7 Layer Dip

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch chopped green onions
• 1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained, and jalapenos
  
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 lb ground beef (I sometimes blend with hot Italian sausage)

Directions:

1. Brown meat seasoned with taco seasoning.
2. Add 1/2 the Salsa and 1/2 the cheese.
3. In the dish, spread he ingredients in separate layers, and top off with lives and jalapenos.

for an extra twist add Guacamole as a layer...

Salmon Salad

Ingredients:

4 Large Potatoes boiled and sliced
1 Medium Red Onion
4 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tbsp EVOO
1 Can Pink Salmon (drained)
3 Eggs hard boiled and sliced
Shredded Lettuce
salt and pepper



Directions:

1. Thinly slice onion and let sit in vinegar with a pinch of salt.
2. Boil potatoes (with or without the skin, whatever your preference) in salted water and slice. Let cool.

Time to plate your salad.

1. Add pepper and EVOO to onions.
2. On a bed of shredded lettuce, lay out the slices of potatoes
3. add a layer of sliced egg
4. place the drained salmon on top of eggs
5. top of with onions and vinaigrette

We serve chilled with white rice.

Enjoy!

Mexicali Mac n Cheese

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound hamburger
• 1 1/2 can pinto beans
• 2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 box elbow mac
• 1 mild chili seasoning packet
• foil paper
• Sour cream (if desired)
• Cayenne pepper (if desired)

• Cook mac leave a little hard.
  
• preheat oven to 350.
  
• Cook hamburger leaving it chunky.
• Mix the mac, chili seasoning and the meat. Stir. Add pinto beans, stir again. See if you need more mac and then either pour in all cheese and stir or save a little to put on the top five mins before its time to take out of oven.
  
• Cover with foil and stick it in for like 35 mins.
  
• Serve with sour cream,if you like.
  

Grilled Apple Crisp

You Will Need


10 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (about 8 medium)
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup cold butter
Vanilla ice cream, optional



What to Do


1. Place the apple slices on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 24 inches x 12 inches). In a small bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.

2. Fold foil around apple mixture and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

Green Beans with Shallots and Pancetta

Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed, strings removed (if any)
• Salt
• 2 ounces pancetta, diced very small
• 2-3 large shallots, chopped
• 2 teaspoons butter
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Blanch the beans in a large pot of boiling salted water 4 minutes, or until they are crisp tender. Note: Test one, if it is "chewy" keep the beans cooking a bit longer. If you are using French cut beans, or extra thin beans, they may not need to cook as long as 4 minutes; start testing them at 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. 
• Drain and place the beans in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. 
• Drain again and set aside. (At this point you can make the beans a day ahead, store in refrigerator.)
• Heat a large sauté pan on medium high heat. 
• Add the diced pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. 
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta from the pan to a plate.
• Add the shallots to the pan. Cook, stirring often, on medium high heat, in the fat rendered from the pancetta, until lightly browned.
• Add butter to the pan; add the drained green beans and pancetta. 
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
• Stir constantly until the beans are hot and are well mixed with the shallots and pancetta. 
• Serve immediately.

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups of pumpkin pulp purée from a sugar pumpkin* or from canned pumpkin purée
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream or 1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs plus the yolk of a third egg
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 1 good crust 

Direction

 

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Mix sugars, salt, and spices, and lemon zest in a large bowl. 
• Beat the eggs and add to the bowl. 
• Stir in the pumpkin purée. 
• Stir in cream. 
• Whisk all together until well incorporated.
•  Pour into pie shell and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. 
• After 15 minutes reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours.

Serve with whipped cream.


* To make pumpkin purée from a sugar pumpkin: start with a small-medium sugar pumpkin, cut out the stem and scrape out the insides, discard (save the seeds, of course). Cut into sections and steam in a saucepan with a couple inches of water at the bottom, until soft. Scoop out the pulp from the skin. Or you can bake whole or halved in a 350°F oven until fork tender. Optional - put pulp through a food mill or chinois to make extra smooth.

