Ingredients PRE-HEAT OVEN 350° F

6 Tbsp. butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

FILLING:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 cups crushed strawberries

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Strawberry Pizza

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Directions (continued)

On a floured surface, roll dough into a 13-in. circle. Transfer to an ungreased 12-in. pizza pan. Build up edges slightly.

Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over crust. Arrange sliced strawberries on top.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and crushed berries until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool slightly. Spoon sauce over strawberries.

Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 12-16 servings.

Cake:

1 box chocolate cake mix

Crunch:

1 cup (about 4 1/2-ounces) hazelnuts, toasted and skinned

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature

1 cup cream

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest

For the cake:

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Butter and flour 2 (8-inch) cake pans. Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions. Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans and bake according to package instructions. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Hazelnut Crunch Cake 08-14-13

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For the Crunch:

Place the toasted nuts close together in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir the sugar mixture until dissolved. Bring to a boil and let cook until the sugar is light brown, about 8 minutes. Let the bubbles subside then pour the caramelized sugar over the nuts. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the sugar nut mixture cool until hard, about 30 minutes. When the sugar nut mixture is hard and cool, top with another piece of parchment paper and pound into small pieces, or place the sugar nut mixture on a cutting board and cut into small pieces. Set aside.

For the filling:

Put the mascarpone cheese, cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer whip the cream mixture to soft peaks. Fold the Crunch mixture into the whipped cream.

For the topping:

Place the chocolate, sugar and zest in a food processor. Process the mixture until the chocolate is finely ground.

To assemble the cake:

Herb and Garlic Crusted Pork Chop Recipe

Ingredients

4 Small Boneless Pork Chops

1 Large Onion, sliced

¾ of a cup of Chicken Stock

1 Tbsp of Fresh Chopped Parsley

2 tsp of Fresh Chopped Rosemary

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1 Tbsp of Butter

1 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Process,

1) Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper and sprinkle them evenly on both sides with the chopped parsley, rosemary and garlic.

2) Preheat a large non stick pan with about 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat.

3) Add the pork chops and cook for a couple minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove them to a plate and set them aside.

4) Add another tbsp of olive oil, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the onions are caramelized. Add chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce, using a wooden spoon scrape all the brown bits. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Add the pork chops and cook for another 6 minutes or so flipping them half way thru to insure they cook evenly. Remove the pork chops to your serving platter and set aside. To the onion mixture and add the butter. Stir until the butter melt and turn the heat off.

5) Spoon the onion mixture over the pork chops and enjoy! sauce

Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Process,

1) Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper and sprinkle them evenly on both sides with the chopped parsley, rosemary and garlic.

2) Preheat a large non stick pan with about 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat.

3) Add the pork chops and cook for a couple minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove them to a plate and set them aside.

4) Add another tbsp of olive oil, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the onions are caramelized. Add chicken stock and worsteshire sauce, using a wooden spoon scrape all the brown bits. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Add the pork chops and cook for another 6 minutes or so flipping them half way thru to insure they cook evenly. Remove the pork chops to your serving platter and set aside. To the onion mixture and add the butter. Stir until the butter melt and turn the heat off.

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/8 Teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 large egg

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

6 cube steaks, about 5 ounces each, pounded to 1/3 inch thickness

4 - 5cups peanut oil

Cream Gravy

1 medium onion, minced

1/8 Teaspoon dried thyme

2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press

3 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups whole milk

3/4 Teaspoon table salt

1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper

Dash of Cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. For the steaks: Measure the flour, 5 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and cayenne into a large shallow dish. In a second large shallow dish, beat the egg, baking powder, and baking soda; stir in the buttermilk (the mixture will bubble and foam).

2. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper to taste. Drop the steaks into the flour and shake the pan to coat. Shake excess flour from each steak, then, using tongs, dip the steaks into the egg mixture, turning to coat well and allowing the excess to drip off. Coat the steaks with flour again, shake off the excess, and place them on the wire rack.

