Ingredients

• 1 ripe tomato
• 1 avocado
• 4 slices bread (like Homemade Bread, Whole Wheat Bread, Sourdough Bread or Dutch Oven Artisan Bread)
• Butter or mayonnaise
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Kosher salt

Instructions

1. If you’d like, pre-toast the bread slices in the toaster (this makes sure to get them perfectly crunchy before grilling the sandwich).
2. Slice the tomatoes, place the slices on a plate, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Slice the avocado (see the video instructions) and sprinkle it with salt.
3. Spread butter or mayo on one side of each of the 4 bread pieces. Heat a griddle pan to medium high heat. Place 2 pieces of bread on the griddle, buttered side down. On each piece, spread ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan, tomato slices, avocado slices, the other ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and the other piece of bread (spread with mayo if you’d like).
4. When the bottom bread is browned, flip the sandwich and cook until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.

Click here to find out more. -->  Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich – A Couple Cooks

Apple Cider Glazed Donut Holes tickle the taste buds with the flavors of fall. A touch of sweetness and the warm spices of apple cider make these donut holes the perfect morning treat to eat with a cup of steaming coffee.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Yield: 30 donut holes

INGREDIENTS

For the donut holes:

2 cups (255g) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup (100g) sugar

1 large egg

3/4 cup (6oz/170g) sour cream

1/2 cup apple cider

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 quarts canola oil for frying

For the apple cider glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons apple cider

Pinch of kosher salt

METHOD

1 Prepare your drying station: Set a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet. You will let the donut holes dry here after you’ve dipped them in the glaze.

2 Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

In medium bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream, and apple cider.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, followed by the melted butter, and fold to combine until you get a very thick batter.

3 Prepare to fry the donut holes: Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan until the temperature reads 350°F. Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons), to scoop up the batter. Fry the donut holes in batches, cooking each side for about 2 minutes, until the donut holes float to the surface and turn golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the batter is used up.

4 Make the glaze: In a medium bowl whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of apple cider and pinch of salt, adding more cider a few teaspoons at a time, until you get a thick, heavy glaze. You may not need all 4 tablespoons of cider. Remember that the glaze will thin as it hits the hot warm donuts.

5 Dip the donut holes: Pour the glaze into a deep bowl or mug, this will help with glazing the donuts. Dip the warm (or even hot) donuts into the glaze, using a spoon to coat the donut hole completely.

Lift the donut hole from the glaze using a fork. Let the glaze set and drain by placing the dipped donut holes on the wire rack set over a baking sheet. Enjoy immediately!

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/apple_cider_glazed_donut_holes/

"But, as with all dessert dilemmas, there is a sweet solution. Enter: the naked cake. These cakes have been all the rage for good reason—they’re easy to make and don’t require full frosting or any complicated decorations. Plus, less frosting makes for less of a sugar bomb, something I’m often grateful for come holiday time, when it’s normal to eat sugar from breakfast through bedtime. My favorite combo is a simple cake, like my sour cream sponge cake (I multiplied the recipe x2 and baked it in two 9 inch cake pans), paired with an easy frosting, like American buttercream (I doubled this one, too). A few keys for the perfect “naked” cake..."

Read the rest of Food52's recipe and directions here. Enjoy!!

Every Thursday we like to remember culinary icons, big moments in the industry, or all the past food trends that we secretly loved (or hated). Every 90's kid was fully equipped with many of these snacks posted by Buzzfeed. How many of these snacks were regulars in your household? We miss you, Dunkaroos!

If you love wine and need gift ideas, here ya go!!

See more here!

The James Beard Foundation celebrated it's 30th anniversary this past year and created a video series. This series is titled "30 Years in 30 Days" and is an exclusive 30-episode digital series featuring noteworthy chefs and culinary icons who help to tell the story of the James Beard Foundation.

Watch this video from James Beard Foundation featuring Rick Bayless.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (18 ounces) 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons dried dill
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional but recommended)

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 week.

Get the recipe here! -->     Easy Ranch Dip – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) tequila blanco or reposado**
• 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) 100% cranberry juice (not sweetened)*
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Cointreau
• ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) fresh lime juice
• ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) simple syrup or maple syrup,* or more to taste
• Kosher salt or flaky sea salt, for the rim (optional)
• Ice, for serving (try clear ice)
• For the garnish: cranberries, rosemary sprig

Instructions

1. Cut a notch in a lime wedge, then run the lime around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of salt (or for a festive look, use Margarita Salt).
2. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. Shake until cold. Strain the margarita into the glass with the salted rim. Fill the glass with ice, garnish with cranberries and a rosemary sprig, and serve. 

Get the recipe here! -->     The Christmas Margarita – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 24 large Medjool dates, pitted
• 4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
• 12 slices bacon, halved
• 1/4 c. maple syrup
• 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. finely chopped rosemary
• 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Step 1 - Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment and fit with a wire rack; set aside.
• Step 2 - Halve dates lengthwise being careful not to cut all the way through. Place a small amount of cheese in the center of each date. Wrap a piece of bacon around each date making sure the ends meet underneath the date.
• Step 3 - Place dates, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet. Bake until bacon fat is beginning to render out, about 15 minutes.
• Step 4 - Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together maple syrup, red pepper flakes, rosemary, and black pepper. Brush each date with maple syrup mixture.
• Step 5 - Continue to bake brushed dates until bacon is crispy, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Get the recipe here! -->     Best Bacon Wrapped Dates Recipe - How To Make Bacon Wrapped Dates (delish.com)

Ingredients

• 3 lb. boneless pork loin, well trimmed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. grainy mustard
• 1 tbsp. chopped rosemary
• 1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• 3 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar

Directions

• Step 1 - Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 13"-x-9” pan with foil and place a wire rack on top.
• Step 2 - Roll the flap of the boneless loin into a cylinder and using kitchen twine, tie the pork loin every few inches. (This helps cook the pork more evenly.)
• Step 3 - In a small bowl, mix together garlic, mustard, rosemary, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Rub mixture all over pork loin and place in roasting pan fat-side down. Bake for 30 minutes, then carefully flip the loin and bake until a thermometer inserted into the middle of the meat reads 145°, about 20 minutes.
• Step 4 - Mix melted butter and brown sugar together, then brush on top of the pork loin. Broil for 2 minutes to let caramelize.
• Step 5 - Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 1/3” pieces. Serve pork warm with extra pan juices.

Get the recipe here! -->     Pork Loin Roast Recipe - How to Make Roasted Pork Loin (delish.com)

Ingredients

• 1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
• 24 mini hot dogs
• 1/4 c. Dijon mustard
• Egg wash
• 2 tsp. poppy seeds
• Rosemary sprigs (for decoration)
• Ketchup, for serving

Directions

• Step 1 : Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Slice crescent rolls lengthwise into thirds. Brush all over with dijon mustard. Place a mini hot dog on the thick end of each triangle and roll up.
• Step 2 : Arrange the pigs in a blanket, side by side, in a circle on the baking sheet. They should be touching! Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with salt and poppy seeds.
• Step 3 : Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crescents are golden. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.
• Step 4 : Lay rosemary sprigs around the inside of the wreath and place a small bowl filled with ketchup in the center.

INGREDIENTS

• 18 to 24 ounces bread cubes, (1.5 loaves of bread, or about 12 to 14 cups) preferably toasted or stale
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3 cups diced sweet onion, roughly 2 large onions
• 2 cups diced celery
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• kosher salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 large eggs
• a mixture of fresh herbs for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Note about the bread cubes! You have options here. Stale or toasty bread works best. The first option is that you can cut 1 ½ pounds of bread into cubes, place it in a large baking dish, loosely tent with foil and let it sit overnight. You can also cut the cubes and put them in oven, toasting them at 350 degrees F until they are like croutons, about 15 minutes or so. Finally, you can buy the toasted bread cubes in bags from the store. It’s your choice! You can also choose the size of your cubes. They can be small or larger for a more rustic stuffing.

• My mom has always used a mixture of stale and fresh bread. Also, I like to use different kinds of bread (usually two), like a sourdough and italian, and mix the cubes. It provides great texture.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9x13 baking dish (you can also use a larger baking dish or a larger foil roasting pan too!) with melted butter, olive oil or spray with nonstick spray. Place the bread in a large mixing bowl (this may be easier for you to stir!) or the baking dish that you will bake it in. You can also separate this into two baking dishes if it's easier.

• Heat the butter in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the onion, celery and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper - at least ½ to 1 teaspoon each. Cook until the onions and celery soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the sage, parsley and rosemary. Cook for another minute. Stir in 1 cup of stock.

• Pour the onion celery mixture over the bread crumbs and toss well to coat.

• In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 1 ½ cups stock and 2 eggs.

• Pour that mixture into the bread cubes and stir and fold the bread cubes until thoroughly combined. Bake the stuffing for 45 to 50 minutes, until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees F. If the stuffing is getting too browned, you can tent it with foil.

• I have successfully made this a day ahead of time and reheated it - it’s just as good! emove the pan from the fridge 60 minutes before reheating it. You can also use this mixture to stuff the bird if you wish!

• To serve 4: Cut this recipe in half exactly and bake it in an 8x8 or 9x9 inch dish. I bake for the same amount of time.

• To serve 12 to 18: Double this recipe exactly. Bake in a large baking dish, like a 10x15 roasting pan, or baking in two 9x13 baking dishes. I bake for roughly the same amount of time, or about 15 minutes longer.

Find the recipe here! -->     Best Stuffing Recipe - Our Favorite Buttery Herb Stuffing (howsweeteats.com)

Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound) sweet potato, with skin

• ½ cup butter, softened

• 1 cup white sugar

• ½ cup milk

• 2 large eggs

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

• Place whole sweet potato in pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Boil until tender when pierced with a fork, 40 to 50 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Remove sweet potato from the pot and run under cold water. Remove and discard skin.

• Break sweet potato flesh apart and place in a bowl. Add butter and mix with an electric mixer until well combined.

• Add sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla; beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth.

• Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.

• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.

• Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Tips

Pie will be puffed up like a soufflé when you remove it from the oven, but will deflate as it cools.

Get the recipe here! -->     Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (allrecipes.com)

2 pounds fresh green beans, ends cut off

Salt

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 whole large onion, chopped

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk, plus extra for thinning if needed

1/2 cup half-and-half

Freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Ingredients

• 1 lime, halved
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 c. sweetened cranberry juice
• 1 bottle champagne
• 12 fresh cranberries
• 4 small sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions

• Step 1 : Line champagne flutes with lime and dip in sugar. Pour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into each glass and top with champagne.
• Step 2 : Use a toothpick to poke a hole through cranberries. Thread rosemary skewer through cranberries and garnish mimosas.

Get the recipe here! -->    Best Cranberry Mimosas Recipe - How To Make Cranberry Mimosas (delish.com)

Ingredients

• ▢16 ounces 1 bag Frozen Sliced Peaches
• ▢750 ml 1 bottle Rosé Wine
• ▢¼ cup honey
• ▢Peach Slices and Fresh Rosemary for Garnish

Instructions

• Fill a high powered blender with the frozen peaches, Rosé, and honey.

• Blend on high until fully combined and smooth.

• Garnish with peach slices and fresh rosemary.

• Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Find the recpie here! -->      Peach Frosé Recipe (Frozen Rosé) - The Cookie Rookie®

Ingredients

For the Stewed Meat

• ▢6 dried Guajillo chiles stemmed and deseeded
• ▢4 dried Ancho chiles stemmed and deseeded
• ▢3 pounds chuck roast cut into 4 chunks
• ▢Kosher salt to taste
• ▢Ground black pepper to taste
• ▢2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
• ▢3 vine tomatoes quartered
• ▢1 white onion quartered
• ▢8 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
• ▢4 cups low sodium beef broth
• ▢1 ½ pounds bone-in short ribs
• ▢1 tablespoon ground coriander
• ▢2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢1 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢1 cinnamon stick
• ▢½ cup orange juice
• ▢¼ cup apple cider vinegar

For the Tacos

• ▢15 corn tortillas
• ▢2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ▢1 cup chopped yellow onion
• ▢½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ▢Fresh limes wedges for serving

Recommended Equipment

• Dutch Oven

• Immersion Blender

Instructions

For the Stewed Meat

• Place the Guajillo and Ancho chiles in a bowl full of near-boiling water. Allow the peppers to soak for at least 30 minutes.

  6 dried Guajillo chiles,4 dried Ancho chiles

  

• While the peppers soak, season the chuck roast chunks with salt and pepper to taste.

  3 pounds chuck roast,Kosher salt,Ground black pepper

• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. In 2 batches, sear the roast on all sides, using more oil as needed. Transfer the seared chuck roast to a plate and set aside.

  2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  

• Add the remaining oil, tomatoes, onion, and garlic to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

  3 vine tomatoes,1 white onion,8 cloves garlic

  

• Pour in the beef broth to deglaze the pot.

  4 cups low sodium beef broth

• Transfer the hydrated chiles from the bowl of water to the pot. Add the short ribs, spices, and cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and maintain a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.

  1 ½ pounds bone-in short ribs,1 tablespoon ground coriander,2 teaspoons ground cumin,2 teaspoons dried oregano,1 teaspoon chili powder,1 cinnamon stick

  

• Remove the short ribs and add to the plate with the seared roast. Skim the top of the pot to remove any impurities from the bone cooking out. Remove the cinnamon stick and discard. Transfer about 1 ½ – 2 cups of the braising liquid to a bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.

• Use an immersion blender to blend the remaining pepper and tomato mixture until smooth.

• Return the short ribs, seared beef, and any juices back to the Dutch oven. Add the orange juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for at least 3-4 hours.

  ½ cup orange juice,¼ cup apple cider vinegar

  

• When the beef is cooked through, remove the short rib bones. Shred the meat with 2 forks.

  

For the Tacos

• Remove the reserved braising liquid from the refrigerator. Working 1 tortilla at a time, dip the tortilla in the reserved liquid. Place the tortilla on a large skillet set over medium heat.

  15 corn tortillas

• Top half of the tortilla with 1-2 tablespoons of shredded cheese, 2-3 tablespoons of shredded beef, and a sprinkle of onion and cilantro. Fold the tortilla in half to close.

  2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese,1 cup chopped yellow onion,½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

  

• Cook the tacos for 30-45 seconds on each side until crisp. Transfer to a serving platter and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top.

  Fresh limes wedges

• Repeat with the remaining tortillas and serve with any remaining braising liquid on the side for dipping.

Find the recipe here! -->     Content Management System (culinarycultivations.org)

Ingredients

• ▢1 pound elbow macaroni
• ▢3 tablespoons butter divided
• ▢3 tablespoons flour divided
• ▢1 tablespoon powdered mustard divided
• ▢3 cups milk divided
• ▢1/2 teaspoon paprika divided
• ▢1 large egg whisked and divided
• ▢1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• ▢Fresh black pepper

For the Bacon and Onion Mac and Cheese:

• ▢1/4 cup yellow onion finely diced (sautéed optional)
• ▢¼ cup cooked bacon crumbles
• ▢8 ounces sharp cheddar shredded
• ▢4 slices sharp cheddar

For the Garlic Parmesan Mac and Cheese:

• ▢1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• ▢8 ounces shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• ▢1 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Powder
• ▢4 slices Mozzarella Cheese

Topping:

• ▢3 tablespoons butter
• ▢1 cup panko bread crumbs
• ▢2 cups French’s French Fried Onions

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

• In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

• While the pasta is cooking, we will make our two sauces in two separate small saucepans. In each saucepan, melt 1 ½ tablespoons butter. Whisk in 1 ½ tablespoons flour and ½ tablespoon mustard powder, whisking constantly for 2-3 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ cups milk and ¼ teaspoon paprika. Reduce both to a simmer for 6-8 minutes.

