A Fuss-Free, Fancy Thanksgiving: Tips from a Personal Chef

​Turkey Day always seems to sneak up on us. November rolls around and Thanksgiving is immediately on your mind, you have nearly a month to plan the perfect dinner, but the next thing you know, the big day is just right around the corner. It all sounds so stressful, but the good news is, it doesn’t have to be. It only takes a few days to plan a lovely, enjoyable Thanksgiving celebration. All it takes are simple details and plan-ahead organization. As a personal chef, most weeks feel like the week of Thanksgiving for me. These tips that I use every week to plan my dinners and events will put you right on track to being the host with the most on Thanksgiving Day.

Fuss-Free

Plan Ahead and Make Ahead

-Grocery shop over several days. Three to four days before, buy all items that store easily over time. One to two days before, buy items you want to serve at their freshest.

-Use a “lists” app to grocery shop. Write out your menu then create a different grocery list for each dish you plan to make. Check off each ingredient as you go.

-Clean your refrigerator out before you go grocery shopping. It’s great to start the holidays with a clean, organized fridge, plus you’ll need plenty of room for all the ingredients you bring home.

-Make ahead as much as possible. It may surprise you what all can be made a stored in plastic containers days before – dressings, sauces, even some veggies can be chopped a day or two before. When storing, label containers by using tape and a marker. Reheat or finish day-of.

-Write out an organization sheet. It should include days of the week and what you plan to make and store on what day. Highlight and cross off as you go.

Don’t Overcomplicate the Menu

-Make dishes with few ingredients. This will help your grocery trips flow and your days in the kitchen quick and easy.

-Don’t insist on having all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. If it helps, narrow it down by taking a poll and choose the most requested dishes.

-Know it’s ok to have a simplified dinner. One main dish and two to three sides never hurt anyone’s feelings. As long as the food is really delicious, everyone will be happy.

-Ask your guests to be responsible for the appetizers or desserts. That takes one course off your back and will make you feel more at ease when in the kitchen.

Fancy

Entertain with Organization

-When guests arrive, they will immediately ask if they can help with anything. Give them a glass of wine and put them to work. It helps to already have a list of what each person can do.

-Have simple appetizers out when guests arrive. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated, just a few little nibbles for everyone to snack on before the big dinner.

-Scatter appetizers on different tables and in different rooms. This gets guests mingling and keeps them out of the kitchen while you work.

-Set up a drink station away from the kitchen. Consider having one simple signature cocktail, wine, beer, water, and various non-alcoholic beverages. Everyone can serve themselves – it keeps them occupied and you don’t have to worry with asking what every guest wants to drink when they arrive.

Make the Day an Event

-Don’t just have a dinner party. Have a party! Be prepped for guests to come early and spread each course out. It’s also fun to pair wine or cocktails with each course then have coffee, espresso, or cappuccinos with dessert.

-Set a beautiful table. Include your nicest dishes and a floral or DIY centerpiece. It doesn’t have to be anything expensive, just make the effort. Also, consider setting the table the day or night before - less to worry about on Thanksgiving Day.

- Speaking of centerpieces, this Darling Pumpkin Cheese Board doubles as a centerpiece and a fabulous start to the meal!  

-Ask everyone to dress up. Seriously, what ever happened to the days when people dressed up for dinner? It’s Thanksgiving – it only comes once a year – dressing nicely is a must!

-Have plenty of entertainment. Football on in one room, music playing at dinner, and maybe a holiday movie to end the night. There should be something for everyone.

Very Merry Salad

This Very Merry Salad isn't just for Christmas...  Have it at Thanksgiving, and I promise after, you'll want to have it at least once a week for lunch or dinner! I came up with this recipe because I was inspired to use pomegranates because they're totally in season right now. I've been using the red jewels a lot lately - they're so bright and create a lovely finish and delicious fruity crunch to any dish. The beautiful green color of the kale make this salad beautiful and perfect for the holidays! 

