Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 
• 1 tablespoon honey 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. 
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; set aside. 
• Melt remaining tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Dont let it burn will have a bitter taste. Remove pan from heat.
• Stir in brown sugar, honey, oregano, thyme and basil until well combined.  Return chicken to the skillet.
• Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes.
• Once done sprinkle the parsley over the chicken and drizzle with more of the sauce from the pan.
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Tuesday Morning Breakfast

Scallop and Cheese Grits (Serves 4)

3/4 cup Grits

1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

16 sea scallops, trimmed of tough muscle flap

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 oz Spanish-style chorizo, casing removed, diced

1/2 cup finely chopped scallions (white and green parts)

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 3-1/2 cups water to a boil, and add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Slowly stir the grits into the water.  Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the cheese.

About ten minutes into the grits cooking start the scallops. Pat the scallops dry, season them with salt on both sides, and heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan, then the chorizo, and cook until the sausage renders some fat, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the scallops, and sear for 2 minutes. Turn them over and continue cooking until browned, 2 minutes. Remove the scallops to a plate lined with a paper towel.  Keep the chorizo in the pan.

Reduce the heat under the pan to medium, and add the scallions, garlic, and lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes, and remove from the heat.

On each of 4 plates, make a bed of grits, then place the scallops on top, and drizzle pan sauce and chorizo on and around the scallops and grits.

Rise and Shine

2 oz Carrot Juice

1 oz agave nectar or simple syrup

1 oz grapefruit juice

1 oz lemon juice

3 oz silver tequila

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake well.  Strain into a rocks glass with ice.

Red Velvet Pancakes

Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 egg 3/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon red food coloring 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 tablespoons butter,melted

Directions:  Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl.

In another large bowl, beat egg with buttermilk, sour cream, food coloring and vanilla extract until smooth.

Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, adding melted butter in gradually as well, until all lumps are out.Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat, then drop in batter 1/4 cup at a time to form pancakes.

Flip when bottoms are set and bubbles are forming on top and cook until firm and fluffy all the way through. 

Serve warm with cream cheese or syrup.

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Butter Pie Crust Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

8 tablespoons (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter (cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

4-5 tablespoons water (cold)

Directions:

1. Pulse the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor to mix.

2. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 6-8 times.

3. Add a tablespoon of water at a time pulsing in between until it starts to clump together.

4. Place the dough on a clean surface and shape it into a disc.

5. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.

6. Roll the dough into a 12 inch circle about 1/8 of an inch thick on a lightly floured surface.

7. Place the dough into the pie plate and form it.

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

1 pie crust

2 cups sweet potato (roasted, peeled and mashed)

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup (or golden syrup)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Bourbon Glaze

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup (or golden syrup)

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)

Directions:

1. Place the pie crust into a pie plate.

2. Mix the sweet potatoes, eggs, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and bourbon in a large bowl and pour it into the pie crust.

3. Place the pecans on top of the sweet potato filling.

4. Mix the sugar, maple syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla and bourbon and pour it on top of the pecans.

5. Bake in a preheated 375F oven until the pastry id golden brown and the pecan layer is set, about 40-60 minutes.

Shrimp and Crab Au Gratin

1 1/2 sticks butter 3/4 cup flour

2 cup milk

2 cup whipping cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup Swiss cheese

1 lb. small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound claw crabmeat or jumbo lump

1 med. onion, chopped

3 cloves chopped garlic

16 oz  sliced mushrooms

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat.  When the butter is completely melted, stir in the flour.  Cook for about 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly. Slowly Add milk and cream to flour and butter mixture.  Using a whisk, stir briskly until you have a smooth sauce.  Season with  salt and pepper,add  1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of swiss cheese, 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shrimp, crab meat, onions, garlic and mushrooms.  Cook about 25 - 30 mins. Put in baking dish, top with remaining 1/4 cup of Swiss and Cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted on top.