Rosemary & Parmesan Encrusted Rack of Lamb
INGREDIENTS
4 Half Racks of Lamb
1 Cup Dijon Mustard
1 Bunch Fresh Rosemary
1 Pound Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Pound Panko Breadcrumbs
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Preheat the oven to 475° F. To make the crust add panko breadcrumbs, chopped fresh rosemary, salt, pepper and grated Parmesan cheese in a medium sized bowl. Make sure to discard the rosemary stems. Mix well. Brush racks of lamb with the Dijon mustard. Dip the racks of lamb into the breadcrumb mixture. Cook the racks of lamb on a roasting pan for 15 minutes for medium rare lamb. Remove from oven and place on serving platter. Serves 4
Mango Citrus Chicken Kabobs
INGREDIENTS
5 Pounds Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Large Orange or Red Bell Pepper
MARINADE
½ Pound Peeled/Pitted/Diced Fresh Ripe Mango
1 Pound Spicy Mango Chutney
1 Diced & Cleaned Green Bell Pepper
1 Teaspoon Fresh Cilantro
1 Teaspoon Fresh Chopped Jalapeno Pepper
1 Teaspoon Fresh Lime Juice
4 Teaspoons Teriyaki Sauce
1 Teaspoon Thai Chili Sauce
1 Teaspoon Salt
Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend for 20 seconds. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 ½ inch cubes. Place chicken cubes in a large zip lock bag or a square pan. Pour marinade over chicken cubes and place in the refrigerator. Marinade for at least 3 hours. In the meantime cut up the bell pepper into pieces. Soak 10 wood or bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes. This prevents the skewers from burning on the grill. Remove marinated chicken from the refrigerator and arrange the chicken and pepper on the soaked skewers. Place on a medium-high heat grill and grill for 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Serve warm. Serves 4
Favorite Taco Salad
There are many variations of the taco salad. Often served as a fried flour tortilla shell stuffed with shredded lettuce and topped with diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole and taco sauce. The salad is topped with taco meat which is often times ground beef or seasoned shredded chicken. The salad also may have a base of refried beans on the shell before the lettuce is added. Here is my recipe for taco salad.
INGREDIENTS
Dressing:
¼ Cup Fresh Lime Juice
½ Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ Cup Olive Oil
Beef:
1 Chopped Medium Onion
4 Finely Chopped Garlic Cloves
2 Fresh & Finely Chopped Serrano Chiles
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 ½ Pounds Ground Sirloin
8 Ounces Tomato Sauce
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Salad:
1 Large Avocado
1 Thinly Sliced Head Iceberg Lettuce
1 Chopped Large Tomato
1 ½ Cups Grated Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese
6 Ounces Sliced & Pitted Black Olives
15 to 19 Ounces of Black Beans (Drained & Rinsed)
To make the dressing: whisk together the lime juice, cilantro, sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Next add the oil in a stream while whisking. Whisk until emulsified.
To cook the beef: in a large heavy skillet cook the onion, garlic, chilies, chili powder and cumin the oil over medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook for 6 minutes until the onion is softened. Next add the beef and cook for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally and break up any lumps. Cook until meat is no longer pink and then spoon off any excess fat from the skillet. Add the tomato sauce, salt and pepper to the beef and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Assemble the salad: peel and pit the avocado and then cut into ½ inch pieces. Spread the lettuce over bottom of a shallow 4 quart dish. Spoon beef mixture evenly over the lettuce and continue making layers with tomatoes, cheese, beans, avocado and olives. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve. Serves 6
Fettuccine Alfredo
Named by Alfredo de Lelio at his restaurant, Alfredo, on the via Scrofa in Rome in 1914 as a variation of fettuccine al burro (fettuccine with butter). The dish became famous when Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks stopped in and fell in love with the dish while on their honeymoon in 1927. To express their gratitude, they gave him a golden fork and spoon along with a photo of them eating in his restaurant. Alfredo proudly displayed the photo on the wall. Pickford and Fairbanks served his dish to their friends and associates when they returned to Hollywood. Word about the new dish quickly spread. In 1938 di Lelio retired and sold his restaurant. The new owner kept the restaurant’s name, menu, traditional recipes, photos on the wall and everything else. As of 2011 the restaurant is still in business under the name Alfredo alla Scrofa.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Dried Egg Fettuccine
½ Cup Butter (1 Stick) Plus 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
½ Cup (4 Ounces) Grated Parmigiano- Reggiano Plus Additional For Sprinkling
2/3 Cup Heavy Cream
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Cook the fettuccine in an 8 quart pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup cooking water and then drain the pasta in a colander. Do not rinse the pasta. Melt 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter in a 3 quart flameproof gratin dish over low heat. Next, add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add the cheese, reserved cooking water, cream, salt, pepper and the remaining 3 tablespoons thinly sliced butter. Toss to combine well. Sprinkle with additional cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4
Basic Yellow Cake
I love this recipe. It is incredibly versatile. If you want to add fruit or flavorings to the cake you can. Use whatever frosting that you wish. Dress this cake up or dress it down. You can use this recipe for layer cakes, cupcakes, loaf cakes or specialty pan cakes. It suits all occasions from everyday to a special occasion.
