1 1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

fresh garlic

1 lb 80/20 ground beef

1 lb ground veal

1 lb ground pork

3 eggs

2 cups milk

2 cups cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups oats

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (fresh are preferred, but you can substitute about 3/4 cup dry)

1 T. salt

1 1/2 t. ground pepper

1 1/2 t. garlic powder

1 lb. bacon (optional)

Sauce recipe:

1 1/3 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 T. worcestershire sauce

2 T. lemon juice or white vinegar

Combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
Saute onion, red pepper and garlic and cool slightly. Place in a large bowl or stand mixer and add rest of meatloaf ingredients except bacon. Mix well, but do not over mix or meatloaf can become tough. (The best way is actually to use your hands but I usually opt for the paddle on the stand mixer and just run it on low.) Divide into two 9×13 pans and shape into loaves. Lay bacon strips across the meatloaves and then pour the sauce over. (If freezing one meatloaf, do not pour the sauce over it, place the sauce in a ziploc and freeze along with the meatloaf. Pour the sauce over once thawed and ready to bake.) Cover with foil and Bake at 375 for about an hour, removing foil about 1/2 way through baking time.

Soak rice noodles in water for about 30 minutes. Drain.

Combine first six ingredients in a saucepan and heat to a simmer to dissolve sugar. Taste the sauce and decide if it is sweet or spicy enough for you and add a little more sugar or chili sauce if desired.

Heat a few Tbls oil in wok or large pan and add meat, seasoned with a little salt, pepper, onion powder or whatever you like and sauté until completely cooked. Set aside.

Add a few more Tbls oil to wok and sauté the garlic and shallots for a minute or two. Add carrots, green onions and bean sprouts and sauté about 2 minutes until softened just slightly (they will continue cooking while you finish the rest of the recipe). Add several tbls sauce and drained rice noodles, sauté for another few minutes until noodles are softened, then push over to the side of the pan. You can add a little water to help steam the noodles if you need. Put a dab more oil in pan and scramble the eggs. Once eggs are cooked, stir them into the noodles and veggie mixture, add chicken and rest of sauce and heat through. Toss in cilantro, squeeze lime juice over the pad thai and serve. Garnish with chopped peanuts and a little fresh cilantro. Serves 6

1 T. baking powder

2 T. granulated sugar

2 T. brown sugar

1/2 t. salt

5 T. butter – cold, cut in pieces

1 egg

3/4 Cup heavy cream

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir together dry ingredients. Cut in cold butter. Add chocolate chips. Stir together heavy cream and egg, then mix into dry ingredients until dough begins to form. Turn onto counter and knead until dough comes together. (Be careful not to over work the dough) Press into a disc about 1″ thick then transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Cut into wedges and separate slightly. Bake immediately, about 14 minutes. If you wish to put a glaze on them (yum), stir together about a cup of powdered sugar, 1/4 t. vanilla and water and drizzle over scones once they are out of the oven.

For Cranberry Orange Scones:

Add zest of one orange to the dry ingredients. Stir in 1/2 cup dried cranberries in place of the chocolate chips. Add 2 T. orange juice with the cream and egg.

1 or 2 onions, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 lg carrots, grated

fresh garlic or 1 t. garlic powder

2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced

6 (8oz) jars clam juice

3 lg cans chopped clams (or more if you like it really clammy), drained with juices reserved

3 cups half and half

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

pinch of dill

salt and pepper to taste

Saute bacon in large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat until brown and most of the fat is rendered. Remove bacon and most of grease, leaving a few tablespoons. Set aside bacon.

Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic to pot and sauté until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add clam juice, reserved juices from clams, potatoes, and just enough water to cover the potatoes if the clam juice doesn’t. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add clams and half and half and simmer 5 minutes. If you like your chowder a little thicker, you can make a small roux and whisk it in to simmering soup. Add dill and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped parsley. Garnish with crumbled bacon.

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1/2 cup chopped fresh green onions

2 tsp grated lemon peel

8 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon (cut into thin strips)

salt and pepper; freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley to top

Preparation

Boil pasta in large pot with salted water until “al dente”(tender ,yet still firm). Drain

and return to pot. In a small heavy  saucepan , combine whipping cream , milk ,

dill , onions  , lemon peel. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add sauce to

pasta ; toss well to coat evenly . Add salmon and toss to mix in .

Season with salt and pepper ,top with freshly grated parmesan and serve

with warm toasted bread.

For the topping:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup butter (melted)

Directions:

1. Using small sharp knife, slice open vanilla bean and scrape seeds into the granulated sugar.
2. Toss the apples with the sugar, lemon juice, nutmeg, apple cider, and 2 T. flour.
3. Mix the 1 1/2 c. flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter together.
4. Place the apple mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and add the topping.
5. Bake at 350 until it is bubbling and the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/VANILLA-BEAN-APPLE-CRISP-106340

1 can black beans – rinsed and drained

1/2 c. coarsely chopped onion

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cumin

1/4 c. fresh cilantro – chopped

1 t. chili powder

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves minced garlic

1 T. lime juice

All measurements are approximate. In fact, they really shouldn’t be trusted because I am typing this out from memory of what all I threw in the pot. Season to taste – it’s what I did!

Rinse and drain black beans. Place in small pot and add enough water to cover, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, cilantro and seasonings. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so.

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. cloves

3/4 t. cinnamon

2 t. ginger

1/4 t. ground white pepper

Turbinado sugar or granulated sugar (for rolling)

Cream butter and sugars. Add egg, mixing until just incorporated, then mix in molasses. Whisk together dry ingredients and add, mixing just to combine. Chill dough about 1 hour. Scoop into balls and roll each ball in sugar. Flatten balls slightly with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup. Bake at 350 on parchment-lined baking sheets 11-13 minutes or until set. Let cool on pan 5 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack.

Optional Icing Recipe:

Whisk together:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 T. powdered egg white or meringue powder

1 T. milk

minced zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

Spread a little icing on each cookie and allow to harden.

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

3 cups oats (not instant)

1 cup dried cranberries

6 oz. good quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350, line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Whisk dry ingredients together and set aside. Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture; stir until completely blended. Fold the oats, cranberries and white chocolate into the dough. Using large cookie scoop, drop onto baking sheets about 2″ apart. Bake for 11 minutes or until golden but still a little moist. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack. If desired, dip bottom of cookies in melted white chocolate.

1/2 cup good quality cocoa

1/4 t. salt

2/3 cup hot water

6 cups milk

2 cups heavy whipping cream or half and half if you’re dieting

3/4 t. vanilla

In a saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa, salt and hot water. Bring to a boil and let cook 2 minutes. Add milk, cream, and vanilla and heat to desired drinking temperature without bringing to a boil again.