Novice Recipe Box

Flank Steak with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

2007-01-06T11:54:00.000-05:00

Since I rarely post anything with meat, I thought I’d start off the new year on a different note – this is a pretty good steak recipe: minimal enough you can still taste the meat, but enough to give it a kick. Serve with a merlot and you’ll be in heaven.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 lb. flank steak

cooking spray

½ c. onion

1 garlic clove

2 c. shiitake mushrooms

1 c. beef broth

1/3 c. rice wine

1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

½ c. green onion

Instructions

Preheat broiler.

To prepare steak, sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over both sides of steak. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove the steak from oven; loosely cover with foil.

To prepare sauce, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/2 cup onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté for 4 minutes. Add broth, wine, and vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and cook until reduced to 1 1/4 cups (about 6 minutes). Add green onions, and cook for 1 minute.

Slice steak diagonally across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Serve steak with mushroom sauce.

Spicy Shrimp Cakes with Corn and Avocado Salsa

2006-12-27T01:11:00.000-05:00

This is one of the fun and festive dishes I’m making for the upcoming Christmas/New Year’s dinner I’m having with friends. The nice part is you can make most of it ahead of time and refridgerate if you want, then just take out the cakes to fry them up, add the avocado to the salsa, and serve! A lighter wine is the way to go – but with the spice you don’t want it to be overpowering. An Australian Chardonnay worked well last time and that’s the plan again.

Servings: 10

Prep Time: 80 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Cakes

¾ c. breadcrumbs

¼ c. fresh cilantro

1 egg

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. sugar

1 ½ tsp. hot sauce

1 tbs. lime juice

3 tbs. cream cheese

¼ c. green onions

1 garlic clove

1 c. red bell pepper

cooking spray

1 lb. shrimp

Salsa

¼ tsp. salt

1 tbs. lime juice

2 tbs. poblano pepper

3 tbs. red onion

¼ c. fresh cilantro

¾ c. avocado

1 c. white corn

Instructions

To prepare cakes, peel and devein shrimp. Place shrimp in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Finely chop the bell pepper, garlic, and green onions. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic to pan; sauté for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Place bell pepper mixture in a large bowl. Add shrimp, green onions, and the next 6 ingredients (through egg), stirring well. Stir in cilantro and 1/4 cup breadcrumbs.

Divide shrimp mixture into equal portions (10), shaping each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Dredge both sides of patties in remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. Chill at least one hour.

To prepare salsa, combine corn and remaining ingredients; stir gently.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 5 cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining cakes. Serve immediately with salsa.

Slow Cooked Beef with Onions, Carrots and Gremolata

2006-12-20T10:47:00.000-05:00

A hearty winter dish that is great by the fire with a glass of Chilean Malbec. Though I don’t cook a lot of beef dishes, this one was pretty good.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 6 hours

Beef

1 ¼ lb. sirloin stew meat

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. olive oil

cooking spray

1 ½ c. peeled pearl onions

½ c. beef broth

½ c. red wine

2 tbs. sun-dried tomato halves

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

2 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

2 chopped large carrots

1 lb. chopped potatoes

Gremolata

3 minced garlic clove

½ tsp. lemon rind

1 1/3 tbs. fresh thyme sprigs

½ c. fresh flat-leaf parsley

French bread

Instructions

Peel pearl onions and set aside. Peel and chop carrots into 1/2 inch pieces, set aside. Wash potatoes and chop into 1 inch pieces, retaining skins. Set aside. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and place in a small bowl - add broth, wine, thyme, red pepper and bay leaf.

Place a skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and sirloin meat. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. While meat is browning, line the slow cooker with a liner. Brwon meat on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onions to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until slightly browned. Add contents of the broth bowl to the pan and simmer until onions are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove onions from skillet and place on top of meat in slow cooker. Add carrots on top of the onions, and potatoes on top of the carrots. Pour entire broth mixture over the contents of the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours - use a baster to pull liquid from the bottom of pan to coat over the top of the potatoes and carrots every 20-30 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook 4 hours, basting and stirring occasionally.

Prepare the gremolata by combining parsley, garlic, thyme and lemon rind in a small food processor. Pulse until well chopped and blended. Put gremolata in a small serving dish.

Prior to serving the roast, remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs from slow cooker; discard. Serve meat, potatoes and carrots in a large soup bowl, topped with one tsp. of gremolata. Serve extra gremolata on the side with French bread and olive oil.

Lemon Cake with Winter Fruit

2006-12-16T11:22:00.000-05:00

This was a nice touch to the end of a meal I served for some close friends. The cake is light and tasty, and the fruit adds just the right touch without being too sweet. I served a dessert wine – but I’m forgetting the name of it. It was fairly light in color, so not nearly as sweet as most dessert wines. Quite tasty. I’ll be making this again soon for a special occasion.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Cake

2 tsp. lemon peel

2 large eggs

¼ c. olive oil

2/3 c. buttermilk

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

½ c. yellow cornmeal

1 c. sugar

1 ¼ c. flour

parchment paper

cooking spray

Fruit Topping

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 ¾ c. pear

½ cranberries

½ c. golden raisins

1 c. apple juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Coat paper with cooking spray. Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, and rind, stirring well with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until moist. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare compote, combine apple juice and raisins in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 6 minutes). Add fresh cranberries to pan; cook 3 minutes or until cranberries pop. Add pear to pan; cook 5-10 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.

Vanilla Balsamic Chicken

2006-12-12T21:09:00.000-05:00

This chicken has a very mild, subtle flavor that I enjoyed immensely! I’ll be making it again soon. Next time I will serve with the honey glazed carrots and plain white rice instead of the wild rice – the wild almost overpowered the flavor of the chicken. For the wine choice, pick a Chardonnay – I recommend Boneterra or Toasted Head as strong complements.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

½ c. chicken broth

½ c. balsamic vinegar

¼ c. shallots, chopped

¼ c. brown sugar

¼ tsp. orange rind

¼ c. orange juice

1 vanilla bean

¾ tsp. salt

8 chicken thighs

cooking spray

½ tsp. pepper

orange rind strips (Optional)

Preheat oven to 450. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into broth mixture, reserving the bean for another use. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1 cup (about 20 minutes).

Meanwhile, trim fat from chicken, and arrange in a single layer in the bottom of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining salt and pepper. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.

Remove chicken from oven, and brush broth mixture over chicken until coated, bake 5 minutes. Remove chicken again, and brush more mixture over chicken; bake 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 180 degrees. Remove chicken and brush once more, reserving extra sauce mixture to serve on the side. Garnish with orange rind if desired.

Chicken with Lime Glaze

2006-12-08T09:51:00.000-05:00

This is a pretty simple dish that only requires a skillet – the glaze is fairly delicate, so you’ll want to pair it with less complex flavors. We served with a simple Spanish rice and an uncomplicated sauvignon blanc.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

4 6 oz. chicken breasts

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

2 tsp. olive oil

cooking spray

¾ c. chicken broth

1 tbs. brown sugar

3 tbs. lime juice

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbs. water

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 tbs. butter

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Add chicken broth, sugar, 2/3 of the lime juice, and mustard to pan; cook over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; stir well with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens slightly. Whisk in remaining lime juice and butter, stirring until butter melts. Return chicken to pan; simmer 2 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated.

Tuna with Avocado Aioli

2006-12-04T11:23:00.000-05:00

I made this for my family in a “day before Thanksgiving” dinner, and it was a huge hit. I’m actually not a big tuna fan, but this recipe really makes it sing – the avocado is delectable with the texture of the fish. Since tuna is a heavier, fattier fish, we had the La Crema Pinot Noir, which is perhaps one of the best Pinots around.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

¼ c. cream cheese

2 tbs. fresh cilantro

1 tbs. fresh basil

1 tbs. fresh parsley

3/8 c. avocado

1 tsp. lemon juice

¼ tsp. salt

1 garlic clove

¾ tsp. coriander

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. pepper

4 6 oz. tuna steaks

cooking spray

To prepare aioli, combine first 9 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

To prepare tuna, combine coriander and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over tuna.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add tuna; cook 2 minutes on each side or until medium-rare or desired degree of doneness. Serve with aioli.

Hot Crab Dip

2006-11-20T16:24:00.000-05:00

By far my own personal favorite for parties – the hot crab dip works wonders. I usually choose the back fin meat since jumbo lump is harder to get on crackers and such.

Servings: 24

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 - 75 minutes

12 oz. cream cheese

¼ c. heavy whipping cream

1 c. parmesan cheese

13 oz. lump crab meat

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Old Bay Seasoning

Combine the cream cheese and whipping cream in the crock-pot slow cooker. Cover and heat on high until cheese is melted, about 45 minutes. Add the parmesan cheese, crab, onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes. Shortly before serving add the lemon juice and Tabasco, stirring thoroughly. Sprinkle dip with Old Bay Seasoning to taste and serve with French bread or crackers.

Bee Stings

2006-11-08T11:14:00.000-05:00

An easy addition to any party table. The truffle oil can be a bit pricey, so don’t use more than is called for – a little goes a long way! These bites are delicious with a glass of champagne.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 0 minutes

¼ c. honey

½ tsp. white truffle oil

¼ tsp. pepper

6 oz. parmigiano-reggiano cheese

In a small bowl, combine honey, oil and pepper. Reserve. Cut cheese into irregular bite sized pieces and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle honey mixture over cheese just before serving.