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Cranberry Relish

Ingredients

• 2 cups washed raw cranberries
• 2 skinned and cored tart apples
• 1 large, whole (peel ON) seedless orange, cut into sections
• 1 to 2 cups granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you would like your relish to be)

Method

• Set up the grinder with a medium-sized blade on the edge of a table with a large roasting pan or bowl to catch the mix as it grinds. These old fashioned grinders tend to leak some of the juice down the grinder base, so you may want to set up an additional pan on the floor under the grinder to catch the drips. 
• If you don't have an old-fashioned grinder you can use a grinder attachment on a KitchenAid mixer, you can chop by hand (though that will take a lot of work), or you can chop in a food processor (be very careful not to over-pulse, or you'll end up with mush).
• Run fruit through a grinder. Use the entire (seedless) orange, peels, pith and all.
• Mix in the sugar. 
• Let sit at room temperature until sugar dissolves, about 45 minutes.
• Store in the refrigerator.

 

Roasted Baby Carrots

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs of 5 inch long baby carrots, carefully washed, greens cropped to 1 inch above top of carrot
1 red onion, peeled, cut into 8 wedges
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary, or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 
2. Gently toss together the carrots, red onion, rosemary to coat with the olive oil. 
3. Lay out on a rimmed baking pan. 
4. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
5. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes on middle rack or bottom rack, until well browned.

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Onion Potato Gratin

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
3/4 pound onions, thinly sliced
1 cup (packed) grated Gruyere cheese (about 4 oz)
8 Tbsp (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 oz)
2/3 cup whipping cream

Direction

• Preheat oven to 400°F (unless preparing in advance).
• Combine Yukon Gold potatoes and sliced onions in heavy large saucepan. 
• Add enough water to cover. 
• Bring water to boil. 
• Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, about 3 minutes. 
• Drain potato onion mixture well.
• Arrange half of potato-onion mixture in 11x7 inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
• Sprinkle mixture with 1/3 cup Gruyere cheese and then 2 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese.
• Arrange remaining potato-onion mixture atop cheeses. 
• Pour cream over. 
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
• Sprinkle the remaining 2/3 cup of Gruyere and 6 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese.
•  

(Can be prepared 8 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate.)

• Bake gratin uncovered in 400°F oven until cream thickens, about 25 minutes. 
• Remove from oven. 
• Preheat broiler. 
• Broil gratin until top is golden, about 2 minutes.

 

Scalloped Potatoes

. .

Ingredients

3 Tbsp butter
2 lbs (about 4 medium sized) Russet potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 large yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional)
2 thick slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
2 1/2 cups grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
2 1/2 cups to 3 cups of half-and-half (half milk, half cream)
Salt and pepper

Method

• Preheat oven to 350°F. 
• Butter a large casserole dish with 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter.  
• Layer the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/3 of the potato slices. 
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
• Layer on 1/2 of the sliced onions and 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese. 
• Layer on 1/2 of the bacon, 1/2 of the parsley and chives. 
• Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.
• Repeat by layering on 1/3 of the potato slices, sprinkle again with salt and pepper. 
• Layer on the remaining sliced onions, 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese, the remaining bacon, parsley and chives. 
• Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.
• Top the casserole with the remaining potato slices. 
• Add the half and half. 
• Dot the potatoes with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter.
• Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for one hour. 
• After an hour, remove from the oven, remove the foil, sprinkle on the remaining Swiss and Parmesan cheese. 
• Return to the oven for an additional 30-40 minutes. 
• When done, the potatoes should be tender, but not mushy, and the liquid should be mostly absorbed.

**Tip** For a faster cooking time, you can parboil the sliced potatoes for 8 minutes first, patting them dry, before layering them in the casserole pan. In this case the total oven cooking time is about 35-45 minutes.

