Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 4 Tbs. sugar
• 2 -1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 1/4 cups buttermilk (add additional drizzles to thin batter as necessary)
• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs. melted butter, plus more for cooking
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
• Softened butter for serving
• Warm maple syrup for serving

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 200ºF.

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed until frothy. Add the sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Stir just until the batter is smooth and no lumps of flour remain; do not overmix.

Heat an electric griddle to medium-high heat until a few drops of water flicked onto the surface skitter across it. Lightly grease the griddle with butter. . Ladle about 1/3 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Scatter 1 Tbs. blueberries evenly over each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top and the batter is set, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining pancakes.

Dust the pancakes with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm with butter and maple syrup. Makes about 16 pancakes; serves 4.

Ingredients

• 4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 C chopped yellow onions (2 large)
• 1/4 C flour
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1 C heavy cream
• 2 cups milk
• 3 pounds frozen chopped spinach, defrosted (5 (10-ounce) packages)
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Directions

1.     Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2.     Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add the cream and milk and cook until thickened.
3.     Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach and add the spinach to the sauce.
4.     Add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
5.     Transfer the spinach to a baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Gruyere on top. Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds rhubarb , cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter , cut into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Vanilla ice cream , for serving (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. To make filling, put rhubarb, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and vanilla into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish and toss well to combine; set aside.

To make crumble topping, put remaining 1 cup flour, light brown sugar, butter, and salt into a large bowl and toss well. Using your fingertips, rub butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal. Working with one small handful at a time, squeeze dough together to make a ball, then gently break it into chunks and scatter them on rhubarb filling in baking dish.

Bake until rhubarb is very tender and bubbly and crumble topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Top of Form

Ingredients

• 1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1 cup quick-cooking grits
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cups Sauvignon Blanc
• 12 jumbo sea scallops 
(1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts—toasted, skinned and chopped
• Snipped chives, for garnish

Directions:

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock and 1 cup 
of water to a boil. Gradually stir 
in the grits and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until the grits are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over very low heat; stir in tablespoons of water if too thick.

2.  Meanwhile, in another medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over 
moderate heat. Add the shallot, garlic and a generous pinch 
of salt and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Carefully add the wine and bring to a simmer. Add the scallops and simmer until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the scallops to 
a plate and keep warm. Discard the poaching liquid.

3.  In a small skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the hazelnuts and cook, stirring, until warmed, about 2 minutes. Serve the scallops over the grits, topped with the warm hazelnuts and snipped chives.

Ingredients

For the marinade:

·        2 lb leg of lamb fat trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
·        1/2 cup olive oil
·        1 lemon juice only
·        3 cloves garlic minced
·        ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
·        1 onion sliced
·        1 tsp salt
·        1/4 tsp black pepper
·        1-2 red pepper large, cut into square pieces for the kebabs
·        1 onion cut into chunks for the kebabs

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients for the marinade in a large zip lock bag. Add meat. Make sure the meat is evenly coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
2. Soak wooden skewers in cold water for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat an outdoor gas grill to medium-high heat (450-500 F).

Skewer meat, onion and peppers onto the skewers.

4. Grill meat for 14-15 minutes, turning once. Check the doneness (remove one of the skewers and check the temperature (145 F is the safe temperature for lamb) or cut through the meat to see it it is cooked). Cook for additional up to 10 more minutes, to reach the desired doneness.
5. Serve immediately, it tastes best when warm.

Serve with yogurt sauce  (made the night before for flavors to combine)–

1 cup Greek-style yogurt, preferably whole milk yogurt (8 ounces/225 grams)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 large lime), more to taste.
½ teaspoon salt, more to taste.
1 garlic clove.

Makes 8 kebabs, total of 4 servings.

Ingredients

·     1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
·     Kosher salt
·     Freshly ground black pepper
·     1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
·     1 lemon, halved
·     1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
·     2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
·     1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
·     4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
·     1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
·     Olive oil

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2.  Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
3.  Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Ingredients

1 quart heavy cream
2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water

Directions

1.     Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2.     Place the cream, vanilla beans and their pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla beans.
3.     In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.
4.     Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
5.     Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top.
Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

·        Olive oil
·        Salmon filets
·        Salt and pepper
·        Sliced oranges
·        Fresh thyme and parsley
·        Flavored butter (below)

Directions

1.     Preheat grill for medium heat.
2.     Season the salmon with salt and pepper.
3.     Stack orange slices on grill topped with the fresh thyme and parsley and then the salmon.  Dab the flavored butter on the fish.
4.     Cover and cook until fish is opaque in center (no need to turn), 20 to 30 minutes.

Orange-Herb Butter

Mash together 1 stick unsalted butter; 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest; 2 teaspoons fresh orange juice; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt.

Ingredients

·        1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
·        6 oz. cup bittersweet chocolate
·        1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
·        3 large eggs
·        2 large egg yolks
·        2 teaspoons vanilla extract
·        1/2 cup all-purpose flour
·        1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
·        2 tablespoons dark (Dutch-processed) cocoa powder
·        1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
·        additional powdered sugar (for garnish)

Directions

1.     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and mist six 4-ounce ramekins with non-stick spray.
2.     Place the butter and chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring, until completely melted.
3.     Add the powdered sugar, and stir until smooth.
4.     Stir in the eggs and yolks, one at a time, until completely incorporated.
5.     Stir in the vanilla.
6.     Add the flour, cocoa, and salt, and stir until blended.
7.     Transfer the batter to the prepared ramekins, and bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until set around the edges but still wobbly in the centers.
8.     Cool for 20 minutes, then invert the cakes onto serving plates and dust with powdered sugar.

Vanilla-Scented Whipped Cream

Ingredients

1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy or whipping cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1.     Beat the cream and vanilla in a chilled non-reactive bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer just until they hold a loose peak. (Lift the beater from the cream and look at the shape of the peak at the end of the whisk; it should hold a lazy curve.) Sift the sugar over the cream and continue to beat just until it holds a soft peak. Take care not to over beat the cream.  Serve, or refrigerate covered for up to 4 hours.

INGREDIENTS:

·        1 large butternut squash (approx. 3 lbs.), halved vertically and seeded
·        1 C diced carrot
·        2 tart apples, peeled and diced
·         1 onion, diced
·        4 C Vegetable stock
·        ½ C coconut milk
·        3 minced Garlic cloves
·        1 t chopped fresh sage
·        1 t salt
·        ½ t black pepper
·         1/3 t cinnamon
·        1/3 t nutmeg

Directions:

1. Roast butternut squash for 1 hour at 425.
2. While squash is in the oven, sautee garlic, diced carrot, onion and apples in butter until softened.
3. Combine all ingredients in soup pot with the exception of the coconut milk and simmer 30 minutes.
4. Blend with an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth or you can transfer the soup in batches to a traditional blender and puree.
5.  Lower heat and slowly add the coconut milk being careful not to boil once this addition is made.

Adjust the seasoning to taste adding more salt or pepper if necessary.