Garlic Vermouth Shrimp

2006-11-05T21:29:00.000-05:00

Very tasty, impressive, and easy to throw together. With all of the flavor, a very dry, simply wine is in order. Try a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 5-7 minutes

¼ c. vermouth

2 tbs. fresh thyme

1 tbs. fresh marjoram

2 tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. tabasco

36 large shrimp

4 garlic cloves

1 jalapeno

2 tbs. olive oil

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes - 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of shrimp; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Repeat with remaining olive oil and remaining shrimp.

Honey Apricot Baked Brie

2006-11-02T09:11:00.000-05:00

This classic is always sure to be a hit! Excellent with Chardonnay, and sometimes a decadent treat if you’re just not in the mood to fix dinner.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

4 sheets phyllo dough

12 oz. round brie

6-12 apricots

6-12 strawberries

¼ c. walnuts

1 tbs. honey

french bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray. Lay out phyllo dough gently into pan. Place brie on top of phyllo dough. Top with chopped apricots and strawberries, then walnuts. Drizzle honey over the top, then pull the edges of phyllo dough up around the brie until enclosed. (you may have to use some additional water to mold the phyllo dough to shape around the brie). Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until brie reaches desired consistency. Serve with fresh sliced french bread.

Classic Caponata

2006-10-28T13:28:00.000-04:00

Here is yet another dip from the party. Guests didn’t seem to like this one as much, but it was my favorite. It’s more time intensive than the others – so in the future I probably will make smaller batches when entertaining fewer friends.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

5 tbs. olive oil

1 ½ lb. eggplant

1 onion

4 garlic cloves

14 ½ oz. diced tomatoes

3 tbs. red wine vinegar

¼ c. red wine

2 tbs. caper

Italian seasoning

salt

pepper

pine nuts

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Chop eggplant, onion and garlic cloves and add to skillet. Sauté until eggplant is soft and brown, about 15 minutes. Add diced tomatoes (with juices), then red wine vinegar, wine and capers. Cover and simmer until eggplant and onion are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season caponata to taste with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Transfer caponata to serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Edamame Hummus

2006-10-25T10:37:00.000-04:00

Still trying to keep up with the photos from the party...and not doing a good job of it. October's been a rough month here! I'll try to post more frequently in the next few weeks. This dish was highly experimental, but quite fun. Give it a try if you're up for something different.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

1 ½ c. edamame, shelled and cooked

1 tsp. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. coriander

2 garlic cloves

½ c. fresh parsley

3 tbs. creamy peanut butter

3 tbs. water

3 tbs. lemon juice

¼ tsp. dark sesame oil

½ tsp. paprika

pita chips

Prepare edamame according to package directions, omitting salt. Place 1 tablespoon oil, salt, cumin, coriander, and garlic in a food processor, and pulse 2 to 3 times or until coarsely chopped. Add the edamame, parsley, peanut butter, water, sesame oil and juice; process 1 minute or until smooth. Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl. Drizzle with additional sesame oil and sprinkle with paprika. Serve with pita chips.

Pumpkin Dip

2006-10-08T11:52:00.000-04:00

This is the first of several posts of recipes I made at my recent housewarming party. Needless to say, the party was a year overdue – but I was happy that everything went well. Everyone’s been asking me for recipes, so I thought I’d post them here for easy access. This is a great fall dip – easy to throw together AND healthy! Serve with apples and graham crackers.

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 0 minutes

6 oz. light or fat free cream cheese

¼ c. dark brown sugar

¾ c. canned pumpkin

2 tbs. maple syrup

¼ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

apple slices

Place first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat until smooth. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple slices.

Rosemary Chicken with Wild Rice

2006-10-01T16:37:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite recipes from the Weight Watcher’s cookbook my mother gave me. It’s simple, fast, and the flavors are nice – a tangy of sweetness with the spicy flavor of the Dijon. You can make whatever kind of rice, but the Zartan’s Wild Rice box mix is easy and matches well with the flavors. Always serve with a chardonnay as it’s the best pairing we’ve come up with for this favorite.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbs. olive oil

1 lb. chicken breast

2 carrots

1 tbs. rosemary

1/3 c. orange marmalade

¼ c. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. pepper

Instructions

Cut and trim the chicken breasts into cubes. Skin and slice the carrots into bite sized pieces.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the chicken and carrots, stirring frequently 3-4 minutes. Stir in rosemary and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 3-4 minutes longer.

Stir in the marmalade, mustard, garlic powder and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve with plain or wild rice.

Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Bell Pepper and Spinach Cilantro Pesto

2006-09-28T22:21:00.000-04:00

Healthy and colorful, this dish has a very earthy flavor (thanks to the pesto). The pasta was okay, but next time I won’t serve it. Maybe some plain white rice would be better – just too much going on with the pasta thrown in the mix. Otherwise, you can pair with red or white wine, we tried white, but I think next time I’ll try a light red – Pinot Noir perhaps.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

½ c. bread crumbs

½ c. parmesan cheese

1 tsp. olive oil

4 large Portobello mushroom caps

½ red bell pepper

½ yellow bell pepper

½ onion

Pesto

pepper

salt

1 tsp. water

1 tsp. lime juice

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tbs. parmesan cheese

¼ tsp. cumin

3 tbs. garlic

¼ c. fresh cilantro

1 c. spinach leaves

Instructions

To make the pesto, process all ingredients, except water, salt and pepper, in a food processor or blender until smooth; add water if necessary for consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add 1 tsp olive oil to a medium skillet and turn to medium heat.

Remove brown gills from undersides of mushrooms using a spoon. Discard gills but reserve stems. Place mushrooms cap side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Finely chop the reserved mushroom stems, the bell peppers and onion. Add each to the skillet, cooking until peppers and onions are just tender about 5 minutes.

Spread some of the pesto inside each hollowed mushroom cap. Add the pepper mixture on top of the pesto. Top the pepper mixture of each mushroom equally with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until cheese just browns. Serve over pasta with any additional pesto on the side.

Scallops with Grape Tomatoes, Green Onions and Parsley

2006-09-23T13:57:00.000-04:00

I know, I know – I’ve been gone for a while. I actually lost a bunch of pictures, so I had to wait until I had a few more to work with before resurrecting the recipe blog. Now I’m back with a slew of fun summer recipes, and a few that will gear me up for fall. A friend of mine grew an organic garden this summer, so this dish was particularly yummy – fresh grape tomatoes, onions and parsley made it a hit. Served with a Sauvignon Blanc – other dry, simple whites would be just as tasty.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. large sea scallops

3 tbs. olive oil

3 green onions

10 oz. cherry tomatoes

3 tbs. Italian parsley

2 tbs. lemon juice

½ tsp. paprika

Instructions

Rinse and drain scallops. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add scallops. Sauté until browned on the outside and just opaque in the center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to plate, cover.

Add 1 tbs. oil to skillet, add white parts of green onions and sauté until almost tender, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and green parts of onions and sauté until tomatoes begin to burst and juice is released, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice and paprika.

Return scallops to pan and stir until just heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer scallop mixture to platter. Drizzle with extra oil and parsley and serve.

Bacon-Wrapped Filet with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

2006-08-19T08:07:00.000-04:00

I don’t venture to cook red meat often at home, but every once in a while I enjoy a good steak. This recipe works best, obviously, if you have high quality meat. Simple to prepare, but incredibly tasty. We’ve tried a couple different reds with this – and just about anything will work. I prefer the Cabernet Sauvignon, my partner prefers the Red Zinfandel.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 bacon-wrapped filet mignon steaks

salt

pepper

¼ c. garlic olive oil

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

1 tbs. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. rosemary

1 tbs. butter

2 c. onion

1 tsp. sugar

4 oz. goat cheese

Instructions

Season steaks with seasoned salt and black pepper, and arrange in a single layer in a large baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and rosemary. Pour mixture over filets, and turn to coat. Marinate for up to 30 minutes.

While you are marinating the meat, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion slices in butter until soft, then stir in sugar. Continue cooking until onions are caramelized. Set aside.

Preheat grill for high heat on one side, and medium heat on the other side.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place steaks on the hot side of the grill, and cook for 10 minutes, turning once. When the steaks are almost done, move to the cooler side of the grill. Top each filet with a quarter of the caramelized onions and goat cheese. Close the lid, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted.

Ginger Lime Swordfish with Couscous

2006-08-10T10:58:00.000-04:00

Swordfish is a fairly hefty meal – and hard to find. With all the issues surrounding the fishing and harvesting of swordfish, I only buy it when it comes through the fair trade/wild caught market here. This dish was incredibly easy to prepare, but amazingly tasty. We actually had a Cabernet with this – the red held up well to the stockiness of the fish.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 tsp. lime rind

¼ c. lime juice

¼ c. honey

1 tbs. ginger

1 tbs. green onion

1 ½ tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. garlic

4 6 oz. swordfish steaks

cooking spray

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Instructions

Preheat broiler.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small saucepan. Dip each steak into the lime mixture to coat.

Place fish on a broiling pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

While fish cooks, place lime juice mixture over medium heat; cook until reduced by half (about 8 minutes). Serve sauce over fish with a side of couscous.

