough triangle. Spoon some pineapple mixture on top of ham slices. Roll up crescents, starting from the wide end, to enclose filling. Place on ungreased baking sheet, leaving space between rolls. Bake 15 minutes until rolls are golden brown; remove carefully from baking sheet. Serve immediately.
4 ears corn
2 T. Mayo (or Butter)
1/4 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese
4 fresh lime wedges
Remove silk from ears of corn; rewrap ears in husks. Soak corn in husks in enough water to completely cover at least 2 hours. Preheat grill to high heat. Grill corn 20 min. or until tender. Remove husks. Spread corn evenly with mayo. Sprinkle each with 1 T. cheese. Squeeze 1 lime wedge over each ear of corn.
1 can (6 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 can (6 ounces) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, undrained
2 C. water
2 liters cherry soda, chilled
2 liters ginger ale, chilled
Lemon and lime slices, optional
In a blender, combine concentrates and pineapple; cover and blend until smooth. Pour into a gallon-size container; stir in water. Store in the refrigerator. To serve, pour the mixture into a punch bowl; add cherry soda and ginger ale. Garnish with lemon and lime slices if desired. Yield: about 6 quarts.
1 (16 oz) bag of frozen pineapple chunks (I used Dole)
4 cups vanilla ice cream
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
12 ounces pineapple juice
Puree frozen pineapple in a blender. It works best if it is about halfway thawed. To that, add the ice cream, lime juice, lemon juice, and half (6oz) of the pineapple juice. Blend together until it is well mixed. Freeze the mixture for about 2 hours to set up. Scoop into glasses or bowls and pour the remaining pineapple juice over each serving. We found it made about 3 servings, but you can easily double or cut the recipe in half. Dream of Disneyland and enjoy!
Another Version
2 cans (20 oz. each) crushed pineapple
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped.
Pineapple juice {As much or little as you want}
Sugar, to taste
Drain crushed pineapple and reserve 2 Tbsp. Set aside. Place pineapple, lemon juice, lime juice, sugar and reserved juice in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. {Go just a little bit longer than you think you need to. Otherwise, your resulting ice cream will be lumpy.) Pour into a gallon zipped freezer bag and store flat in freezer until it becomes a slushy consistency. {About 1-1/2 hours.} In a large bowl, gently fold pineapple mixture into whipped cream until blended. Return to freezer until completely frozen. {About 1 hour.) Add enough sugar to your pineapple juice to make it sweet enough to your liking. {We also diluted it with a tiny bit of water, but it really just depends on how it tastes to you.} Scoop pineapple slush ice cream into a cup and fill the rest of the way with your juice. Sit back and relax and pretend you’re riding Space Mountain.
Vegan Version
2 cups (frozen-by-you) DOLE pineapple cubes, from a fresh DOLE pineapple (cut by you)
1 DOLE banana, frozen
1/2-1 cup non-dairy milk (soy, almond, coconut…)
First you a pineapple, wait until it is fragrant and ripe, then chop it into cubes. Freeze the cubes. Also freeze your own ripe bananas. Place the pineapple, banana and 1/2 cup non-dairy milk in a high speed blender. Place lid on and start blending from low to high. Continue blending and use your Vitamix tamper (Vitamix is advised for achieving best results.) You want to add as little liquid as possible to maintain the frosty thickness, but add more liquid in small splashes as needed to blend. Pour the frosty whip into a serving cup, swirl on top with the back of a spoon and serve! Garnish with fresh pineapple if possible. Colorful umbrella optional.
One More
2 cans (20 oz each) Dole Crushed Pineapple
2 Tbsp sugar
Juice of one lime
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip Free, frozen
In a blender, pour in the cans of crushed pineapple (pineapple and their juice), the sugar, juices of both the lemon and lime, and the vanilla. Blend for about 2 minutes or until completely smooth. Cut the frozen Cool Whip in quarters and place it in the blender. Blend on high until combined and smooth. Mixture will be thick but still pourable. Pour the mixture into two Mason jars with the lids off. Place the Mason jars into the freezer and freeze for about 3 hours, or until the mixture is soft and thick, like soft serve. Serve immediately. I find that in my freezer, 3 hours is the perfect amount of time for thick and creamy soft serve-style Dole Whips, but check yours after 2 and experiment with times from the 2-hour mark.
