Recipe #64: Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

* 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 2/3 cup sherry wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
* 3 tablespoons minced garlic
* 2 tablespoons minced shallots
* 3/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
* 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1 (1 3/4 to 2-pound) skirt steak

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the olive oil, sherry vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, basil, oregano, garlic and shallots. Pulse until well blended but do not puree. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the crushed red pepper. Remove 1 cup of the chimichurri sauce from the processor and transfer to a non-reactive bowl, cover with plastic wrap and reserve at room temperature for up to 6 hours. (If cooking steak another day, refrigerate sauce and return to room temperature before serving.)

Season the steak with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt on each side, as well as 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper per side and place in a large, resealable plastic bag. Add the remaining chimichurri sauce from the processor. Seal bag and refrigerate the steak for at least 2 and up to 4 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium heat.

Once the steak has finished marinating, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Brush the excess chimichurri sauce off the steak and set the steak over the hot grill. Cook for 6 minutes on the first side. Rotate the steak 45 degrees, and cook another 6 minutes. Turn the steak over and continue to cook until the steak is done, about 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Once cooked, lay the steak on a clean cutting board, and allow it to rest for 5 to 7 minutes before slicing across the grain into 2-inch wide strips. Serve with crusty bread and the reserved chimichurri sauce.

Recipe #63: Emeril's Chuck Wagon Chili

Emeril's Chuck Wagon Chili
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 3 tablespoons chili powder
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 1 1/2 teaspoons Emeril's Southwest Essence
* 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1 bay leaf
* 3 cups chopped yellow onions
* 2 tablespoons minced garlic
* 2 (12-ounce) bottles dark beer
* 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed, with juices
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 cup beef broth
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1-ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
* 2 tablespoons masa harina
* Grated Cheddar, for garnish
* Finely chopped green onions, for garnish
* Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish


Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. Add the beef, chili powder, cumin, Southwest Essence, cayenne, cinnamon, crushed red pepper and bay leaf and cook until meat is well-browned. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beers and cook until the foam subsides, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, salt, and chocolate to the pot. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and cook until thickened and meat is very tender, 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Skim off any fat that rises to the top of the chili. Sprinkle soup with masa harina and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve with the cheese, green onions, and cilantro alongside as garnish.

Recipe #62: Roasted Tomato Soup

This soup is delicious. I don't have an imersion blender, so I used a food processor instead. After roasting the tomatoes, garlic, and onions, I let them cool and then put them in the food processor.

Instead of adding the cream, I added about four ounces of goat cheese that I was afraid we weren't going to use. The goat cheese added a great flavor, especially when I had it the next day for lunch.



Roasted Tomato Soup
from Food Network's Tyler Florence

2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 small yellow onions, sliced
Vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, optional
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional
3/4 cup heavy cream, optional


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. If using vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, add them as well, leaving them whole and on the vine. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot (set aside the roasted vine tomatoes for later). Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves, if using, and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with 3 or 4 roasted vine cherry tomatoes and a splash of heavy cream.

Recipe #61: Pancetta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Brussels Sprout Pasta

Pancetta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Petite Brussels Sprout Pasta
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

2 tablespoons plus more, for drizzling, olive oil
2 cups diced pancetta
3 cups baby Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
1/4 cup diced shallots
1 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 pound angel hair pasta
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmigianino-Reggiano, for garnish


In a large stock pot over high heat, bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and pancetta. Let pancetta render, about 3 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts and toss to coat with oil. Cook for 5 minutes or until Brussels sprouts begin to brown. Add shallots, wine and garlic and let the mixture reduce, about 3 minutes. In the meantime, drop the angel hair pasta into the water, being sure not to overcook. Drain the pasta well and pour into the saute pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to coat with the Brussels sprout mixture. Pour into a large serving bowl and garnish with Parmigianino-Reggiano.

Recipe #60: Antipasto Pasta Salad

I added mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, and hearts of palm to this recipe. Pres loved this dish.

Antipasto Pasta Salad
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound rotini pasta
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Emeril's Italian Essence, or other dried Italian herb mixture
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups 1/4-inch cubes provolone
1 cup thinly sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 cup thinly sliced salami (1/4 pound)
1 cup thinly sliced prosciutto (1/4 pound)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Combine 2 tablespoons salt, the olive oil, and 4 quarts water in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the rotini and cook, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking together, until just al dente, about 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash together the garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the balsamic vinegar, Italian Essence, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Whisk to blend. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.

Drain the rotini and rinse under cold running water until cool. Add to the vinaigrette, along with the provolone, tomatoes, salami, prosciutto, parsley, and basil. Toss to mix. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Let the salad return to room temperature before serving.

Pizza "like Becky"

A few years ago, our friend Becky made pizza with homemade dough for us. Since then, Pres asks for pizza "like Becky." Last year I found a great recipe for the dough on the Cooking Light website (see the bottom of the post). It's super easy to make using a stand mixer to knead the dough. When I make it, I make a boy pizza for Pres and a fun pizza for me.

