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Ingredients For The Meatballs: · 1 pound ground beef · 1 pound spicy Italian sausage · ½ small onion, finely diced · ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped · 3 cloves garlic, minced · ¾ cup breadcrumbs · 2 teaspoons Italian Herb Seasoning · Pinch red chili flakes · 1 egg · 4 tablespoons olive oil For The Sauce: · 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes · 1 medium onion, finely chopped · 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar · 3 cloves garlic, minced · ½ teaspoon dry oregano · Pinch red chili flakes For The Pasta: · 1 box pasta – choose a hearty pasta that will stand up in the pressure cooker – gemelli, penne, · 3 cups water Method: 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef and Italian sausage. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, bread crumbs, herb seasoning and chili flakes. Mix with hands until combined. Add egg and mix to combine. Scoop into small meatballs. 2. Using the brown or saute more setting, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Brown meatballs in batches, adding additional oil as needed. Remove and set aside. 3. Lower setting to saute and saute garlic and onion until translucent. Add crushed tomatoes, vinegar, oregano and chili flakes. Stir to combine. Add meatballs and their juices. Add pasta, then water. Stir to combine and make sure that pasta is covered by liquid. 4. Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. For al dente pasta, quick release for softer pasta use natural release.

Ingredients: · 2-4 tablespoons olive oil (use 2 for a non-stick insert, 4 for stainless steel) · 2 garlic cloves, smashed · 2 pounds chicken thighs, trimmed if necessary · 2 pounds ground Italian sausage · 2 cups Orobianco wine or a sweet white wine · 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered · Salt & pepper to taste · 2 tablespoons cornstarch · ¼ cup water · Baguette, torn · Olive oil, to drizzle · Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes · Sprinkle of Garlic Salt · Parmesan, grated Method: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Heat a pressure cooker on the brown setting (or saute more). Add oil. Once oil is hot, add garlic and let it just start to brown. Remove and set aside. 3. Add sausage to pot and brown, seasoning as needed. Remove and add to plate with garlic. 4. Season chicken on both sides. Add chicken to pot in batches without crowding, presentation side down and brown well on both sides. Remove to the plate with sausage and garlic. 5. Add mushrooms, season well, and saute until they absorb remaining oil in the pot. 6. Add garlic, sausage and chicken back to pot. Add wine. 7. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. 8. While under pressure, prepare bread by tearing into hunks. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with pepper flakes, garlic and grated parmesan. Cook in oven for 10-15 minutes or until nicely browned outside and still soft on the inside. 9. In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water. 10. Once pressure cooker cycle has completed and bread is in the oven, release remaining pressure. Place on brown setting. 11. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened. 12. Serve with bread on the side to dip and enjoy!

Ingredients: · ¼ C. olive oil · 10 chicken drumsticks · 3 ribs celery, chopped · 1 large onion, chopped · 5 sprigs parsley · 4 sprigs thyme · 4 sprigs tarragon · 40 cloves (black) garlic · ½ C. sweet vermouth · Salt and Pepper · 2 T. butter, cut into smaller pieces · Crusty Bread, for dipping Method: 1. Heat pressure cooker on brown setting. Add oil. Season drumsticks with salt and pepper and brown on all sides, working in batches. Remove to the side as they are finished. Drain oil, reserving 2 tablespoons. 2. Toss the celery, onion, parsley, thyme, and tarragon in 2 T. of the reserved oil. Season with salt and pepper and place into pressure cooker along with chicken. Place the garlic cloves around the chicken and vegetables, tucking under when possible. Pour over the vermouth, season with salt and pepper, and evenly distribute the butter around the top. 3. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with crusty bread for dipping!