3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, set a second wire rack over a second rimmed baking sheet, and place the sheet on the oven rack; heat the oven to 200 degrees. Line a large plate with a double layer of paper towels. Meanwhile, heat 1 inch of oil in a large (11-inch diameter) Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Place three steaks in the oil and fry, turning once, until deep golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes (oil temperature will drop to around 335 degrees). Transfer the steaks to the paper towel-lined plate to drain, then transfer them to the wire rack in the oven. Bring the oil back to 375 degrees and repeat the cooking and draining process (use fresh paper towels) with the three remaining steaks.

4. For the gravy: Carefully pour the hot oil through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot. Return the browned bits from the strainer along with 2 tablespoons of frying oil back to the Dutch oven. Turn the heat to medium, add the onion and thyme, and cook until the onion has softened and is beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the flour to the pan and stir until well combined and starting to dissolve, about 1 minute. Whisk in the broth, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the milk, salt, pepper, and cayenne; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until thickened (gravy should have a loose consistency—it will thicken as it cools), about 5 minutes.

5. Transfer the chicken-fried steaks to individual plates. Spoon a generous amount of gravy over each steak. Serve immediately, placing any remaining gravy in a small bowl.

Health Benefits of Spinach

Like other dark greens, spinach is an excellent source of beta-carotene, a powerful disease-fighting antioxidant that's been shown, among other things, to reduce the risk of developing cataracts. It fights heart disease and cancer as well.

As a dark, leafy green, spinach possesses several important phytochemicals, including lutein, which helps prevent age-related macular degeneration. Spinach also contains lipoic acid, which helps antioxidant vitamins C and E regenerate. Because of its role in energy production, lipoic acid is being investigated for regulating blood sugar levels.

Served raw, spinach is a good source of vitamin C, another powerful antioxidant. Overcook it, however, and you lose most of this important vitamin. Though spinach is rich in calcium, most of it is unavailable, because oxalic acid in spinach binds with calcium, preventing its absorption. The abundant potassium in spinach is available, and it will promote heart health. When you cook spinach, it cooks down tremendously. Because cooking concentrates nutrients and fiber, a serving of cooked spinach gives you even more bang for your buck than a serving of raw.

A 10-ounce bag of raw spinach, which contains approximately 284 grams of spinach, provides 1,585 milligrams of potassium.

Lobster Tails Broiled

Start with a defrosted lobster tail and place on a cutting board.

Set oven to a medium broil - 500 degrees

Begin with creating a lobster marinade. This is a combination of a half stick of clarified butter, 1 tsp of lemon juice, a 1/4 tsp of white pepper, a 1/4 tsp of sea salt and a 1/4 tsp of garlic powder. Mix together and set aside.

Take kitchen sheers and begin on right side of the shell. Keep bottom of the sheers as close to the top underside of the shell as possible. You do NOT want to cut too deep into the lobster tail.

Repeat Process on other side

Make a cut across the back to free the top of the shell

Grab the cut piece of shell and peel it backwards

Wash the tail with cold water as to remove any bits of shells and pat dry.

Drizzle the lobster tail with the marinade prepared earlier and place into pan. Insert into oven and broil according to times below.

Cooking Times for Broiled Lobster Tails

With oven preheated to the "broil" setting, cook tails about 1 minute per ounce of lobster tail

Lobster Weight Cooking Time

3 oz - 4 oz 3 - 4 minutes

5 oz - 6 oz 5 - 6 minutes

7 oz - 8 oz 7 - 8 minutes

9 oz - 10 oz 9 - 10 minutes

10 oz +1 min per ounce

You must keep a close eye on the tails, they will overcook quickly and turn rubbery. The lobster tails are done when the internal tempature reaches 145 degrees. The meat may be slightly browned but should be firm to the touch.

How to Clarify Butter for Marinade and dunking.

1. To make 1 cup of clarified butter you'll need 1¼ cup of butter. (You will lose approximately 25% of the original butter's total volume when clarifying.)

2. Place butter in a saucepan over a very low heat. Let the butter melt slowly, do not stir the butter while it is melting.

