• In blender add orange juice, vinegar, oil, shallots, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper
• Blend for 30 seconds and adjust seasoning as needed, set aside
• In large mixing bowl, place Kale, sliced onions, add salt and pepper toss, add dressing toss to coat, divide greens into 4 bowls, garnish with orange segments and serve

• Medium slice apple smoked bacon strips
• Using a thick bottom sauté pan over medium heat, add bacon and slow cook until crisp
• Remove from pan, place on paper towel to collect bacon fat, set aside
• Using a thick bottom sauce pot, over medium heat add butter and melt, add leeks (white part only), onion& garlic, reduce heat to low, cover and for 5 - 7 minutes
• Add potato continue to slow cook for 5 minutes
• Add vegetable broth, bring to simmer, reduce heat cover and cook slowly until potatoes are soft
• Add green portion of leek, bring to simmer, cook for 1 minute until leeks are wilted
• Remove from heat, place soup in blender (recommend small batches) and blend at low speed thoroughly, *be very careful at this stage soup is very hot.
• Once blended place back in sauce pot and add heavy cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to simmer
• Ladle soup into serving bowls, garnish w/ crisp bacon and snipped chives

• Warm a thick bottom soup pan until medium hot, add olive oil, andouille sausage and sauté until caramelized, pour off fat, return to stove.
• Add onion, carrot, celery, sauté until the onions are glossy
• Add garlic, chopped plum tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf
• Cover pan and bring to simmer, continue to simmer slowly until vegetables are medium soft approximately 10 minutes
• Add pre-cooked beans & half of the oregano & thyme, bring to simmer
• Season with salt and pepper
• Herb butter – using a small sauce pan, over low heat, add butter, remaining oregano & thyme, once butter is melted, remove from heat
• Brush bread with herb butter and place on oven proof sheet pan and warm in 250 degree oven for 5 minutes
• Serve in warm bowls with sliced warm seasoned bread

• Using a large sauce pot over medium heat, add olive oil, chicken and cumin
• Roast ingredients in pot for 5-7 minutes insuring that spices do not burn.
• Add onion, garlic &tomatoes, bring to simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook slowly for 5 minutes, stirring as needed.
• Add chili powder, oregano, ancho pepper and chicken stock
• Bring to simmer, reduce heat, cover and slow cook until chicken is tender.
• Add precooked red beans, bring to simmer, cook for 7 minutes, remove ancho chili pepper.
• Season with sea salt and pepper to taste
• Place in serving bowls, garnish w/ cilantro & croutons. (optional garnish, jalapeño cheese, sour cream)

Croutons

• Using a small sauce pan, over medium heat, add butter to melt, once melted add country bread and toss to coat.
• Continue to slow cook in pan, tossing as needed until golden brown, remove from heat, set aside

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In bowl add olive oil, russet potatoes salt, pepper toss to coat, place on oven proof roasting, roast potatoes until golden brown once golden brown remove from oven place back in bowl add butter, herbs, salt and pepper toss to coat
• Reduce Oven temp to 200 degrees
• Place roasted potatoes on decorative oven proof serving platter, sprinkle on top shredded cheese & place back in oven, potatoes should remain in oven until cheese is melted.
• Remove from oven and serve, being careful of platter temp (potatoes can be moved to another serving platter if needed for safety)

• Using a stainless steel mixing bowl combine all ingredients (reserving small amount of parsley & parmesan for garnish) and mix thoroughly
• Once mixture is mixed, divide into 1 oz. portions, form meat balls using hands with disposable gloves or appropriate size ice cream scoop
• Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to cool
• Using a thick bottom sauté pan over medium heat add oil and meat balls, brown all sides of meatballs and remove from heat.
• Place meat balls into Mom’s Tomato Sauce, bring to simmer and allow to slow cook for 2 hours.
• Remove from heat and keep warm (at this point excess meatballs and sauce can be removed, placed in proper storage container and cooled for future meals)
• Prepare pasta, strain through colander when done
• Divide pasta into serving bowls, ladle sauce and meatballs over top
• Garnish with remaining parmesan cheese and parsley

• Place softened cream cheese in an electric mixer bowl with paddle attachment paddle until smooth
• Add the condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla bean paste to cream cheese, place mixer on low speed and mix until ingredients are incorporated
• Place butter in a small sauce pan or microwavable bowl and melt
• Place graham cracker crumbs, and sugar in stainless steel mixing bowl, add melted butter & mix to incorporate
• Divide Graham cracker mixture evenly and place in bottom of mason jars, using spoon pack
• Pipe or pour 4oz of cheesecake mixture into each mason jar on top of graham crackers
• Place in refrigerator and chill for minimum one hour or until firm
• Prior to serving, place mixed berries on top of cream cheese and serve

• Caramelize the Onions - Remove dry outer layer of onions, split in half then julienne. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add oil, then onions. Allow to caramelize, stirring every two minutes, until the onions are dark, like the color of mahogany. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly while you prepare the rest of the ingredients
• Preheat oven with pizza stone to 450°. If you do not have a pizza stone, you can use a heavy bottom cookie sheet.
• Assemble Flatbread - Lay out flatbread and evenly sprinkle Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese, going all the way to the edges.
• Next, evenly spread caramelized onions over cheese, followed by the figs, bacon and goat cheese.
• Bake flatbread in the pre-heated oven for approximately for 6-8 minutes, or until crispy. Remove from oven and place on a cutting board.
• Cut flatbread into even pieces and transfer to serving plate. Sprinkle arugula over flatbread then drizzle with aged balsamic before serving.

To Roast Squash

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Peel, seed and coarse chop butternut squash
• Place squash in mixing bowl and toss with ½ of the oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, season w/ salt & pepper
• Lay out on roasting pan
• Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes
• Remove from oven

After Roasting the Squash

• Using a thick bottom sauce pan over medium heat, add remaining olive oil, onions, butternut squash & brown sugar
• Cover pan, reduce heat to low and allow to slow cook for 15 minutes
• Add garlic, vegetable stock, bring to boil and cook until squash is soft
• Add peeled, seeded & coarse chopped pear, return to heat and cook until pear is soft
• Remove from heat
• Using a blender, place ingredients into blender in batches and puree until smooth
• Place pureed soup into a clean sauce pan, add heavy cream, bring to simmer, adjust seasoning with salt / pepper
• Add lemon juice, and chopped sage

Washington Apple Butter

• Place butter in sauce pan and let simmer on medium-low until golden-brown; add all other ingredients. Increase to medium heat and let simmer until 1/3 of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Once reduced, place in a blender and blend on high until completely silky smooth, then continue pureeing for an additional minute. Store and chill immediately. Enjoy!

Maple Cider Reduction

• Heat bourbon on medium heat in sauce pan and let reduce until the alcohol smell is gone; add syrup and cider. Let reduce by half. Store and chill.

Bacon Lardons

• Place bacon in sauce pan and cook on medium-low heat; stirring frequently. Continue to cook until all fat is rendered and bacon is a deep golden-brown. Strain fat into bowl then reserve or discard; place on a paper towel to collect excess fat.

Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees (turn on convection feature in your oven if able). Toss quartered brussels sprouts in a mixing bowl with oil, salt, and pepper. Place ingredients on a greased sheet tray and roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, check to see if sprouts are golden brown and crispy. If not, stir and bake more; checking every 5 minutes until desired texture. Plate and serve.