Making Guacamole is super easy! It’s so easy, I don’t have a recipe! I make it according to taste. Here are the ingredients:

Avocados, ripened, smashed
Red Onion, small diced
Cherry Tomatoes, cut into 4 parts
Squeeze of fresh Lime, Salt, Pepper, and Hot Sauce to taste.

Mix all together. Don’t over do it on the red onion or hot sauce but season to taste. Enjoy!

Note: For ways to keep your leftover Guacamole from turning brown, please visit the Blog Section of this website for great tips.

Ingredients

4 oz. Tuscan Farms Eggnog
1/2 oz. Kahlua
1/2 oz. Liquor 43
Cinnamon
Chilled Martini glass
Shaker or Tumbler
Ice

Directions

1) Fill shaker with ice.
2) Add ingredients.
3) Shake briskly and strain into a chilled martini glass.
3) Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Enjoy!

Compliments of Mixologist Michael James from LaStrada Restaurant in Staten Island.

Ingredients

1.5 oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka
1 oz. Apple Sour Pucker
Splash of Sour Mix
Slice of green apple for Garnish
Slice of green apple to muddle, skin removed
Maraschino cherry, optional
Shaker or Tumbler
Chilled martini glass
Ice

Directions

1) Cut 1 slice of green apple into small pieces and place in shaker, pour 1/2 shot of Apple Puckers on top of apple pieces. Muddle the apple pieces into the Apple Pucker.
2) Add a large scoop of ice and another 1/2 shot of Apple Pucker into shaker with a splash of Sour Mix. Shake briskly.
3) Strain into chilled martini glass and garnish with a slice of green apple, maraschino cherry optional.

Enjoy!

Compliments of Mixologist Michael James from LaStrada Restaurant in Staten Island.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 ounce of Makers Mark Bourbon
• Half shot of Triplesec
• 4 ounces of Sweet & Sour Mix
• Splash of 7 up
• Dash of Grenadine
• Garnished with an orange slice and a cherry

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients into a steel shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake briskly till foamy.
3. Pour into a tall Hurricane or Collins glass.
4. Insert straw and Enjoy.

Compliments of Mixologist Michael James from LaStrada Restaurant in Staten Island.

Honey brings such a wonderful sweetness to these petite carrots in this quick and easy dish.

Tools

• Skillet

Ingredients

• 12-16 oz. bag of petite carrots
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• fresh dill and thyme (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add carrots, honey, brown sugar, dill and thyme (optional) and gently toss to combine.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender,  about 7-12 minutes.
3. Serve immediately.

The first step to easy and delicious ham is choosing the right one.  A bone-in, spiral-sliced, smoked ham is perfect, The bone lends tons of extra flavor and keeps the meat juicy, the spiral slicing makes serving a cinch, and smoking gives ham its signature flavor.  Before roasting, let the ham sit at room temperature for two hours to take the hard chill off so it roasts evenly.  This recipe calls for a sherry-apricot glaze.  The first coating of glaze helps seal in the juices, preventing the ham from drying out.  The second coating carmelizes so the ham devlops a deep mahogany exterior as it roasts.  And the final coating gives the ham an extra burst of sweet flavor.

Tools

• Saucepan
• Basting brush
• Microplane grater
• Roasting rack
• Roasting pan
• Instant-read thermometer
• Cutting board
• Chef knife
• Foil

Ingredients

For the glaze, Simmer:

• 1/2 cup each dry sherry, honey, and apricot preserves
• 1/4 teaspoon each smoked paprika and ground allspice
• minced zest and juice of 2 oranges

For the Ham, Combine:

• 3 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon allspice berries
• 1 bone-in, spiral-sliced, smoked ham (6-8 lbs)

Instructions

1. Bring ham to room temperature, about 2 hours.
2. For the glaze, simmer sherry, honey, preserves, paprika, ground allspice, zest, and juice of 2 oranges in a saucepan over medium heat reduced to 1-1 1/4 cups, about 25 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 300 degrees with rack in lowest position.
4. For the ham, combine 3 cups orange juice and all spice berries in a roasting pan.  Place ham, cut side down,  on a roasting rack set inside roasting pan.
5. Brush one third of the glaze on the ham; seal the pan tightly with foil.
6. Roast ham until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 100 degrees, about 15 minutes per pound (1.5-2 hours).  Remove ham from oven; increase temperature to 425 degrees.
7. Brush ham with half the remaining glaze; return to oven, uncovered.  Continue roasting ham until an instant-read thermometer registers 110 degrees, about 20 minutes more.
8. Transfer ham to a cutting board, brush with remaining glaze, loosely tent with foil, and let rest about 15 minutes before serving.

