Dessert: Cinnamon Brandy Zucchini Cake

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 40-50 min

Serves: (15)

This dessert is the perfect transition into fall. Use up your leftover summer zucchini, and start thinking cinnamon, apples, and cool mornings. A slight variation on a popular dessert, this zucchini cake brings more cinnamon and just a touch of brandy for subdued sweetness.

Ingredients: 3 eggs, 2 1/2 cups finely chopped zucchini, 2 cups flour, 1 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup oil, 1/3 cup water, 2-3 tbsp brandy, 3 tsp cinnamon, 1 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease and flour 13x9x2 baking pan.

Boil water and pour over chopped zucchini in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients to zucchini and beat on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 1 min. Beat on medium speed for 2 min, scraping bowl occasionally.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 40-50 min, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Entrée: Marinated Italian Chicken over Orzo and Corn with Sautéed Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 10 min

Marinade Time: 30 min

Cook Time 15-20 min

Serves (2)

Many orzo chicken dishes have great flavors, but are over spiced and over salted. This dish builds off the delicacy of orzo, and gives each ingredient room to breathe. With nothing heavy, and nothing too light, there's a great balance between the crunch of corn, the sweet tomatoes and the salty feta.

Ingredients: 1 large skinless chicken breast, 2/3 cup orzo, 1 ear of corn, 1 medium tomato, 1/2 cup sliced olives, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1-2 tsp Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, Italian dressing, feta cheese

Place chicken breast in quart sized ziploc bag. Pour your favorite Italian dressing over chicken--about 3/4 cup (my family has always used Good Seasons). Remove air from bag, zip tightly, and marinate for 30 min.

Bring water to boil in 2 qt. pot for orzo and corn. Shuck ear of corn. Holding corn vertically, carefully slice downward to remove kernels. Place corn kernels and orzo in boiling water and cook until orzo is al dente (8-10 min). The corn will cook at the same rate as the pasta.

While orzo is cooking, remove chicken from bag and slice into even sized strips. Cook chicken strips in oiled pan over medium heat--about 3 min each side. Remove from pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add a little more olive oil. Dice tomato into cubes and saute in the same pan with olive oil until tomatoes begin to break down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Drain orzo and corn. Mix orzo and corn into pan with tomatoes. Mix in onion powder, Italian Seasonings, and sliced olives. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Plate orzo mixture with chicken strips and crumbled feta cheese.

Dessert: Molten Chocolate Cake

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 5-10 min

Serves (3)

Whip these cakes up for the ultimate chocolate indulgence. Warm and flowing with velvety goodness, nothing satisfies a chocoholic quite like a molten cake. You're in charge of your chocolate cravings here. Want darker, richer chocolate? Substitute the semisweet chocolate chips for chocolate with 65% cocoa or more.

Ingredients: 2 eggs, 3/4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup salted butter, 4 oz semisweet mini chocolate chips, 2 tsp flour

Preheat oven to 450. Butter and flour 3 ramekins. Set aside.

Melt butter and chocolate over over double boiler. Beat eggs with whisk in separate bowl. Beat powdered sugar into eggs. Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat. Add egg mixture to chocolate--stirring constantly. Add 2 tsp of flour to egg/chocolate mixture. Pour into ramekins. Bake until edges are set and cake puffs--about 6-8 min. Center will not be firm. Serve warm.

Entrée: Spaghetti with Pancetta, Broccoli, Tomatoes, and Romano Cheese

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time 20 min

Serves (2)

Don't be afraid to go a little rustic every now and then. Diverting from the Mediterranean olive oil hoopla, this spaghetti embraces bacon and uses the flavor to infuse the dish. Add sautéed vegetables and fresh Romano, and tip your hat to old world charm.

Ingredients: 1/4 lb spaghetti, 5 pieces pancetta or thick sliced, high quality bacon, 3 cloves garlic, 2 plum tomatoes, 1 cup broccoli (or cauliflower), Romano cheese, Italian seasonings, black pepper

Bring water to boil for spaghetti. Cook until al dente. Drain. While spaghetti water is heating, cut broccoli into small trees. Using a different pot, place broccoli in water, bring to boil, and heat until half-way cooked (about 5 min). Drain broccoli once finished.

