Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Beat sugar and eggs until frothy. Whisk in canola oil.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a separate bowl. Beat into egg mixture until well combined.

3. Fold in carrots and walnuts.

4. Pour into 2 greased 8 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Let cool 5-10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting or topping with powdered sugar.

Corn and Crab Bisque

Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 large celery stalk, minced
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 bay leaf
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp crab boil seasoning
1 lb fresh lump crabmeat
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Make a roux with the flour and butter and cook for 5-7 minutes or until golden in color. Set aside.

2. Separately, saute onion, garlic, and celery with cajun seasonings until soft. Add chicken stock, corn, and bay leaf to the vegetables and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the milk, heavy cream and crab boil to the pot and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.

4. Add the roux to the bisque, 1 tbsp at a time, and blend thoroughly. Continue to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally.

5. Stir in the crabmeat, green onions and Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low heat until ready to serve.

Puff Pastry Apple Tart

Ingredients:

1 sheet of puff pastry
4 tbsp apricot jam
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin

Directions:

1. Spread apricot jam on the entire sheet of puff pastry. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

2. Coat apples with a little bit of sugar. Top the sheet of puff pastry with layers of thinly sliced apples. Spread some more apricot jam on top of the apples.

3. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 min.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk-chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. Lower to medium speed and add the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.

3. Form the dough into small balls. Place on parchment- or foil-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until centers are just
set, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef shoulder, cubed
10 shallots, cut in half
1 large onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 carrots, peeled and cubed
1 lb button mushrooms, cut in half
4 sprigs thyme
1 cup beef stock
2 cups red wine
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Brown the beef and set aside. Saute shallots and garlic until soft. Add the beef to the pot and add wine and beef stock on medium heat.

2. Add carrots and mushrooms to the pot and cook for two hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Serve alongside rice or mashed potatoes.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

For Dipping Sauce:

1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp water
1 clove garlic

For Spring Rolls:

2 pounds chicken breasts
about 30 spring roll wrappers
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced thin
2 carrots, cut into strips
slices of green onion
1 large cucumber, cut into thin strips
large bunch of cilantro, washed
large bunch of fresh lettuce leaves, washed

Directions:

2. Fill a bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper at a time into the water for about 4-5 seconds to soften.

3. Lay the wrapper on a dry chopping board or dinner plate. The rice paper should become pliable within seconds.

4. In a row across the center, put some of each ingredient.

5. Fold the sides inward, then start to roll tightly and firmly from the end that is near to you into a cylinder, enclosing the filling completely.

7. For the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients and stir well.

8. Serve spring rolls with dipping sauce.

Roasted Beets and Blue Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

5 beets, peeled and quartered
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 head romaine lettuce
1 tomato, diced
1 cucumber, sliced
1 handful walnuts and cranberries
1/2 cup blue cheese

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil. Add the quartered beets and toss together. Bake the beets in a 400 degree oven for 50 minutes covered in foil, and another 50 minutes uncovered.

2. In a separate bowl, chop all vegetables for the salad and combine. Top with walnuts, cranberries, roasted beets, and blue cheese.

3. Serve with a salad dressing of your choice.