Pres's boy pizza has marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, onions, green pepper, mushrooms, and pepperoni. My pizza has caramelized onions, pear slices, walnuts, bleu cheese, and mozzarella cheese. I losely followed this recipe. After topping the pizzas, I cooked the pizzas for about 12 minutes on 500 degrees.



Wheat Pizza Dough
from Cooking Light

* 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
* 1/4 teaspoon sugar
* 1 1/2 cups warm water (100° to 110°)
* 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
* 1 cup whole-wheat flour
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* Cooking spray


Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, oil, and salt to yeast mixture, stirring until well-blended. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half; roll each half into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Top and bake according to recipe directions.

Note: This dough may be frozen. Follow directions for kneading dough, and shape dough into 2 balls. Coat balls with cooking spray and place into a ziptop plastic freezer bag. Thaw overnight in a refrigerator. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85'), free from drafts' 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If Indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Shape as instructed.

Nutritional Information for Two Entire Pizza Crusts

Calories: 847 (11% from fat)
Fat: 9.9g (sat 1.4g,mono 5.4g,poly 1.9g)
Protein: 25.7g
Carbohydrate: 164.6g
Fiber: 12.7g

Recipe #59: White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
from Bon Appetit Magazine via Epicurious.com

18 vanilla wafer cookies
1 cup almonds, toasted
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 ounces imported white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh raspberries or frozen unsweetened, thawed, drained
1 8-ounce container sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2-pint baskets raspberries or one 1-pint basket strawberries
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place large piece of foil on heavy large baking sheet. Set 8x2-inch bottomless heart-shaped cake pan atop foil. (If unavailable, use 8-inch springform pan; omit foil.) Wrap foil around outside and 1 inch up sides of pan. Butter foil and pan. Finely grind cookies and almonds in processor. Add butter and blend until mixture forms very moist crumbs. Using plastic wrap as aid, press crumbs firmly onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.

For Filling:
Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth, stirring often. Remove from over water. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and peel in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Beat in white chocolate.

Spoon half of batter into crust. Top with 3/4 cup berries. Spoon remaining batter over. Bake until edges of cake are set but center 3 inches still moves when cake is shaken, about 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Using fingertips, press down gently on edges of cheesecake to flatten slightly.

For topping:
Whisk sour cream, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Spoon over cake, spreading to edge of pan. Bake 5 minutes. Transfer cake in pan to rack. Run small knife around sides of cake. Cool completely. Chill cake overnight.

Fold down foil along sides of pan. Lift cake pan off cheesecake. Transfer cheesecake to platter, discarding foil. Cover cake with berries. Bring jam to simmer in small saucepan, stirring often. Gently brush jam over berries. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead; chill.)

Recipe #58: Artichoke Pesto Torta

I got lazy while I was making this recipe, so I mixed the cream cheese layer with the pesto layer. It still tasted great.

Artichoke Pesto Torta
from Food Network's Giada DeLaurentiis

* 1 (13 to 14-ounce) can whole artichoke hearts, rinsed well, drained, and patted dry
* 1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
* 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
* 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
* Nonstick cooking spray
* Italian parsley sprigs, for garnish
* Assorted breads and crackers, to serve
* Assorted cut-up fresh vegetables, to serve (such as bell peppers, cucumbers, celery, endive leaves, and carrots)

Directions

Blend the artichokes, parsley, nuts, lemon peel, lemon juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the artichokes are very finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually pour in 1/4 cup oil. Continue blending until the pesto is creamy. Season the pesto, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

Spray a 2 to 3 cup bowl with nonstick spray. Line the bowl with plastic wrap, extending the plastic over the sides. Spread enough cream cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared bowl to form a 1/2-inch layer. Top with enough pesto to form a 1/2-inch layer. Repeat layering the remaining cream cheese mixture and pesto. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

Invert the torta onto a platter and remove the plastic. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Serve with bread, crackers, and vegetables.

Recipe #57: Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork with Homemade Barbecue Sauce
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse


1 pork shoulder roast (Boston Butt or Picnic roast), about 6 to 8 pounds
4 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows (I substituted Tony Chacheres)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Homemade Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows
10 to 12 sandwich buns


Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before proceeding. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Season the roast well on all sides with the Essence, salt, and cayenne pepper. Place a roasting rack inside the roasting pan and place the seasoned pork on the rack, fat side up. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 4 hours.

Remove the foil from the roast and continue to bake until the roast is very tender and will pull apart easily with a fork, about 2 hours longer. Remove the pork from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Remove any excess fat from the roast and discard if desired; I just love the crunchy bits of skin left on top! Using 2 forks or your hands, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. Serve with sauce and buns to make sandwiches.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar

In a medium non-reactive saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the butter and, when melted, add the onions and cook until they are very soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, Essence, ground mustard, salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste begins to brown. Add the water, cider vinegar, and dark brown sugar, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have come together, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Set aside to cool before using. The sauce may be made up to 1 week in advance and refrigerated in an airtight, non-reactive container.