Protein is a macronutrient essential to building, maintaining and repairing cells. It also boots our immune systems, and protects us from viral and bacterial infections. Protein is also an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. It’s one of 3 macronutrients that are most important to maintaining our health and fitness; the others being fat & carbohydrates. Proteins are made up of amino acids, which work as building blocks for our cells. There are 21 total amino acids. (As a note, you may see it referenced that there are only 20, however, one was recently discovered and many sources have not updated their information. This is a also a great place to point out that we are still discovering and learning about the human body and how it works. All of the information available to us is in a constant state of flux and can change at any time as new discoveries are made). There are 9 amino acids that the body cannot produce naturally – these are the essential amino acids and must come from food sources. The 9 essential amino acids are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Histidine: Promotes the production of blood cells, helps with growth and development and aids in circulation. Found in beef, parmesan, soybeans, poultry, oily fish and seeds. Isoleucine: Aids muscle recovery after exercise. Helps produce hemoglobin for healthy blood cells. Found in soybeans, beef, pork and tuna. Leucine: Promotes growth and healing. Found in soybeans, beef, pork and tuna. Lysine: Helps balance hormones and promotes a healthy nervous system. Found in pork, chicken, cod and sardines. Methionine: An anti-inflammatory that is also important for fat metabolism and muscle and cartilage maintenance. Found in tuna, salmon, hard cheeses and nuts. Phenylalanine: Can help prevent depression, maintain memory and controls the feeling of fullness. Found in beef, shellfish, cheese, milk, nuts and soybeans. Threonine: Builds collagen for healthy skin, nails and hair and boots the immune system. Found in turkey, eggs and soybeans. Tryptophan: Promotes good sleep (yep, that after Thanksgiving dinner lull…) and can also help prevent migraines and depression. Found in turkey, chicken, shellfish, milk, yogurt, nuts, seeds and legumes. Valine: For growth and development, production of blood cells and circulation. Found in beef, parmesan, soybeans, poultry, oily fish and seeds. So where do you get these essential 9 amino acids? Some of the answers might surprise you. While we commonly think of animal protein as our main source, many other foods like legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, pseudograins and leafy greens also contain a high amount of protein. You can also get protein from eggs, milk, yogurt and cheeses, however, these are generally not full proteins since they are processed at some point (excluding eggs). We’ll discuss protein powders and supplements a little later… It’s important to pay attention to when you eat the bulk of your protein. It’s a common misconception that we aren’t eating enough protein. Research suggests that Americans DO eat enough protein – just not at the right times during the course of the day. Let’s figure out how much protein you should be eating every day: Studies have shown that we don’t eat enough protein in the morning, which is setting us up for failure from the start. Aim to equal out your protein intake – 33%, 33%, 33%. Or 25-30 grams of protein per meal will assist in not losing muscle mass, very important to women as we age. So use these guidelines as a starting point to help make sure that you are eating the proper amount of protein at the right times during the day. A great way to start tracking this is to use the app MyFitnessPal and log your daily activity and food intake. It will help you start to learn how to align your eating habits with your desired outcome. So, about those protein powders and supplements… If you can get the proper amount of protein from the whole foods listed above, do that! If you are active, an athlete or trying to build mass, you will more than likely need to use a supplementary source of protein. Seek the help of a professional before making this decision. There are health risks that have been attributed to adding too much protein to your diet such as intestinal discomfort, indigestion, kidney disease and even weight gain. When you should consider supplemental protein: When you’re starting a program. If working out is new to you and you’re trying to build muscle, you’ll require more protein than you normally would. When you’re amping up your workouts. If you normally work out for half an hour a few times a week, but now you’ve decide to train for a half-marathon, your body will need more protein. When you’re recovering from an injury. Athletes with sports injuries frequently need more protein to help them heal. If you’re going vegan. People who pursue a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle eliminate a number of common protein sources from their diet, including meat, chicken, and fish, and sometimes dairy and eggs as well. Note from me: When I am training I use a protein powder containing a high level of BCAA’s to aid in recovery. I have not seen a need to supplement my diet with additional protein for any other reason. Types of Protein Powders: Whey Protein: The most popular. It is a complete protein and water soluble. Derived from a diary source. However, it is not a vegan product. Contains the most BCAA’s and quickly absorbs into the body and also leaves the body quickly. Whey protein stimulates muscle protein synthesis — the process by which muscles grow — more than casein, especially when consumed in tandem with your workouts. Casein Protein: It is a complete protein and water soluble. Derived from a diary source. However, it is not a vegan product. It quickly absorbs, but lasts longer in the body than whey proteins. This has advantages and dis-advantages depending on how you are using your protein. Studies have also shown that it can inhibit sleep. Plant-Based & Vegan Protein Powders: Proceed with caution. Make sure to pay special attention to the back of the labels and not the front marketing portion of the label. Plant-based protein powders often use fillers, artificial sweeteners and other additives to make them taste better. Soy is the only plant that offers a complete protein – the others will not provide you with complete proteins. In closing, here are a couple of other fun facts about protein: 1 gram of protein = 4 calories Approx. 15% of your body is made of protein After water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body Protein exists in EVERY SINGLE CELL in your body! The lifespan of protein is about 2 days or less There is a protein called Pikachurin which was named after the Pokemon, Pikachu. There is also a protein called Sonic Hedgehog, named after Sonic the Hedgehog. Check out our fun & easy recipes for protein bars that you can make at home! No preservatives, no fillers and clean protein!! Just click on the title to see the full recipe. Almond Carrot Power Balls Date & Almond Snack Bars Orange Protein Bars Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bites

