Hallie Norvet

Happy Cinco de Mayo! One of my favorite snacks to make in the Summertime when the corn is in season, is elotes, or Mexican street corn. These tasty, savory treats are steamed or grilled corn that is smothered in Lime, Mexican crema, Cotija cheese, chile, and garlic. A simple and decadent side dish that is fun to make and fun to eat. Your kids (and significant other) will be begging you for these..

Makes: 4-5 Servings

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

10 Fresh Ears of Corn, Shucked, Cleaned and Cracked in Half

Salt

2 Limes, Halved

1 Cup Mexican Crema

3/4 Cup Finely Grated Cotija Cheese

1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic

1 Tablespoon California Chile Power (or any chile powder)

1 Tablespoon Ancho Chile Powder

3 Tablespoons CIlantro, Chopped Fine

Directions:

Skewer each ear of corn with one wooden skewer as pictured above. Fill and large stock pot half way with hot water, place onto stove top and bring to a boil over high heat. Season water with salt as you would pasta. Drop corn ears into stock pot, cover and allow to steam for 5 minutes until tender and cooked through. Remove corn from pot.

While your corn is cooling down, mix garlic, and chile powders in small dish until mixed evenly.

Using the halved lime, apply lime juice over the outside of the corn. Then with a pastry brush, or bbq mopping brush, apply Mexican crema to the outside of the corn. Sprinkle grated cotija cheese over corn until coated evenly. Sprinkle garlic chile powder mixture over corn until evenly seasoned. Sprinkle lastly with cilantro. Continue until all ears are covered, serve.

Caprese Crostini with Burrata Mozzarella and Pesto

Can you believe that it's 80 degrees in L.A today? Normally, that's no big deal, but it's February! Time to cool down with a decadent little snack. This would also be a perfect snack to impress your guests with during the Oscar's this weekend, hello people! The tomatoes on this crostini are roasted ahead of time, and then chilled. You could do this the night before if you wanted to. The cheese is burrata mozzarella, a very rich version of regular mozzarella chese made with cream. You can get it at most supermarkets in thier specialty cheese section.

Serves: 4-5

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 Minutes 

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

2 Dry Pints Baby Rainbow Tomatoes

Salt, Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 oz. Fresh Basil

2 oz. Fresh Grated Parmesan

1 oz. Pine Nuts

1 Teaspoon Roasted Garlic or Lightly Sauteed Garlic

One Lemon, Juiced

About 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

16oz. Fresh Burrata Mozzarella, Portioned Into 20-25 Small Portions

20-25 Crostini's, Crackers or Little Toasts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all tomatoes onto a medium sheet tray and lightly drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place sheet tray onto middle rack of oven and allow to roast for 15-20 minutes unti lightly blistered. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

In a food processor, place basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, lemon and a heavy dash of salt and pepper. Lightly pulse until roughly chopped, then drizzle in olive oil at a slow rate until desired consistency is reached. For a chunky pesto add less oil, for a smoother, more liquid consistency add more. 

Place burrata onto crostini and finish with tomatoes. Top with pesto, and garnish with basil, microgreens, or basil. A healthy drizzle of balsamic vinegar is also warranted in this situation. 

Curry Jalapeno Chicken Skewers

I love making skewers. Grilling is one of my favorite ways to cook because it's fast, has relatively little clean-up and imparts a lot of flavor. These skewers are a cinch to make, and I serve them as a filling in lettuce wraps, or over a big bowl of rice. 

Serves: 3-4

Prep Time: 30 minutes - 2 Hours (Marinate Time)

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Chicken Breast Tenderloin or Boneless Chicken Thigh, Chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 Tablespoon Curry Spice

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

1 teaspoon Honey

1 Tablespoon Peeled Ginger, Chopped Fine

1 Tablespoon Garlic, Chopped Fine

1 Tablespoon Sriracha

2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

4 Scallions, Trimmed and Cut into 1 Inch Pieces

2 jalapeno, Sliced Thin

Bamboo Skewers

Garnish: 

Cilantro

Finely Chopped Scallion

Directions:

Prep: Place bamboo skewers in a dish with water, cover and allow to soak until ready to skewer your chicken. The water pevents the skewers from burning up on the grill. 

