Homemade Churros with Chocolate Sauce!

All you need is a few simple ingredients and less than 30 minutes for hot, crispy Homemade Churros with Chocolate Sauce! Churros are traditional Spanish desserts. They are popular in Spain, France, the Philippines, Portugal, South America, and the Southwestern US States. Now we know why! For the Churro Batter You’ll Need 2 cup waterContinue reading “Homemade Churros with Chocolate Sauce!”

Chef Gigi’s Holiday Cutout Cookie Dough

Be sure to read my pro-tips at the end of this recipe to ensure a successful baking experience! You’ll Need: 6 cups, all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons fresh baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-2 inch chunks 2 cups white granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons good-quality Madagascar orContinue reading “Chef Gigi’s Holiday Cutout Cookie Dough”

Traditional Vanilla Bean Pot De Crème

Doesn’t come anymore traditional than this! Time consuming, but if you have the time to spare- you will learn why this recipe is a classic ! Deliciously rich, creamy and elegant.   You’ll Need 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup heavy cream 6 large egg yolks 1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon 1- vanilla bean, splitContinue reading “Traditional Vanilla Bean Pot De Crème”

Turkey Pho Gà! A play on a classic. Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup.

The morning after. Feeling abundant due to the over indulgence of the holiday and looking for something different to do with your leftover Turkey? Make something light and delicious– a spin on the classic Vietnamese chicken noodle soup!  The trick to delicious Pho gà is to add a little of each garnish as you eatContinue reading “Turkey Pho Gà! A play on a classic. Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup.”

Leftovers? Make Mash Potato Bombs!  

Baked or fried these are a fun way to use up any left-over mash potatoes… or, a good excuse to make more! You’ll Need: Filling: 3 cups chilled mashed potatoes 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded ½ cup bacon, chopped small dice 1 bunch chives, chopped Pepper to taste Breading Station: 1 cup flour or GFContinue reading “Leftovers? Make Mash Potato Bombs!  “

Cardamon, Honey Cake with Fresh Baked Pears

Perfect for Fall, this recipe calls for Bosc pears, try not to substitute- this varietal has firmer flesh than others, which helps hold its shape during baking. You will swoon over the combination of sweet, sticky cardamon spiked honey liberally soaked into this lovely cake. You’ll need For the cake: 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flourContinue reading “Cardamon, Honey Cake with Fresh Baked Pears”

Candy Cap Roasted Butternut Squash

The haunting maple flavor of Candy Cap Mushrooms makes this so much more than a great side dish. This wintery squash can also become the base of a magnificent butternut squash soup if you have leftovers. You’ll Need: 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into medium-sized dice 1 cup dried candy cap mushrooms  1/2 cupContinue reading “Candy Cap Roasted Butternut Squash”

Decadent Creamed Corn Casserole!

Trust me when I say– someone at your dinner table will ask you for this recipe!  You’ll Need: 8-10 ears of fresh shucked corn off the cob, or 1 pound frozen white kernels and 1 pound frozen yellow kernels. Or, all yellow. 1/2 onion, peeled halved and studded with 3-4 cloves 1 large russet pototoContinue reading “Decadent Creamed Corn Casserole!”

Holiday Cheat Sheet- Just in case you’re wondering how much to Shop, Cook and Serve!

As a professional chef, one of the most frequent questions I’m asked is how much food do you need to feed each guest? So, I decided to build a mini cheat sheet for the upcoming holiday season! Hope this helps! Every 2.4 pounds of food you donate creates a meal for someone else.  Cocktails: IfContinue reading “Holiday Cheat Sheet- Just in case you’re wondering how much to Shop, Cook and Serve!”

Make Ahead- Chocolate Espresso Pot De Crème!

Perfect sweet little finish to a large festive feast, just in time for the holiday! And make ahead the day before so you don’t need to worry about making dessert the day of your event. Also, great little treat just to have hanging around the fridge. If you can save them from getting gobbled up. Continue reading “Make Ahead- Chocolate Espresso Pot De Crème!”