Cucumber Salmon Canapés

2006-08-02T15:55:00.000-04:00

This is a quick and easy appetizer to throw together in a pinch – works awesome for parties when you’re waiting on other things to cook. Choose a light starter wine for pairing. Pinot Noir really brings out the flavor of the salmon, but if you want to taste more of the cucumber, chose a Sauvignon Blanc.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients

2 oz. light cream cheese

2 tsp. dill

salt

pepper

½ cucumber, sliced

2 oz. lox pieces

1 tbs. capers

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and dill, stirring with a small cheese knife until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread each cucumber slice with the cream cheese mixture. Add lox pieces to the top of the cream cheese. Add 2-3 capers per canapé on top of the salmon. Serve chilled.

Zucchini Penne with Goat Cheese

2006-07-26T09:49:00.000-04:00

I am still on my quest to find as many recipes that include goat cheese as possible. I can’t seem to get enough of the stuff. With all the lovely fresh veggies in season over the summer, I pulled this little recipe and gave it a shot. It’s quite cheesy, but oh so tasty. We had a Chardonnay with it, but it wasn’t quite right – so next time I will be trying a Pinot Grigio.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

½ lb. penne

2 c. yellow squash

2 c. green zucchini

1 c. red onion

1 tbs. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

4 plum tomatoes

1 tbs. garlic

1 ½ tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 c. goat cheese

2 tbs. fresh basil

1 ½ tbs. fresh thyme

Instructions

Preheat oven to 475°. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, and set aside.

Combine squash and next 7 ingredients (squash through garlic) in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475° for 20 minutes or until browned, stirring after 10 minutes. Drizzle vinegar over vegetables; toss well.

Combine pasta, vegetable mixture, goat cheese, basil, and thyme in a large bowl; toss well. Serve warm with Italian bread.

Salmon with Pineapple Basil Salsa

2006-07-18T17:33:00.000-04:00

This is a very fun summer dish – if you can find salmon at a reasonable price. I’ve only seen it on sale once this summer, so I’ve not been able to make this as much as I’d like. The flavors all blend quite well with this dish, and you can serve white or red wine. I’d recommend a heavier white (like California Chardonnay) or a lighter red (like a Pinot Noir).

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

¼ c. lime juice

¼ c. olive oil

2 tbs. soy sauce

3 tbs. shallots, chopped

1 tsp. sugar

½ c. pineapple, diced

2 plum tomatoes, diced

¼ c. fresh basil

salt

pepper

4 6 oz. salmon fillets

½ c. chicken broth

lemon pepper

Instructions

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

Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, shallots, and sugar. Stir in the pineapple, tomatoes, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Place salmon in a 9x13-inch pan. Pour chicken broth over the top, and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Bake in a preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with salsa over the top.

Riesling Chicken and Strawberry Salad

2006-07-07T17:45:00.000-04:00

I made this summer salad the other day and it was a little slice of heaven on a hot summer day! You can substitute other wines for the chicken, but the light Riesling works well with the strawberries.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 chicken breast

½ c. chicken broth

½ c. Riesling

2 tbs. golden raisins

2 c. strawberries

1/3 c. celery

1/3 c. red onion

1 tbs. sesame seeds

1 tbs. fresh tarragon

1 tbs. olive oil

1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

½ tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

4 c. salad greens

Instructions

Place chicken in a small skillet coated with cooking spray. Add broth and wine. Cover and simmer, turning occasionally until chicken is cooked through. Half way through cooking, add the raisins to the pan and let cook uncovered until liquid is reduced by half.

Remove chicken from head and let cool slightly. Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Combine chicken, raisins, strawberries, celery and red onion in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine sesame seeds and next 6 ingredients (through pepper), stirring well with a whisk. Pour over chicken mixture; toss well to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour. Serve over salad greens.

Kowloon Chicken

2006-07-04T12:38:00.000-04:00

I love using the crock pot – so simple. Just throw everything in and all of a sudden you have an excellent meal! My partner and I fell in love with this dish, so I try to make it at least once a month. If you cook less than the 6 servings (which I do often), it sometimes only takes 3 hours for the chicken to cook through, so keep and eye on it otherwise it will dry out. We’ve tried a bunch of wines with this one – it definitely needs a white, but the bold Chardonnay is a bit much. Try a Pinot Grigio with this one.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts

1 tsp. ginger

1 tbs. garlic

1 c. chicken broth

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 medium mango

1 8 oz. can water chestnuts

4 green onions

¼ c. cornstarch

¼ c. soy sauce

8 oz. egg noodles

Instructions

Place chicken in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine ginger, garlic, broth, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until chicken is tender. Turn and rotate chicken occasionally during cook time.

As chicken is finishing cooking, pit and chop the mango. Rinse and chop the green onions. Prepare egg noodles according to package directions omitting salt and fat.

When chicken is cooked through, remove from slow cooker. Turn control to HIGH. Add chopped mango, water chestnuts (drained), and chopped green onions. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce. Stir mixture into the juices in the cooker. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Serve chicken on top of egg noodles, and ladle sauce over the top.

Shrimp Cocktail with Tropical Avocado Salsa

2006-06-17T22:26:00.000-04:00

A great summer appetizer. I think I pulled this recipe out of Cooking Light – it’s perfect as a first course and I’m always on the lookout for ways to use avocado. We had Chardonnay with it and that was quite tasty.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ c. pineapple, diced

9 tbs. avocado

½ c. plum tomatoes

1/3 c. green onions

2 tbs. fresh basil

2 tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. chipotle chile

½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

30 shrimp

1 tbs. sherry

1 tbs. soy sauce

½ tsp. cumin

3 tbs. garlic

2 tsp. olive oil

6 lime wedges

Instructions

Chop the pineapple, avocado, tomatoes, green onions and basil. Combine first 8 ingredients (through sugar) in a medium bowl; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and chill.

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Combine shrimp, sherry, and next 3 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to coat shrimp. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove shrimp from bag; discard marinade. Add shrimp to pan; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done. Spoon 1/3 cup salsa into each of 6 martini glasses; place 5 shrimp on rim of each glass. Garnish each glass with a lime wedge, if desired.

Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato Brie Sauce

2006-06-14T21:01:00.000-04:00

A little time consuming, but oh so worth it. For someone who rarely does cream sauces for fear they will upset my stomach, this one was just fine. I will be making this again very soon. Given the tomato flavor, I went with a Pinot Noir on this – quite tasty, but I think a white would have been just as good. In that sense, it’s a good dish for entertaining since you can open a bottle of both and let people decide which one they want.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 c. olive oil

2 1/2 lb. chicken breast strips

1 c. flour

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallots, chopped

3 tbs. sun dried tomatoes

3 slices of bacon

3/4 c. sherry

1/2 c. chicken broth

2 egg yolk

1/2 c. light cream

2 tbs. Brie

salt

pepper

fresh parsley

8 oz. pasta

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Fry chicken in the hot oil until brown on all sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Add the garlic, shallot, sun-dried tomatoes and pancetta to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook and stir for a few minutes, until garlic is fragrant and pancetta is cooked. Stir in the sherry, loosening any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the chicken stock and cook until reduced by half again.

Whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream; mix into the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook for a few minutes, until chicken is coated and sauce is thick. Stir in the Brie cheese until smooth. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with parsley. Serve over rice or angel hair pasta.

Basa Stuffed with Red Pepper and Eggplant

2006-06-12T00:13:00.000-04:00

One of the best parts about summer is that FINALLY bell peppers are not so amazingly expensive that you can be creative with them. The basa fillet was on sale at the local market. It kind of tastes like catfish, only not quite as meaty. I served this recipe for guests and it was a big hit – impressive but not extraordinarily complicated to make. Given the light, elegant flavors try a Sauvignon Blanc or a lovely French Burgundy. We had the Burgundy and it was excellent!

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 basa fillet 1/2 lb. each

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 red bell peppers

1/2 large eggplant

1 c. dry white wine

1 tsp. sage

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Chop the bell pepper into long thin strips, and the eggplant into bite-sized cubes.

In a large skillet, cook the onion and garlic in 1 tsp. olive oil or cooking spray over moderately low heat until softened. Add bell pepper and cook the mixture, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the pepper is softened. Add eggplant and 1/4 c. white wine, stir until eggplant is softened. Stir in another 1/4 c. wine, sage, lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until wine is absorbed. Let mixture cool slightly.

Coat a shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Lay out basa fillets. Top each fillet with about 1/2 inch of stuffing evenly. Carefully roll the fish from the top of the fillet to the bottom until a pinwheel shape is formed. Secure the stuffed fish with toothpicks. Lay carefully in the baking dish. Carefully pour 1/4 c. white wine over the fillets.

Bake fish for 30 minutes at 450, or until fillets are opaque. About half way through the cooking time, baste with the remaining white wine if desired.

Island Goat Cheese with Honey

2006-06-09T10:35:00.000-04:00

This little appetizer was inspired by a round of goat cheese a friend brought over and an almost empty can of macadamia nuts. The result was a delicious treat for the beginning of a meal I served my sister when she was down to visit. I recently discovered goat cheese and can’t get enough of it – so I’m always having a great time coming up with new ideas. I served this with a buttery California Chardonnay which worked very well with the flavors. There are a bunch of different crackers, but my favorite were the cracked pepper ones by Carr's.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz. goat cheese round

1/4 c. macadamia nuts

1/4 c. coconut, shredded

1/4 c. breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbs. olive oil

1 tbs. honey

crushed pineapple

crackers

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a shallow baking pan.