Place chopped chicken into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle curry and turmeric over chicken. Then add honey, ginger, garlic, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, scalllions and jalapeno in bowl. Mix togetehr ingredients with a spatula until well incorporated. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes-2 hours. 

Once marinated, skewer chicken onto bamboo skewers. Alternate 2 pieces of chicken to one piece of scallion, or jalapeno. Now is a good time to pre-heat your grill, or start any rice if you are having some. 

Place skewers over the hottest part of your grill with a set of tongs. Close the lid and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Lift lid and turn skewers over. Allow to cook for another 2 minutes. Lift lid and place skewers onto a part of the grill with indirect heat (not over a flame), close the lid and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until chicken is opaque and cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees. 

Remove skewers from grill when cooked. Allow to rest for 3 minutes prior to serving. Garnish with freshly chopped scallion or cilantro leaves. 

Heirloom Carrot and Ricotta Tart with Za'atar Spice

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

1 Small Sheet Puff Pustry, Thawed and Cut Into 4 4x2 Slices

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Pound Medium Size Heirloom Carrots, Trimmed and Peeled

1 Egg, Beaten

1/2 teaspoon Sumac

Salt

4 Tablespoons Ricotta Cheese

Honey (as much as you'd like, but a light drizzle will suffice)

1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Dill, Chopped

1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme, Chopped

1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Mint, Chopped

1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds

Directions:

Thaw your puff pastry according to directions.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon olive oil onto a medium sheet tray. Lay out carrots onto the sheet tray so they are not touching. Place tray of carrots on middle rack of oven and roast for 7 Minutes. Open oven, remove tray and flip carrots over to cook evenly. Return tray to oven and allow to cook for an additional 7 minutes. Remove carrots from oven and allow to cool. 

When carrots are cool. Place them onto a cutting board and cut them in half.

Then, place your puff pastry sheets onto a baking sheet so they are not touching, as seen below. Top the sheet with the carrots cut side facing down. Sprinkle sumac and salt over carrots to season. With a clean basting brush, distruubute an even layer of egg wash over the visible puff pastry. The egg wash provides a nice color and sheen to the pastry.

When finishing applying the egg wash, you're ready to pop these in the oven. Just like the carrots they should be cooked on the middle rack of a 400 degree oven. Bake these pastry's for 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the pastry is fully cooked. Remove pastrys from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Serve with a scoop of ricotta, honey, sesame seeds and herbs. You can eat this with your hands or with a knife and fork.

Also, if you are making a large amount of these, you coudl sue the same recipe for whole sheets of carrot tarts. Just make an entire sheets and cut into the serving size you or your guest desire.

'Tis the season for squash! There's more squash at the market than I know what to do with. One of the most simple squashes to prepare is Delicata Squash, why? The squash skin itself is ediblle, so there's no peeling involved. Just wash the squash, halve, de-seed and youre done. Here is how I prepared this dish..

Roasted Delicata Squash with Heirloom Carrots

Servings: 4

Prep-Time: 10 Minutes

Cook-Time: 40 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Delicata Squash, Washed, Halved Lengthwise and De-seeded, Then Sliced in 1/2 Inch Thick Half-Moons

.5 Pound Carrots, Peeled and Cut Into Quarters

1 Shallot, Peeled and Chopped

1 Clove Garlic, Chopped

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Sage, Ground

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Garnish:

Parsley

Watercress

Dill

Queso Fresco or Mild Feta Crumbles

Honey Citrus Vinaigrette:

2 Tablespoons Honey

1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 Lemon, Zested and Juiced

1/2 teaspoon fresh Dill, Chopped

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

In a large mixing bowl, place squash, carrot, shallots, garlic, olive oil, smoked paprika, sage, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Place squash onto baking sheet, lay all items as flat as you can.

