Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 large, very ripe bananas*
• 8 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed, light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped, (optional)
• 2 tsp. sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray 8-1/2 by 4-1/2 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

Place 5 bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several stem vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes.  This can bubble over, so keep an eye on it.

Transfer bananas to a strainer placed over medium saucepan and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.  You should have about 1/2 cup liquid.

Bring banana liquor to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until reduced by half.  Remove from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with a fork until fairly smooth.  Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.

Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining.  Gently fold in walnuts, if using.  Scrape batter into prepared pan.  Slice remaining banana into 1/4-inch-thick slices.  Shingle banana slices on top of the loaf leaving the center space open to ensure even rise.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar evenly over loaf.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes.  Cool bread 15 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 lb. pork tenderloin
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds
• ▢ 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 fennel bulbs, trims removed and fronds reserved
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• ▢ salt and pepper
• ▢ 1 cup dry white wine
• ▢ 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ juice form 1/2 lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Use paper towel to pat dry the pork until dry. Rub fennel seed in pork, evenly distributing throughout.

3. In oven-safe pan or skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Brown tenderloin on all sides for about six minutes. Set aside on plate.

4. Cut fennel into 1/2 inch wedges Using the same pan, sauté fennel and garlic over medium heat until fennel is brown and tender, about six minutes. Add wine and deglaze pan, scraping up brown bits. Add butter and broth to pan and stir.

5. Place pork on top of fennel and transfer pan into oven. Roast until internal temperature of pork reaches 145-150 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes.

6. While pork is resting, transfer hot skillet to stove top, bring contents to simmer until almost completely reduced. Add lemon juice, reduce heat and stir in 1/2 cup reserved (and chopped) fronds.

7. Slice pork, serve over fennel wedges and top with sauce.

1 cup whole milk

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2  teaspoons pepper

1.5 teaspoons salt (plus more for pasta)

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/2 cup of cider vinegar (see note)

4 scallions (thinly sliced)

1 large carrot (peeled and grated)

1 celery rib (finely chopped)

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine milk, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of table salt. Whisk them together until well combined.

2. In a large pot, bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt and elbow macaroni and cook until very soft for 15 minutes. Drain the pasta and shake to remove excess water and return the pasta to the pot. Slowly add 1/2 cup of cider vinegar, and toss until absorbed. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

3. Add the remaining dressing to the pasta and stir until combined. Next, stir in thinly sliced scallions, grated carrots, and finely chopped celery until well combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator for about an hour until fully chilled. 

Note:  Use filtered apple cider vinegar for this recipe.  If you use Bragg’s unfiltered apple cider vinegar (the one with the mother at the bottom), use only the vinegar that has none of the mother.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¾ cups natural cane sugar
1 cup apple cider *(see note)
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature

Instructions

1. Preheat oven, prep pan, and whisk together dry ingredients: Generously butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan; use a pastry brush to be sure to get into all the crevices. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
2. Whisk together wet ingredients:
In another bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups sugar, cider, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and eggs.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry; transfer to pan:
Add egg mixture to flour mixture; whisk until combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
4. Bake and cool; mix sugar and cinnamon:
Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet; let cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
5. Invert cake; brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar:
Invert warm cake onto rack. Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar. Let cool completely before serving.

NOTE: To enhance the flavor or the cider in the cake, I generally simmer 3 cups of cider until it is reduced to about one cup. The reduction will look syrupy but that is ok, it won’t have any impact on the cake.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic minced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes*
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup sun dried tomato drained and chopped
3 cups baby spinach**
8 oz penne pasta uncooked***
1 jar Alfredo sauce 150z
2 cups boiling water or chicken broth
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
Basil or parsley for garnish optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In an oven proof dutch oven, melt butter then add chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes until done. Next, add the garlic, Italian seasonings, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the spices are fragrant.
Next, add the remaining ingredients except for the mozzarella cheese and mix well. Cover the casserole and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and test the pasta to be sure it is done. Once the past is done to your taste, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts and gets bubbly.

Serve with a side salad. Serves 6.

* you can use any left over chicken. I generally precook the chicken so I have broth to use instead of boiling water. Gives the dish more flavor!
** a box or bag of frozen spinach works well. Before adding to the dish, thaw the spinach and squeeze it until it is dry. Instead of spinach, you can also use a container of mushrooms (fresh, sliced or a can of mushrooms). Or you can add both!
*** Any pasta will be fine here. I have used penne, rotini, cavatappi, and elbows.

Ingredients

For the potatoes:
3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes*
1 cup white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs well beaten
1/2 cup butter melted

For the topping:1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter melted

Method
Preheat oven to 350.