Grocery list (serves 6 to 8):

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp Dijion mustard

• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

• 2 bunches kale - rinsed, dried, stems removed, chopped

• 1 cup walnuts - toasted

• 1 pomegranate - seeded

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Add the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, cinnamon, Dijon, and salt to a mason jar. Close the lid and shake well to combine.

2. Put the chopped kale in a large salad bowl, pour the dressing over, and toss until all greens are covered in dressing.

3. Sprinkle the walnuts, pomegranate seeds, and dried cranberries over the top. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one day.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!  

Truffled Turkey Breast with Truffle Gravy

While I'm not the biggest fan of Thanksgiving food, turkey is one part of it I always look forward to. When I was a kid my mom used to make me and my brother non-Thanksgiving dishes because we despised the traditional food so much. As a grown up, I've gotten over my pickiness, but it's still not my favorite, so I like to put a spin on the expected dishes to make them more fun but keep things classic. 

Some people like dark meat, others like white meat... The good news is, nowadays, you can buy them already separated for you and the cook time is quicker which means more time with the family! The truffle addition to this turkey makes it unique and the gravy makes it extra decadent. You could do this with any part of the turkey or the whole bird! 

 Grocery list: 

Turkey:  

• 1/2 cup truffle butter or lard

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tsp minced garlic

• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

• 1 tsp truffle salt

• 1 tsp pepper, plus more for sprinkling

• 1 (4 to 5 lb) whole, bone-in turkey breast

Truffle Gravy: 

• 1 tbsp truffle oil

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock, plus more for thinning

• Kosher salt

• Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the truffle butter or lard, olive oil, garlic, kosher salt, truffle salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rinse the turkey well and pat dry. Turn the bird over and sprinkle kosher salt and pepper lightly all over the backside of the breast. Place skin side up, on a rack over a baking sheet.

2. Using your fingers, loosen the skin of the breast and smear half the butter mixture all over the inside of the breast. Smear the remaining butter over the skin evenly. Roast for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees. Tent with foil.

3. Heat a medium saucepan over medium high. Pour the turkey drippings from the bottom of the baking sheet and the truffle oil into the saucepan. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking for about 2 minutes until cooked. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, whisking constantly until thickened. Lower heat, add salt and pepper to taste and more stock to thin. Carve the turkey breast meat off the bone, slice into pieces, and serve warm gravy alongside. 

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!! 

Strawberry Beer Margaritas

When I was in college, I remember me and my girlfriends making such a big deal about Cinco de Mayo. Any excuse to party, right?! Well, in the good ole Delta of Cleveland, Mississippi, we had two Mexican restaurants: Guadalajara and La Cabana. What's funny is, everyone had their own opinion about which one was better so there was often a debate when we decided where to eat Mexican food - particularly for Cinco de Mayo. Usually whoever got out voted lost, but because we all just wanted to be together, no one ever really cared where we went. If you happened to be the one that got out voted that day, you just threw on some heels, fluffed up your hair, and said, "ok whatever, let's go get margaritas!" Because in the end, it wasn't about the food or the drinks, it was about being together! 

Grocery list:  

• 16 oz frozen strawberries

• 4 cups ice

• 1 cup white tequila

• 1 cup triple sec

• 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

• 1 lemon - juiced

• 1/2 cup agave

• Dash of salt

• 3 bottles Abita Strawberry beers

Directions: 

1. Pour the strawberries, ice, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, lemon juice, agave, and salt into a blender. Blend on high until it all comes together. 

2. Pour the mixture into a large punch bowl. Open the strawberry beer bottles and turn them upside down, directly into the ice mixture.  

3. Serve in salt rimmed glasses. 

CHEERS TO HAPPY DRINKING!!! 

Rose Shortbread Cookies

I wrote this cookie recipe two Valentine years ago and it's taken me all that time to perfect it and feel like it was good enough to share! It's been delicious since the first time I made it but now it's absolutely amazing! I can't think of anything more romantic for Valentine's Day than the subtle flavor of rose in a dessert. You will LOVE these cookies!   