Place baking sheet on middle rack and roast for 35-40 minutes until the bottom side is golden brown and the squash is cooked thoroughly.

Remove hot squash from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Place squash back into a clean mixing bowl and toss with fresh herbs. Add as much or as little as you want, fresh herbs are fabulous for bringing a salad alive. Add in the queso fresco or feta crumbles then plate.

Drizzle the citrus vinaigrette oven the squash and enjoy. Also, a drizzle of balsmaic vinegar, or reduction would go fabulous with this dish.

Um, hello. Where have these been all my life? Everything you love about Chicken and Waffles, only bite size. I made a dreamy sausage and black pepper white gravy to go along with the chicken. Pure decadence in a bite. I smeared some homemade Sriracha-Maple compund butter on the waffle prior to assembling. It's crucial, don't leave a waffle dry!

Serves: 20 Individual Bites

Prep Time: Minimum 30 Minutes - 12 Hours (Marinating Time for Chicken)

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Cooking Level: Intermediate

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

Gravy:

1/2 Pound Breakfast Sauasage, Removed from Casing

2 Shallots, Finely Chopped

1 Clove Garlic, Finely Chopped

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 Tablespoon Flour

1 1/2-2 Cups Half and Half, Add More for Thinner Gravy

1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Salt to Taste

Fried Chicken:

Marinade:

1.5 Pound Chicken Breast Tenderloins, Trimmed and Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces

1 Cup Buttermilk

1 Large Shallot, Sliced Thin

2 Garlic Cloves, Chopped Rough

1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme, Chopped

1 teaspoon Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder

1/4 teaspoon Ground Sage

Salt and Black Pepper

-

Dry:

2 Cups AP Flour

1 teaspoon Paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste

High Heat Vegetable, Canola or Frying Oil

You will also need..

5 Waffles, Cut Into Quarters

Butter (for Waffles)

Syrup

Microgreens or Wild Arugula

Before you start, there is a term you need to know..

ROUX "Pronounced: Roo" A roux is a mixture of butter and/or fat and oil used primaraly in sauces and soups. Roux is used as a thickening agent and is a primary ingredient in 3 of the 5 Mother Sauces. Gumbo would not exiist without a deep brown roux.

.. Now you know!

Directions:

First things first, start marinating your chicken. In a large steel mixing bowl or ziploc bag, place chicken, buttermilk, shallot, garlic, herbs and spices together and allow to marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes to 12 hours. Store covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.

In the meantime we will start our gravy. Place a large skillet or pan over medium heat on the stove. Add sausage and cook until crumbled. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the large pieces, reduce heat to medium low. Add shallots and garlic, cook until translucent and fragrant. Add butter nad allow to melt. Add flour to pan and stir until it forms a roux with the butter and fat from the sausage. Once the flour has been cooked out of the roux, slowly add the half and half and stir with your spoon. Be sure to scrape all those yummy bits of sausage off the bottom of the pan.

Once all of the half and half has been added to the gravy, bring the pot up to medium-high heat to thicken the roux. Heating the roux to a high temperature triggers the thickening process. Once the mixture is simmering, use a whisk to thiken and smooth out the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more half and half until your desired thickness is reached. Season with salt to taste and then put a whole grip of freshly cracked black pepper in there. I love it this way, but you may like less than 1/2 tablespoon.

Your gravy is ready, you're half way there.. and then -- WAFFLE BREAK! Now hopefully you also made your waffles, or have your batter and iron ready to go. I prefer to make one large waffle and cut into quarters for time sake, but you could just as easily make your own mini waffles one by one.

