Weeknight Bolognese

*Serves 4-6 generously

Ingredients:

• 1 med onion- diced
• 1 lage carrot- diced
• 1 ½ rib celery- diced
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 strips bacon- diced
• 2 Bay leaves
• 3/4 lb ground sirloin
• 1/4 lb italian sausage
• 1/2 Tbs dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, plus 1 15-oz can
• 2 Tbs tomato paste
• kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 3/4 lb dried pasta
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• Thyme bundle (optional)
• Butter to taste (optional)
• Sugar to taste (optional)

Directions:
In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, garlic into a paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat the pan w/ oil. Add pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to medium high heat, add the diced bacon, and cook until water is evaporated and veggies become nice and caramelized/brown. The browning step is very important because this will serve as the base/flavor profile to your sauce, but be careful not to burn the veggies.

Add the beef and sausage to the veggies. Cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, 5-7 minutes, until the meat has started to brown and is no longer pink. Be sure to brown the meat to develop the flavor. Add red pepper flakes, oregano, and tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute, or until fragrant.

Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomato sauce, salt/pepper to tasted, and stir until combined. Add the bay leaves and bundle of thyme. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes.  I
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and pour into a large serving bowl.

As the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and remaining 1/4 cup wine. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Add salt/pepper as needed.  If acidic, add butter and/or sugar. You can either add the sauce to the pasta, along with the parmesan cheese, and toss, OR you can plate the plain pasta and top with the bolognese and parmesan.  I prefer the latter, so I can freeze leftover sauce. Garnish with additional parmesan when serving.

Malai Kofta

Recipe adapted from Tarla Dala, Curries & Kadhais

INGREDIENTS:

Koftas (Cheese Dumplings):
- 1 1/2 cups paneer
- 1 small yukon gold potato, boiled to fork tender and peeled (optional) **
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tbsp green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Vegetable Oil for deep frying

Gravy:
- 3 cups chopped tomatoes ***
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp ground red pepper powder
- 4 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
- Brown Sugar (optional)

Ground the following to a thick paste in a Food Processor:
- 3/4 cup onions, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp coconut, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp green chillies, chopped
- 2 whole dry red chillies
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp piyal seeds
- 2 tsp white poppy seeds (khus-khus)
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 2 tsp cilantro, chopped

* Ingredients/spices can be find in an Indian market.
**  I added potato to the original kofta recipe just because I like them.
*** I used canned tomatoes instead of fresh.  I didn't like the tomatoes I had on hand.  If you have, nice, juicy tomatoes, proceed w/ original recipe.  To be safe, go for the canned.

DIRECTIONS:

For the Koftas:
- Grate the paneer and mix in the flour, baking powder, chillies, cilantro, and salt.  Knead until combined
- If using, add the potato by passing through a ricer.  If you don't have a ricer, try grating the potato in, but be gentle.  Gently knead in the potato.  Combine well but do not overmix, or you the starch can make the mixture gummy.
- Taste for seasonings, and add salt as needed.  If the sauce is acidic, add a little bit of brown sugar at a time and taste.
- Shape into small balls and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown in color.  Fry only two koftas at a time so they don't separate.  Set fried koftas aside until ready to use. 

For the Gravy:
- Add 3 cups of water to the tomatoes to cook them in a saucepan.  When soft, puree them in a blender or food processor.  Note, if your tomatoes don't look good that day, use 3-4 cups of canned tomatoes instead (pureed).  Set aside.
- Heat oil in skillet and fry the paste well to develop flavors.
- Add the ground red pepper powder and fry again for a minute.
- Add the tomato puree and salt.  Boil the gravy for at least 10-15 minutes. 
- Add the cream, and mix.  Taste for seasonings and add as needed.  Turn off the heat.

To Serve:
- Just before serving, heat the gravy and add the koftas.  Just heat enough to warm up the koftas.  These should be added to the gravy last so they retain their shape/consistency and do not break.  Do not overheat.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.

