Sweet Potato Soufflé

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds large sweet potatoes
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 large eggs

NSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the sweet potatoes for 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Raise the oven temperature to 425°.
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3. 2. Peel the sweet potatoes as soon as they are cool enough to handle; transfer to a bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the sweet potatoes with the butter until smooth. Beat in the cream, Gruyère, brown sugar and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
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5. 3. Transfer the sweet potato puree to a buttered 8-by-11-inch baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400° and bake for 30 minutes longer, or until the sweet potatoes are lightly puffed and browned. Let the sweet potato soufflé rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

• Salt
• 3 1/2 pounds white or all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche

NSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes over moderate heat until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Return the potatoes to the pot and cook over high heat for 1 minute to dry them out slightly. Pass the potatoes through a ricer and return them to the pot.
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3. 2. In a small saucepan, cook the butter over moderate heat until the milk solids turn dark golden, about 4 minutes. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the brown butter to the potatoes along with the milk and crème fraîche and stir well. Season with salt and stir over moderate heat until hot. Drizzle the remaining brown butter over the potatoes and serve.

MAKE AHEAD

Glazed Salmon With Broccoli Rice

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1/4cup brown sugar 
2. 2tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3. 1cup long-grain white rice
4. 1head broccoli, florets only, chopped (about 2 cups)
5. 4pieces skinless salmon fillet (1 1/4 pounds total)
6. 1large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
7. 1tablespoon olive oil
8. kosher salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat broiler. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and soy sauce. Set aside.
2. Cook the rice according to the package directions, stirring in the broccoli during the last 3 minutes.
3. Let the rice and broccoli stand off the heat until the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
4. Meanwhile, place the salmon and onion on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
5. Broil until the salmon is opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes, spooning half the soy sauce glaze over the fish during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
6. Serve the salmon and onion with the rice and the remaining glaze.

Poblano Jack Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup grated jack or Manchego cheese
• ½ cup grated pepper jack
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter (divided)
• 5 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3 cup heavy cream
• 2 roasted poblanos
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• ½ cup fine breadcrumbs
• 1 jalapeno (sliced with seeds)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish (or similar) and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the cheeses and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt 2 Tablespoons butter. Add in flour and whisk until combined. Cook, whisking constantly, until roux is smooth and thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add in 2 cups of the heavy cream, continuing to whisk and cook over medium heat until sauce begins to thicken, several minutes. Add ½ of the cheese mixture and stir until smooth. Add the remaining cream, diced poblanos, salt, and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in boiling salted water, just until al dente. Drain well and while paste is still hot, add it to the prepared casserole pan. Sprinkle pasta with ½ of the remaining cheese mixture and pour cheese sauce over pasta. Top with the last ½ of the remaining cheese and then cover evenly with breadcrumbs. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then remove and top with sliced jalapeno. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit a few minutes before serving.

Beef Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, plus a few drops
• Dried red-pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 1 bunch watercress (about 5 ounces), tough stems removed
• 1 egg, beaten to mix
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 scallions including green tops, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. In a medium bowl, combine the sirloin with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce,  teaspoon of the sesame oil, and a pinch of red-pepper flakes. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice and boil until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain the rice and return it to the pot.
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3. 2. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick frying pan over moderately high heat. Put the beef mixture in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and just cooked, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove. Put the watercress and the teaspoon of soy sauce in the pan and cook until the watercress is just wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove.
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5. 3. Reduce the heat to moderate. Put a few drops of sesame oil in the frying pan. Add the egg to the pan and cook until just done, about 30 seconds. Remove from the pan and cut into thin strips.
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7. 4. Heat the cooking oil in the pan over moderately high heat. Add the scallions and 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cooked rice to the pan and heat, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, the beef, watercress, and egg. Heat, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Drizzle the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil over the top.
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SUGGESTED PAIRING:

A California Merlot, with its plum flavor and undercurrents of chocolate and herbs, makes a rich accompaniment to the beefy rice. As always with California wines, try to find one that is lightly oaked; a heavy oak taste tends to

Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

Meatloaf Ingredients:

• 3 slices french bread
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 eggs

Creamy Mushroom Gravy Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons meatloaf pan drippings 
• 3 cups sliced crimini mushrooms 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth 
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 
• 1 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire 
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Dip the french bread into the milk. Squeeze to release excess and then tear into pieces. 
3. Place bread pieces, and remaining meatloaf ingredients together in a bowl. Mix well. Place in a baking pan and form into a loaf. Bake in preheated oven for 60 - 75 minutes or until a thermometer inserted reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven. Reserve two tablespoons pan drippings. 
4. Turn oven to warm setting and return meatloaf to oven to keep warm while making the gravy. 
5. Place 2 tablespoons meatloaf pan drippings in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Add in crimini mushrooms and cook just until they start to brown and release their liquid. Add in garlic, cook just until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle flour over the top and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in beef broth, heavy cream, thyme and worcestershire. Simmer just until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
6. Remove meatloaf from oven, slice, spoon sauce over the top and serve. 

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pancakes With Pan-Roasted Pears and Blackberries

INGREDIENTS:

1. 4tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
2. 2ripe but firm pears, cut into 8 wedges each
3. 1/2pint blackberries (fresh or frozen, slightly defrosted)
4. 1tablespoon light brown sugar
5. 1 1/2cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
6. 1tablespoon granulated sugar
7. 1teaspoon baking powder
8. 1/4teaspoon baking soda
9. 1/2teaspoon fine salt
10. 1 1/4cups buttermilk
11. 1large egg
12. pure maple syrup, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. 1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the pears and cook, turning once, until golden brown and soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the blackberries and sprinkle with the light brown sugar, tossing to coat. Remove from heat and set aside. Wipe out the skillet.
2. 2. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the buttermilk and egg to the butter and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and whisk to combine.
3. 3. Heat the large nonstick skillet (wiped clean) or a griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan with a pat of butter (or brush with melted butter). For each pancake, spoon a scant 1/3 cup of batter onto the prepared skillet. Cook, turning once, until cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Repeat, buttering the skillet between batches.
4. Serve topped with butter, the roasted fruit, and maple syrup. 
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