Grocery List: 

For the cookies: 

• 1 cup unsalted butter - room temperature

• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 3/4 tsp rose water

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp salt

For the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar

• 2 1/2 tbsp heavy cream

• 1/2 tsp rose water

• Sprinkles (optional)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the butter, sugar, vanilla, and rose water together with a hand or stand mixture until completely combined and fluffy. In a medium bowl, sift the flour and salt together and slowly add to the sugar-butter mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together. 

2. Dump onto a clean, lightly floured surface and shape into a smooth, flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out. Using heart-shaped or circle cookie cutters, cut out cookies and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes until they start to brown on the sides. Let cool. 

3. Make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners sugar, heavy cream, and rose water in a medium bowl. If it's too clumpy and thick, add more cream. If it's too thin, add more confectioners sugar. Dip cookies in the glaze and sprinkle with red or pink sprinkles. Let the glaze harden before serving. 

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!! 

Mini King Cake Bread Puddings w/ Salted Whisky Sauce

When I think of Mardi Gras, I think of the first time Tres took me to New Orleans. It was a trip of fun, food, drinks and parades, but it was also the first time he introduced me to his grandmother. Tres mom and dad both grew up in New Orleans, and at the time, his dad's mom still lived there. When I met Mawmaw she was in her late 80s and had lots of stories to tell of Mardi Gras and the "wicked city" (as she put it),  of New Orleans. A couple of years later, Tres and I got married in New Orleans and a few months after that we attended MawMaw's 90th birthday party. She is no longer with us, but many times when I think of Mardi Gras, I think of her. Because King Cake is the "king" of Mardi Gras, I thought why not make another NOLA favorite from it: bread pudding! 

Grocery list: 

• 6 eggs

• 3/4 cup milk

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 3 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 4 cups leftover King Cake - cubed

• Cooking spray

• 1/2 cup pecans - chopped

• Green, purple or yellow sprinkles (optional)

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter

• 3 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tbsp whisky

• 1 tsp corn starch

• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions: 

1. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and almond extract together in a large bowl. Add the cubed King Cake and let sit for at least one hour. 

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12 cup muffin tin by spraying the inside of each cup with cooking spray. Spoon the mixture into each cup, 3/4 of the way up, being careful to not fill completely to the top. Sprinkle with the pecans and sprinkles. Bake for 15-20 minutes until custard is golden and set, being careful to not overcook. 

3. Make sauce by whisking together the butter, brown sugar, whisky, corn starch, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let come to a slight boil and simmer until thick. Pace the mini bread puddings on a platter and spoon the sauce over the top.

CHEERS TO A HAPPY FAT TUESDAY! 

King Cake Blizzard

Grocery list (2 large or 4 small blizzards): 

• 4 cups vanilla ice cream

• 2 cups leftover King Cake - cubed

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• Splash heavy cream

• Dash cinnamon

Directions: 

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on low until combined and thick. Add more ice cream if too thin, add more milk if too thick. Garnish with something gold, purple, or green! 

CHEERS TO A FUN MARDI GRAS! 

Brown Sugar Short Ribs

Everyone has their go-to holiday dish. I serve my Brown sugar short ribs for my family every Christmas. I also used this recipe to audition for MasterChef season 6, and just so happened to be good enough to get me into the top 100. I wrote this recipe several years ago and always come back to it when I entertain big groups for the holidays. I am extra proud of this dish, and it’s just hearty and decadent enough for the holidays.

SEE VIDEO WITH STEP BY STEP DIRECTIONS!!!

Grocery list (4 servings): 

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Kosher Salt

• Pepper

• 4-5 lbs short ribs

• 1 large onion – chopped

• 4 garlic cloves – minced

• 1 ½ cup good red wine

• 2 cups beef stock

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 tsp rosemary

• 2 tsp thyme

• ½ cup brown sugar

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven or cast iron pot over medium high heat. Sprinkle short ribs liberally with kosher salt and pepper. Sear all sides of the short ribs until browned and a nice crust is formed. Set ribs aside on a plate.