Corn & Black Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS:
- Black Beans- 2 cans or 1 lb fresh
- 1 1/2 cups cooked fresh corn kernels (cut from about 3 ears of corn) or thawed frozen
- 1 1/2 cups chopped seeded tomato
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
- 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 Yuca/Cassava root
- 1 jalapeno minced (optional)
- 1 avocado diced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder (or more to taste)
- Cayenne Pepper (optional, to taste)
- Kosher Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:
- In a large saucepan combine the black beans and enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the beans for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are just tender but not mushy.  You can optionally use canned black beans.  Drain the beans well.
- Steam the Cassava in a steamer until fork tender.  You can also alternately boil the cassava.  If you are going to boil the cassava, boil water in a pot with a pinch of salt.  When the water is boiling, drop in your cassava.  The cassava is done when it's soft/fork tender.  Let cool.
- Peel the cassava and dice in 1/2 inch cubes. 
- Combine the beans and diced cassava with the corn, tomato, scallion, and minced cilantro.
- If you are using avocado, and serving the salad within the hour, you can fold in at this point.
- In a small bowl whisk together the oil, the lemon juice, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Pour the dressing over the vegetables, and let the salad cool, stirring occasionally.  Taste for seasonings and add as necessary.
- The salad may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.  Note, if using avocado, fold it in right before serving to prevent darkening.
- Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled slightly.

Jalapeno Cheddar Bread

*Bread recipe from pinkparsleycatering.blogspot.com.
makes one 9-inch loaf

Ingredients:
3 3/4 cups (18 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cold buttermilk
1/3 cup water
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 Tablespoons honey
1 envelope (about 2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
2-3 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper, the better)

*For sandwiches, I roasted red/yellow bell peppers and added monterey jack cheese, sliced plum tomatoes, and sliced avocados.  To top it off, I spread a homeade jalapeno pesto in between (roasted jalapenos, pine nuts, cilantro, oil, salt/pepper)!

Directions:
Adjust one oven rack to the lowest position, and another to the middle position. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. When it is preheated, maintain the tempeature for 10 minutes, then turn off the oven.

Toss the jalapeno and cheddar with 1 Tablespoon of flour in a small bowl.

Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add the cold buttermilk and stir to combine.

Mix 3 1/2 cups of the flour andthe salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the buttermilk/water mixture, butter, honey, and yeast to a liquid measuring cup. Turn the mixer on low, and add the liquid in a slow stream, increasing the speed of the mixer as you go to medium. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth and satiny, stopping to scrape the dough from the hook as needed. After about 2-3 minutes add the jalapeno-cheese mixture, and continue to knead about 10 minutes total, adding flour 1 Tablespoon at a time, as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form a smooth ball, about 15 seconds.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, rubbing the dough around the bowl to coat with the oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place the bowl in the oven until the dough doubles in size, 50-60 minutes.

Turn out onto the floured surface and gently press the dough into a rectangle that is 1 inch thick and 9 inches long. With the long side facing you, roll the dough firmly into a cylinder, pressing with your fingers as you roll to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Turn the dough seam-side up and pinch it closed.

Place the dough seam-side down in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan, and press it gently to make sure it touches all four sides of the pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm spot until the dough almost doubles in size, 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place an empty baking pan on the lowest rack of the oven. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and pour into the empty pan. Set the loaf onto the middle rack, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 195 degrees, about 40-50 minutes.

Remove the bread from the pan and cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

adapted from allrecipes.com
*makes at least 40 cookies!

Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a separate medium bowl, stir together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla, stirring to combine. Add in flour mixture and stir until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir just to disperse throughout batter. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 4 hours, or up to overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Put sugar into a small bowl. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or rounded tablespoons, roll dough into balls with your hands, then roll in confectioners’ sugar to coat. Place on prepared cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for a couple minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chili

*This recipe should just be used as a guide. Don’t be overwhelmed by the enormous ingredient list below. You can omit any of these ingredients and use a spice variation to suit your taste. This chili as posted takes on an earthy profile due to the use of dark chocolate and orange. I like a lot of veggies in my chili too. You don’t even need , and It will still taste just as hearty.

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 large Onion, chopped
- ½ lb Mushrooms, chopped
- 2 small Zucchinis, chopped
- 5-6 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Jalapenos, chopped fine
- 1 small Habanera pepper, chopped fine
- 2- 28 oz cans Chopped Tomatoes, plus 1- 14 oz can
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 can Kidney Beans, drained
- 1 can Black Beans, drained
- 1-2 Oranges, cut in quarters
- 1 lb ground meat or soy crumbles
- Dark Chocolate (70%-80% cocoa), to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons Chipotle in Adobo, chopped fine with sauce
- Salt/Pepper, to taste
- Ground Cumin, to taste
- Ground Coriander, to taste
- Chili Powder, to taste
- 2-3 whole Cloves
- 2-3 dried Bay Leaves
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- ½ cup Beer
- Chicken Stock or water (if needed)
- Brown Sugar (if needed)
- Green Onions, chopped for garnish
- Cilantro, chopped for garnish
- Shredded Cheddar, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