2 cups finely grated fresh Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano)
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups sour manioc starch (povilho azedo)
3/4 cup manioc starch or sweet manioc starch (povilho doce)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of black pepper
1. Place the Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor. Add the eggs and yolks and blend until you have a smooth paste, about 1 minute. Place the two types of manioc starch and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Place the milk, water, and oil in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Immediately pour the milk mixture into the starch mixture, all at once, and turn the machine on at low speed. Mix until the dough is smooth and the starch is completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Pause the machine and add the cheese-egg paste, scraping it directly into the manioc starch mixture. Add the nutmeg, cayenne, and black pepper, and mix the dough at low speed until it turns a pale yellow, about 10 minutes. You are trying to develop the structure of the dough by kneading it slowly. The dough should feel a bit sticky and moist. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly coat your hands with olive oil (or flour them with manioc starch), pinch off walnut-size pieces of dough, and roll them between your palms. Alternately, you can use an ice-cream scooper to make 1-inch balls. Place them on the parchment, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches between the rolls. Bake the cheese rolls in the oven until they puff up and are lightly golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. To ensure even cooking, rotate the pan once during baking time. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the rolls in a basket lined with a napkin. Serve immediately, while they are still at their warmest and chewiest.
1/4 C. packed dark brown sugar
1/2 C. water, divided
2 T. fish sauce
1 T. grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
Heat sugar and 1/4 C. water in a large saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is bubbling and very dark brown, about 8 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 C. water, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes. Stir in chicken and cook until the sauce is thickened and sticky and chicken is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
To make richer-tasting pureed squash soup, add a cut-up apple to the soup and puree along with the other ingredients. Almost invariably, ingredients that grow in the same season make perfect partners in the kitchen. Apples and squash are an excellent example.
To make broccoli soup with a touch of sweetness, add apples, especially if you’re making the soup in the fall. In a medium saucepan, cook 1 small, finely chopped onion in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 2 boxes (10 ounces each) frozen broccoli pieces, 2 finely chopped, peeled, and cored large apples, and 4 cups chicken broth. Cook until the apples and broccoli are soft, about 10 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground white or black pepper. Puree in a food processor or blender, then stir in 1/4 cup sour cream. This soup can be served hot or cold.
To spruce up a chicken salad sandwich, add 2 tablespoons finely chopped apples and 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans to 3/4 cup of your favorite chicken salad.
To give grilled cheese sandwiches a new twist, add a few thin slices of apple to each sandwich before toasting on the griddle.
To lend a sweet kiss to horseradish sauce, add some diced apple. Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, prepared horseradish, and a generous handful of finely chopped tart apples, such as Granny Smith.
To salvage hardened brown sugar, put a slice of fresh apple in the bag and seal for 2 days.
To make better-tasting cranberry sauce for the Thanksgiving feast, add an apple.
Combine the following ingredients in a medium saucepan: 1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches long). Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the cranberries pop, about 8 minutes. Peel, core, and finely chop 1 McIntosh apple and add to the sauce. Simmer until the apple is tender, about 5 minutes longer. Taste the sauce and add more sugar, if needed. Turn into a medium bowl, cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until cold. Keeps for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
To put a sweet twist on fennel salad, mix in a couple chopped apples. Almost any salad will benefit from the gentle sweetness of apples. Combine 1 thinly sliced fennel bulb, 2 chopped apples, and 1/2 cup walnut pieces in a large bowl. Toss with a mixture of 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup apple juice, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
For the perfect autumn appetizer, make apple-cheddar pizza. Sprinkle a pizza pan with 1 tablespoon cornmeal and pat a prepared pizza dough (homemade or purchased) into the pan. Bake at 500°F on the lowest rack of the oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Arrange 2 cored and thinly sliced apples over the dough and top with 4 thinly sliced large shallots (or substitute one thinly sliced small, mild onion). Sprinkle on 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces) and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 ounces). Bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown, about 8 minutes longer. Cut into wedges and serve.
