Ingredients

• 2 pints ripe, well-rinsed strawberries

• ½ cup sugar, or more to taste

• 4 cups flour

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 5teaspoons baking powder

• 1 ¼cups butter

• 3 cups whipping or heavy cream or canned whipped cream or topping 

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Instructions

1. Start with the strawberries: Stir the strawberries and 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and set in the refrigerator until ready to use. This time allows the strawberries to release their delicious juices.

2. Make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl or in a large food processor. Whisk or pulse until combined. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or by pulsing several times in the processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. If you used a food processor, pour the mixture into a large bowl.

3. Pour buttermilk on top. Fold everything together with a large spoon or rubber spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots. Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface in this step. Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle as best you can. Fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4 inch thick rectangle.

4. Cut into 2.75 or 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. (Tip: Do not twist the biscuit cutter when pressing down into the dough.) Re-roll/flatten any scraps and cut more circles until you have around 10-12 biscuits.

5. Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (see note) or close together on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat lined baking sheet. Make sure the biscuits are touching.

6. Brush the tops with 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven, then cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before assembling.

7. Make the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft-medium peaks form, about 3 minutes.

8. Slice the biscuits in half and layer with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cold milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding packages

• 1 14 oz sweetened condensed milk

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1 11 oz vanilla wafers

• 4 fresh bananas

• 3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Supplies

1. In a large bowl, beat the cold milk with vanilla extract and vanilla pudding packets until it thickens. Pour in the condensed milk and beat to combine.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Add about two-thirds of the whipped cream into the pudding and gently fold in with a spatula.

3. Add the powdered sugar into the remaining one-third whipped cream and fold with a spatula to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

4. Add about 1/4th of the vanilla wafers into the bottom of your trifle bowl and about 1/4th of the bananas.

5. Spread 1/4 of the pudding over the bananas/wafers. Repeat with remaining layers until you have four layers.

6. Add the reserved whipped cream over top of pudding and decorate as desired. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour 360g, divided 2 1/2 cups for crust and 1/2 cup for filling

• 2/3 cups powdered sugar 66g, for the shortbread, plus more for dusting

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 12 tbsp unsalted butter melted, 170g

• 3 tbsp lemon zest zest of three lemons

• 3 cups sugar 600g

• 8 eggs large, room temperature

• 1 cup lemon juice fresh, 240mL

Equipment

• 9x13 pan

• Food processor

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350F and line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together 2 1/2 cups of flour (300g) with the powdered sugar and salt, then pour in the melted butter and mix until combined. You can also do this using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. If you'd like a dash of vanilla can be added in with the butter at this step.

3. Sprinkle the dough into your lined pan and press down into a flat layer. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes or until a light golden color.

4. While the crust is baking add the sugar to a food processor and add the zest of three lemons. Pulse until the zest is fully incorporated and sugar is a light yellow color. If you don't have a processor just mince the zest and mix with the sugar in a bag or bowl.

5. Add the sugar and remaining half cup of flour to a large bowl and mix well. You can sift together however and zesty sugar bits will need to get dumped out of the sifter as they might clog things up and not go through.

6. Pour in the lemon juice and add the eggs then mix very well until completely combined.

7. Pour the filling onto the warm crust then transfer to oven and bake for about 25 minutes, turning halfway through the bake. Remove from oven and allow to cool for an hour before chilling in the refrigerator for two hours.

8. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars using a clean, sharp, damp knife. Clean and re-wet the knife after each cut.

Ingredients/Supplies

• 300g/10½oz plain flour, sieved

• pinch of salt

• 175g/6oz brown sugar

• 200g/7oz unsalted butter at room temperature, cubed, plus a little for greasing

For the filling

• 450g/1lb apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm/½in pieces

• 50g/2oz brown sugar

• 1 tbsp plain flour

• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F

2. Place the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Place the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.

4. Butter a 24cm/9in ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.

5. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.

6. Serve with thick cream or custard.

Ingredients

• 2pints ripe, well-rinsed strawberries

• ½cup sugar, or more to taste

• 4cups flour

• 3tablespoons sugar

• ¼teaspoon salt

• 5teaspoons baking powder

• 1¼cups butter

• 3cups whipping or heavy cream or canned whipped cream or topping 

• ¼teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Instructions

1. Start with the strawberries: Stir the strawberries and 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and set in the refrigerator until ready to use. This time allows the strawberries to release their delicious juices.

2. Make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl or in a large food processor. Whisk or pulse until combined. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or by pulsing several times in the processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. If you used a food processor, pour the mixture into a large bowl.

3. Pour buttermilk on top. Fold everything together with a large spoon or rubber spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots. Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface in this step. Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle as best you can. Fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4 inch thick rectangle.

4. Cut into 2.75 or 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. (Tip: Do not twist the biscuit cutter when pressing down into the dough.) Re-roll/flatten any scraps and cut more circles until you have around 10-12 biscuits.

5. Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (see note) or close together on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat lined baking sheet. Make sure the biscuits are touching.

6. Brush the tops with 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven, then cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before assembling.

7. Make the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft-medium peaks form, about 3 minutes.

8. Slice the biscuits in half and layer with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 3 medium leeks halved lengthwise, washed, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 5 cups); roughly chop and set aside dark green parts

• 1 pound chopped asparagus, tough ends snapped off and reserved

• 2 cups frozen baby peas, thawed

• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup water

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

• 1⁄2 teaspoon finely grated zest, plus 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Table salt

• 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• Ground black pepper

• 1 pound campanelle or similar pasta

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus extra for serving

Instructions

1. Place dark green leek trimmings, asparagus trimmings, 1 cup peas, 2 teaspoons garlic, vegetable broth, and water in large saucepan.

2. Bring to simmer over high heat, then lower heat to medium-low and gently simmer 10 minutes.

3. While broth simmers, combine mint, chives, and lemon zest in small bowl; set aside.

4. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into 8-cup measuring cup or bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible (you should have 5 cups broth; add water as needed to measure 5 cups). Discard solids and return broth to saucepan. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering.

6. Add sliced leeks and pinch salt; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until leeks begin to brown (about 5 minutes).

7. Add asparagus pieces and cook until crisp-tender (4 to 6 minutes).

8. Add remaining 2 teaspoons garlic and pepper flakes; cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add remaining cup peas and continue to cook 1 minute.

9. Transfer vegetables to plate and set aside.

10. Wipe out pot.

11. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in now-empty Dutch oven/pot over medium heat until shimmering.

12. Add pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown (about 5 minutes).

13. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed (about 2 minutes).

14. When wine is fully absorbed, add hot broth.

15. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil.

16. Cook, stirring frequently, until most of liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente (8 to 10 minutes).

17. Remove pot from heat, stir in lemon juice, Parmesan, half of herb mixture, and vegetables.

18. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

19. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan cheese and remaining herb mixture separately.

Ingredients

• Tbsp butter

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 lb. ground beef

• 1/3 green bell pepper, minced

• 1/2 large yellow onion, minced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

• 2/3 cup ketchup

• 1/3 cup water

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or less, if you prefer)

• 1 tsp yellow mustard

•  3/4 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce optional

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

•  1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• dash of hot sauce (optional)

• Hamburger buns 

Instructions

1.  Heat butter and oil in large skillet over MED/MED-HIGH heat.  Add beef and brown, breaking apart into crumbles as it cooks, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to colander to drain.

2. Add onion and bell pepper to same skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, until soft.  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or so, until fragrant.  Add beef back to the skillet and add tomato paste.  Stir well.

3. Add ketchup, water, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes (if using), and black pepper.  Stir well to combine.

4. Cook over MED heat for 10-15 minutes, until mixture has thickened to your liking.  Remove from heat and serve over toasted buns.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cold milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding packages

• 1 14 oz sweetened condensed milk

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1 11 oz vanilla wafers

• 4 fresh bananas

• 3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat the cold milk with vanilla extract and vanilla pudding packets until it thickens. Pour in the condensed milk and beat to combine.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Add about two-thirds of the whipped cream into the pudding and gently fold in with a spatula.