- Heat a large, heavy pot (preferably a dutch oven) over medium heat with a couple tablespoons olive oil. Sauté the chopped onions and all peppers. While sautéing, season with salt/pepper, cumin, coriander, chili powder to taste. Sauté until soft. Towards the end, the minced garlic and cook through. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

- At this point you can add in the chopped mushrooms and zucchini to sauté, adding additional oil as needed. If there isn’t enough room in the pot, sauté them both in a separate pan heated with oil, and then add to the pot. Be sure to season them in the same manner as the onions and peppers. I prefer to sauté them separately so that I can get a nice caramelization and browning of the mushrooms and zucchini, which can’t be achieved in an overcrowded pot.

- Once all the vegetables have been cooked, and are all in the main chili pot, add about ½ cup of beer over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for a couple minutes.

- Add the tomato paste and work into the veggies over medium heat.

- Add the chopped tomatoes, drained beans, chipotle in adobo, bay leaves, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, and half of the quartered oranges. Add salt/pepper/cumin/chili powder to taste. Don’t add too much at this point because you can always add more later. Let simmer over low heat with the lid slightly covering the pot. Don’t completely cover the pot.

- While the chili is simmering, add some dark chocolate. Add a few small pieces to start with and let simmer. You can add more later as needed to suit your taste.

- Periodically taste the chili as it simmers, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Squeeze some of the juice of the remaining orange quarters if needed. Add more chocolate if needed. If the chili is too thick, you can add some chicken stock or water. There is really no time for how long it should simmer. Simmer the chili until it has reached your desired flavor profile. For this particular recipe, the taste should be deep and earthy with hints of “mole” due to the chocolate. I usually simmer for about 2 hours.

- Towards the end of simmering, add the cooked meat or soy crumbles if you are using. I brown the meat in a separate skillet with the same set of spices and then add it to my chili. Again, I do this because browning enhances the flavor.

- Add some brown sugar if needed at the end to cut any acidity you might taste. Go easy on it though.

- Before serving the chili, remove the orange quarters, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves.

- I like to serve this chili with steamed rice, corn bread, Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, chopped scallions, and cilantro.

Plum Frangipane Tart

INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 lb Unsalted Butter- room temperature
- 1/2 lb Sugar
- 1/2 lb Almond Flour
- 5 Eggs
- 1 tbsp Lemon Zest (optional)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tbsp Meyers Rum
- 1 1/2 oz All Purpose Flour

- 1 Sweet Pie Crust (Pate Sablee Sucree Crust Recipe)
- 3 Plums, ripened and sliced
- Apricot Preserves for glazing fruit

*You can use apples or pears too.  Also, you can top this with fresh, unbaked fruit (strawberries, kiwis, etc) after the almond cream and crust have baked.

DIRECTIONS:
- Cream butter with sugar in mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add almond flour and incorporate.
- Add eggs, 1 at a time and incorporate before adding more.
- Add lemon zest, vanilla, and rum, and incorporate.
- Add all purpose flour and incorporate at low speed just until mixed.  Do not overmix at this point.
- The mixture can be used to fill your tart crust.  Note that the tart crust should be cold and unbaked when filling.  Fill the unbaked crust with the almond cream mixture just a little over half way.  Do not fill to the top or it will overflow when baking.
- Arranged sliced plums decoratively on top of almond cream.
- Bake in a 375 degrees oven for about 25 minutes, until the crust and almond cream are golden.  Oven times vary, so keep an eye on it.
- Meanwhile, make the apricot glaze.  Warm up a few tablespoons of apricot preserves with a little bit of water in a saucepan on the stove. The glaze should not be thick.
- Once the tart is baked and cooled, glaze the fruit with apricot glaze using a pastry brush.
- Serve tart at room temperature.  If serving the next day, refrigerate the tart, but bring to room temperature before serving. 

Avocado Salad

Recipe adapted from cookinglight.com

INGREDIENTS:
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon- lime works well too
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup cooked black beans, drained
- 8 ounces small seedless cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 8 ounces tomato, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 3 or 4 scallions, white and light-green parts, chopped
- 1/3 cup loosely packed, finely chopped cilantro
- 1 avocado, ripe, chopped into 1/2-inch dice

*You can play around with the ingredients.  Add diced mangoes, jicama, parsley instead of cilantro, chick peas, fava beans, etc. 