This is a simple, yet laid-back recipe and goes great with some grilled corn and a baked potato.  During roasting, brush the pork with peach barbeque sauce to create a sweet, sticky glaze.  Since it’s not quite peach season yet, I opted for frozen peaches for this – they’re always available and hold their shape well.  But once fresh peaches are available, by all means use them.  Just take care not to cook them too long in the sauce.  They’ll disintegrate.

Tools

• Chef knife
• Paring knife
• Saucepan
• Grill
• Instant-read thermometer
• Basting brush
• Bowl
• Cutting board
• Plastic wrap

Ingredients

Sweat in 1 tablespoon olive oil;   Add:

• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups 100% peach juice or nectar

Stir in; Simmer:

• 1 cup frozen sliced peaches
• 1/2 cup peach preserves
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 cinnamon stick

Grill and Baste:

• 1 boneless pork loin roast, trimmed, seasoned with salt and pepper (2 lb)

Instructions

1. Preheat grill. (325-400 degrees)
2. Sweat onion, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add nectar, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients (except pork loin), reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce has thickened slightly, 10 minutes; discard cinnamon stick.  Reserve 1/2 cup sauce for basting the roast during cooking, then transfer remaining sauce to a bowl, cool, and cover with plastic wrap.  (Store up tp 1 week int he refrigerator.)
4. Grill pork loin first over heat to sear top side, about 5 minutes.
5. Baste with 1/2 cup reserved sauce, roast turning to baste every 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 155 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove from grill, let rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1/2″-thick slices.  Serve with remaining sauce and some grilled vegetables.

Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded into cutlets
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• All-purpose flour
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or Chardonnay
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 2 tablespoons unsalter butter
• Fresh lemon slices
• Chopped fresh parsley

Tools

• Saute pan with lid (or use foil)
• Tongs
• Chef knife
• Paring knife

Instructions

1. Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.  Coat a saute pan with nonstick spray, add oil, and heat over medium-high.
2. Saute cutlets 2-3 minutes on one side.  Flip cutlets over and saute the other side, covered, 1-2 minutes.  Transfer cutlets to a warmed platter; pour off the fat from the pan.
3. Deglaze pan with wine and add minced garlic.  Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4. Add broth, lemon juice, and capers.  Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side for 1 minute.  Transfer cutlets to warm plates.
5. Finish sauce with butter and lemons.  Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets.
6. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Note:  You can also make this dish with turkey instead of chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 corned beef, 3 to 5 pounds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 head of garlic
• 3 cloves
• 10 peppercorns
• 5 allspice berries or a pinch or two of allspice
• 1 onion, whole
• 1 medium peeled waxy red or white potato per person
• 1 or 2 medium peeled carrots per person
• Cabbage
• Any other root vegetables you may like such as peeled turnips, parsnips or onions.
• Fresh parsley

Tools

• Large, heavy pot
• Peeler
• Toothpicks

Instructions

1. Put the corned beef in a large, heavy pot and cover with water.  Add the bay leaf, garlic, cloves, peppercorns, allspice berries, and 1 onion, whole.  Bring to a boil and skim the foam that rises to the surface.
2. Lower the heat so that the water bubbles occasionally.  Cook turning every 30 minutes or so, for about 2 hours.  Pierce with a thin-bladed knife; the meat will probably be tough at this point, but it’s time to begin checking.  Add the following per person: 1 medium peeled waxy red or white potato; 1 or two peeled carrots; 1 wedge of cabbage, pierced with a couple of toothpicks to keep it from falling apart; and any other root vegetable you may like.  It’s best to leave the vegetables whole but if the meat is nearly done you may cut them in half or quarters, especially if they are large..  Do not overcook the vegetables.  When they are tender, remove them.
3. Check every 15 minutes or so; when the corned beef allows the knife to pass through the center without any resistance, it is ready.  Drain; if you like, put the meat and vegetables into a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes to dry out the exterior of the meat a bit while warming the vegetables.  Slice across the grain, as you would a brisket, and serve meat and vegetables in a platter garnished with fresh parsley leaves.  You can also spritz some apple cider vinegar over the cabbage.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups medium-diced celery (4 stalks)
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (6 carrots)
• 4 cups peeled medium-diced boiling potatoes (8 potatoes)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 quart (4 cups) clam juice
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3 cups chopped fresh chowder clams (1 1/2 pounds shucked clams)

Tools

• Large heavy-bottomed stock pot
• Small pot
• Peeler
• Whisk

Instructions

1. Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of butter in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot.  Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent.  Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 more minutes.  Add the clam juice, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
2. In a small pot, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour.  Cook over very low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Whisk in a cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the cooked vegetables.  Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened.
3. Add the milk and clams and gently heat for a few minutes to cook the clams.  Taste for salt and pepper.  Serve hot.

Note:  If you use bottled clam juice instead of fresh, you may need to add more salt.