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Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon prepared hot mustard
2 dashes chipotle hot sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup port wine
1/2 cup black sesame seeds

Directions

In the container of a food processor, combine the Cheddar cheese, sour cream, butter, horseradish, hot mustard, chipotle sauce, garlic and port wine. Pulse until smooth. You can use a potato masher in a large bowl but it will take longer.

Line a bowl with plastic wrap, and fill with the cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat just until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Gather the plastic wrap around the cheese mixture and form into a ball. Remove the plastic wrap and roll the ball in sesame seeds to coat. Place in the center of a platter and surround with your favorite chips or crackers.

Ingredients

1 pound large scallops
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
toothpicks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons white wine

Directions

Wrap each scallop with a thin slice of prosciutto and secure with a toothpick.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the scallops into the pan, and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Season each side with pepper as it is cooking. Once each side has been fried, sprinkle the white wine over the scallops, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove the scallops from the pan to drain on paper towels. When slightly cooled, transfer to a serving tray, and remove the toothpicks to serve.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, minced
3 green onions, chopped
1/3 small head cauliflower, chopped
1 small parsnip, chopped
10 small button mushrooms, chopped
1 pear – peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup cannellini beans
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
3/4 cup Chardonnay wine
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 (14.5 ounce) can fat-free chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth (optional)

Directions

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir in the garlic, shallots, and ginger, and cook until fragrant but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green onions, cauliflower, parsnip, and mushrooms, and cook and stir an additional 5 minutes. Add the pear, beans, mustard, and dill, and stir just until heated, about 1 minute.

Stir in the wine and thyme, and turn up the heat to high. Boil, stirring constantly, until the wine is reduced by half and is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth. Return the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Allow the soup to cool slightly.

Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.

Stir in cream, and, if needed, thin with additional chicken broth; serve hot. You may wish to serve this soup the next day. It will improve in taste with time.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound new potatoes, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
2 cups dry red wine
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 large Granny Smith apple – peeled, cored and diced

Directions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the flour into a bowl. Add cubed pork and toss until coated. Shake off the excess flour and place pork in the hot oil. Cook until browned on each side, and then remove from the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, and melt the butter in the pan. Add the onion, garlic and shallot; season with thyme, rosemary, basil, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the onion is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.

Pour the wine and beef broth into the pot, and add the pork and apple. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes, until potatoes and apples are tender.