Smokin'!

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add macaroni, salt, and a dash of oil. Cook according to al dente package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown sausage rounds in oil, about 7 to 10 minutes. Set sausage aside and quickly wipe oil from skillet. Melt butter in same skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly, until flour begins to smell nutty (1 to 2 minutes). Gradually whisk in the half-and-half, dried onion, ground mustard seed, and black pepper. Continue whisking until the mixture bubbles and thickens (about 2 minutes). Slowly add cheese by the handful, letting it melt before adding the next, stirring constantly. Mix in cooked macaroni, then browned sausage, cooking a minute longer to heat through. Garnish with parsley (optional) and serve hot.

To make the crust, combine flour and butter in a food processor. Pulse in 1-second bursts until the mixture becomes crumbly. Drizzle in ice water and pulse in 1-second bursts until dough begins to stick together. Gather dough and form a ball. Roll out crust and fit into a 9-inch pie pan, pressing crust into corners, and crimp edges. Poke some holes in the crust with a fork. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Heat oven to 425 F. Line crust with parchment or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or dry rice. Make sure the weights are snug against the sides of the pan. Place on a cookie sheet on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Set aside to cool and lower oven temperature to 350 F.

Sauté leek in oil for 5 to 7 minutes. Spread across bottom of the pie crust and top with smoked salmon. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over the salmon. Place on cookie sheet and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until center is puffed up and jiggles slightly. Remove from oven and allow to cool 15 minutes before serving.

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, rosemary, and garlic. Thinly spread mayo mixture on the insides of the kaiser rolls, reserving most of it for later. Lightly toast rolls mayo-side down in a large skillet. Build the sandwiches by stacking the remaining ingredients and slathering with mayonnaise. Cut in half and serve. Any remaining mayonnaise would be excellent for dipping french fries.

In a large skillet, bring ¼ inch water and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil. Add cauliflower in an even layer, cover with lid, and steam for about 3 minutes, until slightly tender. Drain well. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, crushed red pepper, mustard seed, and garlic powder. Mix in half of the Gouda, then the cauliflower. Transfer mixture to an 8 x 12-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Gouda on top. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and broil a few minutes to get a toasty golden top.