Slice the loaf, stopping short of the bottom so that the loaf stays intact. Melt the butter with the olive oil and add the garlic and salt, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil. Spread the butter-garlic mixture in between the slices and wrap the loaf in foil. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes, then take out of the foil and bake for 5 more minutes.

Cook mushrooms in olive oil over high heat for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add 1/2 tsp. salt, the celery and onion, and pepper to taste, and cook another 4 minutes. Add 6 TB. flour, the butter and nutmeg and cook another 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the broth and cook, stirring, until the consistency of gravy, about 4 minutes. Slowly stir in the milk and simmer, stirring, until very thick, about 8 more minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for two hours. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the crumbs in a dish, the flour in another dish and the eggs (beaten) in another. Drop tablespoonfuls of the chilled mushroom mixture in the flour and toss to coat, then form into croquette shapes. Dip in the eggs, then in the breadcrumbs and then transfer onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in a deep saucepan until thermometer reads 360°. Working in batches, fry the croquettes 2-3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and serve with mustard.

Soak red onion in water. Pierce eggplants with a fork and microwave until soft, 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly, then halve, scoop out the flesh and chop. Drain the onion, toss with the eggplant, olive oil, chopped cilantro and parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired.

Heat 1 inch oil in a pot over medium-high heat pil reaches 375°. Whisk the flour, Cajun and Italian seasonings, cayenne, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 cup of water until smooth. Pat dry the pickles. Add half the pickles to the batter and toss to coat. Remove from batter using a slotted spoon and let excess drip off, and add to oil one at a time. Fry 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Return oil to 375° and repeat with remaining pickles. Serve with a horseradish mayo.

Preheat oven to 400°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring corn, butter and salt to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low, add flour and stir until mixture is smooth, about two minutes. It should pull away from the sides of the pan. Scrape dough into a bowl and let cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well. Stir in cheese and chives. Chill the dough for 15 minutes. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, two inches apart. Sprinkle with more cheese. Bake until golden brown and puffy, 20-25 minutes.

Heat olive oil in skillet over high heat, then add the eggplant and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 5 more minutes. Stir in salt and sugar, and top with cilantro.

Boil potatoes and garlic in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Toast fennel seeds in oil and 1/2 tsp. salt, then add lemon zest. Drain the potatoes and add to the pot with the fennel and oil. Add parsley, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Cover the pot and shake to smash the potatoes.

Cook the bacon and onion in the butter in a saucepan. Add rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add broth and water, salt and pepper to taste, and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Add pecans, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Freeze the bacon. Preheat oven to 350°. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Make crosswise cuts in each potato, about 1/8 inch apart, stopping short of the bottom so that the potato stays intact. Cook the potatoes in the boiling water for 4 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and let cool slightly. Pat the potatoes dry, then insert the bacon in the potatoes, spacing evenly and letting it poke out the top. Melt 5 TB. butter and brush generously over the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place on a sheet in the oven to bake, about two hours, until browned and crisp. Baste halfway with the rest of the melted butter. When the potatoes are almost done, melt the remaining 3 TB. butter and add the scallions, parsley and garlic. Spoon over the potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper.

• Use room-temperature cheese
• Melt the cheese on the stove, then transfer to fondue pot
• Keep the heat low, melt the cheese slowly
• Adjust the thickness by thinning with a little wine
• In addition to bread, try roasted brussels sprouts, mini meatballs, grilled polenta, prosciutto or other cured meat, French fries
• For cheese, try one or a combo of brie (with rind removed), manchego, cheddar, fontina, swiss or emmenthaler, or gouda

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread bread cubes on a pan and bake for 18 minutes, then set aside. Heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan. Add the bacon and cook for 5 minutes, then add the leeks and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, tarragon, sherry, 1 TB. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook about 10 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates. Turn off heat and stir in parsley. In a large mixing bowl, mix together eggs, cream chicken broth and 1 cup of the cheese. Add bread cubes and mushroom-leek mixture, stirring well to combine. Allow to rest at room temperature for half an hour, to allow the bread to absorb the liquid. Stir and put into a large rectangular dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 50 minutes, until the top is browned and the custard is set.