• Add half the egg to each sauce mixture, whisking to combine. In one pot, stir in the ingredients (except for the sliced cheese) for the Bacon and Onion Mac and Cheese (onion, bacon, and shredded cheddar) and in the other saucepan stir in the ingredients (except for the sliced cheese) for the Garlic Parmesan Mac and Cheese (grated parm, shredded mozzarella, and garlic powder). Stir to combine and season both with salt and pepper to taste,

• Add half the macaroni to each mixture and stir to coat.

• Pour half of the bacon onion macaroni mixture into its half of the casserole dish and top with two slices of cheddar cheese. Top with the remaining half of the macaroni mixture and then top with two more slices of cheddar. Repeat with the Garlic Parmesan Macaroni mixture, using sliced mozzarella this time.

• In a separate small saute pan, melt the butter for the topping and toss in the bread crumbs to coat. Remove from the heat and stir in the French Fried Onions. Top both sides of macaroni mixture with the topping.

• Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Find the recipe here! -->     Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe 2 Ways {VIDEO} - The Cookie Rookie

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 beef flank steak (1-1/2 pounds)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup Mexican beer
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 8 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed
• Optional toppings: pico de gallo, crumbled Cotija cheese, cubed avocado and fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

• Brown the steak. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the steak on each side to give it color and extra flavor. Transfer the steak to a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker.Editor’s Tip: The best way to get perfectly browned meat is to pat the raw meat completely dry with a paper towel and then let it rest at room temperature for 40 to 45 minutes before putting it on the heat.

• Make the marinade. Leave the remaining oil in the skillet and add the onion and garlic. Stir until crispy and tender, about one to two minutes. Add the beer and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to loosen the browned bits from the pan. Add the orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, soy sauce and seasonings and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then carefully pour the mixture over the steak in the slow cooker.

• Combine and slow-cook. Set the slow cooker to low and cook, covered, for four to five hours, until the meat is tender.

• Slice and serve. 

  Once it has finished cooking, lift the steak with tongs and let the juices drip into the slow cooker for a few seconds. Place the steak on a cutting board and slice it across the grain into thin strips. Put the sliced steak back in the slow cooker so it can soak up the cooking juices.

  Serve the carne asada in tortillas with your favorite toppings.

  Editor’s Tip: When cutting steak, we recommend a cutting board that has groves around the perimeter to catch any juice run-off. It’ll help keep your countertops clean.

   

   

   

  Find the recipe here! -->     Slow-Cooker Carne Asada Recipe: How to Make It (tasteofhome.com)

Ingredients

Pineapple-Basil Vodka

• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple

• 1 (750-ml) bottle vodka

• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish

DIY Sour Mix

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice (about limes)

• 1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons)

Additional

• ice as needed

• club soda as needed (optional)

• fresh pineapple weges and fronds, for garnish

Directions

1. For pineapple-basil vodka, put pineapple in a 1-quart jar. Top with vodka, cover, and let stand until vodka is infused with pineapple flavor, 1 to 3 days. Add basil, cover, and infuse for 1 to 2 hours; strain.

    

   Meanwhile for the DIY sour mix, combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool. Add lime juice and lemon juice. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.

2. In a pitcher, stir together pineapple-basil vodka and DIY sour mix. Serve in rocks glasses over ice. Top with club soda (if using); garnish with pineapple wedges, fronds, and additional basil.

   Cook's Note:

   Consider this the only vodka sour recipe you’ll ever need. For a single cocktail, shake together 1 ½ ounce pineapple-basil vodka and 1 ½ ounce DIY sour mix in a shaker, then strain and serve over ice.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed

• 1 tablespoon milk

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

• 1 cup white sugar

• ½ cup butter, softened

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan, preferably glass.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir bananas, milk, and cinnamon in another bowl. Beat sugar and butter together in a third bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir banana mixture into butter mixture; mix in flour mixture until just blended. Fold in chocolate chips; pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Find the recipe here! -->     Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil

• 2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms

• 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

• 1/3 cup chopped onion

• 2 cups chopped kale leaves

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

• 4 egg whites, lightly beaten

• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeños

• 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles, undrained

• 8 (6-inch) whole wheat flour tortillas

• 1/4 cup salsa

• optional toppers: Mexican crema, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, and/or chopped black olives

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet heat over medium heat. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add kale. Cook and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from skillet.

3. Add eggs and egg whites to the hot skillet. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until mixture begins to set on the bottom and around the edges. With a spatula, lift and fold the partially cooked egg mixture so the uncooked portion flows underneath. Continue cooking until egg mixture is cooked through but still glossy and moist, 2 to 3 minutes. Return vegetable mixture to skillet with cheese and chiles; stir gently to combine.

4. Fill each tortilla with about 1/3 cup filling; roll up as tightly as possible. Arrange taquitos, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each. Brush evenly with remaining 3 teaspoons oil.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until evenly browned and crispy, about 15 minutes or. Serve with salsa and, if desired, toppers.

Find the recipe here! -->     Baked Breakfast Taquitos Recipe (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 5 pounds chicken leg quarters

• 2 gallons water

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 2 tablespoons salt

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 cube chicken bouillon

• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

• 4 zucchini, cut into large chunks

• 1 chayote, cut into large chunks

• 1 large white onion, cut into large chunks

• ½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Place chicken legs into a large stockpot; pour water over chicken. Add minced garlic, salt, and garlic powder.

2. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until chicken meat falls off the bones, 1 to 2 hours.

3. Stir in chicken bouillon cube until dissolved; add carrots, potatoes, zucchini, chayote, and white onion. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until carrots and potatoes are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Stir chopped cilantro into soup. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

Find the recipe here! -->     Caldo de Pollo Recipe (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh cantaloupe cubes (6 cups)

• 2 cups water

• 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 limes)

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups club soda, chilled

• cantaloupe melon balls or cubes, for garnish 

• lime zest twists, for garnish

Directions

1. Working in batches if needed, blend cantaloupe, water, lime juice, honey, and salt in a blender until smooth. Press through a sieve; discard solids. Add strained juice to a pitcher.

2. Chill until ready to serve. Add club soda just before serving. Serve over ice, and garnish glasses with melon balls and lime zest twists.

Find the recipe here! -->     Sparkling Cantaloupe Agua Fresca Recipe (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

• 1 large egg, at room temperature

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ½ cup mini candy-coated chocolate pieces (such as mini M&M's®)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Mix together peanut butter, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar, egg, baking soda, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg until combined. Mix in mini chocolate M&Ms.

3. Scoop out 1 1/2 tablespoon sized balls of dough and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Flatten dough balls to about 1/2 inch thickness.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until tops of cookies begin to slightly crack, about 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool 10 minutes on baking sheets before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cook's Note:

I used a natural and unsweetened peanut butter for this recipe. Depending on the kind of peanut butter you use, you may need to adjust the amount of brown sugar and salt to better suit your tastes.

Find the recipe here! -->     Peanut Butter M&M Cookies Recipe (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 chorizo sausage link, casing removed and meat crumbled

• 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

• 4 corn tortillas

• 2 tablespoons chopped onion, or to taste

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste (Optional)

Directions

1. Combine crumbled chorizo and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a bowl.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat; add chorizo mixture and cook until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate, reserving grease in the skillet.

3. Heat tortillas in reserved grease in the skillet over medium heat until warmed, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Stack 2 tortillas for each taco, then fill with chorizo, onion, and cilantro.

Find the recipe here! -->    Easy Chorizo Street Tacos Recipe (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 link smoked pineapple-bacon chicken sausage, cut into slices

• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• 1 teaspoon butter

• 2 ½ cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

• ½ onion, chopped

• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, divided

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste

• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• 6 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Place bacon in a 10-inch skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon to a paper towel-lined small bowl. Discard 1/2 of the bacon fat using a spoon.

3. Cook sausage in remaining bacon fat in the hot skillet until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to the bowl with bacon.

4. Heat canola oil and butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add hash browns and onion. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Spread hash brown mixture evenly in the skillet; cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn hash browns over and sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.

5. Whisk together eggs, milk, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over cheese-covered hash browns in the skillet. Sprinkle the top with bacon and sausage pieces.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is puffed, cheese is melted, and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes.

Find the recipe here! -->    Cheesy Bacon, Sausage, and Egg Hash Brown Skillet Recipe (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• Canola oil, for grill
• 12 oz. short pasta
• 2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise
• 1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise
• 1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 red onion, cut into rounds
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 c. basil, roughly chopped
• 1 oz. Parmesan, grated (about 1/4 cup)

Directions

• Step 1
  • Set up grill for direct cooking and heat to medium-high. Once hot, clean and lightly oil grates with canola oil. Cook pasta according to package directions. 
• Step 2
  • Toss together zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Grill, turning once, until just tender 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into pieces. 
• Step 3
  • Toss together pasta, vinegar, and grilled vegetables (drizzle with more olive oil if mixture seems dry). Fold in basil and grated Parmesan.

Find the recipe here! -->    Grilled Ratatouille Pasta Salad Recipe (countryliving.com)

Ingredients

• 1 c. blanco tequila
• 1/2 c. mezcal
• 1 jalapeño pepper, halved, plus slices for garnish
• 3 c. cubed seedless watermelon (preferably from small watermelons)
• 6 tbsp. fresh lime juice, plus wedges for garnish
• 6 tbsp. simple syrup

Directions

• Step 1
  • Combine tequila, mezcal, and jalapeño in a jar or bowl. Let stand at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. Discard jalapeño. 
• Step 2
  • Place watermelon in a pitcher and muddle until broken down. Add tequila mixture, lime juice, and simple syrup. Serve chilled in pitcher or a hollowed-out watermelon over ice garnished with jalapeño slices and lime wedges.

Find the recipe here! -->    Spicy Watermelon Cocktail (countryliving.com)

Ingredients

• Canola oil, for grill grates
• 1 tsp. lime zest plus 1/3 cup lime juice
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 small sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• • Step 1
    • Set up grill for direct cooking and heat to medium. Once hot, clean and lightly oil grates with canola oil. Whisk together lime zest and juice, olive oil, and maple syrup in a bowl; transfer half to a small bowl and reserve for basting. Add chicken and sweet potatoes to remaining marinade and toss to coat; let stand 5 minutes. 
  • Step 2
    • Thread chicken and sweet potatoes onto skewers; discard marinade. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill, covered, turning occasionally, and brushing twice with marinade, until chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Find the recipe here! -->   Best Chicken and Sweet Potato Kebabs Recipe (countryliving.com)

Ingredients

• 1 lb. dried navy beans
• Cooking spray
• 6 strips uncooked bacon, chopped
• 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 c. ketchup
• 1/2 c. molasses
• 2 tbsp. dried mustard
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• Kosher salt

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups fresh squeezed lemon juice (7 to 8 large lemons)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 6 cups water, divided
• 16 ounces vodka
• To garnish: lemon wedges and fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. Juice the lemons.
2. Add the blueberries, sugar, and 2 cups warm water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher, using a spatula to push the liquid through.
3. Add 4 cups cold water and the fresh squeezed lemon juice to the pitcher. Fill each highball glass with ice, then pour in 1 cup blueberry lemonade and 2 ounces (¼ cup) vodka. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh blueberries.

Click here to find out more. -->  Blueberry Vodka Lemonade – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 Homemade Pie Crust (or your favorite recipe)
• 6 cups diced rhubarb (about 2 pounds)
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon orange zest (or ½ teaspoon lemon zest)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, mix the chopped rhubarb with sugar and place it on the counter. Allow it to sit and macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes while making the pie crust (this extracts the juices of the rhubarb; do not skip this step!). 
2. Make the pie crust. Refrigerate while you make the topping.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
4. Place the skillet on a burner on the stove. Stir in the cornstarch, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Add medium high heat and cook about 5 to 6 minutes, until the sauce becomes very thick (but not longer, since the rhubarb will cook in the oven). 
5. Make the crumble topping: In a medium bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Mix together with a fork. Pour in the melted butter while mixing with the fork until a crumbly mixture forms. 
6. Roll out the pie dough, transfer it to a standard 9-inch pie pan, and crimp the edges. Pour in the rhubarb filling. Use your fingers to sprinkle the crumbles evenly over the filling.
7. Place the pie on a large baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
8. Keep the pie in the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 350°F. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the crust and crumble topping are golden. (Check on the pie around 20 minutes and cover with aluminum foil if the crust is getting too brown.)
9. Remove from the oven. Allow the pie to cool for 3 hours at room temperature before serving.

Click here to find out more. -->  Classic Rhubarb Pie – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salted butter or coconut oil
• 1 cup Old Fashioned rolled oats (do not use instant oats or steel cut oats)
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup milk of choice (2% or oat milk)
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen*
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• For topping: maple syrup, fresh blueberries, sliced almonds, milk

Instructions

1. Melt the butter or coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and toast for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
2. Turn the heat to low and carefully pour in the water, milk, blueberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and vanilla extract, stirring. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened and the oats are tender, smashing the blueberries with the back of a large spoon as you stir. (Try to smash the majority of the berries to give the oatmeal its purple color.)
3. Remove from the heat. Top with desired toppings and serve.

Click here to find out more. -->  Easy Blueberry Oatmeal – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 4-ounce balls burrata cheese
• Summer fruit: heirloom tomatoes, ripe peaches, watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew, berries, etc (we used 2 peaches and 1 handful cherry tomatoes)
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves and thyme sprigs
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Chunky sea salt

Instructions

1. Place 1 ball burrata on the plate.
2. Surround it with the summer fruit (sliced tomatoes or peaches, or berries).
3. Top with torn basil leaves and other herbs. If desired, add torn pieces of another ball of burrata to add texture and visual appeal.
4. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with chunky sea salt. Serve immediately.

Click here to find out more. --> Easy Burrata Recipe – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

For the salad

• 1 crisp tart apple (like Pink Lady)
• 8 cups mixed greens or tender lettuces (like butter or Bibb lettuce, frisee, etc)
• ¼ cup candied pecans or toasted pecans
• ¼ cup goat cheese or feta cheese crumbles
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
• Optional: chopped fresh thyme, for garnish

For the maple vinaigrette dressing (use 6 tablespoons)

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Fresh ground black pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. If using, prepare the candied pecans in advance (or use purchased).
2. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the maple syrup, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until a creamy dressing forms. (If desired, make in advance and refrigerate up to 2 weeks; bring to room temperature prior to serving).
3. Thinly slice the apple.
4. Place the greens on a large platter or individual plates. Top with apple slices, candied pecans, goat cheese or feta crumbles, and pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries. Top with about 6 tablespoons of the dressing (or more as desired) and serve immediately. (To make ahead, keep all components separate with fresh ingredients and dressing refrigerated. Toss the apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. Bring dressing to room temperature and add all ingredients together directly before serving.)

Click here to find out more. -->  Crisp Apple Salad – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 2 pounds strawberries, hulled
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• ½ cup ice

Instructions

Note: Make sure the base of the ice cream maker is frozen overnight before making this recipe.

1. Place the strawberries in a food processor or high-powered blender and puree. Add the sugar, lime juice, salt and ice and puree until smooth. (To make ahead, you can refrigerate at this point until you want to churn, up to 2 days.)
2. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze for 20 to 25 minutes. The texture will be very frosty and creamy at this point. Serve immediately. Or, line a container with parchment paper and freeze up to 2 hours day of. Store in a parchment lined sealed container for up to 1 week; allow to come to room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before scooping.

