My Favorite Recipes and Tips

You'll rekindle everyone's appetite with the irresistible aroma of this delectable dessert. Guests just can't say no, and neither can I! Top with homemade vanilla-cinammon whipped cream and don't forget to add your favorite ice cream!

(Adapted from Ina Garten)

Serves 8-12

12 Tart baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin

4 Ripe medium pears peeled, cored and sliced thin

1/3 Pound Dried Sour Cherries, Pitted and chopped fine

12 Ounces fresh cranberries

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

¼ Teaspoon ground cloves

¼ Teaspoon nutmeg

 1 Cup organic sugar

¼ Cup fresh lemon juice.

Zest of 1 lemon

Topping

1 Cup quick rolled oats

1 Cup Sifted all-purpose flour

1 Cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ Teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into pieces

Heat the oven to 350  degrees

Combined filling ingredients, toss well. Mound in a deep buttered 10- inch baking dish.

In a food processor, combine topping ingredients and process until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, serve with your favorite Vanilla ice cream or Cinnamon- Vanilla whipped cream (recipe follows).

Cinnamon-Vanilla Whipped Cream

1 Cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 Teaspoon cinnamon

Whip the cream, then beat in the sugar, vanilla & cinnamon.

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This salad has been the star of our family harvest holiday gatherings  for almost 25 years (and counting). Use your favorite blue cheese or Roquefort to build flavor and make it your own.

(Adapted from the Hay Day Rural Times)

Serves 10

6 Large heads Belgian endive, washed, dried and sliced across in 1-inch cuts.

3 Large ripe pears, washed, cored and thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

¼ Red onion, sliced very thin

¾ Cup Walnut pieces, toasted

3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt & pepper to taste

¾ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon finely minced parsley

½ Cup crumbled blue cheese

½ Cup Pomegranate seeds                 

Separate endive into rings and pile into a large salad bowl. Toss pear slices with lemon juice and toss with endive. Top with onion slices and walnut pieces. Top with ½ the crumbled blue and sprinkle ½ the pomegranate seeds over top. In a separate bowl combine the vinegar mustard and parsley. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until it forms an emulsion. Season with salt & pepper. Just before serving pour the dressing over the salad & gently toss to coat. Sprinke the remaining pomegranate seeds on top & serve.

Sprinkle remaining crumbled blue & pomegranate seeds over top.

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The perfect Thanksgiving turkey is all about technique. My recipe includes homemade brine and herb butter - and lots of basting. Say goodbye to dry turkey forever!

(Recipes adapted from Waldy Malouf of Beacon)

Cider & Herb Brine

¾ Cup Sugar

1 Cup Kosher Salt

1 Bunch Fresh Sage

1 Bunch Fresh Thyme

1 Tablespoon Cracked Black Pepper

3 Quarts Water

1 Quart Apple Cider

1 12 pound turkey, preferably organic and free range.

1. One to two days before serving, place the 3 quarts water in a large stock pot with the sugar, salt, thyme, & pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and add the cider to the water mixture. Chill

2. Place the Turkey and brine in a brine bag. Place in a deep casserole or roasting pan for support. Make sure that most of the turkey, if not all, is submerged in the brine. Refrigerate. Turn the turkey in the brine bag every few hours if it is not totally submerged. Let steep 24 to 36 hours refrigerated.

Herb Butter

(Make a day ahead or on the day of roasting)

8 Ounces butter, softened

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (Juice of one large lemon)

1 Tablespoon Chopped shallot

2 Teaspoons chopped garlic (two cloves)

¼ Cup parsley chopped

 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage

 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives

 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

 1 Teaspoon Chopped tarragon

1 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

Place all the ingredients for the butter in a food processor and blend. Transfer to a small pastry bag or a clear plastic bag (or plastic container & keep refrigerated if making a day in advance.)  On the day of roasting, soften butter in the microwave before placing in the piping bag.

Cooking the Turkey

Coarse Salt and Freshly ground pepper.

1 Onion, sliced

4 Stalks celery, sliced

2 Carrots sliced

3 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 Cups Dry white wine

4-5 Cups Turkey Stock

1. About 5 hours before serving time, remove the turkey from the refrigerator. Lift it out of the brine and rinse it off under fresh, cold water. Dry the bird with paper towels.

2. Slide a small rubber spatula between the skin and the breast meat to separate them. Pipe, or spread half of the herb butter under the skin of both breasts from the cavity opening Spreading the butter evenly over the whole breast area with the fingertips. Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the bird.

3. Truss the bird loosely with butcher’s twine and season with salt and pepper. Spread the sliced vegetables over the bottom of the large roasting pan and lay the turkey on top. Add a cup of turkey stock to the pan and pour 1 cup of wine over the turkey.

4. About 4 hours before serving, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and position the rack in the lower half of the oven.

