Bar Cookies from Cake Mix

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 egg
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in water and egg, then stir in cake mix. Finally, mix in nuts and chocolate chips. Spread mixture into pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Roast Chicken with Grapes

Ingredients

1 roasting chicken, about 4 to 5 pounds
1 lemon, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, cut into eight wedges
1 large bunch of seedless grapes
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, and or tarragon
1 cup of white wine
Olive oil

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2 Rub inside of chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle insides with salt and pepper. Remove about a cup's worth of grapes from their vines and cut in half. Insert grapes into cavity. Add a few onion wedges into the cavity, along with a few sprigs of fresh herbs. You do not need to remove the rosemary from the stalk. Add a half of the lemon slices to the cavity. If you still have more space in the cavity, add more grapes.

3 Rub olive oil over the outside of the chicken. Line the bottom of a roasting casserole dish with onion slices and lemon slices. Place the chicken in the roasting pan, on top of the lemon wedges and onion, breast side down. (Or you could use a roasting rack. Using a roasting rack will ensure that the entire chicken is roasted. If you place the chicken directly in the pan, the breast meat may braise in the juices, which is also quite good, but different from roasting.)

Sprinkle outside of chicken with salt and pepper. Place sprigs of herbs and slices of lemon between the wings and the body of the chicken. Arrange any remaining grapes, lemon slices, and herbs around the sides of the chicken.

4 Roast at 350 degrees F in the oven for about 20 minutes per pound. Baste with the juices from the chicken and the white wine several times during the cooking. The chicken is done when the juices run clear (not pink) when a knife tip is inserted into both the chicken breast and thigh, about 165-170°F for the breast and 180-185°F for the thigh.

Serve with rice, and include the cooked grapes and juices.

Reuben Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients

Sandwich ingredients
2 Tbsp butter, softened
8 slices rye bread
8 slices Swiss cheese
3/4 lb corned beef brisket, thinly sliced
1/2 lb sauerkraut
1/4 cup Russian Dressing

Russian Dressing
Combine the following ingredients. Makes one-half cup
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1 Butter one side of four slices of bread, and place the slices buttered-side down on a large piece of wax paper on a flat surface. Top each with a slice of Swiss cheese, and then divide half of the corned beef among them.

2 Using paper towels, squeeze out excess moisture from the sauerkraut. Divide the sauerkraut among the sandwiches, and top each with one tablespoon of Russian dressing. Add another layer of corned beef and a second slice of Swiss cheese to each sandwich. Top with the remaining bread slices; butter the side facing out.

3 Preheat a griddle or frying pan to medium heat. Cook the sandwiches on one side until the bread is golden brown. Use a spatula to carefully flip the sandwiches over and finish cooking on the second side. Cut the sandwiches in half before serving.

Make 4 sandwiches. Serve with a side of coleslaw.

Huevos Rancheros Recipe

The recipe is flexible, sometimes we use canned salsa and just add a few more chopped tomatoes and some chopped pickled jalapenos to make the sauce. Sometimes if we have some leftover refried beans, we'll spread some on the tortillas before topping them with the eggs and salsa. My mother has been known to add a pinch of sugar to the salsa sauce if she feels it's too acidic for her taste.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped (about a half cup)
• 1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted, if you can get it (or 1 -2 large fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, when in season)
• 1/2 6-ounce can diced green Anaheim chiles
• Chipotle chili powder, adobo sauce, or ground cumin to taste (optional)
• 4 corn tortillas
• Butter
• 4 fresh eggs
• 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Method

1 Make the sauce first by softening the onions in a little olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once translucent, add the tomatoes and the juice the tomatoes are packed in. Break up the tomatoes with your fingers as you put them in the pan. If you are using fresh tomatoes, chop them first, then add. Note that fresh tomatoes will take longer to cook as canned tomatoes are already cooked to begin with. Add chopped green chilies. Add additional chili to taste, either chipotle chili powder, adobo sauce, regular chili powder, or even ground cumin. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and let simmer while you do the rest of the cooking, stirring occasionally. Reduce to warm after it has been simmering for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste if needed.

2 Prepare the tortillas. Heat the oven to a warm 150°F, place serving plates in the oven to keep warm. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high, coating the pan with the oil. One by one (or more if your pan is big enough) heat the tortillas in the pan, a minute or two on each side, until they are heated through, softened, and pockets of air bubble up inside of them. Then remove them and stack them on one of the warming plates in the oven to keep warm while you continue cooking the rest of the tortillas and the eggs.