2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion. Cook until they start to brown then add the garlic and cook for one minute or until fragrant, just make sure to not burn the garlic. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, and bay leaves  and stir together well.

3. Add the ribs back in, making sure they are almost covered in the liquid but you can still see the tops of them. If they need more liquid, add more stock. Sprinkle the rosemary, thyme and brown sugar over the top of the ribs. Roast in the oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours until tender and almost falling off the bone. Plate the ribs and blend the leftover liquid with a hand held blender. Serve gravy over the top of the ribs or on the side.  

Cheers to happy eating!!!

Everything Candy Bar Milkshake

As a kid I remember having so much leftover candy after Halloween. If your trick or treating was as good as mine used to be, I bet you have plenty of leftover candy. If you're not sure what to do with it, make a milkshake out of it! 

Grocery list (4-6 servings): 

• 1 quart vanilla ice cream

• 1 1/2 cups milk (or more for thinner milkshakes)

• 1-2 cups leftover candy bars - roughly chopped

Directions: 

Put the ice cream, milk, and candy bar pieces in a blender. Close the lid and blend on high until smooth. Serve in tall glasses with a straw. 

Cocoa-Cola Baby Back Ribs

It's May!!!! In Memphis that means sun, fun, festivals, and none other than what we're famous for: BBQ! I tell every out of town friend I have, if you visit Memphis, make sure it's in May! Every weekend, there's something fun going on, but the biggest weekend yet is the World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest! Tents line Tom Lee Park along the river with the smell of BBQ in the air. The entire week is one big party and some serious competition! 

Tres and I go every single year, spending a lot of our time at our good friends' tent, Pigs Gone Wild. Those guys are a blast, and to go along with them having a tent bursting with celebration, they can also cook some mean BBQ! BBQ Fest... It's literally the BEST WEEKEND IN MEMPHIS! So in honor of the weekend coming up, I'm doing my own version of ribs. Cocoa-Cola Ribs are exactly what they sound like... A little bit of chocolate and a little bit of Coke make these guys sweet, hearty, and will always make me think of the city I live in and love!

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!!!! 

Grocery List (4 people): 

• 2 racks baby back ribs

• 4 tbsp good quality unsweetened cocoa powder

• 3 tbsp brown sugar

• 2 tbsp salt

• 2 tsp liquid smoke

• 2 tsp all spice

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1 1/2 cup regular coke

• 4 medium onions - roughly chopped into large pieces

• 1 cup good quality barbecue sauce

Directions: 

1. Rinse the ribs and pat dry with paper towels. Mix the cocoa, brown sugar, salt, liquid smoke, all spice, paprika, and pepper together in a bowl. Rub the mixture onto the ribs and press to adhere. Cover ribs and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

2. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Prep two baking pans by pouring 3/4 cup of coke into each pan. Add the chopped onions over the coke. Place the ribs on top of the onions. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender and almost falling off the bone (I like my ribs to still have substance to them.. Not quite falling off the bone). 

3. Using tongs, move ribs to a baking sheet lined with foil. Strain the onions from the coke. Reserve 1/4 cup of the coke and mix with barbecue sauce. Brush a thick layer of the sauce onto ribs. 

4. Put ribs back in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve with the extra cola-barbecue sauce on the side! 

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!! 

Truffle Deviled Eggs with Candy Bacon

Easter was such a treat every year when I was a kid! Every Good Friday, me and my brother would dye eggs with my mom. On Easter Sunday, we would load up our bikes and drive to Coffeeville, MS where my great-grandmother, Grams, lived. I remember riding four wheelers, playing volleyball, and walking around looking at all the farm animals. The one thing about Easter I can never forget are my mom's famous deviled eggs. She made them every year. I've put a twist on the traditional southern eggs - a little cream cheese, a little truffle, and a little bacon! Happy Easter to all! 