DIRECTIONS:
- Whisk together zest, juice, oil, cumin, salt, pepper, and sugar in a bowl.  Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
-  Add the black beans, cucumber, tomato, scallions, cilantro, and avocado.  Fold gently to combine.  Taste for seasonings.  This can be served immediately or covered and refrigerated up to 8 hours. The lemon will preserve the color of the avocados, but I wouldn't store longer than 8 hours.

Mushroom Tart

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 recipe Pate Brisee "Savory, Flaky Crust", baked and cooled
- 1 lb Mixed Mushrooms (Cremini, Shitake, Oyster), sliced uniformly
- 1 Shallot, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Thyme, chopped
- Chives, chopped- for garnish
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese of choice (fontina and parmesan works nicely for this)
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 3 Eggs, lightly beaten
- Freshly grated Nutmeg, approx 1/4 tsp
- Olive Oil/Unsalted Butter
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
- Caramelized Onions (optional)*- made with 2 Spanish Onions
- Truffle Oil to drizzle on mushrooms (optional)

* For making Caramelized Onions- Get a pan hot over medium heat with equal parts olive oil and butter (1 tbsp total). Add the onions and start sweating. Add salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium/low and caramelize the onions until soft and completely cooked. This will take about 30 minutes to an hour depending on the amount of onions. Taste for seasonings and add more salt/pepper if needed. If the onions didn’t get sweet enough through the caramelization, add some sugar and/or honey. Set aside to cool. This can be made in advance, cooled and refrigerated.

DIRECTIONS:
- Your pie crust should be completely blind baked and cooled before filling it.
- Sauté and brown your mushrooms in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Heat approx 1/2 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the first batch of mushrooms and cook until browned and caramelized. Add a proportional amount of the minced garlic, shallots and thyme, and cook through. Season with salt/pepper to taste. Remove from skillet to a bowl and repeat with remaining mushrooms. Once all cooked, drizzle the mushroom mixture with truffle oil to taste if desired. Set aside mushroom mixture and let cool.
- In a bowl, make your custard. Mix the milk, cream, eggs with a whisk are alternately mix in blender until frothy. Add salt, pepper to taste, and nutmeg. Mix in about 1/4 cup of the cheese and set aside.
- On the bottom of your pie crust, scatter out the caramelized onions (if using). Then sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese. Top with the mushroom mixture. Gently pour custard onto the mushroom mixture (may not need all custard). Sprinkle with remaining cheese on top.
- Bake the tart in a 325 degrees oven for about an hour until nicely browned on top and the custard is barely set. Let cool before cutting wedges. Garnish top with fresh chives if desired and drizzle with additional truffle oil.
- This can be served warm or at room temperature. It can be refrigerated once cooled and rewarmed, which actually tastes better because all the flavors have set. To rewarm after refrigeration, bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Sausage, Tomato, and Bell pepper Pasta

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Red Bell Pepper & 1 Yellow Bell Pepper - need only half of each, diced
- 1 Shallot, diced
- 1 Whole Garlic, roasted in Olive Oil *
- 1 Sausage link, approx 1/2 lb- I used fennel, but a sweet italian sausage is a good sub
- 1 large or 2 small Heirloom Tomatoes, chopped- only if in season; use vine ripened otherwise
- Garlic Oil (reserved from the roasted garlic)
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- Fresh Basil, approx 10 leaves torn or chiffonade
- Chives, approx 1 1/2 tablespoons, chopped
- Fresh mozzarella, cubed
- 1/4 cup dry White Wine
- 1/3 cup Chicken Stock
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- Red Pepper flakes, to taste
- Kosher Salt/Freshly Ground Pepper,  to taste
- 1 lb Fettuccine Pasta

* Roasted garlic cloves can be made by placing peeled, whole cloves in a small sauce pan. Add olive oil to just halfway up the cloves and keep on a very low heat. Mix occasionally. The cloves are done once they are soft to the touch. Keep an eye on them and reduce the heat as necessary. Try not to overbrown them. Also, save the leftover oil for later use in this dish.

DIRECTIONS:
- Remove casing from the sausage and brown in a large, hot skillet.  Break into 1/2 inch chunks while you saute. Once browned, remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium-high, saute the shallots and diced bell peppers in about a tablespoon each of garlic oil and butter.  Saute until cooked but still a little bite to the peppers. Season with salt/pepper to taste.
- Add 1/4 cup white wine and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and reduce the wine while scraping up any pan drippings.
- Add 1/3 cup chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low and reduce.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a separate pot to al dente texture.
- Add the diced tomatoes to the bell pepper/shallot mixture and just warm through over low heat.
- Add the browned sausage, roasted garlic cloves, pasta, and lemon zest.  Toss and warm through over low heat.
- Add the basil leaves.
- Drizzle a liberal amount of reserved garlic oil and some red pepper flakes if desired.  I also add a little drizzle of chili oil. 
- Toss so all ingredients are evenly distributed and pasta evenly coated.  Taste for seasonings and add salt pepper as needed.
- Mix in the cubed mozzarella and chives.  Ready to serve!