3 Fry the eggs. Using the same skillet as was used for the tortillas, add a little butter to the pan, about two teaspoons for 4 eggs. Heat the pan on medium high heat. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes for runny yolks, more for firmer eggs.

To serve, spoon a little of the sauce onto a warmed plate. Top with a tortilla, then a fried egg. Top with more sauce, sprinkle with cilantro if desired.

Serve either one or two eggs/tortillas per plate, depending on how much you want to eat. I'm a 2-egg 2 tortilla person myself.

Makes 2-4 servings, depending on your appetite.

Baby Bok Choy with Cashews

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped green onions, including green ends
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound baby bok choy, rinsed, larger leaves separated from base, base trimmed but still present, holding the smaller leaves together
• 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• Salt
• 1/2 cup chopped, roasted, salted cashews

Method

1 Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add onions, then garlic, then bok choy. Sprinkle with sesame oil and salt. Cover, and let the baby bok choy cook down for approximately 3 minutes. (Like spinach, when cooked, the bok choy will wilt a bit.)

2 Remove cover. Lower heat to low. Stir and let cook for a minute or two longer, until the bok choy is just cooked.

3 Gently mix in cashews.

Serves 4.

Cioppino Recipe

Actually cioppino, a tasty fish and shellfish stew, is pretty easy to make if you have the ingredients. The trick is using the highest quality seafood. I wouldn't attempt this stew unless I had access to very fresh fish and shellfish, fortunately abundant in the San Francisco Bay Area. Whole Foods usually carries good seafood, but you should always check when they got the item in. Preferably it came in that morning. Asian markets can be a good source of fresh seafood as well, often available at a much lower price than that of Whole Foods. If your fishmonger has some good fish or shellfish stock for sale as well, all the better.

Note that cioppino is typically served with the shellfish still in their shells, making for somewhat messy eating. It's a lot of fun for an informal gathering. Have plenty of napkins available and don't wear white.

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Ingredients

Seafood
3 pounds halibut, sea bass, or other firm white fish, cut into inch-long cubes
1 large (2 lb or more) cooked Dungeness crab (hard shell) or a cooked lobster
1 pound (or more) of large shrimp
2 pounds little neck clams, mussels, or oysters or all three

Sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (1 large onion)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper (1 large green bell pepper)
3 coves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 28 ounce can tomatoes
Broth from the mollusks
2 cups red wine
2 cups tomato juice
2 cups fish or shellfish stock
An herb bouquet of bay leaf, parsley, and basil wrapped in a layer of cheesecloth and secured with kitchen string
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup minced parsley for garnish
Optional seasonings: a dash of Tabasco sauce and or Worcestershire sauce

Method

1 Steam mollusks (clams, mussels, oysters) in a small amount of water (about a cup) until they just open. Set aside. Strain and reserve the cooking broth.

2 If using crab, removed the crab legs from the body and use a nut cracker to crack the shells so that the meat can be easily removed once it is served (leave the meat in the shell). Break the body in half, and then cut each half again into either halves or thirds. Keep the top shell of the crab for making stock.

If you are using lobster, cut the tail in pieces and reserve the body and legs for making stock.

Note you can use prepared fish or shellfish stock, or you can make your own. If you are not making your own stock, you can discard the crab top shell or lobster body. If prepared shellfish stock is not available, I would combine some prepared fish stock (available at many markets, including Trader Joe's) with clam juice.

3 Split the shrimp shells down the back and remove the black vein. (See how to peel and devein shrimp.) I found the easiest way to do this, without removing the shell, is to lay the shrimp on its side and insert a small knife into the large end of the shrimp, with the blade pointing outward from the back (away from the shrimp and your hands). Once you have split the shrimp shells, you can turn the knife toward the shrimp, and cut in a little to find the black vein. Pull out the vein as much as you can. You can probably also use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the backs of the shrimp.

Alternatively, you can shell the shrimps and devein them. Shell-on imparts more flavor; shell-off is easier to eat.

4 In a deep 8-quart covered pot, sauté onions and green pepper on medium heat in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic, sauté 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, broth from the mollusks, red wine, tomato juice, fish or shellfish stock, the herb bouquet, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove herb bouquet. Taste and correct seasoning.

