Tres Leches Bread Pudding

8 cups challah bread (preferably fresh baked) 

2 cups milk

2 cups half and half

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup natural cane sugar

4 eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

Preheat oven 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butter a 9x13 pan . Cut bread into cubes and place in buttered dish. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, milk, cream, half and half, and pour over bread cubes and allow to soak for 10 minutes.

Place in preheated oven center shelf now carefully Bake slowly for 45-50 minutes until a knife can be inserted and the tip comes out clean and top is brown and puffed up. 

Can be served with caramel sauce or berry compote. 

Roasted Bacon Potato Salad

1/2 cup vinegar (white, cider, sherry)

1 Tbl course-grained mustard

1 Tbl sugar

2 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold, scrubbed and cut into 3/4 inch chunks

1 tsp minced fresh thyme

2 Tbl olive oil

Salt

Pepper

6 bacon slices, chopped

1 medium red onion sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic chopped

1/2 cup fresh herbs (dill, parsley, tarragon)

1/4 cup chopped chives

Preheat the oven to 400°. Toss together potatoes, 2 tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. thyme, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and roast, stirring once halfway through, until browned and cooked through, 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Mix vinegar, grainy mustard and sugar together in a bowl whisk until sugar is dissolved.

Add bacon to large sauté pan and cook until crisp over medium heat. Remove to a paper towel-lined sheet tray and reserve. Add onion, fresh ground pepper and garlic to bacon grease and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add vinegar mustard mixture to the pan. Let cook until reduced and thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add potatoes, herbs and bacon to the pan and toss to coat with dressing. Allow to cook for 3 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer potato salad to a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped fresh chives.

Roasted Chicken with Salsa Verda and Roasted Lemons

For the Chicken

Whole chicken, 4-5 pounds

 Sea salt

 black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1-2 lemons

FOR THE SALSA VERDE:

1 tablespoon capers (drain and rinse in water)

2 anchovy fillets (soaked in water for 5 mins)

3 cloves garlic (peeled)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

¼ cup arugula, chopped

¼ cup basil leaves, chopped

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon tarragon leaves

1 tablespoon fresh chives

1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Pre-Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Rinse the chicken in cold water and dry with paper towels. Using kitchen shears, cut out the backbone of the chicken and remove any fat. Then, using a heavy chef's knife, cut out the breastbone. Season the two halves with sea salt and fresh black pepper.  Using a cast iron pan or metal baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place the chicken halves inside it, skin side up. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cut the lemon in half and place the halves, cut side down, next to the chicken in the baking dish. Roast for 35 minutes, basting every 8-10 minutes. Rotate the pan during basting to allow for even cooking. The chicken is done when the juices from the thigh run clear.  You can check temperature of the chicken using meat thermometer should be 165 F 

While the chicken is cooking make the salsa verde. Rinse capers in cold water, then drain. Soak anchovies in cold water for 5 minutes, then pat dry and remove the small bones. Using a small food processor or knife, smash the capers, anchovies and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add all the herbs and remaining olive oil. (The mixture will be chunky) Season with salt. Serve the chicken topped with the salsa verde, and roasted lemon.

Mama Home's Buttermilk Cornbread

2 Cups course yellow cornmeal (Anson Mills or Geechie Boy)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

5 Tablespoons Fresh Lard, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups buttermilk 

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet inside.

Combine cornmeal, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In another bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of lard, egg and buttermilk.

Combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth batter comes together. Carefully move hot skillet from oven add remaining tablespoon of lard to the pan and pour in the batter.  It will sizzle in the pan once the batter is in.  Swirl the batter around the hot skillet to make sure it's evenly distributed.

Return to oven for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out dry.

Pot Roast

• 1 Whole (4-5 lbs) Chuck Roast
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 whole Onions (Cut in Half)
• 6 whole Carrots (Peeled and Cut into 2-inch slices)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 cup Red Wine
• 2 - 3 cups Beef Stock
• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste
• 3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste

Preparation Instructions

Choose a nicely marbled piece of meat this will enhance the flavor of your pot roast. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast. Set oven to 275 degrees F

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Then add 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add the halved onions, browning them on one side then the other.  Remove the onions to a plate.

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned about a minute or so. 

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan.  Place the meat in the pan and sear it for a couple of minutes on all sides until it is nice and brown all over.  Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, use the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bottom of the pan with the whisk to get all the great flavor up.

When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway ( about 2 -3 cups).  Add the onion, carrots, garlic, bay leaves as well as the thyme and rosemary.

Put the lid on, then roast in oven for about 3 hours (3 lb roast).  For a 4-5 lb roast, plan on 4 hours.