This will make a snack size portion.

For the fries:

• 2 large potatoes
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Cut 2 large potatoes into strips and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 30 minutes on a cookie sheet. Shake them and turn them at least once to ensure a crispy exterior on the whole fry (I like mine a golden brown).

The idea of mayo may not be your idea of a good condiment – so try this version which adds a bit of spiciness and tang.

Spicy Mayo Dip:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (or chili powder)

Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise with 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder. Mix until well integrated.

Jamaican Turkey Patty and Mashed Sweet Potato

I love Thanksgiving. I always have. One reason is the fabulous leftovers. Well in our household, leftover turkey isn’t really leftover – it’s more of an ingredient. For the second year in a row, I’ve used these ingredients to make Jamaican style patties. This year, it was a plain chicken style patty. Recipe follows (Makes about 20 5-inch pies).

Patty Filling:

3lbs turkey meat (chopped fine)
1 white onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
3 scallions (fine chop)
1 can green chiles
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons dried ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper (if you want HOT – or other pepper to taste)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup bread crumbs

All ingredients above combined in a Dutch oven or large sauté pan.  Prepare the onions and garlic first. Add spices, tomatoes, peppers and then chicken. Add bread crumbs and cook to stew consistency.

The Patty Dough:

I used rollout premade pie crusts( flakey kind, 9 inch).  Each yields about 4 patties.  Cut out 5 inch circles or size you like.  I use a bowl to trace with a knife. Place few teaspoons of filling on round cutout, fold over and crimp edges. Cut steam vents. Brush with an egg wash and bake at 400 for 20 min.

A eggwash is made by beating one egg with a tablespoon of water.

Rather than start listing a bunch of Orzo recipes, I’m just going to list my basic Orzo salad recipe as well as some other suggestions for augmentation.  There are multiple reasons for this:

1. You will discover Orzo is a very flexible ingredient if you experiment on your own;
2. I usually never make the same Orzo dish twice – they are similar, but rarely the same;
3. If I listed every recipe I use Orzo for, we would be reliving that scene in Forrest Gump where Bubba lists everything you can use shrimp for.  And yes, Bubba forgot to mention Orzo/shrimp salad.

Here’s the salad I made the other evening for a wine tasting dinner.  The main course was lamb, so I wanted complementary flavors and some acidity.  This recipe will make a big party sized portion – so halve or quarter these suggestions.

1 package dry orzo (16 oz)
½ cup of good olive oil (I use homemade garlic infused)
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup fresh chopped Italian Parsley
¼ cup fresh chopped Cilantro
¼ cup fresh chopped Mint
½ cup red onion (finely chopped)
½ tablespoon of garlic paste or minced garlic
1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
2 cups frozen peas
3 good pinches of kosher or sea salt
3 good pinches of black pepper
1 pinch chili powder

Start to cook the orzo according to the package instructions.  You will want to cook and then cool the pasta as you chop all your fresh ingredients  (Do not use dried herbs if you plan on serving this salad in the same day you make it).

Once the orzo is cool enough to work with, start mixing it into a bow; or container with the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, red onion and the herbs.  Once that is all mixed together, mix in the halve tomatoes and frozen peas.

Let it sit for about 4 hours before serving.  It will be even better over the next few days.

• Add in some chopped black or green olives
• Use orange segments instead of tomatoes
• Use edamame instead of the frozen peas
• Add dill as an herb and then mix in some cooked shrimp or crab

Gnocchi (12 servings)

3 pounds baking potatoes, like russets
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 extra large egg
Pinch salt
1/2 cup canola oil

Boil the whole potatoes until they are soft (about 45 minutes). While still warm, peel and pass through vegetable mill onto clean pasta board.

Boil 6 quarts of water in a large stock pot.

Make well in center of potatoes and sprinkle with the salt and all the flour. Crack the egg into the center of well and using a fork, incorporate the potatoes, salt, flour and egg. Once egg is mixed in, bring dough together, kneading gently until a ball is formed. Knead gently another 4 minutes until ball is dry to touch. (This is known as the well method).

Roll baseball-sized balls of dough into 3/4-inch diameter rods. With a knife, cut the rods into 1-inch long pieces. Lightly roll pieces off of the back end of a fork, or the concave side of cheese grater, until all the pieces are finished. Drop these finished pieces into boiling water and cook until they float (about 1 minute).  Meanwhile, continue with remaining dough, forming rods, cutting into 1-inch pieces and flicking off of fork. As gnocchi float to top of boiling water, remove them with a spider or skimmer and place them in a bowl with a 1/2-cup of canola, tossing to coat so they don’t stick together.

Gnocchi can be made up to 48 hours ahead. Before cooking the gnocchi, set up ice bath with 6 cups ice and 6 cups water. As the gnocchi cook and are floating in the boiling water, remove them with a spider or skimmer and place them into the to ice bath. Let sit several minutes in bath and drain from ice and water. Toss with 1/2-cup canola oil and store covered in refrigerator up to 48 hours until ready to serve.

Serve with this Sauce

5 thin slices prosciutto di Parma, roughly sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano4 tablespoons butter
Gnocchi, recipe follows
5 thin slices prosciutto di Parma, roughly sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons

In a large saute pan heat the butter, add the cooked gnocchi tossing gently in the butter. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano tossing to combine, once the gnocchi are coated with the butter and cheese remove the pan from the heat and add the prosciutto tossing to combine. Finish the dish with a small dusting of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve immediately.

No Potato Spinach and Goat Cheese Gnocchi (serves 4)

1 pound fresh spinach
1 pound ricotta or Goat Cheese
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 cup grated Pecorino

Steam and chop spinach – drain well.  In large bowl stir ricotta and spinach, flour, eggs, salt an d nutmeg and pecorino until it makes a firm ball.  Divide into fourths and roll on cutting board until firm and slightly dry.  Roll into ropes and make gnocchi.

Boil gnocchi for 6-7 minutes until they float.

Serve with this Sauce

1/2 cup butter (one stick)
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes sliced
3 tablespoons pine nuts
juice and zest of 1 lemon
grated pecorino for sprinkles

Cook butter, tomatoes and pine nuts in a saute pan till butter is slightly brown.  Add Lemon and remove from heat.  Top gnocchi and sprinkle with cheese.

Penne with Spicy Goat Cheese and Hazelnut Pesto (serves 4 – 6)

16 ounces Penne Pasta (use less for a thicker sauce)
1 batch Hazelnut Pesto
4 ounces fresh Goat Cheese

Directions:  Start cooking Penne Pasta according to directions.  While that cooks, make the Hazelnut Pesto in a food processor (see directions below).  When Pasta is almost done (al dente), drain and stir in the goat cheese.  Once goat cheese is evenly dispersed, mix in Hazelnut Pesto and heat on low for 1 minute (or heat in skillet). Serve.  Top with cheese if you like.

Hazelnut Pesto

½ cup Olive Oil
¼ cup Hazelnuts
2 cups Fresh Basil (loosely packed)
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (use less for less spice)
2 cloves garlic

In a food processor, place the Basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and hazelnuts.  Pulse 3 times to start chopping.  Turn processor on and drizzle in the olive oil until a smooth texture liquid is achieved.

Basic

3 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
4 extra large eggs
1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Knead and let rest for 30 minutes, then shape.

Green Pasta

3 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
4 extra large eggs
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
6 ounces frozen finely chopped spinach, defrosted and dried

Knead and let rest for 30 minutes, then shape.

Black Pepper

3 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
4 jumbo eggs
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons finely ground pepper

Knead and let rest for 30 minutes, then shape.