For a couscous dish that will warm you up in winter, top the cooked grain with apples and roasted vegetables. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 red onion cut into 8 wedges and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in:
3 cups cubed butternut squash (1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups chopped rutabaga (about 1 1/4 pounds)
3 carrots, sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cubed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 ounces) vegetable broth
Bring to a simmer. Cover and roast at 400°F until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in 2 cups sliced Swiss chard and 1/8 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce. Bake for 5 minutes longer. Serve over 4 cups cooked couscous and top each serving with 1 tablespoon plain yogurt.
6 heads of endive (green, red or both)
1/4 cup olive oil (an infused oil, such as roasted garlic olive oil, works great here)
2 slices prosciutto
1 cup dried figs, sliced as thinly as possible
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, shells removed
1/4 cup organic honey
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Wash the endive and remove any unsightly outer leaves. Slice each endive head in half from the stem to the tip. Arrange the endive cut side up on the foil-lined baking sheet. Coat the endive generously with olive oil. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until the outer edges are golden brown. Meanwhile, fry the prosciutto in a skillet until crispy. Drain onto paper towels, then crumble the prosciutto and set it aside. When the endive is done roasting, arrange three pieces on a plate alongside a handful of sliced dried figs and pistachio nuts. Drizzle a spoonful of honey over the plate, then sprinkle the endive with about 1/4th of the crumbled prosciutto.
1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
½ tsp. Paprika
½ tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Coriander
1/4 tsp. Ginger, optional
1 ¼ C. Red Wine
2-3 tsp. Red Currant Jelly
Salt & Pepper
2-3 T. chopped Cilantro, optional
Remove fried meat from pan. Pour off all but 1 T. oil from pan. Being careful to leave all browned bits behind. Return pan to burner over medium high heat and add spices and wine. Swirl and stir, scraping up browned bits, until wine comes to a boil. Add currant jelly, stirring until almost melted. Continue cooking, stirring often, until liquid has reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper, stir in cilantro, if using, and pour over meat to serve.
Butter, for greasing
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced pepperoni (2 ounces)
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
8 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pound day-old challah, sliced 1 inch thick and cut into 1-inch dice (10 cups)
6 ounces Black Forest ham, finely diced (1 1/4 cups)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (1/4 pound )
1 cup shredded aged white cheddar cheese (1/4 pound )
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions, plus thinly sliced scallions for garnish
Hot sauce, for serving
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the pepperoni and cook over moderate heat until the fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Add the shiitake and cook until lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 7 minutes; let cool completely. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, mustard, soy sauce, pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the cooled vegetable mixture, challah, ham, both cheeses and the chopped scallions and mix well. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 
 Preheat the oven to 350°. Uncover the casserole and bake for about 50 minutes, until it’s just set and the top is browned. Let stand for 10 minutes, then top with thinly sliced scallions and serve with hot sauce.
When served with a bowl of cool, fresh fruit, cucumber rounds, and sliced avocado, this steak makes an ideal summer meal. In her recipe, Erin calls for hanger steak, a cut my local market only stocks frozen. Because I wanted dinner in an hour, my butcher recommended flat iron steak instead. Rib eye makes a great option, too.
1-1/2 pounds flat iron steak, hanger steak, or rib eye
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
Olive oil, for brushing
Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. On a cutting board, mound the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. Mince together, then transfer to a small bowl. Season to taste. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (400°F to 450°F). Scrape the grates completely clean. Brush the steak lightly with olive oil on both sides, then transfer to the hot grill. Grill with the lid shut until done to your liking, about 8 minutes per side for medium-rare, turning once. Remove from the grill and season again lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the gremolata on top, pressing gently. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain and serve.
