Welcome to Healdsburg Table’s Guest Chef Recipes, where friends, home cooks, and fellow food lovers share the dishes that mean the most to them. These favorite recipes come with stories of their own—some are treasured family recipes passed down from generation to generation, while others are beloved dishes discovered, perfected, and shared over the years. Each guest chef brings something personal to the table, celebrating the traditions, memories, flavors, and friendships that make cooking and gathering around a meal so special. Check out our Guest Chef Recipes below and Bon Appetite!
For more yummy creations, don’t forget to visit our Recipes page!
October – Guest Chef: Stacey Carlo
Guest Chef Recipe – Stacey Carlo
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesI make this recipe all the time. It is the recipe I always fall back on and the one that when we enjoy it always brings comfort and warmth.
Ingredients
1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-2 inch pieces)
1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1-2 inch pieces)
2 lb tomatillos
3 large Anaheim chiles
3 large poblano chiles
3 jalapeños
1 bunch cilantro
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 medium carrots (peeled and sliced into thin rounds)
2 medium celery stalks (chopped)
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
5 garlic cloves (minced)
3 cups chicken broth
1 large can of hominy (white or golden - I like Goya or Teasdale) drained and rinsed
1 heaping tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
2-3 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable/Canola oil for roasting chiles and tomatillos
Olive oil for sautéing
Queso fresco, lime, avocado, tortilla chips for garnish
Salsa Verde / Sauce
- Turn the broiler on and let the oven warm up.
- Wash chiles and toss with a little vegetable or canola oil, making sure each chiles is well coated.
- Place chiles on a foil-line baking sheet (rimmed) and put them under the broiler.
- Roast the chiles until they are black and blistered on all sides (you will have to turn them after a few minutes). Be patient but watch them carefully. It can take time for the blackening to begin, but once it starts it goes fast!
- Once the chiles are well-blackened, remove them from the oven and put them in a paper bag for about ten minutes.
- After ten minutes, remove the skin and seeds from the chiles and set aside (or leave the seeds in for more heat).
- Remove the husks from the tomatillos and wash them so they aren’t sticky.
- Toss them with a little vegetable or canola oil, making sure they are well coated.
- Put the tomatillos on the foil lined, rimmed baking sheet you used to roast the chiles and put them under the broiler.
- Roast the tomatillos under the broiler until they are well blackened, turning once. Like the chiles, be patient and watch them carefully!
- When the tomatillos are well blackened, carefully put them in the Vitamix with any juices that leaked out while they were roasting, along with the roasted chiles and:
1 cup of chicken broth
1 large handful of cilantro leaves and stems – just tear it from the bunch and rinse it under water before adding
Oregano
Cumin
Salt and pepper - Blend until nearly smooth – about 30 seconds
- CHICKEN AND VEGGIES
- Prep the veggies and chicken
- Heat some olive oil in a large stew pot and add the veggies (all except the garlic). Sautee until just beginning to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.
- Add salt, pepper and the flour and cook for a minute or two more, stirring constantly.
- Remove the veggies from the pot, add more olive oil, then add the chicken to the pot.
- Cook until it begins to brown/caramelize on the bottom of the pot (most of the liquid will be evaporated).
- PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
- Once the chicken is browned, add the veggies back into the pot and stir.
- Add the Verde sauce.
- Add the remaining two cups of broth – gage if you need more liquid
- Add the hominy
- Season with salt and pepper
- Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- SERVE
- Serve with a sprinkle of cheese (your choice – I like queso fresco, but you can use whatever), a squeeze of lime, a couple of slices of avocado and tortilla chips.
September – Guest Chef: Kristen Mautz
Easy S'mores Cookie Bars
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesI love to bake for friends and for my son and his baseball team. I have been told my cookies are amazing. I love to give my cookies as gifts or token of thanks.
Ingredients
Rimmed 9x12 cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Cookie Ingredients:
Full box of graham crackers
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, room temp
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chip
1 stick softened butter
Directions
- Pre heat oven to 375
- Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper
- Spray with nonstick spray
- Line the cookie sheet, corner to corner with graham crackers. It's ok it they are broken, this is just the base of the bars. Set aside.