In a food processor, crush the macadamia nuts until finely chopped. Add nuts, coconut, and breadcrumbs together in a shallow dish and stir until evenly blended. Scatter pepper evenly across the top.

Slice goat cheese into even disks. Use dental floss to slice cleanly. Place olive oil in a small dish. Dip each piece of goat cheese into the olive oil, then press into the crumb mixture.

Put coated goat cheese into shallow baking pan. Bake for 5 minutes until cheese is just softened. Serve cheese on top of mixed greens with crackers. Drizzle with the honey and then top with crushed pineapple.

Blackened Tuna Steaks with Lime Glaze

2006-06-06T10:49:00.000-04:00

My partner loves sashimi grade tuna steaks. Tuna is not my favorite fish, so I have to be creative with it in order to enjoy dinner as much as my partner does when tuna is on sale. This particular recipe was one of the better ones I’ve tried with tuna – the lime glaze helps take the meaty bite off the fish. Contrary to fish-wine pairings, I served this with a heavier wine as well – a Malbec, and it was actually a pretty nice pairing.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 4 hours (marinade time)

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 tuna steaks

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

Water

Marinade

1 tsp. Old Bay blackened

1 tsp. pepper

1 tbs. chile powder

2 tbs. cilantro

1 tbs. dried mustard

2 tsp. lime juice

1/4 c. olive oil

Lime Glaze

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tbs. champagne vinegar

2 tsp. lime juice

Instructions

Combine all marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Add tuna steaks and additional water by the tsp. until marinade evenly covers steaks. Wrap and refrigerate for several hours.

Preheat grill. Whisk together glaze ingredients and set aside. Grill tuna steaks for 4 minutes per side, or until medium rare. Spoon glaze over fish and serve with rice or pasta.

Mushroom Chicken Thigh Bake

2006-05-22T12:49:00.000-04:00

This dish reminds me of home-cooking back on the farm. I don’t know why I like it so much, but it’s very comforting after a long day. The picture here is without the sauce over the top, but it’s probably better with the extra sauce. It’s also the type of dish you could really serve with just about any wine – the sauce is pretty creamy, so you’ll want something that will at least stand up to it. We’ve had both white and red with this and enjoyed both. The side dish is rosemary baked red potatoes – an easy fix in the microwave to pair with it.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 c. milk

1 tsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 c. breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saucepan combine the soup, milk, parsley, onion powder and black pepper. Warm mixture over medium heat until all elements are well mixed. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool slightly.

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish or bowl; dip chicken thighs in soup mixture, then in crumbs, and place coated pieces in the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken is nicely browned and cooked through (juices run clear).

Meanwhile, reheat the remaining soup mixture and use as a gravy for the chicken when finished. Serve with rice or potatoes.

Seafood Scampi Linguine

2006-05-14T15:36:00.000-04:00

My partner and I absolutely LOVE this dish. Scampi can be incredibly fattening, but this one is not so bad, especially if you use a light cream butter. Clams are a bit finicky, so you have to buy them just before you cook the dish since they don’t keep well in the refrigerator. Next time we are going to probably add mussels as well. We had this with a couple different wines – one was a sauvignon blanc from California, and the other was an orvieto classico from Italy. I liked the orvieto much better since it picks up the lemon flavors.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

16 oz. linguine

1/3 c. butter

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 zucchini or yellow squash, sliced

1/3 c. garlic clove, minced

3/4 c. shallots, chopped

1/4 c. capers

2 1/2 lb. clams in shell, scrubbed

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 c. fresh basil

salt

pepper

Instructions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Melt butter in a large heavy skillet. Add red pepper, zucchini, garlic, and shallots.

Sauté over high heat until the shallots begin to soften; about 4 minutes. Mix in capers, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add clams and shrimp. Toss until it's fully mixed.

Transfer mixture to a large baking dish. Cover and bake in a preheated oven until the clams have all opened and shrimp is cooked. Make sure the lid is not touching the shrimp or they'll burn and stick. Cook about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the scampi over the linguine, top with fresh basil and serve.

Grilled Vidalia Onion and Steak Sandwiches

2006-05-10T11:50:00.000-04:00

I’m not usually a big sandwich fan in general, but my partner likes them a lot – so every once in a while I’ll find a sandwich recipe to try out. This was a bit hit. The meat was so tender and flavorful that I enjoyed every last bite. I served it with a simple pasta salad from the Kraft box, pickles and a couple Cokes. We had beer as well – there’s something about a good steak sandwich and beer.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 2 hours (marinade time)

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 c. Coke

2 tbs. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. red cayenne pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 lb. flank steak

3/4 c. arugala, minced

1/2 c. mayonnaise

cooking spray

6 slices Vidalia onion

6 Kaiser rolls

12 slices tomato

Instructions

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large zip-lock bag. Add steak, seal, and marinate in fridge for 2 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove steak from bag, reserving marinade.

Preheat grill. Meanwhile, prepare dressing by combining arugula and mayo. Lightly toast the Kaiser rolls.

Place steak on grill coated with cooking spray, grill 8 minutes on each side or until steak is medium rare or desired doneness. Remove steak from grill, cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Dip onions in reserve marinade and place on grill, grilling 4 minutes on each side basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Remove and set aside.

Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin strips. Spread dressing on bottom half of each roll. Divide steak, tomato and onion evenly between rolls. Top with other half of roll and serve.

Mild Coconut Tofu Curry with Chickpeas

2006-05-08T12:41:00.000-04:00

This was a bit of an experiment for me, albeit a fairly tasty one. My partner and I both like tofu…in theory. Sometimes it just doesn’t work right. This recipe turned out okay and I will probably make it again. I liked the chickpeas with the tofu – a nice combination of flavors. I’m not so good with curry spice, so I used cumin and coriander instead…but if you like it, you can certainly switch to 1 tbs. of curry spice which would give it quite a kick.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 tsp. ginger

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. cashews

2 fresh lemongrass

1 onions, sliced

3 tbs. olive oil

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbs. coriander

1 tbs. cumin

2 1/2 c. firm tofu

28 oz. coconut milk

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

2 tsp. salt

1 tbs. sugar

In a blender or food processor, grind the ginger root, garlic, cashews, lemon grass, and onions into a paste.

Heat olive oil in a medium wok over low heat. Stir in the blended mixture and red pepper flakes. Gradually mix in the coriander and cumin (or curry powder).

Place tofu in the wok, and cook until heated through. Mix in the coconut milk, water, and garbanzo beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender. Season with salt and sugar.

Pecan Laced Goat Cheese Bites

2006-05-04T18:06:00.000-04:00

Another one of my favorite quick appetizers – anything with goat cheese is good by me! We’ve tried a lot of wines with this, and actually the best was an apple dessert wine – I forgot the name. But you could also try a dry Riesling – also nice.

Servings: 4-6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

French bread

8 oz. goat cheese

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

2 tbs. butter

2 tbs. brown sugar

red seedless grapes

Instructions

In a small skillet, melt the butter over med-low heat. Stir in brown sugar until well blended. Add the pecans. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until pecans begin to soften and the brown sugar mixture starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, slice the French bread. Toast 12-16 pieces of the bread and arrange on a serving platter. Cut the goat cheese into 1/8 inch thin slices. Using a small spoon, evenly distribute the pecan mixture on top of each piece of bread. Top each pecan mixture with a slice of the goat cheese.

Pull grapes from bunches, and wash in a strainer if desired. Put one whole grape on top of each piece of the goat cheese. Place remaining grapes in a small bowl. Serve immediately, with the extra grapes. For presentational purposes, one grape per slice looks better, but most will want 2-3 more grapes while eating the bite to balance out the flavors.

Risotto Alla Milanese

2006-04-30T16:43:00.000-04:00

This is a family favorite. We have it as a side dish with just about every major dinner – Christmas, Easter, you name it. You can vary the chicken broth to taste. My mother likes the risotto to be well cooked, so we always use more than most risotto recipes call for. The trick here is in the wine. You MUST pick a good white, not just cooking wine. I like it with a fuller Chardonnay.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

6 c. chicken broth

1/2 tsp. saffron

4 tbs. butter

1 onion, minced

1 1/2 c. Arborio rice

1/2 c. dry white wine

1/2 c. fresh parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a large saucepan, bring broth to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer. Add saffron threads and keep hot.

In a large non-stick sauté pan, melt butter. Add minced onion and sauté over medium high heat, stirring until barely golden, about 2-3 minutes. Add rice and continue cooking about 4 minutes, just until the first rice kernels begin to brown. Add wine to the rice and cook until evaporated.

Slowly add the hot broth, a ladleful at a time, stirring to incorporate. Add another ladleful as each addition is absorbed by the rice. After the last of the broth has been absorbed, stir in the parmesan. The risotto should be very creamy. Remove from heat and serve immediately with additional cheese if desired.