Yield: about 3 cups sauce

Recipe #56: Risotto with Butternut Squash, Pancetta, and Jack Cheese

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Pancetta, and Jack Cheese
from Cooking Light

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
Cooking spray
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/3 cups water
2 tablespoons Madeira wine or sweet Marsala
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon (I'm substituting rosemary because we don't have fresh tarragon)
4 ounces chopped pancetta
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) 1/2-inch-cubed Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Fresh tarragon sprigs (optional)


Preheat oven to 475°.

Place squash on a nonstick jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 475° for 20 minutes or until tender, turning after 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

Combine broth, water, wine, and tarragon in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Keep warm over low heat.

Cook pancetta in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove pancetta from pan; drain on a paper towel. Discard pan drippings. Add onion and oil to pan; sauté 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add rice to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes. (Do not stir; rice will have a liquid consistency similar to stew.)

Place pan in oven; bake at 325° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir in the squash, pancetta, cheese, salt, and pepper. Cover with a clean cloth; let stand 10 minutes (rice will continue to cook). Sprinkle with pine nuts. Garnish with tarragon sprigs, if desired.

Recipe #55: Crash Potatoes

Crash Potatoes

I made these potatoes to go with barbequed chicken. They were delicious. I didn't feel like typing out the recipe, so, if you are interested in trying it, click on the link above for a pdf document.

Pumpkin Muffins...

They turned out well despite all of my substitutions. I mixed together some cream cheese, butter, and maple syrup to use as a frosting. It's delicious :)

Recipe #54: Pumpkin Muffins

I am making pumpkin muffins for us to take to work each day this week for breakfast. After I started the recipe, I realized that I was making as many substitutions as I was using the recommended ingredients. Some of the substitutions are ones that people recommended in reviews of the recipes, while others were because I didn't have all of the ingredients. We'll see how they turn out...

Pumpkin Muffins
from Food Network's Ellie Krieger

Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I doubled the amount)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I doubled the amount)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (I doubled the amount)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I doubled the amount)
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsulphered molasses ( I used pure maple syrup instead)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk (I used plain yogurt)
1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds (I used pecans)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.

Recipe #53: Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Chocolate Cake
from Gourmet Magazine via Food Network

1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans and line each bottom with a round of waxed paper. Grease paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.

In a bowl, whisk the boiling water into cocoa until smooth and whisk in milk and vanilla.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, and beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Into another bowl or on parchment paper, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to egg mixture in batches alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and beating well after each addition.

Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, 20 to 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and layers begin to pull away from sides of pans.

Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes and turn out onto racks to cool completely. Cake layers may be made ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature 2 days or frozen 1 week.

Chocolate Butter Frosting
from the Better Homes and Gardens' New Cookbook

6 tablespoons of butter
4.5 cups of sifted powdered sugar
¼ cup of milk
1.5 teaspoons of vanilla
¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

In a small mixer bowl beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add about half of the powdered sugar and all of the cocoa, beating well. Beat in the milk and the vanilla. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar, then additional milk, if necessary, to make frosting of spreading consistency.

Blue Cheese Dressing

A few weeks ago when Pres made wings for the first Saints pre-season game, we forgot to pick up blue cheese or ranch dressing to dip them in. I found this recipe online and made blue cheese dressing myself. It's much better than any store bought dressing that I've had.

Blue Cheese Dressing
from Gourmet Magazine via Food Network

2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

In a bowl combine well the mayonnaise, the sour cream and the blue cheese.

Recipe #52: Ratatouille

Ratatouille
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups small diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups medium diced eggplant, skin on
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced zucchini squash
1 cup diced yellow squash
1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Set a large 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for a final 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either hot or at room temperature.

Recipe #51: German Chocolate Cake

German Sweet Chocolate Cake
from A Taste of Georgia published by the Newnan Junior League

4 ounces of German chocolate
½ cup boiling water
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Heat the oven at 350 degrees. Melt chocolate in boiling water; let cool. Cream butter and sugar, add egg yolks, vanilla extract, and chocolate, beating well after each addition. Add flour with soda sifted in, alternately with buttermilk. Fold in egg whites. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 8 or 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. When cool, frost with Coconut Pecan Icing.


Coconut Pecan Icing

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups coconut
1 cup pecans, chopped

Cook milk, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract until thickened. Add coconut and pecans. Cool, then beat until it is of spreading consistency. Makes 2 ½ cups, enough for a 3-layer cake.

Recipe #50: Waffles (again)

Waffles
from Allrecipes.com

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 egg yolks
2 cups buttermilk
3 egg whites

Preheat waffle iron. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Blend in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.

Spray waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray, or lightly brush with oil. Ladle the batter onto preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

Recipe #49: Another Meatloaf

Meatloaf #3
from Food Network's Bobby Flay

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large zucchini, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow pepper, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1 pound ground beef chuck
1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan
1 cup ketchup, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, peppers, garlic paste, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until almost soft, 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup, 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, and the cooled vegetables and mix until just combined.

Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Whisk together the remaining ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe #48: Mexican Suiza Enchilada Lasagna

Mexican Suiza Enchilada Lasagna
From Food Network’s Emeril Lagasse

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound shredded pepper jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 teaspoons vegetable oil
18 corn tortillas
4 cups cooked cubed or bite size chicken meat (2 pounds boneless skinless breasts)
2 teaspoons Emeril's Southwest Essence
6 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 cup chopped green onions
3/4 pound (3 cups) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnishing, if desired
4 ounces Queso Anejo, shredded (substitute Parmesan if unavailable)
1 cup sour cream, for serving
Salsa or Pico de Gallo, for serving, optional

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, little by little, until thoroughly combined. Add the chicken stock and bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened and flavorful, about 10 minutes. Add the pepper jack and stir until melted. Season with the salt and remove from the heat. Set aside, covered, while you assemble the remaining ingredients.

Heat a small skillet over high heat. When hot, add 1/2 teaspoon of the vegetable oil and 1 of the tortillas. Cook until soft, turning midway, about 1 minute per tortilla. Transfer to a plate and cover while you cook the remaining tortillas, adding additional 1/2 teaspoon of oil for each tortilla. Set aside on a plate and cover with plastic wrap or foil.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-by 13-inch casserole.

Spoon 1 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with 6 of the tortillas, spreading them evenly to form a complete layer. Top with half of the chicken, 1 teaspoon of the Southwest Essence, half of the poblanos, half of the green onions, 1 1/2 cups of the sauce, and 1/3 of the shredded Monterey Jack. Make another layer in exactly the same way: 6 tortillas, the remaining chicken, 1 teaspoon of the Southwest Essence, remaining poblanos, remaining green onions, 1 1/2 cups of the sauce, and 1/3 of the shredded Monterey Jack. Top with the remaining 6 tortillas, remaining sauce, tomatoes, cilantro, and remaining Monterey Jack, then sprinkle the Queso Anejo evenly over the top.

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for about 15 minutes longer, or until the casserole is bubbly and light golden brown on top.

Serve immediately, garnished with a dollop of sour cream, more chopped cilantro, and a spoonful of salsa or pico de gallo, if desired.

Recipe #47: Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon
from Food Network's Ina Garten


1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For serving:
Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

Recipe #46: Lasagna Rolls

Lasagna Rolls
from Food Network's Giada DeLaurentiis

Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamelsauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Tandoori Chicken (Recipe #43), Yogurt Salad (Recipe #44), and Watermelon Sorbet (Recipe #45)

Grilled Tandoori Chicken
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

1 (4 to 4 1/2 pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces, skin removed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped serrano or jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed
1 tablespoon paprika
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

With a fork, prick holes in the chicken pieces. Using a knife, cut diagonal slices 1-inch apart, and 1/2-inch deep into the larger pieces. Place the chicken in a baking dish.

In a blender, combine the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, pepper, and process on high speed to a paste. Add the paprika, salt, cumin, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne, and process until well blended. Add the yogurt and lemon juice, and process to a smooth sauce, scraping down the sides to combine all the ingredients. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Turn to coat evenly, rubbing the marinade into the holes and slits. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat a grill.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Place on the grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on the first side. Turn, baste as needed, and cook on the second side for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn and continue cooking, as necessary until the chicken is cooked through, but still tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. (Alternately, bake in a preheated 425 degrees F oven on a baking sheet for 35 minutes.)


Yogurt Salad
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

2 cups plain yogurt
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, finely chopped
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Pinch sugar
Pinch cayenne

Place the yogurt in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and drain for 1 hour. Discard the liquid in the bowl.

Place the drained yogurt in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Place, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool and blend. Stir well and serve.



Watermelon Sorbet
from Epicurious.com

8 cups cubed (1 inch) watermelon, seeds and rind discarded
1 cup Simple Sugar Syrup
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Puree the watermelon cubes in a food processor. Measure 4 cups of the puree and place in a bowl. Add the Simple Sugar Syrup and lemon juice and stir well. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Recipe #42: Squash Gratin

Squash Gratin
from Food Network's Giada DeLaurentiis

1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup purchased basil pesto
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus more for greasing

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly butter an 8-inch baking dish and set aside. Fill a large pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the sides of the pot. Set a steamer rack in the pot, cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the squash and steam over medium heat until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the squash to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Season the squash to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon half of the squash evenly over the prepared baking dish. Dollop half of the pesto all over the squash in the dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the squash. Repeat layering with the remaining squash, pesto, and cheese. Using a skewer, swirl the pesto decoratively into the squash. Dot the top with butter and bake until the gratin is heated through and golden brown around the edges, about 40 minutes.

Flank Steak, Broccoli Puree (Recipe #39), Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Recipe #40), and Cookie Cake (Recipe #41)

Pres is grilling flank steak, and I am making sides and a dessert. We have not eaten dinner yet, but I have tasted both veggies. I really liked both of them. I think both of the sides could be regular recipes.

Broccoli Puree
from Food Network's Giada DeLaurentiis

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound broccoli florets
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fill a large pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the sides of the pot. Set a steamer rack in the pot, cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the potato chunks and cook until they are very tender, about 18 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl and mash until smooth.

Place broccoli into steamer rack and steam over medium heat until the broccoli is very tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to the bowl of a food processor. Add the broth, cream cheese, and Parmesan. Process until the broccoli is pureed and almost smooth.

