Something truly magical happens when you slow roast tomatoes in the oven at a low temperature. Their natural sweetness comes bursting out, and the simple yet delicious flavors of balsamic vinegar, garlic and basil are a perfect balance to the tomato's acidity. Even in the winter, when finding good tomatoes at the market seem, well, hard to find, this is a great side dish that will add a ton of flavor and bright, beautiful color to any dinner plate.

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 Each Plum Tomatoes
• 1 Clove Garlic
• 2 Medium Basil Leaves
• 1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Set oven to 200℉ and gather your ingredients. You'll also need a cutting board, Chef knife and a small sheet pan.

Step 2: Slice tomatoes lengthwise, removing the core.

Step 3: Mince your garlic by finely chopping the peeled bulb.

Step 4: Roll cleaned and dried basil leaves tightly lengthwise, then slice into narrow strips and chop finely. Set aside.

Step 5: Place tomatoes, cut side facing upwards, onto the sheet pan. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper. Place into the preheated oven for 90 minutes.

Step 6: Once out of the oven, drizzle the roasted tomatoes with additional olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh basil. Serve warm.

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INGREDIENTS

• 8 Slices Good Quality, Thick-Cut Bacon
• 4 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar
• ¾ tsp. Cayenne, or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400℉.Place a baking rack over a parchment-lined sheet pan and spray the rack generously with nonstick cooking spray. Lay the bacon across the pan (all 8 slices should fit vertically).

Step 2: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cayenne. Feel free to adjust the spice to your preferred level of heat.

Step 3: Evenly sprinkle the top of the bacon with the spicy brown sugar until the whole slice is covered.

Step 4: Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Bacon will crisp but will be a little chewier due to the brown sugar. As soon as the bacon comes out of the oven, use a pair of tongs to loosen the bacon from the rack, to ensure it doesn't stick as it cools.

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This recipe for pineapple stuffing is a definite family favorite, something we can serve as a dessert as equally as a side dish for a holiday meal. This year, while catching up with my dear friend Carol Ann, talking about what we planned to make for our families for Thanksgiving, she shared that she was making pineapple stuffing. Since I was already making a classic stuffing alongside a cornbread and sausage stuffing, I'd opted to skip the pineapple stuffing this year but felt inspired by her to do so and added it to my menu last minute. Luckily, I had all of the ingredients on hand and the dish comes together in minutes. Unlike other stuffing recipes, you don't need to toast the bread and it always bakes up beautifully. Sweet and lightly crunchy, this is sure to be a favorite for your family (and friends!) too.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Cups Cubed Baguette
• 20 oz Crushed Pineapple, Drained
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 8 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, Softened
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Gather all of your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350℉.

Step 2: In a stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer) cream the butter, sugar and salt.

Step 3: Add eggs, one at a time. After the first egg, the mixture will be creamy, but subsequent eggs will yield a grainy texture. Blend in the crushed pineapple, then gently fold in the cubed bread.

Step 4: Add the mixture into a greased 8x8 glass pan, and bake, uncovered, for one hour. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Make Ahead Tip: You can prepare this entire dish a day in advance and just keep covered overnight until you are ready to bake. Allow the dish to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes or so before baking). Perfect for busy holiday meal planning!

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A blend of cabbage, carrots and minced onion is mixed together with a creamy, dreamy homemade dressing, and after marinating for several hours in the fridge, makes this classic Cole slaw a perfect accompaniment for everything from fried chicken to sandwiches, BBQ brisket to burgers and hot dogs, to holiday meals. Jim's favorite is the KFC original Cole Slaw, so I went on a mission to make my own version. There are several copycat recipes out there, but I think this one really nails it, and includes some key spices not found in other's renditions. Be sure to make it ahead, at least a few hours or overnight if you have time, so the flavors really meld and come together.

INGREDIENTS

• 28 oz Shredded Cabbage and Carrot Blend Finely Chopped in a food processor
• ¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
• 3 Tbsp. Finely Minced Yellow Onion
• ½ Cup Buttermilk (or add 2 tsp. of White Vinegar to low-fat milk as a substitute)
• 2-½ Tbsp. Lemon Juice
• 1-½ Tbsp. White Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Celery Seed
• ½ tsp. Celery Salt
• 1 tsp. Table Salt
• ½ tsp. Black Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Gather all of your ingredients.

Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients, everything but the cabbage and carrot blend.

Step 3: Pour the dressing over the cabbage blend and mix thoroughly.

Step 4: Store the Cole slaw in the refrigerator, covered, several hours or overnight, allowing the salad to chill and the flavors to meld.

Before serving, be sure to give the Cole slaw a thorough stir.

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Today would have been my Grandmother Lois' 91st birthday, so it seems fitting that I share her 'famous' potato salad recipe. There are many variations out there for potato salad, but this one has been a staple in my family for as long as I can remember and is served at every get together. I can recall countless times watching her prepare this side dish, adjusting the seasonings until it was perfect. It's a classic, simple and uncomplicated, creamy and delicious. The greatest compliment I can receive is when someone says, "this tastes just like hers." Every bite stirs up happy memories and is a recipe I am proud to share.

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INGREDIENTS

• 3 Lbs. Russet Potatoes (about 4 medium-sized)
• 2 Hard-Boiled Eggs
• ¼ Cup Minced Onion White or Sweet
• ¾ Cup Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Yellow Mustard
• Kosher Salt to salt the water, and to taste
• ¼ tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper or to taste
• 1 tsp Celery Seed or to taste
• ½ tsp Celery Salt or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Gather all of your ingredients and equipment. Make sure your potatoes are scrubbed clean.

Step 2: Place 2 medium-sized bowls near your cutting board. Peel and chop your potatoes into even, bite-sized pieces, placing your cut potatoes into one bowl and your peels in the other. Discard the peels.

Step 3: Once your potatoes are cut, run them through cold water to rinse off any starch or remaining dirt.

Step 4: Fill a pot with cold water, just enough to cover the potatoes without much room over (you can always pour excess water out, if needed!) Season the water generously with kosher salt (the rule is: 'Salty like the Sea' but not too salty!). Add your potatoes.

Note: You always want to start your potatoes in cold water. This ensures that they cook evenly.

Bring your potatoes to a full boil, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Keep an eye on your pot, as you don't want your potatoes to overcook.

Step 5: Potatoes are done when you can easily stick one with the tip of a sharp paring knife, but potatoes do not fall apart, approximately 15 minutes or so. Err on the side of undercooking if you're not sure, as they will continue to cook even after they've been set aside to cool; otherwise, you may end up making mashed potatoes instead!

Step 6: Pour cooked potatoes through a colander, then spread the potatoes out onto a sheet pan to stop the cooking. Place the sheet pan into the refrigerator or even the freezer to cool more quickly while you prepare the dressing.

Note: The colder the potato when you go to mix them, the either they'll be to mix, and less likely they'll fall apart.

Step 7: While your potatoes are cooling, finely chop your hard-boiled eggs.

Step 8: In a large mixing bowl, prepare the dressing by stirring together the mayonnaise, mustard, chopped egg, and minced onion. Season with freshly grated black pepper, celery salt and celery seed. Mix well, then taste, adjusting accordingly. Since the potatoes were boiled with salt, we don't want to add any additional salt until we've tasted everything altogether.

Step 9: Add the cooled potatoes to the mixing bowl, and carefully fold the potatoes through the dressing without breaking the potatoes up, running the spatula along the bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the pieces are coated. Once mixed, taste and adjust for salt, if needed.

Note: Don't worry if some of the smaller pieces break up during mixing, as this will help make the salad creamier, but you want to keep the majority of the pieces intact.

Cover your potato salad and keep refrigerated until ready to eat. Serve chilled!

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Jim and I enjoy this simple and fresh caprese salad all summer long. It takes only minutes to put together, presents beautifully, and gives us a delicious dish to showcase our thriving basil plant! While we've had limited success with our garden's tomato harvest this year (we've had a few!) there's no shortage of gorgeous local produce around here in Southern Maryland.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Large Ripe, Red Tomato
• 6 oz Fresh Mozzarella Ball Whole, or pre-sliced
• Handful Fresh Basil Leaves
• Balsamic Glaze
• Salt & Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Gather your ingredients, cutting board, knives, along with a serving platter.