5. Put the turkey in the oven and roast for 1 ½ hours basting every half hour with the wine and stock from the pan. Check to see that the turkey is browning evenly, and turn the pan adding more stock if it gets too low. If the turkey is browning too fast, fold a 30-inch length of aluminum foil in half, then fold it loosely again and set it lightly over the turkey breast for the remainder of the roasting time. Reduce the temperature to 325-degrees and roast the turkey for another 1 ½ hours or until the internal temperature of the thigh is 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer and the juices run clear yellow, with no tinge of pink when the thigh meat is pierced. If the turkey is not too brown, remove the foil for the last ½ hour of cooking. Take the bird out of the oven and let it rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes while making the gravy.

Gravy

1. While the turkey is resting, remove the congealed fat from the top of the reserved stock, & heat the stock in a sauce pan. Use a little of the stock to deglaze the roasting pan and strain the pan juices into a pitcher, and reserve the vegetables. Let rest for a few moments until the fat separates, then skim the fat from the surface.

2. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the roasting pan with the vegetables over medium heat, stirring to combine, then sprinkle with the flour. Cook the mixture over medium heat stirring frequently until it is very thick and brown. Add the remaining cup of white wine, stir to blend thoroughly, and cook until the wine has nearly evaporated and the mixture is very thick. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn. Add half the stock and the strained roasting pan juices and stir to blend well.  Strain and add to the remaining stock in the saucepan. Simmer the gravy for 20 minutes or so skimming as necessary. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Taste and check seasoning, adding salt, pepper and a pat of butter ( or herb butter) if desired. 

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A Sure Cure for Cabin Fever and/or Love (sickness)!

I wanted to share this recipe for Valentine's Day.  But with the forecast calling for yet another snowstorm, I think this yummy hot drink will be just what the doctor ordered for both events. 

I made this for my guy, Mike, one year and it worked like a charm. It was the most romantic Valentine ever!!  

And what could be better than a warm, chocolaty mugful of deliciousness while you’re waiting out the storm?

It's called The Hot Dominicana and it's from the Double 7 Lounge in NYC, which is closed now...Boo Hoo! 

I used Scharfenburger Chocolate and coconut rum. If you prefer, you can leave out the coffee liquor or add a packet of Instant Taster’s Choice to the chocolate. You may also want to add a tablespoon of sugar to the chocolate if you like your chocolate sweeter rather than bitter.  I also add a few teaspoons of vanilla extract to the chocolate and the whipped cream. You can never have too much vanilla!! 

This sweet concoction can also be made without the rum and coffee liqueur for your kids….because you know how miserable they will be on yet another….Snow Day (not!).

The Hot Dominicana                                       

Adapted from the Double Seven, serves 4

2 cups milk

10 ounces Debauve & Gallais 60 percent cocoa chocolate disks (62 1/2 disks, to be precise)

3 ounces Brugal rum

3 ounces Caffé Lolita coffee liqueur

3/4 cup heavy cream plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1. Scald milk in a saucepan over a medium-low flame and pour into a saucepan containing chocolate. Stir with a whisk over medium-low heat until chocolate has melted.

2. Add rum and coffee liqueur to a metal cocktail shaker and heat quickly with the steam nozzle of a cappuccino machine. (Or scald rum and coffee liqueur in a saucepan over a medium-high flame.)

3. Stir hot liquors into hot-chocolate mixture, then divide among four glasses. Whip cream and sugar  in a bowl until frothy and gently spoon into glasses so it sits on top. Optional: garnish chocolate shavings and/or red sprinkles

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This is how I'll be making mine from now on..The secret’s you'll need this weekend to finally achieve burger perfection.

1. Grill or roast 1 large Vidalia onion, and half of 1 package of your favorite bacon. (I like Applegate Farms Apple-Smoked) until slightly under cooked. Let them cool & chop both to fine dice. Cook the remaining portion of bacon until crispy and use for topping.
2. Mix the onion and 1/2 of the just under cooked bacon in with your favorite burger mix. I love Thomas Keller's blend of 12 oz beef sirloin, 12 oz beef brisket (ask your butcher to grind it for you) & 12 oz beef chuck. (He also suggests grinding all your own meats which makes a difference and is safer but not always practical. I normally use ground sirloin and ground beef chuck) 
3. Add 1/2 tspn freshly ground blk pepper & coarse sea salt. 
4. Divide your mixture into 6 portions & be careful not to overwork. 
5. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Brush burgers with oil before grilling sprinkle a pinch more salt & pepper. On a charcoal or gas grill set to med high heat, put the burgers on and don't move them for 3 minutes. Then turn them 90 degrees and let sit for two more minutes to get the cross hatch marks. Flip burgers & repeat on the other side on medium heat. Add any cheese you want in the last two minutes. Let the burgers rest for a few minutes off the grill. 
7. Toast brioche hamburger rolls on your grill until warm.
8. Smear both sides of the roll with Russian dressing- I like ketchup, mayo and half sour pickles in mine. 
9. Top with Jersey tomatoes or heirlooms and more bacon.


Mix and match from the choices below to create your own family recipe.

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