Key Lime Pie

Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Serves 8

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

½ cup granulated sugar

4 tbsp (½ stick butter) melted

2 (14-oz) cans sweetened condensed milk

1 cup key lime or regular lime juice

2 whole large eggs

1 cup sour cream

2 tbsp powdered sugar

1 tbsp lime zest

Preheat the oven to 375˚.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 325˚.

In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Once chilled, combine the sour cream and powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie using a spatula. Sprinkle the lime zest as a garnish on top of the sour cream and serve chilled.

Twelve Hour Roast Pork

Courtesy of Suzanne Somers’ Get Skinny on Fabulous Food

Serves 15

1 whole shoulder of pork with skin (7to 9 lbs)

12 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1.6 oz bottle fennel seeds

Salt and freshly ground pepper

8 small dried chilies, crumbled

Juice of 6 lemons

4 tbsp olive oil

Pan Drippings

1 14-oz can chicken broth

Juice of 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 450˚.

Score the entire skin of the shoulder by slicing deeply through the skin and into the meat. Continue scoring, making cuts ¼ inch apart from one another.

Place the garlic, fennel seeds, salt and pepper to taste, and chilies in a food processor. Pulse until all the seasonings are coarsely ground. Rub this mixture all over the skin of the pork and into the cut areas to cover all the surfaces of the meat.

Place the shoulder on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes, or until skin begins to crackle and brown. Loosen the shoulder from the bottom of the pan and pour half the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the pork.

Turn the oven temperature down to 250˚ and roast the pork for 12 to 18 hours. The pork becomes almost shredded, crispy on the outside and moist from the juices on the inside. It’s ready when it is completely soft under the crisp skin. You can tell by pushing with your finger; the meat will give and might even fall off the bone. It will be cooked after 12 hours, but if you like it crispier, cook it for closer to 18 hours. Baste occasionally with the remaining lemon juice and olive oil.

For delicious pan drippings, remove the meat from the pan. Pour off most of the fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Place the roasting pan with all the bits of meat stuck to the bottom on the stove over medium heat. Scrape the bits as the pan heats up. When the pan gets good and hot, add the can of chicken broth and the juice of 2 lemons. Deglaze the pan by scraping all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the juices and the broth reduce for about 5 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the meat.

Editor’s Note: You may not get this far. I was forced to dump the chicken broth and lemon juice into the pan with the pork still in it, as we gathered around, pulling chunks of pork off the bone and dunking them. The sauce is incredible … it literally melts away any worries you might have been harboring during the day.

Butternut Squash & Candied Bacon

Adapted from Canal House Cooks Every Day

Serves 4

1 lb slab bacon, trimmed of rind and excess fat

½ cup dark brown sugar

4 cups ¼-inch-thick-bite-size slices butternut squash

4 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400˚. Cut the bacon into small cubes and toss with the brown sugar in a bowl. Spread the bacon out on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the pieces are glazed and crispy yet meaty, about 20 minutes.

Put the squash into a large pot of salted water and gently boil over medium heat until tender, 5-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it begins to turn golden, add the squash and cook until just warmed through. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the squash topped with bacon. Sprinkle with roasted butternut squash seeds, if desired.

Cheddar-Crusted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach

Courtesy of Cook’s Country

Serves 4

1½ cups crispy rice cereal, crushed

6 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1½ cups)

4 (6-oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

Salt and pepper

18 oz (18 cups) baby spinach

2 tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

Adjust the rack to the middle position and heat oven to 400˚. Spray rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray (or line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it for easy clean up.) Combine cereal and cheddar in shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge both sides of breasts in cereal-cheddar mixture, pressing to adhere, and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake until chicken registers 160˚ and coating is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to serving platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, place spinach and ¼ cup water in large bowl, cover, and microwave until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, about 4 minutes. Transfer spinach to colander and, using rubber spatula, press to release liquid. Transfer spinach to cutting board and roughly chop.

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spinach to skillet and cook until uniformly wilted and glossy green, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer spinach to platter and serve with chicken.