Ingredients: · ½ cup almonds · 1 pound dates, pitted · 7 ounces dark chocolate · ¾ cup dried cranberries · 2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, chopped · 1 ½ tablespoons salt (flavored salts are fun here) · 1 tablespoon olive oil Preparation: 1. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast almonds until just brown and fragrant. Set aside. 2. Prepare a 9” square pan by spraying with nonstick spray, then lining with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang for easy removal. 3. Add almonds and chocolate to a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add dates, cranberries, salt and olive oil and process until a “dough” forms. Mix in ginger. 4. Press into pan in an even layer. Place in refrigerator to set for 2 hours. 5. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Ingredients: · Spray or Butter, as needed for greasing · 1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed · 7 dates, pitted · 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed · 2 tablespoons nut butter · ½ teaspoon cinnamon · Zest of 1 orange · 2 tablespoons chopped candied orange peel Directions 1. Grease and line a 6” pan with parchment. Set aside. 2. Place the chickpeas, dates, flaxseed, nut butter, cinnamon and orange zest into a food processor and process until mixture is combined. 3. Stir in the candied peel. 4. Place into pan and push into bottom. 5. Chill in refrigerator until set, then cut into bars. 6. Enjoy!

Ingredients: · 2 cups pitted whole dates (about 24) · ½ cup plus 2 tbsp peanut butter · ½ cup peanuts · 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder · 3 tablespoons chia seeds Method: 1. Add all ingredients to food processor and process until the ingredients break down and become a mostly cohesive mixture. You will still have little pieces of peanuts remaining, and the consistency of the mixture should hold together when you press it together. 2. Line a 8 x8 baking pan with parchment paper and press mixture into it, leaving your desired thickness. Or, roll into bite sized balls for an on-the-go treat! 3. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing. Store bars in the refrigerator.

Ingredients: For the Dutch baby: · 1 cup milk · 4 eggs · 1 cup flour · 1 teaspoon vanilla · 2 tablespoons butter For the spiced peaches: · 2 tablespoons butter · 2 peaches, peeled and sliced · 1 teaspoons lemon juice · 1 tablespoon brown sugar · Sprinkle each of cinnamon, cardamom & cloves (lighter on cardamom & cloves) Optional for topping: · ¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped · Whipped Cream · Maple Syrup Method: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees with a 10” pan in oven, preheating. 2. In a fry pan over medium heat, melt butter and add peaches. Cook peaches until they soften and release some juices. Add lemon juice and sugar. Add in spices and heat through. Keep warm until ready to serve. 3. In a blender, add milk, eggs, flour and vanilla. Blend until you see air bubbles. Remove pan from oven and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Swirl to coat. Pour in filling and bake for 20 minutes. * 4. Remove from oven and top with peaches, pecans and whipped cream. Serve syrup to the side. 5. Enjoy! *Make sure to work quickly so that batter is still cold and has air bubbles. This is key to making the edges rise.