5 Add the fish and cook, covered, until the fish is just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the steamed mollusks, crabmeat, and shrimp. Heat just until shrimp are cooked (just 2-3 minutes, until they are bright pink). Do not overcook.

6 Serve in large bowls, shells included. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Serve with crusty French or Italian bread and a robust red wine. Have plenty of napkins available, a few extra bowls for the shells, and nut crackers and tiny forks for the crab.

Serves 8.

Cheesy Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1 lb shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped green onion (to taste)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp sour cream (optional)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup, 4 ounces), softened to the point of being slightly melted

• 1 to 2 loaves of French or Italian bread (I used Ciabatta), depending on the size of the loaves

Method

1 In a large bowl, mix together the cheeses and the green onion. Stir in the mayonnaise and sour cream. In a separate small bowl blend the butter and garlic until smooth. Add the butter mixture to the cheese mixture.

2 Preheat broiler. Slice loaf of bread in half horizontally, lay crust side down. Spread cheese mixture over the bread. Place under the broiler until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.

3 Remove from broiler and let sit for 5 minutes until cool enough to handle. Slice the bread with a bread knife. Serve.

Makes 30 to 40 slices.

Apple Crisp Recipe

Apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter and oatmeal? Welcome to the essential ingredients of the apple crisp, one of the most simple and easy of apple desserts.

Ingredients

7 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Method

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, and vanilla. Toss to combine.

2 Layer sliced apples in a 9 x 12 inch baking pan.

3 Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and oatmeal in a bowl. Cut in butter. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples.

4 Bake 45 minutes or until topping looks crunchy and apples are tender.

Serves 8. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Turkey Chili Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 (35 oz) cans stewed tomatoes, crushed
• 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock
• 2 Tbsp chili powder (or up to 4 Tbsp if you like it really hot)
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp salt, plus more if desired to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 to 4 cups of shredded, cooked turkey meat
• Sugar

• Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, sour cream for optional garnish.

Method

1 In a large, 8-quart, thick-bottom pot, cook the onion and green pepper over medium high heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for a minute or two more. Add a bit more olive oil if needed.

2 Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock. beans, oregano, salt, pepper, and cooked turkey meat. Bring mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for an hour.

3 Salt to taste. Add 1 to 3 teaspoons of sugar to take the edge of the acidity of the tomatoes if desired.

The chili may be made in advance and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for 2 months.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, and or sour cream. Serve alone, over rice, or with corn bread.

Makes about 12 cups. Serves 8.

Coleslaw Recipe

Preparation time: 5 minutes.

Ingredients

• Cabbage, either green or purple or both
• Carrot
• Green onion

For the version with mayonnaise:

• Mayonnaise
• Yellow mustard
• Pepper

For the version without mayonnaise:

• Rice vinegar or white vinegar
• Sugar
• Salt and pepper

Method

1 Starting with a head or half a head of cabbage, thinly slice the cabbage until you have approximately 4 cups (not packed) of sliced cabbage. (Using a mandoline helps in this case.) Julienne a half of a carrot. Thinly slice a couple green onions.

1 For the mayo dressing version, add 3 Tbsp mayo, 1/2 teaspoon of yellow mustard and mix in with the cabbage, carrot, and onions. Add pepper to taste.

3 For the non-mayo version, add a couple tablespoons of rice vinegar. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

Makes about 18 large chewy oatmeal raisin cookies.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups rolled oats (We use Quaker Quick or Old Fashioned. Do NOT use instant.)
1 1/2 cups raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Method

1 Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or waxed paper.

2 Either by hand or with electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.

3 Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg together in medium bowl. Stir dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture. Stir in oats, raisins and optional walnuts.

4 Working with generous 2 tablespoons of dough each time, roll dough into 2-inch balls. Place balls on parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between each ball.

5 Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool on cooling at least 30 minutes before peeling cookie from parchment.

If you prefer a less sweet cookie, you can reduce the white sugar by one-quarter cup, but you will lose some crispness. Do not overbake these cookies. The edges should be brown, but the rest of the cookie should be very light in color. The trick to making the cookies chewy is to make them large. Smaller cookies tend to get more dried out and crisp, and therefore not as chewy.

Baklava Recipe

Ingredients

For the baklava:

• 1 lb. of chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pistachios are best, or use a combination of them)
• 1 lb of phyllo dough
• 1 cup of butter, melted
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/3 teaspoon of ground cloves

For the syrup:

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick

• Finely ground pistachios for garnish (optional)

Method

1 Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and set the oven to 350°F.