Stir the broccoli puree into the mashed potato and blend well. Season the puree to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.



Roasted Brussels Sprouts
from Food Network's Ina Garten

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt ( I like these salty like French fries), and serve immediately.


Cookie Cake
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Sweetened cocoa, for garnish
Sweetened whipped cream, accompaniment


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 14-inch, light colored, round pizza pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, beating well after the addition of each.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix with a whisk. Add to the butter mixture, mixing to incorporate, and add the vanilla extract. Fold in the dark and white chips and the nuts. Spread across the bottom of the prepared pan and bake until the edges are golden and the cookie is set but the center is still slightly soft, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To serve, sift confectioners' sugar and sweetened cocoa over the top, and cut into wedges. Serve sweetened whipped cream on the side.

Recipe # 38: Crawfish Etouffee

Crawfish Etouffee
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse


1 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 1/2 cups shrimp stock or water
1 pound crawfish tails
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
Cooked long grain white rice, accompaniment

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, to make a light roux. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the sherry and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and crawfish tails and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice.

Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat.

Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve over rice, garnished with additional parsley.

Recipe #37: Buttermilk Waffles

I watched a few shows on Food Network this morning to try to get ideas of what I want to make this week. An episode of "Down Home with the Neely's" inspired me to make waffles again. Last week's recipe was delicious, but it was also pretty time consuming. I am hoping that this recipe will be a little easier.

Buttermilk Waffles
from Food Network's Cooking with the Neely's

3 large eggs, separated
Pinch cream of tartar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 sticks butter plus 1 tablespoons, melted
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a hand mixer until stiff peaks appear.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla and 2 sticks of melted butter.

Into a large bowl stir together the flour, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

Combine with the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold the whites into the batter, gently.

Grease the waffle iron with a small amount of melted butter and heat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Ladle batter onto the waffle iron and cook until golden brown, about 3 1/2 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter

Last night's dinner

I was pleased with how all of the new recipes worked out last night. Pres especially liked the roasted shrimp and orzo. He has been asking me to make a cold pasta salad for a while. I had been worried that we wouldn't drink all of the white sangria, because it called for three bottles of wine (two whites and a sparkling). I was wrong; it went quickly. I used two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc and a bottle of extra-dry champagne (Pres wanted to save the Prosecco that we had because we bought it on our honeymoon). I was going to substitute a couple of mangoes for the apricots, but then I got lazy and just added a third peach instead. The peaches and pears soaked up the wine and were very strong tasting. The grapes did not taste as strong because of their skin. Next time I am going to cut half of the grapes in half to see how they taste with a little wine flavor.

Dinner with Wes and Roxi

Our friends Wes and Roxi are coming over for dinner tonight. I am making a few light dishes instead of a traditional meal with a main dish and sides. We are going to have an antipasto platter, roasted eggplant spread with pita bread, and roasted shrimp and orzo with white sangria. Then we are going to have the flourless chocolate cake that made in May (see Recipe #15) with coffee ice cream. All of the recipes that I am using can be made ahead of time, so that I can just releax and hang out tonight, even if we don't eat right away.

Recipe #33: White Sangria
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

2 (750-ml) bottles white Spanish wine, such as Albarino (Galacia), Viura (Rioja), Verdejo (Rueda), or Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 cup Spanish brandy
1/4 cup Spanish orange liqueur
1 cup pear juice
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup sliced pear
2 apricots, pit removed and sliced into thin wedges
2 peaches, pit removed and sliced into thin wedges
1/2 pound seedless white grapes
1 (750-ml) bottle Prosecco, chilled

Combine the wine, brandy, orange liqueur, pear juice, and sugar in a large pitcher and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the fruit and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.

Stir in the Prosecco and serve the sangria in large wine glasses, over ice if desired.



Antipasto Platter

Manchego
Fresh mozzarella
Feta
Genoa salami
Proscuitto
Kalamata olives
Roasted red pepper
Roasted garlic

Arrange on a platter. Serve with french bread.



Recipe #34: Roasted Eggplant Spread
from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa

2 medium eggplants, peeled
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1 red onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, cayenne and salt and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking. Cool slightly.

Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the lemon juice and tahini, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and add the chopped parsley. Garnish with extra parsley.



Recipe #35: Roasted Shrimp and Orzo
from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa

Kosher salt
Good olive oil
3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.



Recipe #36: Coffee Ice Cream
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
6 egg yolks
Chocolate curls, for garnish

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and coffee in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream, to the hot cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to keep a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Remove from the refrigerator and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream is made, transfer to an airtight container. Cover tightly and freeze until ready to serve. Garnish with chocolate curls.

Recipe #32: Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole (called "Chicken Dinner Elegante" in the cookbook)
from River Road II Cookbook


Typing it in soon...

Recipe #31: Belgian Waffles

One of the things that we bought with the Macy's gift cards that we were given as wedding gifts is a belgian waffle iron. We thought that waffles and fruit would be a fun weekend morning treat. None of the waffle recipes that I found online jumped out at me, so I used the Joy of Cooking's recipe for belgian waffles. It ended up being a longer process than I had expected, but the result was very good and was worth it. The waffles were also pretty good heated up a few days after.

