• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or your choice
• 4 green onions, green and pale green parts only, chopped

Basic Spoon Bread

Click image to enlarge.

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons dairy sour cream
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 beaten egg
• 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Pumpkin Praline Muffins

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Cake

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2¾ cups cake flour (I like White Lilly and Swan’s Down)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Caramel Frosting (recipe follows)

Caramel Frosting

• 1/3 cup plus 2½ cups sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Click image to enlarge

Pork Nuggets

• Canola oil, for frying
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1½ cups whole-grain Creole mustard
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 lbs pork loin, cut into chunks
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon cayenne

Spicy Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup  sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Crispy Fried Pork Nuggets

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• 1 lb dried black beans
• ​4 cups chicken broth
• ​1 cup chorizo sausage, chopped
• ​2/3 cup yellow onion, diced
• ​2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• ​1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced
• ​1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ​1 teaspoon chili powder
• ​1 egg, lightly beaten
• ​2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• ​1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ​1 teaspoon salt
• ​1/2 cup cornmeal
• ​1/2 cup sour cream

Black Bean Cakes and Chorizo

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• 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Green Goddess Dressing

• 1½ lbs cucumbers, peeled and seeded
• 2 ​celery stalks, roughly chopped
• ​1 shallot, coarsely chopped
• ​1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ​1/2 cup sour cream
• ​1/2 cup buttermilk
• ​kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Note: This summery no cook soup can be made up to 2 days ahead

No Cook Cucumber Buttermilk Soup

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• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter milk or milk, as needed
• salt, as needed

Shown with buffalo shrimp

Blue Cheese Dip

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• 1 (8 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast half
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1/2 onion cut into slices
• 1 lime for juice
• 4 tablespoons water
• Taco seasoning
• 1 can black beans
• 8 ounces corn tortilla chips (“On the Border” chips are my favorite)
• 1½ cups grated pepper Monterrey Jack cheese
• Jalapenos 
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Fresh Salsa

Spicy Chicken Nachos

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6 veal
shanks, cut 2 inches tall (ask your butcher to cut the shanks for osso bucco and
tie a string around each one so they won’t fall apart when cooking)

For the Rub:

• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed
  red chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon chopped
  rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup  extra virgin olive oil

To Roast the Veal:

• 1 carrot peeled and cut into
  thirds
• 1 onion peeled and cut into thirds
• 1 celery stalk washed and cut into
  thirds
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 cups chicken broth

For the Breading:

• 4 cups dried bread crumbs
• 6 whole eggs
• 1 cup whole
  milk
• 3 cups all
  purpose flour

For the Basil Pesto Sauce

• 1 tablespoon pine
  nuts, not toasted
• 1 clove  garlic, sliced
  thin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher
  salt
• 1/2 cup extra
  virgin olive oil
• 2 packed cups fresh
  basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons  grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup sour
  cream

Chef Alon Shaya