Click here to find out more. --> Easy Strawberry Sorbet – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 2 ounces* gin
• 1 ½ ounces POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
• ½ ounces lemon juice
• ¾ ounce simple syrup
• 1 egg white**
• 1 ounce soda water
• For the garnish: rosemary sprig (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the gin, POM juice, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
2. Fill the shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds until cold.
3. Strain the drink into a glass and top with the soda water; the egg white foam forms on top. If desired, garnish with a rosemary sprig. Serve immediately.

Click here to find out more. --> Pomegranate Gin Fizz – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 4 purchased naan breads (or other purchased flatbread*)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup Easy Pizza Sauce or purchased pizza sauce (or omit for a simpler flatbread)
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 large handful basil leaves, thinly sliced
• Balsamic reduction or glaze (purchased or homemade)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice the mozzarella cheese into ¼ inch thick pieces. Allow it to sit on a paper towel to remove moisture for about 15 minutes while you prepare the pizzas, then dab the mozzarella with the paper towel to remove any additional moisture.
3. Make the pizza sauce (time saving tip: you can also stir together the ingredients in a bowl instead of blending them!).
4. Place the naan bread directly on the oven grates. Bake 3 minutes. Flip and bake another 2 minutes until lightly crisped on the outside and toasted.
5. Carefully remove the naan from the oven grates and place them on 2 baking sheets. Spread each with a thin layer of pizza sauce, then add the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of kosher salt.
6. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake until the cheese melts, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven. (You may notice some extra moisture after baking: you can dab lightly with a paper towel as necessary.) Slice the flatbread into pieces and top with thinly sliced basil. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve. This works as a main dish or an appetizer (can be served room temperature on a platter).

Click here to find out more. --> Caprese Flatbread – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 40ml Botanist gin
• 20ml Martini Rosso
• 20ml Campari
• 1 tsp Rhubarb and ginger jam
• to serve orange zest or candied ginger

Directions

• Stir all ingredients over ice in a rocks glass.
• Garnish with orange peel and ginger candy on a cocktail stick.

Click here to find out more. --> Rhubarb and Ginger Negroni Recipe | olivemagazine

Ingredients

• 100g classic 74% dark chocolate, chopped, plus extra shards to decorate (optional)
• 25g butter, cubed
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp whipping cream (optional)

Directions:

• Put the chocolate, butter and 75ml warm water (see tip, below) in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Push the chocolate and butter gently into the warm water with a wooden spoon to help it melt, but avoid stirring too much. Once three-quarters of the butter and chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from the heat. Stir until melted, smooth and glossy. Set aside until lukewarm.
• Working quickly, use a spatula to stir the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, one at a time. In a separate bowl, use an electric whisk to whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar, whisking, until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold about a fifth of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest, being careful not to knock out the air bubbles. Pour into wine or dessert glasses, cover with clingfilm and chill overnight to set.
• When ready to serve, whip the cream (if using) to soft peaks. Top each glass with a spoonful of cream and decorate with chocolate shards, if you like.

Click here to find out more. -->  10 Delicious Dessert Recipes | Easy Desserts | Tesco Real Food

Ingredients

• 12 to 16 ounces frozen or refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (or best quality crushed tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves, tightly packed (or chopped spinach)
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• 4 ounce goat cheese log

Instructions

1. Boil the tortellini according to the package instructions (fresh usually takes 2 to 3 minutes and frozen takes 2 to 5 minutes to boil). Then drain it. 
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, place the crushed tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, oregano, kosher salt, spinach, and whole basil leaves. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer while the pasta cooks or at least 10 minutes.
3. When the pasta is done and drained, add it to the skillet. Crumble in the goat cheese into the sauce and stir until a creamy sauce forms (if you’d like, save out a few crumbles for topping). Serve immediately.

Click here for more -->  Cheese Tortellini in Creamy Marinara – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
• ¼ cup minced shallot
• 2 green onions
• 14 ounce can (8.5 ounce dry weight) quartered artichokes
• 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Paprika, for sprinkling
• For serving: pita chips or bread

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Thaw the spinach. Then use a strainer to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
3. Mince the shallot. Thinly slice the green onions. Roughly chop the artichokes.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the spinach, shallot, green onions, and artichokes with the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, dried dill, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Taste and add a few pinches kosher salt if desired.
5. Spread the dip in an even layer in a small baking dish. Top with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan (and if desired, a sprinkle of paprika). Bake for 20 minutes until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
6. Serve warm with pita chips. Make ahead info: make up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate in a bowl. Transfer to a baking dish for baking: you may need to bake a few extra minutes until fully warmed through.

Find out more here! -->   Spinach Artichoke Dip – A Couple Cooks

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (159g) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup (255g) molasses
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 3/4 cups (450g) 

Instructions

1. In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, melt butter, then stir in the brown sugar, molasses, salt, and spices.

2. Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, let it cool to lukewarm, and beat in the egg.

3. Whisk the baking powder and soda into the flour, and then stir these dry ingredients into the molasses mixture. The dough will be very soft and sticky, but don't be tempted to add more flour; it'll firm up once it's chilled.

4. Divide the dough in half, and pat each half into a thick rectangle. Wrap well, and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer. The dough may be sticky and hard to roll if not thoroughly chilled, so make sure it's cold before continuing.

5. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Get out several baking sheets; there's no need to grease them, though lining with parchment saves effort on cleanup.

6. Once the dough has chilled, take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator, and flour a clean work surface. Roll the dough 1/8" to 1/4" thick; the thinner you roll the dough, the crispier the cookies will be. Flour both the top and bottom of the dough if it starts to stick. Alternatively, place the dough on parchment, and put a sheet of plastic wrap over it as you roll, pulling the plastic to eliminate wrinkles as necessary when rolling; this will keep dough from sticking without the need for additional flour.

7. Cut out shapes with a floured cookie cutter, cutting them as close to one another as possible to minimize waste.

8. Transfer the cookies to ungreased cookie sheets (or, if you've rolled right onto the parchment, remove the dough scraps between the cookies). Bake the cookies just until they're slightly brown around the edges 8 to 12 minutes, or until they feel firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for several minutes, or until they're set. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

9. Decorate the cookies with Royal Icing or Simple Cookie Glaze, if desired.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 oz. uncooked pasta, such as rotini or penne
• 2 hearts of Romaine
• Shredded rotisserie chicken or chopped chicken breasts
• Croutons (optional)
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, mayonnaise, minced garlic and anchovy paste until well combined. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and ¼ teaspoon pepper then set the dressing aside while you make the salad.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large serving bowl.

3. Cut the Romaine hearts into 1-inch pieces then add them and your protein of choice to the bowl with the pasta.

4. Add the prepared dressing and toss to combine. Add the croutons (optional) and garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. 

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature preferred
• ¼ cup (56mL) vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon (21g) Rodelle vanilla paste
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Stop the mixer, add the egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla paste, then beat again on medium speed until everything is combined, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

5. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the dry ingredients in two additions, insuring the first addition is mostly incorporated before adding the second. Continue to beat on low until just combined. Dough should be soft but not very sticky, and you should be able to scoop it with a cookie scoop without issue. Once it is dropped into the sugar, it will decrease in stickiness.

6. Place the granulated sugar into a small bowl, then, using a cookie scoop, drop balls of dough into the sugar and use your fingers to gently roll the ball in the sugar. When dough ball is completely covered in sugar, place on prepared baking sheet (8 per sheet).

7. Bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes, just until edges are set. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies covered tightly at room temperature up to 1 week. Cookies freeze well, up to 3 months. Unbaked dough balls also freeze well, up to 3 months. Do not roll in sugar, thaw in refrigerator overnight, and roll in sugar before baking.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• 4-5 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo finely chopped
• 3 teaspoons adobo sauce
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the chopped sweet potatoes in a large pot of water. Place over medium high heat and boil until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the water from the pot, leaving the potatoes in the pot.

2. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce to the sweet potatoes. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add extra adobo sauce or chipotle peppers once seasoned depending on how hot you'd like the sweet potatoes. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

Click here to learn more!

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt 
• 1 Tbsp Dried Thyme 
• 1 Tbsp Dried Rosemary 
• 1 Tbsp Black Pepper 
• 1 Tbsp Onion Powder 
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder 
  
  Take your flank steak one to two pounds encoded with a garlic infused olive oil. Coat the outside of the flank steak well with the dry rub. Let’s sit for one Let’s sit for one hour. Grill on an extremely hot grill a few minutes on each side taking the temperature to make sure that it does not exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, cut onions into one inch slices coat with oil and seasoning and grill till soft as well as a poblano pepper. Let steak rest for 10 minutes then slice against the grain on a bias. 

Ingredients 

• Cilantro-Lime Crema
• 1 cup (heaping) cilantro (about 1 ounce)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¹/₄ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

• Skillet-Grilled Fish Tacos
• 1 pound fillet of haddock, cod, or grouper, 1/2 to 1 inch thick
• Kosher salt
• Cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon (or more) grapeseed or other neutral oil
• 2 to 4 tortillas (I like Whole Foods' soft corn tortillas)
• Slaw, see above
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Cilantro-Lime Crema
2. Set a cast-iron skillet on a grill. Close the grill, set it to high, and let it heat up to 550°F or 600°F.
3. In a food processor, pulse the cilantro and 2 tablespoons of the lime juice until finely chopped. Add the sour cream, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and purée until smooth. Taste, adjusting the seasoning with more salt or lime juice. Alternatively, finely chop the cilantro by hand, then add the lime juice, sour cream, sugar, and salt and whisk until smooth.

1. Skillet-Grilled Fish Tacos
2. If the fillet of fish is long, cut it in half so it will fit in your skillet. Season the fish generously with the salt on both sides. Season with the cayenne according to your heat tolerance—go light if you are sensitive to heat. Gather your tools for the grill: a reliable potholder, a spatula, a platter for the cooked fish, the oil, and the tortillas.
3. Lift the lid of the grill. Pour the oil into the hot skillet—enough to coat the bottom in a thin layer. Using the potholder if necessary to bring the skillet closer to you, carefully lower the fish into the skillet. If you are slow and controlled, the oil won’t splatter.
4. Close the lid. Set a timer for 3 minutes. Check the fish by prodding it with a spatula—it should flake fairly easily. If it doesn’t, close the lid and cook for 1 minute more. Remove the fish with a spatula, using the potholder as needed, and transfer to the platter.
5. Turn off the grill. Throw the tortillas on the grill, leaving it open. Check after 20 seconds or so, flip, and cook for another 20 seconds, until the tortillas are soft and have nice grill marks on each side. Transfer to the platter.
6. To serve: Spoon the slaw into the tortillas. Break the fish into pieces over the top. Drizzle with the crema. Squeeze lime wedges over top and serve with more wedges on the side.

Click here to learn more!

Yield: 4 as a side

Ingredients

• 3 ears of grilled corn on the cob
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• ½ small cucumber, diced
• 2 ripe peaches, pitted and diced
• 1 small avocado, pitted and diced
• 8 basil leaves, thinly sliced
• juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
• 3 tablespoons Chile Lime Dressing, plus more to taste
• sea salt

Chile Lime Dressing (this makes extra)

• ¼ cup Sir Kensington’s Avocado Oil Mayo or vegan Fabanaise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro, including stems, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus extra slices for serving
• ⅓ serrano chile, plus more to taste
• pinch of garlic powder
• pinch of onion powder
• sea salt

Instructions

1. Make the dressing: In a small food processor, combine the avocado mayonnaise, olive oil, cilantro, lime, serrano, garlic powder, onion powder and a few generous pinches of salt. Pulse until combined. Chill until ready to use.
2. Slice the kernels off of the grilled corn and place in a large bowl. Add the red pepper, green pepper, cucumber, peaches, avocado, basil, lime juice, a few pinches of salt, and toss. Add a few tablespoons of dressing, toss again, then taste and add more dressing and/or salt to taste. Serve with extra dressing and lime slices on the side.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 head Romaine lettuce, finely chopped
• 1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries
• 1 cup roughly-chopped toasted pecans
• 2⁄3 cup diced red onion
• 1⁄2 cup blue cheese (or any soft cheese)
• Dijon vinaigrette (see below)

Dijon Vinaigrette

• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

Basil-Edamame Spread: (this makes extra)

• 1½ cups edamame
• ¼ cup basil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
• ½ small garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 to 3 tablespoons water
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

for the sandwiches:

• 1 large baguette
• handful of baby salad greens (or arugula)
• 2-3 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 10 basil leaves
• 10 jarred roasted artichokes, cut into quarters or roughly chopped
• pine nuts, optional

Instructions

1. Make the basil-edamame spread: Place the edamame, basil, lemon juice, scallions, garlic, and sea salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until chopped. Add the olive oil and blend until smooth. Add up to 3 tablespoons of water to create a smooth, spreadable consistency. Season to taste and chill until ready to use. The filling can be in advance and stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
2. Slice one large baguette in half and assemble with the basil-edamame spread, greens, tomatoes, basil, artichokes and pine nuts. Close the baguette, wrap it in foil and place in the fridge until you're ready to divide into servings. Slice into 4 individual servings and either wrap them to go or enjoy!

Click here to learn more!

INGREDIENTS

Lemon blueberry filling

• 2 pounds blueberries (that’s 32 ounces, which is about 5 cups or a little less than 3 pints), fresh or frozen*
• ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch or 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest (less than 1 small lemon, zested—scale back to ¼ teaspoon zest if you don’t love lemon)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Gluten-free oat and almond topping

1 cup old-fashioned oats (certified gluten-free for a gluten-free crisp)

• ½ cup packed almond meal or almond flour
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ⅓ cup lightly packed brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons plain yogurt (Greek or regular), or additional melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse and drain the blueberries and pick through them to remove any stems still attached. In a 9 by 9-inch baking dish, mix together the blueberries, maple syrup or honey, arrowroot or cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice and cinnamon.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oats, almond meal/flour, sliced almonds, brown sugar and salt. Mix in the butter and yogurt. Stir until all of the flour is incorporated and the mixture is moistened throughout.
3. Dollop spoonfuls of the oat mixture over the filling and use your fingers to break up the mixture until it is evenly distributed (no need to pack it down).
4. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is actively bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly golden. Let the crisp rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream (I insist!).

