1 Cup fresh strawberries

1/2 banana

4 oz plain yogurt

1 teas vanilla

1/4 teas cinnamon

1/2 cup of crushed ice

1/3 Cup 2% milk

Blend all ingredients together in  one 16oz  serving smoothie blender. Drink immediately.

2 cups of water

2 cups of cran-apple juice

2 cups of apple juice

2 cups of kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 TBSP black pepper

Fresh sprigs of rosemary

3 large peels from an orange, cut into sections

If the bird is not totally covered add more cold water.
Tie off bag and leave in bucket at 40F
Next day, rinse you bird off.
And proceed cooking.

Bon Appetite
Store bought turkeys have a salt solution added so be careful with the amount of salt you add.

1/4 LB butter [1 stick]

3/4 Cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 beaten egg

1/2 Cup milk

2.5 Cups flour

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 Cup currants

Blend butter and sugar together, add vanilla. Beat egg and milk together and add to butter-sugar mixture.

Mix together flour, spices, salt, baking soda and powder. Add to butter-sugar mixture. This will form a heavy batter. Add currants. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out dough 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut to make round cookies.

On griddle or large saute pan with small amount of olive oil grill cookies over medium/high heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side… adjust your heat so not to burn.

Its just like grilling pancakes!

12 Pitted dates

8 oz Mascarpone cheese

12 large pecan halves

Spiced Sugar [vanilla sugar, cinnamon, cardamon]

Open pitted dates and lay flat on cutting board.

Add small dollop of mascarpone cheese and then top with one pecan half.

Close date sealing cheese add pecan inside date.

Sprinkle with spiced sugar.

Chill for 1 hour and serve.

2 Lbs of fresh chicken wings
1/2 Cup flour
6oz orange Louisiana Hot or 6oz Mexican Cholula Hot Sauce [please only use one or the other or your tongue will not be happy]
1oz Tabasco sauce
5 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper
1 Tbsp sugar [this will help with tolerating the heat, adjust accordingly]
2 Tbsp ketchup [this will help too cut down on the vinegar in the hot sauce and thicken your sauce]

Wings
Preheat frialator to 375F
Pour flour into a ziplock bag
Add chicken 3-4 at a time to lightly coat wings
When removing wings shake them well to remove excess flour
Once all wings are flour coated deep fry until fully cooked
The number of wings you cook at a time depends on the size of your fryolater
Cook for 15-20 minutes, placing cooked wings on cookie sheet with few paper towels

Hot Sauce
Combine hot sauces, basil, garlic, red pepper over low heat and simmer
Add sugar and ketchup and taste
Here is where you can adjust sugar, ketchup according to the heat you want
I used the Cholula hot sauce [with the wooden top] and following the above recipe found it just the right amount of heat

Dipping sauce
Add 1 packet of ranch dressing to 8oz cream cheese

Preheat Oven 350F

1 – 1/2 Cups white cane sugar

1/3 Cup brown sugar

1/4  Cup pure maple sugar

3/4 Cup canola oil

2 TBS butter

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups of peeled, cubed and cooked butternut squash [soft]

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp salt

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter and flour 2 – 8by3 inch loaf pans

Sift dry ingredients into medium bowl

In a 2nd mixing bowl beat sugar, oil, butter, maple syrup

Blend in beaten eggs

Mix in butternut squash and spices

Add dry ingredients and pecans and mix.

Transfer batter to loaf pans.

Bake until tester stick inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Cool bread in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around bread to loosen.

Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Try one piece immediately when warm as it is yummy!

Dressing
1/4 Cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp ground mustard
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
6 – 8 Tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Salad
2 Cups of diced chicken
1 Cup of diced strawberries
1/2 Cup Gorgonzola cheese
1 Cup diced celery
1 Cup toasted walnuts halves, chopped once

Mix lemon juice, garlic, mustard sea salt and pepper.
Add olive oil slowly to blend into a dressing.
Toss salad ingredients together
Coat salad with dressing.
Serve on leaf lettuce.

2 cups of fresh blueberries
2 cups of fresh strawberries
1 tsp of lavender vanilla sugar
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp fresh lavender flowers

Wash berries cutting strawberries to bite size.

Mix in lavender vanilla sugar, maple syrup and washed lavender flowers.

Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Garnish with fresh lavender greens from your garden [optional].

Note: lavender vanilla sugar can be purchased at a good quality spice & herb shop; may I suggest www.thespicehouse.com.

Bon Appétit!

1 Lb pork tenderloin
2 tsp crushed fennel seeds
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp freshly grated orange peel
2 Medium fennel bulbs
1/4 Cup white wine
1 tsp orange juice
1/4 Cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350F
Rinse pork tenderloin, pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Apply crushed fennel to all sides of tenderloin and set aside.
Remove core center of fennel bulb and slice into wedge lengths.
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in saute pan.
Brown tenderloin on all sides and remove from pan placing aside.
Add to the saute pan orange peel, fennel wedges and garlic over medium heat until fennel turns golden in color.
Add white wine and swirl fluid.
Add orange juice, chicken broth and butter.
Cook at a light boil for about 3 minutes to reduce liquid.
Pour fennel mixture into casserole dish and place tenderloin on top.
Add more orange peel zest to top of tenderloin for added flavor.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
Remove from oven when inside temperature reached 145F and let loin sit for 10 minutes.
Slice and serve.

14 oz can medium enchilada sauce

16 oz can refried beans

2 Tbsp diced roasted red peppers

7 - 6inch round flour tortillas

1 Cup green onion, chopped

2 Cups grilled chicken breast, chopped

1 Tbsp cumin

1/2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1-1/2 Cup Monteray Jack cheese, grated

1/2 Cup Queso Fresco [crumbly mexican cheese] or Romano can be substituted

Diced tomatoes

Sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F.

Simmer enchilada sauce in 6inch saute pan.

Combine refried beans, peppers and 1 cup Jack cheese, heat in sauce pan over low heat until smooth; turn heat off.

Combine chicken, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon together.

Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce for 10 seconds coating both sides and place in the bottom of a casserole dish [Le Creuset works].

Spread 1/3 refried bean mixture over tortilla and sprinkle with green onions.

Dip next tortilla in enchilada sauce, same as above and place over bean mixture.

Spread 1/3 chicken mixture over tortilla and sprinkle with green onion and queso fresco.

Continue dipping tortillas where your final stack should be:

Tortilla, beans, Tortilla, chicken, Tortilla, beans, Tortilla, chicken, Tortilla, beans, Tortilla, Chicken and topped with last Tortilla!

Bake for 20 minutes until hot.

Cut into 4 sections and garnish with Diced tomatoes, green onions and sour cream.