Ingredients

1 rustic baguette, sliced diagonally to form long slices
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 bunch of curly kale, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup water
16 ounces of burrata

Directions

1. Set your oven to broil.
2. On a baking tray, line up baguette slices.
3. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into a small bowl, and with a pastry brush, brush onto the tops of the baguette slices.
4. Broil until tops are slightly brown and crispy.
5. While the bread is toasting, in a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
6. Using a microplane grater, grate one clove of garlic into pan. Add kale, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together.
7. Add water and cover until kale becomes wilted and tender. Set aside.
8. Using the other clove, rub the tops of baguette slices with garlic.
9. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of burrata on each slice of bread and top with a spoonful of sautéed kale. Serve warm.

Serves six to eight.

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Ingredients

For pizza:
1 package of premade pizza or homemade pizza dough
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cooked chicken breasts (roughly 1/2 pound), chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot sauce
1/4 cup cornmeal or flour
2 cups mozzarella, grated
1/4 cup blue cheese or Gorgonzola, crumbled
Salt and pepper for seasoning

For shaved celery salad:
1 bunch celery, washed, peeled, and finely chopped (inside leaves included)
1 bunch of parsley, stemmed and roughly chopped
5 tablespoons blue cheese or ranch dressing

Directions

1. Place a cookie sheet or pizza stone in the oven, then preheat the oven to 500ºF. In a large pan over medium-high heat, slowly caramelize the shallots with the olive oil. Once the shallots are soft and lightly golden, about 10 to 15 minutes, add the chicken. Once the chicken is nearly warmed all the way through, add the hot sauce to the pan and gently stir. Remove from the heat.
2. On a large cutting board or kitchen counter, dust with cornmeal and roll out a pizza dough.
3. Precook the pizza dough by carefully placing it on the preheated pizza stone and stab the pizza dough with a fork quickly, to ensure no bubbles. Bake for four to six minutes until golden.
4. Once golden, remove the pizza stone and pizza from the oven to top with the chicken and hot sauce mixture, grated cheese, and Gorgonzola crumbles. Place the pizza back into the oven and cook until the cheese has completely melted, about five to seven minutes.
5. While the pizza is cooking, use a peeler to remove the stringy outer layer of the celery. Chop into thin slices. Pick the inner layer of celery leaves and place three-quarters of the leaves in a large bowl. Add the celery, parsley, and dressing to the bowl. Gently toss. Garnish with the remaining celery leaves.
6. Serve a slice of pizza topped with celery salad.

Serves four to six.

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Ingredients

2 cups mixed olives in water with pits
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons chili flakes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Drain olives. Rinse them with cold water and drain them again. Place them in a container that has a lid.
2. With the side of your knife, smash garlic and add it to the olives.
3. Add salt, oregano, chili flakes, oil, and vinegar.
4. Close the container and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds.
5. Let the olives sit for at least 15 minutes, then serve.

Makes 2 cups of olives.

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Ingredients

18 whole chicken wings
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup chopped peeled cucumber
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
1 garlic clove, peeled
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon flour (plus more, if necessary), for dredging
1 tablespoon cornstarch (plus more, if necessary), for dredging

Directions

1. Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Using kitchen shears or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. (See how to prep wings for appetizers.) Rinse wing parts under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Lay wings in a single layer on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator (uncovered) for one hour.
2. In a blender, combine yogurt, cucumber, feta cheese, dill, and garlic. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt, and pour into a small serving bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. In a large, wide bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, and salt (to taste).
4. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Remove wings from refrigerator and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Place about a tablespoon each of flour and cornstarch in a large clean plastic bag, seal, and shake gently to combine. Working in batches, drop a few chicken wings in the bag, and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Shake off the excess before dropping each wing into the hot oil, and fry until golden brown, turning occasionally, about five to seven minutes. Replenish the flour mixture in the bag as needed.
5. Transfer fried wings to a wire rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet. When wings are cooled slightly but still warm, toss them in the lemon vinaigrette and pile them on a serving platter. Serve alongside the yogurt sauce.

Makes three dozen.

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Ingredients

2 medium russet potatoes (about 1/2 lb. each)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups sliced leeks (about 2 medium leeks; white and light green parts), rinsed well
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/2 cup milk (low-fat, optional)
1/2 cup sour cream (low-fat, optional)
4 thick slices bacon
1 cup grated sharp cheddar (about 1/4 lb.)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens or chives

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375º F. Scrub the potatoes in water, pat dry, and pierce in several places with a fork. Set them directly on an oven rack and bake until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, use a cookie sheet covered in tinfoil topped with a cooling rack and place individual strips of bacon on the cooling rack. Cook until the bacon is crisp, checking frequently; it should take 20-25 minutes to crisp.
2. Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.
3. If you haven't cooked your bacon in the oven, put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon saucer lined with paper towels to drain and cool. Chop finely.
4. When the potatoes are cool, cut one of them in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks.
5. Purée the contents of the pot in a blender until very smooth (you'll need to work in two batches). Return the puréed soup to a clean soup pot and reheat over medium low.
6. Whisk together the milk and sour cream until smooth and then whisk this into the soup, along with 1/2 cup of the cheddar. Stir in the diced potato.
7. The soup should be fairly thick, but if it seems too thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining cheddar, the bacon bits, and the scallions or chives.

Makes about 6 cups, or enough to serve 4.

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