It's fry time. In a large container or bowl, add flour, paprika and salt and pepper. Then place your chicken pieces into this flour mixture. Be sure to coat each piece in a whole bunch of flour. Sometimes I will double dredge them by putting the floured chicken back into the buttermilk, then back into the flour again. However.. this is not necessary as one coat will be good enough.

In a high sided cast iron skillet or pot, add oil until there is at least a 2 inch layer. *Do not fill your pan, skillet or pot higher than half way with oil. Always use caution when frying and it is better to fry in smallet batches than large ones, the food will cook more evenly and fry better with less in the pan. Also, You don't want to mess around with 375 degree oil.*

Now that I've said that, bring your oil up tpo 350-375 degrees. Slowly add the breaded chicken into the pan. Do not over crowd the pan/pot and cook in batches if you must. This will help the oil stay hot, the chicken stay crispy and prevent them from drying out. Once all your chicken is fried, allow to cool on a rack for 1 minute, season with salt.

Place a piece onto each buttered waffle, top with hot gravy and syrup. Some guests may prefer a toothpick to keep it all together or a small plate.

Then sit back, have a bite it and reap the compliments from a happy crowd, my friend.

This sophisticated appetizer is made from Bosc pears, double cream brie and flaky puff pastry. 

Servings: 4-5

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 15-18 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

2 Sheets Puff Pastry, Defrosted according to directions

5 Bosc Pears, Peeled, Cut in Half, Seeds Removed

2 tsp. Granulated White Sugar

1 Egg, Beaten, Used for Egg Wash

8 oz. Brie, Sliced

2 oz. Wanut Halves or Pieces

2 Handfuls Baby Arugula

1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Roll out your defrosted puff pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet into halves lengthwise and place onto a greased baking sheet.

Take each pear half and cut them into very small slices. Try to keep them together as one solid half, and fan slices out. Move slices to the center of the tart. Overlap each slice of pear until the entire center of the puff pastry sheet is lined with pear. Roll up each edge of the puff pastry, then brush with egg wash. Sprinkle white sugar over pears. Place on centeer rack of oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until egdes are golden brown.

Remove tarts from oven. Top with brie slices and allow to cool. Cut each tart into sections and place on serving plattter. Dress arugula with baslamic dressing and place over each tart. Sprinkle with walnuts to finish.

Helpful Tips:

Do not overload pastry with pear as that will prevent the crust from cooking correctly.

It's no surprise why people (including myself) have become addicted to Sriracha. The sweet, garlicy and quite spicy hot sauce is good on pretty much everything. I had come across this recipe for Roasted Sriracha Cauliflower Bites from The Thug Kitchen cookbook. Which is a vegetarian/vegan cook book with quite a bit of adult languagae. They have instructions like "If you make your batter lumpy, you better start that shit over." ANYWAY back to the recipe. This recipe was calling my name and they're so simple to make, anyone can make a quick semi-healthy snack food. This would be great for sporting events or fight night. I paired my cauliflower bites with a homemade peanut sauce and lightly pickled vegetables, but theyre also great on thier own or wiith a homemade ranch dressing!

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

2 Small Heads of Cauliflower, Cut Into Bite Size Chunks

1/2 Cup AP (All-Purpose) Flour

1/2 Cup Water

1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Sriracha

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Soy Sauce

Directions: 

Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees. Chop your cauliflower into bite size chunks. Mix flour, water, granulated garlic and salt together until it forms a smooth batter. Then drizzle the batter over the Cauliflower in a large bowl. Toss with a spatula until cauliflower is thoroughly covered. Spray or grease a large cooking sheet with oil and add cauliflower. Be sure that the pieces are not crowded together and not touching if possible. Place cauliflower on the middle rack of your oven and bake for 15 minutes, turning over halfway in between to make sure each peice is cooking evenly.

While your cauliflower is cooking, you can make your sauce. Add Sriracha, olive oil, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and soy sauce together in a small sauce pan. Heat mixture over medium heat until just bubbling.

