Creole-Style White Beans and Andouille Sausage over Rice

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 ham hock, skinned and scored
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 pound dried white navy, cannellini, or great Northern beans, rinsed and sorted over, soaked overnight and drained*
• 8 to 10 cups chicken stock or water
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper, to taste

1 pound andouille or other smoked pork sausage, cut into 2-inch lengths

• Cooked white rice, for serving
• Louisiana red hot sauce, for serving

Directions

Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the ham hock, onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the beans just simmer and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the skin on the beans is tender and the beans begin to soften, about 2 hours. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the sausage and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and creamy, about 1 hour longer*. (If desired, the ham hock can be removed at this point and either discarded or, when cool enough to handle, the meat can be removed from the bone and returned to the beans and the bone and skin discarded.) Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and serve the beans and sausage over hot white rice.

Pass the hot sauce at the table for guests to use at their own discretion.

*The cooking time for dried beans can vary greatly depending on the type of bean as well as the freshness. Salt should not be added until after the skins on the beans soften.

Warm Macaroni and Mozzarella Salad with Herbs

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces (2 cups) macaroni
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain the macaroni and transfer to a medium serving bowl. Add the basil and oregano and half of the dressing. Stir to combine. Let it sit for 1 minute to cool slightly, then add the mozzarella and the remaining dressing. Serve warm.

Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound cucumbers (about 2 cucumbers), peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large serving bowl, toss together the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onion, parsley, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Let the salad stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Deep Fried Bacon

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 pound thick sliced bacon, cut in half
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a bowl until smooth. Separate the bacon strips, and soak in the milk mixture for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heat oil in deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3. Whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Remove the bacon from the egg mixture, and toss with the flour to coat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
4. Fry the bacon strips 3 to 5 slices at a time until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Once all of the bacon has cooked, place onto the prepared baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven until crispy, about 7 minutes.

Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 3/4 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed
• 2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 cup minced yellow onion
• 1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 10 cups homemade chicken stock
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
• 1/4 cup minced fresh dill
• 12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.