Fresh Asparagus and Lump Crab Salad

Ingredients:


• 2 small bunches of fresh asparagus
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped chervil
• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
• 1 pound fresh lump crabmeat or store-brought ready to eat lump crabmeat is fine too



Directions:


1. Trim off about 2 inches from the bottom of the asparagus. Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes then remove and place in a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, shallots, garlic, chervil, and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Add the crabmeat and mix well. Season with salt again if needed.
3. Arrange the asparagus on a platter and spoon crabmeat mixture over the center of the asparagus. Serve this beautiful and unique salad!

Onion Soup with Fontina

 Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 large Vidalia onions, sliced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 4 cups beef broth
• 4 slices ciabatta bread, cubed
• 4 ounces fontina cheese, sliced

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat then add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are tender which is about 10 minutes. Add the fresh thyme leaves and broth. Simmer until onions are soft which is about 15 minutes.
2. Divide the soup into 2-4 ovenproof ramekins. Divide the cubed bread among the ramekins. Top each with slices of fontina cheese. Place under the broiler about 5 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Alsace and Bordeaux Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf French bread or 12 bread slices
• 5 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups half-n-half
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick of butter
• 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Slice bread and arrange slices in a buttered flat baking dish in 2 rows and 2 layers.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-n-half, milk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture over bread slices, make sure all are covered with the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350º. Sprinkle raisins over the top and bake for 45 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve hot.

Ultimate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredient:

• 2 sticks of butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Mix butter, sugar, and eggs together. In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and oatmeal. Cream both mixtures together. Add the raisins and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.
3. Drop dough by round teaspoonfuls or mini ice cream scoop on to baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool and serve!

Golden Rum Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup dark rum
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325º. Grease a Bundt cake pan then sprinkle walnuts evenly over the bottom.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, and sugar. Mix in the eggs, milk, butter, and rum. Mix batter until smooth.
3. Pour batter into the cake pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Fettuccine con Prosciutto

Ingredients:

• 1 package egg fettuccine
• 1/3 pound prosciutto di parma
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup half-n-half
• 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• Sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta til al dente in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain and set aside. Slice prosciutto ham into thin strips then set aside.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter and add half-n-half cream. Add the cheese and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and immediately add in pasta and prosciutto. Toss until the sauce evenly coats the pasta. Serve the masterpiece!

Cauliflower Gratin

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets
• 1/2 stick butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups hot milk
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• Sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375º. Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of salted water for 5 minutes then drain.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring constantly. Add the hot milk and stir until it comes to a boil. Add salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese, stir about 1 minute or until mixture thickens.
3. Pour half of the sauce in a baking dish then add the cauliflower. Pour remaining sauce over the califlower. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is browned. Serve and enjoy hot.

Rose Garden Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Wild Atlantic Salmon
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper together.
2. Place salmon in a baking dish then coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish and let the salmon marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Turn once after 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400º.
3. Bake salmon for 15 minutes and serve hot.

Salami Biscuits from Italy

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup salami, diced
• (Optional) 2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and cold butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.
3. Add buttermilk, salami, and Gorgonzola to the flour mixture. Stir until mixture forms a ball then turn mixture out on a floured surface. Roll dough to 1/2 inch thick.
4. Cut out biscuits by using a 1-inch diameter cookie cutter and place on baking sheets. Bake until golden which is approximately 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Veronique Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 split chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 cup small-diced celery
• 1 cup green grapes, cut in halves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, use generous amount. Roast for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool.
3. After the chicken is cool, cut the chicken into 3/4 inch dice or bite-size. In a bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise, tarragon leaves, celery, grapes, salt and pepper. Toss well and serve.

Italian Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
• 1 (14 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 (14 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
• 2 small zucchini, cubed
• 2 cups spinach, torned
• Sea salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a stockpot, saute the sausage and garlic until brown. Add broth, tomatoes, and carrots. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Add in beans, zucchini, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the zucchini is tender which is about 20 minutes. Add in spinach and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Chocolate Cluster Candy

Ingredients:

• 1 cup walnuts or almonds or pecans, coarsely chopped and toasted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 6 ounces chocolate or chocolate chip
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Toast nuts at 350º for 12 minutes. Let cool and chop coarsely with the dried cranberries then toss in a bowl. Line a baking pan with waxed paper.
2. In a small pot, melt the chocolate and add in sugar. Stir til sugar is well blended by using the lowest heat level. Pour the nuts mixture into the chocolate syrup mixture. Stir and spoon out immediately heaping tablespoon sized clusters of the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet. Set each chocolate candy cluster about 1 inch apart.
3. Put the cluster candy in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Serve the beautiful and delicious candy!

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325º.
2. In a large bowl, combine shredded coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla. In an electric mixer, whip egg whites and salt on high speed until you see foam peaks. Add the egg whites to the coconut mixture.
3. Drop batter on to baking sheet using an ice cream scoop. Bake until golden brown which is about 30 minutes.