3. As the butter melts, it will separate into three layers. The top layer is a thin layer of foam, the middle layer contains the bulk of the liquid (weighing in at about 80% of the total), and the bottom layer is where the water and most of the milk solids are. This natural separation is what makes clarifying possible.

4. Skim the foam off the surface of the butter, discard the foam. Be cautious to avoid dipping the ladle into the butterfat while skimming, as the fat should remain intact.

5. At this point, there are two possible methods for removing the butterfat from the water on the bottom of the pan. The method we chose to illustrate is to decant the fat from the water.

6. Carefully and slowly pour the fat into another container. You can see the water underneath the clear yellow butterfat. If you notice any of the water slipping into the fat, you may need to re-decant your new batch of clarified butter. If there is any water in the clarified butter, and you try adding it to a hot pan, the water will immediately boil when it hits the pan, causing the hot clarified butter to splatter out of the pan and potentially burning the cook.

An alternate method for separating the fat from the water is to use a ladle and skim the fat up and out of the pan, making sure not to let any of the water get into the ladle.

Pour your newly clarified butter to a separate container, and discard the water and small amount of remaining milk fat.

7. If the clarified butter sits for a moment, you might notice more foam float to the top; use a spoon to remove this last bit of foam.

Ingredients

1 pound penne pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled, and deveined

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, roughly chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup white wine

1/3 cup clam juice

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.

Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, 1/4 cup parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine, clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining herbs. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves

2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed

Pinch sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

1 cup dried bread crumbs

1 (8-ounce) ball fresh buffalo mozzarella, water drained

Freshly grated Parmesan

1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

Directions

Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes), cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/2-inch thick. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, season with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket

Why this recipe works?

A simple rub—salt, pepper, brown sugar, cumin, chipotle chiles, and paprika—imparted smoky, spicy flavor to our Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket. To allow the flavors to permeate, we lightly scored the fat on the brisket before rubbing. To minimize the moisture absorbed by the brisket (which traditionally isn’t cooked directly in liquid), we came up with an unorthodox solution: elevating the meat off the bottom of the slow cooker with an inverted loaf pan. The liquid exuded from the meat during cooking was drawn under the loaf pan by a vacuum effect, which meant that the slow cooker more closely mimicked how a real barbecue cooks. To bump up the flavor of this liquid, we sautéed onion, garlic, tomato paste, and chipotle chiles and added this to the slow cooker, under the loaf pan, to cook along with the brisket.

Barbecued brisket should be tender and moist, with a deep brown crust and robust spice and smoke flavor. While this is a hard enough dish to pull off on the grill, we knew we could translate the recipe for the slow cooker.

Scoring the fat on the brisket at 3/4" intervals will allow the rub to penetrate the meat. Two disposable aluminum loaf pans stacked inside one another can substitute for the metal loaf pan.

A 4 pound Brisket will feed Five.

INGREDIENTS:

SPICE RUB AND BRISKET

1/2cup packed dark brown sugar

2 Tablespoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 Tablespoon paprika

1 Teaspoon salt

2 Teaspoons pepper

1 (4- to 5-pound) brisket roast, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch thick and scored lightly. Do not get larger than 5lb. Brisket as it wont fit in your crockpot. If you decide to get a 5 pounder you better have a real large crockpot.

AROMATICS AND SAUCE

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped fine

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 Tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup ketchup

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 Teaspoon liquid smoke

INSTRUCTIONS

1. RUB Combine sugar, chipotle, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper in bowl. Rub sugar mixture all over brisket. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

2. COOK Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in chili powder, chipotle, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Following photos at left, mound onion mixture in center of slow cooker, arrange inverted metal loaf pan over onion mixture, and place brisket, fat-side up, on top of loaf pan. Add water to slow cooker, cover, and cook on high until fork inserted into brisket can be removed with no resistance, 7 to 8 hours (or cook on low for 10 to 12 hours).

3. REST Transfer brisket to 13- by 9-inch baking dish, cover with foil, and let rest 30 minutes. Carefully remove loaf pan from slow cooker. Pour onion mixture and accumulated juices into large bowl and skim fat. (You should have about 2 cups defatted juices; if you have less, supplement with water.)

