But why do re-sellers think we should only have it in the fall?

I think it should be a year round beverage and I think the creamier it is the better!

This is a wonderful recipe that makes a very creamy eggnog with a punch.

If you want to serve it to kids, just leave out the rum

Sinfully Creamy Eggnog

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved.

Add the milk, cream, rum and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 3 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Whisk the egg whites into the mixture.

Chill for at least 1 hour.

When serving, you can sprinkle some cinnamon or nutmeg on top

Enjoy!

Stuffed pork chops are pretty fantastic on their own, but add some sausage gravy…and wow!

Stuffed Pork Chops with Sausage Gravy

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Stuffing:

Take 12-16 slices of sourdough bread and cut them into small cubes.

Spread the cubes out evenly on a cookie sheet and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cubes are crunchy.

(You should end up with 4-4.5 cups of bread cubes)

Place the toasted cubes in a large bowl and add the garlic, onion, mushrooms and white pepper.

Pour butter and vegetable broth over the bread cube mixture and toss until all the cubes are moistened and all of the liquid has been absorbed.

Sprinkle a 9X13 inch baking pan with the olive oil.

Butterfly the 4 pork chops (Place on cutting board. Place hand on top of pork chop and cut width-wise through the center until you almost reach the bone)

Sprinkle 1/8 tsp of pepper on both sides of all 4 pork chops.

Place 1/4 of the stuffing mixture into the opening you created in each pork chop. Pull the pork chop halves over the stuffing so it  is tucked into the opening.

Place the pork chops in the baking dish and pour the Chardonnay over them.

Cover with Aluminum foil and back for 1 hour.

Remove foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until fully cooked.

While the Pork Chops are baking make the Sausage gravy.

Heat a large frying pan and add the sausage breaking it up as much as possible.

Saute until the sausage is fully cooked.

Place sausage aside in a medium bowl.

Melt the 4 tbsp of butter in the pan.

add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes

Add the flour and milk and stir till the flour dissolves.

When it starts to thicken, add the heavy cream.

Stir in the pepper, salt, rosemary and sage.

Add the Sausage back in.

Cook stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

When Pork chops are done, remove from pan and place on plates.

Pour gravy over the pork chops and serve.

Enjoy!

Great teams, great booze, great food

- and of course great fans.  Who need all of the above.

My own fans insist I start stocking up for this prior to the holidays and they’ve been known to hoard certain dishes like Trailer Trash Dip till past Mardis Gras. So here it is for the 12th time along with a bunch of other favorites. So grab those chips and join the Trailer Trash Groupies.

Yes, I have strange friends.  It was all good while I was on the East Coast – this West Coast crowd is definitely a bad influence.

Enjoy the dip – enjoy the appetizers – enjoy the teams and enjoy the game.

 Trailer Trash Dip

 Feisty Guacamole

Sassy Salsa

Wicked Buffalo Wings

Radical Ranch Dip

Fiery Jalapeno Poppers

Confetti rolls

Spicy Meatballs

 Great White Chili

Playful Prosciutto wrapped Gruyer

Zesty Deviled Eggs

Go Team! (Guess which one I’m rooting for – Quarter Back’s name rhymes with Jaydee)

It has a lot of flavor and is very moist.

If you like pork roast….you will love this recipe.

Mango Pork Roast

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sprinkle the olive oil on the bottom of a 9X13 inch baking pan.

Place roast in baking dish and cut 3 to 4 small slices in the top of the roast.

Peel the Mangoes and slice them into a medium bowl.

Add the honey and garlic to the bowl and stir until it is mixed well.

Cover the roast with the Mango mixture.

Sprinkle the goat cheese and rosemary over the top.

Pour Wine over the top and cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Place in oven for an hour and a half.

Remove foil and cook for another 15-30 minutes until roast is cooked through.

Remove from pan and place on serving dish.

Slice and serve.

Enjoy!

This is a fun bread you can do a lot with and it is a great side for so many dishes.

This variation combines spicy and sweet…one of my favorite combos…and is very moist.

I hope you like it!

Honey Jalapeno Cornbread

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Heavily grease a 9X13 inch backing dish with butter and set aside.

Place flour and cornmeal in a large mixing bowl.

Add sugar, salt and baking powder.

Mix in the eggs and milk.

Add in the canola oil and blend well.

Stir in the honey and the jalapenos, mixing thoroughly.

Pour into baking dish and smooth out.

Place in oven and cook for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for 15 minutes and cut into 15 pieces.

Enjoy!

A good cocktail can make quite the impression at a dinner party.

