Steak Au Poivre
It is thought that Steak au Poivre descended from what is known as Steak Diane. Some food historians believe that the origins can be traced to Leopold I of Germany in 1790. There are quite a few chefs who claim to have created this dish in either Paris or Monte Carlo. This steak is covered with coarsely ground pepper before sautéing or broiling. Steak au Poivre is usually finished either by topping it with a chunk of butter or by making a simple sauce from the pan drippings. You can serve with mashed potatoes or pomme frites. You most likely may find this dish in traditional French restaurants.
INGREDIENTS
Four 1” Thick Strip Steaks
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Chopped Shallots
¼ Cup Butter That Is Cut Into 2 Pieces
½ Cup Cognac
¾ Cup Heavy Cream
Salt & pepper both sides of each steak. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over a high heat and sauté the steaks (2 at a time) for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the steaks to a heatproof dish and keep them warm in the oven at 175° F. Pour out any leftover liquid from the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Next add the shallots to the skillet along with 1 piece of butter and sauté for 5 minutes until cooked. Very carefully add the Cognac and bring to a boil for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens. The Cognac may flame so be careful. Stir in the cream and the other piece of butter. Heat through and stir constantly. Serve the sauce over the steaks immediately. Serves 4
Old Fashioned Peppermint Ice Cream
In 1810 Peppermint Schnaps was invented by Paris candy maker, Francois Nicolas, to put on ice cream. Apparently, Napolean’s wife, Austrian Marie Louise Duchess of Parma, took the recipe back to Austria where it became popular as an ice cream dessert as well as a drink.
INGREDIENTS
4 Egg Yolks
1 ½ Cups Half & Half
1 Cups Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Salt
2 cups Whipping Cream
4 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Good Quality Crushed Peppermint Candy Pieces
In a heavy saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, half & half, sugar and salt. Cook and stir over a low heat until the mixture reaches 160° F and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and place the pan in a bowl of ice water. Stir for 2 minutes. Next, stir in the whipping cream and the vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. If you have time let it refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and fill the cylinder of the ice cream freezer 2/3 full. Make sure to refrigerate any of the remaining mixture until ready to freeze. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Stir in the peppermint candy pieces. Pour into a storage container and place in the freezer 2 to 4 hours before serving. Serves 8
Peach Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Chopped Fresh Peaches
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
¼ Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Whole Milk
2 Large Beaten Eggs
1 Tablespoons Vanilla
2 Cups Half & Half
Combine the peaches with ¼ cup of the sugar and chill in the refrigerator. In the meantime combine 1 cup of the sugar with the cornstarch and salt in a medium sized saucepan. Slowly add the milk and to the sugar mixture and cook over a medium low heat. Stir constantly for 20 minutes until thickened. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and then add ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk. Next add the egg mixture to the saucepan containing the milk mixture and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla and half & half. Stir in the peaches and then freeze in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s directions. If you need to do this in batches then go ahead. When done freeze in your freezer until ready to serve. Serves 8
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
I love homemade ice cream and vanilla has to be my favorite.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pint Whipping Cream
1 Pint Half & Half
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
Mix all ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Cover and chill until ready to use. Follow manufacturer’s directions to churn and freeze the ice cream. Place in your freezer until ready to eat. Your homemade ice cream will taste so much better than store bought. Serves 8
Strawberry Shortcake
This history of strawberry shortcake began around 1847 in the U.S. The first found recipe was in Miss Leslie’s Ladies New Receipt Book for “Strawberry Cake.”
The “Strawberry Cake” is very similar to what is known, today, as “Strawberry Shortcake.” Forget using the store bought sponge cakes for your Strawberry Shortcake. It is so much better to bake your own!
INGREDIENTS
Biscuits:
½ Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Stick Chilled Butter
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
2/3 Half & Half
Filling:
1 Quart Strawberries
1/3 Cup Sugar
Topping:
1 ½ Cups Real Whipping Cream
Rinse the berries under cold water and drain well. Hull and slice the berries and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and cover. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Whip the cream and sweeten with 3 tablespoons of sugar until soft peaks form. Cover the whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Move rack to the center. In a food processor combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Pulse to mix. Cut butter into 8 pieces and add to the mixture. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, but with a few pea sized chucks of the butter left in the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. With a for stir in the cream just until the doug his moist. Be very careful not to overwork the dough as the dough doesn’t have to hold together well at this point. Let the dough stand for 1 minute. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold the dough over on itself. Knead 3 times until it is holding together and is less sticky. Gently pat the dough into a 6×12 inch rectangle about ¾ inch thick. Cut into 8 (3 inch) biscuits with a floured round cutter. Transfer to a buttered parchment lined cookie sheet. Brush on a little half & half and sprinkle the tops with a bit of sugar. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Remove to a platter and split each biscuit horizontally with a serrated knife. Butter the hot biscuits and then top with 1/3 cup of strawberry mixture. Replace the tops and top with 1 tablespoon strawberries. Serve with chipped cream for the topping. Serves 8
Victoria’s Classic Potato Salad
There are many versions of potato salad both family varieties and ethnic varieties. Potato salad recipes were introduced to America by European settlers who adapted traditional foods to local ingredients. This accounts for regional potato salad variations in the U.S. Potato salad became popular in the second half of the 19th century. Cold potato salads evolved from British and French Recipes. Warm potato salads followed the German preference for hot vinegar and bacon dressings served over potatoes.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Peeled & Diced Potatoes
½ Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar or Malt Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Cup Finely Diced Celery
½ Cup Finely Chopped Onions
½ Cup Chopped Hard Boiled Eggs
2 Tablespoons Freshly Chopped Chives
Place the potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes until they are tender. Drain the potatoes and set aside. In a large bowl combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, celery, onions, hard boiled eggs and chives. Toss and coat thoroughly. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serves 6
Chocolate Soufflés
Everyone thinks that soufflés are difficult to make. They are easier than you think plus they make quite an impression. They are great as individual desserts and are beautiful as one large dessert.
INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ Cups plus 3 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Instant Espresso Coffee Crystals
1 Cup Milk
5 Ounces Chopped Unsweetened Chocolate
3 Tablespoons Softened Butter
4 Large Separated Eggs
2 Large Egg Whites
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
¼ Teaspoon Salt
Powdered Sugar
In a heavy 3 quart saucepan combine 1 ¼ cups sugar, the flour and the espresso powder. With a wire whisk, gradually stir in the milk until blended. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute until the mixture has thickened and boils. Remember to constantly stir. Remove from the heat when it hits the boiling point. Next, stir in the chocolate and butter until both are melted and smooth. With the whisk beat in the egg yolks until well blended. Stir in the vanilla and cool until the mixture is lukewarm. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease eight 6 ounce ramekins or custard cups or a 2 quart soufflé dish. Sprinkle lightly with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. You will need a large bowl and a mixer on high speed for this next part. Beat the egg whites and salt just until stiff peaks form when the beaters are lifted. With a rubber spatula, gently fold one third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold back into the remaining egg whites JUST until blended. Spoon into the prepared ramekins or soufflé dish and bake for 25 minutes until the soufflés have puffed and centers are glossy. Bake 35 minutes for a large soufflé. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately. Serves 8
Southern Fried Chicken
Before World War II, the only times most families had chicken were special occasions like holidays and Sunday dinners. Fried chicken used to be an expensive treat only eaten a couple of times a year. Due to the creation of large scale chicken farms chicken has become much more affordable. As a child I remember eating fresh killed chicken at my grandmother’s house in Nebraska. She had a special tree stump that she used as her chopping block.
INGREDIENTS
4 Pounds of Chicken Pieces
1 ½ Cups Whole Milk or Buttermilk
2 Large Eggs
2 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Cups Vegetable Oil
Rinse and pat dry the chicken pieces. Set aside. Combine the milk and eggs in a medium sized bowl and mix well. In a large zip lock bag combine the flour, salt and pepper. One at a time dip the chicken pieces in the milk mixture and let the excess drip off into the bowl. Put one or a few of the chicken pieces in the zip lock bag with the flour and shake lightly to coat thoroughly. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. In a fryer or in a heavy skillet heat the oil to 350° F. Fry a few pieces of the chicken at a time for 10 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. The breasts should take a bit less time than the other pieces. Test with a fork to see if the juices run clear to check for doneness. Remove to a plate covered with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Sprinkle with additional salt if you like. Serves 4
Cincinnati Chili
There are many variations on this dish all over Cincinnati. A “three-way” is over spaghetti with shredded Cheddar on top. Add chopped onion and it becomes a “four-way.” For a “five-way” add cooked red kidney beans.
INGREDIENTS
3 Teaspoons Olive Oil
2 Medium Chopped Yellow Onions
4 Teaspoons Finely Chopped Garlic
2 Pounds Ground Sirloin
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Oregano
½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
16 Ounces Canned Tomatoes
15 Ounces Beef Stock
1 ½ Cups Water
½ Ounce Chopped Unsweetened Chocolate
16 Ounces Spaghetti
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Add the garlic to the Dutch oven and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to the bowl of cooked onions. In the same Dutch oven, cook the ground sirloin over high heat. Break up the meat and cook until the meat is browned. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt, oregano and cayenne. Cook 1 minute longer. Next, add the tomatoes with the juice to the Dutch oven. Break up the tomatoes. Stir in the beef broth, water, chocolate, browned sirloin, onions and garlic. Heat to a boil and then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 3 hours. Remove the cover and simmer another 30 minutes until thickened. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti. Drain and serve the chili over the pasta. Serves 8
Snickerdoodles
I love Snickerdoodles! It is a tie between Peanut Butter Cookies and Snickerdoodles. Here is a super easy recipe.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 Large Egg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
In a medium mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking soda and cream of tartar. Beat until combined and scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Combine the 2 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place 2 inches apart a baking sheet line with parchment paper. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes approximately 36 cookies