2 Thaw the phyllo dough according to manufacturer's directions (this may take overnight). When thawed, roll out the dough and cut the dough in half so the sheets will fit in the pan. Cover with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.

3 Process the nuts until in small, even sized pieces. Combine with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.

4 Place a sheet of phyllo dough into the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Repeat 7 more times until it is 8 sheets thick, each sheet being "painted" with the butter.

5 Spoon on a thin layer of the nut mixture. Cover with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each one with butter. Continue to repeat the nut mixture and two buttered sheets of phyllo until the nut mixture is all used up. The top layer should be 8 phyllo sheets thick, each sheet being individually buttered. Do not worry if the sheets crinkle up a bit, it will just add more texture.

6 Cut into 24 equal sized squares using a sharp knife. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown, and edges appear slightly crisp.

7 While baking, make the syrup. Combine the cinnamon stick, sugar, lemon juice, honey, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and let simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool.

8 Spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Garnish with some finely crushed pistachios of desired.

Ingredients

For the baklava:

• 1 lb. of chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pistachios are best, or use a combination of them)
• 1 lb of phyllo dough
• 1 cup of butter, melted
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/3 teaspoon of ground cloves

For the syrup:

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick

• Finely ground pistachios for garnish (optional)

Method

1 Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and set the oven to 350°F.

2 Thaw the phyllo dough according to manufacturer's directions (this may take overnight). When thawed, roll out the dough and cut the dough in half so the sheets will fit in the pan. Cover with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.

3 Process the nuts until in small, even sized pieces. Combine with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.

4 Place a sheet of phyllo dough into the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Repeat 7 more times until it is 8 sheets thick, each sheet being "painted" with the butter.

5 Spoon on a thin layer of the nut mixture. Cover with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each one with butter. Continue to repeat the nut mixture and two buttered sheets of phyllo until the nut mixture is all used up. The top layer should be 8 phyllo sheets thick, each sheet being individually buttered. Do not worry if the sheets crinkle up a bit, it will just add more texture.

6 Cut into 24 equal sized squares using a sharp knife. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown, and edges appear slightly crisp.

7 While baking, make the syrup. Combine the cinnamon stick, sugar, lemon juice, honey, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and let simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool.

8 Spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Garnish with some finely crushed pistachios of desired.

Brandied Cranberry, White Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup of brandy (to soak the cranberries in, then saving 1 1/4 teaspoons of it for later)
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 1 cup (two sticks) of butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup of lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of white chocolate chips

Method

1 Put the cranberries in a wide and shallow bowl, pour in a bit of brandy. Enough so they're surrounded by it, but not drowning. Cover and place in the fridge for an hour or more. Afterwards, place a colander over a bowl and pour the cranberries and brandy through, putting the cranberries and the brandy they soaked in aside. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2 Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until light, fluffy and well incorporated.

3 Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and add 1 1/4 teaspoons of the brandy that the cranberries soaked in (as for the rest, I suggest popping it in a glass and topping it off a bit for yourself). Beat well until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl midway through to ensure even mixing.

4 Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then add to the mixture a bit at a time, beating until just mixed. Fold in the brandy soaked cranberries and white chocolate chips. Let chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.

5 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (a baker's best friend) and place rounded spoonfuls down on the sheet. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

*I find that adding the baking soda separately seems to form softer cookies. This is how my mom and grandmother taught me, and if there is actual science behind it, I'm not aware but it seems pretty consistent, and it won't ruin the cookies if you try it this way.

Watermelon Mimosa

Ingredients:

1 quarter of a large watermelon, about 5 cups cut in small pieces

Juice from 6 oranges, about 2 cups juice

1 bottle of chilled champagne, cava, prosecco or other sparkling wine

Sugar to taste, based on sweetness of the fruit

Mint to garnish

Preparation:

1. Blend the watermelon chunks with the orange juice and sugar to taste until you have a smooth pure, strain if needed.
2. Chill the watermelon orange mix in the refrigerator until ready to prepare the drinks.
3. Pour the watermelon orange mix into champagne flutes, about half full.
4. Add the champagne or other sparkling wine, pouring it gently to avoid from making a bubbly mess.
5. Stir lightly and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Empanadas

Ingredients:

15-18 medium or 25-30 small sweet empanada discs made from basic sweet pastry dough