Hash Brown Crusted Quiche

Recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com

Quiche 1: roasted red peppers, spinach, caramelized onions, mixed shitake/cremini mushrooms, jack/white cheddar, chives.
Quiche 2: diced spanish chorizo, roasted red peppers, garlic, scallions, jalapeno jack cheese.

*Make sure to cook/saute/season all ingredients that need to be before adding to quiche.

Ingredients
- 3 cups, shredded frozen hash browns, thawed and drained VERY well
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 Large Eggs, and 2 Egg Whites, beaten (or 4 large eggs..I just like a less eggy quiche)
- 1 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)
- Shredded Cheese of your choice, approx. 1 cup
- Any other fillings you desire (cooked veggies, meats)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- After draining the hashbrowns, dry them between paper towels to get out any excess liquid. Season the drained hashbrowns with salt/pepper to taste.
- Grease a 9 inch pie plate. Toss the hashbrowns with melted butter and press onto the bottom of the pie plate. Press up the sides of the plate as well to form a crust.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until it is golden brown and starting to crisp. Remove from oven.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, mix your eggs and half n half together. Mix in half the cheese. Season with salt/pepper.
- Place all dry, cooked fillings onto your cooked crust and pour egg custard over the top. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese.
- Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake the quiche for about 30 minutes until it quiche is puffed and golden brown.
- Serve right away or at room temperature. This is great to pick at all day long.

*Make Ahead- You can make the crust a day ahead and refrigerate it over night. Don't add the fillings/custard until you are read to bake the quiche.

Pearl Pasta with Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 Shallots or small Red Onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 lb Mixed mushrooms (shitake, cremini, oyster), chopped uniformly
- 1 box Israeli Couscous, approx 2 cups
- 2 cups Chicken Stock (vegetable stock is fine too)
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- Juice of 1/2 Lemon (more or less to taste)
- 1 tablespoon fresh Thyme
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh Dill, finely chopped (more or less to taste)
- 2 tablespoons fresh Chives, finely chopped
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan (optional)
- Olive Oil
- Butter

DIRECTIONS:

- Heat about 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet until hot. Add just enough mushrooms to fit the pan but do not overcrowd. Overcrowding is the worst thing you can do when cooking mushrooms..you’ll end up w/ chewy tasteless mushrooms. I suggest cooking each type of mushroom in separate batches b/c they cook at different rates. Sauté over medium high heat until browned and caramelized (this is key in achieving the best taste of the mushroom). Add more oil/butter as needed. Add a proportional amount of fresh thyme, and salt/pepper to taste to each batch of mushrooms.
- Once mushrooms are all sauteed, set aside in a bowl. You can also mix in some grated parmesan to taste.
- Clean your skillet out with a paper towel. Using the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil and butter. Sauté the shallots over medium heat until soft and translucent.
- Add the pearl pasta and toast until lightly colored. Try to make sure that each "pearl" is coated in oil/butter (similar to how you would with risotto).
- While the pearls are toasting, add the minced garlic and cook only about a minute. Be sure not to burn the garlic.
- Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, approx. 8-10 minutes.
- Once pasta is done, fold in the mushrooms, dill, chives, lemon zest, salt/pepper to taste. Note, that dill can be a strong herb for some. So, go light at first and add more as needed to your taste. Add fresh lemon juice and drizzle with olive oil. I also like to mix in a couple capfuls of balsamic vinegar at the end, but it's not necessary.
- You can serve right away or leave at room temperature until ready to serve. Serve this with grilled lamb kebabs and taziki for a fabulous summer meal!

Berry Buttermilk Cake

Recipe from smittenkitchen.com, originally from Gourmet


Ingredients:

- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
- 1 cup fresh berries

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about two minutes, then beat in vanilla and zest. Add egg and beat well.

- At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top.

- Scatter berries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar.

- Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 17-25 minutes, but check after 17 minutes.

- Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate and serve.

