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Pan Seared New York Steak with an Onion-Dijon Cream Sauce:

4 New York steaks (Room temperature, not cold)
Butter & olive oil
3 large sliced onions
1 cup chicken stock
3 1/2 tblsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/4 cup of cream
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt & freshly ground cracked pepper

In a very large skillet over medium - medium high heat, add 1 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and bring up to temperature. Season steak with salt and pepper. After pan is hot, add steak and sear on one side (approximately 2 - 4 minutes for rare, depending on thickness).*Do not touch steak except to turn one time during cooking process or steak will not sear properly on each side. Turn steak to sear on other side. Once done, remove to plate and tent to keep warm. In same skillet add a bit more butter and olive oil depending upon how much is left from searing the steak. Once hot, add sliced onions and continue to cook and stir occasionally until golden and carmelized, approximately 8 - 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and reduce until almost gone. Add Dijon mustard and cream and stir to combine. Reduce mixture until you have a nice thick and creamy consistency, approximately 3 - 5 minutes. Add back any meat juices from the resting steak to the pan. Add fresh parsley and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper, pour over steak, garnish plate with a little parsley and serve.

Yield: 1 serving
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Type: Main Dish

Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Brunoise Gruyere and Buttery Croutons:

¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into 12 tablespoons
1 medium onion, minced
2 pounds fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded, & coarsely chopped
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups half and half
Sea salt
Freshly ground cracked black pepper
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and clarified
2 slices dense white sandwich bread with crusts removed, cut into ¼ inch cubes
1/3 pound gruyere cheese, cut into ¼ inch cubes (brunoise)
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary leaves, minced

In a small, heavy bottomed soup pot or casserole, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and slightly translucent but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the pumpkin, stock and half and half and stir to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper, reduce heat to medium low and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, then transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Puree for 10 seconds, until very smooth. Pour through a fine strainer into a clean pot. Add 6 tablespoons of butter and stir to combine.

In a small skillet, warm 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat until gently bubbling. Add the bread cubes, stir to coat with the butter and sauté until golden brown. Transfer croutons to a small plate lined with a paper towel.

Raise the heat under the soup to medium high and heat until very hot for several minutes but not boiling, stirring frequently with a whisk to blend the butter and to keep the soup from burning on the bottom. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with diced gruyere, croutons, chives and rosemary.

*Can replace fresh pumpkin with one 16 ounce can of pumpkin puree and reduce the cooking time from 30 to 15 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes (unless using canned pumpkin puree, then cook time is 20 minutes)
Ease of Preparation: Intermediate
Type: Appetizer or Main Dish

Peach Cobbler:

1 cup sugar + some for taste
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup unsalted butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 – 4 cups fresh peaches, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place peaches in the bottom of a baking dish and sweeten to taste with a little sugar depending on ripeness. In medium mixing bowl, sift all dry ingredients. Cut in butter and add beaten egg. Mix until crumbly and sprinkle over fruit, covering all exposed fruit. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 – 40 minutes until golden.

Yield: 5 – 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Type: Dessert

Shrimp Puffs:

1 large can refrigerator biscuits
2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 lb small shrimp, cooked
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
Oil spray
Additional dill sprigs for garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray miniature muffin tin with oil spray. Split each biscuit in half or quarters depending on thickness of puff desired and press into bottom of muffin tin.

Mix next 5 ingredients together in medium bowl and place 1 tablespoon of shrimp mixture on top of biscuit dough. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Garnish each mini shrimp puff with a sprig of dill and serve.

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Type: Appetizer

Mom's Spicy Bloody Mary:

1 1/2 ounces high quality vodka
4 ounces tomato juice
Dash of celery salt
Dash of freshly ground cracked pepper
8 good shakes of worcheshire sauce
1/4 teaspoon horseradish
2 dashes of good hot sauce
1 large wedge of lime
Pimento stuffed green olive for garnish
Spicy pickled asparagus for garnish
Pickled green bean for garnish
Celery Stalk for garnish
Coarse salt for garnish

Take a glass and run the lime wedge around the rim to dampen. Dip top rim into coarse salt to completely go around the rim. Add first 7 ingredients together in the glass, squeeze the lime wedge into the glass and mix all together carefully so as to not lose all of the salt along the rim of the glass. Add the green olive, pickled asparagus spear and pickled green bean on a toothpick or two, add the celery stick in the glass for garnish and enjoy.

