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12-inch baguette, cut into 12 rounds

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Heat the oven to 400°F.

Arrange the baguette rounds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Bake until lightly toasted, about

5 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium, heat the remaining

3 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onions are lightly browned.

Add the beans and vinegar, then sauté until heated through. Remove the pan from the heat.

With a potato masher or fork, crush the beans until they form a chunky paste. Stir well to mix the beans with the other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the bread rounds on a serving platter or individual plates. Top each round with a bit of the bean mixture.

Use a vegetable peeler to shave large strips of Parmesan cheese over each piece.

HOW LONG? 30 MINUTES

HOW MUCH? 12 CROSTINI

Chipotle Buffalo Wings with Blow-Your-Mind Blue Cheese Dip

Because if you’re going to do buffalo wings, you need to do them right. These are seriously intense. The agave and chipotle sauce gives the wings a sweet-meets-heat bite that is tamed by the intensely creamy and rich blue cheese dip.

Don’t have (or want) chipotle hot sauce and agave syrup (a honey-like syrup)? Substitute any hot sauce and honey.

5 pounds chicken wings and drummettes (20 to 25 pieces)

¼ cup chipotle hot sauce

2 tablespoons agave syrup, plus more, to taste

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

6 cups canola oil

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Use paper towels to pat the chicken pieces dry. Use many towels and try to absorb as much moisture as possible. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the hot sauce, agave, butter, soy sauce, and cilantro. Taste to check the heat level. If the sauce is too spicy, add agave. Set aside.

Place the oil in a large Dutch oven. Heat over medium until it reaches 275°F.

Divide the chicken into four batches. Working one batch at a time, fry for 8 minutes, transferring each to a clean plate or baking sheet when done.

Once the first round of frying is done, increase the heat to medium-high and heat the oil to 375°F.

Fry the chicken, again in batches, for 2 minutes, then transfer it to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. The skin should be brown and crunchy. As each batch finishes, season it with salt and pepper. When all the chicken pieces have been fried, transfer them to the bowl of prepared sauce. Toss to coat well, then transfer the buffalo wings to a serving platter.

HOW LONG? 1 HOUR (45 MINUTES ACTIVE)

HOW MUCH? 6 SERVINGS

Blow-Your-Mind Blue Cheese Dip

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 shallots, minced

½ teaspoon mustard powder

1½ cups sour cream

½ cup plain whole-milk Greek-style yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1¾ cups crumbled blue cheese (such as Gorgonzola or Roquefort)

Pinch smoked paprika

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, combine the oil, garlic, shallots, and mustard powder. Sauté until the shallots are lightly browned and very tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.

Stir in the sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise, and blue cheese. Transfer to a serving bowl, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 45 minutes.

When ready to serve, sprinkle with paprika.

HOW LONG? 1 HOUR (15 MINUTES ACTIVE)

HOW MUCH? 10 SERVINGS

Smoky Fried Calamari with Zesty Tomato Sauce

With calamari, fresh is