• 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
  
• 1/2 lb. smoked bacon - chopped
  
• 1 qt. water
  
• (2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
  
• 2 lg. russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed
  
• 2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
  
• 1 med. onion - peeled, chopped
  
• 2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
  
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  
• salt and pepper - to taste

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it. Drain and set aside.
2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.
   
3. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
   
4. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.
   
5. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

• 6 cups water1 container apple juice concentrate, thawed
  
• ½ cup kosher salt
  
• ½ cup brown sugar
  
• 1 Spanish onion, peeled and quartered
  
• 10 black peppercorns
  
• 10 mustard seeds
  
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 1 (3 lb) center cut rack of pork
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
  
• 2 cups Jack Daniels
  
• 5 cups homemade chicken stock
  
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, plus parsley sprigs for garnish

1. Bring the water, apple juice, salt, sugar, onion, peppercorns, mustard seeds, thyme and bay leaves to a simmer in a large stockpot and cook until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Let cool completely. Submerge the roast in the brine by placing a plate on top, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
   
   
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.  Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat.  Season the pork on both sides with salt and pepper and cook on both sides until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes.  Transfer the pork to a baking sheet, brush with some of the glaze and finish cooking in the oven until cooked to an internal temperature of 150 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 25-30 minutes, brushing with the glaze every 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven; let rest loosely tented with foil for 10 minutes.
   
   
3. Add the shallots to the sauté pan (that the pork was browned in) and cook until soft. Add the Jack Daniels, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and cook until almost completely reduced.  Add the chicken broth and brown sugar and bring to a boil and cook until reduced to a sauce consistency. Whisk in the butter, season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
   
   
4. Slice the rack into chops and place on a large plate, drizzle a little of the sauce around the pork chop and top with some of the butter.  Garnish with parsley sprigs.

Molasses-Mustard Glaze

• ¼ cup Dijon
  
• 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
  
• ¼ cup molasses
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl.

• 1 smoked pork butt, about 3 pounds
  
• 1 onion
  
• 1 stalk celery
  
• ½ cup orange juice
  
• ¼ cup NC honey
  
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
  
• 6 canned peach halves

Place onions and celery in the bottom of the crock pot.  Season pork with salt and pepper and place on top of vegetables.  Fill with ¾ cup water and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Combine orange juice, honey and mustard.  Pour over the meat and simmer for the last 15 minutes, turning and basting until glazed.  Add peach halves and cook a few minutes longer to glaze and heat.

• Left over pork from above recipe
  
• 1 head of purple cabbage, shredded
  
• ¼ cup olive oil
  
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
  
• 2 tablespoons sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and sugar.  Season marinade with salt and pepper and pour over the cabbage.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

• 4 boneless thick cut pork chops
  
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  
• 1-cup panko crumbs
  
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
  

Place flour, egg and panko, each in separate shallow bowls; season each with salt and pepper.  Dip pork chop into flour and then egg, shaking off excess.  Dip into panko, pressing to adhere.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add pork, and cook until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side.  Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.

Blackberry Sauce

• 6 oz. seedless sugar free blackberry jam
  
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  
• 1-teaspoon sugar
  
• Warm sauce through and add pepper to taste.

Miss Betty’s Sweet Potatoes

• 8 Baked sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise
  
• 2 cups brown sugar
  
• 1-cup honey
  
• 1 cup melted butter
  
• ½  (or 12 oz.) jar of orange marmalade

Put sliced sweet potatoes in baking dish. Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over potatoes.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour, basting every 20 minutes.

Grouper

• Beat egg and combine with buttermilk.
  
• Combine flour and processed pecans.
  
• Salt and pepper grouper, dip in buttermilk mixture and dredge in four and pecan mixture.
  
• Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a sauté pan to medium high heat and add grouper filets – brown on one side, flip and place in oven to finish cooking (6-8 minutes).

Hoppin’ John

Lightly sauté onions, peppers and garlic (leave a bit crunchy).  Add rice and peas, heat through and salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon Zest-Scallion Butter

Combine softened butter, lemon zest, finely sliced green onion, lemon juice and salt and mix thoroughly.  Roll in wax or parchment paper and refrigerate until firm and cut into slices.Serve the finished grouper with the Hoppin’ John and a slice of the lemon zest-scallion butter slowly melting over the top of the fish.