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Farfalle with Lobster
8 ounces of Farfalle - cooked
3 ounces of lobster meat
1/2 ounce of olive oil
2 teaspoons of minced garlicnced
3 ounces of pesto cream sauce-recipe
2 ounces of plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 ounces of asparagus, - blanched and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ounce of peas
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 Basil-Chiffonade
Heat olive oil up in a saute pan. Add the lobster, asparagus and peas. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and briefly longer. Add the pesto cream sauce and reduce for a minute. Add the farfalle and the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Serves 3.
Penne Portobello
Edmondo Sarti, Executive Chef, Pasta Pomodoro
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons chooped garlic
1 grilled chicken breast, sliced
1 grilled Italian sausage link, sliced
2 grilled Portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 ounces of white wine
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup arugula
1 package penne pasta
In a large sauté pan add olive oil and garlic and sauté until lightly golden. Add grilled chicken, sausage and mushrooms and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in white wine and reduce by half. Add cream and reduce by half again until creamy consistency. Set aside.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook penne according to directions on package. Drain pasta, add sauce and gently toss in Parmesan cheese and arugula. Serves 4.
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Alligator Tacos
America the Beautiful Cookbook
1 pound alligator meat (order from seafood shops, or use pork)
2 cups marinade (1 cup buttermilk ranch dressing mixed with 1 cup amber or dark beer)
2 limes
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Cajun salsa (recipe follows)
8 corn tortillas
1 cup Cajun guacamole (recipe follows)
Cut alligator into 1/4-inch pieces. Add to marinade and refrigerate overnight.
In a medium bowl, combine juice of 1 lime, Cajun seasoning, salt and 1 cup Cajun salsa. Mix well. Set aside.
Heat tortillas on a hot griddle or skillet in a small amount of oil. Set aside.
Remove alligator from marinade. In a cast-iron skillet or on a hot griddle, brown the alligator pieces. Add the salsa mixture to the skillet and cook until heated through.
Spoon warm alligator-and-salsa mixture into tortillas. Top with Cajun guacamole and lime.
Makes 4 servings.
St. Louis BBQ Ribs
Sauce
3 cups ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 small onion, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
Combine sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer 15 minutes. Set aside.
Ribs
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon dried mustard
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 rack pork spareribs (3 to 4 pounds)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 8 dry ingredients in a bowl. Place the ribs in a clean sink or large bowl and rub with the vinegar. Pat dry and liberally sprinkle with the spice mix. Do not rub in. Shake off the excess and lay ribs, domed side up, on a large cookie sheet or baking dish. Bake, uncovered, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until 1/2 inch of bone has emerged from the meat on the ribs.
Remove ribs from the oven and turn the temperature up to 400 degrees. Glaze the ribs with the sauce and return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the glaze bubbles. Repeat this process 2 more times for a total of 3 glazings. The final glaze should brown or even blacken just a bit.
Serve with extra sauce.
Makes 4 servings.
Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy
1 loaf French bread (not baguette)
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups vegetable or peanut oil
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt
Cayenne pepper
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 eggs, beaten well with a pinch of salt
Cajun tartar sauce (recipe follows)
2 cups romaine or iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 tomato, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the French bread in half lengthwise, spread with butter and toast in oven.
Heat the oil to 350 degrees in a heavy-bottomed pan or skillet.
Season the shrimp with salt and cayenne pepper. Toss the shrimp with the flour, shaking off the excess flour.
Combine the cornmeal with 1 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Dip the shrimp into the egg mixture and then into the cornmeal mixture.
Gently lay the shrimp in the heated oil and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes per side.
To assemble the sandwich, spread the Cajun tartar sauce on both slices of bread. Place the cooked shrimp on the bottom half of the bread. Top with the shredded lettuce and thinly sliced tomato. Top with the remaining half of bread. Cut into slices and serve.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Cajun Tartar Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped cornichons or gherkins
1/4 cup chopped capers
1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped
Hot pepper sauce, to taste
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
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Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
1 15-oz. can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. red pepper
1/4 cup water
Fresh parsley, chopped
Combine all ingredients except parsley in a food processor and process until smooth. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with pita or tortilla chips.
Shrimp Jambalaya
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter
2 cups shrimp, cleaned and peeled
1 cup diced ham
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. paprika
Hot sauce to taste
2 cup rice, uncooked
Saute onions, green pepper and garlic with butter in a skillet for about 10 minutes. Add shrimp, ham, wine, broth, tomatoes, thyme, basil, paprika and hot sauce and bring to a boil. Add rice and cover and simmer for about 25 minutes.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
Combine butter and peanut butter in a large bowl. Add sugars and beat well. Add eggs and vanilla and continue beating. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and add to peanut butter mixture, mix well. Pour half the batter into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour the chocolate syrup over batter and pour remaining batter over chocolate syrup. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled pattern. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.