• For hot-brewed tea, bring 8 cups of water to a simmer, then remove from the heat and add 3 TB. loose tea or six tea bags. Let steep about 4 minutes, to desired strength. Remove tea bags or strain with a fine-mesh sieve. Let cool, transfer to a pitcher, and refrigerate. Makes strong-flavored tea.
• For cold-brewed tea, combine eight cups cold water and 6 TB. loose tea or 10 tea bags in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate 15 to 36 hours, to desired strength. Remove tea bags or strain with a sieve. This method makes smooth, subtle-tasting iced tea that isn't cloudy.
• To make Thai Iced Tea, combine 95% iced tea with 5% sweetened condensed milk.
• To make southern sweet tea, combine 85% iced tea with 15% simple syrup.
• To make an Arnold Palmer, combine 50% iced tea and 50% lemonade.
• For Boston iced tea, mix 50% cranberry juice and 50% iced tea.
• Brew with filtered or bottled water to avoid bitterness or cloudiness. Don't squeeze tea bags when removing them, since the tannins could make the tea taste bitter.

Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to make 8 thin cutlets. Season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add the onion, thyme and 1/2 tsp. salt to the skillet. Cook until onion is golden, about 5 minutes, then add the chicken broth and cook until slightly reduced, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Meanwhile, mix egg yolks, pickles, pickle juice, scallions and parsley. Stir into the broth and cook, stirring, until it begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Add chicken to skillet and cook until sauce thickens and chicken is warmed, about 5 minutes. Serve with beets and pumpernickel.

Choose vegetables and make a foil pouch for each. Pile the vegetables on foil, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with 1 TB. olive oil and 2 TB. water. Seal into a packet, then put on a baking sheet and roast at 450° until tender. Unseal and serve immediately.

Cauliflower: 1 bunch, cut into wedges, cook 30 minutes.

Turnips: 1 head, cut into florets, cook 30 minutes.

Fennel: 1 head, cut into wedges, cook 30 minutes.

Baby Carrots: 2 bunches, trimmed, cook 30 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes: 3 large, cut into wedges, cook 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Beets: 2 bunches, trimmed, cook 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Baby Red Potatoes: 1 pound, cook 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9" square baking pan. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup sugar for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. On low, mix in eggs, one at a time, then sour cream and vanilla. Mix until smooth. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. On low, mix the dry ingredients with the batter until just combined. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Spread half the batter evenly in the pan. Top with half the peaches, then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Spread remaining batter on top, remaining peaches on top, then sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a pie plate with the crust and crimp the edges. Prick holes in the bottom and bake pie for 11 minutes, then let cool. Combine chocolate chips, milk and liqueur in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until smooth, about one minute. Mix in the vanilla and let cool. Combine the sugar and heavy cream in a mixing bowl. Whip with a mixer to make whipped cream. Fold one cup of the whipped cream into the chocolate sauce. Gently fold the remaining whipped cream, in 2-3 batches. Pour mousse mixture into pie shell. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top of the pie. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

Let buttermilk and eggs come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350°. Put dough in pie pan and prick the bottom. Line dough with foil, then fill with pie weights and bake 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake for 10 more minutes, then let cool. For the filling, beat the butter and sugar until combined. Add egg yolks and beat another minute. Reduce the mixer speed and add flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, nutmeg and salt. Increase speed slightly and slowly pour in buttermilk. Scrape down the sides as needed. Transfer to a bowl. In clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture in three additions until no white streaks remain. Pour filling into prepared crust. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until golden and set around the edges, 45-50 minutes. (Center should still jiggle.) Let cool, then dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat oven to 425°. Whisk the cream, sugar and flour in a bowl. Pour into chilled crust, dot with butter and sprinkle nutmeg on top. Transfer pie to hot baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° and continue baking about 55 more minutes, until filling is bubbly. Center should still jiggle slghtly. Transfer to a rack and let cool. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Place the dough into a pie plate and refrigerate. Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 375°. For the filling, whisk flour, brown sugar and butter in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside two thirds of the mixture for topping. Whisk the egg, molasses and baking soda into remaining brown sugar mixture, then whisk in 3/4 cup boiling water until smooth. Pour filling into chilled crust. Sprinkle with reserved brown sugar mixture. Transfer to baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 350° and bake 40-45 more minutes, until filling is firm. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Whisk flour, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in another bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add flour. Beat until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Press plastic wrap onto surface of the dough and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 425°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop scant tablespoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about two inches apart. Bake until golden brown around edges but light in the center, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Sift flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a large bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a tiome, then the vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Press plastic wrap onto surface of dough and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 375°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop scant tablespoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about two inches apart. Bake until golden brown around edges but soft in the center, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.