Once your cauliflower has finished cooking return it back to a clean, large bowl and drizzle with Sriracha mixture. Then toss with spatula to make sure each peice of cauliflower has been coated. Return cauliflower to the large sheet tray and continue to bake for another 3 minutes. Remove cauliflower from oven and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

These Mini Yukon Gold Potato Skins are a game day favorite of mine. They're so simple to prepare and even better they are easy on your wallet. With just five ingredients anyone is capable of making these deliciously sophisticated snacks.

Servings: 30 Mini Potato Skins

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

15 Mini Yukon Gold Potatoes Sliced in Half the Long Way

5 Slices of Bacon, Chopped and Cooked

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

Chopped Chive

-

Optional Garnish:

Shredded Cheddar

Bleu Cheese Crumbles

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 375. Drizzle 2 or 3 Tablespoons of olive oil over a large sheet tray and sprinle with salt. Place each potato cut side down and sprinkle again with salt and pepper.

Place potatoes onto the middle rack of your oven for 20-30 minutes until the bottoms of the potato have turned golden brown and they are cooked thoroughly.

Place your potato skins onto a serving platter cut side up (as seen in the photo), and garnish with a dollop of sour cream, bacon bits and chive.

Freel free to also add a cheese like cheddar or bleu to really hit it out of the park.

Just in time for Superbowl, these tangy Bleu Buffalo Chicken Meatballs will have any game day crowd cheering! Make them ahead of time and pop them in the oven so you can spend more time watching the game.

Servings: 30 Meatballs

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Celery

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

2 Pounds Ground Chicken

2 Eggs

1.5 Cup Fine Bread Crumbs

1/2 Tablespoon Salt

1/3 Cup Buffalo Sauce, I use Frank's

1/2 Pound Semi-Soft Bleu Cheese, I used Danish

Additonal Hot Sauce for Finished Meatballs

-

Garnish:

Celery/Carrot Sticks

Ranch or Bleu Cheese Dressing

Additonal Bleu Cheese Chunks

Chopped Chive or Scallion

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 375.

Heat a small saute pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil, celery and onion. Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove onion and celery from pan and allow to cool in a large mixing bowl.

In the large mixing bowl you added the celery and onion to, add the ground chicken, eggs, breadcrumbs, buffalo sauce. Mix mixture until well incorporated.

With clean hands and clean prep area, take the bleu cheese and roll them into dime size balls. Place to the side.

Take a 1oz. portion of the chicken meatball mixture and shape into a ball. Then take your bleu cheese ball and gently push it into the chicken meatball. Use the outer endges of the chicken to seal over the bleu cheese. your objective is to "wrap" the bleu cheese ball with the chicken mixture until you have what looks like a chicken meatball.. but it's stuffed with delicious bleu cheese.

Once all of your chicken meatballs are filled with bleu cheese place them on a rack on a sheet tray and place them in the middle rack of your oven. If you do not have a cooking rack for your meatballs, that is fine, just place them directly onto a lightly greased sheet tray.

Bake for 15-18 minutes in the oven until chicken is opaque and cheese is bubbly in the middle.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately with celery and carrot sticks, bleu cheese crumbles and or ranch/bleu cheese dressing.

One of my favorite dishes in the world is Roasted Baby Potatoes with Horseradish Sour Cream, but roasting potatoes takes time. This is why here in this recipe I show you how to pan roast them in ten minutes. The best part about this dish is it can be made with only a few ingredients that you probably already have in the fridge!

Servings: 2-3

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 10-15 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Prepared Horseradish

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

10 New or Baby Potatoes, Halved

Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Chopped Garlic

Chopped Parsley

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, mix together horseradish and sour cream. Season with salt to taste.