4. SAUCE Transfer brisket to cutting board, slice thinly across grain, and return to baking dish. Pour 1 cup reserved defatted juices over sliced brisket. Whisk ketchup, vinegar, and liquid smoke into remaining juices. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at table.

Orange & Teriyaki Glazed Salmon

This dish is delicious and ready in less than 10 minutes. Many chefs frown upon non-stick skillets but I find it essential for pan-seared fish dishes. You can use a cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet but you'll need to coat it well with oil to make sure the fish doesn't stick.

Two to Four 6-ounce salmon fillets, preferably center cut

Salt and freshly ground pepper, taste

Freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange or whatever OJ you have about 4 ounces

2 teaspoon honey or agave nectar

4 teaspoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons Orange Marmalade

1/2 Teaspoon fresh grated Ginger

1/2 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

1. In a bowl add Soy Sauce, honey, ginger, Red Pepper flakes, Orange Marmalade and mix with a spoon to well blended.

2. Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper. Place fish, skin-side down in a hot non-stick skillet. Cook until skin is crispy and well browned, about 2 minutes (be patient and do not move or flip too soon or skin will stick) Turn and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from pan.

Salmon A la Chimichurri

Why this recipe works:

Thanks to the food processor, this recipe comes together quickly. The bright flavors of parsley and cilantro cut the richness of the salmon.

You can make the Chimichurri up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh parsley leaves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper

1/4 Teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

4(6-ounce) skin-on Salmon fillets, 1 1/4 inches thick

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine parsley, cilantro, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper flakes in food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses. Add ½ cup oil and vinegar; pulse, scraping down bowl as needed, until mixture is combined but still chunky, about 5 pulses. Transfer to bowl; set aside.

2. Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch

nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook salmon, skin side up, until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes.

Flip and continue to cook until well browned on skin side, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to platter. Spoon chimichurri over top. Serve

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

2.5 Pounds of Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh

3 Large Red Bell Peppers (cut into bite size pieces)

1 Large Onion (cut into bite size pieces)

1 Pound Cremini Mushrooms

1 tsp Hot Pepper Flakes

3 Cloves of Garlic

1 cup Red Wine

1 28oz Can of Whole Plum Italian Tomatoes w/ juice

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

10 Leaves of Fresh Basil

3 tbsp Olive Oil

Preparation

1) Salt and pepper the chicken and set aside.

2) In a large deep pan, on medium heat, heat the olive oil, sear the chicken breast on each side for about 5 minutes total , you just want the chicken to be light golden brown, remove from the pan and set aside.

3) In the same pan sauté the onions and peppers until they start to cook down and begin to caramelize about 5 minutes, add the mushrooms and garlic and season with salt and pepper, toss everything and place a lid on the pan so that everything cooks down together and all the natural juices from the mushrooms come out about 7 minutes.

4) Once all the vegetables are cooked down and the hot pepper flakes and add the chicken back in the pan with the vegetables, add the red wine and cook down for 1 minute, add the tomatoes and half of the basil, season with salt and pepper and let this cook covered for 1 hour and 10 minutes on low heat .

5) After 1 hour and 10 minutes turn the heat off and sprinkle in the remaining fresh basil, plate on a beautiful shallow bowl and serve with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.

Salmon Cooked in White Wine & Lemon Juice on the BBQ

Preheat BBQ on medium heat for a gas grill

Wash the salmon on both sides then pat dry with papertowels.

Place salmon in a aluminum pie pan or make a aluminium tray, folding up the outer edges a couple of time to make the sides stronger (this is what I do).

Salt and Pepper one side then squeeze a 1/2 lemon on fish. Next brush on some ELO "Extra Virgin Olive Oil", .

Repeat and do this to the otherside. Pour some white dry wine 3-4 oz on top of fish and around the sides. If you need too, you can add more when you flip it

Cook 4-5 minutes on each side for a 1" of fish. If you're fish has the skin on cook with skin side up. Then when you remove it you'll have the skin on the bottom for easy removal. The fish should be flaky when done. Make sure not to over cook it.