Crab Stuffed Chicken Thighs

2006-04-26T08:50:00.000-04:00

Complicated at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s not so bad. I like to make this when we have guests over because it’s a fairly impressive dish. It does take some prep, but it’s very worth it in the end. I’ve tried a lot of sides with this, but the seasoned long grain wild rice is hands down the best flavor compliment. No need to serve dessert with this one – everyone is stuffed afterward!

Servings: 3

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbs. oil

1/2 c. celery, chopped

1/2 c. onion, chopped

6 oz. crab meat

2 tbs. white wine

1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 c. bread cubes

1 1/2 tbs. garlic

6 chicken thighs

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. onion powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion; cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and season with Old Bay seasoning and pepper. Stir in the crabmeat, white wine, and bread cubes until everything is well blended.

Preheat a grill for medium heat. Lightly grease a 9x9 baking pan.

Lay three of the chicken thighs out skin side down in the baking pan – you can pack them in close to each other. Spread an even layer of the crab mixture onto each one. Lay the next three chicken thighs on top of the stuffing mixture, and secure the ends of each stuffed chicken with toothpicks.

Add any remaining stuffing in and around the chicken in the pan. Season the tops of each stuffed chicken with garlic salt and onion powder.

Place chicken in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until chicken is done when juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

Olive Bacon Wraps with Romano Cheese

2006-04-22T12:49:00.000-04:00

This is a quick little appetizer that is incredibly tasty. I throw it together often when people come over unexpectedly. We usually have bacon and olives around, so it works well. You can experiment with the type of cheese, but I’ve found Romano tastes the best with both green and black olives. It’s easier if the olives are pitted, but if not, you can work around it.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz. romano cheese

12 slices of bacon

24 olives, green or black (pitted preferred)

cooking spray

toothpicks

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut cheese into long, thin slices - 1/8 inch thick - so that they look almost like fat toothpicks. Cut the bacon in half.

Stuff cheese into olive (if pitted, if not pitted, wrap cheese and olive together in the bacon) and wrap the bacon around the olive. Secure each with a toothpick.

Place on a baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Repeat for additional bites until cheese and bacon are used up.

Bake at 350 for 22 minutes or until bacon is done and crispy. Serve immediately. (if using olives with pits, allow to cool slightly so the pits do not burn your mouth!)

Grilled Halibut with Tatsoi and Spicy Thai Chiles

2006-04-19T09:58:00.000-04:00

Not my favorite, but my partner loved it. I think the spice was a bit much for me – but I also have a weak stomach when it comes to spice. Since the dish is so spicy, we had a very dry white – I think a dry sauvignon blanc. It’s a house favorite, what can I say?

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 Thai bird chiles or 1/2 large jalapeno chile with seeds minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs. fresh ginger

3 tbs. lime juice

1/4 c. water

5 tbs. fish sauce

5 tbs. sugar

1 small carrot, shredded

4 halibut fillets

3 tbs. vegetable oil

1 shallots, chopped

3/4 lb. tatsoi or baby spinach

Instructions

Mix first 7 ingredients in medium glass bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare barbecue or grill (medium-high heat). Place carrot in medium bowl. Cover with ice water. Let stand for 15 minutes, then drain well.

Brush fish on all sides with 2 tbs. oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until jus opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbs. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallot, stir one minute. Add tatsoi, sprinkle with salt. Toss until tatsoi is wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.

Place fish atop tatsoi. Sprinkle each fillet with carrot. Drizzle each with 2 tbs. of the sauce. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

Baked Camembert with Cranberry and Caramelized Onions

2006-04-15T22:41:00.000-04:00

My partner and I are usually quick to pick up the brie whenever we’re in the cheese aisle, but I thought I’d try something a little different when we had guests over a few weeks ago. This baked camembert was good – though I think the flavors are a bit more fall inspired. I’ll probably pull this out as a Thanksgiving appetizer. We drank a locally grown Viongier with this one and it seemed to pair well with the cranberries.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbs. butter

1/2 onion, finely chopped

8 oz. round Camembert cheese

1/3 c. dried cranberries

2 tbs. brown sugar

1/4 tbs. salt

4 tbs. cabernet sauvignon

1 tsp. marjoram

cooking spray

sesame crackers

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until very tender and slightly browned, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, scrape the casing off the top of the cheese round. Place cheese in a lightly greased baking dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is soft.

Add cranberries, brown sugar, salt, and wine to onion mixture. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Add marjoram, cook and stir for an addition 1-2 minutes.

Remove baked cheese from oven and transfer to a serving platter. Top cheese with warm wine mixture. Serve immediately with sesame seed crackers.

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi

2006-04-09T20:31:00.000-04:00

So quick, so easy, and so incredibly tasty. I actually lifted this recipe off one of the larger recipe websites when mahi mahi was on special at the local fish market. The glaze is amazing, and produces such a light, healthy meal. I’m not kidding – this recipe is SO easy, even people who don’t like to cook much can manage to look gourmet. We had a dry Chardonnay with this – though you could also pair the Chenin Blanc.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes + 20 minutes marinating

Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

3 tbs. honey

3 tbs. soy sauce

3 tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp. olive oil

24 oz. mahi mahi

salt

pepper

Instructions

In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.

Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistently. Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.

Orange Mandarin Chicken

2006-04-05T17:35:00.000-04:00

This Asian-style dish is simple and easy to throw together after a long day at work. You can vary the spice a bit if you like it on the hotter side (just add more chili paste). The flavors will go with just about any dry white wine – we had an Australian Chardonnay which seemed to go nicely. Not a perfect pairing though, so next time I’ll try something a little different. White or brown rice on the side is essential for this dish.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breasts, cubed

2 tsp. sesame oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 11 oz. cans mandarin orange slices

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 tbs. hoisin sauce

2 c. rice

1/4 c. green onion, chopped

Instructions

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté for three minutes until golden. Season with salt and pepper.

Add mandarin slices, bell pepper and hoisin sauce and bring to simmer. Meanwhile, cook the rice in a rice cooker or according to package directions.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through, sauce is thick and oranges have been broken down.

Remove chicken from heat and stir in green onions. Serve over or with the rice.

Warm Apple and Goat Cheese Salad

2006-04-02T09:40:00.000-04:00

A refreshing starter course – or a nice lunch at home. You can mix and match your favorite types of apples on this one. Also, select high quality olive oil and vinegar for this homemade dressing. Serve with a crisp Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 tbs. raspberry vinegar

cooking spray

8 oz. goat cheese

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/3 c. garlic olive oil

1 tbs. fresh parsley

1 large apple, sliced

4 c. mixed greens

1/2 c. black walnuts, chopped

Instructions

In a small Tupperware container, combine the vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, salt, pepper and parsley. Stir until Dijon is blended. Seal Tupperware lid and shake gently a few times to blend flavors. Set aside.

Preheat the broiler. Core the apple by slicing directly to the side of the core on each side. With the remaining halves, slice the apple into 4 discs for each side so that you have a total of 8 discs. Place the apples on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cut the goat cheese into small discs. Top each apple disc with a slice of the goat cheese. Place the apples with cheese under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Meanwhile, arranged one cup of greens on each salad plate. When the apples are finished, place two apple slices on top of each bed of greens. Sprinkle each salad with an equal amount of the walnuts. Drizzle the dressing over each salad and serve immediately.

North Carolina Blue Crab Quiche

2006-03-28T17:38:00.000-05:00

This is a special brunch treat for us East-Coasters. I made this last Sunday while a good friend was in town and it was a hit. Given the flavors, you could serve it almost as a stand alone meal. I used a Sauvignon Blanc in the recipe, but next time I might try a Fume or Chenin Blanc just to see what would happen.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients

1 Pillsbury pre-made pie shell

1/2 c. skim milk

8 oz. crab meat

1/4 c. mayonnaise

8 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded

2 tbs. Flour

1/2 c. celery, chopped

1/2 c. scallion, sliced

1/2 c. white wine

3 eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll pie shell into lightly floured pie pan. Layer crab, cheese, celery and scallions in the bottom of the shell.

Combine in a separate mixing bowl the mayo, flour, wine, milk, pepper and eggs. Whisk lightly and pour evenly across the shell.

Bake quiche for 40-45 minutes or until done. Let pie "rest" a few minutes before cutting.

French Bistro Chicken with Wild Mushrooms Madeira Wine Sauce

2006-03-26T13:07:00.000-05:00

This was a fun dish to try since we love mushrooms – I used at least six different varieties in the sauce which made a big difference! I was out of chicken thighs, so I substituted chicken drumsticks – as long as you use the darker meat the flavors seem to blend nicely. The side dish is baby red potatoes roasted with rosemary. We had the Madeira wine as well as a French Bordeaux after the Madeira was gone…

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

8 chicken thighs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

cooking spray

2 lb. red potatoes, halved

1/2 c. milk

2 tbs. butter, divided

8 oz. sliced mushrooms (get lots of varieties)

1 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. Madeira wine or dry sherry

1/4 c. parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place chicken in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Cover with foil. Bake chicken covered at 350 for 30 minutes. Turn chicken over, bake an additional 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken to a serving platter reserving 1 tbs. of pan drippings. Keep chicken warm.

Place potatoes in medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to boil, cook 15 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pan - add milk, 1 tbs. butter, remaining salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher to desired consistency.