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¹/₂ teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
• 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 small head of broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• 1 ¹/₂ cups chicken broth
• ¹/₄ cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 pound carrots (about 8 medium carrots)
• 2 tablespoons sliced scallions (optional)
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
• 3 tablespoons chopped roasted, salted peanuts (optional)

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium-heat, heat the sesame oil.
2. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook just until fragrant, stirring constantly.
3. Add the sliced mushrooms and green pepper and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the broccoli, chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice. Increase the heat to high and stir constantly until the peanut butter melts into the sauce.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the broccoli is cooked but retains some crunch.
6. Meanwhile, using a spiralizer or a vegetable peeler, shave the carrots into thin ribbons. (A peeler works fine here! The ribbons will just be flatter than they would be if made with a spiralizer)
7. Add the carrot ribbons to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.
8. Serve warm, with the optional garnishes of scallions, toasted sesame seeds, or peanuts.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

for the sofrito

• 1 pound carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves
• ½ pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

for the filling

• 9 ounces Cotija cheese
• 1½ cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1½ cups fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped white onion

for serving

• Grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil, for frying
• 16 (6-7 inch) corn tortillas
• 2 tablespoons pepitas, lightly toasted
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, lightly toasted
• 1 avocado, cut into small chunks and tossed with lime juice
• ½ cup tomatillo salsa, optional

Instructions

1. Make the Sofrito: In a food processor, pulse the carrots, onion and garlic until very finely chopped. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl. Add the tomatoes to the food processor and pulse until nearly smooth.
2. In a deep, medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and toast until they pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the carrot mixture and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring every once in a while, until softened slightly and nearly dry, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are very soft, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt. (Jeanine's note: my carrots were pretty wet and soft at this point, so I only added 2 (of the 6) tablespoons olive oil, and I continued to cook it for about 30 minutes instead of 1½ hours).
4. Make the filling: In a large bowl, toss the cheese with the peas, cilantro, and onion.
5. Assemble the enchiladas: In a small skillet heat ¼ inch of the grapeseed oil. When the oil is warm, use tongs to cook the tortillas, one by one, until pliable, about 20 seconds for each. Transfer to a plate.
6. When the tortillas are cool enough to handle, place a scant ¼ cup of the pea-cheese filling onto each tortilla and roll up. Arrange them on a platter or shallow baking dish. Spoon the sofrito on top, and sprinkle with the remaining filling, the pepitas and sunflower seeds, and the avocado, if using. Serve with salsa, if desired

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

• 6 ounces penne pasta
• 1½ cups sliced cherry tomatoes
• 1½ cups thinly sliced leeks
• 1 cup zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch thick half moons
• ½ cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 3 small garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus 1 teaspoon zest
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 sprig of basil
• 2¼ cups water

top with:

• chopped parsley
• toasted pine nuts
• grated parmesan cheese or Vegan Hemp Seed Topping, optional

Vegan Hemp Seed Topping

• ½ cup hemp seeds
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. In a large pot, combine the pasta, tomatoes, leeks, zucchini, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes and basil. Add the water and stir. Bring to a boil, cover, and boil for 8 minutes. Give it a stir around the 5 minute mark to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and put the the cover back on. At 8 minutes, test the pasta for doneness. Remove the pot from the heat, stir, and let it sit for about 2 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
2. Make the Vegan Hemp Seed Topping: In a food processor, combine the hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds and salt and pulse to combine.
3. Serve with the chopped parsley, toasted pine nuts and parmesan cheese or Vegan Hemp Seed Topping, if using.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

dressing:

• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar or agave
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil

bowls:

• 5 cups cubed watermelon
• ¼ cup chopped scallions
• 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup macadamia nuts
• 2 tablespoons pickled ginger
• 1 small jalapeño or thai chile, diced
• ½ ripe avocado, pitted and diced
• Furikake (recipe below) or toasted sesame seeds
• Handful of microgreens, optional

furikake (toasted nori topping):

• 1 sheet nori
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon sugar

Instructions

1. Make the furikake (if using): Toast the nori over a gas burner by waving the sheet above the burner until it’s darkened and crispy. Cut into small pieces. Place the toasted nori in a food processor with the sesame seeds, salt and sugar. Pulse until everything is well chopped up.
2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine the tamari, garlic, lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil.
3. Toss the watermelon with the scallions and a bit of the dressing. Assemble bowls with the watermelon, cucumber, macadamia nuts, pickled ginger, jalapeño, avocado and microgreens, if using. Pour on more dressing (as much as you like) and gently toss. Serve with furikake sprinkled on top.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• 4 medium sized sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds), scrubbed and cut into matchsticks or batons
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ¹/₂ teaspoon salt
• ¹/₂ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¹/₈ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more to taste)
• 15 ounces can vegan bean chili (spicy, medium, or mild)
• 1 batch truly amazing cashew queso sauce (https://food52.com/recipes...)
• Pickled jalapenos, diced red or white onion, chopped green onion tops, avocado slices, fresh cilantro (optional, for topping)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400F and line two baking sheets with parchment or foil. Place the sweet potato fries into a large mixing bowl and toss with the oil and all of the seasonings. Transfer the fries to your prepared baking sheets and place them in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the fries are quite crispy, stirring a few times during cooking.
2. While the fries bake, blend up the cashew queso sauce and gently warm the chili.
3. When the fries are ready, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Top with the chili and as much cashew queso as you like. Serve with toppings of choice.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• Olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 medium to large onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ¹/₂ red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¹/₂ teaspoon hot paprika
• ¹/₂ teaspoon dried coriander
• ¹/₄ teaspoon oregano
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1 pound ground turkey breast
• 1 cup dark beer, such as Leffe Brown
• one 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• one 15 1/2-ounce can kidney beans, drained
• ¹/₂ teaspoon hot sauce or chile paste
• Salt and pepper
• Sour cream, chopped chives, cilantro, and/or shredded cheese, for topping

Directions

1. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the tomato paste, onion, garlic, and red pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the chili powder, hot paprika, coriander, oregano, and cinnamon; stir and allow to cook until aromatic, 1 minute.
2. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until lightly browned. Pour in the beer and allow to cook down slightly.
3. Add the tomatoes, beans, and hot sauce or chili paste.
4. Allow the chili to simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with sour cream, chopped chives, cilantro, and/or shredded cheese.

Click here to learn more! 

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil*
• ½ cup honey or maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• ¼ cup milk of choice or water
• 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice blend (or ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon allspice or cloves)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (NOT baking powder; they aren’t the same!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
• Totally optional: ½ cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dried fruit…
• Pinch of ground cinnamon, for sprinkling on top

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together together with a whisk. Add the eggs and whisk until blended. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
3. Add the pumpkin purée, milk, pumpkin spice, baking soda, vanilla and salt, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
4. Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (typically, if I haven’t added any mix-ins, my bread is done at 55 minutes; if I have added mix-ins, it needs closer to 60 minutes). Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
• 3 tiny apples, peeled, halved, and cored
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey plus 1 ⁄4 cup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¹/₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
• Coarse sea salt
• ¹/₂ cup heavy cream, beaten to soft peaks

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter, then line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper and grease the paper as well. Place the apple halves, cut side down, on a cutting board. Use a knife to cut halfway through the apple halves in thin parallel slices, so that they stay intact. This is hasselbacking. In a bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice and the light brown sugar.
2. Beat together the butter and granulated sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the 2 tablespoons of honey and beat until combined. Add the vanilla and egg yolks, beating until just combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a small bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture until just combined.
3. In another bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. With a rubber spatula, stir half of the egg whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top. Arrange the apple halves, flat side down, onto the cake batter, pressing them down slightly. Pour the accumulated apple juices onto the cake. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
4. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then slide a knife around the edge of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. Let the cake cool completely.
5. When ready to serve, make a glaze in a small pot by warming the remaining ¼ cup honey with the orange juice and whisking together until loose. Brush the honey mixture all over the cake and sprinkle with the coarse sea salt. Serve with the whipped cream.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ¹/₂ pound ground veal
• ¹/₂ pound ground pork
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 ¹/₂ tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
• ¹/₂ small clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 pinch Kosher or sea salt, to taste
• 1 pinch Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 cup good quality olive oil, for cooking
• Your favorite marinara sauce (we like Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter, also on Food52)

Directions

1. Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add the eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Using your hands, blend ingredients together. Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add water, 1 cup at a time, until the mixture is quite moist. Shape into 2 1/2 to 3-inch balls.
2. Heat oil in a large sauté pan. When oil is very hot but not smoking, fry meatballs in batches. When the bottom half of the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp, turn and cook top half. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
3. Lower cooked meatballs into simmering marinara sauce and cook for 15 minutes. Serve alone or with pasta.

Click here to learn more!

Cookie Pizza:

Cooking spray

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Raspberry Drizzle:

1 pound fresh raspberries

2 tablespoons vodka

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Pinch kosher salt

Pizza Toppings:

2 cups chocolate ganache or store-bought chocolate fudge

3/4 cup chopped brownie

1/2 cup fresh mixed berries

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

For the pie

• 1 fully baked 9-inch pie shell (we used Erin McDowell's All-Buttah Pie Crust, also on Food52)
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• ¹/₄ cup granulated sugar
• ¹/₂ teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger
• Pinch of salt
• 3 lightly beaten eggs
• 1 tablespoon dark rum or bourbon
• ¹/₂ cup half-and-half

For the pecan crunch

• ¹/₂ cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ¹/₂ cup pecan halves (optional)
• Whipped cream for serving (optional)

Directions

For the pie

1. Combine filling ingredients and pour into pre-baked shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn heat down to 325 degrees and continue to bake until set, about 40 minutes more. Pie is ready when a knife blade inserted 1-1/2 inches in from the edge emerges clean. The center of the pie may still quiver gently. Place on a rack and let cool completely.

For the pecan crunch

1. Shortly before serving, heat broiler. Combine brown sugar, butter, cream, and chopped nuts and spread over pie. Optionally: Decorate with pecan halves (be sure to nestle them down into the brown sugar mixture). Protect crust rim with a ring of foil and place pie about 6 inches below broiler. Keep oven door ajar. Broil, turning frequently, for about 5 minutes or until topping is dark brown and bubbly (watch carefully!). Again let cool. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• 6 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and grated (about 2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 to 1 ¹/₂ teaspoons white pepper
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped chives, or more to taste (divided use)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons pastry flour (or substitute 1 tablespoon AP flour + 1 tablespoon cake flour)
• 3 cups panko breadcrumbs (extra crispy)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup canola oil

Directions

1. Wash, peel and (medium) grate Yukon gold potatoes. Squeeze and drain excess potato liquid once grated.
2. Add salt, white pepper, and 3 tablespoons of finely chopped chives. In a separate bowl beat 2 eggs till frothy.
3. Add eggs to potato mixture. Add in flour and mix thoroughly. Form into patties as noted below and cover with the panko breadcrumbs so you no longer see the potato.
4. Before you begin the frying process, mix the sour cream together with another tablespoon (or more to taste if you wish) of the finely chopped chives and refrigerate.
5. Using a large skillet, heat oil which should cover the bottom of skillet and 1/2 way up the sides of the patties. Test first by dropping a teaspoon of mixture into hot oil. It should quickly fry but not so hot it burns (just like when making falafels). The secret is getting the oil to the correct frying temperature so as to flash cook the potatoes to crispy perfection on the outside but remain soft yet cooked on the inside. When forming the patties they should be about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Once you've cooked the potato pancakes serve hot immediately along with the cold sour cream & chive mixture. Of course if you prefer you can go with the sour cream and applesauce omiting the chives, but I always prefer savory vs. sweet. My Italian partner Louis (originally from Brooklyn) on the other hand prefers ketchup since he thinks he's eating hashbrowns -- just shaped like a patty!

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet chocolate), divided into 1 1/2 cups and 1/2 cup
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• ¹/₂ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¹/₄ cup all-purpose flour
• ¹/₄ teaspoon baking powder
• ¹/₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹/₂ teaspoon espresso powder (optional, for enhanced chocolate flavor)
• 3 tablespoons flaky sea salt

Directions

1. In a double boiler, melt together 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate with the butter. Set aside.
2. Beat together the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the warm chocolate mixture, beating as you add.
3. Add the vanilla to the egg/chocolate mixture and mix well.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) and mix thoroughly.
5. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate (if the batter is still rather warm from the chocolate, let it cool until it's warm but not hot before adding the chocolate so that it doesn't melt the additional chocolate), and stir to combine.
6. Chill the batter for 10-15 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Using a spoon or scoop, scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of the batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle liberally with flaky sea salt, and bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove the cookies as soon as they start to look dry on the top and develop cracks—do not overbake!! They will still look a bit too soft; that's okay.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Click here to learn more!

yield : 6

Ingredients

Directions

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients 

• ³/₄ to 1 pounds skirt steak, thinly sliced across the grain
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil, divided
• 3 teaspoons sugar, divided
• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 7 ounces Romaine lettuce or other (see note)
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 3 to 4 scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 ounces other vegetables, optional, such as shiitake mushrooms, carrots, shaved Brussels sprouts, cabbage (see notes above)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• fresh lime wedges for serving, optional

Instructions

1. Place the steak in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. The steak can sit like this for as long as one day in the fridge.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar, the vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Place the Romaine in a large serving bowl.
3. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, and when it shimmers, add the steak. Cook undisturbed for about a minute, then stir and cook until done, about 1 more minute. Transfer steak to a plate. Discard oil in wok, and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Immediately add the red onion, and scallions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add any other vegetables, the garlic and cook for 1 more minute or until the vegetables just begin to soften. Return the steak to the wok and add the sauce. Bring to a simmer (it should happen immediately), toss to coat, then turn off the heat.
4. Pour the contents of the wok over the Romaine. Let sit for a minute to allow the heat to soften the Romaine. Toss gently to combine. Serve with lime wedges if using.

Click here to learn more!

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ cup sliced almonds
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 to 3” long pieces
• ¼ cup water
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 small-to-medium clove garlic
• Several twists of freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
• 3 to 4 large basil leaves, torn or chopped, for garnish
• Lemon zest from about ½ lemon, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start with a large skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently (careful, they burn quickly). After 3 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue stirring until they are fragrant and turning golden on the edges, about 1 to 3 more minutes. Transfer the almonds to a bowl to cool.
2. Make sure the heat is set to medium-low and place the skillet back on the heat. Immediately add the green beans, water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are nearly tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the lid, raise heat to medium-high, and cook until the liquid evaporates, 2 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
4. Once the green beans are done cooking, whisk the olive oil mixture once more, then pour it into the skillet. Pour the almonds back into the skillet, and add about half of the feta, reserving the other half for garnish. Toss to combine, then taste and add more lemon juice or black pepper if necessary.
5. Transfer the green beans to a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle the remaining feta and the torn basil leaves on top. Lightly grate some lemon zest on top, and serve promptly.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

• 14 ounces baby spinach or 9 ounces frozen, cooked spinach, thawed
• 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon mixed dried herbs
• 1 egg
• ½ cup oat flour (process ½ cup rolled oats in a food processor or blender) or bread crumbs
• ¼ cup olive oil (for cooking, optional)
• 10 ounces dry spaghetti (gluten-free, if necessary)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded
• 5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
• Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. If using fresh baby spinach, add to a large saucepan with a small splash of water. Place over medium-low heat and cover with a lid. Cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes, then rinse under cold running water. Squeeze the spinach out over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible, then coarsely chop and set aside. (Tip: using frozen spinach helps cut prep time; we’ll try that next time.)
2. In a medium bowl, mix the feta, dried herbs, a generous amount of black pepper, the egg, and oat flour or bread crumbles together. Stir in the chopped spinach, then scoop heaping tablespoons of the mixture and roll into balls. You should get about 20 balls. You can either place them on a baking sheet lined with nonstick parchment paper and bake in an oven preheated to 350ºF for 20 to 25 minutes, or fry them over medium heat in 2 batches, in 2 tablespoons oil per batch, turning, until golden on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes. (Tip: we tried it both ways, and found the baked version was easiest!)
3. Boil the pasta, then drain.
4. Return the pasta to the pan off the heat, then stir in the butter, soy sauce, or tamari, and shredded zucchini. Toss with halved cherry tomatoes and serve.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
• 1 1/2 cups diced zucchini (1 small diced zucchini)
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels (1 ear of sweet corn)
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 2 large eggs
• 3 to 4 tablespoons roasted tomato salsa, for serving

Instructions

• In an 8″ skillet, preferably cast iron, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Dice onion and add to skillet, sautéing until translucent, 6-8 minutes. Stir in zucchini and corn kernels and cook until tender soft, 6-8 minutes. Add lime juice and sea salt and stir.
• Create well in the middle of the zucchini mixture and crack eggs. Turn heat down to low, cover, and let cook until egg yolks are set to desired consistency (5-10 minutes).
• Remove from heat and serve with queso fresco, salsa, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

For the rice

• 2 cups short grain rice, white or brown
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the roasted vegetables

• 2 large sweet potatoes (1 1/2 pounds)
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
• 2 to 3 ears corn, enough for about 2 cups* (if desired, use frozen corn and thaw)

For the dressing (makes more than enough for salads)

• 4 ounce can diced mild green chiles
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos)
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 12 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

For the salad

• 12 cups mixed greens
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 small red onion
• ¼ cup roasted and salted pepitas

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Make the rice: Follow the package instructions or use our Instant Pot rice method. Then stir in the olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and kosher salt.
3. Meanwhile, make the roasted vegetables: Chop the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Mix with garlic powder, salt and olive oil. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender.
4. Shuck the corn cobs and cut off corn kernels. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer, and roast in the same oven for about 5 minutes until tender and bright yellow.
5. Make the dressing: Thoroughly drain the green chilies. Using an immersion blender or blender, blend the chilies, soy sauce, and sherry vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and blend. Then gradually add another 2 tablespoons olive oil at a time and blend, until a creamy emulsion forms. (Makes more than enough for the bowls; leftovers keep in the refrigerator; warm to room temperature prior to serving.)
6. Serve: Slice the tomatoes and dice the red onion. Sprinkle the tomatoes with a bit of kosher salt. To serve, place the greens in bowls, then top with rice, roasted sweet potatoes and corn, tomatoes, red onion, and pepitas. Serve the dressing on the side; store leftover dressing refrigerated.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 2 15-ounce cans refried beans (or make homemade refried beans)*
• 1 large garlic clove (or as a shortcut, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder)
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 bell pepper (or 1/2 yellow and 1/2 orange), finely diced
• Pickled Red Onions or sliced red onion
• Taco sauce (purchased or homemade) or Chipotle Sauce, required!
• Fresh cilantro, torn
• 8 tortillas, corn or flour
• Optional: Shredded cheese, feta or queso fresco, sour 

Instructions

1. Make the filling: Mince the garlic. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not yet browned (or skip this step and use garlic powder instead). Heat the refried beans, cumin and kosher salt until warmed, about 3 minutes. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. 
2. Prep the veggies: Chop the lettuce. Dice the bell pepper. Prep the other toppings as desired. (If using pickled red onions, it’s easiest to make them in advance.)
3. Warm the tortillas: Warm and char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. (See How to Warm Tortillas.)
4. Serve: Place the refried beans in the tortillas, then top with toppings and enjoy. 

