Chili Con Queso

1 pound hot or mild pork sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
2 pounds Velveeta Cheese
1 12-ounce can tomatoes & green chiles
7 ounces green chiles, chopped

Saute the sausage and onion together in a skillet until done;
drain away excess grease. Melt the Velveeta slowly over low heat and add tomatoes and chiles. Serve hot. Serve with tortilla chips.  Serves 20

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BBT (Bacon Basil & Tomato) Sandwich

• 1 piece ciabatta bread, split lengthwise (about 3 1/2 by 5 in.)
• Mayonnaise
• 4 to 6 large fresh basil leaves
• 4 to 6 slices firm-ripe Tennessee Tomatoes
• Salt
• Fresh-ground pepper
• 2 slices crisp-cooked bacon

* For a different twist - try feta cheese instead of Mayo!

Toast ciabatta bread lightly. Spread cut sides generously with mayonnaise. Cover bottom half with 4 to 6 large fresh basil leaves and a thick layer of 4 to 6 slices firm-ripe Sunset's Red Horizon or similar large tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste. Top with 2 slices crisp-cooked bacon. Cap with top half of ciabatta (or top half of roll).

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Raspberry Pluot Pinwheel Tart

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup (or more) ice water

Meringue:

• 1 large egg white, room temperature
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup almond flour or ground almonds
• 1 & 3/4 pounds Pluots (about 5 large or 12 small, preferably Raspberry variety but any will do!)
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

For crust:
Whisk flours, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in butter until coarse meal forms. Add 1/4 cup ice water, stirring until clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour. 

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let rest 15 minutes at room temperature before rolling out.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place sheet of parchment on work surface; sprinkle with flour. Roll out crust on parchment to 13-inch round. Using pot lid as guide, trim dough to 12-inch round. Slide crust on parchment onto rimless baking sheet. Chill dough.

For meringue:
Using electric mixer, beat egg white in medium bowl until foamy. With machine running, gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating until firm peaks form. Fold in almond meal. Set 1 Pluot, stem side up, on work surface. Working parallel to pit, cut 1/8-inch-thick rounds off both sides of Pluot. Repeat with remaining Pluots.

Spread meringue over crust. Arrange Pluot slices, slightly overlapping, in spiral pattern atop meringue, beginning at outer edge and working toward center, turning any end pieces cut side up. Finish with 1 Pluot slice in center. Brush melted butter over Pluots; sprinkle tart with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake tart 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 400°F and bake tart until edges are brown, about 20 minutes. Cool tart slightly on pan. Loosen with spatula. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Rainier Cherry Crumble

Rainier cherries are sweet enough on their own that the filling for this crumble needs no extra sugar. The topping is crunchy and nutty, and the filling is sweet, warm, and gooey, for a perfect comforting dessert. You don't even need a cherry pitter: Hit each cherry with the flat side of a chef's knife (like crushing garlic cloves), and the pit pops right out. 

• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Dash of salt
• 3 pounds very sweet cherries, such as Rainier, pitted
• 4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped almonds, toasted
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 400°.  

2. Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet in preheated oven; heat 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and lightly coat with cooking spray.  

3. Combine cornstarch, juice, dash of salt, and cherries in a large bowl, tossing well to coat. Pour cherry mixture into prepared pan.  

4. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through 1/8 teaspoon salt) in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. 

5. Sprinkle flour mixture over cherries. 

6. Place skillet on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until filling is thick and bubbly and topping is browned. Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Serve warm.

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Fresh Fruit Basket Cobbler

2 cups sliced fresh peaches

2 cups sliced fresh nectarines

2 cups pitted and quartered plums

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 cup currant jelly

1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/8 teaspoon white pepper 

1 (16.3 ounce) can refrigerated flaky biscuits

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Spray an 8x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, lightly mix together the peach, nectarine, and plum slices until well mixed, and toss with the cornstarch to dust the fruit. Pour in the currant jelly, apple pie spice, and white pepper, and lightly mix again with your hands to coat the fruit with the jelly and seasonings.  Spread the fruit into the prepared baking dish.Pop open the can of biscuits, and cut them in half. Arrange the biscuit dough halves on top of the fruit.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle the mixture evenly on the biscuit dough.  Bake in the preheated oven until the biscuits are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes to let the dish set up.

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Kentucky Wonder Green Beans Recipe

8 slices lean bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 cup scallion rounds, thinly sliced
2 pounds Kentucky Wonders, washed, the ends snapped, and the strings removed
2 tablespoons cold water
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped finely

Fry the bacon in a large skillet, turning the pieces frequently until brown and crisp. Place bacon on a paper towel to drain. Sauté the scallions in the bacon fat, stirring occasionally. Cook scallions over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are soft but not brown. Add the beans to the skillet, stirring them until they are well-coated with the bacon fat. 

Add the water and cover the pan tightly. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, then uncover the pan and continue to cook until the beans are tender but still slightly crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Sprinkle the beans with the salt and pepper, stir in the vinegar, and remove from the heat. Place beans in a serving dish, crumble the bacon and sprinkle the beans with the bacon pieces and chopped thyme.

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Honey-Kissed Fruit Salad

1/4 cup Father's Bees Honey

1 can (8 oz.) pineapple tidbits (packed in its own juice) drained, reserve juice
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 medium nectarines, pitted and cubed (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 red plums, pitted and cubed (about 1 cup)
1 cup green seedless grapes, halved
1 cup fresh blueberries

In small bowl, whisk together honey, reserved pineapple juice and lemon juice; set aside. In medium serving bowl, combine pineapple, nectarines, plums, grapes and blueberries. Pour honey mixture over and stir gently to coat.

Makes 8 to 10 (1/2 cup) servings

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