3 cups chopped rhubarb

3 cups chopped strawberries

1 cup sugar

2 tbs orange juice

1 tbs cornstarch

1 egg, yolk and white separated and lightly whisked

½ cup demerara sugar

Preparation:

1. Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, orange juice and cornstarch in a large bowl, mix well and let rest for an hour.
2. Drain the liquid from the strawberries and rhubarb.
3. To assemble the empanadas spoon the rhubarb and strawberry mixture on the center of the empanada disc.
4. Brush the edges of the empanada disc with the egg whites.
5. Fold the empanada discs and seal the edges, use a fork to help seal the empanadas.
6. Lightly brush the top of the empanadas with the egg yolk; this will give them a nice golden glow when baked.
7. Sprinkle the demerara sugar on the top of the empanadas.
8. Chill the empanadas for at least 30 minutes, this will help them seal better and prevent leaks.
9. Bake the empanadas in a pre-heated oven at 375 F for 30 minutes or until golden.
10. Serve either warm or cold with whipped cream.

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart

Ingredients:

9 or 10 inch partially baked tart shell, from homemade tart dough or store bought

2 cups asparagus cut in small bite size pieces, about ½ bunch

2 cups diced red onion

2 tbs butter

1 cup crumbled goat cheese

3 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Bring a small pot of water to boil with a pinch of salt and add the asparagus, boil for about 2 minutes, drain and place in ice cold water to stop the cooking process, drain again to remove excess water.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F
3. Melt the butter over medium heat, add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
4. Combine the eggs, cream, salt and pepper together, mix well.
5. Add the crumbled goat cheese to the cream mixture or if desired add the goat cheese at the end of the tart assembly process.
6. Line the bottom of the partially baked tart shell with the asparagus pieces.
7. Add the cooked red onions on top the asparagus pieces and spoon the cream mixture into the tart over the asparagus and onions.
8. Sprinkle the goat cheese on top (if it wasn’t included in the cream mixture).
9. Place the tart pan on a cookie sheet (already pre-heated) to keep any leaks from spilling and making a mess in the oven.
10. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the filling is set and the top begins to golden.

Batter Fried Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 Pound Large Shrimp -- shelled
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Garlic -- finely chopped
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1/4 Cup Evaporated Milk
• 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
• 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Anatto Powder -- mixed with
• 2 Tablespoons Water
• Oil -- for frying

Directions

Slit open the shrimp. Rub with lemon juice. Combine vinegar, pepper, garlic and salt. Marinate shrimp in this for 2 hours. Combine remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Dip each shrimp in batter. Fry in oil until batter is golden brown.

Serves 2

Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 3 Ounces Shiitake Mushrooms -- sliced
• 3 Ounces Mushrooms
• 3 Ounces Exotic Mushrooms Of Choice
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Small Onion -- finely chopped OR
• 5 Medium Shallots -- minced
• 3 Cloves Garlic -- crushed
• Salt And Pepper
• Nutmeg -- to taste
• 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
• 2 Teaspoons Flour
• 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
• 2/3 Cup Fresh Cream
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 3 Tablespoons Fresh Chives -- chopped

Directions

Slice all mushrooms about 1/4 inch thick. Saute along with onion and garlic about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and lemon juice, cook 2 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to soup pot. Deglaze pan with water to enrich soup. Sprinkle mushrooms with flour, cook and stir a few minutes. Add stock, deglaze, and bay leaf. Cook until richly flavored, 15-20 minutes. Discard bay leaf, add cream, heat through, taste, adjust seasonings. Serve topped with chives.

Serves 4

Strawberry Spinach Salad I

PREP TIME	10 Min
READY IN	1 Hr 10 Min

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Asian Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 Small Red Cabbage -- shredded
• 1 Small Green Cabbage -- shredded
• 2 Small Bell Pepper -- of varied colors
• 1 Bunch Scallions -- chopped
• 1 Large Jalapeno -- chopped
• 1 Small Red Onion -- chopped
• 1/2 Bunch Cilantro -- chopped
• 1 Medium Carrot -- shredded
• 2/3 Cup Rice Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1/3 Cup Sesame Oil
• 1/3 Cup Ginger -- grated
• 4 Cloves Garlic -- minced
• 1/4 Cup Fish Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
• 1/4 Cup Sugar

Directions

Combine all vegetables, toss. Whisk all dressing ingredients together. Add dressing to salad 1 hour before serving.

Serves 6