Click here to learn more!

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• ⅔ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
• ½ teaspoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• Pinch of salt
• 5 ounces baby spring mix
• 6 ounces romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 cups grated cauliflower (about ½ small cauliflower—you can grate it on the holes of a large box grater or finely slice it on a mandoline, then roughly chop)
• 2 cups finely chopped purple cabbage (about ½ small cabbage)
• 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 small cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced (no need to peel)
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• ⅔ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 ripe avocados (thinly slice just before serving)

Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)
• ½ cup lightly packed cilantro (mostly leaves)
• 1 small jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon tahini (optional, for a more creamy dressing)
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First, toast the pepitas: combine the pepitas, olive oil, chili powder and a pinch of salt in a medium skillet over medium heat. Toast the pepitas, stirring frequently (don’t let them burn), until they are turning golden on the edges and making little popping noises, about 4 to 7 minutes. Set the skillet aside to cool.
2. In a large salad bowl, combine the spring mix, chopped romaine, cauliflower, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta cheese, and toasted pepitas. Gently toss, then set aside.
3. To make the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients but the red pepper flakes in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste, and add extra salt if it needs some extra oomph, and or a pinch of red pepper flakes if you’d like more heat. Blend again, then transfer to a small jar with a spout, for serving.
4. Divide the salad into individual bowls, top with slices of avocado, and drizzle dressing just before serving. If you intend to have leftovers, store the salad separately from the dressing, and toss individual servings with dressing just before serving. The salad will keep well this way for about 4 to 5 days.

Click here to learn more! 

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Homemade Pita Chips (with za’atar seasoning optional)
• 1/2 English cucumber
• 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• ½ cup diced Kalamata olives
• 15-ounce can navy beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
• Black pepper
• Creamy Cilantro Sauce, to serve

Instructions

1. Start soaking the cashews for the Creamy Cilantro Sauce (or soak the cashews in advance or overnight).
2. Make the homemade pita chips.
3. Dice the cucumber and quarter the tomatoes; sprinkle both lightly with kosher salt. Chop the olives. Drain and rinse the beans; in a small bowl, mix the beans with the olive oil, kosher salt, and a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper.
4. Make the Creamy Cilantro Sauce.
5. To serve, place the pita chips on a plate. Top with veggies and beans, and drizzle with cilantro sauce and additional olive oil (if desired). Sprinkle with torn cilantro and serve.

Click here to learn more! 

Ingredients

• 1 large wheat flour tortilla
• 1 1/2 ounces shredded cheddar, jack, or something similar
• [url]1/2 cup spiced zucchini∞https://naturallyella.com/spiced-zucchini/[/url]
• 1/3 cup cooked pinto beans, drained and rinsed if using canned
• Salsa/Hot sauce, for serving
• Olive oil, for brushing

Instructions

• Preheat a griddle or large, flat skillet over low heat- the pan should be large enough to fit the tortilla. Brush one side of a tortilla with olive oil and place it oil-side down in the skillet. On half of the tortilla, sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheese, followed by the spiced zucchini, pinto beans, and finish with another layer of cheese.
• Fold the tortilla in half, covering the mixture.
• Cook the quesadilla over low heat, flipping once, about 4 to 5 minutes. The tortilla should be browning and crisp and the cheese should be melting. Cut into wedges to serve.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

• 1 dash Kosher salt, as needed
• 8 ounces regular or whole-wheat elbow macaroni
• ¹/₃ cup heavy cream
• 1 ¹/₄ cups 1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese (5 ounces)
• 1 dash Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
• 1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until it is al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directions. Drain.
2. Return the empty pot to medium-high heat. Add the cream, and cook until it is thick, bubbling, and reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cheese, whisking until it has melted. Then stir in the pasta and cook until well combined. Season to taste with nutmeg and pepper, add more salt if needed, and serve immediately.

Click here to learn more! 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced
• 8 ounces Spaghetti, plus ⅓ cup reserved pasta water
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup dry white wine (such as chardonnay or pinot grigio)
• ¼ to ⅓ cup cashew cream (below)
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh tarragon
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh chives
• ⅓ cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

savory cashew cream (this makes extra)*

• ⅓ cup raw cashews + ½ cup water (or skip this mixture and use regular cream)
• ½ clove garlic (a small one)
• ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Make the cashew cream by blending all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Set aside. (note: it’s not going to be very thick, it should be the consistency of half & half or heavy cream).
2. In a large pan heat the olive oil oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, a few generous pinches of salt and pepper, and cook until soft and wilted, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water 1 minute short of the package directions, until al dente. Reserve ⅓ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
4. To the mushrooms, add the wine. Stir and let it reduce for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the garlic, then the cooked pasta and toss. Add a few splashes of the cashew cream and a few splashes of the pasta water and toss to create a light sauce. Add half of the fresh herbs and season to taste. Serve immediately with remaining fresh herbs and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top.

Click here to learn more!

Yield 16 

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee hot (or warm apple cider)

Salted Caramel

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup honey or corn syrup
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + flakey salt for sprinkling
• 3 your favorite SMALL apples * I used granny smith and honeycrisp
• 6 twigs or wooden sticks

Snickers Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter not the oily kind
• 1/3 cup salted caramel ingredients above
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup salted peanuts chopped + more for garnish

Chocolate Coating

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

To make the Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch (or 9 inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.

• In a medium size bowl combine the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Set aside.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand held mixer) beat together the eggs, canola oil, apple sauce, and vanilla until smooth.

• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low until there are no longer any clumps of flour. Add the hot coffee and mix until combined. Batter should be pourable, but not super thin.

• Pour the batter among the 3 cake pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are just set and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan. Grab 3 large flat plates, line them with wax or parchment paper and invert the cakes onto the paper lined plates. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

To Make the Caramel + Frosting

• Place sugar, honey and apple cider in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, boil, without stirring, 9 minutes or until light golden in color. Add the heavy cream, butter, bourbon, and vanilla, slowly stirring into pan. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 210 degrees F., stirring frequently. Remove the sauce from heat and add the salt. Using a heat proof measuring cup scoop out 1 cup of caramel sauce and allow it to cool. Cover the remaining sauce and set aside until the cake is ready (I just covered my pot and set it aside overnight).

• Now make the frosting, add the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar to the bowl of stand mixer (or use a hand held mixer). Beat together until the butter is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the peanut butter, 1/3 cup of the cooled caramel sauce and the vanilla, beat, scraping down the sides as needed, another 2 minutes or until there are no streaks. Stir in the chopped peanuts.

To Assemble the Cake

• Place 1 layer of cake, flat side up, on a plate or cake stand. Drizzle the cake with a little salted caramel sauce (from the reserved 1 cup, not from the pot of caramel). With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and drizzle with caramel. Spread the frosting evenly on the top. Add the final layer of cake and drizzle with the remaining caramel. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Don't worry about it being too perfect as you will be covering most of it up. Place the cake in fridge.

• To make the chocolate coating. In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate and cream. Microwave on high for 30 second intervals, stirring between each until melted. Allow the sauce to cool 3-5 minutes, and then pour the sauce onto the middle of the cake and spread to just the sides, allow the sauce to drip down the sides of the cake. Place the cake in the fridge preferably overnight, but at least 1 1/2 hours. You need the chocolate to be completely set and the frosting firm.

To Finish.

• Once the cake is cool, grab that reserved caramel sauce in the pot. Place it back over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads between 220-230 degrees F (I let mine go to 225 and it was perfect). Remove the sauce from the stove and let is cool 15-20 minutes, stirring every so often. Make sure the caramel does not become too stiff. If it stiffens too much you will not be able to dip the apples. While the sauce cools, push the twigs or wooden sticks into the top of the apples. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.

• When the caramel has cooled (it should be a little thicker now, but still pourable), pour about half the caramel over the cake and allow it to fall down the sides of the cake. Working quickly, dip the apples into the remaining caramel and place the in the center of cake. Sprinkle the cake with flakey salt and peanuts. Make room in the fridge for the cake and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes. The caramel should never get completely hard, but should be more of a soft firm. Once the caramel is firm, store the cake in the fridge until ready to serve. Allow the cake to sit 15 minutes at room temp before serving. Please not that this is a delicate and with all the toppings it is a bit tricky to slice. Your slices will not be perfect.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

*2 ounces 100% agave silver tequila

1 ounce lemon juice

8 blackberries

5 fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Dash of orange bitters

Garnish: (optional)

Dried sage leaves

Blackberries

Dry Ice*

Instructions

1. Muddle the blackberries and sage together in a cocktail shaker until broken down and fragrant.

2. Pour in the tequila, lemon juice, bitters, and maple syrup. Give it a good shake and pour over either a cube of dry ice (if using) or regular ice if using the dried sage leaf. If using the dried sage light the tip on fire right before serving.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

Marinade

¼ cup olive oil, plus additional for basting

¼ cup Worcestershire

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1-2 tablespoons garlic, minced

Fresh ground peppercorn, to taste

Kebabs

2 pounds tri-tip, trimmed and cubed

1-2 red onions, chopped

2 large bell peppers, chopped

Several white button mushrooms, rinsed and stems removed

4 cobs of corn, each chopped into 6 rounds

Kosher salt and fresh ground peppercorn, to taste

Fresh parsley and green onion, chopped, to garnish

Skewers

6-8 12-18" bamboo skemphasized textewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes before grilling

Instructions

• Whisk together all marinade ingredients and bring to a simmer in pan until sugar dissolved. Let the sauce cool entirely.
• Place steaks in a ziplock bag and pour marinade over the steaks. Press all air from the ziplock bag and refrigerate from 4 hours up to overnight
• Remove marinated beef from refrigerator, discard the marinade and preheat grill to medium-high heat at least 20 minutes prior to cooking.
• Load individual skewers with marinated steak and prepared vegetables.
• Place skewers over the hottest grill grates, searing the kabobs with grill lid open, turning the skewers a quarter turn every 2-3 minutes, until internal temperature of the steak reaches 140F.
• Remove skewers from grill and place under tin foil tent for 5 minutes.
• To plate, garnish with chopped parsley and green onion. Season additionally to taste. Serve.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients:

2 small spaghetti squash

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 a yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, sliced thin

8-10 oz baby spinach or kale

8 oz./ 1 cup ricotta

1 tsp. dried Italian herbs (or dried oregano or fennel seeds if that's what you have)

4 oz. / 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping

1/3 cup parmesan, divided

juice of half a lemon

2 cups homemade or your favorite store-bought marinara

fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400'. Halve your squash and scoop out the seeds. Rub all sides with a thin coat of oil and roast the squash, cut side down, for about 45 minutes, or until the squash shreds easily. Let them cool for 15 minutes and then carefully shred all the strands into a bowl, keeping the squash shell intact. Reserve squash shells. Squeeze them with a dishtowel to remove some of the moisture if the squash looks soggy. 

Warm a generous tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and saute for a few minutes until fragrant and softened. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the baby spinach and saute until just wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Add the spinach to the bowl of squash, along with the ricotta, dried herbs, mozzarella, half of the parmesan and the juice of half a lemon. Stir everything to mix. Taste for salt and pepper, it will likely need both.

Line the bottoms of the squash shells with marinara and sort of push it up the sides. Add the cooked ground meat here, if using. Be generous on the sauce, it needs the acid to balance the creaminess. Distribute the squash mixture on top. Sprinkle the tops with a little extra mozzarella and parmesan. Line a baking tray with parchment and bake the squash for 20 minutes to warm through. Broil them for a couple minutes at the end to finish and brown the tops. 

Garnish the tops with fresh parsley and serve warm. 

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

• 2½ cups small shell pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 5 cups broccoli florets, chopped stems, and leaves (keep stems separate)
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• lemon wedges, for serving

For the creamy vegan pasta sauce:

• 1½ cups cooked white beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup vegetable broth, more as needed
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast*
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Make the sauce: In a blender, combine the white beans, broth, lemon juice, olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package, cooking until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the chopped broccoli stems and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add the broccoli florets and leaves and a splash of water or vegetable broth. Cover and turn off the heat.
5. Allow the broccoli to steam for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender but still bright green. Add the pasta, then stir in ¾ of the sauce, adding more broth if the sauce is too dry.
6. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and lemon juice, as desired, and portion into bowls. Divide the remaining sauce onto each bowl. Top with the pine nuts and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Click here to learn more!

Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 4 large tortillas 
• Several handfuls of spinach leaves - about 8 per wrap
• 1 cucumber, cut into long thin slices - 2 per wrap
• 2-3 mixed (mild) peppers - about 6 slices per wrap
• Fresh parsley sprigs, optional
• Tofu or other choice of protein, optional
• Sprinkle of hemp seeds, optional

Instructions

1. Make the Spinach Hummus: In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, vegetable broth, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, parsley, cumin, paprika, and black pepper and blend well. Add the spinach and blend again. Chill until ready to use.
2. To assemble the wraps, spread about ¼ cup of hummus on each wrap, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Add the spinach leaves followed by the cucumber and pepper slices. Top with the fresh parsley, protein of choice and hemp seeds, if using. Roll up the wraps and then wrap in foil. Refrigerate until until ready to use.

Click here to learn more!

​Ingredients

• 8 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped thyme
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• One 7 1/2-pound butterflied boneless pork shoulder 
• 2 pounds fava beans, shelled (2 cups) or 2 cups frozen shelled edamame
• 24 whole baby carrots or 4 medium carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 4 pounds fresh English peas, shelled, or two 10-ounce packages frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs, such as parsley, chives and tarragon
• 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°. With the side of a large knife, mash the garlic cloves with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to make a coarse paste. Transfer the paste to a small bowl. Stir in the coriander, thyme, oregano, 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of coarsely ground black pepper and 1/2 cup of the olive oil until incorporated.

