750 milliliters white rumMix first nine ingredients in a large pitcher; top with sparkling water and fresh fruit.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Katelyn Youngblood
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4 cups brussels sprouts, with leaves removedDressing:
Place dressing ingredients in a mason jar; cover and shake well. Blanch brussels sprouts leaves by putting them in simmering water for 45 seconds, then removing to an ice bath. (This will give them a beautiful bright green color.) Dry leaves and place in a large bowl. Slice remaining part of brussels sprouts to the stem and add to bowl. Add dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, bacon and apple slices. Lightly toss with dressing. Top with shaved Parmesan, freshly cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes. This salad should be eaten immediately because it will get soggy if left to sit for several hours.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Katelyn Youngblood
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3 cups spinachDressing:
Add spinach and arugula to a large bowl, then add remaining toppings. Add dressing ingredients to a jar and shake. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Enjoy this salad right away to prevent it from getting soggy.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Katelyn Youngblood
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1 small bag broccoli slawDressing:
Mix all slaw ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients together, then combine with slaw. Chill in fridge at least 30 minutes.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Katelyn Youngblood
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6-8 fresh peaches, *peeled and slicedPreheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour melted butter into center of 9×13 baking dish (do not spread butter around pan). In a separate bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Slowly pour in milk and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Pour batter over butter, but do not stir. Place brown sugar, peach slices and lemon juice in a saucepan over high heat. Stir frequently until sugar is completely melted and peaches have released their juices. Pour peaches over batter, but do not stir. Bake 40-45 minutes or until top of cobbler is golden. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream. Makes 8-10 servings.
*To easily peel peaches, bring a pot of water to boil. Lightly cut an “x” on the bottom of each peach. Place in water, one at a time, for 30 seconds (no more). Remove with a spoon and peel at the “x.” The skin will come right off.
4-pound bone-in pork butt (Boston butt)Combine rub ingredients; set aside. Rinse pork and pat dry with paper towels. Set on baking sheet and sprinkle all over with rub. Using hands, massage rub into meat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-8 hours or overnight (overnight is best). Remove from fridge and let sit (still wrapped) at room temperature for 1 hour.
To Grill:
Heat all grill burners on high for 10 minutes. Turn off all burners except far left. Reduce far left burner to low (to maintain 275 degrees). Remove plastic wrap and place pork on far right side of grill, fat cap up. Close grill and maintain 275 degrees about 8-10 hours or until internal temperature of pork reaches 200 degrees. Remove and place in pan. Cover with foil and let rest at least 30 minutes. Shred with forks and serve with sauce. Makes 12 servings.
To Bake:
Place oven rack in lower half of oven so pork will be in the middle of oven. Set oven to 250 degrees (no need to preheat). Place a cooking rack in a large-rimmed pan lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place meat on rack fat cap up and cook about 8-9 hours or until internal temp is 200 degrees. Remove and place in pan. Cover with foil and let rest at least 30 minutes. Shred with forks and serve with sauce. Makes 12 servings.
Makes 8-12 servings.
Cocktail:
Pour rum, curaçao, pineapple juice into a cocktail shaker and shake until combined. Pour over ice in a chilled glass. Garnish with a wedge of fresh pineapple and a maraschino cherry. Makes 1 drink.
Mocktail:
Pour Sprite or 7-Up into glass and add pineapple juice. Stir in coconut extract and add 1 small drop of blue food coloring. Stir together until combined. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. Add ice and stir to chill. Garnish with a wedge of fresh pineapple and a maraschino cherry. Makes 1 drink.
6 carrot slicesUsing a paring knife, shape carrot slices into top combs. Cut a small slice off bottom (wider end) of each egg so it stands upright. Make a half-inch slit in top of egg and insert carrot slice for comb. Add cloves or peppercorns for eyes. Cut a small hole with tip of paring knife for beak and insert diced red bell pepper. Layer bowl with lettuce and top with egg “chicken.” Makes 6.
Salsa:
Chicken:
Place chopped red onion in a large bowl and drizzle with lime juice; let sit 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic and salt until well combined. Let sit for an hour (room temperature or chilled) for flavors to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed, before serving. (If too hot, add more chopped tomato.) Makes 4 cups.