SEE FULL VIDEO HERE!!!!! 

Grocery List: 

Eggs:

• 1 dozen large eggs

• 4 oz cream cheese

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 2 tbsp mayo

• 2 tbsp truffle oil

• 1 tsp truffle salt (or Kosher)

• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Bacon:

• 3 strips thick cut bacon

• 2 tbsp Brown sugar

• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp Chili powder

• 1/8 tsp Cayenne

Directions: 

1. 

Place eggs in one layer in a large pot with water that comes about an inch over them. Bring to a heavy boil for one minute. Turn the heat to the lowest simmer and cover the pot. Let sit for 12-15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water. To peel, crack each egg at the top and at the bottom (this is the best places to start peeling because air pockets get into them from here), use your fingers and pull apart the shells. If it gets tricky, dip the egg back into the cool water and continue peeling. 

2. Make the candy bacon. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, chili powder, and cayenne in a small bowl. Take each strip of bacon and dip one side into the mixture and place them spice side down on top of a baking rack over a baking sheet lined with foil. Using a spoon, spread the leftover mixture thickly and evenly over the top of the bacon, pressing to adhere. Bake for 20-25 minutes until crispy. 

3. Make the egg filling. Cut eggs in half longways and scoop out the middle into a large bowl. Add cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, truffle oil, salt, and white pepper. Whip the mixture together until really smooth. 

4. Fill a piping bag (or Ziplock bag with a snipped corner) with the egg mixture. Pipe the mixture into the eggs. When bacon is cooled, cut into 1/2 inch strips and stick a piece into each egg. 

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!! 

Mascarpone French Toast Bake

Winter is wrapping up, and that makes me think of the ski trip me and Tres took with friends last year. We spent several days in Steamboat, Colorado in a cozy cabin, and I cooked almost every day. When I'm on vacation with a group, I love waking up before everyone and making breakfast. Our snow-covered cabin right on the slopes was the perfect place to tip-toe out of bed, light the fireplace up, pour myself a cozy cup of coffee, and cook it up! One morning, I made my mascarpone french toast bake, and it was everyone's favorite! This recipe is really easy and can even be made the night before, refrigerated, and popped in the oven the next morning! 

Because of all the cooking I did, skiing has become one of my favorite trips. The skiing, I'm not real sure about, but I love the cooking, lodge lunches with good beer, the wine drinking, the hot tub after a long day on the slopes, and the cozy cabin. Tres' response to my "love of ski trips," is, "so you love ski trips but you love everything about them but skiing?" Haha... I suppose that's the best way to sum it up! 

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE! 

Grocery List: 

For the custard: 

• 8 eggs

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Dash of salt

For the filling: 

• 1 container mascarpone cheese

• 4 tbsp butter - room temperature

• 1/4 cup honey

• 2 tsp sugar

• 2 tbsp cinnamon

• 3 cans Pillsbury crescent rolls

For the topping: 

• 1 cup pecans - chopped

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 2 tbsp candied ginger - chopped

Directions: 

1. Beat the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt together until eggs are beaten and mixture is smooth. Set aside.

2. In another bowl, whisk the mascarpone, butter, honey, sugar, and cinnamon together. Open the crescent roll cans and separate each dough piece from each other. Fill each piece of crescent dough with some of the mascarpone mixture and roll the dough up. Line the rolls in a buttered 9x13 baking dish side by side.

3. Pour egg mixture into the baking pan, over the crescent rolls. ***At this point you can let it sit for several hours or overnight if you wish.

4. When you're ready to bake, set oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the pecans, brown sugar, and candied ginger. Sprinkle over the top of the crescent roll mixture. Bake for about 35 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Cheers to happy eating!!! 

Spaghetti with Mascarpone Marinara and Pork Crunchies

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Sometimes there’s more than one cooktale for a recipe. If it’s good, you’re going to make it again and again with more stories to follow the first one. This is one of those recipes. I’ll start with the tale of the first time I made it.