• On a work surface, rub the garlic-herb oil all over the butterflied pork. With the fatty side up, fold the pork under itself into thirds and transfer to a roasting pan. Roast the pork for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300° and roast the pork for about 2 hours and 20 minutes longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 160°.

• Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the fava beans and boil until the skins loosen, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the favas to a work surface; peel off and discard the tough skins and transfer the favas to a bowl. Alternatively, boil the frozen edamame for 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Add the carrots to the saucepan and boil until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots to the bowl. Add the peas and cook until tender, about 2 minutes; if using frozen, boil just until hot, 30 seconds. Drain the peas and transfer to the bowl.

• In the same saucepan, melt the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Stir in the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until just heated through. Stir in the 3 tablespoons of chopped herbs.

• Transfer the pork to a carving board and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Strain the pan juices into a small saucepan and skim off the fat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and keep hot.

• Thickly slice the pork across the grain and transfer to plates. Serve with the vegetables, passing the sauce at the table.

Click here to learn more!

Seared bison loin laid across deep purple mashed potatoes and carrot-ginger puree…yes, please!

Beautiful creations like this are being made by the inmates at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater. Lakeland’s Food Technology program is one of eleven around the state that teaches inmates everything they need to know about the food industry.

This program is helping to prepare inmates to develop much-needed work skills for when they re-enter the job force at the time of their release.

Read more about this amazing program over at the Detroit Free Press.

Ingredients

1 large green apple

1 tablespoon maple syrup

½ cup water

¼ cup raw cashews

3 cups spinach

10 ice cubes

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

Core the apple and cut it into chunks, leaving the skin on.

Place all ingredients a blender and blend. Add the lemon juice and blend for a few seconds again. Taste, and add a touch more maple syrup and/or lemon juice as desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Click here to learn more!

Credit: Gerald Ford, CMC, Ford Plantation National Culinary Review, July 2019

Ingredients

2 Eggs

40 g Powdered Mustard

100 g Cajun Spice

1 Gal. Buttermilk

50 g Oldbay

20 g Onion Powder

20 g Garlic Powder

15 g Black Pepper

50 g Salt

Instructions

1. Combine Dry Ingredients
2. Add Buttermilk

Yield

1 Gallon (16 birds)

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

10-12 lbs. whole brisket

1/3 cup kosher salt

1/3 cup cracked black pepper (not finely ground)

Instructions

1. Trim excess fat from brisket, leaving 1/8-¼ inch fat cap.
2. To make rub, mix salt and pepper in small container. Sprinkle over meat surface; pat down. Let seasoned brisket sit uncovered at room temperature about 1 hour.
3. Heat smoker to 210ºF. Place brisket in smoker once smoke is thin and white. Maintain smoker at 210ºF.
4. Smoke meat for approximately 12 hours until fork tender.
5. Remove from heat; rest meat for 1 hour. Slice cooked meat against grain.

Click here to learn more!

Ingredients

1 (1-1¼ lb.) American lamb top round ½ cup prepared balsamic dressing 1 t. Dijon-style mustard ½ t. coarse ground pepper 24 medium portobello mushrooms, stems removed ¼ cup + 2 T. olive oil, divided ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1 large red onion, thinly sliced 48 thin roasted red bell pepper strips, 2 inches long 24 petite rolls, sliced 24 frill picks

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat off lamb. Place in plastic bag. In bowl, blend dressing, mustard and pepper. Pour into bag; seal, rotate meat to coat. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to marinate. Remove lamb from marinade (discard marinade). Place lamb on roasting rack in pan. Roast in 325°F oven 50-60 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven; cover, let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice. Cover; refrigerate.

2. Place mushrooms on baking sheet. In small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil and vinegar. Brush all sides and centers of mushrooms with mixture. Bake in 375°F oven 15 minutes. Remove; cool.

3. In large skillet, heat remaining 2 T. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion made into rings; saute 6-8 minutes until lightly browned. Cool; set aside.

4. Place 1 mushroom on base of roll; add 2 bell pepper strips. Top with sliced lamb and a few onion rings. Secure top of bun to sandwich with frilly pick.

Yield

24 (appetizer) servings

Click here to learn more!

Credit: Recipe courtesy of the American Lamb Board
The National Culinary Review, May 2016

Hot Toddy Cocktail

Here's a nice easy recipe that's vegetarian friendly by Food52!

Serves 4 (makes about 8 pancakes)
For the citrus compote
About 300g of any leftover citrus (about 6 clementines, 1 large grapefruit or 3 small oranges)
2 tbsp honey
A pinch of saffron (optional)

For the pancakes
250g ricotta cheese
125g flour
1 tbsp baking powder
A good pinch of salt
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
200ml milk (I use almond milk)
100g cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
Grated zest of 2 lemons
Grated zest of ½ an orange or 1 clementine
Butter or coconut oil, for frying

1 Put the ricotta into a sieve and leave it over a bowl for 10 minutes or so, to allow the excess liquid to drain off.

2 Meanwhile, make the citrus compote by peeling the fruits and removing any large pieces of pith.

3 Put the flesh into a pan with the honey and the saffron, if you are using it. Cook slowly for about 10 minutes until you have a loose, jammy consistency.

4 Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

5 Whisk the egg yolks with the milk in a jug. Add to the flour mixture a little at a time and gently beat until smooth. Fold in the chestnuts then the lemon and orange zest.

6 In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add the sugar and whisk until you have stiff meringue-like peaks.

7 Using a spatula or metal spoon, gently fold half the egg whites into the flour and egg mixture. Now fold in the ricotta, then the rest of the egg whites. You should have a light and fluffy batter.

8 Put a large nonstick frying pan on a low heat and add a tiny bit of butter or coconut oil. Working in batches, add about half a ladleful of the batter to the pan for each pancake. Cook the batter until the bottom is golden and the edges are cooked. Once bubbles have risen to the top of the pancake, flip it and cook on the other side for a minute. Once each one is done, keep your pancakes in a warm oven while you cook the rest.

9 Stack the pancakes high on your plate and serve with the clementine marmalade spooned over the top.

Read the article by Culinary Cultivations' president and resident food safety expert, Shawn Kohlhaas, on 'Responsible Procurement and Receiving of Local Food' in the Sept-Oct edition of the Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine below: 

This is a recap of the August 13th 'Operating Food Service Safety During COVID-19 Webinar'. 

Current regulations are according to Michigan Executive Orders and CDC standards --updated 8/1/2020 per new EO's.

***You will receive a certificate of completion for this webinar sent to the email associated with your signup information.***

DATE + TIME: Thursday, August 13th, 2020 10am

KEY POINTS

• What to do + how to follow current regulations with food service operations
• How to market your safety precautions
• What to do when there's a positive COVID case in your restaurant + how to reopen safely

Other topics: Opening Food Service Operations for Dine In Service

FEATURING:

Shawn Kohlhaas (Principal Partner – Culinary Cultivations, President – Grand Rapids American Culinary Federation, Board Member - Food Safety Advisory Board of Kent County, Board Member – Great Lake Conference for Food Protect, Host – The Local Feed on WYCE, and Gold Standard Food Safety Instructor - Servsafe)

CJ DeVries (Owner/operator - GRNow, President - Innovative Social Exchange MKTG, President - The ON BRAND Agency, Marketing Committee Member - Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, Marketing Committee Member - United Way, past panelist for Grand Rapids Area of Black Businesses)

Questions are welcome. Please use chat function during the webinar to ask questions and we will answer them at the end.

As coronavirus containment efforts grow across the country, it's important to know best practices. Check out the National Restaurant Association's COVID-19 webinar via their response team: 

Preparing for the Coronavirus: Steps for Foodservice and Restaurant Readiness 

From where vanillia grows to the health ingredient contribution and varities, learn why the American Culinary Federation appointed Vanillia Extract the featured ingredient for March in this article. 

Ingredient of the Month Vanillia Extract

Check out this recipe from My New Roots! Looks great :)

http://www.mynewroots.org/site/ - Recipe

Time is the enemy of any reluctant cook. We could slave at the stove for an hour - or we could swipe a few times on an app and just wait for a delivery driver to arrive at our doors.

But cooking at home can be much healthier and satisfying. Besides, chefs prove it's possible to whip up mouthwatering meals in the blink of an eye. To find out how, we asked some top chefs for their time-saving cooking tips.

Andrew Dargue

head chef of vegetarian restaurant Vanilla Black in London

If you are rolling out pastry do so between two sheets of parchment paper. This will save you having to clean the surface afterwards. Also, when roasting vegetables line your tray with parchment so that you don’t have to scrub the tray afterwards.

Lee Skeet

runs a self-titled pop-up restaurant. He is based in Cornwall

If I'm filleting mackerel I've got a technique I've developed where I can fillet and clean the fish by making eight knife strokes. It's not the standard way to fillet, it's just something I've got comfortable with and I do it religiously. Plan ahead, find a method of working that suits you and refine it over time.

Tilesh Chudasama

founder and chef at London’s Indian street food restaurant Chai Naasto

Cook once, eat twice. Make extra so that you can freeze a meal, use it the following day or make something new from the leftovers. Great during the week, when you have to work.

Chop and freeze. If you can’t resist a veggie bargain or the fruit you thought you were going to eat starts to look like its seen better days; chop it up, whack it in a freezer bag and save it for another day. Time and money saver.

One-pot meals. Casseroles with an Indian twist are my favourite. It’s a great way of making a hearty meal packed full of veg and goodness, without spending hours standing at the stove, or the sink!

Read over speed! If you’re making something new from a recipe book, read it from start to finish before you lift a spoon. You’ll save yourself a whole lot of time and hassle if you do.

Cook and clean. Who can face a mountain of dirty pots, pans and dishes after cooking a culinary masterpiece?! Clean as you go and the mountain will look more like a molehill.

Tom Cenci

executive head chef of Duck & Waffle, London which specialises in British cuisine with continental European influences​

When you need a lot of garlic soak the cloves in warm water the skins are super easy to peel off.

Mary Sue Milliken

co-chef and owner of Border Grill restaurants and trucks in Los Angeles

Buy one sharp expensive chef’s knife made from high carbon stainless steel- I like Japanese - and keep it dry and clean at all times. Never put it in the washer, and learn how to practice good knife skills, and that will save you more time than any other thing you could do.

Shrimoyee Chakraborty

owner of the Calcutta Street Bengali restaurant

Invest in a really good pressure cooker. It will save you hours. It's a bit of an old Indian grandma technique, but they know best, and it works.

Daniel Fletcher

head chef at Fenchurch Restaurant, in Sky Garden, London

"The tin foil trick". When your tin foil roll is nicked and you can’t unroll the roll, take another piece of tin foil and rub up and down on the roll and all the tin foil will magically unwrap. It saves that annoying 20 minutes picking away at a roll to untangle it.

Claudio Cardoso

executive chef of Japanese-Brazilian-Peruvia fusion restaurant Sushisamba in London

If you baking are making your favourite Sunday roast, first thing to do before anything else is switch on your oven!

Read the full article by Kashmira Gander here.

Like Negronis? Then you're going to love the Boulevardier! Made with Campari, sweet vermouth, and whiskey instead of gin, it's an autumnal take on the Negroni: a bit more warming, a bit spicier, and fantastic for sipping on a cool evening.

Prep time: 2 minutes

Yield: 1 cocktail

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ounces whiskey (rye or bourbon)
• 1 ounce sweet (Italian) vermouth
• 1 ounce Campari
• Ice
• Orange peel for garnish, optional

METHOD

1. Make the cocktail: Place all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 30 seconds. Allow to sit for 30 seconds, and then strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with orange peel.

Read the full article here.

Amp up store-bought ravioli with a few simple ingredients.

YIELDS: 4

TOTAL TIME: 0 hours 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb. cheese ravioli
• 2 small bell peppers
• 1 medium onion
• 3 slices bacon
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
• a 12-inch skillet

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook 1 pound cheese ravioli according to the package instructions.
2. Seed and chop 2 small bell peppers. Finely chop 1 medium onion. Set aside.
3. Chop 3 slices of bacon. Add bacon and 1 teaspoon olive oil to a skillet and cook on medium heat until bacon is crisp, about 6 minutes.
4. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined bowl. Leave the bacon fat in the skillet.
5. Add chopped peppers, onion, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook for 7 minutes.
6. Then, add 1/2 cup corn and cook for 2 more minutes.
7. Add cooked ravioli and bacon to the skillet. Then, toss everything together to combine.

Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories 490; Protein 19g; Carbohydrate 57g; Total Fat 21g; Saturated Fat 10g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Sodium 985mg.

Read the full article here.

What’s the difference between stock and broth? Are they interchangeable? What are the ingredients? We tell all.

*We can’t be the only ones who’ve wondered what the difference is between stock and broth. It’s confusing, is it not?! The terms have been bandied about seemingly interchangeably for decades, and to make matters more confounding, there’s now bone broth to contend with in terms of what the heck it is. And can you use broth instead of stock. And we find the answer is as murky as a stock or broth or bone broth that’s been brought to a boil. We found the below excerpt from Bone Deep Broth to be a pretty darn understandable articulation of the attributes of each type of liquid loveliness. This post has been updated. Originally published February 18, 2016. – Renee Schettler Rossi**

We’re often asked what the difference is between broth, stock, and bone broth, and there is no exact answer. Different books, blogs, and articles have different views on the meaning of each. Culinary experts tend to say that stock is made with bones and water only and minimally seasoned for use in the preparation of soups, stews, and sauces. They state that stocks are gelatinous and impart a fuller mouthfeel because of the cartilage and connective tissues attached to the bones, making stock perfect for adding texture and richness to dishes. They call broth, on the other hand, a preparation of water, meat, vegetables, aromatics, and seasonings. These broths are flavorful and may be consumed on their own. They are usually clear and not necessarily gelatinous. Most people use both terms interchangeably. The bone broth that has gained attention in health-minded circles is a combination of all of these with meaty bones for flavor and nutrition—rich in gelatin for its health benefits, with vinegar for optimal extraction of nutrients from the bones, and with seasonings and aromatics to make the broth delicious and easy to drink on its own.

[Editor’s Note: Still a little confused? We understand. When conducting our due diligence in researching this topic, most authorities tended to concur that, as explained above, stock tends to be prepared with more bones, requires a longer simmer, and ends up more gelatinous compared to broth. Bone broth, for most intents and purposes, is sort of an amalgam of stock and broth. And bear in mind, it’s not that any one sort is better than another. They’re just different. Wherever your preferred technique for the long, slow extraction of minerals and nutrients from meaty bones, consider this an excuse to go make some. ...]

*Stock or broth turns cloudy when it is permitted to come to a rolling boil. This is because the vibrations emulsify the protein molecules with the water molecules, which results in an irreversibly cloudy liquid. For crystal clear stock, keep the stock at a bare simmer with only an occasional bubble percolating to the surface.

Read the full article here

When I started as an intern for Alton Brown’s production company in Georgia, I thought I’d be in Atlanta doing grunt work on Good Eats for six months, tops. A series of fortunate circumstances kept me on the team. First, I was asked to stay an additional six months to cover someone on maternity leave. Then, an opportunity to help with a cookbook kept me for another year. I ended up staying on for a decade.

Nearly four years later, I can see some of the major effects my time on Alton’s team have had on my life. It’s where I met my best friend, my husband (we met on Good Eats), and where I learned some of my most valuable cooking strategies.

