Chocolate Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 (14 oz) package milk chocolate kisses
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsps vanilla extra
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Remove wrappers from milk chocolate kisses. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, sugars, and vanilla. Slowly add flour, blend until smooth.

3. Mild one TBSP of dough around each chocolate piece to cover. Shape into balls.

4. Place on increased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.

Braised Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken legs, thigh and drumstick together

• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

• All-purpose flour, for dredging

• 4 to 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• ¾ cup chicken stock or water

• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced

• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced

• 2 sprigs each rosemary and thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 3 cups chicken stock, or water

Directions:

1. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

2. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a cup or two of flour in a large bowl, add half the chicken and toss the thighs around to coat.

3. Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and allow to melt and foam. Shake excess flour off the chicken and slide into the hot pan in one layer; adjust the heat so the thighs are sizzling nicely. When the chicken begin to brown, after about 5 minutes, turn over to brown the other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter and repeat with remaining thighs, adding more butter if the pan seems dry.

4. Add the 3/4 stock or water to the skillet, scraping at the sticky bits. Let simmer over medium heat until pan is completely deglazed.

5. Add onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened nicely, approximately 10 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf and cook for a minute or so, then return all the chicken to the pan, skin side up and between 1 and 3 cups stock, enough to come up the sides of the chicken but not to get them swimming. Bring to a simmer and then put the skillet in the oven.

6. After 5 minutes or so, reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees and cook until chicken is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and serve.

Roasted Rutabaga with Brown Butter

Ingredients:

  • 1 large rutabaga
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped

Directions:

Heat the oven to 450°F. Peel the rutabaga with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, until the butter foams then browns into a nutty, toasty-smelling liquid.

Toss the rutabaga with the browned butter and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the rutabaga to a large baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Roast for 25 to 40 minutes or until browned and tender. Remove from the baking sheet and top with parsley.

Caprese Stuffed Pork Loin

Ingredients:

• 1 pork loin, butterflied

• 1 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced

• about 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

• 1 small red onion, sliced thin

• 1 large tomatoe, sliced

For marinade/reduction:

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1 cup spicy tomato sauce

• 2 TBSP Dijon mustard

• 2 TBSP onion powder

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar

• juice from 2 lemons

• 2 TBSP honey

• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:

  • Combine all marinade ingredients well.

• Place the loin in a large zipper bag and add the marinade to the bag.

• Squish around to combine/coat.

• Let rest 1-4 hours in fridge.

• Remove loin from bag and lay them out, opened. Reserve marinade from bag.

• Layer with basil, cheese, tomatoes and red onion slices.

• Roll up and tie or secure with butcher twine

• Put on a roasting pan

• Roast in a 450 oven for about 20 minutes, until internal temperature is at least 140.

• Meanwhile, pour all the reserved marinade from the bag, into a heavy sauce pan.

• Bring to a boil and reduce by about 1/2

• Slice pork and serve with the reduction.

Mediterranean Braised Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

    8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
    Kosher salt and ground black pepper
    3 tablespoons olive oil
    12 garlic cloves
    2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
    2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, plus more for garnish
    1 cup mixed Greek olives
    Juice of 1 lemon
    I cup chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

2. In a large ovenproof pan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all the thighs in a single layer, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic cloves to the pan and flip the thighs over. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and has gotten a little brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken and garlic from the pan and set aside.

3. With the pan still hot, add the broth, onions, and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have wilted and the brown bits on the bottom of the pan have loosened, 6 to 8 minutes. Nestle the thighs skin-side up in the onion mixture and add the garlic and the olives. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Scatter fresh oregano leaves over the top and serve.

Roasted Parsnips and Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 TBSP rosemary, chopped

• 1 tsp thyme, chopped

• pinch of salt, to taste

• 1 lb baby yellow potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

• 2 large parsnips peeled and cut into bite size pieces.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F

2. On the sheet pan, place the potatoes, parsnips, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and thyme and toss until the potatoes are fully coated.

3. Spread them in a single layer on the sheet pan and season lightly with salt.

4. Bake 25 minutes or until the veggies are fork tender. If you want some additional crispiness or color, broil for additional 3-5 minutes to preference.

Pork Butt Roast with Vegetables

Ingredients:

• garlic powder to taste

• 3-5 pounds pork butt roast

• 1 yellow onion, sliced

• 2 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2” pieces

• Salt and pepper

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 3 cups water

• 2 Tbsp canola oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Heat canola oil in a large dutch oven over high heat. Sprinkle pork on all sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder; rub into meat. Sear the meat on all sides until lightly brown. Transfer to a plate.

• Add broth to pan and deglaze. Add pork back to pan.

• Place onion slices over meat in the roasting pan. Add carrots and potatoes to pan. Fill the pan with the water. Cover and place in preheated oven for 3 hours. Remove and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

Braised Chicken With Leeks and Turnips

Ingredients:

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

• 4 chicken breasts

• Salt and pepper

• 1 Leek (thinly sliced and rinsed thoroughly)

• 2 medium Turnips (washed and cut into 1/2″ pieces)

• 2 Carrots (cut into 1/2″ pieces)

• 3 Garlic Cloves (smashed)

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 tsp dried tarragon

• 2 cups Chicken Stock

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• Season Chicken on both sides generously with salt and pepper.

• In a Dutch oven, heat a few tablespoons of Olive Oil over high. Place the chicken into the pan and brown in both sides. Then flip and cook until browned on the second side. Remove to a plate.

• Add the leeks, turnips and carrots to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with Salt.

• Toss in the Garlic and cook until fragrant. Deglaze with the vinegar, scraping up any brown bits. Add the chicken stock and tarragon.

• Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for in the oven 1 hour until chicken is tender and cooked through.

Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1 lbs. ground turkey

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning

• 2 sweet potatoes, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups broth (I used chicken broth)

• 1 14-ounce can black beans

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne for spice (more to taste)

    Cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a heavy, deep pot. Add the onion, turkey, 1 tablespoon chili powder, and 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. When the turkey is browned and crumbled and the onions are soft, remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Add the sweet potatoes to the same pot with the remaining spices and stir to combine. When the sweet potatoes have browned just slightly, add the garlic, water, and broth. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes or so, until the sweet potatoes are very soft. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency (you can also transfer to a regular blender and puree that way).

3. Add the browned turkey, black beans, and cayenne – stir to combine.

Veal and Pumpkin Ragú

Ingredients:

• 2 thick-cut slices of bacon, chopped

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup chopped carrot

• 1/2 cup chopped celery

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 3 large garlic cloves, minced

• Kosher salt

• 1 pound ground veal

• 1 sage sprig

• 1 parsley sprig

• 1 bay leaf

• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, divided

• One 15-ounce can pumpkin purée (or make fresh if you have the time)

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• Freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, cook the bacon in the oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ground veal, sage, parsley, bay leaf, and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains.

2. Add one cup of the stock to the casserole and cook, stirring, until nearly evaporated or about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and cook, stirring, until the liquid has reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining stock and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 8 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 more minutes. Discard the sage, parsley and bay leaf. Stir in the heavy cream and season the sauce with salt and pepper; keep warm over very low heat.

I served this sauce with homemade butternut squash gnocchi. (Recipe previously posted here) It would also be wonderful with any pasta!