3. Add the powdered sugar into the remaining one-third whipped cream and fold with a spatula to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

4. Add about 1/4th of the vanilla wafers into the bottom of your trifle bowl and about 1/4th of the bananas.

5. Spread 1/4 of the pudding over the bananas/wafers. Repeat with remaining layers until you have four layers.

6. Add the reserved whipped cream over top of pudding and decorate as desired. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Ingredients

• 5 ounces rustic sourdough bread, cut into 1.5 inch pieces

• 10 cups plus 8 cups water, divided
• 4 cups ice
  
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 2 cups fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  
• 1 small leek, white and light green parts sliced into 1⁄8-inch-thick rounds and washed thoroughly; top sliced thin and washed thoroughly
  
• 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces; fronds chopped coarse
  
• 1⁄4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  
• 1.5 teaspoons pepper
  
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick rounds
  
• 4 cups vegetable broth
  
• 4 ounces thick asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced into 1⁄8-inch-thick rounds
  
• 4 ounces snap peas, strings removed, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
  

Crouton Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.

2. Arrange bread in even layer on rimmed baking sheet, spacing pieces at least 1⁄2 inch apart, and transfer to oven.

3. Broil until bread is charred on top, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Flip bread pieces and continue to broil until bottom is charred, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Cooking Instructions

1. Bring 10 cups water to boil in large saucepan over high heat.

2. Meanwhile, set up ice bath by combining 8 cups water and ice in large bowl.

3. Add 1 tablespoon salt, baking soda, parsley leaves, leek top, and fennel fronds to boiling water and cook for 1 minute.

4. Drain blanched tops and parsley in fine mesh strainer or colander and immediately transfer, still in strainer, to ice bath. (Keeping the tops and parsley in the strainer or colander makes retrieving them from the ice bath much easier.)

5. Transfer 1 cup ice and 1 cup water to blender. (This recipe can also be made without blending the vegetables).

6. Remove blanched tops and parsley from ice bath, squeeze out excess water, and transfer to blender.

7. Process on high speed until fairly smooth, about 1 minute.

8. Stop blender and scrape down sides of blender jar with rubber spatula.

9. With blender running on high speed, slowly drizzle in 1⁄4 cup oil.

10. Continue to process until mixture is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds longer.

11. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, transfer puree to small bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use.

12. Heat 3 tablespoons oil and pepper in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until pepper begins to sizzle, about 1 minute.

13. Add leek and garlic and season lightly with salt.

14. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Add carrots and fennel and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened at edges, about 3 minutes.

15. Add vegetable broth, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to simmer, about 5 minutes.

16. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until carrots and fennel are slightly tender but still firm, about 3 minutes.

17. Add asparagus, snap peas, vinegar, and green puree to soup and stir to combine.

18. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

19. Divide soup and charred croutons among warmed shallow bowls, arranging croutons in single layer in soup (croutons should not be completely submerged in soup, so they remain crunchy on top side).

20. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• Seasonings : salt, pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, bay leaves

• 1 lb Cajun smoked sausage

• 3-4 lbs chicken thighs - skin them

• 1 green bell pepper

• 1 large yellow onion

• 4-5 stalks of celery

• ~9c of chicken broth

• 1c of rendered Duck fat (…can substitute neutral oil like butter or canola)

• 1/2(+) c  flour

Note: if not making the roux, store bought roux is acceptable, but might not be as good!

For serving:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
  

Optional:

• Hot sauce

• Balsamic vinegar
• Green onions
• Parsley

Pre work before class:

• Dice all vegetables

• Skin the chicken thighs

• Cut into small discs and brown the sausage

Cooking Instructions

I. Prep

1. Slice in about ¼ inch disks and brown the sausage - not too hot; remove sausage and when cool save in the refrigerator until nearly the end of the process.

2. Salt, then brown the chicken thighs in the same pan; don’t worry about the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.

**Veggies need to be cut and ready to go before you start the roux.

II. Roux

If making the roux, you need a minimum of 30 uninterrupted minutes for this process. I recommend having some music you like and a glass of wine or your favorite cocktail... you only need one hand free to stir. 🙂

1. prepare on a medium heat on a big burner in the same pan as you browned the meats.

   Use a flat metal/wooden spoon for this process.

2. Add the duck fat and flour and stir constantly for approximately 30 minutes.

**It should look like a melted chocolate bar when done. A dark roux is what provides the rich flavor of the gumbo. Here is a quick clip of what we'll be going for!

** Turn heat down if it smokes.

** Immediately when the "chocolate" color has been achieved, turn the temperature to the lowest setting and add veggies immediately just before it burns to cool the temperature.


III. Transformation into Gumbo

1. When veggies have been stirred in, add the stock slowly. If you go too fast it’s called : breaking the roux. Stock should be slightly warmed or at least room temperature(not cold); stir pot constantly, and add stock at about 1/8 cup at a time at first …GO SLOW!

2. Raise temperature to medium. You can start incorporating more stock (1/2 cup at a time) when you are sure that the roux has not broken.

3. When all of the stock is in, then you add the chicken.

4. Add two bay leaves and ~1 t salt.

5. At this point, you can stop stirring constantly and let the chicken simmer for 45 minutes-one hour on medium heat.  Stir periodically.

6. After 45 minutes; turn low to simmer. Pull chicken out and shred chicken off the bone w/ two forks.

7. Discard bones and add back the shredded chicken.

8. Add additional seasonings (about a teaspoon of everything except cayenne and black pepper – about 1/2 t of pepper and 1/8 t of cayenne to start; add more seasonings to taste at the end as desired).

9. Gumbo will then simmer for another 30 minutes.

10. Add the sausage and taste/add more seasonings if needed.

**For class, when cool, store in the refrigerator to serve the next day.

III. Finishing Touches

1. Warm and add more seasonings if desired.

2. Before serving, you can add a bit of balsamic vinegar if desired (~1-2 Tablespoons).

3. Serve with about a 1/2 cup of cooked white rice on the top of each bowl

4. optional: add hot sauce to taste, and garnish with green onions/parsley on top of the rice

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter (113g) 
  

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped (168g)
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
  
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

Supplies

• Ramekins

• Baking sheet

• Double boiler

• Electric or stand mixer

• Mixing bowls

Cooking Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450F. Butter and lightly flour 6 (4- to 5-ounce) ramekins and place them on a baking sheet.

• Combine the butter and chocolate in a double boiler and melt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Or, place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 30-seconds until melted. Whisk together until smooth.

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until thick and pale yellow. Fold the chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture until well combined. Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins.

• Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the sides of the cakes are firm set but the center is jiggly. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute.

• Place a small dessert plate over the top of each ramekin and carefully turn it over, inverting the cake onto the plate. Let stand for about 10 seconds, then remove the ramekin to unmold the cakes. Sift powdered sugar on top and garnish with berries, if desired. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 (15 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

Optional Toppings

• shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• sliced green onions
• saltine crackers or oyster crackers

Supplies

• Large pot
• Long spoon, preferably wooden

Cooking Instructions

1. Add the olive oil to a large soup pot and place it over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the ground beef to the pot. Break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the beef is browned, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and optional cayenne. Stir until well combined.

4. Add the broth, diced tomatoes (with their juice), drained beans, and tomato sauce. Stir well.

5. Bring the liquid to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat (low to medium-low) to gently simmer the chili, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Remove the pot from the heat. Let the chili rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
   

Ingredients

• 8 small Granny Smith apples, or as needed

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• ½ cup white sugar

• ½ cup packed brown sugar

• ¼ cup water

• Roll our prepared pie crust in refrigerated section of supermarket

Supplies

• Knife & cutting board
• Bowl
• Spoon
• Pie pan or baking dish for the pie

Baking Instructions

1. Gather the ingredients. Peel and core apples, then thinly slice. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir to form a paste; cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add both sugars and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3. Press one pastry into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out remaining pastry so it will overhang the pie by about 1/2 inch. Cut pastry into eight 1-inch strips.

4. Place sliced apples into the bottom crust, forming a slight mound. Lay four pastry strips vertically and evenly spaced over apples, using longer strips in the center and shorter strips at the edges.

5. Make a lattice crust: Fold the first and third strips all the way back so they're almost falling off the pie. Lay one of the unused strips perpendicularly over the second and fourth strips, then unfold the first and third strips back into their original position.

