Brussel Sprout Slaw with Lemon and Pecorino

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast powder

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound fresh brussels sprouts, shaved crosswise (use a mandoline or thinly slice)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries

1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Whisk together oil, juice, yeast, salt, and pepper in a large serving bowl. Add brussels sprouts, and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cherries, cheese, and parsley until combined. Sprinkle with pine nuts and thyme.

Chicken and Mushroom Stew

Ingredients

2 ounces chopped bacon

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces

Poultry seasoning

Celery salt

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered

1 medium carrot, diced

1 medium onion, diced

½ teaspoon celery seed

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

4 cups cooked wild rice

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Season chicken with poultry seasoning and celery salt.

Cook bacon and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high until bacon is crisp. Transfer to a bowl. Add chicken, salt, and pepper to pot; cook until browned. Transfer chicken to bowl with bacon.

Add mushrooms to pot; cook 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with meat. Add carrot, onion, celery seed, garlic, and bay leaves to pot; cook until softened. Add vinegar; cook until reduced, 2 minutes. Return chicken mixture to pot. Remove from heat.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high until foamy. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add milk; cook, whisking often, until thickened. Add broth and mustard; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened. Pour over chicken mixture, cover, and cook at 325°F 1 hour. Discard bay leaves.

Thicken stew with flour / water mixture as needed.  Stir in parsley; serve over rice.

Asian Short Ribs

Ingredients

8 lean bone-in beef short ribs (about 2 1/2 lb.), trimmed (or chuck roast cut into rib portions)

5/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

4 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushroom caps

3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (about 8 garlic cloves)

4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

1 cup unsalted beef stock

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of the ribs to skillet; cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer ribs to a 6-quart slow cooker; discard drippings in skillet. (Don’t wipe skillet clean.) Repeat procedure with remaining ribs. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to skillet; stir in mushrooms, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms soften slightly, about 4 minutes; transfer mushroom mixture to slow cooker. Add beef stock, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and red pepper to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until ribs are tender, about 8 hours.

Transfer ribs to a serving platter; reserve cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Skim fat from surface of cooking liquid. Drizzle ribs with reserved cooking liquid.

Savory Pork Ragu with Pappardelle

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs  (or pork butt) – some fat trimmed (otherwise too greasy)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

2 cups vertically sliced white onion

1 medium fennel bulb, cored and thinly vertically sliced

8 garlic cloves, crushed

1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, undrained

4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

3 oregano sprigs

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound uncooked whole-wheat pappardelle or fettuccine

2 ounces percorino Romano cheese, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)

Fresh oregano leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Sprinkle pork with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add pork to pan; cook until well browned all over, about 8 minutes. Remove pork from pan.

Add onion, fennel, and garlic to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juices; break tomatoes up with the back of a spoon or your hands. Stir in anchovies, oregano sprigs, bay leaves, red pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Nestle pork into tomato mixture. Cover and bake at 325°F until pork is very tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Carefully remove pork from Dutch oven. Shred pork using 2 forks; stir shredded pork into tomato mixture. Discard bay leaves and oregano sprigs.

Cook pasta according to directions, omitting salt. Drain; reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta to Dutch oven; toss gently to coat, adding reserved cooking liquid as necessary to reach desired consistency. Sprinkle with cheese and oregano leaves.

Seared Boneless Short Ribs with Salsa Criolla

INGREDIENTS

1½ pounds boneless short ribs, halved crosswise

1 poblano chile

½ large red bell pepper, finely chopped

½ small sweet onion, finely chopped

1 scallion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, 1 finely grated, 1 whole

¼ cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil; plus more for bread

2 oil-packed anchovies (optional)

1 plum tomato, grated on the large holes of a box grater

½ teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika

⅛ teaspoon ground cumin

Freshly ground black pepper

½ baguette, halved lengthwise

Let meat sit at room temperature 1 hour before cooking.

Meanwhile, heat broiler. Broil chile on a rimmed baking sheet, turning occasionally, until blistered all over and blackened in spots, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit 10 minutes.

Peel skin from chile and scrape out seeds; discard both. Coarsely chop chile flesh and place in a small bowl. Add bell pepper, onion, scallion, grated garlic, vinegar, sugar, and oregano and toss to combine; season chile mixture with salt. Let sit, tossing occasionally, until vegetables have softened slightly and flavors are melded, 10–15 minutes.

Heat ¼ cup oil in a small skillet over medium. If using, cook anchovies, smashing with a wooden spoon, until dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in tomato, paprika, and cumin. Stir into chile mixture. Taste salsa and season with more salt if needed. Let salsa sit at room temperature while you cook the short ribs.

Coat short ribs with 2 Tbsp. oil; season liberally with salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over high. Cook ribs, turning every 3 minutes, until deep brown on all sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat registers 125° for medium-rare. Transfer ribs to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.

While the short ribs are resting, turn on broiler again and drizzle cut sides of baguette with oil; broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and rub each half a few times with remaining garlic clove; season with salt. Cut each piece of bread in half.

Top sliced ribs with salsa and serve with toasted bread.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients

5 bacon slices, chopped

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup thinly sliced carrot

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 (8-oz.) package presliced cremini mushrooms

4 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups unsalted chicken stock

1 cup water

4 cups lightly packed chopped curly kale

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 ounces shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 (8-oz.) package precooked wild rice

1 cup half-and-half

1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)

Heat saute pan over medium-high. Add bacon to pan; cook 4 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 1

tablespoon drippings.