Asian Beef and Broccoli

Courtesy of Parents Magazine

Serves 6

¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

¼ cup orange juice, divided

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

Nonstick cooking spray

2½ lb boneless beef chuck, trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch pieces

2½ cups frozen broccoli flowerets (10 oz)

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp orange marmalade

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup dry roasted cashews

Hot cooked rice or Asian noodles (We served this with whole wheat Chinese noodles.)

In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, 3 tablespoons orange juice, sugar, ginger, and garlic. Coat the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the beef and the soy sauce mixture; stir to combine. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 hours.

Just before beef is done, place broccoli in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover bowl with waxed paper. Cook on 100% power (high) for 4 minutes; drain off any liquid. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a large bowl. Use the spoon or 2 forks to break up the beef into smaller pieces. Add the broccoli to the bowl. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

Place a small fine mesh sieve over a small saucepan. Pour the juices from the slow cooker into the pan. In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Add to saucepan. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in orange marmalade, remaining 1 tablespoon orange juice, and pepper to taste.

Add about half of the sauce and cashews to the beef and broccoli mixture; toss to coat. Serve over hot cooked rice or noodles; pass remaining sauce.

Slow-Roasted Spiced Baby Back Ribs

Courtesy of Sara Moulton Cooks at Home

Serves 6

6 lbs baby back ribs

¼ cup sweet or hot paprika

2 tbsp kosher salt

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup chili powder

5 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp dry mustard

1 tsp cayenne pepper or more to taste

1 recipe Rick’s Barbecue Sauce (see below)

Use your fingers to pull off and remove the thin papery skin from the back of each rib. Combine the paprika, salt, sugar, chili powder, garlic, cumin, mustard, and cayenne in a small bowl and mix well. Rub the mixture all over the ribs. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 250˚. Place the ribs meat side up in one layer on several sheet pans and bake, turning from time to time, until very tender, 3½ to 4 hours. About 30 minutes before the ribs are done, remove them from the oven and brush liberally on all sides with the barbecue sauce. Bake until very tender. Serve additional sauce on the side.

Rick’s Barbecue Sauce

Makes about 1 quart

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 to 3 onions, to taste, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and minced

½ tsp hot red pepper flakes

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp dry mustard

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 cups ketchup

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeño, and pepper flakes. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching. Pour in the ketchup, add 2 cups of water, and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until thick, pulpy, and dark red, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Variations: Add 1 seeded, deveined, and finely diced habanero pepper to the sauce as it is cooling. Substitute maple syrup for one of the sugars. Finish with chopped fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme.

Roast Chicken with Butter, Lemon and Rosemary

Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

Serves 4

1 whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry

¾ cups butter, softened

3 whole lemons

4 sprigs rosemary

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425˚.

Zest two of the lemons. Strip the leaves off of one of the rosemary sprigs and chop it up finely.

In a bowl, combine softened butter, lemon zest, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste.

Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil and lay the patted-dry chicken on the foil, breast side up.

Use your fingers to smear the butter mixture all over the chicken, under the skin, and inside the cavity. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice of one lemon all over the chicken. Place the six lemon halves (if they'll fit!) and the three remaining rosemary leaves into the cavity of the bird.

Place the chicken into the oven and roast it for 1 hour, 15 minutes or until done. Skin should be deep golden brown and juices should be sizzling.

Eggnog Bundt Cake

Courtesy of Cook’s Country

Serves 8 to 10

1 recipe yellow Bundt cake batter (below)

1 tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ cup dark rum or brandy (I highly recommend using brandy.)

1½ cups confectioners' sugar

FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350˚. Grease and flour 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Combine 1 cup cake batter, nutmeg, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon rum or brandy in large bowl and stir until just combined. Spread remaining batter in even layer in prepared pan. Spoon spiced batter over top and spread gently in thin, even layer. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool cake in pan 25 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet. Let cool completely, about 3 hours.

FOR THE GLAZE: Whisk confectioners' sugar and remaining rum or brandy in bowl until smooth. Pour over cooled cake and let dry, about 30 minutes. Serve.