Over that decade, I cooked almost every single recipe from Good Eats at least once. I worked on four different cookbooks alongside Alton, and I gained insight at every turn on the values of intelligence, creativity, and confidence in solving a variety of cooking problems. And I’ve been fortunate enough to bring those values to my own cooking, and to my subsequent work. It would be impossible to boil everything I learned down to a simple list, but here are five major lessons I learned from both working with Alton Brown and cooking his recipes. Hopefully you can apply them to your own cooking!

1. Question everything.

This will probably come as no surprise to Alton fans, but working with him (especially on Good Eats) meant that every ingredient or step needed a reason or story. While it made for great television, it also forced all of us to look at classic recipes with fresh eyes. Why just stick to cinnamon in apple pie when citrusy, peppery grains of paradise would be wildly more interesting? Or why buy a dehydrator to make jerky when a box fan and some air filters would do?

This approach has made me a better, more rigorous recipe writer — something I continue to use when writing recipes here at Kitchn. But it also helps me when cooking for my family. Just because a recipe calls for a certain step or ingredient doesn’t mean that you have to keep it there. By questioning — and experimenting — I’ve been able to make innumerable recipes simpler, better, or more innovative.

2. Consider the entire experience when it comes to recipes.

I’ll never forget watching Alton taste a kale salad I was testing for Alton’s EveryDayCook. He took a bite and exclaimed, “This is really delicious and terrible to eat!” It turned out the beautiful ribbons of kale we’d made looked great in the bowl, but were hard to get all the way into your mouth.

This is often overlooked in recipes: Presentation is fine, but isn’t nearly as important as how comfortable or fun a recipe is to eat. That kale salad didn’t make the book. Instead we made a similarly delicious quinoa salad with roasted vegetables. The ingredients were way easier to spoon into your mouth, and the dish was more fun to eat.

I use this technique when introducing my 4-year-old son to new foods now. If I’m making a dish, I’ll often play with the shapes of, say, the carrots or squash until I find one that is fun. And voilà! He’s much more likely to eat it. Whether you’re a new cook or a seasoned pro, it’s worth remembering there’s more to a dish than the flavors that go in, or the way it looks.

3. Cook smarter, not harder.

I will never forget watching Alton spatchcock a chicken on my tiny culinary school TV from a borrowed DVD the night before my interview. (Y’all, I had never watched an episode of Good Eats in my life before I worked there!) I remember thinking: Why had I not learned this technique in school? It cuts the cook time in half!

Alton was never afraid to take a classic dish and try to improve it. And that approach is what produced some of his greatest techniques, like tempering chocolate in a microwave or cooking meringue with a hair dryer bonnet. I might not be revolutionizing the food world in my own kitchen, but asking myself Can I do this smarter? has led me to do things my culinary training might have had me dismiss, like use shears to chop herbs, lean heavily on canned tomatoes, and, yes, even spatchcock a chicken to save time.

4. If you can’t find it, make it.

We deconstructed (broke) more pieces of equipment in the Good Eats test kitchen than I can legally tell you about, but we also made smart modifications to things like whisks (for making cotton candy, obviously), and we folded aluminum foil into every shape and size imaginable (looking at you, ring of fire chicken).

Cooking with Alton taught me that I didn’t actually need to own dozens of single-use tools, because I could often build (or hack) anything I didn’t have with a little ingenuity.

5. Use one salt, but use it well.

Certain ingredients in the Good Eats test kitchen had to be the same brand, always. We used Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, Land O Lakes Butter (mostly), and King Arthur Flour. Why? Because we could depend on their consistency and quality.

This doesn’t mean that you need to use these products. But being a confident and consistent cook actually starts with your pantry. If you find yourself constantly switching brands of, say, salt or flour, hoping it will improve your cooking, try to stick with one brand for a while and get to know it. If you’re seasoning a dish with salt, don’t just follow the recipe instructions, but get a feel for how your salt works in the dish. Taste, season, and taste again. A good rule of thumb is to season most things before cooking, during cooking, and just before serving.

There are many more lessons I learned from working on Good Eats (and cooking with Alton himself) that are less about being in the kitchen, and more about work, about television, and life outside of all those things. Still, I enjoyed working on Alton’s team and am grateful that so many people have learned to cook from him and from Good Eats.

Inevitably when Alton comes up in conversation, I hear “Oh I learned to make better pancakes from that one episode,” or “We always make his turkey!” I get to think about how I was a part of making that dish happen — of helping make that person’s life a little easier, or their food a little better. That’s a powerful feeling.

View the full article here

French Apple Tart (Tarte normande)

8 servings

Choose a full-flavored baking apple, and one that won't fall apart once baked. A trip to the apple stand at your farmers' market would be a good place to get advice about a local variety that's good for baking. You want one that's full-flavored, and to my taste, on the tart side. (If you like sweet apples, you could certainly use those.) I offered up a few varieties that are widely available in the post.To dial down the richness, you can swap out half-and-half for the cream in the recipe. Calvados is apple brandy from Normandy. You can substitute another apple brandy. If they're not available, you can use brandy, Cognac, or dark rum. If avoiding alcohol, omit the brandy and double the vanilla extract, although the tart gets its name, and flavor, from the brandy, so the taste will be different.

For the tart dough

6 tablespoons (3 ounces, 85g) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature

1/4 cup (50g) sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 cup (140g) flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

For the filling

4 medium apples, (see headnote), about 1 1/2 pounds, 700g

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons granulated or raw cane sugar, for finishing the tart

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 cup (250ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half)

2 1/2 tablespoons calvados

1. Make the tart dough by mixing the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low-to-medium speed, until combined, about 1 minute. (But do not whip.) Add the egg yolk and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Mix in the flour and salt on low speed, until the dough comes together. If necessary, add a sprinkle of water if the dough feels too dry. Don't overmix it. (I often stop the mixer before the dough is done and mix it by hand, to avoid overmixing.)

2. Shape the dough into a disk and place in the center of a 9-inch (23cm) removable bottom tart pan. Use the heel of your hand, and fingers, to press the dough across the bottom and up the sides of the pan, getting it as even as possible. Refrigerate or freeze the dough until ready to use.

3. To bake the tart, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Peel and core the apples, and cut them in eighths. Place the slices in concentric circles in the unbaked tart shell.

4. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup sugar, along with the vanilla extract and salt. Whisk in the heavy cream and calvados, until the mixture is smooth.

5. Pour the filling over the apples in the tart dough. Sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons of sugar and bake the tart until deep golden brown on top, about 45 to 50 minutes. (The tart should not leak but if you are concerned it will, bake it on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet.) Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Serving: Serve the tart warm or at room temperature. Normally tarts like this are served on their own but you can serve it with whipped cream or ice cream.

Storage: The tart is best enjoyed the day it's made. It can be kept up to 3 days but does not improve.

Blockquote

: https://www.davidlebovitz.com/aux-pommes-french-apple-tart-tarte-normande/

YIELD: 6 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup frozen white pearl onions, thawed

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 small bunch kale, center ribs and stems removed, leaves chopped

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1/2" pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 rotisserie chicken, meat torn into bite-size pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (such as Dufour or Pepperidge Farm), thawed

1 large egg

PREPARATION

Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Heat oil in an 8" cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic and sage to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic begins to brown, about 2 minutes.

Add kale and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing often, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle flour over. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes.

Stir in broth, 1/2-cupful at a time, then add squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until squash is just softened and broth is thickened, 8-10 minutes. Add chicken to skillet, stir, and season with salt and pepper.

Unfold pastry and smooth any creases; place over skillet, allowing corners to hang over sides. Whisk egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Brush pastry with egg wash; cut four 1" slits in top to vent.

Bake pot pie until pastry is beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake until pastry is deep golden brown and crisp, 15-20 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 260 calories, 14 g fat, 2 g fiber

Source: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/skillet-chicken-pot-pie-with-butternut-squash-51143240

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 c. panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)

8 oz. fresh chorizo (or hot Italian sausage), casings removed

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 c. chicken broth

chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 large bunches kale (about 1 1/4 lbs. total), stemmed and chopped (about 20 c.)

12 oz. rigatoni

2 oz. Manchego cheese, finely grated, plus more for serving

Directions

1. In large skillet on medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add smoked paprika and cook, stirring often, 30 seconds. Add panko and pinch salt and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer crumbs to plate.

2. Wipe out skillet and heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil on medium-high. Add chorizo; cook, breaking up with spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by one-third, 4 to 6 minutes.

4. Add chickpeas and cook until heated through, 2 minutes. Stir in kale and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cook rigatoni as label directs. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then drain pasta and return to pot. Toss with chickpea mixture and Manchego, adding some of reserved cooking liquid if pasta seems dry. Serve sprinkled with bread crumbs and more cheese, if desired.

Nutritional info (per serving): About 600 calories, 26g protein, 65g carbohydrates, 25g fat (9g saturated), 7g fiber, 670mg sodium.

Source: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a46044/chickpea-and-kale-rigatoni-recipe/

YIELD: 6 Servings

PREP TIME: 10 mins

COOK TIME: 45 mins

TOTAL TIME: 55 mins

INGREDIENTS

1 large head cauliflower, cored and roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground

black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 dried bay leaf

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ cup all-purpose flour, you can use gluten-free flour

3½ cups vegetable broth

1¼ cups milk

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, we prefer white cheddar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Arrange the chopped cauliflower and garlic cloves on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss until well coated. Spread out the cauliflower and garlic in a single layer to avoid steaming.

3. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once, until the cauliflower is tender. Set aside to cool.

4. When cool enough to handle, remove the garlic from its skin and finely chop.

5. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until just beginning to soften.

6. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chopped garlic, cauliflower, bay leaf, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and mix to combine.

7. Cook until the flour disappears, about 2 minutes. Pour in the broth, stir, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.

8. Stir in the milk and cheese and continue mixing until the cheese is melted and the chowder is creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Discard the bay leaf. Ladle the chowder into bowls and serve warm.

10. To make it thicker, you can puree some of the soup and mix it together.

Serving: 11/2 cups, Calories: 205kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 7.5g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 460mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g Freestyle Points: 6Points: +5

Source: https://www.skinnytaste.com/creamy-roasted-cauliflower-chowder/

Yield: 4 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus cooling time and 2 days steeping

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes, plus cooling time and 2 days steeping

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon whole clove

• 1 teaspoon whole allspice

• ¾ teaspoon white pepper

• 4 cinnamon sticks

• 1 whole nutmeg

• One 2-inch piece ginger, thinly sliced

• 2½ cups vodka

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small skillet, toast the clove, allspice, white pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg over medium heat until fragrant, 2 minutes. Transfer to a sealable quart jar with the ginger and pour in the vodka. Seal and steep for 2 days, shaking the jar every 12 hours.

2. After 2 days, strain out the solids and transfer them to a small saucepan with the sugar and water. Bring to simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves, 2 minutes. Let cool completely.

3. Strain the syrup into the jar with the infused vodka and shake to combine. Serve on the rocks, in a cup of coffee or stirred into your favorite cocktails.

Link: https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/pumpkin-spice-liqueur-recipe

Assessing some of the key sustainability trends

In many ways, millennials are leading the charge when it comes to sustainability. Back in 2015, Nielsen reported that 73% of millennials would spend more money on products or services marketed as sustainable. Nielsen conducted a similar survey in 2018, and that percentage increased:

• 90% of millennials now say they're willing to spend more on "environmentally friendly or sustainable ingredients."
• 86% would pay more for natural and organic ingredients.
• 80% will pay more for products and services that have claims of social responsibility.
• 83% said it is "extremely important" that companies have environmental improvement programs.

This isn't to suggest that other age groups don't care about sustainability. In fact, 66% of Gen-Xers and 62% of baby boomers also said it's extremely important for companies to participate in environmental improvement programs – which is still a clear and overwhelming majority.

Overall, Nielsen estimated that consumers spent nearly $130 billion on sustainable products in 2018, and expect that amount to go up to $150 billion by 2021.

Using locally sourced, whole ingredients whenever possible can help you curry favor with millennials.

What does this mean for restaurants?

Diners clearly care about the origins of the food they eat as well as the impact of the ingredients on the environment. This doesn't necessarily mean you should upend your restaurant's business model and make sustainability its foundation. However, it may be worth exploring some of the small ways you can improve sustainability:

• Adding a few vegan and vegetarian menu items.
• Sourcing locally when you can.
• Working more with sustainable and organic vendors.
• Highlighting the use of local and/or sustainable ingredients on your menu.
• Using compostable packaging.
• Encouraging recycling and composting at your restaurant with clearly labeled receptacles.
• Using Energy Star-rated appliances.
• Ditching the paper towels.

For restaurateurs who are highly committed to sustainability, there are a few ways to really lean into being environmentally friendly:

Zero-waste cooking

Zero-waste cooking was listed as the third-most prominent culinary trend in 2019 by the National Restaurant Association. The idea is to come as close to possible as creating no waste in your restaurant. This requires careful menu building, and it may require a bit of ingenuity to use less conventional ingredients such as carrot greens and vegetable scraps. Composting, recycling and donating leftovers are also key components of achieving zero waste.

Farm-to-table

The goal of farm-to-table is to bring locally products ingredients into the restaurant, and it typically involves dealing directly with the producers of those ingredients. Being a farm-to-table restaurant comes with its unique challenges, such as adjusting menus to seasonality, building connections with local growers and crafting a menu around what's locally available.

Culinary sustainability can be learned

Becoming a sustainable chef, restaurant owner or manager isn't necessarily something you have to figure out as you go.

Read further on Escoffier.edu

Frikadeller is a classic Danish dish, up there with the likes of aebleskivers and smørrebrød (Denmark’s famous open-faced sandwiches). Danes typically serve frikadeller hot with potatoes and braised red cabbage. Leftovers can be eaten cold and sliced on top of buttered pieces of rich, dark rye bread. While the Danish version is the most popular, varieties of these fried meatball-patties can be found across the globe — from the German frikadellen to the South African frikkadel.

Classic frikadeller contain veal or pork (or a combination of both); common variations include beef or fish. For this recipe, turkey features as the main protein — a lighter, healthier alternative to red meat and a cheaper option than seafood. Egg and panko breadcrumbs hold the meat together while frying, whole milk adds a bit of fat to the lean turkey, and a pinch of ground cloves adds a depth of flavor that sets these apart from the average stovetop meatball. Though they may take a bit of time and effort, the browned, buttery crust that comes from searing them in a hot skillet makes it all worth it. Turkey Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs) Course Snack Cuisine Danish Prep Time 25 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Total Time 40 minutesstrong text

Ingredients

1.5 lbs ground turkey

1 onion grated or minced fine

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

⅓ cup whole milk

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp ground cloves

Butter and/or oil for frying

Instructions

Grate or mince the onion.

Place all of the ingredients except the butter/oil in a large bowl.

Mix thoroughly, using a spoon or your hands, for three to five minutes until completely combined into a smooth batter. You can also use a stand mixer on medium speed for about one minute.

Cover the bowl containing the meat mixture with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

Heat butter and/or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Use enough to cover the bottom of the skillet.

Drop large spoonfuls of the turkey mixture into the preheated skillet. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon and let cook for 8-10 minutes, until dark brown on one side.

Flip the frikadeller using a spatula and cook for another 8-10 minutes on the other side, or until cooked through. Add butter as needed.

Scoop the frikadeller out of the skillet with a spatula and serve. You may drain them on a paper towel prior to serving if you prefer.

For further details, please see: https://www.jenreviews.com/turkey-frikadeller-danish-meatballs/

"My Favorite Vegan Pizza," by Dana A food stylist, photographer, creator of the Food Photography School, and author of the 31 Meals Cookbook and Everyday Cooking.  