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour (can substitute 1/2 cup flour if you don't have almonds)
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, chilled in freezer for at least 15 minutes
1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar
3 to 6 Tbsp water, very cold

Filling Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 pounds of 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices of peeled and cored good cooking apples such as Granny Smith, Pippin, Golden Delicious
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Egg Wash
1 large egg yolk
1 Tbsp cream

Directions

• In a food processor, combine flour, almonds, salt and brown sugar, pulse to mix. 
• Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. 
• Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready, if not, add a little more water and pulse again.
• Remove dough from machine and place on a clean surface. 
• Carefully shape into 2 discs. Do not over-knead the dough! You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These bits of butter are what will allow the result crust to be flaky.
• Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F.
• Combine sugar, flour and spices in large bowl. 
• Use your hands and mix in the apples so they are well coated, then add brandy and vanilla extract.
• Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
• Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. 
• Gently fold in half. Place on to a 9-inch pie plate, lining up the fold with the center of the pan.
• Gently unfold and press down to line the pie dish with the dough.
• Spoon in apple filling, mounding slightly in center.
• Roll out second disk of dough, as before. 
• Gently turn over onto the top of the apples in the pie. 
• Pinch top and bottom of dough rounds firmly together. 
• Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. 
• Fold dough under itself so that the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork.
• Stir yolk and cream in small bowl to blend. 
• Brush over top of pie. 
• Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. 
• Bake pie until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F. 
• Tent the rims with aluminum foil or a pie protector if the edges are browning too quickly. Bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, anywhere from an additional 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the type of apples you are using. 
• Transfer to rack; let stand 1 hour. 
• Serve pie warm or at room temperature.

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Cumin-and-Oregano Rubbed Turkey

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

16-pound turkey, fresh or defrosted

3-4 cups Stuffing 

Kitchen string

Cumin Rub 

1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter



Directions

1. Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees
2. Remove any object in the cavity. Rinse the turkey inside and out with very cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
3.  Loosely stuff the turkey with the stuffing. 
4. Pull the legs together so that they overlap. 
5. Use the kitchen string to tie the legs together. 
6. Spoon any leftover stuffing into a buttered ovenproof casserole dish. Bake in a 350-degree oven, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. 
7.  Using your hands, gently rub about half to three quarters of the cumin rub over the exterior of the turkey, working it lightly into the skin. Reserve the remaining rub for basting the turkey during roasting. 
8. Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. 
9. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes until the skin starts to brown, then cover with aluminum foil. 
10. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the 3 sticks of butter over medium heat. 
11. Stir in the remaining rub.
12. Set aside, covered, to keep warm. Use a pastry brush to baste the turkey with the seasoned butter every 30 minutes during roasting. 
13. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and roast the turkey for about 4 ½ hours, or until the juices run clear when the meat is pricked, the leg joints feel loose, and a meat thermometer registers 180 degrees when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh.
14. Check the stuffing: the thermometer should register 165 degrees when inserted into the center of the stuffing. 

 

 

CUMIN RUB

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons cumin

5 tablespoons dried oregano

3 tablespoons smoked paprika (hot)

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons fresh-cracked pepper

¼ cup olive oil 

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Combine the seasonings and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and stir to mix well. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 4 graham crackers)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg yolk

Filling

• 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups (1 pound) brown sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree*
• 2 tablespoons bourbon or other whiskey

Pan

• 1 9-inch diameter, 3-inch tall springform pan

* You can make your own pumpkin purée by cutting a sugar pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds, placing the pumpkin halves cut-side down in a roasting pan with a 1/4 inch of water in it, and cooking it in a 350°F oven for an hour, until soft. Scoop out the flesh and purée it in a blender or food processor. Strain out excess water.