Next, heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Once your pan is hot, add the olive oil and place potatoes cut side down into the oil. Allow them to fry over medium heat for 3-4 Minutes until golden brown. Flip the potatoes and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side. Place a lid over your potatoes for 2 minutes. If your potatoes are turning golden or brown too quickly, reduce your heat to medium low and cook for an additonal 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add a sprinkle of sea salt and the chopped garlic. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to ensure each potato is seasoned. Allow to cook over low heat for 1 minute until you can smell the aroma of garlic.

Move your potatoes to a serving bowl, top with an extra sprinkle of sea salt and a dollop of the sour cream. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top and you're all finished. Enjoy!

Garam Masala and Chile Crusted Lamb Chops

with Mint Chimichurri

These lamb chops are seasoned with Indian spices that go so well with each other. It's no wonder these Garam Masala and Chile Crusted Lamb Chops with Mint Chimichurri will have your guests asking for more.

Lamb Chops with Mint Chimichurri Seen Above with Curried Pumpkin Puree, Cranberry Sauce,

White Asparagus, Pee-wee Potatoes and Fried Brussels Sprout Leaves

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 10-15 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

Chimichurri:

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Mint

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Curly Parsley

1/2 tsp Chile Flake

2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Chopped

2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

6 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Lamb:

6 Lamb Chops, Trimmed and Frenched

Salt and Pepper

1 tsp Garam Masala

1/4 tsp Ground Red Pepper

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions:

Chimichurri:

Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.

Lamb:

Pre-heat oven to 375. Pat dry chops with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Next, evenly distribute garam masla and red pepper onto each side of the lamb chop. When all lamb chops are seasoned, you can pre-heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Gently place each chop into the pan with tongs. Allow to sear on each side for 1 minute until crispy and caramelized brown. Remove lamb chops from pan and place onto a sheet tray. Continue cooking in oven for 5 minutes until chops are medium rare. Cook an additonal 2 minutes for medum chops.

Allow to chops to rest for 5 minutes then drizzle with chimichurri. Enjoy!

Wild Mushroom Bisque

I love this time of year because it's finally getting cool enough to make some soups. One of my favorite soups to make is this Wild Mushroom Bisque. The best part about it is it can be made from start to finish in under one hour. This soup would be a great appetizer or first course for any Thanksgiving or Holiday party!

Servings:10

Prep-Time:10 Minutes

Cook-Time: 40 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Large Shallots, Chopped

2 Pounds White Button Mushrooms, Cleaned and Quartered

1 Pound Portobello or Portabella Mushrooms, Cleaned and Sliced

1/2 Pound Oyster Mushrooms, Cleaned and Chopped

1/4 Pound Shiitake Mushrooms

1/4 Pound Chantrelle Mushrooms

1 Tablespoons of Fresh Thyme

2 Cloves of Garlic, Chopped

5 Cups Vegetable Stock

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions:

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute shallots until translucent. Increase heat to medium-high, and add all of the mushrooms. Stir mushrooms with large wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes until they start to produce excess water. Add chopped thyme and garlic. Continue cooking mushrooms over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Once all mushrooms are thouroughly cooked add in vegetable stock. Bring mushroom and stock mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

With an immersion blender, start to blend your mushrooms with the broth. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender, just be sure the liquid has cooled a bit because blending extremely hot liquids are never a good idea. Blend the msuhroom and stock mixture togetehr until smooth. Slowly add heavy whipping cream and blend until soup has a creamy consistency. If your soup is too thick, add 1/2 cup vegetable stock until you have your desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and cracked white pepper. Garnish with thyme and serve piping hot.

Sangria Pickled Beet Crisp Hors D'oeuvre

with Herbed Chevre Goat Cheese

A couple of weeks ago I did an hors d'oeuvres only event for a client who was doing a tasting of two wines he made himself. What better way to celebrate wine with food that compliments their subtle nuansces and flavors? That's when I created this amazing little beet crisp hors d'oeuvre. Since then I have had a constant flow of requests on how I made these little treats, well wait no longer! It's not that difficult of a recipe and you can make everything ahead of time. Even people who didn't like beets enjoyed this.

