Author: David Knight

• Wash apples. To prevent discoloration, peel and slice one apple at a time. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, remove core area with a melon baller, and immerse in ascorbic acid solution.
• Combine sugar, water, vinegar, cloves, cinnamon candies or cinnamon sticks, and optional coloring in a 6-quart saucepan. Stir, bring to a boil, and simmer 3 minutes.
• Drain apples, add to hot syrup, and cook 5 minutes.
• Fill preferably wide-mouth jars with apple rings and hot flavored syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids.
• Process hot-packed half-pints or pints in a boiling-water canner: 10 minutes at 0–1,000 ft; 15 minutes at 1,001–6,000 ft; 20 minutes above 6,000 ft.

• In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa and salt. Gradually add water, stirring to keep mixture smooth.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils. Boil and stir for 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into a heatproof container and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.
• Use as a topping for ice cream and desserts.

Rolls

• Mix yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and warm water and let rise.
• Add evaporated milk, melted butter, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and flour to make dough. Let stand 10–15 minutes.
• Turn onto a floured surface and knead vigorously by hand or with a dough hook until smooth and elastic. Slap dough on the counter several times to remove air bubbles.
• Place in a greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled.
• Roll into a rectangle. Spread liberally with butter and brown sugar. Sprinkle with raisins and plenty of cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• Roll up and cut into 1 1/2-inch slices. Heat oven to 400°F, then reduce to 350°F and bake 15–20 minutes. Frost immediately when done.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream powdered sugar and melted butter with enough evaporated milk to make a stiff frosting.
• Add cream cheese and mix on high for 1 minute.

• In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chopped onion for 5-7 minutes until translucent, or about 20 minutes if caramelized onions are preferred. Add garlic and cook for a minute or less, until fragrant.
• Add ground beef and cook 8-10 minutes, breaking it apart with a spatula, until browned.
• Transfer the beef mixture to a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except bay leaf and stir to combine. Place bay leaf in the middle, if using.
• Cook 6-8 hours on Low or 3-4 hours on High. Remove bay leaf before serving.

• Caramelize onions in olive oil. Drain onions if necessary if they produce too much liquid, and continue to caramelize.
• Add flour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
• Deglaze with red wine. Add beef broth and herbs. Simmer 20 minutes.
• Serve with French baguette croutons and melted Swiss cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

Crockpot

• Add trimmed chicken to a large crockpot. Gently crush tomatoes and add with their juices, enchilada sauce, garlic, onion, green chiles, black beans and corn.
• Add chicken stock, cumin, chili powder, paprika, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook 3-4 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low, until chicken shreds easily.
• Remove and shred chicken, return it to the crockpot, add cilantro, adjust seasoning and add fresh lime if desired. Remove bay leaf.
• Serve with cheese, sour cream, cilantro, lime and tortilla strips.

Instant Pot

• Using Sauté, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté garlic and onion 3-4 minutes until onion starts to soften.
• Add trimmed chicken and all remaining ingredients; stir.
• Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes. Naturally release 10-15 minutes, then quick-release remaining pressure. Shred chicken and return it to the pot. Adjust seasoning, add lime if desired, and remove bay leaf.
• Serve with preferred toppings.

• Brown Italian sausage in a large pot. Drain excess fat and set sausage aside.
• In the same pot, melt butter. Add onions, red peppers and garlic; sauté over medium heat 4-5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat. Cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Stir in frozen egg noodles. Return to a boil and cook 20 minutes, stirring often.
• Stir in sausage, cream and spinach. Cook several minutes until heated through.
• Add black pepper to taste and serve with shredded Parmesan.

• Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Add onion and cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic and thyme and cook 2 minutes. Add stock and simmer 20 minutes. Remove thyme sprig.
• Blend half the stock mixture until smooth, venting the blender lid safely; repeat with remaining mixture.
• Return stock mixture to pan. Add pepper and mashed potatoes, whisking until combined. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in yogurt and dill. Ladle into bowls and top with green onions, cheddar and bacon.

• Combine flour and pepper in a bowl, add beef and toss to coat. Heat 3 teaspoons oil in a large pot. Brown beef a few pieces at a time, about 5 minutes per batch, adding more oil as needed.
• Remove beef. Add vinegar and wine to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up browned bits. Add beef, broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.
• Cover and cook, skimming broth occasionally, until beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add onions and carrots and simmer covered 10 minutes. Add potatoes and simmer about 30 minutes more, until vegetables are tender. Add broth or water if dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Melt butter in a medium-to-large pot without browning it. Trim the leek, quarter the white stalk lengthwise and dice it. Add leek and salt to the pot and sweat gently rather than frying.
• Turn heat to low and cook leeks about 20 minutes until soft. Peel and dice potatoes.
• Add chicken broth, potatoes and bay leaves. Cover and cook 45 minutes, then remove bay leaves.
• Dice chicken sausage. In a pan, sauté sausage with some of the fresh herbs until browned; remove from heat.
• Add cream and buttermilk to the leek-potato mixture and blend until creamy. Add sausage and remaining herbs and blend briefly. Add chives and pulse to combine.