Classic Yellow Bundt Cake

3 cups (15 oz) all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp lemon juice

18 tbsp (2¼ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 18 pieces and softened

2 cups (14 oz) sugar

3 large eggs, plus 1 large yolk, room temperature

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350˚. Grease and flour 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl. In small bowl, whisk buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon juice together.

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk mixture, scraping down bowl as needed.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely, about 2 hours. (Cooled cake can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

Picadillo

Courtesy of Suzanne Somers’ Get Skinny on Fabulous Food

Serves 8

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 large bell pepper, finely chopped

6 plum tomatoes, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp minced fresh garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound pork

¾ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup tomato puree

2 tbsp capers, drained (optional)

Garnish: Sour cream; 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped; 1 head of iceberg lettuce

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers. Cook until they are brown and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, garlic, cumin, and coriander.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the meat. Brown the meat, using a wooden spoon to break it into tiny pieces.

Add the balsamic vinegar, capers, and tomato puree. Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour.

Serve in a bowl with a dollop of sour cream and chopped cilantro. Or roll up in a lettuce leaf and eat like a taco.

Carrot "Fettuccine" with Spicy Shrimp

Courtesy of Sarah Moulton Cooks at Home

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp unsalted butter

½ lb medium shrimp, peeled with tail intact, deveined, rinsed, and patted dry

2 large shallots, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped (or use a microplane)

¼ tsp hot red pepper flakes

10 large carrots, about 1½ lbs, cut into ribbon-like strands with a vegetable peeler, tough core discarded

¾ cup dry white wine (We recommend Pinot Grigio or Pinot Bianco)

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup thawed frozen peas or blanched fresh peas

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes and cook until the shrimp just turn pink, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl. Add the carrots and cook over high heat, stirring, until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the shrimp bowl.

Add the wine to the skillet and boil until it is reduced by half. Add the cream and stock. Bring back to a boil and boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the shrimp, carrots, and peas to the pan and simmer until they are just heated through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot.

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

Courtesy of skinnytaste.com

Serves 8

24 oz (1½) lbs chicken breasts

14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies

15 oz can black beans

8 oz frozen corn

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

14.4 oz can fat-free chicken broth

3 scallions, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

Salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breasts with salt and lay on top. 

Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste. Serve over rice or tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Potato Latkes

Courtesy of levanacooks.com

Makes 24 latkes

Vegetable oil for frying

1 cup flour, any flour, including gluten-free

4 eggs

1 medium onion, grated in a food processor

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch nutmeg

8 large Idaho or russet potatoes, peeled

Heat 1/3 inch oil in a heavy frying pan until very hot. While the oil is heating, place the flour, eggs, onion, salt and pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl, and mix thoroughly. Quickly grate the potatoes in a food processor, and immediately stir them into the batter, making sure not to squeeze so as not to extract unwanted extra moisture. Work very quickly so they do not have time to get discolored. Form small patties, and lower them into the hot oil, or drop the batter by heaping tablespoons. Fry until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Indonesian-Style Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Courtesy of Sara Moulton Cooks at Home

Serves 4

For the chicken:

8 large chicken thighs, about 2½ lbs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

¼ cup vegetable oil, preferably peanut oil

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 tbsp ground, toasted coriander seeds*

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp curry powder

2 tbsp unsalted butter

* If you’re in a hurry you can grab your ground coriander, but if you have time toast these in a pan until fragrant and grind them in a spice grinder.

For the sauce:

¾ cup peanut butter

½ cup hoisin sauce

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp Asian toasted sesame oil

One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Pinch hot red pepper flakes

To prepare the chicken, trim the thighs of excess fat and use a sharp knife to score. Cut through the skin, deep into the flesh, at ½-inch intervals. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, cayenne, and curry powder together in a small bowl. Transfer to a large plastic bag with resealable closure. Place the thighs in the bag and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Shake the bag from time to time to distribute the marinade evenly.

Preheat the oven to 400˚. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Melt the butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large ovenpoof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thighs and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Pour off the fat, leave the thighs in the skillet, and transfer to the oven. Bake, uncovered, turning once, until a fork inserted near the bone easily enters the flesh, about 25 minutes.