6. Fold the second and fourth vertical strips back. Lay one of the three unused strips perpendicularly over top. Unfold the second and fourth strips back into their original position.

7. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 to weave in the last two strips of pastry. Fold and trim excess dough at the edges as necessary, and pinch to secure.

8. Slowly and gently pour sugar-butter mixture over lattice crust, making sure it seeps over sliced apples. Brush some onto lattice, but make sure it doesn't run off the sides.

9. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until apples are soft, 35 to 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar*

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

• 3/4 teaspoons sea salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup canola oil or extra-virgin olive oil**

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Supplies

• 8x8 baking dish

• cooking spray
• parchment paper
• medium bowl
• large bowl
• whisk
• mixing spoon
• spatula
• toothpick

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish (not a 9x9 dish or your brownies will overcook) with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and salt.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, water, and vanilla.

5. Sprinkle the dry mix over the wet mix and stir until just combined.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it'll be thick - that's ok) and use a spatula to smooth the top.

7. Bake for 40 to 48 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached (note: it's better to pull the brownies out early than to leave them in too long).

8. Cool completely before slicing.
   
   *** Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2⅔ cups all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup whole blanched almonds

• 1 tube red decorator gel optional

Supplies

• Large bowl

• Electric mixer

• Medium bowl

• Whisk

Baking Instructions

1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer at medium speed to combine the butter, sugar, egg, almond and vanilla extracts.

2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour and salt. Add to the wet mixture and beat just until moistened. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or lightly grease them.)

4. Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping the remainder refrigerated, roll a heaping teaspoonful of dough into a finger shape for each cookie. Press a blanched almond firmly into 1 end to create almond fingernail. Squeeze in the center to create a “knuckle” shape. Using a small knife, make slashes in several places to complete the look of the knuckle.

5. Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. Lift up the almond, squeeze red decorator gel onto the nail bed and press the almond back in place at the end of each finger, so gel oozes out from underneath. If you want to get really gross, you can also make slashes in the finger and fill them with “blood.”

Ingredients

• chocolate chip cookies

• 1 can vanilla frosting

• red food coloring

• mini marshmallows

• slivered almonds

  
  - Or -
  
  

• apples

• peanut butter

• mini marshmallows

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch Homemade pie crust , or store-bought, deep dish, unbaked

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 large eggs

• 15 ounce can canned pumpkin

• 12 ounce can evaporated milk

Optional Toppings

• Can of whipped cream the refrigerated section, or kool whip from the freezer section

Supplies

• Pie pan or dish to cook pie
• Large Bowl
• Spoon

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl beat the eggs and pumpkin together.  In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves, and add to pumpkin mixture. 

3. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk. Carefully pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. 

4. Bake at 425 degrees F for for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes longer, or until the pie is set. Check for doneness by giving the pie a gentle wiggle. The center may jiggle just a tiny bit. It will continue to set up as it cools. Or, it is done when a sharp knife inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Cool completely on a wire cooling rack. Serve immediately with whipped cream and caramel pecan topping, if desired.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 1 cup diced yellow onion

• 1 cup carrots

• 1 cup diced celery

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 cup of half and half or milk

• 1 (32 oz) quart chicken stock

• 4 cups shredded cooked chicken, Rotisserie or any cooked chicken 

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, optional

• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste

• salt, to taste

Homemade Dumplings

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon, baking powder

• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, optional

• ¾ cup (6 oz) whole milk

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Supplies

• Large cooking pot or dutch oven

• Medium bowl

• Whisk

• Wooden spoon or rubber spatula

Cooking Instructions

1.  In a large heavy bottomed pot like a dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables being to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

2. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the evaporated milk and chicken stock, stirring to combine. You are making a roux to thicken the soup and make it creamy. It's very important to keep stirring to prevent burning or lumps!

3. Bring to a boil and add the chicken, thyme, black pepper and salt. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer, uncovered, while you make the dumplings. 

4. In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, pepper, salt and thyme. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the milk and butter into the center of it. 

5. Using a wooden spoon (or rubber spatula), stir together until a dough ball forms. If your dough seems too dry, you can add an extra tablespoon of milk. 

6. Scoop dough and drop directly into the simmering soup. Place them around the pot, not all in the same place. Once all dumplings have been added, gently press them down so the soup runs over just the tops of them. You can also use two spoons to scoop the dumplings, using one spoon to scoop and the other to push the dough into the pot. Try to keep the dough balls the same size for even cooking.

7. Place the lid on your pot and lower the heat to a low simmer. You don’t want the bottom of the soup to burn, but want the soup to still be simmering (a low bubble) to cook the dumplings. 

8. Cook dumplings for 15 minutes with the pot lid on. Gently stir the soup/dumplings and cut one dumpling in half to make sure they are cooked through. About half way through the cook time, I will usually open the lid once and press the dumplings back under the broth. I will also break up any dumplings that may be sticking together.

9. If the dumplings are cooked through, serve hot! If not, cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes and check again.

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• Powdered sugar, for coating

Supplies

• 9x13 Baking Dish

• Mixer or whisk

• Spatula

• Parchment Paper

Baking Instructions

• Step 1 – Prepare Pecans

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Place chopped pecans in a 9-by-13-inch metal baking dish.

• Step 2 – Toast Pecans

  • Roast in the oven until the pecans have a nutty aroma and are lightly toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

• Step 3 – Make Cookie Dough

  • Beat butter and sugar together until lightened and creamy. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add vanilla extract and salt; beat to combine. Add flour and cooled toasted pecans, and mix on low until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

• Step 4 – Scoop Cookies

  • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop and shape dough into 1 inch balls, pressing the dough in your hands. (Note: the dough will be very crumbly, so you will be pressing the dough balls into spheres instead of rolling them between your palms.) Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets.

• Step 5 – Bake Cookies

  • Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

• Step 6 – Roll Cookies in Powdered Sugar

  • Allow cookies to cool until just cool enough to handle but still quite warm. Roll each cookie in powdered sugar, putting the cookie back on the baking sheet after it's coated in sugar.

• Step 7 – Let Cookies Cool, and Roll Again

  • Allow cookies to cool completely, and roll them again in powdered sugar before serving or storing in an airtight container.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces elbow macaroni or medium shells

• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp cheddar, but mild can also be used)

• 2 tablespoons parmesan or asiago cheese

• 1.5 cups of milk or half and half

• 4 tablespoons of butter

• 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Salt and pepper

Supplies

• Large pot

• Mixing spoon

• Large bowl

• Whisk

Cooking Instructions

1. Fill a medium sized pot with about 8 cups of water and 2 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil on medium high heat.

2. Add the pasta to the boiling water, stirring occasionally. The pasta should cook for a minute less than the time recommended on the package. Drain the pasta immediately once cooked - reserving about a cup of the pasta water to the side to use later of needed. 

3. In a smaller pot, cook butter and flour together over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to turn golden brown. 

4. Stir milk or half-and-half into the butter and flour mixture and continue to stir over medium heat until the liquid begins to thicken. 

5. Slowly add all of the cheese (cheddar and parmesan) into milk mixture. Continue to stir over medium heat until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Reduce heat to low. 

6. Add salt and pepper to taste (usually about 3/4 teaspoon of salt). 

7. Combine pasta and cheese sauce in the larger pot. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if the mixture is too thick.

8. Cooked vegetables can be added as well if desired. I sometimes like to add broccoli, cauliflower, and/or peas.

Ingredients

Coming soon!

Optional Toppings

Coming soon!

Supplies

Coming soon!

Baking Instructions

Coming soon!

Ingredients

Peach cobbler 

• 5 peaches , peeled, cored and sliced (about 4 cups) or canned peaches 

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the batter

• 6 Tablespoons butter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup milk

• ground cinnamon

Supplies

1. Add the sliced peaches, sugar and salt to a saucepan and stir to combine. 


2. *(If using canned peaches, skip steps 1 & 2 and follow the directions starting at step 3) 

3. Cook on medium heat for just a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and helps to bring out juices from the peaches. Remove from heat and set aside. 

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice butter into pieces and add to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place the pan in the oven while it preheats, to allow the butter to melt. Once melted, remove the pan from the oven.

