Warm Crab & Artichoke Dip

Yield:  8 – 10 servings

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
½ cup artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 can lump crab meat
½ cup + ½ cup shredded peppered Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Stir in artichoke hearts, crab meat, ½ cup Monterey Jack, mozzarella, green onions, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Spread crab mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Monterey Jack.
4. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 20 – 25 minutes.
5. Serve immediately with chips, crackers or cut-up vegetables for dipping.

Classic Chicken & Dumplings

Yield:  8 servings

Stew:

1 tablespoon canola oil
6 bone-in chicken thighs
kosher salt and black pepper
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 small carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
10 cups chicken stock
½ cup flour

Dumplings:

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons butter, melted
¾ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown in batches, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the celery, carrots, onions, thyme, and garlic to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add the chicken, bay leaves, and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and transfer the chicken to a plate; let cool. Shred the chicken with 2 forks and return it to the pot (discarding the bones).
4. Whisk together ½ cup flour and 2 cups of the cooking liquid in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the flour mixture back into the pot and simmer until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Make the dumplings: Whisk together the remaining 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the butter, buttermilk, and parsley.  Reduce heat to low and drop the mixture into the broth in 8 large spoonfuls.  Simmer, covered, until the dumplings are firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Add shredded chicken back to pot and warm for a couple minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts w/ Grainy Dijon & Shallots

Yield:  4 servings

2 cups Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided, for cooking
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grainy Dijon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of ½ a lemon

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan (like cast iron) and add in sliced shallot. Sauté for 5 minutes or so over medium-high heat, until just translucent, then remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add in another 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add Brussels sprouts and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.  Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 – 10 minutes, until they are both somewhat browned but not nearly cooked through.
4. Whisk together mustard, maple syrup, oil, lemon juice, add the shallots back to the pan, and toss everything together. Place the whole pan in the oven and roast for 25 – 30 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts are fork tender.

Baked Chocolate Custard Pudding

Yield:  8 servings

5 ounces each:  semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup plus 6 tablespoons butter
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
¼ cup sugar
Sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Arrange eight ½-cup ramekins.
2. Set up a double boiler on the stovetop. Place the chopped chocolate and butter in the top bowl and heat until melted, stirring often. Let cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the whole eggs and sugar until thick and pale, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the chocolate/butter mixture to the egg mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.
5. Spoon the pudding into the ramekins. Carefully fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the puddings for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are firm but the centers are still a bit soft. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let the puddings cool completely. Serve with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Spiced Apple Hot Toddy

Yield:  2 – 3 servings

1 cup apple juice
1½ tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks, plus more to garnish
1 teaspoon whole cloves
½ cup bourbon
1½ tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Optional garnishes: apple slices, cinnamon sticks

1. In a small saucepan, combine the apple juice, honey, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and steep, covered, for 10 minutes.
2. Strain out the solids, then stir in the bourbon and lemon juice. Divide among 2 – 3 mugs and garnish each mug with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick.