Tomato Salad

2 T lemon juice
1 1/2 t Dijon mustard
1/2 t honey
1 T EVOO
2 C flat leaf parsley leaves
1 C diced yellow bell pepper
1/2 C diced red onion
1 pint halved grape tomatoes

Combine lemon juice, mustard and honey in a large bowl; gradually whisk in oil.  Add parsley, pepper, onion and tomato.Toss gently to coat.  Serve with lamb.

Greek Lamb Chops and Mint Sauce with Tomato Salad

2 T + 1/2 t lemon juice
2 t chopped oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 (4 oz) lamb loin chops, trimmed
2 t canola oil
1/2 C plain fat-free yogurt
1 T chopped mint

Combine 2 T lemon juice, oregano, and 2 of the garlic cloves in a small bowl.  Sprinkle lamb with 1/4 t each salt & pepper.  Rub with oregano mixture. Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add oil to the pan, swirling to coat.  Add lamb and cook for 3 min on each side.  Let stand 5 min.  Combine yogurt, mint, 1/2 t lemon juice, 1/8 t salt, and remaining garlic in a small bowl.

Tomato Salad
2 T lemon juice
1 1/2 t Dijon mustard
1/2 t honey
1 T EVOO
2 C flat leaf parsley leaves
1 C diced yellow bell pepper
1/2 C diced red onion
1 pint halved grape tomatoes

Combine lemon juice, mustard and honey in a large bowl; gradually whisk in oil.  Add parsley, pepper, onion and tomato.Toss gently to coat.  Serve with lamb.

Tandoori Lamb Kabobs

Serves 6

Marinade:
2 C plain yogurt
1/4 C heavy cream
1/4 t grated ginger
3 cloves garlic
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground coriander
1 t ground cumin
3 T white vinegar
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t red chili powder

Kabobs:
2 lb lamb, cut in 2" cubes
2 green bell peppers, cut in 1" pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut in 1" pieces
2 yellow bell peppers, cut in 1" pieces
1 onion, quartered
8-12 oz small mushrooms

Place all marinade ingredients in blender and mix well until turned to paste.  Thoroughly coat lamb with marinade.  Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.

Arrange meat on skewers alternately with peppers, onions and mushrooms.  Grill over hot coals to desired doneness, turning often and basting with marinade.

Overnight Slow Cooker Scramble

2 lbs hash browns
12 eggs
1 C milk
1 T ground mustard
16 oz sausage
Salt & Pepper
16 oz shredded cheddar

Spray crock pot and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom.

Crack 12 eggs in a large bowl, mix well (and slowly) with a whisk. Add the milk and plenty of salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Cook sausage over high heat. Drain. Add on top of hash browns.

Throw in the whole bag of cheese.  Mix up crock pot ingredients.

Pour egg mixture over everything and smooth out ingredients with a wooden spoon so everything is even.

Turn the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. If you want to sleep more than that, make a day ahead and leave on warm overnight.

Reuben Soup au Gratin

1 C beef broth
1 C chicken broth
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped green bell pepper
1 T cornstarch
2 T water
1/4 lb corned beef, shredded
2 1/2 C shredded swiss
3/4 C sauerkraut, drained well
4 T butter
2 C half and half
Salt & Pepper
4 rye bread rounds, toasted

In heavy saucepan, heat beef broth, chicken broth, onion and green pepper to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Dissolve cornstarch in water and blend into soup.  Cook until soup thickens, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in corned beef, 1 1/4 cups Swiss and sauerkraut.

In a 2nd saucepan, over low heat, melt butter and stir in half and half.  Add soup and stir until smooth and thoroughly heated.  Do not boil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into 4 oven-proof bowls.  Place one bread round in each bowl and cover with remaining Swiss cheese.  Place each bowl under broiler until cheese is bubbly and golden.

Artichoke, Bacon, Potato Stew

1 lb new potatoes
2 strips thick bacon, cut into 1/2" strips
1 T minced shallots
4 medium artichokes, trimmed to hearts and stems, quartered lengthwise and stored in acidulated water
3/4 C water
1/2 C cream
Salt
2 T minced chives

Steam the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes and set aside.  When cool enough to handle, cut into quarters or bite-sized pieces.

Fry cut-up bacon in a dry skillet over medium heat until brown, about 10 minutes.  Discard all but 1 to 2 teaspoons of fat and transfer to large pot.

Add shallots and cook until fragrant and tender, about 3 minutes.

Add artichokes and water. Cover tightly and cook until the artichokes are tender, 10-15 minutes.

Remove the lid, increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the liquid has reduced to traces of syrup, about 5 minutes.

Add cut-up potatoes and stir to coat iwth juices.  Add the cream and bacon, and salt to taste ; continue cooking over high heat until the cream has thickened and reduced enough to coat the potatoes and artichokes lightly, about five minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the minced chives before turning into a serving dish.

Calories  194
Protein    5g
Carbs     23g
Fiber      8g
Fat         10g
Sat Fat   5g
Chol       31mg
Sugar     2g
Sodium  125mg

Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Loin

5 lb pork loin

Rub:
2 T Adobo seasoning
2 T minced shallots
1 T minced garlic
1 T minced fresh thyme leaves
1 t minced fresh oregano leaves
1 t fresh minced parsley leaves

Paste:
1 C light brown sugar
2 t finely chopped garlic
2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 t kosher salt

In a small bowl, mix together rub ingredients. Rub mixture all over pork, pressing firmly, and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350.

Place pork in roasting pan and bake 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to touch.

Meanwhile, make paste.  Once pork is cool enough to touch, spread the paste all over the pork loin.  Return to oven and cook until it has developed a crust and is cooked to the desired doneness, about 25-30 minues.  Place roasting pan on a cookie sheet if your roasting pan is shallow, because brown sugar will foam after about 20 minutes.

Remove pork from pan and let rest 15 minutes.  Cut into slices, drizzle with pan juices and garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Chicken Tagine

Serves 4

1 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1" pieces
2 large onions, thin sliced
1/2 C dried apricots, coarse chopped
1/2 C raisins
1 1/4 C chicken broth
2 T tomato paste
2 T lemon juice
2 T flour
1 1/2 t ground cumin
1 1/2 t ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t black pepper
2 C cooked cous-cous

Place chicken, onions, apricots and raisins in slow cooker.

In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, tomato paste, lemon juice, flour, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and black pepper.  Pour over chicken in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or low for 5 hours.

Serve over cooked couscous.

Per Serving:
Calories 482
Fat 11g
Sat Fat 3g
Protein 45g
Carbs 54g
Fiber 5g
Sodium 345mg
Chol 195mg

Truffle Mayonnaise

3 egg yolks
2 t Dijon mustard
150 ml light olive oil
100 ml sunflower oil
50 ml truffle oil
2 T lemon juice
green onions (optional)

Place egg yolks, mustard, and some salt and pepper in a blender and whiz to combine.  Combine the oils in a jug.  Then, with the motor running, VERY slowly pour oil through the feed tube until you have a thick emulsion.  Mix the lemon juice and a little warm water to loosen. Keep chilled for up to 2 days, stirring in fresh chopped green onions when ready to serve, if desired.

Gumbo

Seasoning Mix:
    1 1/2 t  Salt
                Paprika
                Thyme leaves
                Garlic Powder
                Ground Black Pepper
                Dry Mustard
                Sugar

     3/4 t   Ground Cumin
               White Pepper
                Onion Powder

Gumbo:
      2 T vegetable oil
      4 chicken thighs
      8 C water or chicken stock
      8 oz andouille sausage
      1/2 C flour
      2 C chopped onion
      1 1/2 C chopped red or green bell pepper
      1 C chopped celery
      1/2 C chopped parsley
      1 lb crab meat and shrimp

Combine ingredients for seasoning mix.  Heat 2 T oil in a Dutch oven.  Add chicken.  Saute until browned on both sides.  Remove chicken from pan to a large saucepan, reserving drippings in Dutch oven.  Add 8 cups water to cover chicken and simmer 1 hour.  Drain, reserving stock.  Bone chicken, reserving meat.

Add sausage to reserved drippings, and saute until browned.  Remove sausage, reserving drippings in Dutch oven.

Add enough oil to drippings to equal about 1/2 cup.  Heat and add flour 1/4 cup at a time, stirring until smooth.  Cook roux, stirring constantly, until browned and a deep caramel color, 5-6 minutes.  Add onion, pepper, celery, parsley and 2 T seasoning mix.  (You'll have about a half cup of seasoning mix left over.)  Whisk well and cook 10 minutes.

Add reserved stock, whisking well and cook 20 minutes or until thickened.  Add chicken, sausage and seafood and cook 10 minutes

Calories 225
Fat 14 g
Chol 65 mg
Protein 15 g
Carbs 9 g
Fiber 1 g
Sodium 540 mg

Chinese-Style Pork Chops with 3 Mushrooms

5 T Peanut oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
3 slices fresh ginger
6 pork chops, 1/2" thick
1 T rice vinegar
1/2 C chicken broth
1/4 lb mixed chanterelle & shitakes, stem & slice
3 large button mushrooms, sliced
1 T oyster sauce
1 T hoisin sauce

In a 12" skillet, heat 4 T peanut oil until medium hot.  Add garlic clove and ginger slices.  Saute 30 seconds, or until they release flavor but do not brown.  Discard garlic and ginger, reserving flavored oil.  Saute pork chops, three at a time, in the flavored oil until nicely browned on all sides.  Remove chops to a place.  Add rice vinegar to skillet.  Stir to scrape up brown bits.  Add chicken broth and simmer until reduced slightly.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 T peanut oil in a medium skillet.  Saute all mushrooms over high heat until they color slightly and begin to release juices.  Add oyster and hoisin sauce to mushrooms, stir well.