Balsamic Onion Salad

Recipe adapted from epicurious.com

Ingredients:

- 3 Red Onions
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 cup Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh Black Pepper
- 6 tablespoons Shallots, minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
- Mixed Salad greens- spinach, arugula, red leaf lettuce, etc
- Fresh or Dried Figs, sliced
- Feta or Goat Cheese, crumbled
- Pecans, roughly chopped

*You can switch out the fruit, cheeses, nuts. Also, adding a meat such as roasted chicken can make this into a hearty meal. If you need a carb, make some quick homemade croutons with french bread cubes to throw in there.


Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut the onions into 1/4 inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and toss with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are tender.
- Remove from oven and toss with 2 more tablespoons balsamic vinegar and cool to room temperature.
- Whisk together the shallots, mustard, red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. While whisking, stream in 3/4 cup olive oil until emulsified.
- Assemble salad. Toss the greens with dressing, to taste. Don't add too much dressing at this point, because people can add more as desired.
- Arrange the onions, figs, cheese, nuts, and other desired toppings on top. Sprinkle with salt/pepper and serve!

Focaccia

Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup Warm Water
- 1 tbsp Yeast
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 1/4 cup Bread Flour (may not need all)
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- Pinch Sugar
- Additional Kosher Salt (for sprinkling on top)
- Additional Olive Oil for baking
- Toppings you desire (i.e., fresh herbs, sliced tomatoes, olives, roasted garlic, cheeses, prosciutto, etc)

Directions:
- Whisk 1/4 cup of water and yeast together in a large bowl to dissolve. Add a pinch sugar. Set aside for at least 5 minutes until the mixture becomes creamy/frothy.
- Add remaining 1 cup warm water and whisk in one cup of flour until smooth.
- Add olive oil and salt. It's important that you do not add these ingredients until this step. If you add them too early, it will kill the yeast.
- Add flour, handfuls at a time, until a smooth dough is formed. It's ok if it's still sticky and you can hold it covered in flour.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured table and knead for at least 10 minutes (yes, 10 minutes!..it really makes a difference). When kneading the dough, keep folding over the dough and push away from you with your palms. Your goal is to force the yeast into horizontal and vertical strings which is accomplished by the constant folding/pushing. Do not tear the dough. The dough should push evenly and feel elastic.
- Turn dough into a ball by tucking under the sides constantly while rotating. The dough is ready when it bounces back when indented with your finger. If it doesn't bounce back, continue the kneading process.
- Place dough in a large greased bowl.
- Let rise at least 45 minutes in a warm, draft free place (room temp is fine, but I like to preheat my oven to 175 or so, turn it off, and place the dough in there to rise).
- After the dough has risen, you can use it at this point. If you do not wish to use until the next day, you can refrigerate it overnight at this point.
- Prepare baking sheet (or whatever you plan to bake in) for the focaccia by coating liberally with olive oil.
- Punch down the dough and transfer to the baking sheet. Stretch the dough so it covers the bottom. It's ok to be rough and poke holes/dimples. Make a lot of dimples.
- Top with your desired toppings and brush liberally with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt as well.
- Let the dough rise an additional 10 minutes (longer if a thick focaccia is desired).
- Back in a 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Pad Thai

This is not a specific recipe I found, but just random tips I researched.

INGREDIENTS:
- 8-10 oz. (SERVES 3-4), OR 6-7 oz. (SERVES 2) Pad Thai rice noodles
- 1-2 eggs
- 1 cup bean sprouts (optional)
- 2-3 "heads" of baby bok choy chopped into bite-size pieces (optional)
- 2-3 scallions, sliced
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup ground peanuts
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- vegetable/peanut oil
- optional meats/veggies (i.e. sauteed mushrooms, shrimp, chicken, pork, firm tofu, etc). Season Any veggies/meats with soy sauce.

For Pad Thai Sauce:
- 1/2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1-2 ts. chili sauce (or more if you want it spicier)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar


* I buy all of my pad thai ingredients from the Asian supermarket. It's cheaper and much easier to find.

*Note that you will want all of your ingredients cut, measured, ready to go, and very accessible when you start making the pad thai. The key is to work fast so, everything you need should be an arm's length away.