Ingredients: For the pastry layer: · 10 sheets phyllo pastry · 4 tablespoons melted butter, divided · 2 tablespoons honey, warmed For the topping: · ¾ cup ricotta · 2 tablespoons honey · 2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped · 2-3 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced · 1 lime, juiced · 1 teaspoon powdered sugar · 6 springs thyme, whole Method: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. On a pastry mat, lay out one sheet of phyllo at a time. Brush with butter, then very lightly with the honey. Place another layer on top and repeat. Continue until all layers have been coated with butter and honey. If you run out of honey, just continue with butter. Do not add more honey as it will seep out and burn. 3. Place onto a baking sheet and par cook for 10-15 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove and let cool slightly. 4. In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, honey and rosemary. 5. Once pastry has slightly cooled, top with ricotta. Use an offset spatula to smooth it out gently – if you move too quickly or forcefully it will tear the phyllo. 6. Lay peaches out on top of pastry in desired pattern. 7. In a small bowl, mix together lime juice and powdered sugar to make a glaze. 8. Brush over peaches to help them glaze and get color. 9. Coat thyme springs with remaining glaze and place whole sprigs on top of tart. 10. Bake for 10 minutes or until just warmed through and peaches are shiny. Enjoy!

Ingredients: · 1 pork tenderloin, brined if desired · 2-3 tablespoons Sweet Heat Hickory Seasoning · 2 tablespoons oil · 4 peaches, barely soft, halved and pits removed · 3 tablespoons honey · 1-2 tablespoons raw, demerara or turbinado sugar · 1 teaspoon dry ginger · ½ teaspoon cinnamon · ¼ teaspoon salt · ¼ cup peach or apricot jam · 2 tablespoons rice or plum vinegar · 2 tablespoons mint, chiffonade · 2 teaspoons ginger, grated · 1 tablespoon butter Method: 1. Make a rub paste by mixing together the oil and hickory seasoning. Rub onto pork loin and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. 2. Preheat grill on high. Oil grates and reduce to medium-high. 3. While grill is preheating and tenderloin is resting, prepare peaches by cutting in half and twisting slightly to remove the pit. 4. In a small bowl, mix together raw sugar, dry ginger, cinnamon and salt. 5. Brush or rub peaches with honey. Sprinkle with sugar mixture and place onto a platter to take to the grill. 6. In a small saucepan make a glaze by combining jam, vinegar, mint and ginger. Heat over medium-low until combined. Turn off heat and stir in butter. 7. Take pork tenderloin, peaches and glaze to the grill along with a clean plate for finished pork. Place pork onto grill on one side, peaches on the other, making sure peaches are face down. Let pork cook on one side for 5-7 minutes, flip and repeat. Baste with glaze and cook for additional 2 minutes. Baste other side and do the same. Check internal temperature (145 degrees) and remove if ready, continue to cook if needed. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 8-10 minutes 8. Peaches need only to get nice grill marks, then remove to the platter. Honey and sugar will help caramelization and grill marks to appear quickly. 9. Slice pork and place on a platter, surrounded by peaches. Enjoy!