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups Sifted Cake Flour
2 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoons Salt
1 ¾ Cups Sugar
2/3 Cup Softened Butter
2 Eggs
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 ¼ Cups Milk
Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease tow 8 inch round cake pans. Line prepared cake pans with parchment paper. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light. Next, add the eggs and vanilla to the creamed butter and sugar mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternating with the milk. Beat well after each addition. Continue beating for one minute. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared cake pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until inserted wooden toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool layers, in the pans, on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely. Fill and frost as you like. For a list of frosting click to the right of this page. Serves 12
Classic Beef Wellington
It is thought that this classic English dish was named after Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington. Apparently, the Duke loved a dish of beef, truffles, mushroom, Madeira wine and pâté cooked in pastry. Other accounts credit the name to a patriotic chef wanting to give an English name to a variation on the French filet de bœuf en croûte during the Napoleonic Wars.
Wellington is sometimes informally used to describe other dishes in which meat is baked in a puff pastry. The most common variations are Sausage Wellington, Lamb Wellington and Salmon Wellington. Beef Wellington is a preparation of fillet steak coated with a pâté (often pâté de foie gras) and duxelles, which is then wrapped in a puff pastry and baked.
INGREDIENTS
3.5 Pounds Tenderloin Roast
Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¾ Pound Butter
1 Pound Flour
½ Ounces Kosher Salt
1 Ounce Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
¾ Cup Water
¼ Cup Pâté de Foie Gras
1/8 Cup Diced Truffles
1 Egg Yolk
¼ Cup Milk
Preheat the oven to 450° F. Dry the roast on paper towels and rub all sides lightly with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place in an open baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the butter into the flour along with the salt and sugar. Mix the egg yolks with water and add gradually to the dry mixture. Gather the dough together and roll it out to a size that will encompass the roast. When the beef is ready, remove from the pan and cover with the foie gras and a few diced truffles. Place beef on top of the dough and roll the dough around it so that the roast is completely surrounded. Combine 1 egg yolk with milk and brush on top of the dough. As a decorative touch, the dough may be scored lightly in a criss-cross pattern before brushing with the egg and milk mixture. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until the dough has become a golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before carving. Transfer to a warmed serving platter. Serves 6
Beantown Baked Beans
This recipe is so easy. All you need is simmering time!
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Dried Navy Beans
2 Chopped Onions
1 Cup Water
½ Pound Diced Bacon
½ Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Ketchup
¼ Cup Molasses
5 Cloves Crushed Garlic
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 ½ Teaspoons Dry Mustard
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Soak the beans in enough water to cover plus three inches over night. Drain the beans and place in a large pot. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to simmer and add onions, water, bacon, brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, garlic, salt, dry mustard & black pepper. Cover and simmer for 8 to 10 hours. After cooking for some time add water as needed. Serve hot as a side dish. Serves 6
Thai Noodle Salad With Sliced Beef
I love this salad. It is easy to make and not too heavy.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces of Boneless Rib Steak
1 ½ Tablespoons Fish Sauce
DRESSING FOR BEEF:
1 ½ Teaspoons Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 ½ Teaspoons Soy Sauce
SALAD:
6 Ounces Rice Vermicelli Noodles
½ Cup Mint Leaves
½ Cup Cilantro Leaves
10 Peeled & Thinly Sliced Asian Red Shallots
1 Cucumber Cut Into Strips
1 Ounce Trimmed Snow Pea Sprouts
DRESSING FOR NOODLES:
1 Teaspoon Chili Flakes (Dry Fried & Ground In Mortar & Pestle)
1 Tablespoon Palm Sugar
1 ½ Tablespoon Fish Sauce
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
Mix the beef with the fish sauce and set aside. Mix together the dressing ingredients for the beef. Boil the noodles for 3 minutes. Drain and run through cold water. Toss the noodles with the salad ingredients. Cook the beef on high heat for three minutes on each side. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly and toss with some of the beef dressing. Combine the ingredients for the noodle dressing and toss with the noodles. Place noodles on a serving plate and top with beef strips. Drizzle with the remaining beef dressing. Serves 6
Blueberry Pie
What is better than Blueberry Pie? Answer: Two Blueberry Pies!
