Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Sausage and Kale Pesto

Ingredients:

2 medium spaghetti squash
olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 lb ground Italian sausage (medium or hot)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar Freak Flag Organics, Kale Pesto
2 cups chopped kale
1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
Shredded (or grated) parmesan cheese
Italian parsley, chopped for garnish

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. To prepare the squash, cut in half lengthwise. Then, scoop out the seeds. Next, drizzle the insides lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then, poke a few holes in the skin of the squash with a fork and place it cut side down on a baking sheet. Pop it in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and lightly season with salt. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add ground sausage, breaking up with a spoon until cooked through.
  4. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add jar of Kale Pesto along with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer. Add chopped kale and stir 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Stir in gruyere and fontina.
  5. Spoon mixture into squash wells. Top with Parmesan cheese. Place back into oven for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with parsley.
  6. Use a fork to shred squash into “spaghetti noodles”, combine with meat mixture and enjoy!!

Blackberry-Fig Preserves

Ingredients:

1 pint blackberries, rinsed
10-12 fresh figs, stems removed and quartered
1 cup granulated sugar
zest and juice of a small lemon
two sprigs thyme

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pan. Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently.

Swiss Chard Pasta

Ingredients:

8 ounces pasta (I used fettuccine)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
4-5 chard leaves, stems diced, leaves coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
Shaved Parmesan cheese
¼ cup pine nuts (optional)
Kosher salt & fresh black pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chard stems and a pinch of salt. Give them a stir, then add the chard leaves and gently toss until they begin to wilt. Add the balsamic, tomatoes, garlic, white beans, freshly ground pepper, and toss. Once the chard is cooked down, add pasta and remove from heat. Serve with shaved Parmesan cheese and pine nuts on top.

Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 anchovy filets
  • 1 Parmesan rind
  • 2 large sprigs basil, plus 1/2 cup basil leaves, torn if large
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
  • 8 oz. campanelle or other tube pasta
  • 1 oz. finely grated Parmesan (about ⅓ cup), plus more for serving

Directions:

1. Heat 1/3 cup oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Add anchovy filets and stir until “melted” into the oil.

2. Add tomatoes, ground pepper, basil sprigs, Parmesan rind, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring to coat, until tomatoes begin to burst, about 4 minutes.

3. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Smash some but not all of the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to help create a sauce, then continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until a chunky, thickened sauce comes together and about half the tomatoes are completely broken down and half remain in tact, 10–12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pluck out and discard basil sprigs and Parmesan rind.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 2 cup pasta water then drain pasta, add pasta to pot with sauce, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until coated, 1–2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup pasta water if sauce is too thick. Remove from heat and stir in 1 oz. Parmesan and torn fresh basil.

Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hock

Ingredients:

  • 2 bunches collard greens washed, and cut
  • 1 large ham hocks
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tsp seasoning salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp onion powder
  • 2 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp vinegar white or apple cider vinegar will do

Directions:

1. Start off by placing the smoked ham hock and the broth into a large pot over medium-high heat.

2. Start adding in the collard greens.

3. Once all of the collard greens are in the pot, add in the seasonings.
Give everything a stir, then add in the vinegar.

4. Reduce the heat to medium, and let the greens cook for about an hour, or until tender.

Thai Coconut Curry Rice

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste
  • 1 16 oz container Freak Flag Organics Coconut Chicken Bone Broth
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp Ghee
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
  • 2 small poblano peppers, thinly sliced
  • 2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12 oz smoked chicken sausage, sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Lime wedges, optional

Directions:

1. Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Add the oil then add the rice to toast.

2. When the rice is lightly toasted add bone broth, red curry paste and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Then cover with a tight-fitting lid.

3. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-17 minutes or until rice is almost done (it shouldn’t be hard but it also shouldn’t be mushy)

4. Remove rice from heat and allow it to stand for 10-12 minutes covered before stirring.

5. While rice is cooking, add Ghee to a large skillet placed over medium-high heat.

6. When the Ghee is melted, add carrots, zucchini, and poblanos. Stir fry the vegetables until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and green onions and cook an additional 1 minute.

7. Add sausage to mixture and heat through.

8. Stir rice into vegetable mixture. Stir in basil and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined, tails intact
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • Sweet Chili Sauce
  • Apricot marmalade

BATTER:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup beer (substitute with mineral water or soda water — you may need a little extra)

COATING:

  • 1 cup shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened
  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, set aside.

3. In one shallow bowl, add 1/2 cup flour for dredging. In another shallow bowl, whisk the batter ingredients together until combined. The batter should resemble pancake consistency. If too thick, add a little extra beer or mineral water, whisking between each addition. In the third bowl, mix together the shredded coconut and bread crumbs.

4. Dredge in the flour (shake off excess), dip in the batter (shake off excess) and coat in the breadcrumb/coconut mixture. Lightly press the coconut onto the shrimp.

5. Place onto prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining shrimp. Arrange shrimp in a single layer and freeze until firm (about 30-45 minutes).

6. Air fry the shrimp 400˚F for 8-10 minutes or until hot and crisp.

7. Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce. Combining equal parts of sweet chili sauce and apricot marmalade.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Ingredients:

  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups prepared tomatoes (see step 1)
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
  • 4 cups stale Italian bread, crust removed and cut into cubes
  • Kosher salt & ground black pepper
  • Good extra virgin olive oil and ground black pepper for serving

Directions:

1. To prepare the tomatoes, plunge the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute or less. Drain them and, as soon as they are cool enough to handle, skin them, and cut them into coarse pieces.

2. In a large pot saute the onions in the oil over medium heat until they are translucent.

3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

4. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce the soup to a simmer and cook 20 minutes to thicken the tomatoes.

6. Add the broth and mix well, then cook another 10 minutes.

7. Add the bread cubes and basil, and then season with salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

8. Take a whisk and break up the bread to thicken the soup.

9. Serve the soup in individual bowls topped with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkling of cracked black pepper.

Tomato-Butter Sauce with Capellini

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, prepared as described below, or 2 cups canned imported Italian tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil and oregano)
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Parmesan Rind
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 lb capellini, cooked according to package instructions

Directions:

1. To prepare the tomatoes, plunge the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute or less. Drain them and, as soon as they are cool enough to handle, skin them, and cut them into coarse pieces.

2. Put either the prepared fresh tomatoes or the canned in a saucepan, add the butter, onion, herbs, rind, and salt, and cook uncovered at a very slow, but steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until it is thickened to your liking and the fat floats free from the tomato.

3. Stir from time to time, mashing up any large pieces of tomato with the back of a wooden spoon.

4. Taste and correct for salt. Before tossing with pasta, remove the onion and rind. Serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for the table.

Mint Chimichurri

Ingredients:

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 Serrano pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves, packed
  • 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, packed
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Place garlic and Serrano in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until chopped. Add the mint and parsley leaves and pulse until finely chopped.

2. Add the vinegar, salt, and black pepper to the mint parsley mixture. Start food processor and drizzle in the olive oil.

3. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Perfect to serve with lamb or steak!