5. In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, just until combined. Pour the mixture into the pan, over the melted butter and smooth it into an even layer. 

6. Spoon the peaches and juice (or canned peaches, if using) over the batter. Sprinkle cinnamon generously over the top.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 38-40 minutes. Serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/4 cup (168g) graham cracker crumbs

• 5 tbsp (70g) butter, melted

• 5 tbsp (65g) sugar

Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 cup (130g) all purpose flour

• 1 cup (207g) sugar

• 6 tbsp (43g) Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup (120ml) milk

• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil

• 3/4 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water

• Marshmallow fluff 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.

2. In a small bowl, combine crust ingredients and mix well.

3. Press about 1 1/2 tbsp of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.

4. Bake crusts for 7 minutes then remove and set aside.

5. To make the cupcakes, add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.

6. Add egg, milk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.

7. Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well.

8. Pour batter into cupcake pan, filling a little more than half way, and bake at 300 degrees for about 17-19 minutes.

9. When done, remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Then remove from cupcake tin and allow to cool.

10. Frost with fluff 

Ingredients/Supplies

Graham Cracker Crust

• 2 cups (240g) graham cracker crumbs(about 16 full sheet graham crackers)

• 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake

• 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

• 24 ounces (678g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature

• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

• 2 Tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar

• 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cooking Instructions

1. Make the crust: Stir the graham cracker crust ingredients together. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan or 10-inch springform pan and pack in very tightly. The tighter it’s packed, the less likely it will fall apart when cutting the cheesecake. I recommend using the bottom of a measuring cup to pack it into the bottom and up the sides. You can watch me do this in the video above. Freeze for 10–20 minutes as you prepare the filling.

2. Make the filling: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 4–5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium speed until perfectly smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat for 2–3 minutes on medium-high speed until smooth and combined. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese. If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth.

4. Using your mixer on low speed or a silicone spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your silicone spatula. Combine slowly as you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.

5. Remove crust from the freezer and spread filling into crust. Use an offset spatula to smooth down the top.

6. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 6–8 hours and up to 2 days. For best results, 12 hours is best. I chill mine overnight. The longer refrigerated, the nicer the no-bake cheesecake will set up.

7. Use a knife to loosen the chilled cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim. Using a clean sharp knife, cut into slices for serving. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean between each slice.

8. Serve cheesecake with desired toppings (see Note). Cover and store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Ingredients/Supplies

• 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or Klondike Goldust potatoes

• 2 cups mayonnaise (your favorite brand)

• 1 cup refrigerated sweet pickle relish or chopped up pickle optional 

• 2 tablespoons mustard, 

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika optional 

• 4-5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

• 3 celery stalks, diced optional 

• 1/2 cup sweet onion, diced optional 

• Salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions

• Cut the potatoes into quarters and place them in a large stockpot. Fill the pot with cold water until it is 1 inch over the top of the potatoes. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt and cook the potatoes for 13-15 minutes, until fork tender.

• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish including juices, mustard, apple cider vinegar, celery seeds, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir until smooth. Then chop the eggs, celery, onions,3. Once the potatoes are very tender, drain off all the water. Remove the loose peels and chop the potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks. It's okay if they are soft and crumbly. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Gently mix in the dressing until it coats the potatoes well. Then stir in the eggs, celery, onions, and dill. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh dill and paprika.

• Cover the potato salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. If you have time to make it ahead, it tastes even better on day two! Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1½ cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs, from about 12 whole graham crackers

• ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

• Two 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole milk)

• 1 tablespoon grated lime zest

• ¾ cup fresh lime juice

For the Topping

• 1 cup cold heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest

• 8 to 10 thin lime slices

Cooking Instructions

For the Crust

• Preheat oven to 375 °F and set an oven rack in the middle position.

• In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter; stir with a fork first, and then your hands until the mixture is well combined. Using your fingers and the bottom of a glass or dry measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 x 1.5-inch (deep-dish) pie pan. The crust should be about ¼-inch thick. (Tip: do the sides first.)

• Bake for 10 minutes, until just slightly browned. Let the crust cool on a wire rack.

For the Filling

• Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, lime zest, and lime juice.

• Pour the thick mixture into the warm graham cracker crust.

• Bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is almost set; it should wobble a bit.

• Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, about 3 hours.

For the Topping

•  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.

• Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until medium peaks form. Top the pie with the whipped cream.

• Decorate with the lime zest and lime slices.

• Store the pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

• Slice the pie into wedges, wiping your knife clean between slices, and serve cold.
  

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon, chopped

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 3/4 cup ketchup

• 3/4 cup tomato puree

• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 twenty-eight ounce cans red beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Put a heavy-bottomed pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat.

3. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until the fat renders and bacon begins to crisp, about 6-8 minutes.

4. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes more.

5. Stir in the ketchup, tomato puree, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and cayenne and mix well.

6. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

7. Stir in the beans until well coated, cover, and bake in the oven for 1 hour.

8. Remove the lid and continue baking until sauce thickens and the beans begin to brown, about 15 minutes more.

9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 3 large  Eggs

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 2 ¼ cups white sugar

• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 cups grated zucchini

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. Grease and flour two 8x4-inch pans.

3. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.

4. Beat eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla together in a separate large bowl with an electric mixer until combined; add flour mixture and beat well.

5. Stir in zucchini and walnuts until well combined.

6. Pour batter into the prepared pans.

7. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 to 60 minutes.

8. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

9. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen.

10. Invert carefully onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Ingredients

Coming soon!

Instructions

Coming soon!

Ingredients

• 5 ounces rustic sourdough bread, cut into 1.5 inch pieces

• 10 cups plus 8 cups water, divided
• 4 cups ice
  
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 2 cups fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  
• 1 small leek, white and light green parts sliced into 1⁄8-inch-thick rounds and washed thoroughly; top sliced thin and washed thoroughly
  
• 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces; fronds chopped coarse
  
• 1⁄4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  
• 1.5 teaspoons pepper
  
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick rounds
  
• 4 cups vegetable broth
  
• 4 ounces thick asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced into 1⁄8-inch-thick rounds
  
• 4 ounces snap peas, strings removed, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
  

Crouton Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.

2. Arrange bread in even layer on rimmed baking sheet, spacing pieces at least 1⁄2 inch apart, and transfer to oven.

3. Broil until bread is charred on top, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Flip bread pieces and continue to broil until bottom is charred, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Cooking Instructions

1. Bring 10 cups water to boil in large saucepan over high heat.

2. Meanwhile, set up ice bath by combining 8 cups water and ice in large bowl.

3. Add 1 tablespoon salt, baking soda, parsley leaves, leek top, and fennel fronds to boiling water and cook for 1 minute.

4. Drain blanched tops and parsley in fine mesh strainer or colander and immediately transfer, still in strainer, to ice bath. (Keeping the tops and parsley in the strainer or colander makes retrieving them from the ice bath much easier.)

5. Transfer 1 cup ice and 1 cup water to blender. (This recipe can also be made without blending the vegetables).

6. Remove blanched tops and parsley from ice bath, squeeze out excess water, and transfer to blender.

7. Process on high speed until fairly smooth, about 1 minute.

8. Stop blender and scrape down sides of blender jar with rubber spatula.

9. With blender running on high speed, slowly drizzle in 1⁄4 cup oil.

10. Continue to process until mixture is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds longer.

11. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, transfer puree to small bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use.

12. Heat 3 tablespoons oil and pepper in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until pepper begins to sizzle, about 1 minute.

13. Add leek and garlic and season lightly with salt.

14. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Add carrots and fennel and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened at edges, about 3 minutes.

15. Add vegetable broth, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to simmer, about 5 minutes.

16. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until carrots and fennel are slightly tender but still firm, about 3 minutes.

17. Add asparagus, snap peas, vinegar, and green puree to soup and stir to combine.

18. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

19. Divide soup and charred croutons among warmed shallow bowls, arranging croutons in single layer in soup (croutons should not be completely submerged in soup, so they remain crunchy on top side).

20. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• Seasonings : salt, pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, bay leaves

• 1 lb Cajun smoked sausage

• 3-4 lbs chicken thighs - skin them

• 1 green bell pepper

• 1 large yellow onion

• 4-5 stalks of celery

• ~9c of chicken broth

• 1c of rendered Duck fat (…can substitute neutral oil like butter or canola)

• 1/2(+) c  flour

Note: if not making the roux, store bought roux is acceptable, but might not be as good!

For serving:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
  

Optional:

• Hot sauce

• Balsamic vinegar
• Green onions
• Parsley

Pre work before class:

• Dice all vegetables

• Skin the chicken thighs

• Cut into small discs and brown the sausage

Cooking Instructions

I. Prep

1. Slice in about ¼ inch disks and brown the sausage - not too hot; remove sausage and when cool save in the refrigerator until nearly the end of the process.

2. Salt, then brown the chicken thighs in the same pan; don’t worry about the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.

**Veggies need to be cut and ready to go before you start the roux.

II. Roux

If making the roux, you need a minimum of 30 uninterrupted minutes for this process. I recommend having some music you like and a glass of wine or your favorite cocktail... you only need one hand free to stir. 🙂

1. prepare on a medium heat on a big burner in the same pan as you browned the meats.

   Use a flat metal/wooden spoon for this process.

2. Add the duck fat and flour and stir constantly for approximately 30 minutes.

**It should look like a melted chocolate bar when done. A dark roux is what provides the rich flavor of the gumbo. Here is a quick clip of what we'll be going for!

** Turn heat down if it smokes.

** Immediately when the "chocolate" color has been achieved, turn the temperature to the lowest setting and add veggies immediately just before it burns to cool the temperature.


III. Transformation into Gumbo

1. When veggies have been stirred in, add the stock slowly. If you go too fast it’s called : breaking the roux. Stock should be slightly warmed or at least room temperature(not cold); stir pot constantly, and add stock at about 1/8 cup at a time at first …GO SLOW!

2. Raise temperature to medium. You can start incorporating more stock (1/2 cup at a time) when you are sure that the roux has not broken.

3. When all of the stock is in, then you add the chicken.

4. Add two bay leaves and ~1 t salt.

5. At this point, you can stop stirring constantly and let the chicken simmer for 45 minutes-one hour on medium heat.  Stir periodically.

6. After 45 minutes; turn low to simmer. Pull chicken out and shred chicken off the bone w/ two forks.

7. Discard bones and add back the shredded chicken.

8. Add additional seasonings (about a teaspoon of everything except cayenne and black pepper – about 1/2 t of pepper and 1/8 t of cayenne to start; add more seasonings to taste at the end as desired).

9. Gumbo will then simmer for another 30 minutes.

10. Add the sausage and taste/add more seasonings if needed.

**For class, when cool, store in the refrigerator to serve the next day.

III. Finishing Touches

1. Warm and add more seasonings if desired.

2. Before serving, you can add a bit of balsamic vinegar if desired (~1-2 Tablespoons).

3. Serve with about a 1/2 cup of cooked white rice on the top of each bowl

4. optional: add hot sauce to taste, and garnish with green onions/parsley on top of the rice

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter (113g) 
  

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped (168g)
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
  
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

Supplies

• Ramekins

• Baking sheet

• Double boiler

• Electric or stand mixer

• Mixing bowls

Cooking Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450F. Butter and lightly flour 6 (4- to 5-ounce) ramekins and place them on a baking sheet.

• Combine the butter and chocolate in a double boiler and melt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Or, place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 30-seconds until melted. Whisk together until smooth.

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until thick and pale yellow. Fold the chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture until well combined. Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins.

• Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the sides of the cakes are firm set but the center is jiggly. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute.

• Place a small dessert plate over the top of each ramekin and carefully turn it over, inverting the cake onto the plate. Let stand for about 10 seconds, then remove the ramekin to unmold the cakes. Sift powdered sugar on top and garnish with berries, if desired. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/4 cups (420ml) buttermilk* If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make a homemade “DIY” version. Use Whole milk or 2% milk and add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. 

• 1 large egg 

• 4 and 1/4 cups (531g) all-purpose flour, plus more for your hands and counter

• 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed*

• optional: 1 cup (150g) raisins

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven & pan options: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). There are options for the baking pan. Use a regular baking sheet and line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (bread spreads a bit more on a baking sheet), or use a seasoned 10-12 inch cast iron skillet (no need to preheat the cast iron unless you want to), or grease a 9-10 inch cake pan or pie dish. You can also use a 5 quart (or higher) dutch oven. Grease or line with parchment paper. If using a dutch oven, bake the bread with the lid off.

2. Whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Set aside. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers. Mixture is very heavy on the flour, but do your best to cut in the butter until the butter is pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the raisins. Pour in the buttermilk/egg mixture. Gently fold the dough together until dough it is too stiff to stir. Pour crumbly dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can, then knead for about 30 seconds or until all the flour is moistened. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.

3. Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet/pan. Using a very sharp knife score the dough with a slash or X about 1/2 inch deep. (“Score” = shallow cut.)

4. Bake until the bread is golden brown and center appears cooked through, about 45-55 minutes. Loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil if you notice heavy browning on top.

5. Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm, at room temperature, or toasted with desired toppings/spreads.

6. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. We usually wrap it tightly in aluminum foil for storing.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 ¼ cups (295ml) vegetable or Canola oil

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

• 1 cup (190g) lightly packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

• 3 cups (300g) grated peeled carrots, 5 to 6 medium carrots

• 1 cup (120g) coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts 

• 1/2 cup (70g) raisins and/or coconut
  

FOR CREAMY FROSTING

• 8 ounces (225g) cream cheese, at room temperature

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch, optional

• 1 ¼ cups (140g) powdered sugar

• 1/3 cup (80ml) cold heavy cream, not plain whipping cream

• 1/2 cup (50g) coarsely chopped pecans, for topping cake

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F(176°C).

2. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottom with parchment paper, and then grease the top. Or grease and flour the bottom and sides of both pans.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until very well blended.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each one.

6. Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the dry ingredients in three parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the batter is smooth.

7. Stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
   
   

Bake Cake

1. Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans.

2. Bake until the tops of the cake layers are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.

3. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully turn the cake layers out onto cooling racks. Remove the parchment paper and cool completely. If you find that a cake layer is sticking to the bottom of the pan, leave the cake pan upside down and allow gravity to do its thing.
   
   

To Finish

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

2. Beat in the powdered sugar and cornstarch. I like sifting the powdered sugar and cornstarch over the cream cheese to remove lumps. If you do not have a fine mesh sieve, beat in the cornstarch and powdered sugar a 1/4 cup at a time until combined.

3. Pour in the heavy cream. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until the frosting is whipped and creamy. This frosting resembles the texture of whipped cream. Chill covered until ready to frost the cake.

4. When the cake layers are completely cool, frost the top of one cake layer and place the second cake layer on top.

5. Add the remaining frosting to the top of the carrot cake and use a butter knife or small spatula to swirl the frosting around. Leave the sides of the cake unfrosted. Finish with a handful of nuts on top.

Ingredients/Supplies

• 3.4 ounces box instant chocolate pudding mix

• 2 cups milk

• 8 ounces whipped topping thawed

Toppings

• 10-12 Oreo cookies

• gummy worms

Cooking Instructions

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle the pudding mix over the top of the milk and then whisk to combine. Let the pudding sit for five minutes to thicken.

2. Gently fold the whipped topping into the pudding mixture. Doing this gently will ensure the topping stays airy and fluffy. Don’t stir because that will deflate it.

3. Spoon the chocolate pudding into cups or glasses. Top each one with the crushed cookies and then stick four gummy worms in each. 

4. Cover and chill the pudding dirt cups until you’re ready to serve them. That’s it! So, easy and so fun!

Ingredients/Supplies

• Butter

• 12 oz Mini Marshmallows

• Vanilla Extract

• Rice Krispie Cereal

• Fruit roll ups

• Swedish fish

Cooking Instructions

You'll have to join the experience for this one! 😉

Ingredients

• 2pints ripe, well-rinsed strawberries

• ½cup sugar, or more to taste

• 4cups flour

• 3tablespoons sugar

• ¼teaspoon salt

• 5teaspoons baking powder

• 1¼cups butter

• 3cups whipping or heavy cream or canned whipped cream or topping 

• ¼teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Instructions

1. Start with the strawberries: Stir the strawberries and 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and set in the refrigerator until ready to use. This time allows the strawberries to release their delicious juices.

