3 tablespoons chicken, goose, or pork fat
30 peeled garlic cloves (or more or fewer)
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg
4 or 5 egg yolks
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
slices of bread, toasted until crisp

Melt the fat over low heat, then add the garlic. Cook, without browning, until the garlic has become very soft. This will take half an hour or more. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Blend the soup either with a stick blender or by allowing the soup to cool slightly and pouring it into a blender. Blend so the soup is completely smooth. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl then stir in the olive oil. Begin tempering the eggs by adding hot but not boiling soup to the eggs a small amount of the time while beating the eggs. When you’ve added a half cup of broth or so to the eggs, pour the egg mixture into the broth beating while you do. Heat the mixture being careful not to let the soup come to a boil. You want to make sure you don’t curdle the eggs. Place a bread slice in the bottom of each bowl and pour the soup over top. Serve.

3 medium beets, greens removed
1 lb carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 2-lb acorn squash, cut into 1-inch slices
1 clove garlic, minded
4 tsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme leaves plus sprigs
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 orange
2 to 4 tbsp white wine vinegar

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Wrap beets in a double layer of aluminum foil, seal and then bake until soft, about 75 min. In a bowl toss together carrots, squash, garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, several thyme sprigs and salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast alongside the beets until just tender and golden, 35 to 40 min. Peel skin from cooked beets by rubbing with a paper towel, then cut beets into 1-inch pieces. Set aside. Measure orange juice, then add enough vinegar to equal 2/3 cup. Whisk together juice, vinegar and 1/4 tsp salt and drizzle in 2 tbsp olive oil, whisking constantly. Add thyme leaves and zest. Place vegetables on a serving dish and add orange vinaigrette. Garnish with thyme. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

7 ounces dark chocolate
1/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Break up chocolate in the blender. Add boiling water. Blend for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients. Blend 15 seconds. Scrape down sides. Blend until smooth. Pour into dessert dishes or glasses and refrigerate until set.

8 skinless chicken thighs
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp oregano
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 375°. Trim all fat off chicken. Season chicken with salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon juice. Place in a roasting pan and bake for about 35 - 40 minutes. When chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle with feta. Broil on low for about 2-3 minutes, until cheese is golden brown.

Pineapple and Sweet Chili Salad dressing
3 tbsp lemon-infused olive oil
1 tbsp pineapple vinegar
juice and zest of a lemon
1 tsp sugar
1-2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
a small pinch of salt
chopped fresh chili - optional

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bottle and shake well or use your whisk to make the dressing.

Salad leaves of your choice
2 radishes - washed and sliced finely
1 cucumber - peeled and sliced
cocktail tomatoes - halved
1 spring onion or scallion - finely sliced
1 stick celery - finely sliced
pomegranate pips
¼ pineapple - cored and diced
10 prawns peeled and grilled in a little olive oil

Assemble the salad and add the prawns. Pour over the dressing and enjoy!!!

2 tsp olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 russett potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a skillet coated with olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and cook until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the minced garlic and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper; cook for an additional 60 seconds, stirring constantly. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Layer the dish with a portion of the potatoes then cover the potatoes with half of the caramelized onions then sprinkle with some cheese. Repeat a second layer and finish with a final layer of potatoes. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter is melted. Pour the milk mixture over the potatoes, season the top with freshly grated nutmeg, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the last of the cheese. Cover and place in the oven. Bake until the potatoes are tender and the casserole is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Remove the cover and place under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the top. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn. Serve warm.

1 ½ pounds extra lean ground beef
½ an onion, diced
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 (7 ounce) can diced mild green chiles
1 (15 ounce) can nacho cheese sauce
1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese
About 1 pound frozen shoe string french fries
A sprinkle of salt for fries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Get out a 9x13 inch Pyrex pan and a large skillet. Cook the ground beef, onions, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and fresh ground pepper together over medium high heat until no longer pink, Strain off the fat and place the meat mixture back in the pan. Add the chiles and nacho cheese sauce to the pan and stir into the meat. Cook for about four minutes on medium low until combined and warmed through. Pour the meat mixture into the 9x13 inch pan. Spread out and top with shredded cheddar. Top with frozen fries and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 30 minutes.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly if not using pre-rinsed
1 mango, diced
1 red pepper, roasted, seeded, ribs removed, and diced (or skip the roasting)
1 bunch watercress, stems removed

Lime-Curry Vinaigrette
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
4 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and pepper

Whisk the vinaigrette ingedients together and set aside. Put quinoa, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover pan and cook for 13 to 15 minutes, until water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit until it has cooled completely. Toss the quinoa with enough dressing to moisten. Taste for salt and add if needed. Add the watercress, mango, and peppers and toss, adding enough additional dressing to lightly coat. Grind a little black pepper over all, taste again for seasoning. Serve.

3/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 pound turkey breast tenderloins, cut crosswise into 4 portions
Bias-sliced green onion
2 cups hot cooked brown rice

Transfer 2 tablespoons of the orange juice to a small bowl. Stir in cornstarch; set aside. In a 4-quart pressure cooker, combine the remaining orange juice, the soy sauce, and ginger. Spread 1 teaspoon of the hoisin sauce on one side of each turkey portion. Place turkey portions, hoisin sides up, in pressure cooker. Lock lid in place. Over high heat, bring cooker up to 15 pounds pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove cooker from heat. Allow pressure to decrease naturally. Carefully remove lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape. Using a slotted spoon, transfer turkey to a cutting board; thinly slice turkey. Keep warm. For sauce: Strain cooking liquid. Return to pressure cooker. Stir orange juice-cornstarch mixture; add to liquid in cooker. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Serve sauce over turkey. If desired, sprinkle with green onion and serve with brown rice. Makes 4 (3 ounces cooked meat and 3 tablespoons sauce) servings.