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Spicy Hummus
(makes about 3 cups) :)
2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas
1/2 cup cooking* or canning liquid from the chickpeas, or plain water
8 garlic cloves
2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce
1/4 cup raw sesame tahini
Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground, or 2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
*Tip: "Cooking liquid" here refers to the water in which you cook raw chickpeas. Canned chickpeas come already cooked and steeped in their own liquid.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the chick peas, 1/4 cup of the chickpeas liquid or water, the garlic, and the chipotles. Pulse until you have a fairly smooth puree. Add the tahini and lemon juice, and pulse again until the tahini has been incorporated into the chickpeas. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the cumin, olive oil, salt, and parsley. Taste the hummus, and adjust the seasoning if necessary with additional salt and lemon juice. If the hummus seems too thick, stir in more canning liquid or water to loosen it slightly. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Hummus will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for about 7 days.
Grilled Greek Chicken Salad
(Makes 6 servings):
1 8-oz. bottle Italian salad dressing
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp dried oregano leaves, crushed
6 cups torn Romaine lettuce
1 medium red onion, sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
1/2 cup ripe olive slices
1 cup croutons
In a medium bowl, combine salad dressing, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and oregano. Mix well. Pour half of the mixture into a Ziploc® Storage Bag (use the gallon size bag). Place the chicken breasts into the bag. Shake the bag to coat the chicken with the marinade. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard marinade. Grill the chicken over medium coals for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Cut chicken into strips.
Combine chicken with the remaining ingredients. Use the marinade mixture that you set aside as a dressing over the salad.
Easy Peach Pie
8 to 10 peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
One 9-inch pie shell (store-bought or homemade)
Preheat the oven to 375-degrees F.
Combine the peaches, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl, and toss together lightly. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch pie pan lined with the pie shell. Bake the pie for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are lightly browned. Let the pie rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Pie Pastry Dough
(makes one 9-inch pie shell):
1 cup all-purpose white flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into pieces, or 4 ounces lard, chilled
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
9-inch pie pan
Combine the flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter, working very quickly so that it does not become too warm, until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in 3 tablespoons of the water. Use your fingers to mix the dough together quickly; add more water if necessary for the dough to come together. Press the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Roll out the dough to a diameter of about 12 inches, and press it into a 9-inch pie pan. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to bake or fill, but not much longer than overnight.
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Rhubarb Bread
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup regular sugar
1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs or (1/2 cup Egg Beaters works well, too)
3/4 cup sour milk or buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh rhubarb
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom only of 9” x 5”-inch loaf pan. Beat butter, sugar, orange peel and vanilla in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine 2 1/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour milk, beating at low speed just until blended. Toss rhubarb with remaining 1/4 cup flour; fold into batter with nuts. Turn into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 80 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Yield 1 loaf.
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Pan Seared Salmon and Cucumber Salad
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cup peeled, thinly sliced cucumber
1 cup peeled, grated carrot
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 salmon fillets, about 4-6 ounces each
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 cups mixed baby greens
2 cups bean sprouts
1 lime, cut into wedges
Cooking Instructions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ginger, rice vinegar, sugar and lime juice. Gently fold in the cucumber, carrot, red onion and cilantro. (This can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.)
2. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the fillets on both sides until they are just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
3. Drain a few tablespoons of liquid from the marinated cucumber mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the greens, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
4. Arrange a bed of tossed greens on 4 serving plates. Mound the marinated cucumber mixture in the center of each salad and sprinkle the bean sprouts over it. Place a fillet of salmon on top and garnish with a wedge of lime.
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Coconut Fruit Dip
1 can (8 ounces) crushed unsweetened pineapple, undrained
3/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant coconut cream pudding mix
Fresh pineapple, grapes, and strawberries or other fruits of your choice
In a blender, Combine the first four ingredients; cover and blend for 1 min. or until smooth. Serve with fruit.
Yield: 2 cups.
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Fruit Punch
1 large can orange juice
1 large can pinepple juice
1 large can apricot juice
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 qt. soda
1 qt 7-up
Add everything together and serve over ice. Also you might want to float some orange or rainbow sherbert in this for the kids.
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Hawaiian Chicken Wings
2 pounds chicken wings
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger -- ground
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 cup onions -- chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 ounces pineapple juice
Remove wing tips from chicken and cut apart at joint. Combine remaining ingredients. Marinate chicken wings for at least 24 hours. Preheat oven to 375. Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm.
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POLYNESIAN MEATBALLS
1 can (6 ounces) evaporated milk
1/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup crushed saltines
1 t seasoned salt
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
SAUCE:
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits
2 T cornstarch
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 T soy sauce
2 T lemon juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
In a bowl, combine the milk, onion, saltines and seasoned salt. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. With wet hands, sharp into 1-inch balls. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown meatballs in small batches, turning often. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Drain skillet.
Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple aside. add enough water to juice to measure 1 cup. In a bowl, combine the cornstarch, pineapple juice mixture, vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice and brown sugar until smooth. add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add meatballs. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the pineapple; heat through.
Yield: 6 dozen
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Hawaiian Cake
1 package yellow cake mix
1-1/4 cup cold milk
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (20oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 envelope whipped topping mix
1 (3oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted
Prepare and bake the cake according to package directions, using a greased 9x13 in baking pan. Cool. In a bowl, whisk together milk and pudding mix; let stand to thicken. Stir in pineapple. Spread over cake. Prepare whipped topping mix according to package directions; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in 1 cup whipped topping. Fold in remaining topping. Spread with coconut and pecans. Cover and refrigerater for 3 hours or overnight. Yield: 12-15 servings.