Chop pancetta into small pieces. Place pancetta in pan over medium heat. While pancetta is cooking, slice tomatoes in half lengthwise, then each half lengthwise again. Rough chop tomato slices. Mince garlic cloves. Once pancetta is cooked, drain grease, leaving about 1/4 cup of oil still in the pan. Maintain medium heat, and add minced garlic, chopped tomatoes, and drained broccoli to pancetta. Sprinkle vegetables very generously with Italian seasonings and black pepper to taste. Cook until broccoli is done.

Place spaghetti in pan with pancetta and vegetables and lightly toss. Drizzle with olive oil. Plate spaghetti mixture and top with fresh grated Romano cheese.

Entrée: Mixed Greens and Blueberries with Peppered Italian Flank Steak

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 min

Marinade Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves (3-4)

This classic summer salad pops with homemade croutons, garden fresh veggies, and fresh berries. Don't be shy on the veggies or the fruit. Measure in handfuls and use as little or as much as you'd like. Don't have blueberries? Try strawberries or raspberries instead. Mix and match and enjoy!

Ingredients: Croutons: 3 cups cubed French bread, 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil, 3 tsp Italian seasonings, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt, pepper Steak/Salad: 1 lb. flank steak, mixed greens, cucumber, tomato, carrots, black olives, blueberries, Italian dressing, cracked black pepper (Amount of salad ingredients will vary based on the size of the salad desired.)

Place flank steak in appropriate sized pan--large enough for steak to lay flat. Crack black pepper over steak. Generously drizzle both sides of steak with Italian Dressing and allow to marinate at room temperature for 20 min.

Preheat oven to 350. Cut French bread into cubes. Place in medium bowl. Toss with olive oil, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Arrange croutons on ungreased baking sheet and place in oven for 15 min. Croutons should be almost golden.

While croutons are baking, slice cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots for salad. Set aside. Feel free to use additional vegetables or substitutes. There are no set rules here.

Remove flank steak from pan and cut diagonally into thin strips against the grain. Place steak strips in pan over medium heat. Cook each side for 2 min (max). Steak will be medium rare. Place mixed greens on plate, top with vegetables, olives, blueberries, croutons, and place steak on top. Drizzle with a little Italian dressing.

Entrée: Italian Baked Chicken

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time 30-45 min

Serves (4)

I love baked chicken. Asian chicken is always a treat, and any Latin infusion is great. But some nights, you're just in the mood for classic Americana. A simple dry rub is all you need, and you'll be on your way to a meal worthy of Thanksgiving. Add mashed potatoes or herb stuffing, and you may as well call grandma and break out the fine china.

Ingredients: 4 chicken thighs*, 1 heaping tsp flour, 1/3 cup water

Rub: 2 tbsp Italian seasoning, 3 tsp onion powder, 1/4-1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/3 tsp salt, paprika

*Cooking time and rub amount is based off coating and covering 4 thighs. A whole chicken will require more rub and cooking time up to 1.5 hrs depending on weight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter bottom of 8x8 pan. Combine seasonings (minus paprika) in small bowl. Coat chicken with seasoning and place in pan. Sprinkle with paprika and a little olive oil.

Bake until chicken is done (no pink) 170 degrees for thighs, 180 degrees for whole chicken.

Remove chicken from pan. Place pan on burner. Mix heaping tsp flour with water and add to chicken gravy in pan. Heat over high heat stirring frequently until gravy thickens.

Alternatives: This seasoning also makes an excellent rub for turkey or fish.

Side: Herb Stuffing

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves (2)

I have a confession. I'm typically a fan of stuffing that comes from a bag. I know, combining gourmet meals with store bought stuffing is a borderline travesty. No more! With a delicate balance of herbs and oil, this stuffing is so easy to prepare you'll never go back to a bag again. I'm pretty sure I'm committed to preparing this recipe for every Thanksgiving to come.

Ingredients: 2 cups cubed french bread*, ½ cup chopped celery, ½ cup chopped onion, ¼ cup water, ¼ olive oil, 1-2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp pepper, ¼ tsp salt

*You'll want a fresh french baguette for this recipe. Italian, sourdough, or multigrain loaves have a tendency to be too moist.

Place cubed bread in food processor and pulse just until cubes break apart. The smallest bread pieces should only be pea sized. If you don't have a food processor, rough chop breadcrumbs with a chef's knife. Set aside.

Mince onion and celery and place in saucepan with butter, oil, water and seasonings. Allow onion and celery to cook over medium heat for about 15 min. onions and celery should be soft.

Remove seasoned butter sauce from heat, add to breadcrumbs in medium bowl and lightly toss with fork. (If more moisture is needed, add extra water sparingly.)