"Drunk Figs" by Chef Marcela Perez, Marcella's Fitness Food, LLC

  www.marcelasfitnessfood.com

2# Figs

2 bottle of Merlot

2 cups of brown sugar

1 cup of balsamic vinegar

2 cinnamon sticks

4 ea. Cloves, whole

Marinade the figs overnight.  Next, take the figs out and reduce the liquid by half.  Pour the reduction over the figs and enjoy over crackers or with any slice of Pork or Beef.

Chef Allan's Fruit Pies

Makes One, 12" Pie

Pie Filling:

2 Quarts Frozen Fruit (Peaches, Apples or Mixed Berries)

          Peach & Apple, add ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

          Berries, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 Whole Eggs

1 ¼ Cups Sugar

¾ Teaspoon Cinnamon

½ Cup Flour

Streusel Topping:

2 Cups Flour

8 Ounces Butter, cut into small cubes

1 Cup Sugar

Line 12" pie pan with pie dough, leaving ¾ - 1 inch overhang over the edge of the pie tin.  Fold excess dough underneath, leaving a high-walled crust extending up over the top of the pie tin.  Mix together all ingredients for the filling and place on top of the dough.  Combine all the ingredients for the topping, working well together by hand.  Cover entire surface of pie with the streusel.  Bake in a 350-degree F. oven until done.  Rotate as needed to cook evenly and cover edges of pie with foil if the crust starts to burn.

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Chef Al's Biscuit Technique

• 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk, preferably low-fat

• 1 cup (5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees.  Spray 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spary; set aside.  Generously spray inside and outside of 1/4 cup dry measure with nostick cooking spray.
2. For The Dough:  In food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to combine, about six 1-second pulses.  Scatter butter cubes evenly over dry ingredients: pulse until mixture resembles pebbly, coarse cornmeal, eight to ten 1-second pulses.  Transfer mixture to medium bowl.  Add buttermilk to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated (dough will be very wet and slightly lumpy).
3. To Form and Bake Biscuits:  Using 1/4 cup dry measure and working quickly, scoop level amount of dough; drop dough from measuring cup into flour on baking sheet (if dough sticks to cup, use small spoon to pull it free).  Repeat with remaining dough, forming 12 evenly sized mounds.  Dust tops of each piece of dough with flour from baking sheet.  With Floured hands, gently pick up piece of dough and coat with flour;  gently shape into rought ball, shake off excess flour, and place in prepared cake pan.  Repeat with remaining dough, arranging 9 rounds around perimeter of cake pan and 3 in center.  Brush rounds with hot melted butter, taking care not to flatten them.  Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees; continue to bake until biscuits are golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.  Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert biscuits from pan onto clean kitchen towel; turn biscuits right-side up and break apart.  Cool 5 minutes longer and serve.