- Prep S'mores
- 5 Hershey bars, broken up
- 1 sleeve & half of graham crackers, broken up
- 1 bag of small marshmallows
- Mix the broken up Hershey bars and graham crackers with 1 cup marshmallows. Using your hands to mix and break up ingredients.
- Cookie Dough
- Add the butter, both sugars, and vanilla to a mixer and beat for 5 minutes. Add the egg and mix for a few seconds. Scrape sides down and add flour, mix until incorporated. Add 1 cup marshmallows, 1 broken up Hershey bar, all the chocolate chips. Mix well.
- Spray a spoon or ice cream scoop with non stick spray and scoop out dough and place dough around and on top of the graham crackers. Flatten each ball so to try and gently connect each scoop. Place in oven for 8 minutes.
- After 8 minutes remove from oven, set on a heat proof surface, take the bowl of S'mores and spread it out over the top of the dough. Make it flat, it doesn't need to be neat.
- Put back in oven for 8-9 minutes. Take the cookie sheet out of oven and let cool on counter for 3-4 hours. When cooled completely, cut into squares.
August – Guest Chef: Sara Leffew
Zucchini Bread
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesThis has been a favorite of mine forever and my 3 children, have grown up enjoying it. In California, our warm summers make zucchini delicious and it works for both sweet and savory dishes. This is a family favorite and hope it is a favorite of yours too.
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla
3 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups brown or white sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups flour
1 cup oil
3 cups grated zucchini
Optional: 1 ½ cups walnuts
Directions
- Grease and flour 2 loaf pans
350 degrees
1 hour
August – Guest Chef: Megan Basinger
Tomato Jam
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesTomato jam is a family favorite. It started out as a way to use the tomatoes in our garden, but has become a staple component of our family’s Friday night pizzas.
Ingredients
3/4 cup honey
4 1/4 pounds tomatoes, cored and diced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 ground black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Directions
- Using a 6 qt saucepan, cook honey over medium heat, stirring until it darkens in color, roughly 8 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin; bring to a light boil.
- Reduce heat to low, stirring until it occasionally, until jam thickens in consistency, about 4 hours.
- Remove from heat, let cool completely. Mix in oregano and rosemary and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before serving.
July – Guest Chef: Lisa Smith
Fish en Papillotes with White Beans
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
2 fillets of your favorite white fish (such as halibut, cod, haddock, or sea bass)
1 shallot minced
1 can of cannellini beans or any white bean of your choosing
Fresh thyme sprigs
Fresh parsley, chopped
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons white wine (or substitute with chicken/vegetable broth)
Parchment paper or aluminum foil
Olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Prepare the Papillotes: Cut two large squares of parchment paper each about 12 inches in length. This will serve as the envelope to cook your fish. - Saute the minced shallot in some olive oil with the drained beans. Let cool, this can be done ahead of time.
Season and Prepare the Fish: Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. Lay the fillets on the bed of beans - Assemble the papillotes by adding ¼ a cup of beans, followed by the seasoned fish. Top the fish with lemon slices and a sprig of thyme.
- Add white wine or broth Carefully pour 1 tablespoon of white wine or broth over each fillet. The wine will create steam inside the papillote, contributing to the cooking process and flavor infusion.
- Seal the Papillotes: Fold the parchment square together to seal over the fish. Starting at one end, fold and crimp the edges tightly to seal the fish.
- Bake : Place the sealed papillotes in a baking pan. Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish fillets. The fish should flake easily with a fork when done.
June – Guest Chef: Mandy Carpenter
Ricota Pancakes
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesThis is a Carpenter Family Favorite — Our family struggle with our daughters being finicky eaters making it a challenge to get protein in their daily diet. These ricotta pancakes have become a fast family staple. They are regularly requested at sleepovers and make for a great grab-and-go for us as a busy sports family. Our signature is paper-like confetti sprinkled before flipping to the other side.
