• 1 cup dried black beans
• 4 cups water
• 6 diced slices of bacon
• 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 stalk celery, finely diced
• 2 baby carrots, grated
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3/4 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth or water
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse the beans and add them to a covered container. Pour in the water, cover, and let the beans soak overnight. Drain.
2. Fry the bacon until it begins to render its fat in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
3. Add the green bell pepper, celery, and carrots; sauté for 2 minutes.
4. Add the onion; sauté for 3 minutes or until the onions are soft.
5. Stir in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
6. Stir in the rice and stir-fry until the rice begins to brown.
7. Add the drained beans, 2 cups of broth or water, paprika, cumin, chili powder, and bay leaf.
8. Lock the lid into place and bring to low pressure; maintain pressure for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow pressure to release naturally. Stir, taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (we use oats)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp melted butter

Topping; in bowl, stir together brown sugar, nuts/oats, flour and cinnamon. Drizzle with butter, tossing with fork. Set aside

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Whisk together egg, buttermilk, butter and vanilla; pour over dry ingredients. Sprinkle with apples. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Spoon into large greased (we did minis) or paper lined cups. Sprinkle with topping. Bake in 375 for about 25 min (minis take less closer to 15 or
20) or until tops are firm to touch.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound roasted unsalted cashews
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne peper
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

1. Spread the cashews out on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven until warm, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt, and butter. Throughly toss the warm cashews with the spiced butter and serve warm.

• 4 oz smoked salmon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon pesto
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
• 3/4 pound linguine

Directions:

1. Heat oil and lightly brown onions and garlic for 5 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, wine and pesto and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add parsley
4. Cut salmon into one inch pieces and add to tomato mixture, stop cooking.
5. Gently add to cooked pasta and salt appropriately.

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees F.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 chopped cloves of garlic, more if you’re italian
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 14 oz can chopped plum tomatoes
• 2 or 3 chopped cooked sausages
• 2 zucchini, finely sliced
• 3 oz grated parmesan
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Heat a medium capacity ovenproof dish (with a lid) over a medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic and sea salt and stir for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.
2. Add the rice to the dish and stir for another minutes.
3. Add the stock and the chopped tomatoes and bring to simmering point.
4. Stir in the zucchini and sausage, and sprinkle with Parmesan and black pepper.
5. Cover the dish and bake the risotto for 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.
6. Top risotto with parsley and Parmesan.

Serves 4.

• 1/3 cup Shaoxing rice wine
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 4×8 oz steaks

To Serve:

• 7 oz snow peas
• steamed rice
• coriander relish

Directions:

1. Place the Shaoxing rice wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a large bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add the steaks and the above marinade in a large plastic bag in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours, turning occasionally. Bring the steaks to room temperature in the last 30 minutes.
3. Pepare the coriander relish while the steaks are marinating.
4. Preheat a frying pan or barbecue until hot. Sear the steaks for 3 minutes each side. Continue cooking over a medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side for medium. Remove the steaks from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes in a warm place.
5. Lightly blanch the snow peas in boiling water then plunge into cold water and drain well.
6. Slice each steak into 1/2 inch slices, top with a little relish and serve with steamed rice and snow peas.
7. Bring the extra marinade to a boil and serve on the side.

• 1 cup chopped cilantro, including stems
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 large red chilli, seeded and finely minced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tespoon superfine sugar
• freshly ground black pepper

Chef’s Notes: Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Better Chicken Fajitas – Cook’s Illustrated

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup juice from 2 to 3 limes
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 jalepeño, seeds and ribs removed, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
• salt and ground black pepper
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thick
• 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, don’t separate rings
• 1 large red bell pepper, quartered, stemmed, and seeded
• 1 large green bell pepper, quartered, stemmed, and seeded
• flour tortillas

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, 4 tablespoons oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade in small bowl; set aside. Add another teaspoon salt to remaining used marinade. Place chicken in marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes. Brush both sides of onion rounds and peppers with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, heat your grill, with high heat on one side for the chicken and medium heat on the other for the vegetables.
3. Place chicken smooth side down on the hotter side of the grill and discard remaining marinade. Place onion rounds and peppers (skin side down) on cooler side of grill. Cook chicken until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes; flip chicken and continue grilling until chicken is no longer pink in the thickest parts. Cook peppers 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice as needed. Cook onions until tender, 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Separate onions into rings, slice bell peppers lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips and place in bowl with onions. Add 2 tablespoons reserved unused marinade to vegetables and toss to combine. Slice chicken into thin strips and toss with remaining reserved marinade. Serve with warmed tortillas.

• 1 head of Romaine
• 1/3 cup of olive oil with about 3 cloves of garlic pressed into it (or cut, or whatever)
• 3 tbsp of regular red vinegar
• Lots of Worcester sauce (probably about 5-6 healthy shakes of the bottle)
• 1 lemon, cut in half and squeezed into the salad
• Salt
• Pepper
• Parmasean cheese

Chef’s Notes:
Everything can go in all at once, though I basically put it in in the order I wrote it out for you. I wait and put the cheese on last minute so it doesn’t get super soggy. And yes, it goes very well with lasagna—any Italian food, actually.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• Salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 pound (2 cups) Arborio rice
• 1/3 pound assorted exotic mushrooms, such shiitakes, chanterelles, or oysters, de-stemmed, wiped clean and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onions, green part only
• 2 tablespoons white truffle oil
• Medium black truffle, for shaving (can be skipped to save $50)

Directions:

1. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, heat the oil.
2. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring. Saute until the onions are slightly soft, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the stock and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 6 minutes.
4. Add the rice and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Add the mushrooms and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture is creamy and bubbly, about 8 minutes.
6. Stir in the butter, cream, cheese, green onions, and truffle oil. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
7. Spoon the risotto in the center of each shallow bowl.

Garnish with the croutons and shaved truffles.