Ingredients:

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cut into bite sized pieces
• 10-12 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup Marsala cooking wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound dry penne pasta + water for cooking
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese + more for serving
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• minced, chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet until foaming. Cook chicken until lightly browned. Transfer to plate when done.
2. Boil water and cook pasta according to the directions.
3. Melt additional 1 tablespoon of butter in skillet, add garlic, mushrooms and onion and cook for about 6 minutes. Add cooked chicken back into the skillet. Add the Marsala, chicken broth and cream and bring to a boil. Simmer until sauce is is slightly thickened.
4. Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the mushrooms and chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and cook until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce, about 1 minute, adding the reserved cooking water as needed.
5. Season with salt and pepper and serve with additional Parmesan cheese and a garnish of chopped parsley.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks Butter
• 1.5 cup + 2 tbsp Sugar
• 3 whole Eggs
• 1.5 cup Mashed Ripe Bananas
• 4 cups + 2 tbsp Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
• 1.5 cup Sour Cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour bundt pan.
3. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, beating for a few seconds after each addition. Add mashed bananas and beat.
4. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
5. Add dry ingredients and sour cream alternately to the mixing bowl. Beat well until all combined.
6. Pour into bundt pan and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
   Invert on a cooling rack and allow cake to cool slightly before slicing and serving with softened butter.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tbsp minced shallot
• 2 tsp finely grated orange peel
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
• 1/4 tsp (scant) saffron threads
• 2 lbs chicken breast (cut into 12 chicken cutlets, 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick)
• coarse kosher salt
• 2 tbsp (or more) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3/4 lb spring onions or green onions (dark green parts discarded); white parts cut into 1/4-inch thick slices, pale green parts cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (scant 2 cups)
• 1.5 lb slender asparagus, tops cut into 3-inch pieces, stems cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 2 tbsp creme fraiche or heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl; cover gremolata and set aside.
2. Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add saffron and stir until slightly darker, about 30 seconds. Transfer to another small bowl; cool and crumble saffron.
3. Note: Gremolata and saffron can be made 2 hours ahead. LEt stand at room temperature.
4. Sprinkle chicken lightly with coarse salt and pepper.
5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches and adding more oil as needed, cook chicken until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Arrange chicken on platter; tent with foil.
6. Add 1 tbsp oil and butter to same skillet. Add white and green parts of onions and saute until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add asparagus. Sprinkle saffron over vegetables. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper and saute 1 minute.
7. Add broth, reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender and broth reduces and thickens to glaze, about 5 minutes.
8. Stir in creme fraiche and gremolata. Season with salt and pepper. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to platter, arranging around chicken. Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve.

Carrots:

• 2 lbs baby carrots, peeled, trimmed, leaving 1/2 inch of green tops attached
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 small jalapeño (preferably red), seeded, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp coarse kosher salt

Pork:

• 2 1-to-1.25lb pork tenderloins
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Carrots:

1. Arrange carrots on large rimmed baking sheet. Whisk 2 tablespoons water and all remaining ingredients in small bowl; pour over carrots and toss to coat. Cover tightly with heavy-duty foil. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
2. Toss to coat before continuing.

Pork:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Roast carrot mixture covered until just tender, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, arrange pork tenderloins on another rimmed baking sheet. Stir oregano, cumin, chile powder, smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt in small bowl; rub mixture all over tenderloins. Heat oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add pork to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Return to rimmed baking sheet.
4. Remove foil from carrots. Nestle pork among carrots on baking sheet, arranging carrots in single layer around pork. Roast uncovered until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 145°F, stirring carrots occasionally if beginning to caramelize, about 18 minutes. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Transfer pork to work surface. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange carrots on platter. Top with pork slices, drizzling any pan juices over.

Ingredients:

• 1 15oz can black beans, drained
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 5 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 cups coleslaw mix
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 white or yellow corn tortillas
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Bottled chipotle hot sauce or other hot sauce

Directions:

1. Place beans and cumin in small bowl; partially mash.
2. Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 3 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla; cook 1 minute. Fold tacos in half. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
4. Fill tacos with feta and slaw. Pass hot sauce alongside.
5. Note: A prepackaged mix of shredded cabbage (and occasionally carrot) allows coleslaw to come together quickly—you can just tear open the package, give the mix a rinse, and top with a simple dressing.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs kale leaves, center ribs and stems removed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped peeled carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped shallots (about 4)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 15-oz cans white beans, drained
• 4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp Sherry wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp assorted chopped fresh herbs (tarragon, parsley, and chives)

Directions:

1. Cook kale in large pot of boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Squeeze out excess water. Coarsely chop kale.
2. Heat olive oil in medium pot over medium heat. Add chopped carrots, celery shallots, and garlic; cook until soft, stirring, about 15 minutes (do not brown vegetables).
3. Add white wine and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced, about 7 minutes.
4. Add white beans, 4 cups broth, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes.
5. Add kale and simmer 5 minutes longer. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
6. Add more broth by 1/2 cupfuls to thin stew, if desired.
7. Mix in Sherry wine vinegar and chopped fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients:

• 4 strips bacon
• 5 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 4 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch slices
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 9 eggs
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 3 garlic scallions, sliced thin
• 2 scallions, sliced thin

Directions:

1. First, cook the bacon. Here’s how I did it: Line a baking sheet with foil and line up four strips of bacon on the foil. Place the pan into a cold oven and turn the oven on to 400°. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and place the bacon strips onto a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Leave the oven at 400°, or preheat it if you fried the bacon.
2. Place the onion in a medium pan with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Saute over medium-high heat until the onions are caramelized, about 8-10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and scrape any brown bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook until the water has evaporated and the onions are brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Place the onions into a baking dish with the potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350°.
4. Whisk together the eggs, parsley, and scallions. Add the bacon and season with salt and pepper. Add the potato and onion mixture. Heat a 10 inch cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet, then pour in the egg and potato mixture. Cover the skillet with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes.
5. I removed it from the oven when the edges were crispy and the top had just begun to brown.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. tomatillos (husked)
• 1 ripe avocado
• 4-7 jalapeno or serrano chilies
• 1 lime
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Roast chilies and tomatillos on the grill.
2. Blend garlic first with a little water in blender, or mash using a molcajete.
3. Combine garlic with roasted chilies and tomatillos and blend on low.
4. Mash or cut finely the avocado. Combine avocado, cilantro, and contents of blender in a bowl.
5. Squeeze lime into salsa and add salt to taste.