2. Make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl or in a large food processor. Whisk or pulse until combined. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or by pulsing several times in the processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. If you used a food processor, pour the mixture into a large bowl.

3. Pour buttermilk on top. Fold everything together with a large spoon or rubber spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots. Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface in this step. Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle as best you can. Fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4 inch thick rectangle.

4. Cut into 2.75 or 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. (Tip: Do not twist the biscuit cutter when pressing down into the dough.) Re-roll/flatten any scraps and cut more circles until you have around 10-12 biscuits.

5. Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (see note) or close together on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat lined baking sheet. Make sure the biscuits are touching.

6. Brush the tops with 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven, then cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before assembling.

7. Make the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft-medium peaks form, about 3 minutes.

8. Slice the biscuits in half and layer with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 3 medium leeks halved lengthwise, washed, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 5 cups); roughly chop and set aside dark green parts

• 1 pound chopped asparagus, tough ends snapped off and reserved

• 2 cups frozen baby peas, thawed

• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup water

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

• 1⁄2 teaspoon finely grated zest, plus 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Table salt

• 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• Ground black pepper

• 1 pound campanelle or similar pasta

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus extra for serving

Instructions

1. Place dark green leek trimmings, asparagus trimmings, 1 cup peas, 2 teaspoons garlic, vegetable broth, and water in large saucepan.

2. Bring to simmer over high heat, then lower heat to medium-low and gently simmer 10 minutes.

3. While broth simmers, combine mint, chives, and lemon zest in small bowl; set aside.

4. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into 8-cup measuring cup or bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible (you should have 5 cups broth; add water as needed to measure 5 cups). Discard solids and return broth to saucepan. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering.

6. Add sliced leeks and pinch salt; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until leeks begin to brown (about 5 minutes).

7. Add asparagus pieces and cook until crisp-tender (4 to 6 minutes).

8. Add remaining 2 teaspoons garlic and pepper flakes; cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add remaining cup peas and continue to cook 1 minute.

9. Transfer vegetables to plate and set aside.

10. Wipe out pot.

11. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in now-empty Dutch oven/pot over medium heat until shimmering.

12. Add pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown (about 5 minutes).

13. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed (about 2 minutes).

14. When wine is fully absorbed, add hot broth.

15. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil.

16. Cook, stirring frequently, until most of liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente (8 to 10 minutes).

17. Remove pot from heat, stir in lemon juice, Parmesan, half of herb mixture, and vegetables.

18. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

19. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan cheese and remaining herb mixture separately.

Ingredients

• Tbsp butter

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 lb. ground beef

• 1/3 green bell pepper, minced

• 1/2 large yellow onion, minced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

• 2/3 cup ketchup

• 1/3 cup water

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or less, if you prefer)

• 1 tsp yellow mustard

•  3/4 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce optional

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

•  1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• dash of hot sauce (optional)

• Hamburger buns 

Instructions

1.  Heat butter and oil in large skillet over MED/MED-HIGH heat.  Add beef and brown, breaking apart into crumbles as it cooks, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to colander to drain.

2. Add onion and bell pepper to same skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, until soft.  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or so, until fragrant.  Add beef back to the skillet and add tomato paste.  Stir well.

3. Add ketchup, water, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes (if using), and black pepper.  Stir well to combine.

4. Cook over MED heat for 10-15 minutes, until mixture has thickened to your liking.  Remove from heat and serve over toasted buns.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cold milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding packages

• 1 14 oz sweetened condensed milk

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1 11 oz vanilla wafers

• 4 fresh bananas

• 3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat the cold milk with vanilla extract and vanilla pudding packets until it thickens. Pour in the condensed milk and beat to combine.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Add about two-thirds of the whipped cream into the pudding and gently fold in with a spatula.

3. Add the powdered sugar into the remaining one-third whipped cream and fold with a spatula to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

4. Add about 1/4th of the vanilla wafers into the bottom of your trifle bowl and about 1/4th of the bananas.

5. Spread 1/4 of the pudding over the bananas/wafers. Repeat with remaining layers until you have four layers.

6. Add the reserved whipped cream over top of pudding and decorate as desired. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Ingredients

• 5 ounces rustic sourdough bread, cut into 1.5 inch pieces

• 10 cups plus 8 cups water, divided
• 4 cups ice
  
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 2 cups fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  
• 1 small leek, white and light green parts sliced into 1⁄8-inch-thick rounds and washed thoroughly; top sliced thin and washed thoroughly
  
• 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces; fronds chopped coarse
  
• 1⁄4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  
• 1.5 teaspoons pepper
  
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick rounds
  
• 4 cups vegetable broth
  
• 4 ounces thick asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced into 1⁄8-inch-thick rounds
  
• 4 ounces snap peas, strings removed, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
  

Crouton Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.

2. Arrange bread in even layer on rimmed baking sheet, spacing pieces at least 1⁄2 inch apart, and transfer to oven.

3. Broil until bread is charred on top, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Flip bread pieces and continue to broil until bottom is charred, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Cooking Instructions

1. Bring 10 cups water to boil in large saucepan over high heat.

2. Meanwhile, set up ice bath by combining 8 cups water and ice in large bowl.

3. Add 1 tablespoon salt, baking soda, parsley leaves, leek top, and fennel fronds to boiling water and cook for 1 minute.

4. Drain blanched tops and parsley in fine mesh strainer or colander and immediately transfer, still in strainer, to ice bath. (Keeping the tops and parsley in the strainer or colander makes retrieving them from the ice bath much easier.)

5. Transfer 1 cup ice and 1 cup water to blender. (This recipe can also be made without blending the vegetables).

6. Remove blanched tops and parsley from ice bath, squeeze out excess water, and transfer to blender.

7. Process on high speed until fairly smooth, about 1 minute.

8. Stop blender and scrape down sides of blender jar with rubber spatula.

9. With blender running on high speed, slowly drizzle in 1⁄4 cup oil.

10. Continue to process until mixture is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds longer.

11. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, transfer puree to small bowl, and refrigerate until ready to use.

12. Heat 3 tablespoons oil and pepper in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until pepper begins to sizzle, about 1 minute.

13. Add leek and garlic and season lightly with salt.

14. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Add carrots and fennel and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened at edges, about 3 minutes.

15. Add vegetable broth, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to simmer, about 5 minutes.

16. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until carrots and fennel are slightly tender but still firm, about 3 minutes.

17. Add asparagus, snap peas, vinegar, and green puree to soup and stir to combine.

18. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

19. Divide soup and charred croutons among warmed shallow bowls, arranging croutons in single layer in soup (croutons should not be completely submerged in soup, so they remain crunchy on top side).

20. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• Seasonings : salt, pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, bay leaves

• 1 lb Cajun smoked sausage

• 3-4 lbs chicken thighs - skin them

• 1 green bell pepper

• 1 large yellow onion

• 4-5 stalks of celery

• ~9c of chicken broth

• 1c of rendered Duck fat (…can substitute neutral oil like butter or canola)

• 1/2(+) c  flour

Note: if not making the roux, store bought roux is acceptable, but might not be as good!

For serving:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
  

Optional:

• Hot sauce

• Balsamic vinegar
• Green onions
• Parsley

Pre work before class:

• Dice all vegetables

• Skin the chicken thighs

• Cut into small discs and brown the sausage

Cooking Instructions

I. Prep

1. Slice in about ¼ inch disks and brown the sausage - not too hot; remove sausage and when cool save in the refrigerator until nearly the end of the process.

2. Salt, then brown the chicken thighs in the same pan; don’t worry about the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.

**Veggies need to be cut and ready to go before you start the roux.

II. Roux

If making the roux, you need a minimum of 30 uninterrupted minutes for this process. I recommend having some music you like and a glass of wine or your favorite cocktail... you only need one hand free to stir. 🙂

1. prepare on a medium heat on a big burner in the same pan as you browned the meats.