There’s nothing like cooking when you’re out of town – particularly in a different country. You’re completely out of your element at the grocery store and quite frankly clueless of what half the ingredients are that you lay eyes on when you walk in the place – or so I discovered. However, it’s a great time to experiment with your culinary skills. The first time I created this dish it was completely by accident. It was my 30th birthday and New Year’s trip in Costa Rica with my best gal friends Ginger, Tracy, and Amy Claire, as well as my husband, Tres and Ginger’s husband, James. We rented a spectacular house in the mountains with an ocean view and the plan was to cook, cook, cook it up the entire trip. I had my recipe ideas written down and a grocery list ready to go, but as soon as we walked in the grocery store I realized no “planned” recipe was going to happen, as the store had none of the ingredients I needed. So, with help from the guys and gals, I just started grabbing whatever looked familiar that could potentially be put together and become meals. When we got back to the house, it was time for me to play Food Network’s “Chopped,” as our shopping trip ingredients had turned into one of those mystery baskets. That’s where this recipe came from, and I’m quite happy about it because it turned out G-O-O-D! Most of the meals we had that trip were a success, and I have to say it’s the first I ever played the game “use up everything in the fridge before we go home” and actually won at it!

I’ve made this pasta dish twice since Costa Rica. I made it for a group of 15 people when Tres and I were in Destin last month. We stayed in a condo on the beach, complete with a kitchen. Knowing it would be the biggest group I had ever cooked for, I thought what better to cook than pasta? It was a hit again, so I made it for Mother’s Day this past weekend. Surprise ingredients from a grocery store in Costa Rica became a staple, go-to meal for travel cooking and at home, and it’s now the first post on my blog.

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Grocery List:

• 1 package of large pepperoni slices

• 1 package of large salami slices

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion – chopped

• 3 garlic cloves – minced

• 2 tsp fresh thyme – chopped

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 2 tsp red pepper flakes

• ¼ cup red wine

• 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce

• 8 oz container mascarpone

• 1 lb package spaghetti

• 1 ½ tsp salt and more to taste (for sauce) and a palmful of salt (to boil the pasta)

• ¼ cup fresh basil – chopped or torn

• Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and spread the salami slices on one and pepperoni slices on the other. Bake until crisp for about 8-10 minutes.

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Watch meat carefully when it’s in the oven… Ehh umm, this is a picture of what NOT to do. Yep, it happens.

burnt

When salami and peperoni are crisp (not burned), take out of the oven, let cool, and crumble into a bowl. Set aside with the basil and parmesan

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2. While the meat is baking away in the oven, start the sauce. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add onion and a dash of salt (dashes of salt help soften veggies and increase flavor along the way). Let cook down and get slightly brown for 5-7 minutes.

Turn down heat to medium-low and add garlic, thyme, oregano, and pepper flake.

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Stir and cook for two minutes. Add wine, scrape any brown bits created on the bottom of the pan, and let wine reduce by half.

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3. Add marinara and let heat 2-3 minutes. Stir in mascarpone until sauce becomes light in color and cheese is dissolved. Add 1 ½ tsp of salt or more (to taste… this is a preference thing. I cannot emphasize this enough. If I am ever vague in my salt measurements on any of these recipes it’s because I am a strong believer in tasting your food before you serve it. Salt can make or break a recipe – it’s very possible for it to have too little or too much. Add with caution and taste before you add more. You’ll know if it needs more. A dish is at its fullest of flavor when it has enough salt).

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4. Boil pasta. Heat a pot over high heat with a palm full of salt. When it comes to a boil, add the pasta. Cook for 8-9 minutes or until al dente (cooked well but firm to bite). Drain pasta but leave a little pasta water (about ¼ cup) in your noodles (this helps the sauce stick to the noodles and gives the dish a hint of that starchy pasta flavor). Combine the noodles and sauce or put sauce on top of the noodles.

Top with salami and pepperoni crunches, basil, and parmesan.

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!!!