To prepare the sauce, combine the peanut butter, hoisin, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and pepper flakes in a blender. Pour in ½ cup water and blend until smooth.

Arrange the thighs on a large warmed platter. Drizzle on a small amount of the sauce and serve the rest on the side.

Simple Pot Roast

Courtesy of Cook’s Illustrated

Serves 6 to 8

1 (3½- to 4-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and tied

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and chopped

1 small celery rib, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp sugar

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

1 sprig fresh thyme

1-1½ cups water

¼ cup dry red wine

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300˚. Thoroughly pat roast dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing the heat if fat begins to smoke, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer roast to large plate; set aside. Reduce heat to medium; add onion, carrot, and celery to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, beef broth, and thyme, scraping bottom of pan to loosen browned bits. Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot; add enough water to come halfway up sides of roast. Bring liquid to simmer of medium heat, then place a large piece of aluminum foil over pot and cover tightly with lid; transfer pot to oven. Cook, turning roast every 30 minutes, until fully tender and meat fork or sharp knife easily slips in and out of meat, 3½ to 4 hours.

Transfer roast to carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Allow liquid in pot to settle for about 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim fat off surface; remove thyme sprig. Boil liquid over high heat until reduced to about 1½ cups, about 8 minutes. Add red wine to pot and reduce again to 1½ cups, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Using a carving knife, cut meat into ½-inch-thick slices, or pull apart into large pieces; transfer meat on warmed serving platter and pour about ½ cup sauce over meat. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

Pizza Sauce

Courtesy of Cook’s Illustrated

2 tbsp unsalted butter

¼ grated onion, from 1 medium onion

¼ tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes

¼ tsp sugar

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

Serves 4

4 Portobello mushroom caps, wiped clean and stems removed

½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

¼ cup Pecorino Romano, freshly grated*

¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

Pizza Sauce (see above)

Toppings: Anything you wish

* Feel free to use whatever cheese you like, in whatever ratio you like. I have this thing with sheep’s milk cheese, so it’s usually lurking on my pizza.

Preheat the oven to 400˚ and position rack in middle of oven.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, oregano and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar; increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil and oil; season with salt and pepper.

Spray baking sheet with olive oil. Place mushroom caps, bottom side up, on sheet and spoon sauce evenly into caps. Top with cheeses and any toppings that strike your fancy. Bake for 15 minutes until mushrooms are tender and cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Turkish Lamb Pita Burgers

Courtesy of eatingwell.com

Serves 6

1/3 cup bulgur

1 cup boiling water

2 tsp whole coriander seeds

2 tsp whole cumin seeds

¾ cup nonfat plain yogurt, preferably Greek

¼ cup finely chopped scallion greens

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp sugar

1½ tsp freshly ground pepper, divided

2 cups diced tomato

½ cup finely chopped red onion

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

12 oz ground lamb

4 ounces 93%-lean ground turkey

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 large egg

2 tbsp chopped garlic

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground allspice

Pinch of ground cinnamon

6 whole-wheat pita breads, warmed

Combine bulgur and water in a small bowl; let stand until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.

Meanwhile, heat coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until they begin to pop and are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a small bowl to cool, then crush in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

Combine 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture with yogurt, scallion greens, 2 tablespoons parsley, mint, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and ½ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Combine tomato, red onion and oil in another small bowl.

Preheat broiler. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.

Place the reserved bulgur, the remaining spice mixture, the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add lamb, turkey, yellow onion, egg, garlic, cayenne, salt, allspice and cinnamon. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 12 equal balls, then form each into an oval patty about ½-inch thick.

Place the patties on the prepared broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Slice open the warmed pita breads. Fill with 2 burgers, about 1/3 cup tomato mixture and 2 generous tablespoons yogurt sauce each.

                    

Make Ahead Tip: Store the toasted spices (Step 2) in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Cover and refrigerate the yogurt sauce (Step 3) for up to 3 days.

