Pastel de Tres Leches

This recipe is from the "Kitchen Queen" herself, Martha. I made it for Oliver's birthday a couple of years ago and it became an immediate favorite. It is cake soaked in milk, so if you have texture issues...this isn't for you.

FORMULA:

1 stick butter (8 tablespoons), melted and cooled, plus more for pans
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
One 12-ounce can evaporated milk
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

PROCESS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking pan. In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine egg whites, baking soda, and salt, and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

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Add yolks to the whites, and beat until completely combined. With the mixer running slowly, add sugar until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold in butter.
Sift 1/4 cup flour on top of the mixture, and fold in to combine. Repeat with the remaining flour, folding in 1/4 cup at a time. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until golden and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a wire rack.

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About 5 minutes before the cake is done, whisk together the three milks, and set aside. As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, pour the milk mixture over the entire cake. The cake should absorb all the liquid within 3 to 5 minutes. Set cake aside, and let stand until cool. Cover cake well, and transfer to the refrigerator to chill, at least 5 hours or overnight.

Mama's Meatballs

From Chef Rocco Dispirito's mama. These are wonderful to make ahead and freeze, that way you have them on hand for pastas and sandwiches.

FORMULA:

1/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped fine
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground veal
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

PROCESS:

Place the chicken stock, onion, garlic, and parsley in a blender or food processor and puree.

In a large bowl, combine the pureed stock mix, meat, bread crumbs, egg, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, red pepper flakes, and salt. Combine with hands until mixture is uniform, do not overmix.

Put a little olive oil on your hands and form mixture into balls a little larger than golf balls.

Pour about 1/2 inch of extra virgin olive oil in straight sided, 10-inch-wide saute pan and heat
over medium-high flame. Add the meatballs to the pan, working in batches if necessary, and brown meatballs, turning once. This should take about 10-15 minutes.

Grape and Feta Salad with Rosemary

Fresh, different, and delicious.

FORMULA:

1/3 pound feta cheese , crumbled coarse
1/2 pound black grapes or red grapes, halved and seeded, if necessary
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 1/2 quarts mesclun or any mix of baby salad greens, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar (red wine vinegar works too)

PROCESS:

Mix cheese, grapes, and rosemary in medium bowl. Add oil; toss to coat. Sprinkle generously with pepper.

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Toss mesclun with vinegar in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Arrange on large serving platter or individual plates. Top with cheese mixture and serve.

Deeply Chocolate Gelato

We would like to thank Ina Garten for this one; it is pretty amazing and unbelievably dark.

FORMULA:

2 1/4 cups whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 extra-large egg yolks
2 tablespoons Mexican coffee flavor liqueur (like kahlua)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Large pinch kosher salt
8 chocolates, roughly chopped, optional (or any other mix-in you would like to add)

PROCESS:

Heat the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup sugar in a 2-quart saucepan, until the sugar dissolves and the milk starts to simmer. Add the cocoa powder and chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour into a heat-proof measuring cup.

Place the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and very thick. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the egg and chocolate mixture back into the 2-quart saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. A candy thermometer will register about 180 degrees F. Don't allow the mixture to boil!

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Pour the mixture through a sieve into a bowl and stir in the coffee liqueur, vanilla, and salt. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the custard and chill completely.

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Pour the custard into the bowl of an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. Stir in the roughly chopped chocolate, if using, and freeze in covered containers. Allow the gelato to thaw slightly before serving.

Swedish Meatballs

Serve over egg noodles or rice.

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FORMULA:

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Meatballs:
1 large egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large slice high-quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed and bread torn into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces ground pork
1 small onion , grated on large holes of box grater (about 1/4 cup)
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar {we omit this because we prefer it to be slightly less sweet}
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces 85 percent lean ground beef
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

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Sauce:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar {we only use 2 teaspoons}
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
Table salt and ground black pepper

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PROCESS:

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For the meatballs - Whisk egg and cream together in medium bowl. Stir in bread and set aside. Meanwhile, in stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat pork, onion, nutmeg, allspice, pepper, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder on high speed until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes, scraping bowl as necessary. Using fork, mash bread mixture until no large dry bread chunks remain; add mixture to mixer bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and homogeneous, about 1 minute, scraping bowl as necessary. Add beef and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl as necessary. Using moistened hands, form generous tablespoon of meat mixture into 1-inch round meatball; repeat with remaining mixture to form 25 to 30 meatballs.

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Heat oil in 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat until edge of meatball dipped in oil sizzles (oil should register 350 degrees on instant-read thermometer), 3 to 5 minutes. Add meatballs in single layer and fry, flipping once halfway through cooking, until lightly browned all over and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. (Adjust heat as needed to keep oil sizzling but not smoking.) Using slotted spoon, transfer browned meatballs to paper towel-lined plate.

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For the sauce - Pour off and discard oil in pan, leaving any fond (browned bits) behind. Return pan to medium-high heat and add butter. When foaming subsides, add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is light brown, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in broth, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits. Add brown sugar and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce is reduced to about 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream and return to simmer.

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Add meatballs to sauce and simmer, turning occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

General Tso's {Ozzy's Favorite}

This is a lighter version of General Tso's, but it is just as delicious. We prefer to add a little extra red pepper for a little extra kick.

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FORMULA:

1/4 cup cornstarch
1 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated and peeled
3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 large egg whites
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Rice for serving

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PROCESS:

Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, and red-pepper flakes; toss to combine, and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together egg whites, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken, and toss to coat.

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In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Lift half the chicken from egg-white mixture (shaking off excess), and add to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and chicken, and set aside (reserve skillet).
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Add snow-pea mixture to skillet. Cover; cook until snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat. Serve with rice.

Steamed Artichokes with Cheat's Aioli

This recipe is from Gwyneth Paltrows Goop emails. Any vegetable would be delicious dipped in this aioli and it's also good for a sandwich.

FORMULA:

2 artichokes, trimmed

1/2 Cup mayonnaise or Veganaise (the only sub that tastes good)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/4 of a juicy lemon)

pinch of course sea salt

1 generous tablespoon of thinly sliced basil

PROCESS:

Steam artichokes for about fourty five minutes or until they give a little resistance when you pierce them with a parin.

Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl.

Let the artichokes cool a bit and serve them with the aioli. To eat, peel off each leaf, swipe it through the aioli, scrape it with your teeth and repeat over and over. When you get to the heart, remove sharp thistle and enjoy the best part of the artichoke.