Ingredients:

• 6 large ripe heirloom tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches watercress
• 1 buttermilk vinaigrette recipe (see below)

On a platter, scatter the watercress. Lay the tomatoes on watercress and scatter onions across tops of tomatoes. Pour vinaigrette over entire salad.

For the Buttermilk Vinaigrette dressing, I love Frank Stitt’s recipe. He is one of my favorite Southern chefs.

Buttermilk Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 shallot, finely minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, shallot, and salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups blueberries

Preheat oven to 350º. Slice butter, put in baking dish and place in oven until butter is melted. Mix together the dry ingredients then add the milk. Pour batter into melted butter and then scatter the fruit around. Place in oven and bake for 30-45 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken breasts, bone in skin on
• 8 oz mild goat cheese, softened
• 1 jar red pepper jelly
•  ¼ cup olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375º. While oven heating, cut a pocket into each breast- 2 inches deep. In a cast iron skillet heat small amount of olive oil on medium heat. Sear each chicken breast for  3 minutes each side. Let cool. Season each breast with salt and pepper on inside and outside. Stuff desired amount  of goat cheese into the pocket and place in a baking dish.  Top with 1-2 tbsp. of pepper jelly. Place in oven and bake for 35- 40 minutes.

Combine in a heavy sauce pan:

• 1 cup of dark Karo syrup
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Bring to a rolling boil, stirring steadily, for two minutes.

Remove from heat and add:

• 3 tbsp. butter

Beat in separate bowl:

• 3 eggs

Pour hot syrup mixture slowly into eggs, beating with a wire whisk.

Add:

• 1 cup toasted pecan pieces (see “food byte” on side bar)
• 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup bourbon

Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake for 45-50 minutes, until filling is firm. Cool before cutting.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 pound butternut squash; halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into small 1/2″ chunks.
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375º. Place squash in a 8 x 8 x 2 inch glass baking dish. Drizzle with butter, toss to coat. Blend sugar and cinnamon, mix into squash. Bake until squash is tender, about 35-50 minutes depending on freshness of squash.

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salad:

• 4 dried figs, cherries, or cranberries
• 1-2 Bosc pears
• 8 cups wild and/or fresh arugula, baby spinach, Bibb and/or Boston lettuce
• 1 cup lemon balm leaves, mint, thyme, and/or basil
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced
• 1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces (optional)
• 3/4 cup croutons (optional)
• 1/2 cup sliced or roughly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Whisk vinegar and mustard together; add salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in olive oil until dressing is emulsified. Cut off tough parts of figs and chop into small pieces. Peel and core pears and slice. Add fruit to dressing to soften figs and keep pears from turning color. Toss cleaned and stemmed greens and herbs together and set aside. Just before serving, add dressing to greens gradually, spooning in fruit. Toss until leaves are coated but not soggy. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Toss well with pecans, croutons, and cheese.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound green beans
• 2 ears of fresh corn, cleaned
• 4 or 5 okras (optional), ends cut off
• 2 green onions, separated into strands
• 1/4 red onion, finely sliced
• A few small tomatoes of various colors (red, yellow, and also green tomatillos), washed and halved
• 1 banana pepper, seeded and sliced in rounds
• A small bunch of fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper, TT

Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive-oil
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 tsp honey

Place a large pot of water to boil with some salt. When it boils, add the green beans and cook about 7-10 minutes (depending on size). Remove the beans with tongs and place in a bowl of cold water and ice (to preserve crunch and color). Drain and set aside. Repeat the same procedure for the okra. Drain. When cool, cut in small rounds and set aside. Repeat the same procedure with the green onions strands (which we will use to tie the green bean bundles). In the same water pot, cook the corn about 7-10 minutes, until tender but still with a “bite”. Move the corn with tongs to a bowl with cold water and ice. Drain. Using a knife, cut the corn kernels off the corn cobs into a bowl. Prepare the vinaigrette in a small bowl by whisking the oil into the vinegar, then add the honey, the smashed garlic clove and season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss 4 tablespoons of the vinaigrette together with the corn kernels, the okra slices, the halved tomatoes, the banana pepper slices, and the basil. Taste and season again if needed. Meanwhile, take about 10 green beans and tie them in a bundle with the blanched green onions. To serve place the salad on a plate, in a mound and top with the green bean bundles.

Filling:

• 2 T mild Olive Oil
• 2 lbs. Ground White Turkey Meat
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. tabasco
• 1 T. flour
• 1 T. tomato paste
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup beer- I used Sweetwater IPA
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 T soy sauce
• 5 pieces of fresh thyme
• 1 cup cooked butterpeas
• 2 leeks, white and 2 inches of green, sliced and sauteed in butter
• 1 cup cooked collards

Topping:

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup caramelized onions

Heat oil in large pan. Add turkey and brown, stirring often to break up into pieces. Add salt and tabasco. Add flour and tomato paste and cook about 1 minute. Add cream- cook another minute. Add broth, beer, soy sauce, thyme and simmer over medium heat, stirring often until mixture has thickened, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butterpeas, leeks and collards. Taste for seasoning and add more tabasco and salt if needed. Spoon mixture into 2 quart casserole dish. In a pot of water, add salt and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook 20 minutes until tender. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Mash potatoes and add butter, cream and onions. Season with salt if necessary. Spread potatoes over filling with spatula. Bake in 375 oven until filling is bubbling.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

•  6 cups of arugula
• 2 ripe pears
• ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
• ½ cup toasted pecan pieces

Apple Cider Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Wash 6 cups arugula and dry. Place greens in large salad bowl. Slice pears and add to greens. Toss salad with vinaigrette. Top with pecans and blue cheese.

Note: Granny smith apples may be substituted for pears.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh baby portabella mushrooms
• 1 bag spinach
• 1T garlic
• 1/4 lb. bacon ( I used apple smoked), chopped into small bits
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• horseradish (jar)
• 1 t salt

In a skillet, fry up bacon bits (retain grease). Clean mushrooms, removing stems. Remove bacon bits from grease, and place mushroom heads in skillet and heat on med for five minutes. Drain on paper towel. Then add 1 bag spinach w/ 1T garlic, and 1t salt, stir on med heat until wilted.

To mushroom heads add:

• granny smith apple slice, approx. 1/4″x 1/2″
• cooked spinach, just enough to cover apple
• 1/4 t horseradish
• bacon bits