Servings: Makes 30+ Hors D'oeuvres

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

3 Large Red Beets, Peeled

Vegetable Oil

3 Large Yellow Beets, Roots and Tops Removed

8 oz. Chinati Wine

4 oz. Cider Vinegar

Water

3 Bay Leafs

1/2 teaspoon Clove

1/2 Tablespoon Mustard Seed

1 Tablespoon Dried or Zested Orange Peel

2 Tablespoons Salt

8 oz. Crumbled and Softened Chevre Goat Cheese

2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Chive

1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Tarragon

2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Thyme

20 Sprigs Chive Chopped Cut Into 1 Inch Batons

30 Dill Sprigs

Balsamic Reduction

Directions:

For the Beet Crisps:

Slice 3 large red beets with a mandoline or very sharp knife until you have 30+ beet slices. Pat all slices dry with paper towels. Preheat 2-3 inches of vegeatable oil in a stock pot until it reaches a temperature of 350 degrees. Cook no more than 5 beet slices at a time until they are crisp at the edges. Remove from oil and allow to dry on a peper towel. Season with salt.

For the Beets:

Add Yellow Beets into a large stock pot and add chianti, cider vinegar, and water to cover the beets. Bring the pot of liquid to a boil and add bay leaf, clove, mustard seed, orange and salt. Simmer covered for 1 hour until beets are tender with a toothpick or skewer. Drain beets and cool. Peel off skin under cool running water. Chop beets into a brunoise chop about a quarter inch and chill in the refrigerator.

For the Cheese:

Mix Chevre, Chopped Tarragon, Chive and Thyme together. Chill in the fridge.

To Assemble:

Place 1/4 oz. goat cheese onto a beet crisp. Top with pickled golden beets, balsamic reduction and herbs.

Fully Loaded Bloody Mary Recipe

All Summer long I was in search of a fully loaded Bloody Mary and yeilded pretty mediocre results. So I decided to take things into my own hands and create my own. Behold! My version of a Loaded Bloody Mary! Full of everything I love to eat (and drink) this is a sure hit at any Sunday football party or brunch date. You can even create a bloody mary bar with all of the ingredients layed  out for your guests to choose from. Have fun creating, eating and drinking yours!

Servings: Makes 10 9oz. Bloody Marys

Prep-Time: 20 Minutues

Cook-Time: 1 Hour

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

For the Bloody Mary Mix:

60 oz. Tomato Juice (7 1/2 Cups)

1 oz. Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

1 oz Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

2 teaspoon Freshly Grated Horseradish

4 teaspoons Sea Salt

4 teaspoons Tabasco Sauce

2 teaspoon Celery Salt

2 teaspoon Freshly Grated Black Pepper

For Serving:

Ice Cubes

30 oz. High Quality Vodka (3 and 3/4 Cups)

Garnish Options:

Celery Stalks

Pickles

Blanched Asparagus

Cherry Tomatoes

Cocktail Onions

Green Olives

Cheddar Cheese Cubes

Poached Shrimp

Cooked Bacon Strips

Cooked Tater Tots

Mini Cheeseburgers

Directions:

Place all Bloody Mary Ingredients into a large pitcher, whisk to combine. Cover with lid or saran wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 24 hours.

For Serving:

When ready to serve, stir Bloody Mary mixture again to distribute even flavors.

Fill 10 16oz. mason jars halfway with ice cubes. Pour 3oz. of Vodka and 6 oz. of Bloody Mary mix into each glass and stir with a cocktail stirrer to combine flavors.

Garnish with your choice of garnish options, basically anything you can put onto a skewer you can put into your loaded bloody mary. Celery Stalks, Olives, Bacon and Shrimp are my favorites. Enjoy!

*Disclaimer: These Bloody Marry's are large and in charge. Please drink responsibly.