Category Archives: Recipes

03

Apr. ’16

Brie Soup

soup

Ingredients:

¾ C. chopped onion

½ c. chopped celery

4 T. butter

2 T. flour

2 c. half & half

2 cups chicken stock

8 oz. brie cheese, cut in pieces

1-4 oz cans of chopped green chilies

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, sauté onion and celery in butter over medium heat until translucent. Stir in flour to form a roux or paste-like consistency. Slowly whisk in milk and chicken stock and continuing whisking until smooth and well-blended. Add brie and whisk until melted. Add chilies, salt and pepper. Cool slightly. If desired, puree in blender until smooth. Serve with crusty bread, a green salad and crisp, white wine. Serves 4.

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28

Mar. ’16

Shrimp Tacos

shrimp tacos

Ingredients:

¼ c. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. red onion, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ c. cilantro, diced

1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded and cut in small cubes

¼ head of cabbage, shredded

8 flour tortillas

Directions:

Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place in oven preheated to 300 degrees F. In a large skillet, add oil and heat until it just begins to simmer (do not overheat!) Sauté garlic until tender and translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Add shrimp and toss with wooden spoon until opaque. Remove from heat and toss with cilantro, onions and jalapeno peppers.. To assemble, place cabbage on each tortilla, top with a large tablespoon of shrimp, add mango cubes and serve. Optional garnishes: guacamole, sour cream or plain, non-fat Greek yogurt, Sriracha.  Serves 4.

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11

Mar. ’16

Steak au Poivre

steak

Ingredients:

2 T. peppercorns, coarsely crushed

4 New York strip steaks

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

2 T. brandy

¼ c. beef stock

½ t. Dijon mustard

¼ t. Worcestershire sauce

Salt

Directions:

Sprinkle both sides of steak with crushed peppercorns. Press into steaks using fingers. Add the butter and olive oil to a skillet and brown the steaks on both sides. Steaks will be rare. Cook longer if you want them more done. Transfer to hot serving platter. To the juices in skillet, add remaining ingredients and simmer until thick. Serve over the steaks. Serves 4.

 

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01

Mar. ’16

Oven-Roasted Duck Breast with Port Wine Cherry Sauce

duck breast

 

Ingredients:

4- 8 oz. duck breasts

4 T. olive oil

Port Wine Cherry Sauce

1 can sour cherries, drained

2 T. honey

½ t. cinnamon

½ c. port

2 ¼ t. cornstarch, dissolved in cold water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400oF. With a sharp knife, score the skin side of the duck breasts in a crisscross pattern. Season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet. Sear the skin side of the duck breasts until golden and crisp. Remove from skillet and place in baking dish. Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes or until 140o internal temperature.

While duck breasts are cooking in oven, prepare Port Wine Cherry Sauce. Combine cherries, honey, cinnamon and port in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to gentle boil. Add cornstarch and stir until thickened. Remove from heat.

Remove duck breasts from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve drizzled with Port Wine Cherry Sauce. Serves 4.

 

 

 

 

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29

Jan. ’16

Cappuccino Cheesecake

cappucchino cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crumb Crust

1 ½ c. chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 15 squares)

½ c. sugar

½ t. cinnamon

¼ c. melted butter

Cheesecake Filling

2 eggs

½ c. sugar

2 t. vanilla

1 ½ c. sour cream

¼ c. instant coffee

2-8 oz. pkgs. Cream cheese, cut into pieces

2 T. melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400o. Generously grease a 9 ½ inch deep dish pie plate with shortening. You can buy graham cracker crumbs already prepared, or break 3-4 whole graham cracker squares and put in blender. Blend on high to turn into crumbs. Dump them into bowl and repeat with remaining graham crackers. Add sugar, cinnamon and melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs in bowl and mix with fork until well moistened. Using the back of a spoon, press crust into pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes. While crust is baking, wash out blender to remove any remaining crumbs and combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and sour cream in blender and mix until smooth. With blender running, & add cream cheese one piece at a time until blended. ( I just remove the handle and drop the cream cheese in the hole) Add melted butter and blend until incorporated. Pour into prepared crust. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 35 minutes. Cool & refrigerate.