1 pound (450g) fresh jalapeno peppers, washed
2 1/2 cups (625ml) water
2 1/2 cups (625ml) vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar)
3 T. sugar
3 T. coarse salt, such as kosher
2 bay leaves
2 T. whole coriander seeds
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 T. black peppercorns
Stab each pepper three times with a sharp paring knife and place them in a large glass preserving jar. In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the other ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and pour the brine over the peppers. Place the lid on the jar and let cool. Once cool, refrigerate for at least a week before using, if possible. Serve whole, with Mexican dishes, or remove the seeds then chop and use to season any recipe that is improved by a little bit of sweet heat.
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
1 (4-ounce) can sliced black olives
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 green onions, with tops, finely chopped
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 T. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to mingle. Serve with crackers, chips or fresh vegetables.
3 lb. tomatoes, halved
2 yellow bell peppers, seeded, stemmed, and quartered
2 garlic cloves
2 T. olive oil
Salt
Pepper
8 fresh basil leaves
6 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 C. light whipping cream or 1 percent
milk
Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the tomatoes, peppers, and garlic on 2 large baking sheets or roasting pans, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until the peppers are slightly dark and the tomatoes are bubbling and slightly brown, about 40 minutes. Let the vegetables cool. Once the veggies are cool, put them in a blender, along with the basil, and blend until coarsely chopped. Put the chopped veggies in a large pot and add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and slowly add the cream or milk. Continue simmering until the soup is hot, about 15 minutes. Carefully spoon the soup into bowls and top with shaved or grated Parmesan cheese.
1 t
ablespoon olive oil
6 5-ounce salmon steaks
1/2 pound fennel bulbs, sliced
1 pound leeks, thoroughly washed and cut into sticks
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 cup clam juice
1/4 cup white wine
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat oil in heavy-bottomed sauté pan. Add fennel and sauté until almost tender. Add leeks; sauté for about 1 minute longer. Add thyme, clam juice, and wine; bring to a simmer. Arrange salmon steaks on top of vegetables; season with salt and pepper. Cover fish with foil; bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes.
Sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon peeled fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced small
1/2 cup green onions, sliced on the bias
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan; add ginger, garlic, red pepper and onions. Sauté until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add remainder of ingredients, except cilantro. Bring to a simmer; reduce by 1/3 the original volume, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro. Set aside and keep warm.
Noodles and Dressing
While noodles are cooking, combine vinegar, oil, soy sauce, sugar and salt in a sauce pan; simmer over medium heat until salt and sugar are dissolved and sauce is slightly thickened. Toss noodles with Dressing; garnish with mint and sesame seeds. Place a portion of noodles in center of a large serving plate. Top with 1 piece of salmon; glaze generously with curry sauce.