Directions:
- Soak the noodles in hot water (but not boiling) for 10-15 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water. The noodles are ready to stir-fry when they are soft enough to eat, but still firm and a little bit "crunchy". The noodles will finish cooking when they are fried, so don't over-soften them now, or you will end up with soggy Pad Thai.
- While the noodles are soaking, prepare the sauce.
- Mix all sauce ingredients in a saucepan and stir well. Place over medium heat and stir until fully dissolved and the sauce thickens. Take off the heat and taste-test. The sauce should have a balance of spicy, sweet, and sour, but definitely more toward sweet/spicy. If too sour, add a little more sugar. The taste test of the sauce is very important. Set sauce aside once happy with the taste.
- Beat the eggs. Heat a small skillet with oil, and quickly scramble the eggs, and set aside. Note, this step can also be done in your wok before frying the noodles but you might have some egg sticking, so I prefer to do it separately.

- Place your wok over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 tablespoons oil plus the garlic, baby bok choy, some of the scallions, and tofu (if using).
- Stir fry until the bok choy has turned bright green and the garlic and scallions are fragrant. Note that medium-firm tofu may fall apart, so it's a good idea to use extra firm tofu.
- Add more oil to the wok. At this point you can stir fry any meats you might be using. Season them as needed with soy sauce.
- Working quickly, add the drained noodles. Add about 1/3 of the sauce over the noodles and then stir fry everything together for 1 minute. It's important to work quickly. Note, to stir fry noodles without breaking them, use two large wooden spoons (or spatulas) to lift and turn the noodles as you fry them. Rice noodles do tend to stick to the bottom of most woks/pans. Some sticking is fine. Add more oil as needed.
- Add a little more sauce and continue stir frying in the same way for couple more minutes, or until the noodles begin to soften and become sticky. You may want to turn down the heat of the wok to avoid burning the noodles.
- Depending on how many noodles you're using, you may need to add all the remaining sauce, or just a little more to your desired flavor. You'll need to taste-test as you go, adding more sauce as required.
- Add the bean sprouts and egg (if using). Stir-fry to incorporate everything together for 1 more minute.
- Taste to make sure the noodles are done. Noodles are cooked to perfection when they are soft but still chewy. They shouldn't be too soft, but should still have texture to them (like al dente in Italian cooking, except more chewy).
- Remove from heat. Taste for for salt, adding fish sauce or soy sauce if not salty enough. If you happen to over-salt your noodles, you can fix the problem with some lime juice.
- Pad thai should be served immediately. To serve, sprinkle with scallions, cilantro, and ground nuts. Serve immediately with more Thai chili sauce on the side.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Recipe loosely adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa

INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs:
- 1/2 pound ground veal*
- 1/2 pound ground pork *
- 1 pound ground beef *
- 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 cup italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons italian parsley, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, minced (sweet onion preferable)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, beaten
- Vegetable oil
- Olive oil
- Fresh or dried herbs (optional- thyme/oregano/red pepper flakes would be good additions)

*You should be able to find ground beef/pork easily, so if you can't find the veal it's not a big deal. I was able to get all three from a local butcher. I've heard that whole foods has all 3 meats ready to go in one package too, which is a great time saver.

For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups yellow onion, chopped
- 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 cup red wine, preferably the one you will be drinking with dinner
- 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes (San Marzano preferable)
- 4 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade
- 1 head garlic, roasted *
- Kosher Salt/Pepper to taste

* To make roasted garlic, cook peeled garlic cloves in olive oil over very low heat until soft. The oil should barely cover the cloves. Be sure not to burn the garlic during this process. Save the remaining olive oil to use in the recipe where called for.

For serving:
- Spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
- Freshly grated Parmesan
- Cubed fresh mozzarella (optional)
- Fresh foccacia or garlic bread

DIRECTIONS

- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion cook until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Set aside and let cool.
- Soak fresh breadcrumbs in milk until ready to use.
- Place dry bread crumbs, soaked bread crumbs, herbs, sauteed garlic/onion, parmesan, salt/pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 1/2 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine with a fork. It's important that the meat is added last to avoid overmixing.
- Add the ground meats, and combine very lightly with a fork. You may use a spatula for folding, but be gentle.
- Test out the meat for seasonings. To do so, form one small meatball, and in a small skillet, heated with oil, brown the meatball on all sides. Taste for seasonings, and re-season the meatball mixture as necessary.
- Place mixture in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow for easier shaping.
- Have a bowl of water nearby. Wet your hands before rolling each meatball to allow you to shape better without overworking the meatballs. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into the desired size meatballs (I make them a little larger than an inch, resulting in about 40 meatballs). Roll the meat lightly between the palms of your hands so that it holds together but is not too firmly compacted.
- Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil (about 1/4 inch) into a large skillet. The skillet should be large enough to make your sauce in afterwards. Heat the oil over medium heat.
- In batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides, turning very carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs.
- Remove the meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Note that if the brown bits leftover from the meatballs starts burning to a crisp black, clean out your pan with a damp paper towel half way through the process. You want to end up with caramelized brown bits to make your sauce, but not completely burnt bits (which will ruin your sauce).
- Once all meatballs are browned, carefully discard the oil but leave all juicy brown bits. This will flavor your sauce.
- For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook.
- Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- If your meatballs weren't fully cooked during the browning process, return the meatballs to the sauce at this time, and simmer on the low heat for about 25 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. If your meatballs were cooked, simply simmer the sauce on low heat until it has thickened.
- Mix in roasted garlic cloves and fresh basil (and meatballs to warm through if not already in there).
- Serve with spaghetti and fresh parmesan, and enjoy! Throw in some cubed, fresh mozzarella too!

