I recently took a trip to Tucson with my sister Meg. When we were younger we had gone to Tucson to a ranch over spring break and I remembered how much I liked the landscape. We stayed at the JW Marriott Starr Pass which is a fabulous hotel. It is located in Tucson proper and in a park of amazing cacti-saguaros, chollas and ocotillos! The desert landscape is so quiet and serene. The morning sunrises were beautiful. The hotel has a few swimming pools and four different restaurants. The food is delicious Southwestern-fresh guacamole, salsas, even nachos! There is an excellent  Italian restaurant called Primo, run by Melissa Kelly, a fantastic chef who used to work in Denver. She also has a Primo at the Orlando JW Marriott and in her home town of Rockland, Maine.

We relaxed by the pool and even had lunch pool side one day. The cocktails were amazing-all sorts of great combinations. One of my favorites was at Primo-a cosmopolitan with passion fruit puree.

Every morning there was a desert hike at 6:30. We walked the Bowen Trail loop the first morning, about 1.5  miles. It is a beautiful landscape and so different.

At 7:30 am, a Navaho shaman led a prayer around the fire pit and we made white sage bundles to throw into the fire with our prayers.

Salud, is the open air tequila bar that has the hugest patio of all, overlooking the city of Tucson, was our favorite. There are chimeas and lots of couches and seating. At 5:30 every night, they pass out shots of tequila and toast to Pancho Villa and a funny story about him trying to convince his future father in law to let him marry his daughter.

This resort is great for families or for someone like me just wanting to relax and enjoy. I would go back here in a heartbeat!

1/4 c. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 t. crushed red chile flakes

1# sweet Italian sausage, casing removed

1 bunch of kale, stemmed and roughly chopped

2 1/2 c. half and half

1/3 c. Parmesan, grated

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

freshly ground nutmeg, to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1# penne pasta

3 T. finely chopped parsley for garnish

Heat oil in a 6 quart saucepan over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion and red chile flakes, cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces until browned, about 16-18 minutes. Add kale, season with salt and pepper. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add half and half and bring to a simmer, cook, stirring occasionally until reduced by one third, 7-8 minutes. Stir in Parmesan, lemon zest , juice and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and set aside, keeping warm. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally until al dente, about 8+ minutes, depending on the brand of pasta. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, drain pasta and add both to the reserved sauce. Cook for 5 more minutes. Garnish with parsley.

1# pork tenderloin, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces, with the grain

2 slices of ginger

2 scallions, cut into 1″ pieces

5 T. soy sauce

1 T. sherry

1 T. sugar

1 T. hoisin sauce

Mix  marinate ingredients and add pieces of pork. Marinate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Put a rack over a sheet pan (lined with foil or parchment for drippings). Lay pork on rack and bake for 20 minutes at 350, turning over and basting every 1o minutes. Increase heat to 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve either hot or cold, cut into 1/8″ slices.

3 1/2 lb. chicken

4 potatoes, cut up

4 carrots, peeled and cut up

2 onions, chopped

2 T. butter

2 cloves garlic

1/2 lemon

thyme and rosemary

paprika

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Saute the vegetables in butter until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Crumble in some thyme or rosemary. Put the vegetables into a roasting pan, deglaze the pan with 6 oz. of water and scrape up any bits. Pour over vegetables. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and stuff with garlic cloves and lemon half. Season with salt and pepper and paprika. Roast for at least 2 hours and as long as 3. Baste with pan juices every 15 minutes. When the leg jiggles freely, it is done!

Vodka and syrup

6 medium beets (about 2.5#) scrubbed, trimmed

1 750 ml bottle of vodka

3/4 c. sugar

2 T. grated peeled ginger

Cook beets in a large saucepan of boiling water until tender( or roast in tin foil at 400) about 1 hour or more, depending on the size. Drain, let cool slightly. Peel and slice. Combine in a 1 1/2 quart jar (save vodka bottle for finished product) Cover and chill for at least 5-7 days. Strain into bowl and discard beets. Pour beet vodka into reserved bottle. Chill.

Bring sugar, ginger and 3/4 c. water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let cool and strain into a medium jar, discard ginger. Beet vodka and ginger syrup can be made one month ahead. Keep chilled separately.

Assembly

3 ounces fresh lemon juice

3 ounces fresh lime juice

12 lemon slices

1/3 c. butter

1 c. yellow onion, diced finely

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 t. thyme

1/3 c. flour

3 cups milk (I used 2%)

2 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. heavy cream (optional)

3 c. finely chopped broccoli pieces (1/2″)

6 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 oz. freshly grated Parmesan, or more to taste

1/2 t. salt and black pepper

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in garlic, thyme and flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Be sure to get the edges of the pan. While whisking, slowly pour in the milk, chicken broth and cream, if using. Cook, stirring frequently until mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat to medium low and add broccoli pieces and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. Turn heat off and add in cheese, stir until melted and season with salt and pepper.

2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, room temp.

3/4 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

2 1/3 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

10 oz.  or less good quality seedless raspberry jam, like Hero or Mamman or Stonewall Kitchen

2/3 c. granola without fruit

1/4 cup sliced almonds

powdered sugar to garnish, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed just until combined. With the mixer on low, add the vanilla.

Sift the flour and salt together and, with the mixer on low, slowly add to the butter mixture, mixing until it almost comes together in a ball. Turn the dough out on a board. Lightly pat two-thirds of the dough evenly on the bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan and about ¼ inch up the sides. Spread with the jam, leaving a ¼-inch border. Mix the granola into the remaining dough with your hands. Break the dough into small bits, and distribute it on top of the jam, covering most of the surface. Sprinkle the almonds on top. Bake the bars for 45 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cool completely and cut into 9 or 12 bars. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners’ sugar.

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup honey

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 1/2 c. yellow cornmeal

1 T. baking powder

3/4 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

pinch of cayenne, or more

1 1/2 sticks melted butter plus 2 T. butter for the skillet

Set a 12″ cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until frothy, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the buttermilk, sour cream and honey. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne. Stir the flour mixture into the sour cream buttermilk mixture. Stir in the melted butter and mix until well combined. Remove hot cast iron pan from oven, add 2 T. butter and swirl around to evenly disperse the butter. Pour in the batter, even the top of it with a knife of spoon. Bake 25 minutes.