Put the baked sweet potatoes into the bowl of a stand mixer and, using the paddle attachment, stir on low speed until the potatoes are mashed. (If you are using sweet potatoes, this step is a must so that you remove the stringy bits. If you use yams, there will be few to no strings.). Once the potatoes are smooth, add the sugar, salt and vanilla and stir for about a minute. Next, add the room temperature eggs and melted butter to the bowl and stir slowly until the ingredients are combined. Once the mixture is thoroughly combined, beat for about 3-4 minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture. Tip the mixture into a 2 to 3 quart backing dish, depending on how thin or thick you want it.

Using the same mixing bowl, add the sugar, chopped nuts, and flour. Place the bowl back onto the stand mixer and stir these ingredients until they are combined. Add the melted butter while the mixer is on low speed. Continue stirring slowly until the mixture is crumbly but not overly mixed.

Spoon the crumble topping onto the potatoes being sure to cover the potatoes to the rim of the baking dish.

Cook at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

* The taste of the potatoes improves significantly if you bake the a day or two ahead of time. The natural sugars in the potatoes will caramelize and thicken some if the potatoes are cooked and cooled. You may use yams or sweet potatoes, tho I prefer sweet potatoes for this recipe.

Note: you can prepare the potato mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it. You can also prepare the entire casserole ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to bake it. If you put the cool or cold casserole into the oven, it will take around 45 minutes to cook so that the potatoes are thoroughly hot.

Ingredients

3 lbs. chicken
1 lb. beef
3 med. onions

4 28oz. cans tomatoes
5 Tbls. worchestershire sauce
1 20oz. bottle ketchup
1 Tbls. Tobasco
2 bay leaves
1/2 bottle chili sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 stick butter

2 cans butter beans
2 cans white cream-style corn
1 can green peas
3 small diced potatoes
1 box frozen okra

3 Tbls. vinegar

Method

Season chicken and beef with salt and pepper; add onions and cover with water. Cook several hours until tender, or 15 mins under high pressure (let sit for 5”, then release remaining pressure). Let cool; remove meat from bones; tear into shreds and return to stock.

You’ll need at least a 12 quart pot for the rest…

Add next eight ingredients. Cook for one hour, stirring to prevent sticking.

Add next five ingredients. Cook slowly until thick.

Add vinegar before serving.

Ingredients

Cornbread

▢ 1 cup plain cornmeal
▢ 1/2 cup plain flour
▢ 1 tsp backing powder
▢ 1/4 tsp baking soda
▢ 1/2 tsp salt
▢ 3/4 cup buttermilk
▢ 2 eggs
▢ 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil

Cornbread Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make the cornbread first, preferably a day or two in advance. To make the cornbread, mix cornmeal, flour, backing powder, soda and salt in a bowl and mix well. Add the eggs and milk and stir until a soft batter forms. Add the oil and stir gently to avoid interrupting the leavening. Pour into a lightly greased 9-inch cast iron pan or a 9-inch baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the cornbread out immediately onto a cooling rack so the top of the bread doesn’t become soggy.

Dressing

▢ 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
▢ 3 medium onion, chopped
▢ 4 stalks celery, chopped
▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
▢ 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt
▢ 1/2 teaspoon pepper
▢ 3 pieces toast, crumbled (I use brioche bread)
▢ 1/2 cup milk

▢ 3 eggs, lightly beaten
▢ 2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
▢ 2 tablespoons butter

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add celery and onion and cook until soft making sure the onions do not brown. Add sage, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to onion mixture and heat until the sage is fragrant. While the onions and celery are softening, crumble the corn great and toast in a large bowl.
Whisk together milk and eggs and add to bowl. Stir in 2 cups of chicken broth.
Stir in onion mixture. Mixture should be very moist. Add more broth if necessary.
Transfer to a greased baking dish. Cut butter into small slivers and scatter on top of dressing.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until it turns light brown

Ingredients

3 cups fresh broccoli florets (or 1 (12.6 ounce) package frozen baby broccoli florets)
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 Package Pepperidge Farms Herb Stuffing mix, plus the additional ingredients called for on the package (water and butter). (You can substitute 1 (6 ounce) package Stove Top Stuffing mix
2 to 3 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, NOT diluted
1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Steam the broccoli florets in the microwave just until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; sauté just until tender (about 8-10 minutes).
Meanwhile, prepare stuffing according to package instructions. Use a fork to gently combine stuffing with onion and celery mixture. Set aside.
In the prepared dish, stir together chicken, condensed soup, sour cream and broccoli. Top with stuffing mixture.
Bake (uncovered) for 20-25 minutes, or until casserole is heated through.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 egg whites
1/4 cup white sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Line a 10×15 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whip cream, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt.

In large glass bowl, using clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until whites form stiff peaks. Immediately fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Dust a clean dishtowel with confectioners’ sugar. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and turn the warm cake out onto the towel. Remove and discard parchment paper. Starting at the short edge of the cake, roll the cake up with the towel.
Cool for 30 minutes.

Unroll the cake, and spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edge. Roll the cake up with the filling inside. Place seam side down onto a serving plate, and refrigerate until serving. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.