This variation on Lemon drop Martinis is only mildly sweet and a very good choice for people who like that lemon bite.

They are easy to make and very good!

Lemon Drop Martini

Simple syrup:

In a medium sauce pan, heat 2 1/2 cups water until warm.

Add in 1 1/2 cups sugar.

Cook stirring periodically until all the sugar dissolves.

Cool the mixture until room temperature.

This will make around 3 1/2 cups simple syrup.

Mix equal parts Fresh squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup to make Lemon Mix.

Making the Martini

fill Martini glasses with Ice and water to the rim, and set aside.

Add 1/2 cup ice to a shaker.

Add in 3 oz (3 shots) Lemon Mix and 3 oz vodka.

Shake for 1 minute.

Pour water and ice out of glasses.

Run a lemon wedge around the rims.

Place rim on plate covered in sugar.

Pour mixture from shaker into glasses.

Repeat until all glasses are filled.

Garnish with lemon wedge.

Enjoy!!

Note: # of drinks/shaker will vary based on size of martini glasses

I like to serve it with a Jalapeno and Honey cornbread, but you can serve it with any of your favorite chili accessories.

White Chili

Heat olive oil in an 8 quart pan.

Add onion and garlic and saute until soft.

Add Cumin, Oregano, Cinnamon, Cayenne and White pepper.

Saute for 1-2 minutes than add ground turkey breaking it up as much as possible.

cook for 5-10 minutes until turkey is mostly browned.

Add beans and vegetable broth.

Cook on medium-low for 1 hour.

Add Jalapeno’s and cook for another 45 minutes.

Add cheese and cook for 10-15 more minutes.

Spoon into bowls and serve.

Enjoy!

This salad uses Butter lettuce a nice alternative to iceberg.

I really like the combination of the spicy you get from the steak and the sweet you get from the pineapple.

This salad is great as a meal and can be eaten with or without salad dressing

Steak and Pineapple Salad

Fire up the grill or broiler

Mix the ground pepper, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.

Rub both sides of both steaks with the salt and pepper mixture.

Broil or Grill on each side for 3 minutes (longer if you want it cooked more)

Remove from broiler/grill and trim all the fat off.

Slice into small strips

Wash lettuce and radicchio and divide evenly between 2 or 3 plates

Divide cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper and pineapple evenly across the plates.

Sprinkle feta cheese and candied pecans over the plates.

Evenly divide the steak slices and place on top.

This salad is ready to enjoy. If you wish you can add dressing, I recommend the following.

In a small container with a lid, combine:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup blood orange vinegar

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Cover and shake well.

Enjoy!

As such, you really need to change it up or eating chicken all week will get old fast.

I make a number of variations to this particular dish, but thought I would share this one first

Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Butterfly the 4 Chicken breasts (lay chicken flat on cutting board, place hand on top of chicken. Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken in half till you are about 3/4 of the way through the breast.)

Open the Chicken breast and thighs so they are flat.

Place 1 slice Prosciutto in each breast and a half of slice in each thigh.

Do the same with the slices of cheese.

Divide garlic, Basil and pepper among the pieces of chicken.

Fold the top half of the chicken over so the Prosciutto and cheese are inside the chicken. Secure the edges of the chicken together with a toothpick.

Melt 1 stick of butter in a large frying pan.

place chicken in pan and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan and place in a large baking dish.

Add remaining stick of butter to the frying pan.

Add in the onion and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

Add in white wine and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Pour wine and butter  mixture over chicken in the baking pan.

Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

These particular meatballs have some kick to them and are a real crowd pleaser.

I make these in a Crock pot, but you can reduce the cooking time by 6 hours if you cook them on the stove top on low-medium. The flavor will not be as rich though.

Spicy Meatballs

Sauce:

Heat Oil in large sauce pan and add garlic and onion.

Saute until tender.

Add basil, oregano and ground pepper.

Add Tomatoes and tomato paste and stir well.

Simmer for 45 minutes.

Stir in Chilies and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Place sauce in a Crock Pot and turn on low.

Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place ground beef in a large bowl.

Add Bread crumbs and egg and mix well.

Mix in the garlic, onion, basil and pepper.

Finally add the Jalapenos and mix well.

Roll the mix into 1 inch meatballs and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Place in oven and cook for 10-12 minutes

Remove meatballs from the baking sheets and place them in the Crock pot with the sauce. Make sure to submerge them bellow the sauce.

Cooke on low for 8 hours.

Serve as an appetizer or with your favorite pasta

Enjoy!