While salsa is resting, make marinade for chicken by combining 2 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, garlic, honey, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in a large resealable bag. Add chicken breasts, seal bag well and pound chicken to an even thickness. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
Heat indoor or outdoor grill to medium high, about 375-450 degrees. Grill chicken (discard marinade) 5-8 minutes a side, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove to plate and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve in corn tortillas with salsa and avocado slices. Makes 6 servings.
2 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oilHeat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add bok choy and red bell pepper; sauté about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté another 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; sauté just until fragrant. Stir in red curry paste. Stir in chicken stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, coconut milk, brown sugar and black pepper; bring to a simmer. Add shrimp and cook just until they turn pink, about 3-4 minutes (do not overcook or they will be rubbery). Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, green onions, basil and bean sprouts. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.
8-10 Yukon Gold potatoesPreheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 12 muffin cups; set aside. Cut potatoes into thin slices about 1/16 inch thick (a mandoline slicer is helpful). Place slices in a large bowl. Add melted butter, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Layer slices in prepared muffin cups. Bake 45-55 minutes or until edges and tops are golden brown and centers are tender. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Use a spoon to help release potato stacks from muffin pan. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. Serve while hot and crispy. Makes 4-6 servings.
1 medium pumpkinIn a large stock pot, brown beef in olive oil over high heat, until seared on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside. In same pot, add onion, carrots, celery and bell pepper; sauté about 10 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add white potatoes, sweet potatoes and beef broth to preferred consistency. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add browned beef. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
Meanwhile, cut top off pumpkin and discard. Scoop out seeds and stringy membrane. Brush inside with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place shell in shallow pan and add stew. Cover with parchment and bake about an hour or until pumpkin meat is tender. Ladle out stew, scooping out some pumpkin with each spoonful. Makes 4-6 servings.
It’s that time of year again when pumpkins become the centerpiece of many fall dishes and decorations or find themselves carved into scary jack-o’-lanterns.
Here are five tips to help you pick out the best pumpkins in the patch:
1. Look for pumpkins with rich orange color and a dry, attached stem. A green stem means the pumpkin is freshly harvested.
2. Knock on the pumpkin. It should sound hollow when ripe.
3. Choose a firm, heavy pumpkin. It will have more meat and a sweeter flavor than a lighter pumpkin.
4. Reject any pumpkins with blemishes such as white mildew, brown stains or wormholes.
5. When planning to cook pumpkins for pies or other dishes, pick small, heavy pumpkins called pie pumpkins or sugar pumpkins. They have more pulp than larger varieties.
If you choose to eat your pumpkin and not just carve it, you’re in for a tasty — and healthy — treat. Pumpkins are packed with vitamin A, calcium, potassium, phosphorous and vitamin C. They also have no cholesterol, are a good source of fiber and contain only traces of fat and sodium.
Roast some seeds, and you’ve just added vitamins B and E to the mix:
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Boil seeds in salted water for 20 minutes to clean and flavor them. Blot dry and spread on a cookie sheet overnight to dry. Toss in a bowl with the melted butter, olive oil and salt. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes at 300 degrees, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
18 chicken wingsPreheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray generously with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together flour, salt, garlic powder, chili powder and black pepper. Wash, dry and dip wings into flour mixture until coated. Place wings in a single layer on sheet and bake 35-40 minutes, turning once. While baking, make sauce by slowly simmering sauce ingredients over low heat. When wings are done, carefully dip in sauce and place back in oven 5 minutes more or until sauce is bubbling. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold. Makes 18 wings.
2 pineapplesCut pineapples in half from top to bottom. Cut pulp out and dice, using 1-2 cups for this recipe (save the rest for snacks, smoothies or other recipes). Cook rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking, crumble cooked bacon and set aside. Cut chicken into small pieces. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and sauté 4-5 minutes until browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Remove to plate and cover to reabsorb juices.
Wipe pan with a paper towel. Add remaining teaspoon of oil and heat over medium high. Add onion and cook 3-5 minutes until softened. Stir in red bell pepper, diced pineapple and crumbled bacon; cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in rice and cooked chicken. Add soy sauce and sesame oil; gently stir until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm in scooped-out pineapple halves. Makes 4 servings.