Grilled Korean Short Ribs

Courtesy of epicurious.com

Serves 8

1 cup soy sauce

½ cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) or sweet Sherry

½ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

¼ cup oriental sesame oil

¼ cup minced garlic (about 15 cloves)

2 large green onions, chopped

5 pounds Korean-style short ribs (beef chuck flanken, cut 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick across bones; about 20 pieces) (Ask your butcher to do this for you if they are not readily available in the meat section.)

Combine first 7 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend well. Pour into heavy jumbo resealable plastic bag. Add ribs; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to coat ribs evenly. Refrigerate overnight, turning bag occasionally. (We marinated them for 6 hours and they were fantastic, so do not panic if you don’t have time to marinate overnight.)

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Drain ribs; discard marinade. Working in batches, grill ribs until browned and cooked to medium-rare (3 minutes per side) or medium (6 minutes per side).

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas with Fire-Roasted Chile Sauce and Perfect Guacamole

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Courtesy of Whit’s Chicken Enchiladas – allrecipes.com

Serves 8 (I make about 12 big ones that fit in a 9x13 inch pan and serves 6.)

4 bone-in chicken breast halves*

2 tbsp olive oil

1 (4-oz) can diced green chile peppers, drained

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese**

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

½ cup water

8 (10-inch) flour tortillas***

1 cup heavy cream

Place the chicken breast halves into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the water, and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375˚. Remove the chicken meat from the breasts, and discard the skin and bones. Chop the meat and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green chilies, jalapeno and garlic. Cook and stir for a few minutes, until fragrant, then stir in the cream cheese and half of the Monterey Jack. As the cheese begins to melt, gradually stir in the water. Add the chopped chicken, stir to combine and remove from the heat.

Spoon the chicken mixture into tortillas, and roll up. Place the rolls seam side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining Monterey Jack cheese over the top, then pour cream over all. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the enchiladas are golden brown on the top.

Serve with Fire-Roasted Chile Sauce and Perfect Guacamole. We also make rice with a packet of Sazon seasoning as an accompaniment.

* I often roast a chicken, pull the meat off for this recipe and use the carcass to make brown chicken stock. And if you’re feeling incredibly naughty, save the skin for Crispy Chicken Skin Tacos with Habanero Salsa (recipe currently available at simplyrecipes.com). They are to die for!

** Jackie suggests using 4 oz of cream cheese and 4 oz of cottage cheese for a healthier version. With no taste difference, what’s to lose – besides inches!

*** These extra-large tortillas work fine, but if you want to fit the enchiladas in the pan crosswise and not lengthwise, buy the large tortillas instead.

Fire-Roasted Chile Sauce

Adapted from Mom’s Chicken Enchiladas – simplyrecipes.com

I usually double this recipe.

1 small onion, chopped

Grapeseed or olive oil

2 small cloves garlic, minced

1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes*

2 tbsp red chili powder

1 tsp sugar

Coat a large skillet with oil and sauté the onions on medium heat until translucent, a few minutes. Add the garlic for a minute more.

While the onions are cooking, purée the canned tomatoes in a blender. Add the tomatoes to the onions and garlic. Bring to a low simmer. Start adding the chili powder, one teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition, until you get to the desired level of heat and chili flavor. (For us that is around 1½ tablespoons.) You want more of the taste of the chili and less of the tomatoes for this sauce. As the sauce simmers, dilute it with water to keep it from getting too thick. Remove from heat.

* If you like spicy, try fire-roasted tomatoes with chipotle peppers. We love Muir Glen. It is guaranteed to put hair on your chest.

Perfect Guacamole

Adapted from simplyrecipes.com

Serves 2-4

2 ripe avocados

½ red onion, minced

1-2 Serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced

2 tbsp cilantro (leaves and tender stems), finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice

½ tsp coarse salt

A dash of freshly grated black pepper

½ ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl.

Using a fork, roughly mash the avocado. (Don't overdo it! The guacamole should be a little chunky.) Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness.

Chilling tomatoes hurts their flavor, so don't chop the tomatoes or add to the guacamole until ready to serve.

Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.

Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready.

