This dish just looks like Christmas. My big brother usually finds a way to tie in all the elements of cuisine taste appearance and plating. Getting the recipe from him is always another matter. He doesn't write anything down and he usually can't make the exact thing twice. But he's got this one down pat. I had to watch him make it then try it myself. Any type of Poultry can be used. Guinea Fowl. Cornish Game. Hens or plain old Chicken. I used one of the Ayrshire farms roasters.

Using two fingers CAREFULLY part the skin from the chicken pieces. DO NOT SEPARATE. With a teaspoon evenly stuff the ricotta mixture into the gaps under the skin. When done pull the skin around the piece so it's tight.

Preheat oven to 425F. On the stove heat an oven safe pan add glugs of olive oil and the legs and thighs of the fowl (skin side up) and cook for 20 minutes until crisp and golden on each side. Add the breast (skin side up). Add butter garlic and wine.

Place in oven for 20 minutes then add Pomegranate seeds. Cook for another 15 minutes. Remove for oven and place on stovetop and add the Spinach. Mix in lightly to let it wilt just a bit.

In the bottom of the pan is a great sauce. Taste and add salt and pepper is necessary but it should be wonderful stuff.

Plating: In the center of your plate add a small amount of WILD RICE. Place two pieces of fowl around it. And and spoon the sauce with pomegranates and spinach all over everything. Wonderful stuff.

The ingredients listed are from behind the stove at a local Middleburg restaurant. A special thank you goes to Chef Todd for his generosity in sharing his knowledge and his understanding and love for the industry.

"Blow Out My Aorta" Baked Onions

This is a treat to have something like this on your plate at the holiday because you surely you can't have these on a regular basis. Anything that starts with Cream and adds cheese. God love ya. It's a great delicious "bad" example. Pick a good size onion and be aware the tops bottoms you trim off and the onion you scoop out are to be SAVED and chopped for the filling.

Boil the onion in plenty of water for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Remove the top (inch of each onion. Chop the tops and set aside. If you need trim the stalk ends so they sit flat in a roasting pan. Cut a heaping tablespoons size out of the inside of each onion. Chop and add to the tops set aside. Preheat oven to 375F. Heat a sauce pan. Add a glug of OLIVE OIL. Add the chopped onion garlic and a half of the rosemary. Sauté for a couple minutes until onions soften a bit. Turn heat down and add cream and stir in Parmesan Cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Wrap a piece of the Pancetta or Bacon around the middle of each onion use and a toothpick of the spear of rosemary to hold it in place onions on your roasting pan. And spoon the chopped onion mixture inside each onion. Bake in oven for 25 minutes until they are soft and tender.