Belgian Waffles
from The Joy of Cooking

Whisk together:

1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm (105 to 115 degree F) milk

Let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about five minutes. Whisk together in a large bowl:

3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm

Whisk in the yeast mixture along with:

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add, in three parts:
4 cups all-purpose flour

Alternating, in 2 parts, with:
2 1/2 cups warm (105 to 115 degree F) milk

Beat until soft peaks form then fold into the batter:
3 large egg whites

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Stir to deflate the batter.Preheat your waffle iron. Follow your waffle iron's directions.

Recipe Ratings So Far....

When I started this blog, I planned to add comments about which recipes worked well and which recipes flopped. Since I have not consistently written about the results, I listed the recipes below with a rating on a scale of 1-10 (1 being inedible and 10 being delicious). I am willing to repeat recipes rated five and higher.

#1. Strawberry Cake: 8
#2. Pot Roast with Vegetables: 10
#3. Baked Pasta Casserole: 6
#4. Shrimp Scampi: 7
#5. Roasted Asparagus: 8 (Tip: Use thick asparagus.)
#6. Gorgonzola Pasta: 4
#7. Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts: 9
#8. Chicken Pot Pie: 10
#9. Oven Fries: 6
#10. Shrimp and Grits: 7
#11. Mexican Lasagna: 8
#12. Meatloaf: 4
#13. Mashed Potatoes: 6
#14. Chicken Andouille Gumbo: 8 (This recipe is for the gumbo that we had at our wedding.)
#15. Flourless Chocolate Cake: 10
#16. Crawfish Au Gratin: 8
#17. Shrimp Scampi #2: 6
#18. Coconut Cake: 10
#19. Lemon Aioli: 1 (Tossed it out. May have done it wrong.)
#20. Stuffed Peppers: 6
#21. Tortilla Soup: 9 (Does not reheat well.)
#22. Shrimp Fra Diavolo: 7
#23. Lemon Spaghetti: 6
#24. Carrot Cake Cupcakes: 9
#25. Crab Cakes: 7
#26. Remoulade Sauce: 10
#27. Zea Grits: 3
#28. Meatloaf #2: 5
#29. Peach Cobbler: 8
#30. Pasta Primavera: 7 (Especially good when topped with a little feta cheese.)

Recipe #30: Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera
from Food Network's Giada DeLaurentiis

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Meatloaf #2 (Recipe #28), Mashed Potatoes (Recipe #13 from May), and Peach Cobbler (Recipe #29)

Meatloaf #2
from Food Network's Alton Brown

6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
18 ounces ground chuck
18 ounces ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg

For the glaze:
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey


Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.


Double Crusted Peach Cobbler
from Stephanie March (wife of Bobby Flay and former Law and Order SVU ADA Alexandra Cabot) via Food Network

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping and rolling
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch salt
10 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (if peaches are out of season, use thawed frozen peaches)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Crust:
Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough just comes together.

Remove dough and knead lightly on a lightly floured surface until it just comes together. Divide the dough in half and form into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Once dough is chilled, remove from the refrigerator and roll each disk into a 9-inch square approximately 1/4-inch thick. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets and return to the refrigerator to chill until ready to assemble.

Filling:
Melt butter in a large high-sided saute pan over medium heat. Add the sugar and water and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add nutmeg, salt, peaches, and flour and cook for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place half of the peach mixture in the bottom of a 9-inch square buttered baking dish using a slotted spoon. Top the peaches with 1 layer of dough. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is light golden brown. Remove from the oven and top the crust with the remaining peaches and cover with the other crust. Brush the top crust with heavy cream, sprinkle with sugar, and return to the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbly. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Crab Cakes (Recipe #25), Remoulade Sauce (Recipe #26), and Zea Grits (Recipe #27)

Crab Cakes
from Food Network's Paula Deen


1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells
1/3 cup crushed crackers (recommended: Ritz)
3 green onions (green and white parts), finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Flour, for dusting
1/2 cup peanut oil
Favorite dipping sauce, for serving

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and peanut oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Serve warm with preferred sauce.


Remoulade Sauce
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Use immediately or store. Will keep for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Zea Grits
from Zea Rotissierie and Grill via Food Network

2 cups water
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup yellow grits
1/2 pound butter
1 tablespoon salt
1 ear grilled corn, kernels removed

Bring liquids to a boil. Stir in grits. Add butter. Cook at simmer until thickened. At end, stir in corn.

Recipe #24: Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I tried this recipe about a month ago but did not post it. I ended up making a cake, instead of cupcakes, because I could not find our muffin pan at the time (we were in the midst of reorganizing). I cooked it for much longer than the recipe recommended, because the middle would not cook. Then I turned the temperature up a little and it finished cooking after about 10 minutes. I did not expect the cake to taste good because of the timing problems that I had, but it was delicious.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
from the Barefoot Contessa of Food Network

2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 extra-large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups grated carrots (less than 1 pound)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

For the frosting:
3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the remaining flour, mix well, and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.

Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop the batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for a further 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

For the frosting, cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.

When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo (Recipe #22) and Lemon Spaghetti (Recipe #23)

Shrimp Fra Diavolo
From Food Network's Giada DiLaurentiis

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.


Lemon Spaghetti
from Food Network's Giada DeLaurentiis

1 pound spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Recipe #21: Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup
from The Mansion at Turtle Creek via Food Network

3 tablespoons corn oil
4 corn tortillas, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh epazote or cilantro
1 cup fresh onion, pureed
2 cups pureed fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 whole bay leaves
4 tablespoons canned tomato puree
2 quarts chicken stock
Salt
Cayenne pepper
1 cooked chicken breast cut into strips
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3 corn tortillas, cut in strips and fried until crisp

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute tortillas with garlic and epazote over medium heat until tortillas are soft.
Add onion and fresh tomato puree and bring to a boil. Add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, canned tomato puree and chicken stock. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to simmer. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste, and cook stirring frequently for 30 minutes. Skim fat from surface, if necessary.

Strain and pour into warm soup bowls. Garnish with an equal portion of chicken breast, avocado, shredded cheese and crisp tortilla strips. Serve Immediately.

Burgers with Lemon Aioli (Recipe #19) and Stuffed Peppers (Recipe #20)

We have a bunch of gorgonzola left over from our antipasto platter last week, so I wanted to have grilled blue cheese burgers tonight. While I was playing around on Food Network's website, I came across this recipe. We already have the ground sirloin, but I'd still like to try the lemon aioli to put on top of my burger stuffed with gorgonzola. Ever since I tried the yucca fries with aioli at Fuego in Atlanta, I have been wanting to try to make an aioli myself.

Recipe #19: Lemon Aioli
from Food Network's Emeril Lagasse


3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch cayenne
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

With the back of a knife, mince the garlic, then crush. Gradually work the salt into the crushed garlic to make a paste. Place in a bowl. Whisk the eggs and lemon juice with the garlic paste and incorporate. Add the cayenne. Slowly whisk in the oil, a little at a time, until all the oil is incorporated and the mixture emulsifies.

Keep refrigerated until ready to use. (Use within 24 hours.)

Yield: about 1 cup

Recipe #20: Stuffed Peppers
from allrecipes.com

2 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato - peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons white wine
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 8x11 inch glass baking dish.
In a pot of boiling water, cook the bell peppers for 4 to 5 minutes; until they begin to soften. Remove them from the boiling water and plunge them into a cold bath. Drain well.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and mix in the tomato, parsley, bread crumbs, white wine, and black pepper. Fill the peppers with this mixture and place them into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the peppers.
Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe #18: Coconut Cake

Coconut Cake
from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).

To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe #17: Shrimp Scampi #2

Shrimp Scampi
from Food Network's Tyler Florence

1 pound linguini
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 shallots, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

Recipe #16: Crawfish Au Gratin

Crawfish Au Gratin
from cajun-recipes.com

1 stalk celery. finely chopped

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

One 13-ounce can evaporated milk

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound cooked crawfish

1/2 pound Cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375F. Saute onions and celery in butter until onions are clear. Blend flour in well with mixture. Pour the milk gradually, stirring constantly. Add egg yolks, salt, red and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Put crawfish in bowl suitable for mixing and pour the cooked sauce over the crawfish. Blend well and then transfer into a lightly greased casserole. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light brown.

Serves 6.

Recipe #15: Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake
from Food Network's Emerial Lagasse

1 pound semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 1/2 tablespoon
1/4 cup Kahlua
8 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder, for garnish
Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Using 1/2 tablespoon butter grease a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with a parchment round. Cover pan underneath and along sides with foil and set in a roasting pan. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil.

Combine the chocolate, butter, and Kahlua in a metal bowl set over simmering water or in the top of a double boiler. Melt the mixture, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes; reserve.

Meanwhile combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until frothy and almost doubled in volume, about 5 to 10 minutes. Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula. Repeat this process 2 more times – until all of egg mixture has been folded into chocolate mixture.

Pour batter into prepared springform pan and place in the roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides. Bake until cake has risen slightly and edges are just beginning to set, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove cake from roasting pan and cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove foil, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove cake from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Remove springform pan sides, invert cake onto a large plate, and peel away parchment paper from bottom. Reinvert cake on another large plate or serving platter and garnish with confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder immediately before serving.

Recipe #14: Chicken Andouille Gumbo

Chicken Andouille Gumbo
from The Gumbo Shop Cookbook

1 chicken, 2 –2 1/2 lb
3 quarts water
1 lb. fresh or frozen okra sliced into ½ inch rounds
½ cup plus 2 Tbs. cooking oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
½ cup chopped celery
1 16 ounce can chopped tomatoes
¾ lb. Andouille sausage sliced into ¼ inch rounds
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. sage
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. salt

Cut the chicken into eight pieces, cover with water and simmer for about one hour until chicken is tender and easily removed from the bones. Pour off stock and set aside. Allow chicken to cool, remove from bones and set aside.