Ingredients
1 cup whole ricotta
3 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 - 1/3 cup flour
Dash of salt
Syrup + powdered sugar for garnish
Optional: lemon zest or mini chocolate chips
Directions
- Warm non-stick griddle on medium heat
- Mix all ingredients, except flour, together until combine (batter will have lumps of ricotta)
- Combine 1/4 cup flour at first, add additional if needed (batter should be slightly runny)
- Optional: now add lemon zest or chocolate chips
- Pour 1/4 cup batter onto non-stick skillet (or butter first if necessary)
- Cook first side until almost cooked in center, flip and finish
May – Guest Chef: Gabby Bianchetti
Merengue Lucuma
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
10 egg whites
625 grs of granulated sugar ( 1.377 lbs)
Water for water bath
1/2 a lemon
700 ml of whipped cream
Powdered sugar to taste for decoration
500 grs of any kind of berry for filling.
Directions
- Merengue:
10 egg whites
625 grs granulated sugar ( you have to convert it to lb, it’s 1,377 lbs)
I put egg whites with sugar together in a bowl.
I fill a pot with 1/4 of water and add a half of a lemon and take it to boil, medium heat.
After that I put the bowl with the egg whites and sugar on top of that pot (water bath) and start beating everything until the merengue is ready (it has to be firm) to put it in the oven. I use a spoon to put drops of merengue on the tray over parchment paper with oil, so that the merengue doesn’t stick to the paper.
I put the 3 layers for about 45 min at 300 F.
The heat has to be low in order to dry the merengue slowly.
You can fill it with any fruit and whipped cream.
This recipe is with Lucuma (chilean fruit), but you can do it with raspberries, strawberries or any other berry.
April – Guest Chef: Jennifer Hainstock
Porcini Phylo Cigars
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesI am a Vegan and this is one of my favorite recipes. I wanted to share this recipe as it is one i make often and it comes from a favorite cookbook, "The blossom Cookbook. I felt that this recipe would also be great for non-vegans because the flavors are out of this world with the mushrooms and the pistachio sauce.
Ingredients
Porcini Phyllo Cigars
Adapted from The Blossom Cookbook
2 lbs porcini mushrooms, about 20-24 mushrooms. If you can't find, use cremini
1 TB crushed garlic
4 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 cup raw almonds
1 tea salt
1/2 tea fresh black pepper
1 TB truffle oil
1 (16oz) package of phyllo dough
2 TB vegan butter
Serve with Pistachio Sauce
1 cup raw pistachios
1 TB nutritional yeast
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tea salt+1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup water
Directions
- Place pistachios, nutritional yeast, oil, salt, pepper and 1 cup water in a blender. Blend until creamy.
Please list the recipe directions here:
Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine mushrooms, garlic and oil on prepared sheet. Once everything is coated spread the mushrooms on the prepared baking sheet add bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the almonds, salt and pepper and truffle oil to the blender and process until pureed.
Speed out a sheet of phyllo and lay it flat, using a pastry brush- brush it with the melted butter, repeat with remaining 2 sheets. You want three sheets on top of each other.
Starting with the long side, spread about a Tablespoon of the mixture and gently roll, seal with the vegan butter. Continue with remaining mixture and dough. Cut each roll into 6 one inch pieces. You should have about 24 pieces.
Place the pieces on a parchment lined pan and bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. Serve with pistachio sauce.
March – Guest Chef: Lisa Rainis
Rôti de Porc à La Boulangère
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesEverything happens for a reason. Me meeting Healdsburg Table Founder, Elizabeth (EP) is one and two is working for my favorite boss, Rosemarie. Ro made this 1957 Good Housekeeping dish for me almost 30 years ago right about the time I met EP. I literally look at this recipe, aka a tattered copy off of a copier machine, and I can taste the potatoes...so damn good!
Ingredients
Roti de Porc a la Boulangere (Good Housekeeping 1957)
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 bone-in pork loin roast (6 pounds) trimmed..but not too much
4 pounds potatoes (I prefer Yukon Gold)
1 large yellow or white onion
3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley leaves
Directions
- 1 Preheat oven to 425 F. With garlic press, crush 1 garlic clove and mix with salt. Rub mixture over pork; place fat side up in roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, thinly slice potatoes and coarsely chop onion. Crush remaining garlic clove; toss with potatoes, onion, margarine or butter, salt and pepper.
