Spicy Chicken Wings with Honey Mustard Jalapeno Sauce

Place jalapenos in saucepan and add enough water to just cover peppers. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Remove jalapenos from saucepan, reserving liquid. Add both sugars to liquid and return pan to heat. Bring mixture to boil, stirring to dissolve sugars. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Place jalapenos, sugar mixture, honey, vinegar, mustard and turmeric in blender or food processor. Blend until all ingredients are pureed.

Place chicken wings in large bowl and pour 1/2 cup pureed jalapeno mixture over wings, reserving remaining puree for dipping sauce.

Preheat oven to 400°. Place wings on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown, turning several times during cooking.

Serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Sticky Vermont Chicken Wings

3 lbs. chicken wings

5 oz. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. maple syrup

½ stick butter

Preheat oven to 325°. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add maple syrup and soy sauce. Heat to boiling and remove from heat. Arrange wings in single layer in 13×9-inch casserole pan. Pour syrup over wings and bake for 2 hours.

For the rub:

2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt

1 tsp. ground celery seeds

1 tsp. granulated sugar

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. onion powder

2 Tbsp. herbes de Provence

For the roast:

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1 (10 lb.) bone-in standing rib roast, prime rib USDA choice grade

For the au jus:

1 cup port

1 cup beef demi-glace

4 Tbsp. cold butter, diced

To make rub:

In small mixing bowl, stir together the sea salt, celery seed, sugar, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and herbes de Provence.

To prepare the roast:

Add Dijon mustard to dry rub mix and stir until well incorporated. Spread Dijon mustard mixture evenly over entire roast and place in a roasting pan. Cover beef with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator, allowing it to marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Before cooking, allow beef to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 45o degrees. Remove plastic wrap and place beef in oven for 15 minutes or until the outside becomes caramelized.

Remove beef from oven. Reduce heat to 175 degrees. Place beef back into oven after it cools to temperature. Roast beef for 5-8 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 135-140 degrees when tested with meat thermometer.

To make au jus:

While beef is roasting, whisk port and beef demi-glace together in saucepan over medium heat. Allow mixture to reduce by half. Reduce heat to low and add butter one tablespoon at a time, whisking to incorporate.

To serve beef:

Allow roast to rest on carving board for 30 minutes before slicing. Ladle au jus over slices.

White Wine Gravy

1 cup dry white wine

2-3 cups chicken broth

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/3 cup flour

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Pour pan drippings into a 4 cup measuring cup. Deglaze pan by adding white wine. Add liquid to measuring cup. Add enough chicken broth to measuring cup to equal 4 cups of liquid. Set aside.

Melt butter in large saucepan. Sprinkle with flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 4-5 minutes or until roux is a deep brown color. Gradually whisk in the 4 cups of liquid.

Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until gravy thickens. Add more chicken broth to thin, if necessary.

Season with salt and pepper and strain into serving dish.

Tacos de Carne Asada

2 lbs. flank or skirt steak

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp. Chile powder

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

Rub olive oil on steak to thoroughly coat. In small bowl combine remaining spices. Rub spiced into steak. Place in plastic bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Grill steak over medium hot coals for 3-5 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is achieved. Remove from coals and place meat on cutting board, allowing it to rest for 10 minutes. Dice meat and place inside warm, soft corn tortillas. Garnish with Pico de Gallo or desired accompaniments.

Pico de Gallo

1 white onion, diced

3 tomatoes, diced

1 bunch fresh cilantro

2 jalapenos, diced

Juice of 2 fresh limes

1/4 tsp. salt or to taste

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to blend flavors.

6 large russett potatoes, peeled and grated

1 large onion, grated

2 eggs, slightly beaten

4 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Oil, to cover bottom of pan

Grate potatoes and place in strainer over a bowl. Squeeze all liquid out of potatoes.

Place potatoes in large mixing bowl. Add onions and stir. Add eggs and mix well. Add flour, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls into hot oil, flattening the mixture slightly. Brown on both sides about 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Place latkes on paper towel to absorb excess oil. Keep them warm in low oven while preparing remaining mixture.

Serve warm with apple sauce, sour cream or a sprinkling of sugar.

French Crepes with Strawberry Margarita Jam

In mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. In separate small bowl, beat together milk and eggs. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in half the liquid mixture. Blend well, then add remaining liquid and stir until fairly smooth (a few lumps will remain.) Stir in melted butter. Cover and let rest for at least 1 hour. (The resting is a critical step – so plan ahead)

Heat pan (prefer cast iron or crepe pan) over medium-high heat. Coat bottom with a pat of butter (this makes them brown better). Pour 1/3 cup of batter into bottom of pan, pick up pan and tip it in circle to batter covers pan. Cook until bottom begins to brown and you can slide spatula under it. Flip and cook other side briefly. Place crepe on warm plate and cover until remaining batter is prepared.

To serve, place on serving plate and spoon Strawberry Margarita Jam in center. Fold crepe in quarters and garnish with powdered sugar or fresh strawberries.

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