• ½ cup light vegetable oil
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling on chips
• 1 9-or-10 ounce bag tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine vegetable oil, garlic, and pepper.  Cook until garlic browns slightly, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Strain mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl.
3. Place chips in a large bowl.  Use a brush to spread oil mixture on chips.  Spread chips on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until hot and aromatic, about 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with pepper and scoop into a serving bowl or basket.

Serves 8 to 10 as a snack

Recipe Courtesy of the Beef Check Off

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 boneless beef top loin (strip) steaks (about 1-1/4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 12 slices thin white sandwich bread, crusts removed
• 1-1/2 teaspoons coarse grind black pepper
• Salt
• 4 ounces garlic-herb cheese spread, slightly softened
• Prepared balsamic syrup
• 24 small arugula leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Combine Parmesan cheese and flour in small bowl; toss to mix well. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle Parmesan mixture evenly into 8-inch circle on baking sheet. Bake in center of 350°F oven 6 to 8 minutes or until melted and light brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Break into 24 irregular-shaped pieces. Set aside.
2. Cut each bread slice diagonally in half. Place in single layer on baking sheet. Bake in 350°F oven about 6 minutes or until lightly toasted but not brown. Set aside.
3. Press pepper evenly onto beef steaks. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place steaks in skillet; cook top loin steaks 12 to 15 minutes (tenderloin steaks 10 to 13 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Carve steaks into thin slices; season with salt.
4. Meanwhile, spread 1 teaspoon cheese onto each bread piece; top with 2 to 3 steak slices. Drizzle balsamic syrup over beef; top with Parmesan crisp and arugula leaf.

MAKES 24 APPETIZERS

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
• 2 eggs well beaten
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1-3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 mashed banana

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine sugar, salt and butter; add eggs.

2. Mix baking soda with flour and powder. Stir flour mixture along with mashed bananas into sugar and egg mixture.

3. Bake 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes

SERVES 10

• 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 6 ounces)
• 5 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
• 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ to 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
• 3 cups shredded roasted chicken
• 2 scallions, thinly slices
• 4 bulky rolls, split and toasted
• 4 slices sharp cheddar cheese (about ¼ pound)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, toss cabbage with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, oil, and salt.  Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, heat remaining vinegar, honey, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and hot sauce until it comes to a simmer.  Fold in chicken and scallions, turn off heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.

3. To make sandwiches, layer chicken on bottoms of rolls, then top with cheese, cabbage, and tops of rolls.  Serve immediately.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, more for rolling out
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ cup cream cheese, cut into pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ cup ice water, or more if needed

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing baking dish
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
• 10 ounces white mushrooms, quartered
• 3 ½ ounces shitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 oil-packed sun dried tomatoes,, drained and chopped
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 cups diced roast chicken (skin removed) and any juices
• 1 ½ cups frozen peas, thawed
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make the crust: Pulse flour, salt, and baking powder together in a food processor. Add butter and cream cheese and pulse until mixture forms coarse crumbs about the size of peas. In a small bowl, mix egg and ice water, then add to processor and pulse until mixture forms coarse clumps – add 1 to 2 more tablespoons water if needed. Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and form into an 8-inch disk. Wrap and refrigerate for at least a half hour and up to 2 days.

2. Preheat oven 375°. Grease a 9-x-13 inch baking dish. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add onion, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens and becomes translucent, about 8 minutes. Raise heat to high add mushrooms and rosemary, sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens and becomes translucent, about 8 minutes. Raise heat to high, add mushrooms and rosemary, sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper, and cook, stirring until mushrooms start to softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring often, for 1 more minute. Add white wine and cook until it almost completely reduces, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stir in chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stir into broth to thicken. Reduce to a simmer, stir in chicken, peas, and Parmesan cheese, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to greased baking dish and let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, using a rolling pin, roll pie crust out on a lightly floured work surface so it’s just slightly larger than the baking dish. Make a little hole in center for a vent. Using the rolling pin, lift dough up and set it over baking dish. Use thumb and forefinger to crimp dough along edges. Brush dough with egg and set baking dish on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices.

4. Bake uncovered until crust browns all over and filing bubbles around the sides, about 45 minutes. Let cool for a couple of minutes and serve.

SERVES 6 TO 8

INGREDIENTS:

Pecan Praline Topping:

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Batter:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 can (16 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pecan Praline Topping: Pulse the flour and brown sugar in a food processor until blended. With motor running, gradually add butter, pulsing after each addition, until the mixture is crumbly. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the pecans and blend with fingertips or fork. Set aside.

2. Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil or butter 12 large muffin cups.

3. Batter: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt; stir to blend. Set aside.

4. Pulse the pumpkin, brown sugar, melted butter, and eggs in a food processor until wel blended. Pour over the flour mixture in the bowl. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until blended. Do not beat or over mix.

5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Dividing evenly, press 1 rounded tablespoon of the Pecan Praline Topping onto the tops of each of the muffins. Bake 20 minutes or until the muffins are golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan. Cool on wire rack before serving.

MAKES 12

INGREDIENTS:

Dry ingredients:

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 ½ cups wheat bran (1 tablespoon reserved for tops)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

Wet ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon orange zest, grated
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 2/3 cups buttermilk
• 1 extra large egg
• ½ cup blackstrap molasses
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Chunky ingredients:

• 1 cup Golden Delicious apples, peeled, chopped in ½-inch pieces
• ½ cup dark raisins
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons, walnuts, chopped, reserved for tops

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position a rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin or line with papers and set aside.

2. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

3. In a deeper medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.

4. Pour the wet over the dry, quickly scatter on the chunky, and fold together lightly until just mixed. Fill the muffin cups equally and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

MAKES 12-16 MUFFINS, DEPENDING ON PAN SIZE

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour or whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 cups zucchini, unpeeled, grated
• 1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• 1 ¼ cups whole walnuts (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Move oven rack so that the tops of the loaf pans will be in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms of 2 (8×4-inch) loaf pans.

2. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla, add zucchini and stir until well mixed, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients, except sesame seeds.

4. Evenly divide batter between two loaf pans.

5. Scatter the optional sesame seeds on the top of the batter.

6. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

7. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto a cake rack to cool completely.

MAKES 2 LOAVES

INGREDIENTS:

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin purée
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup orange juice

Dry Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 cup bittersweet Ghirardelli chocolate chips (optional)
• 1 ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/3 pumpkin seeds (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position a rack in the middle of oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9-inch pan and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, oil and orange juice together until smooth.

3. Sift together the flour mixture onto the wet ingredients then fold/stir together quickly and lightly until the flour is mostly incorporated. Add the (optional) chocolate chips and walnuts and with a few quick strokes fold them in. Stop mixing just as the flour is absorbed.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the (optional) pumpkin seed evenly over the top.

5. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a cutting board then reverse onto a rack to cool completely.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups fine whole-wheat flour
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup sunflower seeds
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup blueberries or ½ cup dark raisins
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup golden olive oil
• 1 whisked egg white

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

3. In a bowl, combine the flours, sunflower seeds, salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the blueberries. Add the buttermilk and the oil and with a large spoon, fold together lightly just until a sticky dough forms. Leave in the bowl for a couple of minutes to firm up.

4. Tip out onto a floured surface, divide into 12 pieces and roll each piece of dough lightly to form a disc. Brush with egg white and dust with the remaining sugar.

5. Arrange the biscuits on the cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Serve warm, with Orange Honey Butter.