Heat reserved pan drippings in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms to pan; cook 3 minutes or until moisture evaporates, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and wine, scrapping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 tbs. butter. Drizzle gravy over chicken; sprinkle with parsley. Serve with potatoes.

Cherry Pound Cake

2006-03-21T08:55:00.000-05:00

Since today is technically a holiday being spring equinox and all, I thought I’d post a holiday recipe. I made this cake for Christmas this year and it was a big hit! Super moist and delectably tasty, we served it with a sweet Muscat dessert wine. Fabulous! Sorry about the picture resolution on this one...I might have had a bit too much wine before eating the cake! ;o)

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 45-60 minutes

Ingredients

2 c. flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. butter

8 oz. cream cheese

1 1/2 c. sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp. rum extract

2 c. maraschino cherries, drained and halved

1/2 c. flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour cake pan, set aside.

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and rum extract. Beat in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Dredge cherries in 1/4 cup of flour, then fold into batter. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated over for 60 minutes (it may take less time, so check at 45 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out to a wire rack and cool completely.

Herb Roasted Lamb Chops with Orange Marmalade Sauce

2006-03-13T10:39:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered that my partner loves lamb, and as a result, I try to throw it into my normal schedule of dishes whenever I can (read: whenever we can afford it!). We made this dish to celebrate a friend’s birthday and that my partner won an award for an essay he wrote. I served this with a nice French Bordeaux and it was amazing.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 1 day

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

4 lamb chops

1 1/2 tbs. rosemary

1 1/2 tbs. basil

1 1/2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. orange peel

1 tbs. garlic olive oil

Sauce

1 tsp. orange peel

1 tbs. rosemary

2 tbs. Dijon mustard

3 tbs. white wine vinegar

1 c. orange marmalade

Instructions

Mix rosemary, basil, garlic, and orange peel in small bowl. Brush olive oil over lamb; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide herb mixture among lamb chops, spreading all over and pressing to adhere. Cover and chill at least 1 hour, up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Stand chops upright on rimmed baking sheet or in a small cake pan coated with olive oil. Roast chops until thermometer inserted into center registers at 130 degrees for medium rare, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir marmalade in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it melts. Add sauce spices, and stir over med-low heat until blended and warmed through.

Remove lamb from heat, let stand for 10 minutes. Be careful, as some of the olive oil may pop. Serve lamb with sauce, white rice and a side of grapes.

Peach and Brie Quesadillas with Lime Honey Dipping Sauce

2006-03-08T13:20:00.000-05:00

My partner and I love doing wine and cheese trays on weekend nights. I almost always try to throw in an appetizer or two as well. This spread has the quesadillas and a strawberry baked brie, both of which were fantastic with the California Chardonnay we drank with them!

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbs. honey

2 tsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp. lime peel

2 peaches, thinly sliced

1 tbs. chives

1 tsp. brown sugar

3 oz. brie

8 flour tortillas

cooking spray

Instructions

Combine first three ingredients to make sauce. Set aside.

Combine peaches, chives, sugar, tossing gently to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet or grill. Arrange 1/4 peach mixture and brie in between two tortillas. Grill 2 minutes on each side or until lightly brown and crisp with cheese melted. Cut into wedges, serve with sauce.

Dark Apricot Dijon Chicken

2006-02-26T12:01:00.000-05:00

This is a quick and easy little dish I make in the crock pot. We love apricots, so I’m always looking for interesting ways to use them. The carrots and onions taste amazing after soaking up all the juices and spices. We served this for guests with a Viognier from Horton’s vineyards. VERY tasty.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken thighs

cooking spray or oil

1 c. pearl onions, peeled

1 c. baby carrots, halved

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. apricot preserves

1/3 c. vanilla yogurt

1 tbs. Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp. allspice

1/8 tsp. pepper

Instructions

In a large skillet, add oil or cooking spray and brown chicken on both sides (do not cook all the way through!). Remove chicken from heat.

Peel the pearl onions, and chop in half. Cut baby carrots in half. Place onions and carrots in a 3-4 quart crock pot. Place chicken on top of vegetables.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken broth, apricot preserves, yogurt, mustard, allspice and pepper. Stir lightly with a spoon until well blended. Pour mixture over the top of the chicken.

Cover and cook on the low setting for 3 hours or until chicken is done though. Serve chicken with veggies and remaining juices, and rice as a side dish if desired.

Sweet Potato Apple Casserole

2006-02-23T11:52:00.000-05:00

I made this side dish for our Christmas dinner and it was a big hit! My sister (the sweet potato purist) said, “You’re going to put apples in there? I don’t know about that…” and then ate four servings. I thought it was a nice, healthy change from the sweet potatoes layered under brown sugar or marshmallows we usually have. They went well with our salmon, and we had a pinot noir to tie it all together.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

1 apples, peeled cored and thinly sliced

1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled thinly sliced

3/4 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. apple juice concentrate thawed

2 tbs. dark brown sugar

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. margarine, diced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange half of the apples in the baking dish, top with half the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle with half the ginger and half the salt. Repeat the layers.

In a small bowl, combine the juice concentrate, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves and 1/4 cup of water. Pour over the potatoes. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Dot with margarine. Bake, uncovered, until tender, bubbling and light brown about 15 minutes longer.

Fresh Tomato and Basil Quiche

2006-02-18T11:55:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite Sunday brunch recipes. Quick and easy to whip up, but incredibly tasty. The worst part is waiting for it to bake! My partner prefers coffee, while I like tea – either of which is a nice compliment to this dish. When I made it last week, we sat outside and watched the sunrise…a nice morning.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 Pillsbury pre-made pie crust

cooking spray

1 tsp. olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 c. onion, finely chopped

3/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 c. plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/4 c. fresh basil

1 c. skim milk

1 1/2 tsp. corn starch

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 eggs

1 egg whites

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a glass or ceramic pie pan with cooking spray. Carefully unroll pie crust, and gently lay inside the pie pan. Set aside. [NOTE: You can substitute prepared breadstick dough for the pie crust by rolling and combining each breadstick piece into a Princess Lea kind of shape]

In a small skillet, place oil, garlic and onion. Sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes over medium high heat. Remove from heat and spread onion mixture evenly across the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle cheese over the onion. Arrange tomato slices on top of cheese. Top with basil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, egg white, milk, pepper and corn starch. Beat well with a whisk until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture over the tomatoes in the pie pan.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Lobster Tails with Tarragon Cream Sauce

2006-02-14T17:24:00.000-05:00

SO amazing! I’m making this one again tonight for Valentine’s Day. Lobster can be expensive, but it’s worth it in this creamy recipe. It’s hard for me to find things that both my partner and I like since we have such different tastes, but we both were wishing we had second helpings of this one. Seafood works best with white wine – we had a chardonnay with this, and I used part of it in the recipe. It was good, but I think tonight when I make this again I’ll try a sauvignon blanc.

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 lobster tails

2 tbs. butter

1 green onion, chopped

1 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. white wine

1/4 c. cream

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbs. lemon juice

1 tbs. tarragon

1/4 c. parmesan cheese

salt

pepper

Instructions

Preheat broiler. Loosen the meat from the lobster tails, and cut into smaller, bite sized pieces. Place pieces back into the tail shells.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the green onion and cook until just tender. Then add the chicken broth, white wine and cream. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half. Add the Dijon, lemon juice, tarragon. Also add salt and pepper to taste if desired. Stir well.

Place lobster tails on a broiling pan. Spoon the sauce over the lobster meat in the shells. Sprinkle tops with Parmesan cheese.

Broil for 4-5 minutes or until just golden brown. Keep a close eye on the lobster as broiler cook quickly and it can overcook easily. Serve immediately.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Corn Salsa

2006-02-10T14:39:00.000-05:00

I’ve become a Southerner! I thought fried green tomatoes were just a movie thing, but apparently it’s a serious undertaking around here. I figured I’d experiment a bit and check it out. This was actually incredibly tasty!! Green tomatoes are quite expensive in the winter though, so I probably will only do this one in the summers. We served this with a side of cornbread and a summery sauvignon blanc.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

6 medium green tomatoes

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/3 c. yellow corn meal

4 tsp. olive oil

cooking spray

1 c. Vidalia onion, finely chopped

1/2 c. red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 c. corn kernels

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. fresh parsley

Instructions

Cut tomatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices. Sprinkle tomatoes evenly with salt and pepper. Dredge tomato slices in cornmeal.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 6 tomato slices to pan and cook 2 minutes or until browned. Coat tops of tomato slices with cooking spray and turn them over. Cook for 2 more minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining oil and tomato slices.

To prepare salsa, return pan to medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper, sauté three minutes. Add corn and garlic, stir for one minute. Stir in vinegar, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.

Serve with warm salsa covered over the tomato slices.

Tangy Lemon-Dijon Grilled Shrimp

2006-01-30T23:45:00.000-05:00

This is one of those recipes that goes a long way. The vinaigrette works as a marinade and a side salad dressing. Serve with a sauvignon blanc to help bring out the flavor in the shrimp – there’s a lot going on there, and you don’t want to overpower it with the wine choice.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 c. vinaigrette marinade

2 1/4 lb. shrimp

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

cooking spray

lemon wedges

Vinaigrette & Marinade

1/4 c. olive oil

1/3 c. boiling water

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. hot chile sauce

3/4 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

4 tsp. honey

1 tsp. salt

2 tbs. lemon juice

1 tbs. lemon peel

2 tbs. capers

2 tbs. red onion, chopped

1/4 c. white wine vinegar

1/4 c. dill weed

Instructions

Peel shrimp, leaving tails intact. Starting at tail end, butterfly each shrimp cutting to, but not through the underside of the shrimp.

