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Ingredients 2-3 pounds chicken thighs (flexible on volume, how hungry are ya) 1/4 cup or more dijon mustard 2-3 tbsp honey OR maple syrup 1/4 cup water for sauce 1 tsp salt or more to taste 1/2 cup tarragon leaves (or basil if that is easier to find) Additional (optional) seasonings: garlic salt, pepper Instructions Put chicken in deep dish pan and preheat oven to 430°F Mix rest of ingredients together well in small dish Spread out on chicken in pan, add water so there is at least a half inch of water in pan (you do not want the chicken to dry out) Cover with tinfoil and bake for at minimum of an hour. Cooking it more will make it more tender and flaky which if there is time, reduce heat to 300°F at hour mark and cook another 1-2 hours Check periodically to make sure water has not evaporated and add more if needed Serve with veggies and a starch!

Ingredients 1.5 cups all purpose flour 1 cup plain yogurt (greek is fine) 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt Directions Mix ingredients together in a bowl well and kneed for a minute or so to a ball. If way too sticky add flour, if way too dry to come together in a ball, add a small amount of yogurt. Use a rolling pin with flour to make 6 super thin (~6 in) diameter pies Heat large flying pan (NO oil) up super hot and cook one at a time. A minute or so each side (time depends on how hot). If you get it really thin it will bubble as Naan typically does.

Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 large egg 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips Instructions In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside Combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute Add flour mixture; mix until almost combined Stir in the oats and chocolate chips. Chill dough for one hour to overnight Preheat oven to 375°F Use a small ice cream scooper (two tablespoons) to Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely Notes Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off Chilling the dough is optional but it created a cookie that spreads out less, concentrates the flavor and dehydrates the dough a bit as well Toasted walnuts make an excellent addition to this cookie. Try adding in 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped nuts Your cookies are done when the edges start to brown. The centers will not be raw but they aren’t fully set either

Ingredients Noodles: 14 oz (package) of very wide dried rice noodles (wide as you can get) Cooking: 4 tbs oil 6 large cloves garlic, minced 4 thai chilis, deseeded and very finely chopped 1 onion, sliced 2-3 cups bok choy 1-2 carrots, peeled all the way into slivers 4 handfuls green onion, white section only chopped (put aside a little of the green for garnish at the end) 4 tsp fish sauce 2 cups thai basil roughly chopped (critical!! ingredient) Sauce: ...

Ingredients Veggies (the “meat of the dish”) 8-12 ounces flat rice noodles (quantity depends on how noodle heavy you like it) 3 tbsp olive oil 4 cloves garlic minced 1 large head broccoli, cut into 1 in. pieces or a smidge larger per preference 12 ounces whole mushrooms, leave whole! 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 yellow onion, sliced thin 3 packages of green onions, diced white side plus a little of the green 3 eggs Required mixers after cooking 3/4 cup thai green chili lime almonds from trader joes, chopped smaller (or just use peanuts if no allergy) 1 cup bean sprouts More green onion (optional) chopped same as above 2 limes (squirt all juice in when called for). Or a few tbsp lime juice…tastes the same 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped roughly Sauce 4 tbsp fish sauce 1.5 tbsp soy sauce 6.5 tbsp brown sugar 2.5 tbsp rice vinegar 2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce (or less to taste) 5 tbsp almond butter (or peanut butter if no allergy) or much more to taste Instructions Cook noodles to package directions and set aside. If they get sticky, right before serving you can pour cold water in pan with them, mix with hands to unstick, then drain again. Do not let sit in water though as they will get soggy. Mix sauce ingredients well. Set aside Heat oil in large wok or deep pan. Add broccoli and garlic, cook for a couple minutes. Add rest of veggies and cover, stirring occasionally, until cooked. Push things to side of wok and cook eggs on other side. Scramble them and chop with stirring utensil into bits. Mix back together and add all of topping ingredients plus sauce plus noodles. Serve. Add additional green onions, peanuts/almonds, cilantro, limes wedges as desired (not required if you add plenty when making it). Note To make with other protein, swap out the broccoli and mushrooms for chicken or shrimp to get “normal” pad Thai.

Ingredients 2 lb spicy italian sausage 3 cups diced yellow onion 2.5 cups diced carrot 2 cups diced celery 6 cloves minced garlic 2, 32 oz chicken stock cartons 1, 15-oz can diced tomatoes drained 4 tsp basic sugar 3 tsp dried basil 3 tsp dried oregano 1.5 tsp dried thyme Salt and pepper to taste 2 cup dry ditalini pasta 1, 15-oz can red kidney beans drained and rinsed 1, 15-oz can great northern white beans drained and rinsed Optional 6 tbsp minced fresh parsley Parmesan to serve Instructions Brown meat in huge pot with a couple tbsp olive oil. When ~? cooked or so add all the veggies. Cook until tender or at least mostly there. Add everything through the salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer 10 minutes. Add the pasta and simmer another 15 min. Add beans and parsley and simmer one more minute. Serve in bowls with parmesan to add to taste. Notes It is easy to vary the proportions. More pasta, less. More beans or less. More veggies is what I usually do.

Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 diced onion 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp salt 1 cup diced carrots, diced well 2 bell peppers diced (choose different colors) 1 package sliced mushrooms (12 oz) 1 large zucchini, diced 1 tsp oregano 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes 1/2 cup fresh basil 1 cup steamed asparagus, cut into 1 in. lengths (or peas) 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup flour 2 cups warm/hot milk (can be almond or whatever) Salt and pepper to taste 1-2 tbsp lemon juice (optional) 1 lb fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions Grated parmesan Instructions In soup pot on med heat, saute onions, garlic, and carrots for a few minutes. When ~soft add the rest of the veggies and wine. Cover and cook until the veggies are all tender (8-10 minutes) Stir in tomatoes and basil and turn off the heat. (if using asparagus or peas, steam them separately and stir in now) Melt butter in sauce pan on med-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened Stir white sauce into vegetable mixture (in that soup pot) and reheat on low. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in lemon juice if desired to brighten flavor. If sauce is too thick, add a smidge more milk Serve over pasta with parmesan Note Fresh veggies really make a difference here. Also, just use whatever veggies you got

Ingredients 12 oz pasta (long spaghetti or similar works) 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 lb brussel sprouts, cut into half or quarters if they are large 1/2 lb cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces Salt and black pepper 1 medium onion, diced small 4 large garlic cloves, minced 4 plump oil packed anchovies, minced (one tin or two if you want) 1 tsp crushed red pepper 1 tsp chopped rosemary 1 tsp chopped thyme 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 1 cup parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano (the good stuff NOT the powder) Instructions Boil pasta according to package direction. SAVE 1/2 cup of the cooking water when you drain In a large, deep skillet, heat half the olive oil (1/4 cup) on medium heat and cook brussels, cauliflower, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook 5 minutes until slightly charred on bottom. Add the other 1/4 cup along with onion, garlic, anchovies, red pepper, rosemary and thyme. Cook uncovered until onion is slightly softened (3 minutes). Then cover and cook another 3 minutes until sprouts/cauliflower are tender. Keep warm Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in small skillet and roast the bread crumbs on moderately high heat. Must stir or it will burn. Pull off when golden and crisp Add pasta, reserved cooking water to skillet with veggies. Cook on medium heat until water is nearly absorbed Remove from heat and stir in half the cheese Serve and have bread crumbs and remaining cheese at table to stir in

Ingredients Sauce: 6 tbsp butter 1 huge onion (or two med) diced 7-8 cloves of garlic minced Tbsp red pepper flakes Salt to taste 1-2 6-oz can tomato paste (only one is required) two 14-oz can whole peeled tomatoes 2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup vodka or more to taste 5 oz parmesan cheese (or fancier parmesan if you got it) 1 lb pasta, dealers choice 2 lb meatballs Instructions In a large (3- or 4-quart) saucepan or small Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft but not browned, about 15 minutes; lower heat if needed to prevent Browning. Meanwhile, in oven or toaster oven, cook the meatballs per package directions. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until tomato paste is fragrant and thick, about 3 minutes. Stir in canned tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a simmer, then cook, stirring often and crushing the whole tomatoes roughly with a spoon, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Add cream, and stir to incorporate. Transfer sauce to a blender, and blend until very smooth (you may be able to make an immersion blender work, but in our tests the sauce level was too low to safely avoid splattering). Wipe out pot, then return blended sauce to it. Season lightly with salt. In a medium pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until just shy of al dente, about 3 minutes less than the package directs. About 1 minute before you transfer pasta to sauce, add vodka to tomato sauce and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add meatballs and simmer a minute. Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer pasta directly to sauce pot along with 1/2 cup (120ml) pasta water (alternatively, reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain pasta in a colander, then add to sauce with 1/2 cup of the reserved water). Increase heat to high, and cook, stirring constantly, until pasta is well coated in sauce and reaches the al dente stage, about 3 minutes. If sauce thickens too much before pasta is ready, add more pasta water in 1/4 cup (60ml) increments as needed. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until thoroughly incorporated into a smooth and creamy sauce. Taste for salt, and season with more if needed. If you can’t detect the vodka at all, you can add a few drops more and stir it in before serving; exactly how boozy you want the sauce is a question of taste, but be careful because a heavy hand will ruin the dish. Spoon pasta and sauce onto warmed serving plates and top with additional grated cheese. Serve immediately.

Ingredients Pigs n blanket basic: One 8 oz tube crescent rolls 1 12 oz (all beef) package mini cocktail wieners (little smokies work) (optional) 4 tbsp unsalted butter to drizzle over top before oven Chicago variant: Chopped dill pickles Toothpicks Chicago style relish Sport peppers Tomato, deseeded, diced Mustard Poppy seeds Instructions Preheat oven to 375°F (can use toaster oven if easier). Take a tiny sliver of crescent roll and wrap around each mini weiner. Arrange on baking tray and (optional) drizzle a bit of butter and salt. 12-15 min If just doing wieners, serve with spicy mustard dipping sauce For chicago variant, have all ingredients ready and arrange to each hot dog using toothpick to spear ingredients. Then top with relish, mustard and poppy seeds. Enjoy