   Use a flat metal/wooden spoon for this process.

2. Add the duck fat and flour and stir constantly for approximately 30 minutes.

**It should look like a melted chocolate bar when done. A dark roux is what provides the rich flavor of the gumbo. Here is a quick clip of what we'll be going for!

** Turn heat down if it smokes.

** Immediately when the "chocolate" color has been achieved, turn the temperature to the lowest setting and add veggies immediately just before it burns to cool the temperature.


III. Transformation into Gumbo

1. When veggies have been stirred in, add the stock slowly. If you go too fast it’s called : breaking the roux. Stock should be slightly warmed or at least room temperature(not cold); stir pot constantly, and add stock at about 1/8 cup at a time at first …GO SLOW!

2. Raise temperature to medium. You can start incorporating more stock (1/2 cup at a time) when you are sure that the roux has not broken.

3. When all of the stock is in, then you add the chicken.

4. Add two bay leaves and ~1 t salt.

5. At this point, you can stop stirring constantly and let the chicken simmer for 45 minutes-one hour on medium heat.  Stir periodically.

6. After 45 minutes; turn low to simmer. Pull chicken out and shred chicken off the bone w/ two forks.

7. Discard bones and add back the shredded chicken.

8. Add additional seasonings (about a teaspoon of everything except cayenne and black pepper – about 1/2 t of pepper and 1/8 t of cayenne to start; add more seasonings to taste at the end as desired).

9. Gumbo will then simmer for another 30 minutes.

10. Add the sausage and taste/add more seasonings if needed.

**For class, when cool, store in the refrigerator to serve the next day.

III. Finishing Touches

1. Warm and add more seasonings if desired.

2. Before serving, you can add a bit of balsamic vinegar if desired (~1-2 Tablespoons).

3. Serve with about a 1/2 cup of cooked white rice on the top of each bowl

4. optional: add hot sauce to taste, and garnish with green onions/parsley on top of the rice

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter (113g) 
  

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped (168g)
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
  
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

Supplies

• Ramekins

• Baking sheet

• Double boiler

• Electric or stand mixer

• Mixing bowls

Cooking Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450F. Butter and lightly flour 6 (4- to 5-ounce) ramekins and place them on a baking sheet.

• Combine the butter and chocolate in a double boiler and melt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Or, place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 30-seconds until melted. Whisk together until smooth.

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until thick and pale yellow. Fold the chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture until well combined. Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins.

• Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the sides of the cakes are firm set but the center is jiggly. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute.

• Place a small dessert plate over the top of each ramekin and carefully turn it over, inverting the cake onto the plate. Let stand for about 10 seconds, then remove the ramekin to unmold the cakes. Sift powdered sugar on top and garnish with berries, if desired. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 2 slices of  good sandwich bread (Avoid very thin-sliced bread)

• Shredded cheese – about 3 ounces per sandwich (I prefer a combination of Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Swiss) 

• Room-temperature butter (preferably not margarine) to spread on the bread 

• Dijon mustard 

• Salt 

Supplies

• A flat skillet to cook the sandwich

• A grill press or a smaller pan that will fit inside the skillet to press the sandwich 

• A heat-resistant spatula 

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat a flat skillet to medium-low heat 

2. Spread room temperature butter on the outside of each slice of bread 

3. Spread a very thin layer of Dijon mustard on the inside of one slice of the bread 

4. Place one slice of the bread onto the heated skilled (buttered-side down) 

5. Quickly pile the shredded cheese mix onto that slice of bread (It's also fine if some of the cheese goes directly onto the skillet as long as you push it up against the edge of bread) 

6. Immediately place the second slice of bread onto the top of the first slice and place the grill press/smaller pan so it begins to flatten slowly 

7. Flip the sandwich once the first slice is toasted golden brown (about 4 minutes) and replace the grill press/smaller pan onto the sandwich.  

8. Remove the sandwich from the skillet when the second side is toasted 

9. Evenly sprinkle a small amount of salt on each side of the sandwich 

10. Cut the sandwich in half for dipping into the tomato soup 

11. Enjoy! 

Ingredients

• 2 (28-ounce) cans of plain diced tomatoes 

• 1 cup chicken (or vegetable) broth 

• 3 tablespoons butter 

• 1 sweet onion (chopped) 

• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste 

• 2 tablespoons of wheat flour 

• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda 

• Salt 

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional) 

• 1 teaspoon molasses or brown sugar 

• 3/4 fresh basil leaves (chopped) 

Supplies

• A soup pot with a thick/heavy bottom  

• A colander 

• A large bowl 

• A stick blender/immersion blender 

Cooking Instructions

1. Place the colander over a large bowl and lightly press the diced tomatoes into the colander so the juices collect into the bowl 

2. Save tomato juices on the side for now 

3. Heat the soup pot over medium heat 

4. Add the butter and chopped onions. Cook the onions until they are translucent (4 to 6 minutes) 

5. Reserve one cup of the drained tomatoes to the side and pour the rest of them into the soup pot 

6. Add molasses/brown sugar and half of the basil leaves 

7. Cook mixture until tomatoes begin to brown (15-20 minutes) 

8. Sprinkle wheat flour slowly into pot while mixing 

9. Add tomato paste to pot 

10. Cook mixture for about 2 minutes while stirring 

11. While stirring, slowly add the broth, reserved tomatoes, reserved juices from the tomatoes, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda 

12. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the soup begins to thicken (usually about 5 minutes), then remove the pot from the heat 

13. Using the immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot 

14. Add heavy cream, salt and pepper as you like for taste 

15. Garnish with chopped fresh basil 

Ingredients

• Coming soon

Supplies

• Coming soon

Cooking Instructions

1. Coming soon

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 bone-in chicken thighs 

• 1.5 teaspoons of salt 

• 3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil 

• 1 tablespoon dried basil 

• Ground black pepper (optional) 

• Garlic powder 

Supplies

• A baking sheet preheated on the bottom rack in a 450F oven 
  

• A meat thermometer 

Cooking Instructions

1. Adjust the oven racks so there is one on the bottom level and one on the middle level 

2. Preheat the oven to 450F 

3. Combine the oil, basil, salt, and garlic powder in a large bowl 

4. Pierce the chicken skin evenly with a metal skewer or small fork about 10 times per thigh 

5. Place the chicken thighs into the bowl and cover thoroughly 

6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the chicken thighs skin-side down on the sheet 

7. Put the baking sheet back onto the lowest rack of the oven 

8. Bake chicken in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the skin starts to brown 

9. Turn the oven broiler on to high  

10. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and flip the chicken thighs so the skin is facing up 

11. Broil chicken, rotating pan as necessary, for about 7 minutes or until chicken reaches 175F 

12. Remove chicken from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before eating 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Arborio rice (this type of rice is necessary for this dish) 

• 16 ounces of fresh mushrooms (portabella and/or cremini are best) 

• 1 stick of unsalted butter 

• 2 shallots (chopped finely) 

• 4 cloves of garlic (chopped finely) 

• 6 cups of vegetable broth 

• 3/4 teaspoon ground thyme 

• 3/4 teaspoon ground sage 

• 1/4 cup olive oil 

• Salt 

• Ground black pepper 

Supplies

• A thick-bottomed pot or dutch oven 
  

Baking Instructions

• Gently wash the mushrooms without submerging them in water 

• Remove the mushroom stems and chop or slice the mushroom caps into 1/4" chunks (this recipe will not use the stems) 

• Heat the pot over medium heat 

• Add the olive oil to pan 

• When the oil is heated, add the chopped mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt 

• Cook the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally 

• Add 1/2 stick of butter, chopped shallots, garlic and rice to the pot 

• Stir the mixture over medium heat until the grains of rice begin to look translucent around the edges (usually 2 to 4 minutes) 

• Add 3 cups of vegetable broth, thyme, sage, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. 

• Stir mixture continuously over medium heat. The liquid should lightly simmer, but not boil. Do not stop stirring. 

• As the liquid is absorbed and reduced, add more broth.  

• Cook until the risotto is tender and "al-dente".  

• Remove pot from heat, cover and let sit covered for 3 minutes.  

• Add additional broth and salt for taste, if necessary.  

• Enjoy while it's still hot. 

Ingredients

• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or  6 thighs or buy an already cooked rotisserie chicken in the store  

• 8 ounces cream cheese  

• 1 cup ranch dressing any brand  

• 1 cup hot sauce - (I use Frank's RedHot), plus more as needed 

• 1 tsp black pepper 

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 

• ½ cup green onion - chopped 

• 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese - shredded 

• 1.5 cups cheddar cheese - shredded 

Supplies

• Large cooking pot
• 9x9-inch baking pan
• Whisk

Options to eat with dip:

• Crackers, tortilla chips, pretzels 

• Veggies like celery sticks and carrot sticks. Sweet mini peppers are also great.  

• Pita bread or sliced baguette 

Baking Instructions

1. Cook the chicken. If your chicken is not yet cooked, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pot and return to a boil. Remove from heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Allow your chicken to poach, covered, for approximately 25 minutes. When fully cooked, remove from the pot and allow to rest until cool enough to handle (note- the cooking time for the chicken is not included in the total cooking time for this dish). 

2. Prep. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 9x9-inch baking pan (or approximate size) with non-stick cooking spray. 

3. Warm the sauce. To a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat add the cubed cream cheese, ranch dressing, hot sauce, black pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk constantly until the cream cheese has dissolved in the ranch and hot sauce. Remove from heat.

4. Combine. Add the cooked and shredded chicken, green onion, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese, and one cup of the shredded cheddar cheese to the sauce pot. Mix well to combine. Transfer to your prepared baking pan and top with remain mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the sides are starting to bubble. Set oven to BROIL. Allow your buffalo chicken dip to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove it immediately. 

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed Russet, Idaho or Yukon gold potatoes  

• ½ tsp salt 

• 8 oz bacon or cubed ham 

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter 

• ½ med onion, finely chopped 

• 2 garlic cloves, minced 

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour 

• 2 1/2 cups whole milk 

• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth 

• 1 cup mild or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 

• ¾ cup sour cream 

• 1 tsp salt, or to taste 

• ¼ tsp pepper, or to taste 

Optional Toppings

• Green onions

Supplies

• Stockpot

• Dutch oven or saute pan

• Whisk

• Strainer

Cooking Instructions

1. Place sliced potatoes into a stockpot and completely cover with 1″ of water. Season with ½ tsp salt and cook 8-10 minutes or until potatoes pierce easily with a knife then drain.  

2. Meanwhile, saute bacon in a dutch oven until crispy then transfer to a plate, reserving 1 Tbsp bacon grease in the pot.  

3. Add 4 Tbsp butter and chopped onions then saute until tender. Add garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.  

4. Quickly whisk in the flour. Slowly add 2 1/2 cups milk and 2 1/2 cups broth, whisking constantly then bring to a soft boil.  

5. Add drained potatoes and season soup with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper or season to taste.  

Ingredients

• 2/3 cups (212 grams) all-purpose flour

• 2/3 cup (57 grams) cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon  salt

• 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature

• 1 cup (200 grams) lightly packed dark brown sugar

• 1 large egg, at room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/4 cups (296 grams) milk, at room temperature

For the marshmallow filling:

• 297 grams marshmallow creme fluff (a little less than 1 13-ounce container)

• 15 tablespoons (212 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (140 grams) powdered sugar, sifted

• 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon  salt

Supplies

• Large baking sheets

• Parchment paper

• Medium bowl

• Electric mixer

• Large mixing bowl

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium high and beat for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed for another 3 minutes, or until very well combined.

4. Add half of the flour mixture then half of the milk to the batter and beat on low until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add remaining milk and flour, beating until combined. Mixture will be fluffy and slightly sticky like a very thick cake batter.

5. Drop mounds of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 11 minutes, or until pies spring back slightly when pressed gently and appear dry on top. Let cakes cool on pans for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the marshmallow filling:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the marshmallow creme and butter on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt on low speed until combined then increase to medium high and beat until very smooth, about 3 minutes.

To assemble:

1. Use a medium 1 ½-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop to dollop marshmallow filling on the flat side of half the whoopie pies. Sandwich gently with the remaining whoopie pies.

2. Serve chilled for a more fudgy texture. Store in an airtight container for up to a day or in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Ingredients

• Seasonings : salt, pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, bay leaves

• 1 lb Cajun smoked sausage

• 3-4 lbs chicken thighs - skin them

• 1 green bell pepper

• 1 large yellow onion

• 4-5 stalks of celery

• ~9c of chicken broth

• 1c of rendered Duck fat (…can substitute neutral oil like butter or canola)

• 1/2(+) c  flour

Note: if not making the roux, store bought roux is acceptable, but might not be as good!

For serving:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
  

Optional:

• Hot sauce

• Balsamic vinegar
• Green onions
• Parsley

Pre work before class:

• Dice all vegetables

• Skin the chicken thighs

• Cut into small discs and brown the sausage

Cooking Instructions

I. Prep

1. Slice in about ¼ inch disks and brown the sausage - not too hot; remove sausage and when cool save in the refrigerator until nearly the end of the process.

2. Salt, then brown the chicken thighs in the same pan; don’t worry about the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.

**Veggies need to be cut and ready to go before you start the roux.

II. Roux

If making the roux, you need a minimum of 30 uninterrupted minutes for this process. I recommend having some music you like and a glass of wine or your favorite cocktail... you only need one hand free to stir. 🙂

1. prepare on a medium heat on a big burner in the same pan as you browned the meats.

   Use a flat metal/wooden spoon for this process.

2. Add the duck fat and flour and stir constantly for approximately 30 minutes.

**It should look like a melted chocolate bar when done. A dark roux is what provides the rich flavor of the gumbo. Here is a quick clip of what we'll be going for!

** Turn heat down if it smokes.

** Immediately when the "chocolate" color has been achieved, turn the temperature to the lowest setting and add veggies immediately just before it burns to cool the temperature.


III. Transformation into Gumbo

1. When veggies have been stirred in, add the stock slowly. If you go too fast it’s called : breaking the roux. Stock should be slightly warmed or at least room temperature(not cold); stir pot constantly, and add stock at about 1/8 cup at a time at first …GO SLOW!

2. Raise temperature to medium. You can start incorporating more stock (1/2 cup at a time) when you are sure that the roux has not broken.

3. When all of the stock is in, then you add the chicken.

4. Add two bay leaves and ~1 t salt.

5. At this point, you can stop stirring constantly and let the chicken simmer for 45 minutes-one hour on medium heat.  Stir periodically.

6. After 45 minutes; turn low to simmer. Pull chicken out and shred chicken off the bone w/ two forks.

7. Discard bones and add back the shredded chicken.

8. Add additional seasonings (about a teaspoon of everything except cayenne and black pepper – about 1/2 t of pepper and 1/8 t of cayenne to start; add more seasonings to taste at the end as desired).

9. Gumbo will then simmer for another 30 minutes.

10. Add the sausage and taste/add more seasonings if needed.

**For class, when cool, store in the refrigerator to serve the next day.

III. Finishing Touches

1. Warm and add more seasonings if desired.

2. Before serving, you can add a bit of balsamic vinegar if desired (~1-2 Tablespoons).

3. Serve with about a 1/2 cup of cooked white rice on the top of each bowl

4. optional: add hot sauce to taste, and garnish with green onions/parsley on top of the rice

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter (113g) 
  

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped (168g)
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
  
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

Supplies

• Ramekins

• Baking sheet

• Double boiler

• Electric or stand mixer

• Mixing bowls

Cooking Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450F. Butter and lightly flour 6 (4- to 5-ounce) ramekins and place them on a baking sheet.

• Combine the butter and chocolate in a double boiler and melt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Or, place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 30-seconds until melted. Whisk together until smooth.

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until thick and pale yellow. Fold the chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture until well combined. Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins.

• Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the sides of the cakes are firm set but the center is jiggly. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute.

• Place a small dessert plate over the top of each ramekin and carefully turn it over, inverting the cake onto the plate. Let stand for about 10 seconds, then remove the ramekin to unmold the cakes. Sift powdered sugar on top and garnish with berries, if desired. Serve immediately.