3 After pork has roasted for 30 minutes, spoon potatoes around meat. Roast 1 hour + 15 minutes longer, stirring potatoes twice, until temperature on meat thermometer inserted into pork reaches 150 F (the temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees upon standing). Sprinkle with parsley.
February – Guest Chef: Natalia Fritz
Tiropetes
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesI first learned to cook by sitting at the counter, watching my mother in the kitchen. I recall she did a lot from memory, rarely following a recipe. She would measure ingredients, though never too precisely—just enough to guide, leaving room for instinct. One of the first things she taught me was Triopetes, a traditional Greek appetizer. From the young age of 5 or 6, my palate was already more adventurous than most kids’, and I loved the Mediterranean flavors and textures of this dish—salty feta, fresh parsley, crisp layers of phyllo dough. She would often make Triopetes as appetizers before dinner parties, and I loved them! Finally, at age 10, I wrote the recipe myself so I could have it forever, because I adored my mother so much, and this was something I connected with her… That early experience not only captured my attention but also sparked a lifelong love of cooking, entertaining and sharing food.
Ingredients
1 box of Phyllo dough leaves
1 pound of crumbled feta cheese
3 egg yolks
½ cup whole milk ricotta
1 cup of butter, melted
4 TBLS chopped parsley
1 cup bachamel sauce
Bachemel sauce:
3 TBLS salted butter
3 TBLS all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk at room temperature
¼ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
Directions
- In medium sauce pan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted and foamy. Whisk in flour,
until well combined. Cook, whisking constantly, until the raw smell of the flour disappears, about
2 minutes.
Slowly add the milk, whisking until no lumps remain. Increase the heat to medium-high, whisking
until the sauce thickens, resembling a white gravy. This takes usually 4-5 minutes.
Use the bechamel immediately, or place in a bowl with plastic wrap directly over the top to keep
it from developing a skin.
1) Prepare you bechamel sauce and allow it to cool.
2) Preheat the oven to 375
3) To one cup of the bechamel sauce add the feta, egg yolks, ricotta, parsley and 3
tablespoons of melted butter. Mix well. Set aside.
4) Carefully remove the phyllo dough from the package. Phyllo dough is super thin and
delicate. It takes a few tries to feel comfortable using it, but its worth it. Sometimes I buy
an extra box just in case.
5) With a basting brush, lightly brush a sheet of phyllo with the melted butter. Cut the sheet
length-wise into 3-inch strips. At the bottom of the strip, place about 1.5-2 TBLS of the
cheese filling. Then, from the bottom working upwards fold a corner up to make a
triangle - repeat this folding all the way up the sheet. You will have a triangle pocket of
the filling. Place on a baking sheet. Continue repeating this process until you have the
desired amount of triopetes.
6) Brush them with a little more butter.
7) Bake them for 15-20 minutes.
8) Serve at once.
January – Guest Chef: Binky McCabe
Chinese Chicken Salad
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesHer Chinese chicken salad was the best and we would eat it on the snake river. Every moment we would fish this was a regular lunch! It is spectacular with lots of fresh and pickled ginger and cilantro.
Ingredients
1 rotisserie Chicken, meat removed from bones
1 bunch fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 c pickled ginger
1 bunch scallion, white and light green parts, sliced
english cucumber, skinned and sliced thin
1 head iceberg lettuce
- Dressing
1/4 c hoisin sauce
1/4 c rice vinegar
1 1/2 t hot chili oil
2 TB avocado oil
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, skinned and grated
Directions
- Remove meat bone and cut into bite size and place in a large bowl with scallions, pickled ginger, cilantro, lettuce, and cucumber.
- For the dressing, mix everything in a jar and give a good shake. Pour over salad and garnish with sesame seeds/peanuts and garnish with cilantro.