Direction

1. Pulse pecans, flour, sugar, and crumbs in a food processor. 
2. Add butter and egg yolk. Pulse until mixture is homogenous. 
3. Press into bottom of 9” springform pan and bake for 10 minutes at 375°F. 
4. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Drain or strain any liquid from pumpkin purée. 
6. Take pumpkin purée and place on several layers of paper towels. 
7. Cover with several layers of paper towels and use your hands to gently squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the purée. Not that you will probably go through a lot of paper towels (can use tea towels too). Two 15-ounce cans of puréed pumpkin should yield a little more than 2 cups of purée, with the excess moisture removed. You want exactly 2 cups of the purée.
8. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, grated nutmeg, and allspice in a medium bowl. 
9. With a wooden spoon (no need for a mixer for this step), mix in the salt, pumpkin purée, vanilla, and bourbon. 
10. Beat in the eggs.
11. In a large bowl, (helps to use a mixer for this step) combine the cream cheese and the brown sugar until fully creamed and smooth (no lumps). 
12. Gradually add the pumpkin mixture until fully incorporated. 
13. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
14. Place crust-baked springform pan in the middle of two layers of large sheets of aluminum foil (to help prevent water-bath moisture from leaking into the pan). 
15. Fold the aluminum foil up the sides of the pan and trim. 
16. Place the aluminum wrapped pan in a large roasting pan (large enough so that there is room on all sides). 
17. Pour the pumpkin cream cheese mixture into the springform pan.
18. Place the roasting pan containing the springform pan in a 325°F oven on the middle rack. 
19. Pour boiling water into the pan so that it comes halfway up the side of the springform pan. 
20. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. 
21. Turn off the oven heat and prop the oven door open. 
22. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven, cooling for another hour. 
23. Then remove from oven and let come to room temperature. 
24. Once it has cooled down, chill for several hours in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
25. When ready to serve, gently remove the cake from the springform pan...To help ensure that the cake doesn't stick to the springform side as you unlock it, first run a blunt knife around the cake and then warm the sides of the pan with a hair dryer. Then carefully unlock the springform and lift off the sides.

Caramelized Nut Tart Recipe

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons ice water


Filling Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds
Whipped cream (optional)
9 1/2 inch tart pan with removable bottom

 

 

Direction:

Crust:

• Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in processor. 
• Add butter. Using pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. 
• Mix in vanilla and enough ice water by tablespoonfuls to form moist clumps. 
• Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. 
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. 
• Roll dough out on floured surface to 12-inch round. 
• Transfer dough to 9 1/2-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. 
• Fold overhang in and press, forming high-standing double-thick sides. 
• Pierce dough all over with fork. 
• Freeze 15 minutes.
• Bake crust until set but still pale in color, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. Increase oven temperature to 400°F

Filling:

• Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. 
• Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. 
• Increase heat. Boil without stirring until caramel is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. 
• Reduce heat to medium.Gradually whisk in cream (mixture will bubble). 
• Stir until caramel is smooth. 
• Add butter, honey and vanilla. 
• Stir until well blended. Mix in all nuts.
• Pour caramel mixture into crust. 
• Bake until entire filling bubbles, about 20 minutes. 
• Cool completely on rack.

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Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of (fresh or frozen) green beans, trimmed
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Method

• Cook the green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. 
• Drain the beans and transfer them to a large bowl of ice water, cooling them completely. (The ice water will shock the beans into a vibrant green color.) 
• Drain the beans well. At this point you can make the beans a day ahead and store in refrigerator.
• Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. 
• Whisk in half of the fresh thyme (1 Tbsp), the Dijon mustard and garlic salt into the butter. 
• Add the beans to the skillet and toss until heated through, about 4 minutes. 
• Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and the remaining 1 Tbsp of thyme.

 

Butternut Squash Apple Cranberry Bake

 

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 large tart cooking apples cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (half a stick) butter
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace (can substitute ground nutmeg)

Direction

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Slice and peel squash and apples.
3. Put squash cubes in ungreased 7x11-inch baking dish. 
4. Place apples on top and then cranberries. 
5. Mix the flour, salt, sugar, and mace and sprinkle on top. 
6. Dot with butter. 
7. Bake 50-60 minutes.

 

Perfect Pie Crust

All Butter Crust for Sweet and Savory Pies (Pâte Brisée)

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 6 to 8 Tbsp ice water

Direction

• Cut the sticks of butter into 1/2-inch cubes and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to an hour (the longer the better) so that they become thoroughly chilled.

Dough is ready to shape.

• Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, add a little more water and pulse again.

• Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. Gently shape into 2 discs. Knead the dough just enough to form the discs, do not over-knead. You should be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These small chunks of butter are what will allow the resulting crust to be flaky. Sprinkle a little flour around the discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days.

• Remove one crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes in order to soften just enough to make rolling out a bit easier. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. If necessary, add a few sprinkles of flour under the dough to keep the dough from sticking. Carefully place onto a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press the pie dough down so that it lines the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the pie dish.

• Add filling to the pie.

• Roll out second disk of dough, as before. Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie. Pinch top and bottom of dough rounds firmly together. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork. Score the top of the pie with four 2-inch long cuts, so that steam from the cooking pie can escape.

All Butter Crust with Almonds

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds or almond flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar
• 6 to 8 Tbsp ice water, very cold

Follow directions as for the All Butter Crust Pâte Brisée, but with the above ingredients. Include the ground almonds in with the flour and the salt and sugar in step 2 above.

To Pre-Bake a Pie Crust

If your recipe calls for a pre-baked crust, as many custard pie recipes do, follow all the steps above until you get to the point where it says to put in the filling. Note that you will need to make only a half recipe if you are only doing a bottom crust. Freeze the crust it for at least a half hour, until chilled. This is an important step in pre-baking. Otherwise the crust will slip down the sides.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. When the pie crust is sufficiently chilled, line the pie crust with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil. Fill at least two-thirds full with pie weights - dry beans, rice, or stainless-steel pie weights. Bake with weights for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cool a few minutes and carefully remove pie weights. Poke small holes in the bottom of the pie crust with a fork and return to oven (without the weights) and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the crust is golden. Cool completely before filling. You may need to tent the edges of the pie with aluminum foil when you bake your pie, to keep the edges from getting too dried out and burnt.

Combination Butter and Shortening Crust

Ingredients for one double-crust 9 inch or 10 inch pie:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 cup (a stick and a half) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup of all-vegetable shortening (8 Tbsp)
• 6-8 Tablespoons ice water

• Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. 
• Add the butter and pulse 4 times. 
• Add shortening in tablespoon sized chunks, and pulse 4 more times. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no bigger than peas. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture. Pulse a couple times. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, keep adding water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until the mixture just begins to clump together.
• Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. 
• Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten each into 4 inch wide disks. Do not over-knead the dough! Dust the disks lightly with flour, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 2 days before rolling out.
• After the dough has chilled in the refrigerator for an hour, you can take it out to roll. If it is too stiff, you may need to let it sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before rolling. 
• Sprinkle a little flour on a flat, clean work surface and on top of the disk of dough you intend to roll out.  
• Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough to make sure it is not sticking. You have a big enough piece of dough when you place the pie tin or pie dish upside down on the dough and the dough extends by at least 2 inches all around.
• When the dough has reached the right size, gently fold it in half. Lift up the dough and place it so that the folded edge is along the center line of the pie dish. 
• Gently unfold. Do not stretch the dough.
• If you are only making a single crust pie, use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the lip of the dish. Tuck the overhang underneath itself along the edge of the pie dish. Use your fingers in a pinching motion, or the tines of a fork to crimple the edge of the pie crust. 
• If you are making a double crust pie, roll out the second disk of dough. Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie. Use a kitchen scissors to trim the overhang to an inch over. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Finish the double crust by pressing against the edges of the pie with your finger tips or with a fork.
• Use a sharp knife to cut vents into the top of the pie crust, so the steam has a place to escape while the pie is cooking.   
•  

Optional Before scoring, you may want to paint the top of your crust with an egg wash (this will make a nice finish).

Egg Wash

A lovely coating for a pie can be achieved with a simple egg wash.

• 1 Tbsp heavy cream, half and half, or milk
• 1 large egg yolk

Beat egg yolk with cream and brush on the surface of the pie with a pastry brush.

