Ingredients:

Stuffing:

1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped fine
1 pound zucchini or summer squash, grated
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup pine nuts
4 tablespoons soft butter
2-3 sprigs each of fresh marjoram, thyme and Italian parsley leaves chopped
1 egg
1 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking chicken under a brick or heavy weight produces a deliciously crisp yet tender bird. The recipe is simple and this method quickly cooks the chicken.

I love this recipe because it is an easy do-ahead recipe that I start the day before I serve it. I then cook it, sometimes all day, on a low temperature the day I serve it.

Placing the stuffing underneath the skin makes this turkey come out deliciously moist and flavorful! The butter in the stuffing acts as a baster keeping the meat nice and moist. The chestnut stuffing has a deep rich flavor similar to a pate.

This is an excellent twist on steamed mussels and clams; and a great excuse to pull out your mother's or grandmother's cast-iron skillet hand-me-down.

Special equipment needed: one 14-inch cast- iron skillet with a lid (or you can use heavy duty tin foil). If you don't have a cast iron skillet use a heavy roasting pan with heavy-duty tin foil.

Copper River Salmon comes around once a year for about four weeks from mid May to mid June. If you can find it at your local market it is well worth the price. One taste of this salmon and you will know why "foodies" and the Pacific Northwest herald this delicacy.

What makes this salmon taste so amazing? The 300 mile rushing Copper River is one of the longest and most rugged rivers in Alaska emptying into the Prince William Sound at the town of Cordova. Salmon that come from these wild waters are continually challenged by the rugged, rushing rapids that characterize the Copper River. The Salmon make a long journey up the river to spawn and lay their eggs. As a result, the salmon build a strong healthy body that develops a higher content of natural oil and body fat. This results in naturally bright red flesh (the meat of farm raised salmon contains added red dyes because their flesh is a very pale pink which results from the unhealthy and unnatural conditions in which they are raised), and some of the richest, and most flavorful salmon in the world. Additionally once Copper River Salmon are caught, they are handled very carefully. The fish are immediately bled and dressed and put on ice ensuring freshness and shipped.

This salmon is healthy for you because it is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which is endorsed by the American Heart Association and are known to help reduce heart disease and lower cholesterol. Additional studies have also found that the Omega-3 fatty acids can combat ailments such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer, and migraines.

These burgers are a hit at any bbq. You will be asked by many to share the recipe!  You can use rrganic beef or bison for this recipe. Both have an amazing clean flavor.  As always use as many organic ingredients as you can find for optimum flavor and health benefits.

Serves 4-6 people

Filling:

1 pound of boneless, organic chicken breast meat cut into 1 inch dice
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons of organic butter
1/2 cup small-diced yellow onion
1/2 cup small-diced carrot
1/2 cup small-diced turnip
1/2 cup chopped leek
3 cups assorted wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, hedgehog and black trumpets) chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock (store bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon of fresh organic thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon, fresh organic flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 bay leaf
salt - kosher or sea salt to taste
pepper - fresh cracked to taste

Use as many organic ingredients you can find for maximum flavor and health benefits.