Ingredients

8 ounces semi sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 purchased pound cake, (about 14 oz.)
6 tablespoons coffee liqueur, (or 4 Tbl. strong coffee)
1 quart coffee ice cream
muffin pan
muffin liners
chill baking sheet in the freezer

for the meringue
6 egg whites, room temperature
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Heat chocolate and cream in a heavy small saucepan. Whisk over low heat until mixture is smooth. Chill 30 minutes until spreadable. Reserve extra ganache (icing) for plating.

Line muffin pan with muffin liners or pieces of plastic wrap, leaving overhang.

Prepare the pound cake, slicing it horizontally into four layers. Cut rounds from each layer; matching the size of your muffin pan openings.

Press ¼ cup ice cream into the lined muffin tin. Leave ½ inch space on top for the cake round. Pour 1 teaspoon liqueur (or 2 teaspoons coffee) onto each round, then spread with 2 tablespoons ganache. Place a cake round on top of the ice cream, ganache side down. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

the meringue:
Beat egg whites in a mixing bowl until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt.
Beat at medium-high speed until the whites hold a soft peak. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. (The meringue needs to be sturdy to form “insulation” and keep the ice cream from melting).

To assemble:
Line the frozen sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the Alaskas on the parchment, cake side down. Quickly, remove the cupcake liners from the frozen ice cream. Generously cover each Alaska with 1 cup of meringue, spreading to form cloud-like swirls. Be sure the meringue reaches the parchment, creating a barrier so the ice cream doesn’t leak. Place in freezer until ready to bake.

To bake:
preheat the oven to 500°F. Take Alaskas directly from the freezer to the oven with rack in the top third. Bake 2 to 3 minutes just until the tips are lightly browned. If a little ice cream leaks, don’t worry about it. Carefully transfer
Alaskas to chilled plates. Spoon warm ganache around dessert and serve.

Makes 12 servings

Note:
The name Baked Alaska originated at Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City in 1876 and was created in honor of the newly acquired territory of Alaska.
February 1st is Baked Alaska Day.

Preparation Tips:
Assembling Alaskas ahead (as little as a day or up to a week) insures the ice cream is frozen solid. This is important so it can withstand the heat. A Jumbo muffin pan, custard cups and ramekins (small ceramic bowls) also work great for forming individual portions. Line it with pieces of plastic wrap.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup butter
3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons maple syrup or pancake syrup

Directions

Place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap; with flat side of meat mallet, pound to flatten chicken to ½-inch thick.

Place flour on a small plate, add salt and pepper. Dip chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once. Place on platter; cover loosely with foil.

Add the apples to the same skillet, cook 2 to 3 minutes without stirring or until lightly caramelized. Stir apples, cook 1 more minute. Stir in the lemon juice. Add the maple syrup, stirring to combine. Serve sauce and apples over chicken.

Serves 4

Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 medium head cauliflower
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Toss cauliflower with oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread in 1 layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring and turning occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 25-30 minutes.

Ingredients

for the meatballs:
½ pound ground chicken, turkey, pork or Italian sausage
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tablespoons onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 egg, beaten
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

for the soup:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled, diced
¾ cup orzo pasta or other small pasta
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 cups kale, chopped
8 cups reduced-sodium organic chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions

make the meatballs:
Make the meatballs by mixing their ingredients together except the olive oil. Shape mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Heat the 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a heavy soup pot. Brown the meatballs, remove and set aside. Pour off any extra fat in the pan.

make the soup:
In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add the onion and carrot and cook until softened, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan when stirring. Stir in the pasta and cook for 1 minute. Stir in zucchini and kale. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, stir in the meatballs and basil simmer gently for 10 minutes. Adjust the consistency of the soup to your preference by adding water or more broth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Divide the warm soup among bowls and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

serves 4

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 (6-to 7-ounce) can salmon, drained
2 green onions, finely chopped
¼ cup half-and-half
⅓ cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
muffin tin

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Using a 3 inch cutter, cut out 12 rounds of pastry. Press into lightly greased muffin cups. Combine salmon with the onion, half-and-half, cheddar cheese, eggs and parsley. Spoon into pastry cases. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden
and eggs are set.

Makes 12

Ingredients

2 cups tomatoes, diced
½ cup onion, diced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded, minced
3 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
tortilla chips or Toasted Pita Chips for serving.

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled.

makes about 4 cups

Toasted Pita Chips

Ingredients

4 pita bread rounds, cut into triangles
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush both sides of the triangles with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle tops with salt. Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool completely; store in an airtight container.

Ingredients

½ lb. peanut butter sandwich cookies, coarsely crumbled
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tablespoon rum, optional
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe, firm bananas, quartered
whipped cream

Directions

Coat a 9” tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray.

Process cookies and salt for the crust in a food processor until fine. Drizzle in butter while machine is running. Transfer crumbs to prepared pan and lightly press to cover bottom and sides; set aside.

Whisk eggs and rum for the filling in a small bowl.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt in a saucepan, whisking to break up lumps. Gradually add milk and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 8 minutes. Temper some of the hot custard into the egg mixture, then add the egg mixture to remaining custard. Continue to cook until thick and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add unsalted butter and vanilla. Assemble pie by arranging bananas in the crust, cut side down. Pour filling over bananas and smooth to cover. Wrap loosely in plastic and chill overnight.