Just before serving, chop the tomato, add to the guacamole and mix.

Variations

Substitute the cilantro and Serrano chiles with a bit of Fresco sauce. We can’t get enough of the Artisan sauces from Guapo. Plus they are vegan and gluten-free!!!

For a very quick guacamole just take a ¼ cup of salsa and mix it in with your mashed avocados.

Broccoli Velvet Puree

Courtesy of Essential Pepin

Serves 4

1½ lbs broccoli

1½ cups water

¾ tsp salt

1 garlic clove

1 tsp coarsely chopped jalapeno pepper

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Cut the broccoli heads from the stalks and separate the florets. Peel the stalks and cut them into 2-inch-long pieces.

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the broccoli, salt, garlic, and jalapeno pepper and bring back to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is very tender.

Transfer the broccoli mixture and 2/3 cup of the cooking liquid to a blender. Add the butter and oil and blend for 1 minute, until the mixture is very smooth. Serve.

Holiday Shortbread

Adapted from cookie-recipe-club.com

¾ cup flour, sifted

¼ cup superfine sugar

Pinch of salt

½ cup room temperature unsalted butter, cubed

Preheat your oven to 350˚.*

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until crumbly.

Sprinkle a board or your counter top lightly with flour. Turn the dough onto the board and knead until it's smooth. Refrigerate the dough for a couple of hours or overnight.**

You should have approximately 8 ounces of dough. Divide the dough into four equal portions for large cookies or eight equal portions for small cookies and shape into rounds.

Place each round on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and flatten them with the bottom of a glass to about 1/4 inch thickness. Prick with a fork. Bake at 350˚ for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cookies begin to brown slightly. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet.

* Alternatively, press into a greased mold (use baking spray with flour) or fluted tart pan and prick with a fork. We found the shortbread cooked best, when baked en masse, at 300˚ for 45 minutes.

** We did not chill the dough when baking in a mold. Simply knead and press dough into greased mold. If the dough sticks to you, run cold water over your hands for a minute.

Lamb Shanks with White Beans

Adapted from Essential Pepin

Serves 4

8 oz (about 1½ cups) dried small white or Great Northern beans, picked over and rinsed

5 cups water

4 bone-in lamb shanks (about 14 oz each)

4 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (We love carrots. The original recipe calls for 1, so if you are not a carrot fan just add 1 for the flavor.)

1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

5-6 garlic cloves, crushed and coarsely chopped

3 bay leaves

1 tsp dried thyme

1½ tsp salt

Freshly ground pepper

Tabasco sauce

Put the beans in a bowl and soak in the water while you brown the lamb shanks. Although Jacques suggests soaking the beans for a few minutes, I always soak overnight.

Remove most of the visible fat from the shanks and season all over with salt and pepper. Put the shanks in one layer in a large heavy pot, preferable cast iron, and brown uncovered for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and discard any fat rendered by the meat, leaving only a solidified glaze in the pot.

Add the beans and water to the pot, along with the meat and all the remaining ingredients except the Tabasco. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and boil gently for 2 hours. (I let it cook nearly 4 hours, just until my husband started shouting that he was starving to death.) The meat should be moist and tender and there should be just enough liquid remaining in the pot for a moist, thick stew. If there is substantially more liquid than this, boil the stew, uncovered, for a few minutes to reduce it. Conversely, if there is too little liquid remaining, add a few tablespoons of water.

Serve 1 lamb shank per person, with a few generous spoonfuls of stew. Pass the Tabasco sauce and crusty bread.

Crispy Rosemary Sriracha Chicken Thighs

Courtesy of alldayidreamaboutfood.com

Serves 4

¼ cup plain yogurt

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

2 tbsp Sriracha

2 cloves garlic

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

4 to 5 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, Sriracha, garlic, salt and pepper. Place chicken thighs in a large ziploc bag and pour marinade over. Turn bag over several times to coat chicken. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 375˚. Arrange chicken thighs in a single layer in a baking dish or broiler pan. Spread any marinade remaining in the bag over the thighs. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Then broil on high for 4 minutes, until skin is crispy and golden brown.