1 pint lemon sorbet
2 packages Raspberries (6 ounces or 1 1/3 cups each), divided
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pint non-fat vanilla frozen yogurt
1 pint mango sorbet
fresh mint leaves for garnish
Line a 9 x 5-inch or 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on sides. Let lemon sorbet sit at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes to soften to a spreading consistency. Place in a medium bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until ready to spread. Spread sorbet on bottom of loaf pan to form an even layer. Place in freezer until firm, about 1 hour. Bring 1 1/3 cup (6 oz package) raspberries, sugar and vanilla to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely. After raspberry mixture has cooled allow non-fat vanilla frozen yogurt to sit at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes to soften to a spreading consistency. Place in a medium bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until ready to spread. Gently fold in raspberry mixture and blend thoroughly until frozen yogurt turns pink. When lemon sorbet layer is firm, remove pan from freezer and top with yogurt-raspberry mixture. Place back in freezer until raspberry yogurt layer is firm, about 1 ½ – 2 hour. Let mango sorbet stand at room temperature to soften slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Place sorbet in a medium bowl and stir with a spatula to a spreadable consistency. Top raspberry yogurt layer with an even layer of mango sorbet. Cover with plastic wrap overhang and return to freezer overnight to solidify. When ready to serve, remove loaf pan from freezer and invert onto serving plate. Gently peel away plastic wrap. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint leaves. To slice, let a knife sit in a cup of very hot water until warmed, dry off and cut into terrine for an even slice. Serve immediately. Can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Braised Pork Ingredients
3-4 pounds of pork shoulder
1.5 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons of butter, divided
2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1.5 pounds of parsnips, sliced into bite-sized chunks
10 medium-sized shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 large yellow onion, diced roughly
2 celery stalks, chopped finely
1 tablespoon of flour
1.5 cups of hard cider (I used a local favorite, Reverend Nat’s)
2 cups of beef stock
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
Braised Pork Method: Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the dutch oven. While dutch oven is heating, pat pork shoulder dry on all sides and season with salt and pepper. Add it to the dutch oven and brown on all sides. Work in batches and be careful not to overcrowd the meat. Once browned nicely on all sides, remove the pork and set aside on a plate. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add garlic, parsnips, mushrooms, onion, and celery to the dutch oven. (You will likely have to work in batches as you don’t want to steam the veggies by putting too many in at once.) Cook over medium heat until parsnips are turning golden brown on the sides and the other veggies have begun to wilt, about 10 minutes. If it looks like they’re starting to dry out, add the remaining butter and olive oil. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour over the sautéed veggies and toss to coat. Return the pork to the dutch oven. Add cider, beef stock, and herbs to the dutch oven, making sure the liquid covers (or nearly covers) the meat. Cover with a lid and place in preheated oven to cook for 3 hours, turning meat once halfway through. While pork is in oven, begin work on the galette dough (see recipe below.) Once the meat and vegetables are finished cooking, remove from the oven. Pull pork from the dutch oven and slice into bite sized pieces. Meanwhile, if the liquid in the dutch oven has not thickened, spend 5-10 minutes reducing it over medium heat until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. Return meat to vegetable mixture.
Galette Dough Ingredients:
2.5 cups of all purpose flour
½ teaspoon of sea salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of frozen butter
½ cup of heavy cream
½ cup of ice water
Galette Dough Method: Blend the flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a microplane, grate the frozen butter over the top of the flour and use your hands to work it into the flour until it begins to look coarse. In a small bowl, mix together the cream and water and immediately (since water is cold) add to the flour mixture. Using your hands, mix the liquid into the flour/butter mixture until you begin to see large lumps forming. If it is too sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until dough is no longer sticky. Pull pieces together into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and separate into 8 pieces. Roll out the dough into thin circles that are about 6-8†in diameter and lay flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Add several spoonfuls of the pork to the center of the galette, leaving about 2 inches around the sides. Fold up the sides, pinching to seal as you go, to encase the pork in the dough. Beat 2 egg yolks with ¼ cup of water. Brush galette dough with beaten egg and water mixture and bake at 400 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
2 T. butter
10oz sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 T. flour
1/2 C marsala wine or white wine
1/2 C heavy cream
2 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
1 C long-grain rice
2 packed cups coarsely chopped rotisserie chicken
2 T. grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until just melted. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir in for 1 minute. Stir in the masala and cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, the parsley, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. In a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole, spread the rice in an even layer; top with the chicken. Pour the mushroom gravy on top. Cover snugly with foil and bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes. Discard the foil, sprinkle the parmesan on top and bake for 5 minutes more.