Return chops to broth in large skillet.  Scatter mushroom mixture over all.  Cover and simmer on low heat for 12 minutes or just until tender.

Chicken Amandine

1 C toasted almonds, ground
2/3 C minced parsley
1 C fresh bread crumbs
4 whole chicken breasts, halved, skinned & pounded thin
3 egg whites, beaten with 1/2 t water until frothy
1/2 C butter
3/4 C grated Parmesan
2-3 T butter
2-3 T slivered almonds
1 clove garlic
1/4 C dry white wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 T sour cream

Combine ground almonds, parsley and bread crumbs.  Dip chicken into egg whites then into almond mixture, coating thoroughly.  Chill several hours to set coating.

Melt 1/2 C butter over medium-high heat.  Saute breasts until brown and crisp on each side.  About 30 seconds before removing chicken from pan, sprinkle 1 T Parmesan on each chicken breast.  Remove from pan and keep warm.

In same pan, melt 2-3 T butter and stir to loosen any particles remaining on bottom.  Add slivered almonds and whole garlic clove.  Saute until almonds are brown.  Add wine and lemon juice, cooking until liquids are reduced by half.  Lower heat and blend in sour cream.  Pour sauce over chicken.

Savory Gruyere Cheesecake

1 1/3 C fine toasted breadcrumbs
5 T unsalted butter, melted
24 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 C heavy cream
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t cayenne
4 eggs
1 C shredded Gruyere cheese
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 T unsalted butter
1/2 lb finely chopped mushrooms
Salt & pepper to taste
Marinara

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9" springform pan. In small bowl, combine bread crumbs and melted butter.  Press crumbs onto bottom and sides of pan.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Set aside to cool. Reduce heat to 325.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, cram, salt, nutmeg, and cayenne together until smooth.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Divide cheese mixture between 2 bowl.  Stir Gruyere cheese into one.  Stir spinach and green onions into the other.  Pour spinach filling into cooled crust.

In medium skillet, melt 3 T butter and saute mushrooms over medium-high until all moisture evaporates, stirring frequently.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon mushrooms over spinach filling.  Carefully pour Gruyere over mushrooms.

Set pan on baking sheet.  Bake for 1 1/4 hours.  Turn oven off and cool cheesecake for 1 hour with door ajar.  Then cool on rack to room temp.  Serve in wedges topped with warm marinara sauce.

BLT Cherry Tomatoes

(Makes 36)

36 red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, stems removed

2 cups chopped butter lettuce

1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon (about 8 slices)

3-4 T mayonnaise

Salt & pepper to taste

Barely slice tops from cherry tomatoes and scrape out and discard pulp and seeds.  Then slice just enough off the bottom of each tomato to form a flat base so the tomato will sit up.  Place tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain.  In small bowl combine lettuce, bacon and just enough mayonnaise to hold stuffing together.  Season with salt and pepper.  Fill tomato shells with lettuce and bacon stuffing and arrange on platter.

Grapevine

Serves 8

In pitcher, combine 4 cups chilled white grape juice, 1 cup chilled vodka, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 2 tsp grenadine.

Mix and serve in ice-filled tumblers.  Garnish with a few frozen grapes.

Pizza Soup

Serves 4

3/4 C riso or acini di pepe soup macaroni, uncooked
1 lb Italian sausage
3/4 C chopped onion
1 C sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 C chopped green bell peppper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t olive oil
2 C beef broth
2 C traditional spaghetti sauce
2 t dried basil
1 t ground fennel
2 oz shredded mozzarella
Dried basil for garnish

In skillet, brown Italian sausage. Drain. Set aside.


In a large pot, cook macaroni in boiling water about 10 minutes, or until tender.  Drain. Set aside.

In large pot, saute onion, mushrooms, pepper and garlic in olive oil until onion is transparent.  Add beef broth, spaghetti sauce, basil, fennel, sausage, and macaroni.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Mixture will thicken, add water to achieve desired consistency.  Ladle soup into bowls.  Top each with cheese and a pinch of basil.

Note: freezes well

Lamb with Mint Sauce

Sauce:
1 C mint leaves, finely chopped
2ish T sugar
2 T vinegar
3 T water

Combine all ingredients. Let steep 1-2 hours. Taste.  Add more water if flavor is too intense.

Lamb:
1 (5 lb) leg of lamb
3 cloves garlic, peel & slice
Salt
Pepper
6-8 big sprigs of mint
2 C white wine

Preheat oven to 450.  Trim lamb leg of excess fat.  Cut small slits into leg of lamb and insert slices of garlic.  Thoroughly season with salt and pepper.  Put the white wine in the bottom of a roasting pan along with mint sprigs.  Place leg of lamb on mint sprigs in the roasting pan.  Roast 15-20 minutes until a golden brown.  Reduce heat to 350 and continue roasting, basting with wine occasionally, until an internal temp of 140 is reached, approximately 45 minutes.  Rest 25 minutes before carving.