Combine shrimp, marinade and red pepper in a large Zip-loc bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes or up to 1 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill to medium high heat.

Remove shrimp from marinade, discard marinade. Sprinkle shrimp evenly with salt and pepper. Place the shrimp, cut sides down on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 2 minutes on each side or until done, basting frequently with remaining marinade.

Serve shrimp with lemon wedges, cooked rice and a small side salad, use leftover vinaigrette as salad dressing.

Eggplant Parmigiana

2006-01-22T20:29:00.000-05:00

I love this traditional Italian dish – but always have trouble with how greasy it comes out in most recipes. This recipe is baked, not fried, so you get all the richness of the spices and not the fatty grease. I also use skim or 1% cheese and milk to help cut down on the fat. You can serve it with or without the pasta – I like the pasta, my partner prefers more slices of the eggplant and a salad. I usually serve this with dry Chianti.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 tbs. garlic olive oil

1 medium eggplant

1/2 c. flour

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. breadcrumbs

2 c. tomato sauce

1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese

fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13x9 baking dish with olive oil cooking spray and set aside.

Slice eggplant into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices and set aside. In a small bowl, add egg and milk. Beat until creamy and smooth. Place flour and breadcrumbs on separate shallow plates or dishes.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Dip a piece of the eggplant into the flour, tapping to release excess. Then dip the eggplant into the egg mixture. Quickly remove and press into the breadcrumbs. Repeat with remaining slices of eggplant. Working in batches, fry eggplant in the skillet until just golden, about 3 minutes on each side.

Place fried pieces into the baking dish. Top each piece with a basil leaf, then a tablespoon of tomato sauce, then a mound of mozzarella cheese. When finished, bake the entire dish until cheese is melted, bubbly and golden brown - about 15 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, prepare pasta according to package directions (it should cook while the eggplant is cooking, so that it is done about the same time).

Remove eggplant from oven. Strain pasta, and serve eggplant pieces immediately over the cooked pasta. You can also serve Italian bread or extra sauce as desired.

Baked Havarti Chicken

2006-01-17T18:35:00.000-05:00

Before fixing this recipe, I had no idea what Havarti cheese tasted like. I’m a convert. It’s amazing! The flavors in this recipe are excellent. One word of caution – use fresh chicken that has not been frozen. Frozen chicken influences the combination somehow and it just doesn’t taste right. You can use any white wine – we had a Chardonnay that I used in the sauce and then served with the meal. I served it with a side salad, which works, but don’t put olives on it! The olives don’t taste right with the sauce.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

8 oz. sliced mushrooms (get lots of varieties)

4 oz. can green chili peppers

4 oz. Havarti cheese, sliced

Italian salad dressing

1 tbs. butter

3 tbs. white wine

1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. garlic olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a Ziplock bag with Italian dressing (enough to cover the chicken evenly). Marinate chicken for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Place marinated chicken in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until no longer pink in center and juices run clear.

Shortly before chicken is done, melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until bubbling. Pour in wine, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic olive oil, and bring to a boil. Stir in mushrooms. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt as needed.

Remove chicken from the oven. Lay green chili slices on top of each breast, then top each chili with a slice of cheese. Return to the oven until cheese has melted.

Remove chicken from the oven, top with mushrooms and their pan juices, and serve.

Shrimp Pad Thai

2006-01-07T17:03:00.000-05:00

I’ve had pad thai at restaurants and always assumed it would be a difficult dish to make. Luckily, I stumbled across this recipe that looked a bit overwhelming at first, but turned out to be entirely manageable, if even easy! This is a wonderful comfort food for those who like that peanut butter taste but feel guilty gobbling up so much fat. I usually used the reduced fat peanut butter and it tastes just as good, if not better. Given the flavors, a dry white wine is best – more along the lines of a sauvignon blanc.

Servings: 5

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz. uncooked spaghetti

1/4 c. teriyaki sauce

2 tbs. hot water

3 tbs. creamy peanut butter

1/4 tsp. hot chile sauce

2 tsp. dark sesame oil

1 tsp. garlic

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 c. snow peas

1/3 c. fresh cilantro

1/3 c. peanuts

5 lime wedges

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat, drain and set aside.

Combine teriyaki sauce, hot water, peanut butter, and hot chili sauce, stirring with a whisk.

Heat the sesame oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp, sauté for 2 minutes or until shrimp are almost done. Add teriyaki sauce mixture, and cook for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Add pasta and snow peas. Cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring well. Sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.

Mango and Black Bean Chicken

2006-01-03T14:59:00.000-05:00

This is a fun and festive dish I made for my birthday this year. I’m a sucker for black beans, and with the mango it’s almost orgasmic…if you like that sort of stuff. We had rice, chips and salsa, and a Chardonnay with this.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbs. sesame oil

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tbs. lime juice

6 chicken breasts

1 can black beans

1/2 c. red onion

1/4 c. jalapeno chilies

2 mangos, peeled and pureed

mixed greens

Instructions

Combine oil, vinegar, cilantro and lime peel in a Zip-loc bag. Add chicken breasts and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, in a shallow baking dish, combine black beans, red onion and jalapenos.

Remove chicken from fridge, add both chicken and marinade to baking dish.

Bake chicken and mixture for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through. Check frequently to stir bean mixture and baste chicken.

Meanwhile, chop mango into cubes. About 5-10 minutes from when the chicken will finish cooking, add the mangos on top of the chicken in the pan.

Serve chicken with a side of mixed greens, spooning extra bean and mango mixture over both chicken and salad.

Bell Pepper and Pineapple Chicken Stew

2005-12-28T17:18:00.000-05:00

I know it sounds odd – but for some reason these flavors really work together! When I made this stew, my partner raved that it was the best thing I’ve ever made. I’ve never seen him so excited. You have to like that pseudo-Asian taste, but if you do, it’s an excellent stew to warm you up on a cold winter’s day! You can add an extra ½ cup of broth if you think it needs it. I used a Chardonnay for the wine and it paired quite nicely!

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 hours

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken thighs

2 c. carrots, chopped

1 c. chicken broth

1 tbs. ginger

1 tbs. brown sugar

2 tbs. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

1 tbs. corn starch

1 8 oz. can pineapple chunks

1 red bell pepper, diced

Instructions

Mix chicken, carrots, broth, wine, ginger root, brown sugar, soy sauce, allspice and pepper sauce in 1 1/2- to 4-quart crock pot slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 8 hours or until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink in center.

Mix cornstarch and reserved pineapple juice; gradually stir into chicken mixture. Stir in pineapple and bell pepper. Cover and cook on high heat setting about 15 minutes longer or until slightly thickened and bubbly.

African Style Chicken with Couscous

2005-12-14T15:31:00.000-05:00

This was an experiment for me, since I don’t normally like spicy dishes. I was able to modify the recipe a bit so that it still has a nice kick, but it’s not overpowering. The couscous is essential to help keep the spices balanced. Use a dry white with this – it helps pick up the flavor of the chicken. We used a sauvignon blanc.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-6 hours

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

1 onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 c. lime juice

1 c. couscous

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 tsp. hot chili sauce

Instructions

Combine all ingredients (except couscous) in Crock Pot.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours until chicken is tender but not dry.

Prepare couscous according to package directions just before serving. Serve chicken over PLAIN couscous - it needs it, it's spicy!

Venetian Peperonata

2005-12-07T22:46:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite appetizers! A little time consuming, but totally worth it. It’s better to do in the summer when peppers are in season and less expensive. I’ll often make this when I’m entertaining, and usually serve with a pinot grigio.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 eggplant, chopped

1/4 c. olive oil

1 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, seeded and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

2/3 c. white wine

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

crusty French or Italian bread

feta or gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Instructions

Slice eggplant into 3/4 inch thick rounds. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, seed and chop all peppers and onion. When time is up, cut eggplant into bite-sized cubes.

Heat oil with garlic in large skillet over medium heat until garlic begins to brown. Add onion, sauté until golden. Add eggplant, peppers and wine. Cover and simmer until peppers are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Add tomatoes. increase heat to medium-high heat and sauté uncovered until almost all liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly. Serve with toasted crusty bread and sprinkle with cheese before serving.

Tilapia with Sweet Corn Chutney

2005-11-22T10:46:00.000-05:00

** My apologies about the quality of the pictures – my partner took the digital camera with him, so I had to resort to quick snap…definitely not as good of quality. :o( **

Tilapia with Sweet Corn Chutney

This chutney recipe is amazing – it goes with just about anything. You can substitute just about any other type of white fish, or even use snapper or another heavier fish. Last year I made this chutney to go with our Thanksgiving dinner, and it was great over turkey as well. Pairs very nicely with more floral whites, such as a Pinot Grigio or Riesling.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. tilapia fillets

1 c. vinegar

2 tbs. sugar

1 10 oz. bag frozen corn kernels

1 red onion, chopped

1/2 c. raisins

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

8 oz. crushed pineapple

2 tbs. pineapple juice

Instructions

In medium skillet, combine vinegar and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; stir in corn, onion, raisins, cinnamon, and cloves. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the liquid is slightly reduced (about 20 minutes).