In a large heavy skillet, sauté the okra in 2 tablespoons of oil for about 10 to 15 minutes until all the "ropiness" is gone. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy bottomed Dutch oven, heat ½ cup oil over medium high heat. Add the flour and make a dark brown roux. (there are instructions about making a roux earlier in the book). As soon as the proper color is achieved, add the onions, bell pepper and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally until tender. During this process, allow the vegetables to stick to the bottom of the pan a bit, and then scrape the bottom with a metal spoon or spatula. This allows some of the natural sugars in the onions to caramelize, rendering great depth of flavor.

When the vegetables are tender, add the tomatoes, Andouille sausage and sautéed okra. Continue cooking and stirring for about 15 minutes. Add the bay leaf, thyme, basil, sage, peppers and salt and mix well. Pour in about 8 cups of the chicken stock, bring to a slow boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Add the cooked chicken and additional stock of necessary and simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve in large bowls over steamed rice.

Meatloaf (Recipe #12) and Mashed Potatoes (Recipe #13)

Meatloaf
from Tyler Florence of the Food Network

Tomato Relish:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely diced
2 tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (12-ounce) bottle ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Meatloaf:
3 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks by hand
1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 bacon slices

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a skillet with a 2-count of oil and place over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, and bay leaves for a few minutes to create a base flavor. Throw in the red peppers and cook them for a couple of minutes to soften. Now add the tomatoes; adding them at this point lets them hold their shape and prevents them from disintegrating. Stir in the parsley, ketchup, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the relish for 5 minutes to pull all the flavors together. Remove it from the heat; you should have about 4 cups of relish.

Place the torn white bread in a bowl and add the milk to just barely cover, swish the bread around in the milk and let it sit while you get the rest of the ingredients for the meat loaf together.

This is where you get your hands dirty! In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and pork with 1 1/2 cups of the tomato relish, the eggs, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add the soaked bread to the meat mixture. To test, fry a small "hamburger" patty of the meatloaf until cooked; the patty should hold together but still have a soft consistency. Taste the patty for seasoning.

Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Transfer the meat mixture to the center of the cookie sheet and form into a log about 9 inches long and about 4 inches wide. Coat the top of the meatloaf with another 1/2 cup of the tomato relish. Lay the bacon across the top lengthwise.

Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the bacon is crisp and the meatloaf is firm. Rotate the meat loaf while it's baking every now and then to insure that the bacon browns evenly. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool a bit before slicing. Serve with the remaining tomato relish on the side. Unbelievably moist!

Mashed Potatoes
from Tyler Florence of the Food Network

1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil, optional

Warm the cream with the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts; set aside.

Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to boil then add 1 teaspoon of salt and reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. Drain. Pass the potatoes through a food mill or a ricer into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the warm cream and butter mixture until the cream is absorbed and the mixture is smooth. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and finish them off by stirring in 1/4 cup olive oil.

Recipe #11: Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna
from Allrecipes.com

1 pound lean ground beef
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In large skillet over medium heat, cook beef until browned. Drain. Combine with taco seasoning and refried beans. Spread half of mixture in 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with two tortillas, trimming if necessary, and half of cheese. Repeat layers.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbly. Top with green onions and tomatoes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe #10: Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and Grits
from Tyler Florence of Food Network

For the grits:
3 cups milk
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup stone-ground white cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the shrimp:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound andouille or spicy Italian spicy sausage, cut in chunks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 to 3 bay leaves
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
Pinch cayenne pepper, adjust to personal preference
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 green onions, sliced

For the grits:
Place a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the milk and cream. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal. When the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to medium low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, thin it out with a little extra cream. Season with salt and pepper.

For the shrimp:
Place a deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic; saute for 2 minutes to soften. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until there is a fair amount of fat in the pan and the sausage is brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to create a roux. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and continue to stir to avoid lumps. Toss in the bay leaves. When the liquid comes to a simmer, add the shrimp. Poach the shrimp in the stock for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are firm and pink and the gravy is smooth and thick. Add the cayenne pepper, Tabasco and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the parsley and green onion. Spoon the grits into a serving bowl. Add the shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.

Recipe # 9: Oven Fries

Pres is grilling steaks. I was going to make mashed potatoes with roasted garlic, but we are somehow out of garlic. Instead, I am going to make oven fries.

Classic Oven Fries
from Good Housekeeping

2 tablespoon(s)	olive oil
3 medium	(about 8 ounces each) baking potatoes
3/4 teaspoon(s)	salt
1/4 teaspoon(s)	coarsely ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush 2 large cookie sheets with 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Cut each unpeeled potato lengthwise into quarters, then cut each quarter lengthwise into 2 wedges (or, cut potatoes crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices).
3. In large bowl, toss potatoes with salt, pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil until evenly coated.
4. Divide potatoes between cookie sheets, spreading each batch into an even layer. Place cookie sheets on 2 oven racks and oven-fry potatoes 25 minutes or until tender and crisp, turning potatoes over once and switching pans between upper and lower racks halfway through cooking.