Add onion, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add thyme, mushrooms, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add stock and

1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add kale, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and rice.

Combine half-and-half and flour in bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir into soup; cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Top with bacon and serve.

Bourbon Cider

Ingredients

1 gal. fresh apple cider

5 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

3 c. bourbon (Jim Beam)

In a stockpot, heat apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.  When mixture is hot but not boiling, remove from heat and add bourbon. Stir to distribute spices and divide cider among 20 mugs.  Can also be made in a crock-pot.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

2 pounds green beans

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced, divided

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

4 large sprigs thyme

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1¼ cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

½ cup grated Parmesan

Freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup French’s fried onions

Preheat oven to 375°. Working in batches, cook green beans a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and halfway to tenderness, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain and let cool; trim stem ends.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook half of mushrooms, without stirring, until golden brown underneath, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes more. Add 2 Tbsp. butter and 2 thyme sprigs to pan. Cook, tossing occasionally, until butter browns and mushrooms are dark brown and very tender, about 4 minutes longer. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Repeat with 2 Tbsp. butter, salt, and remaining oil, mushrooms, and thyme.

Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium-low. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking occasionally, until roux is golden brown and smells mildly nutty, about 4 minutes. Whisk in milk and cream. Increase heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often, and cook until béchamel sauce is thick and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in garlic and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.

Arrange green beans and mushrooms in a 2-qt. baking dish. Pour sauce over (it may not look like enough, but it will get saucier as it bakes). Cover tightly with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling, 25–30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until casserole is lightly browned on top and around the edges, 15–20 minutes longer. Top with fried onions and continue to bake just until onions are slightly darker and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes to set before serving.

Turkey Brine

Ingredients

1 gallon vegetable broth

1 cup sea salt

1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary

1 tablespoon dried sage

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried savory

1 gallon ice water

In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.

When the broth mixture is cool, pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Stir in the ice water.

Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bucket in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry. Discard excess brine.

Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch the temperature gauge.

Skillet Mushroom Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat elbow pasta (such as Bionaturae)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters

4 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, cut into halves

5 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

2 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided (about 1/2 cup)

3 cups baby spinach

2 tablespoons whole-wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions (don’t cook all the way), omitting salt and fat; drain.

Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add mushrooms; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in 1 tablespoon thyme and salt; cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over pan; cook 1 minute. Add milk; bring to a simmer. Add pasta, Gruyère cheese, and 1 ounce mozzarella cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in spinach. Spread pasta mixture in an even layer in pan; sprinkle with remaining 1 ounce mozzarella cheese and panko.

Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven; sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons thyme.

Habanero Apricot Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients

Cooking spray

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/3 cup apricot preserves

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce

3 habanero chiles (seeds and membranes removed), chopped

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups very thinly sliced cored red cabbage

1 cup matchstick-cut carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

6 whole-wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Coat a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray; place chicken in bottom of slow cooker.

Combine apricot preserves, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons habanero chile, 2 teaspoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and garlic in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Pour apricot mixture over chicken in slow cooker. Toss to coat. Cover and cook on LOW 5 hours.

Combine cabbage, carrots, radishes, basil, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Stir together lime juice, oil, remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon habanero, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a separate smaller bowl. Add to cabbage mixture; toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Shred with 2 forks; place in a large bowl. Skim fat from juices in slow cooker; discard fat. Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture into juices in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken back to slow cooker; toss to combine.

Place 5 ounces chicken mixture on each bun. Top each with 1/2 cup slaw.

Gambas al Ajillo

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds shelled and deveined large shrimp, tails intact


Kosher salt


1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic


1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil


1 small dried hot red chile, seeded and crumbled


1/2 cup minced parsley


2 tablespoons dry sherry, such as manzanilla


1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest


Crusty bread, for serving


In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and let stand for 10 minutes. 


Meanwhile in a cast-iron skillet, combine the garlic and olive oil and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is very fragrant and just starts to brown, 8 to 
10 minutes. Add the chile and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. 


Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring and turning the shrimp occasionally, until barely pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, sherry, lemon zest and a generous pinch of salt. Remove from the heat and let stand until the shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve in the skillet, passing crusty bread at the table.

Chicken with Buttery Orzo

Ingredients

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total), patted dry

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 fennel bulb, chopped, plus fronds, chopped

2-3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, chopped

16 ounces orzo

2/3 cup dry white wine
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 400°.

Salt and Pepper the chicken.  Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Nestle chicken, skin side down, in skillet in a single layer with no gaps (if you can’t quite fit them all, wait until chicken shrinks slightly, then puzzle in the remaining pieces). Cook until meat is opaque around the edges and skin is deep golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Turn chicken skin side up and transfer skillet to oven; bake, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, 10–15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Set same skillet over medium; combine fennel bulb and leek in skillet and sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until leek is looking golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add orzo and cook until pasta is darkened (it will take on a brown hue) to a nice nutty brown in spots and toasty smelling, about 3 minutes. Pour in wine and cook, stirring, until liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Add broth ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting broth absorb before adding more, until orzo is tender and broth is mostly absorbed but pan is not dry, 10–15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat, Taste and add more salt and pepper to your liking; mix in lemon juice and remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, then chopped fennel fronds. Pile chicken on top and finish with lemon zest.