Serve pie plain or with whipped cream.

Makes one 9” pie

Note:
Chill pie overnight, then remove sides of pan. To slice, dip a knife in hot water before making cuts, rinsing the blade clean each time.

Ingredients

¼ cup (½ stick) butter
8 eggs
1½ cups 2% milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
maple syrup

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Add the butter to a 10-inch cast iron or oven proof skillet and melt in the oven for about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Add the apple slices to the skillet and return to oven until the butter sizzles. Pour batter over the apples and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake the pancake 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed and browned. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

Serves 4

Variations
Substitute sliced pears.
Bake in a 9 x13-inch baking dish.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) wild salmon fillets, skin and pin bones removed
olive oil for grilling
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the blueberry salsa:
1 cup fresh wild blueberries
½ cup crushed canned pineapple, drained
½ cup red bell pepper, minced
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ cup red onion, minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup white raisins
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
¼ teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon jalapeños, minced
salt to taste

Directions

the salsa:
Combine salsa ingredients in a medium bowl. Salt to taste. Cover and
refrigerate one hour.

the salmon:
Preheat a stove-top grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. Grill the fillets skinned side up and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Turn fillets over and grill until fish is just cooked through, about 3 or 4 minutes more.

To serve, place the salmon on a warmed plate and spoon blueberry salsa on top.

Serves 4

In Alaska, berry picking is akin to beachcombing. It is very addictive. If you’ve ever had a blueberry pie made with fresh succulent blueberries, then you know what I mean. Blueberries and many other berries are all over Alaska. Berry picking brings out Alaskans in droves to their favorite spots. In Alaska there are plenty of blueberries to go around and you can pick all you want. Remember, bears also love blueberries and they have the right-of way. Sing, make noise or wear bells so they hear you coming!

Note:
Smoked salmon comes in two distinct varieties: Hot smoked and lox. The main difference is in the brining process and the temperature during the smoking process. Hot smoked salmon is fully cooked to 145 degrees, whereas cold smoked salmon is smoked at 80 degrees and is in fact cured, and still raw, so needs to be vacuum packed or frozen very quickly after preparation.

Ingredients

for the sauce:
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon sherry cooking wine
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced

for the salad:
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup snow peas
2 cups napa cabbage, chopped
1 cup carrots, cut into match sticks
½ cup chow mein noodles
½ cup fresh pineapple, cubed
½ cup peanuts or hazelnuts, chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped

for the scallops:
1 pound large sea scallops (about 12) or large shrimp
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper

Directions

make the sauce:
In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients. Reserve half the mixture for the salad, pour the rest over the scallops in a Ziploc plastic bag and put in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Blanch broccoli and peas in boiling salted water for 1 minute, then drain. Toss with remaining salad ingredients and reserved dressing.

make the scallops:
Remove the scallops from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until hot. Pat the scallops dry once more and put them in the pan in a single, uncrowded layer. Let them sear undisturbed until one side is browned and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the scallops and sear until the second side is well browned and the scallops are firm to the touch. Take the pan off the heat, transfer the scallops on top of the salad. Serve immediately.

makes 6 cups salad:

Recipe hint:
When you’re at the fish counter shopping for scallops, you’ll often see sea scallops labeled two ways “dry” and “wet.” Whenever you can, choose the dry scallops. “Wet” scallops have been treated with a solution called STP (sodium tripolphosphate), which gives scallops a longer shelf life. You’ll have trouble browning these scallops, because of the excess moisture. The STP solution can also give scallops a rubbery texture. “Dry” scallops sear better and taste better.

Ingredients

5 slices quality thick-cut bacon, cut in half

for the salmon patties:
2 cups wild salmon, cooked, chilled, flaked
2 cups Panko bread crumbs, plus ½ to ¾ cup for forming
½ cup green onions, minced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 eggs
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons jalapeños, canned or fresh, minced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup sesame seeds
extra-virgin olive oil for frying

for the sauce:
2 teaspoons jalapeños, canned
or fresh, minced
½ cup mayonnaise

for the burgers:
10 slider buns or brioche rolls, toasted if desired split
crisp lettuce leaves
thinly sliced tomato
thinly sliced onion

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cook the bacon on a rack-lined baking sheet until crisp, about 15 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

make the patties: In a large bowl, combine salmon, 2 cups bread crumbs, onions and cilantro. Whisk together eggs, lime juice, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, jalapeño, sugar and salt. Combine with salmon mixture. Form mixture into ten patties; (⅓-cup each) packing each firmly. Press them into the remaining bread crumbs and sesame seeds. Place in freezer until just firm, about 20 minutes.

make the sauce:
In a small bowl, stir together jalapeños and mayonnaise.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add salmon patties two at a time; cook until browned on both sides, turning carefully. Transfer the cakes to a plate.

Place the burgers on the roll bottoms and top with the bacon, lettuce, tomato and onion. Spread the roll tops with the sauce and place on the burgers.

Makes 10 patties

Variation
Make larger cakes using a ½ cup measuring cup (makes six) and use regular sized buns.