1 Chile poblano, roasted, peeled and cut into strips (about ½ cup)
2 T. butter
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 chorizo or other spicy sausage, casing removed and chopped
3 cups grated Oaxaca
10-12 flour or corn tortillas
Aluminum foil
Sauté the chile strips in 1 T. of butter, season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside. Sauté the mushrooms in the other T. of butter until they begin to release their juices. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat a skillet, add the chorizo and cook over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Lightly grease 3 cazuelitas or small flameproof casseroles. In one, place a portion of and half of the chile strips. In the second, place other portion of cheese and half the mushrooms. In the third cazuelita add the remaining Oaxaca and half the chorizo. Cover the cazuelitas with aluminum foil and set over low heat until the cheese is completely melted. Remove aluminum foil and add the remaining mushrooms, chile strips and chorizo to their respective cazuelitas until cheese is completely melted. Serve hot with flour tortillas, so that the cheese can be used in preparing individual tacos. Can also be served with salsa mexicana.
1 head of red cabbage
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cloves (The secret! The magical, delicious, make-you-want-more ingredient)
Wash and shred cabbage. Add to pot with remaining ingredients and stir. Cook about an hour, on medium, until the cabbage is tender.
3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated on small holes of box grater (about 1 cup)
1 T. butter
1 medium onion (about 1 cup)
1 medium rib celery minced (About 1/2 cup)
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 C. tomato juice
1/2 C. chicken broth
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 T. minced parsley leaves
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Lb. ground sirloin
1 Lb. ground beef chuck (Or use 85% Ground beef.)
21 saltines, crushed
1/2 C. ketchup
1 tsp. Tabasco
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 C. cider vinegar
3 T. packed light brown sugar
Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread cheese on plate and place in freezer until ready to use. Prepare baking pan by folding a piece of aluminum foil into a 10″X6″ rectangle. Place it on a cooling rack placed inside a baking pan with sides. Using a skewer, poke holes in the aluminum foil every 1/2 inch. Spray the foil with non-stick vegetable spray before putting the meat loaf on it. Heat butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming; add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and add tomato juice. Cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan, until thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside to cool. Whisk broth and eggs in large bowl until combined. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, mustard, saltines, parsley, salt, pepper, and onion mixture. Crumble frozen cheese into coarse powder and sprinkle over mixture. Add ground beef; mix gently with hands until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Transfer meat to foil rectangle and shape into 10 by 6-inch oval about 2 inches high. Smooth top and edges of meat loaf with moistened spatula. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loaf reads 135 to 140 degrees, 55 to 65 minutes. Remove meat loaf from oven and turn on broiler. While meat loaf cooks, combine ingredients for glaze in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Spread half of glaze evenly over cooked meat loaf with rubber spatula; place under broiler and cook until glaze bubbles and begins to brown at edges, about 5 minutes. Remove meat loaf from oven and spread evenly with remaining glaze; place back under broiler and cook until glaze is again bubbling and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes more. Let meat loaf cool about 20 minutes before slicing.
1 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. rye flour
1/2 C. stone-ground cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
2 to 4 T. sulfured molasses
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs or 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites
1 C. milk
1/3 C. corn or canola oil
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray muffin pan. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wets in another, then combine both of them and stir together quickly. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full and bake until they’ve risen and lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
1 lb. of Brussels sprouts
2-3 T. olive oil
2-3 T. Balsamic vinegar
Course kosher salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean and check Brussels sprouts well, then cut in half length-wise. Toss Brussels sprouts with oil and vinegar and spread out into one layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the Brussels sprouts begin to caramelize. Cool, serve and enjoy!
1/3 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg (preferably room temperature)
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. milk
Topping (option: cut topping in half*)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium-large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir just until combined, but still a bit lumpy. Do NOT over mix; over mixing will ruin the texture of the finished muffins. Also? Don’t over mix the batter. Finally, don’t over mix. Scoop batter into muffin tins that have sprayed with cooking spray. Using a large ice cream scoop, I got 8 medium-large muffins out of this batter; I think you could get 10-12 muffins by distributing the batter a little less generously. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they just start to turn a bit golden at the edges. For the topping, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place melted butter in another small bowl. Dip the warm muffins in melted butter (you can dip just the top, but it’s even tastier to dip the whole muffin!), then dip/roll the muffin in cinnamon sugar.