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

*Cake recipe adapted from Hershey's. I've changed a few things, but you can find the original recipe anywhere online; Chocolate Buttercream recipe from joythebaker.com, adapted from Delilah's bakery.

FOR CAKE

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plus 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup brewed coffee, hot
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (8-inch) cake pans and line with parchment. Grease the parchment and flour the pans, shaking out the excess.
- Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- In a mixer. , beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale yellow. Beat in vegetable oil.
- Alternately add dry ingredients with buttermilk, scraping the bowl once or twice.
- Add the coffee and vanilla to form a thin batter.
- Divide batter between prepared cake pans.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Check the cake at 35 minutes though because oven temps vary.
- Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto cooling racks, peel off paper and cool completely before icing/decorating.

*Note, I don't advise slicing this cake into layers. It's very fluffy and moist, and likewise easy to end up breaking the cake. If you must do it, freeze it first, thaw it at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then VERY CAREFULLY attempt to slice it. That's the only way it has worked for me.


FOR CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup Ovaltine

Directions:
- Cream together butter, cocoa powder and salt. Butter mixture will be very thick.
- Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add about 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
- Turn mixer on low and mix in powdered sugar while adding milk and vanilla extract. Don't add powdered sugar in all at once or you'll have a big mess. As the sugar incorporates, raise the speed of the mixer to beat the frosting. Beat until smooth.
- In a large glass, stir together heavy cream and Ovaltine. Turn mixer speed to medium and pour cream mixture into frosting in a slow, steady stream, until you’ve reached your desired consistency. You may not need the full amount of Ovaltine and cream. It depends on how thick you want your buttercream to be.

Brazilian Fish Stew

Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup fresh Lime Juice
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 lb Seabass, Halibut, Mahi Mahi, or Cod, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
- 1 1/2 lb Shrimp, peeled/deveined
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 cups Onion, chopped
- 1 cup Green Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- 3/4 cup Green Onions, minced
- 5 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 cups Tomato, chopped
- 1/2 cup Cilantro, minced and divided
- 2 tbsp Chives, minced
- 2 8 oz bottles Clam Juice
- 1 14 1/2 oz can Chicken Broth, less sodium
- 1 cup Coconut Milk (light can also be used)
- 1/4 tsp Ground Red Pepper

*Adapted from cookinglight.com
*All the chopping can be "rough chops" since this will all be pureed to form the base

Directions:
- Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Don't do any longer because the lime juice will cook the fish and you might end up with ceviche.
- Heat oil in a large pot (dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook for at least 5 minutes.
- Increase the head and add tomato and cook for a couple minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup cilantro, clam juice, and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Discard bay leaf
- Puree the mixture in batches in a blender/food processor and puree until as smooth as possible. This is where an immersion blender comes in really handy, because you can puree directly in the pot.
- Once pureed, add the coconut milk and ground red pepper to the stew.
- Bring to a boil. Taste for seasonings and season as necessary. Add marinated fish/shrimp to mixture and cook a few minutes, only until it is cooked through. Do not overcook.
- Serve over rice or creamy polenta and garnish with remaining cilantro and chives.

Buttermilk Biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon Butter, melted

*Makes approx. 4 XL biscuits
*This is a basic buttermilk biscuit. You can add any type of cheese or herbs for a different variation. I love cheddar/chives, gruyere/thyme, etc.

DIRECTIONS:
- In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk and butter. Add the dry ingredients and mix together.
- Using a ladle or spoon, drop the batter to desired size onto a greased baking sheet at least 1 inch apart. They will get larger and spread as they bake.
- Place in a 425 degrees oven for about 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and puffy. Serve warm.