• Heat oil in a stock pot over medium high heat.  Add next 5 ingredients and sauté until sausage is cooked.         
• Drain the grease and excess juices from the soup. 
• Add the bay leaves, garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for another 20 minutes.
• Add the beans and chicken and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.

• Place Rice Krispies in a large bowl and set aside.       
• Cook corn syrup and sugar over medium heat stirring constantly until it just boils.
• Take the pot off the stove and add the peanut butter.   Stir until it melts and pour over Rice Krispies. Stir until Krispies are coated.
• Place mixture in a buttered 9 X 13 pan. Slightly press the mixture with your hands until it spreads out evenly.
  
• Combine butterscotch chips and chocolate chips and melt them in the microwave.   
  
• Spread mixture on top of Rice Krispies.
• Let stand until topping hardens (may need to place it in the refrigerator if you live in a warm climate).
• Cut into squares and serve.

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Spray 9-inch springform pan.  
• Chop chocolate into small pieces.     
• Put 1/2 pound chocolate into the top of a double boiler with the butter.
• Stir over medium heat until chocolate melts.
• Set aside to cool.
• Bowl should be warm and not hot to touch.
• In large bowl with electric mixer, start mixing egg yolks.      
• Add sugar and mix until liquid is thick - about 3 minutes.
• Slowly mix in melted chocolate and 3 Tbsp of creme de menthe.
• In another bowl, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form soft peaks.
• Fold in chocolate mixture.
• Transfer ingredients into pan and bake for 40 minutes.  
• Remove outer ring of pan and cool on rack (cake may have cracks on top and will settle).
• In a heavy pan over low heat, melt remaining chocolate with 1/2 cup cream to make icing.  
• Use while warm to ice cake.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
• Whip 1 cup cream with 1 Tbsp creme de menthe as optional topping or serve with fresh raspberries.

• Preheat oven 350°.        
• Sift together flour and salt into a small bowl.
•  In a separate bowl, beat egg whites on medium-high until whites have a foamy consistency.
• Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until you have soft peaks.
• Then, while mixer is still running, add sugar and continue beating until you have stiff peaks.
•  Finally, add vanilla and beat until just combined.
• Transfer this mixture to a large bowl, carefully.
• Using a large sifter or fine wire sieve, sprinkle 1/4 of the flour mixture gently over the egg whites.     
• Very gently fold the flour into the egg whites.  Repeat this 3 more times.
• Make sure when you fold the flour into the egg whites you cut through the middle and gently scrape the sides.
• Watch our YouTube videos to see how it's done. p://youtu.be/CGcit1djRQQ and  http://youtu.be/TygLc4WwZTc
• Very gently, pour the batter into an angel food pan.  
• Using an icing knife, gently smooth the top of the batter.
  
• Bake for about 40 minutes, until the top is golden and center springs back when touched.
  
• Once you remove cake from oven, invert pan onto its "legs."  Let pan cool on its legs for one hour.
  
• Once cooled, gently run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan and lift cake out by the center tube.     
• Next, run a knife along the bottom of the pan, remove from pan and place on a pretty platter.
• Serve the cake with fresh berries.

• Sauté bacon until almost crisp.    
  
• Remove bacon and drain on a paper towel.
• Leave 2 Tbsp bacon drippings in pan and add olive oil, water, and onions. Sauté for 3 minutes.
• To pan, add tomatoes, wine, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and bacon.  Sauté for 3 minutes.
• Finally, add basil and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Serve over pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

• Boil fingerling potatoes until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.  (At this point you can place potatoes in a warming tray or low-temperature oven to keep warm until your guests arrive.)
  
• Mix together the creme fraîche, herbs, and capers in a small bowl.
• To assemble, cut each potato in half and place 4 halves on a salad plate.     
• Top each potato with a spoon full of the creme fraîche mixture.
• Take a piece of smoked salmon (or shrimp), fold it in half and put on top of potato and creme fraîche.
• Top with a sprig of dill.  
• Serve warm.

• In a large punch bowl, mix all ingredients and serve with a sprinkling of nutmeg on top.  
• To keep cold, make an ice ring by freezing water in a bunt pan and float the ice in the punch bowl.

• Preheat oven to 250°.
• Melt the butter and add the salts and Worcestershire sauce.    
• In two very large bowls combine the rest of the ingredients.
• Pour butter mixture over dry ingredients and stir to combine.
• Place party mix on as many baking dishes or cookie sheets that fit in your oven.
• Bake for 2 1/2 hours stirring every 15 minutes and rotate pans among the oven shelves.
• Take party mix out of oven and pour on paper bags (grocery bags from the store).  You can use paper towels, but the bags work just as well.
• Store in containers.  

Cookies

• In a large mixing bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter until fluffy.        
• Add both sugars and beat well.
• Add egg, vanilla, and salt and beat again.
• Add the flour and beat until well mixed.
• Cover and chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven for 350°.       
• Shape the dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
  
• Press down in the center with your thumb (step 2).
  
• Bake for about 12 minutes.
• Cool on wired racks.

Frosting

• To make the filling, add 1/4 cup butter in a small mixing bowl and beat until softened.     
• Add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
• Add the rum and beat well.
• Spoon the frosting, about 1/2 teaspoon, into the middle of each cookie.
  
• Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg and chill until firm.