Prep time 20 mins

Cook time 20 mins

Total time 40 mins  

The BEST vegan pizza made with a garlic-herb crust, simple tomato sauce, TONS of sautéed veggies and vegan parmesan cheese. Thin crust, tons of flavor and ridiculously satisfying.

Author: Minimalist Baker

Recipe type: Pizza

Cuisine: Vegan, Italian

Serves: 2

Ingredients

PIZZA

• 1/2 of one Trader Joe’s garlic-herb pizza crust (or half of this homemade recipe or this gluten free recipe)
• 1/2 cup each Red, Green and Orange bell pepper
• loosely chopped 1/3 cup red onion
• chopped 1 cup button mushrooms
• chopped 1/2 tsp each dried or fresh basil
• oregano and garlic powder 1/4 tsp sea salt

SAUCE

• 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce OR 6-ounce can tomato paste (organic when possible)
• 1/2 tsp each dried or fresh basil, oregano, garlic powder, granulated sugar
• Sea salt to taste (~1/4 tsp)

TOPPINGS

• 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese
• Red pepper flake + dried oregano

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Bring large skillet to medium heat. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp olive oil, onion and peppers. Season with salt, herbs and stir. Cook until soft and slightly charred – 10-15 minutes, adding the mushrooms in the last few minutes. Set aside.
• Prepare sauce by adding tomato sauce to a mixing bowl and adding seasonings and salt to taste. Adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside. Note: If using tomato paste, add water to thin until desired consistency is reached.
• Prepare vegan parmesan if you haven’t already by blitzing raw cashes, sea salt, nutritional yeast and garlic powder in a food processor until a fine meal is reached. Transfer to jar and refrigerate to keep fresh.
• Roll out dough onto a floured surface and transfer to a parchment-lined round baking sheet. You’re going to add the pizza WITH the parchment directly to the oven to properly crisp the crust, so any round object will do as it’s not actually going into the oven (I use a wood board).
• Top with desired amount of tomato sauce (you’ll have leftovers, which you can store in a jar for later use), a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and the sautéed veggies.
• Use the baking sheet to gently slide the pizza directly onto the oven rack WITH the parchment underneath. Otherwise it will fall through. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.
• Serve with remaining parmesan cheese, dried oregano and red pepper flake. Leftovers keep well – no need to reheat! Cold pizza is yum.

Nutrition Information Serving size: 1/2 pizza Calories: 395 Fat: 13g Saturated fat: 2.7g Carbohydrates: 59g Sugar: 19g Sodium: 1570mg Fiber: 7.9g Protein: 15g

Original Source: http://minimalistbaker.com/my-favorite-vegan-pizza/

Still need some dessert ideas for the holidays and feeling like trying something new?? Take a look at this recipe from The Wine Spectator!

Add something sweet to your holiday table this year with Alexandra's Kitchen's sweet potato fry recipe!

If you’re short on time and want to get to know a city, food is the ultimate passport. Slow-braised vegetables in Berlin or moreish tostadas in Mexico City will tell you more about a place, its history and culture than a whole afternoon on an open top-tourist bus.

For the ultimate inside scoop, top chefs in six international cities have shared what they like to eat once they’ve hung up their whites for the night.

Berlin

On a desolate street, just minutes from the former Check Point Charlie site, isn’t where you’d expect to find one of Germany’s best restaurants – but that’s where Nobelhart and Schmutzig sits with its Michelin star and innovative menu that’s redefining German cuisine. Owner and sommelier Billy Wagner is usually behind the restaurant’s distinctive counter pouring fine German wines alongside the 10-course tasting menu, but if you turned up at his house after a busy weekend shift, you’d likely be served vegetables picked up at Markthalle Neun market.

Nobelhart and Schmutzig is redefining German cuisine (Nobelhart and Schmutzig) “I’ll roast, braise or boil it using butter and oil, then add acidity like apples, vinegar or grape verjus. If the ingredient is really good you don’t have to do too much. As I like to have time with guests, I try not to make it too complicated.”

London

Between Victorian townhouses and St Peter’s Church in the leafy streets of Notting Hill, Clare Smyth’s Core restaurant has won her two Michelin stars and the honour of catering Harry and Meghan’s wedding. A classically trained Northern Irish chef, Clare turns out artisanal British dishes like jellied eel with malt vinegar, Isle of Mull scallop tartare and her signature confit potato with fish roe. But at home, Clare is all about the traditional Sunday roast: “Roast chicken is a special meal for me. It was something we looked forward to as a family and never missed. With a busy lifestyle, I rarely have time these days, so it’s even more special now and a great way of bringing people together. My favourite part is the roast potatoes cooked in duck fat, and I like stealing all the little nuggets of meat on the back of the bird, including the oysters.”

New York

Daniel Humm’s Eleven Madison Park restaurant might be a hop across the Atlantic, but he’s a big fan of roast chicken too. “It’s my go-to dish. It’s an easy-to-prepare crowd pleaser, and it’s a great centrepiece to build a meal around, with salads, sides, some French bread and a nice bottle of wine. My mother made roast chicken when I was growing up, and I’ve found it an important to dish in my culinary career. It’s comforting, familiar, and you can make it simple or use it as a canvas for diverse flavours.”

Tasting menus are served in Eleven Madison Park's art deco dining room (Eleven Madison Park) Eleven Madison Park is one of the city’s most prestigious dinner spots,overlooking New York’s iconic Madison Square Park. An eight to 10-course menu is served in the impressive art deco dining room, and while roast chicken doesn’t make a regular appearance, the restaurant is famous for serving possibly the oldest steak in New York, with its 140-day dry-aged beef.

Chicago

Chicago’s food scene has the buzz of New York without the Big Apple attitude. Everest is one of the city’s oldest fine dining institutions, rising above the South Loop like its mountainous namesake on the 40th floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange building. With one Michelin star, chef J Joho’s menu is firmly rooted in Alsatian cuisine, including his renowned Maine lobster with Gewürztraminer butter. Chef J Joho’s favourite family meal is another Alsatian classic: “Baeckeoffe or ‘baker’s oven’ is a traditional casserole I remember fondly from my childhood. It’s a hearty dish that’s meant to be shared with friends and family. It’s cooked slowly and the aroma of meat, simmering with potatoes, leeks and Alsace Riesling wafts through the room. It’s perfect for a winter evening in Alsace, or in Chicago, where I live now.”

Mexico City

Pujol restaurant is in the affluent Polanco district of Mexico City, just a few blocks from the largest and most iconic park, El Bosque de Chapultepec. Enrique Olvera’s restaurant playfully elevates Mexican street food to haute cuisine, serving aged moles or smoked baby corn with chicatana ant dust. But his favourite dish is pulpos en su tinta, or stewed octopus. “My mother always made it for my birthday,” he says. “I love it with white rice. It’s a very simple dish.”

Tokyo

In the buzz of Chiyoda in central Tokyo, opposite the immaculate Hibiya Park and Imperial Palace, you’ll find Chef Seiji Yamamoto’s three-Michelin starred Nihonryori RyuGin restaurant. Yamamoto is credited as the first chef to bring modern techniques to the ancient multi-course tradition of kaiseki cuisine, which showcases hyper-seasonal ingredients in a dazzling 12-course menu. At home, his food is pared back: “I love cooking yosenabe Japanese hot pot with crab, prawns, meat, and vegetables. The yuzu, kombu kelp and bonito flakes are my favourite flavours, and I prepare many kinds of sauces and condiments. I’ll share one hot pot with all my friends; each person makes their own dipping sauce and with a beer and some Japanese sake we always have a lively conversation.”

See the full article here.

YIELDS: 4 servings

PREP TIME: 0 hours 10 mins

TOTAL TIME: 0 hours 25 mins

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. caraway seeds
• 1 Gala apple, sliced
• 1/2 small red cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
• 4 small bone-in. pork chops (1-inch thick)
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 c. flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp. pepper

Directions

1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven on medium heat until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel.
2. Add onion and caraway seeds and cook, stirring occasionally for 6 mins. Stir in Gala apple (cut into 1/2-inch pieces) and cabbage, balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally until the cabbage is just tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, season pork chops with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat oil in large cast iron skillet on medium-high and cook pork until browned and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Fold parsley and reserved bacon into cabbage and serve with pork.

Nutritional information (per serving): About 525 calories, 27.5 g fat (9.5 g saturated), 39 g protein, 820 mg sodium, 26 g carb, 4 g fiber.

What you'll need: Dutch oven ($28, amazon.com)

See full article here

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, divided
• 8 ounces peeled fresh pearl onions (about 20)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 ounces medium red potatoes, quartered
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Generously season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, add the pork in a single layer and sear until browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining pork.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes more.
3. Pour in the apple cider and deglaze the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Whisk in the broth, mustard, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
4. Add the thyme, sage, bay leaf, carrots, potatoes, and apples to the slow cooker, then pour the broth mixture over top. Cover and cook until the pork is tender, 6 to 8 hours on the LOW setting, or 4 to 5 hours on the HIGH setting.

RECIPE NOTES

Serves: 6

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

See full article here

Eat green this St. Patrick's day by taking a look at this spin on a caesar salad! Give it a shot!

Read more at Oh She Glows

Definitely going to be trying this rice bowl soon!

Take a look on how to make it yourself here:

http://www.acouplecooks.com/mediterranean-rice-bowl/[A Couple Cooks]1

Make this 5-step shrimp and avocado stir-fry here by The Food Network and let us know what you think!

Avocados serve the body in many ways. Take a look at this article by the Health and Fitness Shop and see for yourself all the benefits avocados provide!

Check out Cookie + Kate for some summer recipes!

http://cookieandkate.com/2016/what-to-cook-june-2016/

Grilling apples??? I'll try it

http://food52.com/blog/16976-give-your-apples-grill-marks-this-summer

The 24th is coming up soon! Get a head start by practicing this recipe from The Food Network for your family get together.

Ingredients

Orange Serrano Salsa: 3 tomatoes, cored, chopped ½ yellow onion, peeled 2 serrano chilies, peeled, seeded 1 garlic glove, peeled ¼ bunch fresh cilantro leafs 2 oranges, halved, juiced 1 lime, zest only Salt and pepper to taste

Slaw: ¼ head napa cabbage, cored, shredded 1 carrot, peeled, turned into ¹/8-inch strings 1 lime, juice only Pinch ground coriander Salt and pepper to taste

Duck: 1 t. whole cumin ½ t. whole coriander ¼ t. chili powder ½ t. whole black peppercorns 1 poblano, roasted, peeled, seeded, ¼ inch diced ½ red onion, peeled, halved, grilled, ¼ inch diced ½ red pepper, seeded, ¼ inch diced 1 clove garlic, peeled, minced 1 t. duck fat 4 duck thighs, confit, meat only 12 4-inch flour tortillas, for service 3 red radishes, shaved, for service

Instructions

Orange Serrano Salsa:

1. Evenly char tomatoes, onion and chilies. (Excess charring adds bitterness and black flakes to salsa.)
2. Place tomatoes, onions, chilies, garlic and cilantro into blender. Puree until combined, leaving some texture. Stir in orange juice and lime zest. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; chill.

Slaw:

1. Place cabbage shreds in mixing bowl.
2. Rough chop carrot strings. Add to cabbage. Add lime juice. Season with coriander, salt and pepper to taste. Cover; chill.

Duck:

1. Over low flame, toast cumin, coriander, chili powder and peppercorns in non-stick pan until fragrant (about 45-60 seconds). Remove from heat, cool and grind.
2. In hot saute pan, saute poblano pepper, red onion, red pepper and garlic in duck fat until onion and garlic soften.
3. Add ground spices to incorporate. Add duck confit; toss just to heat through and incorporate. Add more duck fat as needed. Set aside.

To Assemble:

1. Heat flour tortillas on griddle or warm saute pan until soft.
2. Place about 2 ounces of warm duck confit in center of tortilla.
3. Artfully garnish each tortilla with 2 or 3 slices of shaved red radish.
4. Place ½ cup of slaw to one end of rectangle plate.
5. Shingle tacos along length of plate.
6. Portion 2 ounces of orange serrano salsa into ramekin. Place on plate opposite slaw.
7. Garnish top of slaw with fresh cilantro leafs.

Many of the first recorded wines were rosé. These lighter libations were watered-down field blends of both white and red grapes. In ancient Greece, it was considered civilized to dilute wine, but these early examples were a far cry from the rosés of today. Instead, they were slightly off-dry and tannic from contact with the grape skins, seeds, and stems....

Read more of Victoria James' article on The History of Rosé and visit Food52 for a wide array of fun and healthy drink, food, and dessert recipes!

Fresh herbs are our number 1 tip for delicious, fresh and healthy food. Why? They add extraordinary flavor without adding calories. While you might not have a yard with garden space for herbs, all you need is a sunny front step, porch, or ledge for growing herbs.

Herbs are on our mind, as this past weekend we were in Portland teaching herb planting demos (which was such fun, HI! to all of you who stopped by). It’s also a subject on our latest podcast, which features 17-year-old visionary Katie of Katie’s Krops, whose life mission is to end hunger by encouraging youth to grow gardens. (Amazing!).....Read more and learn how to grow your own by visiting A Couple Cooks!

Let Food52 show you the best ways to host for the holidays with 5 easy tips to follow with some awesome drink and appetizer recipes!

Using just three ingredients of ultra high quality, you’ve got a stunner of a dessert that’s simple and sumptuous. This recipe is also gluten-free and vegetarian.

Visit A Couple Cook's for the full recipe.

Have no fear, your last minute Valentine's Day dinner ideas are here! This article from Martha Stewart has several great dinner and gift ideas that you can pull together at the last minute. Your sweetheart will love a romantic home cooked meal, especially when it involves breakfast for dinner!

Did you know that the Sloppy Joe became popular in the 1980's? Check out this article from The Kitchn to see all the foods that made the 80's great...or not so great.

Happy Earth Day 2018!

While we typically celebrate Earth Day by planting a tree, spending time in nature, or cleaning up local parks, there are plenty of things that we can do every single day to make a bigger impact.

Sustainability and the food industry actually go hand in hand. They should definitely be best friends.

According to FAO, approximately one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year gets lost or wasted. This is roughly 1.3 billion tons of food.

Plastic is another byproduct of the food industry that has been making detrimental effects on the environment. According to National Geographic, 8 million tons of plastic are deposited into the ocean every year, killing over 100 million sea creatures. You can help by selecting reusable products and recycling the plastic that you do use.

Food waste and plastic waste from food products is without a doubt a global problem but here are five small things that we can all do to combat this waste.

1. Stop Overbuying Food. We've all been here, looking at that bag of rotten spinach. Sitting down to plan your meals once a week can help you in many ways. This will help determine how much food you need to buy (creating less waste) and help you stick to a grocery budget (saving you money).
2. Shop Local and Seasonal. Buying from local farmers helps to support our local economy and your food has less of a carbon footprint since it does need to travel far to your table.
3. Eat Appropriate Portions. Ordering more food than you can eat often leads to big amounts of food waste if you're not taking leftovers to go. But also, how many times have you thrown out those leftovers? Plus, monitoring your portion sizes is better for overall health and can help prevent unwanted weight gain. For more information on portion sizes and nutrition needs, visit https://www.choosemyplate.gov
4. Use Reusable Bags. Plastic bags are a large contributor to waste. The average American family uses 1500 plastic bags a year and less than 1% of all plastic bags are actually returned for recycling according to WasteManagement. Buying reusable bags is a great way to eliminate plastic bag waste entirely.
5. Say No to Straws. Every single year 175 billion straws end up in our landfills and oceans, which endangers the lives of wildlife and pollutes our planet. By going straw-less, you help contribute to a cleaner, safer earth. To learn more about living without straws, visit https://thelastplasticstraw.org

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO!!!!!