INGREDIENTS
2 Rolled Out Rounds of Basic Pie Dough
4 Cups Blueberries
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ Cups Sugar
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
½ Teaspoon Finely Grated Lemon Zest
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Cold Butter
Fold 1 dough round in half and carefully transfer it to a 9 inch pie dish. Unfold and ease the round into the pan without stretching it. Pat it firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Using kitchen scissors ( I can’t live without kitchen scissors), trim the edges of the dough, leaving ¾ inch of an overhang. Set the dough lined pie dish aside, along with the other dough in a cool place until you are ready to use it. Place the blueberries in a large bowl, sprinkle with the lemon juice and toss to coat evenly. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, salt and cinnamon. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the berries and toss to distribute evenly. Immediately transfer to the dough lined pie dish. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot the top of the blueberry mixture with the butter.
Fold the reserved dough round in half and carefully position it over half of the filled pie. Unfold and trim the edge neatly, leaving 1 inch of overhang. Next fold the edge of the top round under the edge of the bottom round and crimp the edges to seal. Using a small, sharp knife, cut an asterisk 4 to 5 inches across in the center of the top to allow the steam to escape during baking. You may also use a pie bird if you like. Refrigerate the pie for 30 minutes until the dough is firm. Meanwhile position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375° F. Bake the pie, with a baking sheet underneath to catch drips, for 50 to 60 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is thick and bubbling. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 1 to 2 hours to completely set. Serve at room temperature. Makes one 9 inch pie. Serves 8
Double Pie Crust
INGREDIENTS
2 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
2/3 Cup Shortening
8 Tablespoons Cold Water
In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Roll out to fit a 9 inch or 10 inch pie plate top and bottom. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to ½ inch beyond the edge of the plate; flute the edges. Fill shell according to recipe directions and top with the second round. Crimp the edges and bake according to recipe directions.
Blueberry Crumble Pie
Summer was created for blueberries and what a great way to honor summer than to make a blueberry pie! This recipe is made with a crisp and crunch crumb topping which is the perfect match for a juicy berry pie filling.
INGREDIENTS
1 Basic Pie Dough
¾ Cup Plus 5 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
2/3 Cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Plus 2 Tablespoon Sugar
2 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Stick (8 Tablespoons) Cold Unsalted Butter
5 Cups Blueberries
Put your oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400° F.
Roll out the dough and transfer to a 9 inch pie pan. Refrigerate until firm. Line the chilled piecrust with a piece of aluminum foil. Fill with dried bean, pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 15 minutes until the pie crust dries out. Carefully remove the weights and the foil. Reduce the heat to 350° F and continue to bake for another 5 minutes until the crust is lightly browned on the edges and dry looking on the bottom. Transfer the pie crust to a wire rack.
Increase the heat to 375° F. In a large bowl, stir together the ¾ cup of flour, 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, the 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and salt. Cut the butter into ¾ inch pieces and scatter the pieces on top and toss around with a fork or your fingers to coat with the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work the ingredients together until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs that are the size of large peas. Set the topping aside.
In a separate large bowl, combine the blueberries, the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 4 tablespoons of the flour. Gently stir to coat the blueberries evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of sugar over the bottom of the prebaked pie crust. Pour the filling into the crust, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the blueberry filling. Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the blueberry filling just begins to bubble. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Serve at room temperature. The pie is best served the day it is baked. Makes one 9 inch pie. Serves 12
Single Pie Crust
INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ Cups Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Shortening
4 Tablespoons Cold Water
In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Roll out to fit a 9 inch or 10 inch pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to ½ inch beyond the edge of the plate; flute the edges. Fill or bake shell according to recipe directions.