Increase heat to high. Stir in pineapple and juice. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chutney is thickened and syrupy, about 10 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill or broiler. Grill or broil the snapper until just opaque in the center, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve with chutney over the top.

T-Bones with Red Beans and Rice

2005-10-24T19:31:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to have a good steak lately - just haven't been able to run across one for a decent price! My partner and I made these on the grill and drank a Coppolla Cabernet with them – magnificent!

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 1 hour +

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 T-Bone Steaks

½ c. Cabernet Sauvignon

¼ c. Pomegranate juice

2 tbs. olive oil

2 tbs. garlic

¼ c. onion, chopped

½ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. salt

1 box Zartan’s Red Beans and Rice Mix

Instructions

Combine all ingredients (save steaks and box mix) together in a Ziplock Bag. Mix thoroughly and then add steaks. Marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator, or more if desired.

Prepare Red Beans and Rice according to package directions just prior to grilling.

Preheat grill. Remove steaks from marinade and grill until desired doneness. Time will vary depending on thickness, but about 10 minutes for medium.

Serve steaks with red beans and rice and the cabernet used for marinade.

Sweetheart Sea Scallops

2005-10-18T06:09:00.000-04:00

** My apologies about the quality of the pictures – my partner took the digital camera with him, so I had to resort to quick snap…definitely not as good of quality. :o( **

Deliciously simple, this recipe came with my wine order this month. Scallops can be expensive at times, so make sure to find them in season. Also, make sure to get the jumbo ones – not the little ones – as they have much more flavor and soak up the sauce better. A light, crisp Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect pairing for this.

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb. sea scallops

1/2 c. skim milk

2 tbs. Flour

1 tbs. olive oil

1/2 c. white wine

1/2 c. shallots, chopped

2 tbs. green onion, chopped

2 tbs. parsley

lemon juice (Optional)

fresh ground peper (Optional)

Instructions

Dip sea scallops in milk and roll in flour.

Sautee scallops in olive oil for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat until cooked medium. Transfer scallops to covered dish.

Pour wine into skillet. Add shallots, green onion and parsley. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until golden.

Spoon sauce over scallops and season with lemon juice and pepper to taste. Serve with steamed rice or veggies and a side salad.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2005-10-11T14:17:00.000-04:00

** My apologies about the quality of the pictures – my partner took the digital camera with him, so I had to resort to quick snap…definitely not as good of quality. :o(**

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Well, in honor of the fact that today is my birthday – I thought I’d post a recipe for cake! This one I actually made for my partner’s birthday because carrot cake is his favorite. Homemade cake is kind of time consuming, so I don’t do it often, but it was SO worth the effort. We served it with a German Riesling which was fabulous.

Servings: 16

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Cake

2 c. carrots, finely shredded

3/4 c. low-fat buttermilk

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

2 c. flour

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 egg whites

2 eggs

1/2 c. sugar

2/3 c. brown sugar

9 tbs. butter, softened

cooking spray

Frosting

1 tbs. orange sugar sprinkles

2 3/4 c. powdered sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. fat-free cream cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

Coat 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of pan with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray and set aside.

Place 9 tbs. butter, brown sugar and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until pale and fluffy. Beat in 2 tsp. of vanilla extract.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups. Level with knife. Combine flour baking soda, cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in carrot.

Spoon batter into prepared an. Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out smooth. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, or on wire rack. Carefully peel off wax paper, and cool completely.

To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 1/4 c. butter, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1/8 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Beat with mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth, do not over beat!! Stir in the remaining 3/4 c. powdered sugar. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Spread frosting over top of cake. Garnish with sprinkles. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Basil Sesame Roasted Catfish with Soy Sesame Noodles

2005-10-09T16:21:00.000-04:00

Catfish reminds me of lazy summer cookouts with my family. Maybe with all that’s been going on lately, a return to that simpler time seems like a nice change of pace. The roasting sauce is pretty strong, so if you don’t like the bite of the garlic and Dijon, halve the ingredients that give it the kick. We had a nice light Chenin blanc with this – it pairs well with the soy sauce flavors.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

Catfish

4 catfish fillets

5 oz. spinach leaves

1/4 c. basil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. brown mustard

1 tsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 c. sesame seeds

1/4 tsp. red cayenne pepper

1 tbs. soy sauce

Soy Sesame Noodles

8 oz. whole wheat linguine

¼ c. soy sauce

1/8 cup chopped green onions

1 tbs. dark sesame oil

1 tbs. sesame seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Begin preparing pasta according to package directions. Whole wheat pasta takes longer to cook than regular pasta, so plan accordingly. Drain pasta and set aside.

Place catfish fillets on an oiled baking pan. Tuck a handful of spinach under each fillet. Fold under about 2 inches of the thin end of each fillet to enclose spinach at one end.

In a small bowl, whisk together basil or parsley, garlic, mustard, oils, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Spread mixture over catfish. Sprinkle heavily with sesame seeds and lightly with cayenne pepper. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Meanwhile, in pasta pan, bring the soy sauce, onions, and sesame oil just to a boil. Add cooked pasta and toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Spinach Mozzarella Omelet on Garlic Sage Biscuit Sandwiches

2005-10-01T19:19:00.000-04:00

** My apologies about the quality of the pictures – my partner took the digital camera with him, so I had to resort to quick snap…definitely not as good of quality. :(

You know how I love Sunday brunch recipes. This puts a seriously fancy twist on your basic egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches. A bit time consuming, but worth the effort – plus the biscuit recipe yields enough to serve later as a side dish for dinner.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Garlic Sage Biscuits

2 1/4 c. flour

1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sage

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tbs. butter, softened

1 c. buttermilk

Omelet

2 tbs. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

6 egg whites

3 eggs

3 drops hot pepper sauce

cooking spray

1 c. red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3/4 c. red onion, chopped

1/2 c. smoked mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 c. spinach leaves

Instructions

To make the biscuits, in a large bowl stir together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, sage, baking powder, baking soda, salt and garlic. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Add the buttermilk and stir to form soft dough.

Place the dough on a floured surface and gently knead to form a ball. Roll out the dough until it is about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 12 round circles and place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

When biscuits are about half done, combine first 6 omelet ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until combined. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell pepper and onion. Sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Reduce heat to medium.

Pour egg mixture into pan, let egg mixture set slightly. Tilt pan carefully lift edges of omelet with a spatula to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath cooked portion. Cook 3 minutes.

Remove biscuits from oven and set aside. Place skillet in the over and increase heat to broil. Broil 1 minute or until set and lightly browned.

Arrange muffin halves in a single layer on baking sheet. Sprinkle muffin halves evenly with cheese, and broil 1 minute or until cheese begins to brown.

Divide omelet into 4 portions. Place 1 portion on bottom half of each muffin. Top evenly with spinach leaves, top with remaining muffin halves and serve.

Maple Citrus Watermelon Glazed Chicken

2005-09-26T22:14:00.000-04:00

Summer is officially over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the late fruit harvests! I love watermelon, so I’m always up for a recipe that uses it. This turned out quite nice – any of the fruitier whites would be nice with this, Riesling or Pinot Grigio specifically.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes + marinade

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Glaze

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. maple syrup

1 tbs. lemon peel

1/2 c. lemon juice

2 c. watermelon puree

Chicken

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbs. ginger

1/2 c. soy sauce

2 c. pineapple juice

8 chicken breasts

Instructions

Place the chicken in a large zipper lock bag with the non-glaze ingredients and seal tightly. Allow to marinate at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.

Preheat grill just before desired cooking time. Simmer glaze ingredients together in a heavy saucepan for 20 minutes or until sauce is thick. Keep warm.

Remove chicken from marinade and grill until cooked through (about 8-10 minutes) Arrange cooked chicken on plates, pour the glaze over the chicken and serve immediately with rice or veggies.

Beef Steak Diane

2005-09-16T14:08:00.000-04:00

** My apologies about the quality of the pictures – my partner took the digital camera with him, so I had to resort to quick snap…definitely not as good of quality. :( **

I’m not sure who Diane is, but she sure makes tasty steak!! I love mushrooms, so the wine sauce over the top was just right. In fact, I wish there had been MORE sauce to combine with the rice...next time I will probably double the sauce section. We used a dry French red that was quite good with this – though I suspect you could move to a fuller flavored wine as well.

Servings: 3

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. New York Strip Steaks

1 tsp. lemon peel

1/4 tsp. pepper

Sauce

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbs. lemon juice

1/4 c. cream

1 tbs. brandy or Red Wine (Optional)

2 tbs. green onion, chopped

1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

1 tbs. vegetable oil

Instructions

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add mushrooms and onions. Cook and stir for 3 minutes or until tender. Remove.

Wipe skillet out with paper towels. Spray with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat until hot. Combine lemon peel and pepper - press onto beef steaks. Place steaks in skillet, cook 12-15 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. Remove, keep warm.

Add brandy or wine to skillet; cook and stir until browned bits attached to skillet are dissolved. Stir in half and half, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in mushroom mixtures; heat through. Carve steaks. Serve with sauce.