This week we're back with a great blog topic - Why We Ask You To Read The Recipe. Even more importantly, why WE read recipes. I have a secret for you - we do it ALL...THE...TIME!! Every day - probably sometimes 20 recipes or more in a day when we're researching something. Whether it's in vintage books to look at old techniques that we can learn from to new cutting edge culinary techniques online, we're always reading recipes. For fun. Yes, it's what we do for fun! So we don't ask you to do something that we don't do every day. Now, this isn't some form of torture that we inflict on you for our own amusement. Learning how to read and comprehend a recipe is training to help you become a better cook. In order to become comfortable and confident enough to go off recipe (no recipe), first you have to know how a recipe works. The scaling of ingredients, the timing, the order, the WHY! We never want you to learn without knowing the why. And we don't always have enough time to talk about why reading the recipe is so critical. So here we go! It helps you practice discipline in the kitchen. This is something that professional chefs train on a daily basis - how to be disciplined. Is it important for the home cook? Absolutely. Discipline will help you stay on track and not get flustered with things go askew, which we all know happens from time to time. It puts you in the recipe. This is the same as athletes who visualize success and their movements. Sound silly? It's really not. Visualizing how the recipe works, the method, the cooking process, the timing, will all help you be successful. This takes practice. At home, I would suggest sitting down and reading it once. Digesting and going back as many times as you need until you can fully understand what the recipe is telling you. Go through the movements in your head. This will help your timing in a huge way. Is the recipe right?! This is a valid question. We make mistakes in recipes from time to time. So do other people that write recipes, especially if you are getting them online. Online recipes aren't going through copy editors and recipe testing. Some online recipes never get tested at all. So take a few minutes to make sure that the recipe makes sense - does it even work? Is there a step missing? Where does that butter in the ingredient list go? How will you fix it? Knowing this BEFORE you start is critical. It helps you work out the order of the steps. First we do this, then we do that, now we can move onto the last step. We see people get ahead of the recipe quite often. Skipping to plating and the sauce isn't done - now you have a cold entree while you whip up the sauce. Make sure that you know the steps and the best order for you to do them in that is functional for your kitchen. If you need the blender twice, which component gets done first? Once you have the basics down and you can read and decipher a recipe, it has a lot more to tell you. Recipes can help you learn what ratio of ingredients should go together - acid and fat for example. Over time this will help you naturally become more intuitive and learn how to scale a recipe. It also helps you understand what flavors go together. If you struggle with this, try reading a few different recipes for the same dish that have different ingredients. How do they differ in flavor but make a similar recipe? Make your shopping list. Are you the type of person who likes to wander around the grocery story, aisle after aisle and browse? Are you always running back for the butter or the cream? Make a list of the things that you need right off of the recipe, in quantities. Need 4 1/2 cups of cream? One quart is going to leave you short. Make sure you list the quantity from your recipe so that if you need to convert cups to quarts, ounces to pounds, that you can do it on your phone in the store and make sure that you buy the right quantity. In cooking classes, reading the recipe with your partner isn't just for you. It's for both of you to get to know each other, to take that first step working as a team. For the next 2-4 hours, this stranger is now your partner. We don't always do well with this as adults. Somewhere along the way we stop learning how to work together and start working as individuals. In a kitchen, you're only as strong as your team. So take the time to read the recipe together, out loud, to each other. It's a good ice breaker and it will also teach you how the other person works. We don't all put things in order the same way in our heads, or work at the same pace, and that's ok. But making sure you're on the same page as your partner is the key to success for your recipe. Come up with a game plan BEFORE you start chopping that onion! I hope this helps everyone understand why reading the recipe, both in class and at home, is important for your culinary development. Once you start and practice that discipline, reading a recipe will become second nature. That A-HA moment will come when you find a recipe that tells you that it just cannot work the way it is written and you will have the confidence and skill to correct it and make it into your own! No more panic, no more last minute runs to the store and everyone will have full and happy tummy's! Every cooks final goal.

Ingredients: • 6 egg yolks • 4 tablespoons white sugar, divided • ½ teaspoon vanilla • ½ teaspoon cinnamon • 2 ½ cups heavy cream • 1 loaf challah or brioche bread • Syrup, berries & powdered sugar to serve Directions 1. Beat egg yolks, 4 tablespoons white sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until thick and creamy. 2. Pour cream into a saucepan and stir over low heat until it almost comes to boil. Remove the cream from heat immediately. Stir a small amount of hot cream into the egg yolk mixture to temper; beat until combined. Once tempered add rest of cream and combine. 3. Cut bread and place into baking vessel of your choice. Pour custard over the top of the bread. 4. Let rest for 30 minutes – overnight. 5. For Pressure Cooking: Add one cup water to pressure cooker. Place a rack suspended over water. Make a sling with aluminum foil and place baking vessel into pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes (for ramekins) or 30 minutes (for full pan). For a Conventional Oven: Place in a preheated oven in a water bath at 350 for 30-45 minutes. 6. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Preheat oven to broil, or use a crème brulee torch to brown tops. 7. Top with fresh berries, syrup and powdered sugar. Enjoy!