Monster Mashed Potatoes

Yield:6 to 8 servings
Cook 20 min

4 pounds golden creamer potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Put the potatoes into a large pot, add the bay leaf, 2 tablespoons salt, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them well and remove the bay leaf. Meanwhile, heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan. Put the potatoes through a ricer or food mill into a bowl. Add the hot cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix together with a spoon and add the chives.

I like this recipe because it is potatoes, which are one of the essential food groups.

Cheesy Herb Popovers

Yield:18 to 20
Cook Time 25 min

1/3 cup plus 4 tablespoons reserved beef fat, butter, or vegetable oil (or a combination)
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 ounces goat cheese, cut or crumbled into 18 to 20 equal pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Brush 18 to 20 wells of 2 popover or muffin tins with some of the melted fat. Place tins in the oven to heat while you prepare the popover batter.
Combine the eggs, flour, salt, thyme, rosemary, and pepper in a blender and blend until well combined. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the blender. While the blender is running, add the milk and cream in a slow stream until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Remove tins from the oven and fill each prepared well halfway with some of the batter. Place a piece of the cheese in the center of each cup and pour the remaining batter over so that the cups are filled 2/3 of the way. Bake the popovers until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

This recipe is great because it is cheesy and delicious, and who doesn't like cheese!

Spicy Sausage in Carrozza

Yield: 6
Cook Time:25 min

6 spicy Italian sausages
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
15 whole garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 (4-ounce) pieces pizza dough, store bought

In a saucepan add 1/2-inch water to the pan. Immerse sausages in water and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove sausage and dry the pan. Return to the heat and add the olive oil on medium heat. When hot return the sausage to the pan with garlic cloves and saute until medium brown all over. Remove garlic to a bowl. Remove sausage to a plate to cool. Use a fork to mash the garlic with salt and pepper. Stir in mustard and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut each piece of dough into 2 and roll out until 1/4-inch thick. Cut 6 pieces of dough about 3 inches wide and 1/2-inch shorter then the length of sausage, just enough to wrap around sausage with the ends peeking out. Spread bottom of each dough with a tablespoon of garlic/mustard paste. Set sausage on top, moisten 1 dough edge with a wet finger so it sticks together and roll. Press the seam firmly and set them on a lightly floured sheet pan, seam side down. Brush with olive oil. Bake until brown all around.
Remove and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut into 3/4-inch long pieces and serve.

This recipe is wonderful on a cold or rainy night. The heat from the spicy sausage will warm you right up!

Pasta Pomodorini

Yield: 4

3/4 pound spaghetti
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup sliced garlic
1/2 teaspoon finely minced Calabrian chilies, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed, crushed between your thumb and forefinger
Sea salt, preferably gray salt
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, each torn into 2 or 3 pieces
Wedge of Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta.
While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and cook until the slivers are golden brown and crisp, then add the chilies and cook for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes. Simmer briskly to soften the tomatoes and thicken the juices, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.
When the pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the sauce and the basil and mix well. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and grate Parmesan over the top to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve immediately.

Everyone loves pasta, so this meal is perfect!

Mystery Pirate Ships

Yield: 6

6 hard-cooked eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 (2.5-ounce) package smoked, sliced, chopped, pressed, cooked ham
12 green olives, optional

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks. Set whites aside.
Place yolks in 1-quart plastic food-storage bag. Add mayonnaise, relish and mustard. Press out air. Close bag. Press and roll bag until yolk mixture is thoroughly blended. Push yolk mixture toward bottom corner of bag. Snip off about 1/2 inch of bag corner. Squeezing bag gently from the top, fill reserved whites with yolk mixture.
Place each filled egg on 1 ham slice. Turn 2 opposite corners up over the yolk mixture and gently press. For masts and flags, stick wooden picks topped with olives into the boats, if desired. Chill to blend flavors.

Tis recipe is great for kids during Halloween, or any time of year!

Booger Fondue

Yield: 8

2 cups heavy cream
2 ounces sugar
2 ounces butter
2 pounds white chocolate
6 to 12 drops green food coloring
2 bags of thin pretzel sticks
Strawberries, bananas and thinly sliced apples for dipping
Candy sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
In a non-reactive double boiler set over medium-low heat, bring the cream, sugar, and butter to a boil. Meanwhile, chop the chocolate into small chunks - a serrated knife works best for this.
Add the chocolate chunks to the cream mixture in the double boiler, whisking, until it is melted and incorporated into the cream. Finally, add the food coloring until it is the desired shade of green.
Keep mixture warm in a fondue pot. Set out the fruit and the pretzels for dipping with long wooden skewers next to the fondue pot. Guests can dip their pretzels or fruit into the fondue and then roll them in the candy sprinkles, if desired.

Black and Orange Bonbons

Yield: 6

1 quart vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup powdered orange drink
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, in chunks

With a small ice cream scoop or melon baller, scoop balls of vanilla ice cream onto a cold cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Place in the freezer to reset the ice cream balls to firm.
Put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at medium until liquid, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stop and stir every 30 seconds until melted, be careful not to burn it.
Spread the orange drink powder onto a large plate. Roll the ice cream balls in the powder and return them to the cookie sheet. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the ice cream balls. Return to the freezer until ready to serve.

Bonbons are delicious and fun dessert, and the orange and black make it very festive for Halloween!