A Santa Fe-Inspired Dinner to Light Up the Night

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This was the table we set to call the spirits in—of memory, of place, of that peculiar, beautiful city where we were married. We lit incense. We played R. Carlos Nakai on repeat. And we raised our sage-gin spritzes to a year gone by, and the one just beginning.

This dinner wasn’t just food—it was intention. The kind you taste in every smoky, spicy bite.

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Hatch Green Chile Mac & Cheese

with Smoky Breadcrumbs + Charred Scallions
Creamy, indulgent, and wildly flavorful, this mac pulls no punches. The hatch chiles bring that slow-building heat, while the smoked paprika and charred scallions give it depth and drama.

Ingredients:

Mac & Cheese Base:

• 8 oz elbow or cavatappi pasta
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack
• 3/4 cup roasted hatch green chiles, chopped (or 2 4oz cans, mild or hot, depending on your tastes)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Smoky Breadcrumbs:

• 3/4 cup panko
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Pinch of salt

Charred Scallions:

• 1 bunch scallions
• Drizzle of olive oil

Instructions:

1. Char the scallions: Toss scallions in olive oil and grill or broil them until blackened and softened, 2-3 minutes per side. Make sure your pan or grill is hot before putting the scallions on! Set aside and slice.
2. Make the smoky breadcrumbs: In a small skillet, melt butter over medium/medium-high heat. Add panko, paprika, and salt. Toast until golden and crisp, 5 minutes.
3. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
4. Make the cheese sauce: Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once it becomes fully melted and a little bubbly, make a roux by whisking in the flour. Don’t walk away! Constantly whisk the butter and flour mixture until it becomes a light toasty brown and smells slightly like toast (or popcorn). Next, add the milk + cream, slowly, about 1/4 of a cup at a time, whisking into the toasty flour and butter until it’s well absorbed. Once all the milk and cream have been added, continue to whisk until the entire mixture has thickened. Be patient, his entire process will take a few minutes. Stir in cheeses until melted. Add hatch chiles, salt and pepper to taste.
5. Combine pasta with sauce. Top with charred scallions and smoky breadcrumbs.

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Beet + Orange Salad

with Citrus-Sage Vinaigrette + Goat Cheese
Bright, earthy, and elegant—this salad is the perfect foil to the mac’s richness.

Ingredients:

• 2–3 medium roasted beets (red, golden, or both), sliced
• 1 orange, segmented
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
• Mixed baby greens

Citrus-Sage Vinaigrette:

• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp honey
• 2 tsp finely minced fresh sage
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Roast the beets: Preheat oven to 400° F. Wash beets, keeping the skin on, then, wrap them in aluminum foil. Roast beets in foil for 50-60 minutes, let cool, keeping them in the foil as they do. After beets have cooled enough for you to touch them, gently roll/rub them in a paper towel to loosen the skins. Alternatively, you can use a knife or vegetable peeler to peel the skin off. It should come off rather easily. Slice thinly and set aside.
2. Toast the walnuts: Preheat a dry frying pan to medium-high heat. Put a handful (or two) of raw walnuts in the preheated pan and toast, occasionally stirring or flipping, and watch them carefully so they don’t burn. They are done when they start to become toasty and fragrant. Let them cool and give them a rough chop.
3. Make the dressing: Whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, Dijon mustard, honey, sage, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking consistently and vigorously to emulsify.
4. Assemble: Arrange greens on a plate. Top with sliced beets, orange segments, goat cheese, and walnuts.
5. Drizzle with vinaigrette just before serving.

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Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

with Chamomile Chantilly Cream
Buttery, floral, and just a little mysterious. These cookies are Santa Fe witch bakery chic.

Ingredients:

Shortbread:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp finely minced fresh rosemary (more if you prefer)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Optional: a pinch of lemon zest to brighten the herbal flavor

Chamomile Chantilly:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp dried chamomile (or 2 chamomile tea bags)
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Make the shortbread: Cream butter + sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla and the rosemary. Mix in flour and salt. Form a very soft and slightly sticky dough. Stick it in a Ziplock bag or wrap it in saran wrap and chill for 30 min. Roll out on a well floured surface (and a well floured rolling pin) to about 1/4 inch thick and cut out cookies to your desired shape, using any cookie or biscuit cutter you have. I used a biscuit cutter that was about 2 inches in diameter. Alternatively, you could roll the chilled dough into a log and create the cookies by slicing the log into 1/4 inch round sections. Bake at 325°F for 12–15 min until just golden.
2. Steep the cream: Warm 1/4 cup of the cream until lightly steamy, but not boiling. Remove from heat. Tear open the tea bags and steep the chamomile in the cream for 10–15 minutes. Strain and chill completely.
3. Whip the rest of the chilled cream with the chamomile infused cream, sugar + vanilla until soft peaks form. Make sure your mixer is on a high speed or your peaks wont form. This will take a few minutes, so be patient.
4. Serve cookies with a dollop of Chantilly—or sandwich it between two.

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Sage-Gin Spritz

(Botanical. Bubbly. Barefoot-friendly.)

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin
• 1/2 tbsp
• 2 fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• Sparkling water or club soda
• Optional: splash of dry white vermouth

Instructions:

1. In a shaker, muddle (mash heavily) the sage leaves in the honey and lemon juice to bring out the flavor of the sage.
2. Add gin and ice, put the lid on the shaker, and shake vigorously for about 10-20 seconds.
3. Strain into your favorite glass (we used coupe glassses)
4. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with another sage leaf.

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Set the Table (Optional but Encouraged)

• Lighting: One candle minimum. Bonus points for drippy ones.
• Scent: Piñon incense. Or burn some dried herbs and call it a spell.
• Soundtrack: Start with R. Carlos Nakai. End with whatever makes you feel haunted (in a good way).