Yield: 1 serving
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Type: Drink

Double Double Bacon Cheese Quiche:

Crust:

1 1/3 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 – 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

10 strips bacon
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups light cream
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese (about 2 ounces)
½ cup shredded white cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)

To prepare the crust: In a large bowl, mix together the flour and the salt. Using 2 knives, cut in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until dough forms. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour counter and rolling pin and roll into about a 10 inch circle. Fit into a 9 inch pie pan. Trim edge if necessary, leaving ¼” overhang and press edges into decorative shape. Prick dough with a fork. Line with foil and fill with dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and dried beans. Bake until lightly golden, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

To prepare the filling: In a medium skillet cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, approximately 8 – 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. In a small bowl whish together the eggs, cream, thyme and pepper. Pour into the crust. Crumble bacon. Sprinkle egg mixture with bacon, Gruyere and cheddar cheeses. Bake until golden and custard is set, about 30 minutes. Serve for breakfast or as a main dish accompanied with a side salad.

Yield: 7 – 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Intermediate
Type: Breakfast Dish or Main Dish

Dill Dip in A Bread Bowl:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 large garlic clove
1 tablespoon dill weed
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon beau monde (optional)
2 round bread loaves (preferably a dill/onion bread)

Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cut out the center of one bread round and mound dill dip into the interior cavity of the bread bowl. Cut up other bread round into 2 inch squares and dip bread into bowl.

Yield: 6 – 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Type: Appetizer

Crème Brulee French Toast Sticks:

5 vanilla beans
1 cup milk
2 ¾ cups heavy cream
9 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 loaf French or Italian bread cut into 1 – 1 ½ inch wide sticks
Powdered sugar for dusting
Maple syrup to taste

In a medium saucepan add milk and cream to saucepan. Using the tip of a small, sharp knife, split the vanilla bean and scrape the insides of the vanilla beans into the milk mixture. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Remove from the heat, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30-40 minutes to allow the vanilla to infuse into the milk. Pour through a fine sieve and strain into bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix together well with a wooden spoon. Little by little add the milk mixture, stirring well with the wooden spoon to blend. Pour mixture through a fine sieve and strain into a clean bowl. Cut bread into 1 – 1 ½ inch wide strips. Pre-heat griddle to medium heat and melt two tablespoons butter in pan. Dip bread sticks into crème brulee mixture. Cook a few at a time for 2 to 4 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Add additional butter as needed to keep pan greased. Sprinkle French toast sticks with powdered sugar and serve with butter and syrup.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 – 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 40 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Intermediate
Type: Breakfast Dish

Pork Tenderloin with Prosciutto, Sage and Asiago Cheese:

2 pounds pork tenderloin, pounded to ¼ inch thickness
1 ½ cups flour, plus 2 tablespoons
8 tablespoons butter
16 slices prosciutto, thinly sliced
2 cups grated asiago cheese
2 cups chicken broth
4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, plus 16 whole leaves
2 cups vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat pork lightly in flour, brushing off excess. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in frying pan, add pork and cook quickly 1 minute per side. Remove from pan and continue cooking remaining pork. Add 3 – 4 tablespoons of asiago cheese to each pork tenderloin and top with 2 prosciutto slices. Bake in oven for 5 – 6 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

In reserved frying pan, over medium heat, add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and bring to temperature. Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cook flour and butter mixture for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken stock and chopped sage and cook until thickened. Serve over pork tenderloins.

In heavy saucepan, heat oil and deep fry sage leaves for garnish.

Yield: 7 – 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Intermediate
Type: Main Dish