Button mushrooms
Fresh bread crumbs
Grated swiss- gruyere preferred
Onion
Tarragon
Heavy cream
Salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese
Butter

Delicately wash your mushrooms and remove stems. Grate stems on cheese grater and measure the amount. Add twice the amount of fresh bread crumbs, and an equal amount of Swiss. (For one cup of stems, add two cups of bread crumbs and one cup of Swiss) For every four cups of filling add 1 T grated onion and 1 T fresh chopped tarragon. If it feels a little dry, add a splash of heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss mushroom caps in olive oil- coated all around and a little inside. Stuff each with the filling, don’t be afraid to pile it on there, and arrange on a baking sheet. Add a pat of butter to the top and Parmesan cheese. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°

6 eggs
⅓ cup mayonnaise
2 t granulated sugar
Dash of cayenne
¼ t salt
1 t apple cider or white wine vinegar
2 t heavy cream

In a medium saucepan, cover eggs with cold water, place on a burner & set to high. Bring to a rapid boil then remove from heat and cover pot – let stand for 12 minutes. Drain eggs and cover with cold water to chill. Once cool enough to handle, peel the eggs and halve. Gently scrape out the yolk directly into the bowl of a food processor. (If you don’t have a food processor you can push the egg yolks through a fine mesh sieve or mash with a fork, then use a hand mixer to finish the recipe.) 

Add remaining ingredients to the bowl of the food processor. Purée until creamy and free of lumps (you may need to stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.) Scoop filling into your reserved egg halves and enjoy immediately or cover and chill for later.

Basic ratio - 8# of bones to 5 quarts of water to 1# mirepoix (8 ounces onion, 4 ounces carrot, 4 ounces celery) plus a sachet of 2 parsley stems, 6 whole black peppercorn, 1 bayleaf, 1 sprig of thyme

Put it all in a pot and bring to a simmer and skim anything that comes up. Then carefully position the pot so ⅓ of it is off the burner and simmer like that for 2-3 hours, skimming off anything that rises to the surface.

1 gallon toasted bread cubes – if you are buying the Pepperidge Farm cubes, no need to toast them additionally
6 cups diced onion
6 cups diced celery
6 cups peeled and diced apples – use a good tart apple like a Granny Smith that will hold its shape
1 cup chopped parsley
½ cup chopped fresh sage –  you can add a bit of dried ground sage for extra umph
1 pound of butter
1 quart – plus more to taste and feel – of homemade chicken broth
Salt to taste

These amounts are a bit fluid; we taste as we go. Do not be afraid to add more melted butter and more broth. You can also add rosemary, and thyme

Melt the butter in a deep skillet, add the onions and stew until translucent. Add the celery and cook until tender. Pour over the toasted bread. Add the parsley, sage, apples and mix well. Add the chicken broth and salt. The bread should be getting soft but not mushy. It should not be dry – so don’t be afraid to add more broth or butter!

2lb green beans or haricot vert, trimmed and halved
½ cup finely minced shallot
¼ cup finely minced garlic
2lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved for stock
2.5 cups homemade chicken stock
1.5 cup heavy cream
¼ cup dry sherry
½ stick butter
1 T fresh thyme leaves, minced
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste
Sherry Vinegar to taste
1 small yellow onion 
Weisenberger Mill Fish Fry 

Blanch the haricot vert in rapidly boiling, salted water until tender. Quickly transfer beans to a salted ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain the beans and pat dry with paper towels. 

Roughly chop the shiitake mushrooms then transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the mushrooms until finely chopped. Transfer the mushrooms to a large nonstick skillet. Place the skillet over a burner set to medium high heat. Saute the mushrooms, stirring constantly until all moisture is removed. About 10 minutes. 

Once the mushrooms have evaporated most of their water content reduce the temperature to medium and add half of the butter to the hot pan followed immediately by the minced shallot and garlic. Saute for 30-45 seconds then deglaze with the sherry. Cook until the alcohol has evaporated and the sherry has reduced to almost dry. Add the remaining butter and stir in the flour to create a roux. Cook until the roux has lightly browned then slowly add the chicken stock until fully incorporated, whisking to prevent lumps. Simmer until reduced by half. Add the heavy cream and simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, freshly ground black pepper and sherry vinegar. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh thyme and parsley. 

Thinly slice the yellow onion in rings on a mandoline. Toss the onion rings in the fish fry. Fry the onions in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels or a metal resting rack placed over a sheet pan. 

Assemble the green beans in a 9x13inch baking dish, then pour the mushroom cream over the green beans to cover. Bake in a 400 degree conventional oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cream is bubbling. Garnish the dish with the fried onions and enjoy!

Willa’s Favorite 1-2-3 Orange Cranberry Relish
1 bag- 12 ounces of cranberries
1 orange
½ cup walnuts- toasted
¾ cup sugar
A little cinnamon
A little nutmeg

Pulse and grind together in a food processor

Ouita Z.’s Cranberry Salad
1 cup ground cranberries
1 cup ground apples
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup chopped marshmallows or the little baby ones
¼ cup toasted chopped walnuts
1 cup sugar

Mix thoroughly and let stand overnight. Serve on a lettuce leaf with boiled dressing or whipped cream.

6 to 8 large, firm-fleshed local apples, peeled, quartered and cored
6 tablespoons salted butter, very soft
⅔ cup granulated or light brown sugar
1 sheet all-butter puff pastry, about 8 ounces (store-bought is fine)

Thickly coat the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron skillet with butter. Sprinkle sugar evenly on top.

Arrange apple quarters on flat sides in pan facing each other in a radial pattern. Packing them in as close as possible. When the apples quarters don’t fit any more, dice remainder and fill in the gaps

Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat and simmer 20-30 minutes until the apples are nearly tender and sugar has caramelized but not burned. Poke apples occasionally to check.

While cooking apples, on a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry about ⅛-inch thick to size of skillet. Drape gently over the apples. Use your hands to tuck the pastry around the apple pieces, hugging them together firmly.

Transfer skillet to the oven and bake 40 minutes, until puff pastry is browned and firm.

Let cool 5 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a round serving plate. Leave inverted for 15+ minutes. Serve warm

Cranberry Ginger Punch 

Do ahead - the ice mold
Oranges | Fresh cranberries | Cranberry juice cocktail

In a shallow (no more than 2 qt.) bowl or ring mold layer thinly sliced oranges and fresh cranberries until ⅔ full. Pour cranberry juice cocktail over the fruit until it’s completely covered.

Place the bowl or mold in a freezer and freeze until solid. Before serving, turn out of the bowl or mold into a punch bowl.

do ahead - Cranberry Ginger Syrup
12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup ginger (large knob) coarsely chopped
1 cup sorghum or honey
2 cups sugar
4 cups water
Zest of 2 oranges
Zest of 1 lemon

Bring cranberries, ginger and water to a boil, stir in the sugar and sorghum/honey.

Reduce heat, add zest and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until your cranberries have popped and your syrup is rich. Strain and discard fruit & ginger.

The Punch!
1 cup cranberry ginger syrup
2- 32 oz. bottles cranberry juice cocktail
1 liter club soda or bottle of prosecco
your finest ice mold

Pour cranberry ginger syrup and cranberry juice cocktail over out turned ice mold in a punch bowl. Top with club soda or prosecco and enjoy!