Step 2: Slice your fresh mozzarella (if not pre-sliced) and tomatoes into even thickness.

Step 3: On your serving platter, alternate slices of tomato and mozzarella.

Step 4: Rinse and pat dry individual fresh basil leaves. Stack the leaves with the largest on the bottom.

Step 5: Tightly roll up the leaves, keeping them tucked together. Run your chef's knife across the length of the roll, slicing the basil into thin strips. Rock the knife back and forth over the strips quickly to finely chop.

Step 6: Sprinkle the chopped basil over the tomatoes and mozzarella slices. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Step 7: Drizzle the top of the salad with a fine layer of balsamic glaze and serve.

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A frozen bag of corn is a common dinnertime staple, but it only takes a few extra seconds to transform this side dish to a kicked-up version with a simple blend of spices. We make this spicy, seasoned corn at least once a week, whether as a side dish for tacos, fajitas, steaks on the grill, or even salads.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Lb. Bag Whole Kernel, Sweet Corn
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 tsp. Cumin
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Gather your ingredients, along with a large skillet and a rubber spatula.

Step 2: Add butter and olive oil over medium high heat, then add corn. Stir to coat, breaking up any frozen chunks of corn.

Step 3: When corn has thawed completely, add spices and stir thoroughly. Taste and adjust per your preference.

Step 4: Once the corn is heated through, you're ready to serve. Keep warm.

Note:  Corn will cool quickly once removed from heat and tends to dry out in the microwave, so keep in the skillet, covered, over very low heat to keep warm until the rest of your meal is ready to be served.

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Like most people, I grew up on potatoes mashed with a classic potato masher, which often resulted in lumpy mashed potatoes. After beginning culinary school and taking that first bite of smooth whipped potatoes made using a kitchen gadget called a ricer, I never wanted to go back to lumpy mashed potatoes again. Swapping milk for heavy whipping cream and adding sour cream to the recipe elevates this classic side dish to the next level and will easily rival any mashed potatoes you're served at a fine dining restaurant.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 Medium Russet Potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter at room temperature, cut into small pieces
• ¼ Cup Sour Cream
• ½ Cup Heavy Cream
• Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Peel cleaned potatoes and cut into even, bite-sized pieces. This will help them cook evenly. Rinse potatoes through a strainer over your sink, and run through cold water for several seconds, removing the excess starch.

Step 2: Fill a large pot with cold water and add a generous amount of kosher salt. Be sure to taste the water. In culinary school, our Chef Instructors would say "salty like the sea" whenever we'd boil water for potatoes or pasta, so it should be fairly salty but not overly salty. The potatoes will absorb the salt as they cook.

Step 3: Add the potatoes. The water should come up just a little over the potatoes, so if you have too much water, pour out the excess. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring every so often.

Step 4: You can check the doneness of your potatoes by sticking a sharp knife, like a paring knife, into a piece. If the knife goes in easily, the potatoes are done. The cooking process may vary, but plan anywhere from 20-30 minutes. Check potatoes any time after 20 minutes to gauge how far along they are, and at more frequent intervals from there. Overcooked potatoes will absorb too much of that salty water and will affect not only the taste but the texture as well.

Step 5: Immediately drain the cooked potatoes into the sink over your strainer.

Step 6: While the potatoes cool slightly, grab your mixer, potato ricer, and the remaining ingredients (butter, heavy cream and sour cream, salt and pepper). A ricer will ensure you have silky smooth mashed potatoes with zero lumps!

Step 7: Fill your ricer with warm potatoes and squeeze the riced potatoes directly into the mixing bowl. Repeat until all of the potatoes have been riced.

Step 8: Add the diced butter to the riced potatoes and cream together.

Step 9: Add sour cream and heavy cream, then blend until smooth.

Step 10: Taste the potatoes and season accordingly with salt and pepper.

Keep potatoes warm until ready to serve.

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