You can also use an aluminum pie pan and then fold aluminum foil on top to seal it this will allow you to poach the fish to presevere the juices (ie. wine) dont disappear. If you're cooking inside use a non-stick pan and matching lid :D

For homemade tartar sauce for two. Place 1/4 cup of mayo, use a garlic press to crush 3 cloves, 3 Tbsps. of pickle relish, 2 shakes of dill weed and mix well in a small bowl. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes as this will get all flavors to marriage and thicken.

Best Damn Chocolate Cake Your Grandma Never Made But Should Of

Herb-ed Crusted Sirloin Roast

Ingredients

Rigs Meaty Balls

Ingredients:

2lbs 80% lean beef, ground

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. red chile flakes

2 Garlic Cloves minced

½ White Onion finely diced

½ cup Unseasoned breadcrumbs

¼ cup of bay leaf roughly chopped

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

2 eggs

2 tbsp olive oil

2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine all of the ingredients, except for the olive oil, in a large mixing bowl. Mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Drizzle the olive oil into a large baking dish (9X12) making sure to evenly coat the entire surface (use your hand to help spread the oil).

Use a large icecream scoop to make round, golf ball-sized meatballs making sure to pack the meat firmly.

Place the balls into the oiled baking dish such that all of the meatballs are lined up evenly in rows and are touching each of their four neighbors in a grid.

Roast until firm and cooked through (about 18 minutes).

While the meatballs are roasting, heat 6 cups of Marinara sauce in a small pot over a medium / high flame, stirring constantly.

When the meatballs are firm and fully cooked, drain the excess grease from the pan and pour the tomato sauce on top. Continue roasting for another 14 minutes.

.Yield: serves 6 to 8

Time: 1 hour

8 peaches, peeled and sliced, about 6 to 8 cups

1/4 cup bourbon

3/4 cup sugar, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

3/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing

1 quart of vanilla bean ice cream

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl add the peaches, bourbon, 1/4-cup sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon and mix well to coat the peaches evenly.

Prepare the dumplings. Into a bowl sift together the flour, 1/2-cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut 12 tablespoons (1 1/2-sticks) butter into small pieces. Add it to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Pour in the cream and mix just until the dough comes together. Don’t overwork; the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

In a10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add the peaches and cook gently until heated through, about 5 minutes. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the warm peaches. There can be gaps, the dough will puff up and spread out as it bakes. Brush the top with some heavy cream and sprinkle with some sugar and a little extra cinnamon. Bake in the oven on a tray to catch any drips. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling.

Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream.

Recipe for Swedish Meatballs

Yields about 60 meatballs

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, minced

1 pound each ground beef, pork, and veal (or all beef if you prefer)

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons salt

Few grinds black pepper

2 teaspoons ground allspice

3 pieces white bread, crust removed, torn and soaked in whole milk

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 to 2 tablespoons black currant jam

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Lingonberry jam, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Remove the onion to a plate and cool. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats, egg yolks, heavy cream and onion. Add salt, pepper and allspice. Squeeze excess milk from the bread and add it to the bowl. Mix gently with your hands or wooden spoon.

With a bowl of cold water standing by, form meatballs about 1-inch across. Dip your fingers in cold water, from time to time, to keep the meat from sticking to your hands.

Melt the remaining butter in the saute pan and once the foam has subsided add a layer of meatballs. Do not overcrowd the pan. Shake the pan once in awhile, to keep the meatballs round. Brown all of the meatballs, in batches, removing them to a large oven safe dish when cooked. Put the dish in the oven for about 20 minutes, being careful not to overcook them.

Cook's Note: you may need to wipe out the pan between batches as it can get kind of gnarly.

To make the sauce: Pour off most of the fat from the skillet and return it to the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl it around to coat the pan. Sprinkle in the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon or whisk to dissolve the flour into the fat. Pour in the chicken stock, and stir to loosen the bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer, stirring, until the liquid is reduced and the mixture starts to thicken to a sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and stir in the cream and the black currant jam. Add the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.