Tiramisu. The decadent combination of coffee and alcohol that translated means "pick me up." Made well, it's not for kids.

So many times you see this cool-whipped version of tiramisu that only hints at the greatness that it could be.

Let's face it. It has 2 cups of Espresso. Espresso! That will wake you up - and then 1/4 cup of rum. Now we're talking. You could literally pass out while having the shakes.

Instructions: You make this like a lasagna. It has three basic parts. The Espresso and rum mixture, the filling, and the lady-fingers (savoiardi).

Starting with the Espresso. Make 2 cups of espresso. No cheating with coffee or bottles. Make it from scratch. Set aside.
Then, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer and dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat. Stir in the espresso and rum and set aside to cool. You can do this no more than 1 day in advance if you would like.

The filling: Get a pot ready to use as a double boiler. So simmer some water in the bottom of it. Meanwhile, the top half you are going to get the yolk mixture ready. So, use a heatproof bowl to mix the 1/3 cup sugar and egg yolks until the sugar has dissolved. It should be pale yellow and creamy after about 2 minutes. Once it is dissolved, place it on the double boiler and use a hand-held mixer to beat it until it triples in volume - it takes about 6 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool completely. But while it's cooling, you need to stir it frequently.

Do you see why you shouldn't give this to children? Too much caffeine, too much alcohol, too much work. If they want tiramisu - doesn't Jell-O brand make something for kids?

While that is cooling and you are stirring it, get another bowl and whip up that cream until you make whipped cream (stiff peaks). Set aside.

Now that the yolk mixture has cooled, mix in the mascarpone and vanilla until well blended. Finally, fold that into the whipped cream until just combined.

So on yet another platter, spread briefly dip the ladyfingers in the espresso mix and set aside. Then transfer the first 15 to a square 9" pan and spread 1/3 of the creamy filling over the top. Repeat that 2 more times. Tap pan on the counter to help settle it and then wrap it in plastic and put it in the fridge overnight or at least 6 hours.

When you are ready to serve it, dust it with cocoa powder and serve from the pan. But don't serve it to the children. They get Jell-O.

 Ingredients:
Dave Hampton

Ingredients:
Diane Rodriguez

Versatile and delicious Risotto

Not an incredibly popular American dish, and seldom imported from Italy into our regular cuisine, Risotto is, nonetheless, one of the most popular dishes in Italy.  This recipe is crafted by Jeffery Hobbs.

Sometimes, its nice to serve up a dessert that's decidedly different from the standard fare.  A Citrus Tart would be right up that alley.

Certainly not for everyday, but not much more effort than baking a pie, this is great to bring out on special occasions.  Recipe by Jeffery Hobbs.

Instructions: Crush enough pecan sandies to make approximately ¾ cup of crumbs. Use either a food processor or a zip-lock bag and rolling pin.

Thaw the piecrust according to directions. Spread the crumbs over the bottom. Drag some crumbs up the side of the pie shell and press into the dough. Once the sides are done, redistribute the remaining

Risotto is an Italian staple.  Easy to make, it can also be made in advance and used for several meals.  Executive Chef, Jeffery Hobbs, has come up with a perfect way to turn leftovers into something new with this inspiring idea to turn your risotto into crab and bacon risotto cakes.

Mmmmm.. Bacon.  and Crab....

An Italian Seaside delight, this recipe was created by Jeffery Hobbs.  Most people are afraid to cook seafood.  Its understandable as usually its easy to over or under cook.  However, adhering to this recipe should guarantee a perfect dish.  It's great as an appetizer, but converts easily into an entrée with minimal effort.  See the tips at the bottom.

Instructions:
If the clams are dirty, scrub with a clean pot scrubber or nail brush. Hard shell clams are usually pretty free of sand, but if you wish, soak a few hours in a saline solution of 1 cup of salt dissolved in 3 quarts cold water.

Slice the sausage into coins slightly thinner than

Created by Chef Jeffery Hobbs, This classic dessert balances sweet with complexity to create a truly awe-inspiring taste. 


Instructions:
For the crepes: First, heat the milk, salt, sugar, and butter, until butter is melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Next, gather remaining ingredients. Sift the flour into a medium sized mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add approx. two cups of the milk mixture. Stir with a whisk to form a thick batter.

Add eggs, oil, and the beer (four ounces remaining to do with as you please) to the remaining milk.