Linguine with Porcini Cream Sauce

1 can of beef broth (14.5 ounce)
1/2 ounce of dried porcini mushrooms
16 ounces of uncooked linguine
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1 cup of whipping cream
1/4 cup of dry Marsala wine
1 teaspoon of sage
3/4 teaspoon of crushed rosemary
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Boil beef broth in a small saucepan.  Remove from heat and stir in mushrooms.  Let stand about 30 minutes.  Remove the mushrooms and chop fine.  Strain the remaining beef broth using a coffee filter or a fine sieve.  Set beef broth aside.

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.  Drain.

While pasta is cooking, in a large pan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot.  Cook onion 3 to 4 minutes until tender.  Stir in strained broth, chopped mushrooms, cream, Marsala, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Cook uncovered for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by half.  Add the hot linguine and toss lightly to coat.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

1 pound (about 24 strips) of bacon
2 1/2 bunches of lettuce
1 cup of avocado dressing
3 pounds of tomatoes
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 350.  Arrange the bacon on a wire rack set over a backing pan.  Place in oven and bake until bacon is golden brown and crisp (just about 40 minutes).  Remove from oven and set aside.

Arrange lettuce in the bottom of your salad serving bowl and drizzle with half of the avocado dressing  Cut the tomatoes into chunks and arrange over the lettuce.

Arrange the bacon strips over the tomatoes and top with remaining avocado salad dressing.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Avocado Dressing
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup of loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 clove of garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/2 cup of olive oil
Juice of two limes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slice the avocado lengthwise and remove and discard the pit and the peel.  Place the avocado meat  in a food processor and add basil, garlic, lime juice and vinegar.  Process until combined.  Slowly add olive oil and process until the dressing is smooth.  It should be thick but pourable.  If needed, add a tiny bit more lime juice until the preferred consistency is reached.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

1 cup of light corn syrup
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
all purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of pecan halves
4 ounces of semisweet chocolate, chopped into chunks
Chocolate crust dough
whipped cream

Chocolate Crust Dough:
1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons of chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Prepare the chocolate crust dough first.  Sift together flour and cocoa powder and set aside. 

In another bowl, use a fork to combine the remaining ingrediants.  Add this to the cocoa mixture.  Knead the mixture with your fingers until it holds together without large clumps of butter remaining.  Continue to knea the mixture until smooth (about a minute or so).  Form it into a disk and wrap it in plastic.  Chill for 30 minutes.

For the pie - combine sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about two minutes stirring occasionally.  Cool completely (about 45 minutes) and let thicken.

In the top of a double boiler, combine 2 ounces of the chocolate with the butter over medium-low heat and cook until melted.  Set aside to cool.  Heat the oven to 400 and roll out the chocolate crust dough on a lightly floured surface to form a 13 inch circle that is about 1/8 of an inch thick.  Place the dough in a pie pan and crimp down the edges.  Chill for about 15 minutes.

Beat the eggs until foamy.  Add chocolate and corn syrup mixtures to eggs and combine.  Stir in vanilla and pecan halves.  Pour the filling into the crust and bake about 20 minutes until the filling has set.  Sprinkle with the remaining two ounces of chocolate and bake for five more minutes.  Cool on a wire rack for about an hour and a half to two hours.  Garnish with whipped cream.