Chef Teddy Flourless Chocolate Torte by Teddy Hedrington

Asian-inspired Mini-Meatballs by Amos Miller

A perfect appetizer, great hot or cold, and can be easily made the day before the party in a large crock pot. All you’ll need is toothpicks and tiny plates! I’ve built upon an interesting recipe I found for meatballs with a teriyaki sauce and the inclusion of, yes, dried cranberries. This was so tasty when I first made my…

Cajun Crowder Beans by Amos Miller

Also known as Crowder peas, these delicious little fellas can often be found in frozen form at the store. These are fresh picked right here in Michigan and, like fava beans and so many other seasonal treats, we rush them to the table. Crowders are really a 'Southern' treat and I first enjoyed them when visiting relatives in West…

Beef Fajita Best Marinade by Amos Miller

This is fast, simple and super delicious! You should have a very hot (very) cast iron griddle or pan to do this right. I preheat the griddle and simultaneously heat a cast iron serving dish so it goes to table with that distinctive 'sizzle'. Be sure to cut the meat, after it has rested, across the grain and as thin as you can. This…

Pâté with Bacon & Onion by Amos Miller

A "pâté" (pah-TAY) is simply a paste of meat and a fat. It can be super fancy, or, as in this recipe, super simple. Guaranteed to impress your guests. Try this next time your are looking for a 'fancy' or special appetizer that requires next to no effort. This is a basic German-style country dish. If you can't obtain a smoked liver…

Eggplant Szechuan-style by Amos Miller

Year of the Rooster ! A most Happy and Prosperous and Fortunate New Year to all my Chinese friends! Many years ago - too many - I got a recipe from Chef Rose Cheng that set the basis for this dish. I have always come to this dish for a mid-winter spark. I love eggplant - in all it's manifestations. This dish is one of my…

Savory Creole Sweet Potato Casserole by Amos Miller

No sweet topping here - this has breadcrumbs & bacon and the Creole twist of Jamaican Pickapeppa Sauce in the yams. It is good to venture outside your comfort zone from time to time - and this is a good way to start! I was set on this culinary path in 1987 when first introduced to Chef Austin Leslie at Chez Helene in New Orleans.…

Garbage Salad (not really) by Amos Miller

This salad will make the meal, or be the meal. Broccoli, oranges, almonds, raisins, mushrooms, onion & bacon - and a fabulous classic sweet & tangy creamy dressing! Vegetarians can substitute bac-o-bits, or not add a bacon substitute. Throwing together bits and pieces of a variety of items has long been the basis of some great…

Pear & Fig Chutney by Amos Miller

I still had a few pears from the orchard and the figs are almost finished. Why not a Pear & Fig chutney? Easily done! This is everything a chutney should be. The flavors of the pears, combined with the figs' texture and sweetness, the plump raisins and blend of vinegars easily marry to the aromatic spices. And a quality cracked…

Pork w/ Apple, Onion & Hard Cider Sauce by Amos Miller

Leaves turning, cooler breezes blowing - time for a comforting pork roast with onions, apples and hard cider. This is a deceptively simple dish that Claire Robinson turned me on to, and is loaded with country flavors. The hard cider reduces down to a savory sauce after Granny Smith apples and sliced onions are caramelized. A very…

Lemon Rosemary Fig Jam by Amos Miller

The figs are ripe. sweet and the season is short. Fresh rosemary, lemon zest and juice marry perfectly to create a jam to be eaten with bold cheeses as an appetizer. Little work to create, long, slow cooking time and a couple of sterilized jars will carry this treat well into the Winter - provided you can avoid eating it all…

Lamb Meatball and Fava Bean Tagine / Morocco by Amos Miller

This is truly a hand-crafted meal - it takes time. I know that only the most devoted will make this. But it is nothing short of spectacular and was my favorite Spring dish. I'd eat it weekly. This is how I recall Mina made for me when I lived in Marrakech. I'm sharing it just because it is a personal favorite and, for guests,…

Granny Smith's Apple Pandowdy by Amos Miller

Makes your eyes bug out & your stomach say "Howdy!" Fusion can be confusin', so let's get back to an ol' timey American dessert, not found on menus in fancy restaurants. This is just good country food, like I got when I'd have dinner at Nellie Keeling's home up Horse Mill Hollow, near Glasgow, W. Va. Pandowdy is a highly…

Garlic Herbed Sweet Potatoes by Amos Miller

TRY THIS AT EASTER - it is a signature dish! It is sweet and savory with fresh herbs, dairy products and chicken broth. This is a North Carolina recipe, naturally healthy and rich in beta-carotene, the most common plant source of vitamin A. But who cares! This is delicious, even if it is good for you...besides, sweet potatoes…

Creole Perfect Sweet Potato Pie by Amos Miller

I have made this recipe for years. There is none better - or so I've been told by some serious and knowing Creole cooks. And while some may say "Well, it sounds just like a pumpkin pie recipe", they are sorely mistaken. This, my friends, is a Creole Sweet Potato Pie. This is the way to eat your vegetables! Vegetables and…