 

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered length-wise
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 Tbsp heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp milk
• Salt and Pepper
• A potato masher
  

Directions

• Put potatoes into a saucepan. 
• Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. 
• Add water until potatoes are covered. 
• Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, or until done - a fork can easily be poked through them.
• Warm cream and melt butter, together, either in microwave or in a pan on the stove. 
• Drain water from potatoes. 
• Put hot potatoes into a bowl. 
• Add cream and melted butter. 
• Use potato masher to mash potatoes until well mashed. 
• Use a strong spoon to beat further, adding milk to achieve the consistency you desire. (Do not over-beat or your potatoes will get gluey.) 
• Salt and pepper to taste.

 **Tip..Starchy potatoes, like russets, have high starch and low water. Starchy potatoes are great for baking and French fries, and good as mashed potatoes. When cooked in water, they disintegrate; when cooked by dry heat, they become crumbly and fluffy. All-purpose, or chef's potatoes, like Yukon Golds, have medium starch and medium water. All-purpose potatoes are great in stews, soups, mashed potatoes, or for roasting. When cooked, they are at once moist and fluffy: they keep most of their shape in soups and don't dry out when baked.

Baked Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 1 Acorn squash
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
• Dash of Salt

Method

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. 
• Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. 
• Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. 
• Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. 
• Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.
• Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. 
• Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. 
• Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. 
• Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.
• Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. 
• When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas.

Yucca Stuffing

Looking for a less traditional Thanksgiving side.. and with a Latino flare to boot??

 

Inredients

 

4 lb fresh yuca (also called cassava; preferably 2 inches in diameter) or 3 lb frozen cubed

6 slices bread moist with ½ cup hot milk
1/2 pound cured ham good for cooking
2 pounds ground pork (without fat)
1/4 cup chopped cilantrillo or cilantro
1/4 cup chopped culantro (or long-leaved flat Chinese parsley)
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
2 chopped tomatoes
1 green pimento, seeded and chopped
1 chopped red pimento
1 onion chopped
1 tablespoon drained cocktail capers
10 stuffed green onions, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 can pimentos, drained and sliced.
salt and pepper to taste
Sofrito



Directions

• Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Combine yucca and bread. 
• Sauté tbsp of Sofrito.
• Add the ham. 
• Add the ground meat with a little bit of salt and pepper and sauté until it changes color. 
• Add the cilantrillo, culantro, oregano, tomatoes, green and red pimento, the onion and capers. 
• Cook for approximately 15 minutes. 
• Drain milk from the yucca/bread mixture and add the solids to the meat mixture. 
• Cook for additional 5 minutes. 
• Add all the remaining ingredients, mix well and let cool slightly. 
• Stuff and truss the turkey. 
• Put the remaining stuffing in a greased baking pan and bake with the turkey, at 350 for 30 minutes. 
• Uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and keep covered until ready to serve with the turkey, which will take longer to cook.

Chocolate Nachos

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 6-inch flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup butter (no substitutes), melted
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 2 teaspoons shortening

Directions

1. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush one side of each tortilla with melted butter; sprinkle with sugar mixture. Cut each tortilla into eight wedges. Arrange half of the wedges in a single layer on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned (wedges will crisp upon standing).
2. Meanwhile, melt chocolate pieces and shortening in a small saucepan. Remove wedges from oven. Spread in an even layer on a serving platter; cool slightly. Drizzle with half of the melted chocolate mixture.
3. Arrange remaining wedges in a single layer on the same 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake as directed above. Spread in an even layer on a second serving platter; cool slightly. Drizzle with remaining melted chocolate mixture. Serve warm or cool. Makes 64 wedges.

Bloody Maria

Juice of 4 limes
Juice of 3 lemons
60 ounces tomato juice or V8.. (We like to use the spicy)
21 ounces vodka (for an extra kick you can infuse your vodka
with hot peppers for a few days before preparing)
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and Crushed Black Pepper to Taste
2 tablespoon prepared horseradish


This makes about 1 Gallon. Mix all ingredients, and serve with ice and garnish with celery stalks.. Enjoy..
Also good as virgin drink, minus the vodka.

Use within two days.