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24

Jan. ’16

Pesto

pesto

Ingredients:

12 fresh basil leaves, washed
4 T. pine nuts
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 T. grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ c. olive oil

Directions:

In a food processor or blender place the basil, pine nuts and garlic. Grind. Then add cheese and dribble olive oil through the tunnel while turning. Scoop out processor and place into a bowl or jar. Pesto can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for up to one week with a thin layer of olive oil over the top. Sealing the pesto with olive oil helps to retain a bright, green color. Use with pasta or as a base for pizza with a four-cheese topping (Parmesan, asiago, provolone and mozzarella cheeses).

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15

Jan. ’16

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

burritos

This combination may sound odd, but these burritos are delicious and they contain five superfoods!

Ingredients:

4-6 whole wheat tortillas

2 large sweet potatoes

1 T. olive oil

2 cans black beans, drained

1 clove garlic, minced

3 T. cilantro, diced

2 c. grated cheddar cheese

1 bunch scallions, sliced

2 avocados, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

Directions:

Bake sweet potatoes for 30-40 minutes or until tender in 350oF oven.  Cut in half and squeeze potato pulp from the skin into a small bowl.  Cut into small chunks or smash with fork.  In a saucepan, heat olive oil and saute garlic.  Add black beans and cilantro and heat through.  To assemble, place a tortilla on a plate, top with 2-3 T. of mashed sweet potato, add 3 T. black beans and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Heat in microwave for 40 seconds until cheese melts.  Remove from microwave and top with tomatoes, scallions and avocado.  Garnish with a dollop of yogurt and hot sauce.  Fold up the bottom and then the sides to form  burritos.  Enjoy!

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07

Jan. ’16

Chocolate Mint Truffles

These chocolate truffles are sinfully rich and delicious.

dark-chocolate-truffles

Ingredients:

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

½ c. heavy cream

2 T. butter

¾ c. powdered sugar

2 egg yolks

¾ t. peppermint extract

Unsweetened cocoa

Directions:

Sift powdered sugar and combine with chocolate, heavy cream, butter and egg yolks over low heat. Whisk constantly until smooth and chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract. Chill 3-4 hours until firm enough to handle. Shape into small balls and roll in cocoa. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes: 36

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15

Nov. ’15

Curried Coconut Chicken

Curried coconut chicken2

Curried Coconut Chicken

Fragrant and packed with a hint of spiciness, this chicken recipe will satisfy on a cool evening. Serve over jasmine or Basmati rice and garnish with plain, nonfat yogurt or chutney.

Spice paste:

1 T. finely minced hot peppers or chilies

6 shallots, peeled and quartered

1 c. unsweetened flaked coconut

1/2  t. ground cloves

1 t. cinnamon

2 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. ground cardamom

2 t. fennel seeds

1 t. dried mustard

1 t. cumin seeds

1 t. turmeric

Chicken:

1/4 c. canola oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. peeled and minced fresh ginger root

1 large red onion, diced

1 large red bell pepper, diced

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 t. salt

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 c. water

Directions:

Spice paste:  To toast coconut, place coconut flakes in a skillet over medium heat and stir until golden on the edges. Combine coconut and all other ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Add 4-5 T. of water and blend until a smooth paste forms.  Set aside.

Chicken:  Saute garlic, ginger root, onion and bell pepper in oil over medium heat until tender.  Add spice paste, chicken, salt, vinegar and water.  Bring chicken mixture to boil over medium high heat.  Cover and reduce heat to medium low.  Cook for 45 minutes until chicken is tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary to keep it from sticking.   Serves 4-6.

 

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16

Oct. ’15

Greek Baklava

 

Baklava

Ingredients:

2 c. finely chopped almonds and walnuts

¾ c. sugar

3 T. cinnamon

1 lb. frozen phyllo pastry sheets

1 ½ c. plain bread crumbs

1 c. melted butter

2 c. water

4 c. sugar

1 cinnamon stick

Juice of one lemon

 

Directions:

Spread one sheet of phyllo in a buttered baking dish and brush with butter.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs.  Repeat with 7 more layers.  Add ½ of nut mixture.  Add 5 more layers brushing butter after each sheet of phyllo.  Add remaining nut mixture.  Add 7-8 more layers.  Brush top with melted butter and cut in long strips.  Then cut diagonally across the strips to make diamond shapes.  Bake at 350oF for 45 minutes.  Make syrup with butter, water, sugar, cinnamon stick and one lemon.  Remove baklava from oven and spoon syrup over while warm.  Serve at room temperature.

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