Meatballs

1 1/2lb ground chuck
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/2 cup flavored bread crumbs
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil

Mix it all together and form meatballs...I do ones a little bigger than golf balls. Place on baking sheets and bake at 350 F for about 35-40 minutes, rolling them around every 10-12 minutes.
Pretty simple...pretty garlicky, so if you are not a garlic fan (as you all know I am), reduce the amount! You can also use just flavored breadcrumbs instead of half plain, half flavored - I do that so I can use my own herbs.
If you like yours with cheese add about 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan to them before baking.

Marinated Mushrooms

These homemade 'shrooms are fantastic!

• 2 lbs white mushrooms
• 1/2 of a Red bell pepper, sliced into very thin strips
  
• 1/2 Cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 Cup water
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
• 2-3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp each of salt & pepper

Place all ingredients EXCEPT mushrooms & red bell pepper into a large saucepan & bring to a boil.

Add mushrooms and pepper & bring to a boil again.

Reduce heat & simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Cool and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
(makes about 3 cups)

Birthday Dinner Recipes

So this was the birthday dinner I made for the love of my life...

We started off with Sidecar cocktails - new to us both, even though we've both bartended at one point. I did not frost the glasses, though next time, I might. And I used cherries, not the lemon peel, for garnish. Oh so easy, very potent, and Deeeelicious!

For the appetizer, I did my own combo on a few ceviche recipes that I'd found...I've never made it before, so I used ingredients that I knew we both liked. And really, technically, it's not even ceviche, since I heated the shrimp, but I was short on time, and the results were out of this world!

Shrimp Ceviche

• 1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 31-40 count)
  
• 3/4 Cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 Cup finely chopped red onion
• 2/3 Cup finely chopped, seeded tomato
• 2 Avocados, diced
• 1/4 Cup chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. minced jalepeno
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp & immediately shut off heat. Cover pan for 3 minutes. Drain shrimp, plunge into ice water & then drain again. Pat shrimp dry.

Place shrimp and lime juice in a glass bowl and marinate for about 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Drain lime juice - RESERVING IT in another dish.

Gently add the remaining ingredients to the shrimp. Add back some of the reserved lime juice (I used about 1/4 cup). Refrigerate for another hour or two.

I served it in big,blue martini glasses!


Arugula and Avocado Salad with Tomato-Cumin Dressing

Dressing:

• 1/4 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
• 1/4 Cup tomato juice
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 Garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 Cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3/4 Cup extra-virgin olive oil

In bowl, whisk together all ingredients, EXCEPT olive oil.
Slowly whisk in olive oil, adding it in a tiny, steady stream, until it is incorporated.

This makes about 1 1/2 Cups of dressing & can be made a day or two ahead of time.

Salad (for 2):

• 3-4 Cups Arugula
• 1 Large grapefruit, peeled and sectioned (make sure to remove all of the white pith)
• 2 Avocados, sliced
• 2 Slices of red onion, cut paper-thin
  
• 12 Nicoise olives
• Kosher salt, to taste

Divide everything evenly into 2 bowls & top with dressing.

YUM!

I tried a new recipe for the baked baguettes, and they didn't rise so hot with the second rising. I would try them again, though! My love still ate them. (He's a doll when he wants to be)!

For the fiddleheads, I removed them from their vacuum-packed home in my freezer, added garlic cloves that I'd roasted, and tossed them with a little butter, salt & pepper. (In case anyone is wondering where the hell I got the fiddleheads from, it was from a store in Maine that ships them fresh & I, unfortunately, do not recall their name right now. I will look into it).

For my very first attempt at Chateaubriand, I consulted the Food Network and tried this recipe from Emeril.

I only used a 2 1/2 lb roast ($40.00), which was plenty for the 2 of us, for dinner, leftovers the next day, and sandwiches the next night!

Important: I happened to catch an episode of Good Eats with Alton Brown on beef tenderloin, so I did modify Emerils actual cooking of the roast! After searing it, I let the beef rest about 15 minutes, loosely tented with aluminum foil.
I then oven-roasted it, with a probe thermometer, & took it out at exactly 135 F.
I then foil-tented it again, letting it rest for another 25-30 minutes.

Let me just tell you, this was the BEST - perfectly medium-rare, all the way through!

I followed the sauce recipe to a T - except that I didn't bother straining it - and it was delicious!
Seriously!

As for the potatoes, I did tiny red potatoes that I sauteed on the stove in little butter, salt & pepper, first. I then finished roasting them in the oven, while the beef sat for the second resting.
I tossed in some freshly chopped parsley before I served them & they were wonderful.

For dessert, I did a cracked chocolate cake that was - still is! - divine. I am not much of a baker - as most of my friends will attest to - but this one came out beautifully.

I topped it with a rasberry sauce that I made, from frozen rasberries, confectioners sugar and lemon juice. (about 1 1/2 cups frozen rasberries, 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, and 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice).
And of course I made freshly-whipped cream in my Kitchen-Aid mixer...added just a touch of confectioners sugar & almond extract to the heavy cream..it was the ideal topper!

So that's it! I am so sorry I don't have any pix - I truly wish, in my cooking frenzy, that I would have remembered! (but I didn't).

Bon Appetit!

Ciabatta Bread

You will need to make the sponge 1 day ahead of time!

SPONGE:

• 1/8 tsp. active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp. warm (105-115 F) water
• 1/3 cup room-temperature water
• 1 cup bread flour

In a small bowl, stir together yeast & warm water.
Let stand 5 minutes until creamy.
Pour into a larger bowl and add room-temp water & flour.
Stir for 4 minutes.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap & let stand at room temperature for at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.




BREAD:

• 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp. warm (105-115 F) milk
• 2/3 cup room-temperature water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

In small bowl, stir together yeast and milk & let stand 5 minutes until creamy.
In electric mixer bowl, with dough hook, mix together milk mixture, sponge,water, oil and flour at a low speed just until flour is moistened.
Mix at medium speed for 3 minutes.
Add salt & stir 4 minutes more.

Place dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
DOUGH WILL BE VERY STICKY.

Place dough on a well-floured surface and cut in half.

Place 2 pieces - appx. 12 x 6 in - of parchment paper on baking sheet & dust generously with flour.

Place each half of dough on prepared parchment paper and form into irregular 9-inch ovals. Dust tops with flour. Cover loaves with a dampened cloth-towel & let rise at room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

45 minutes before baking bread, preheat your oven stone, on the lowest rack in oven, at 425 F.

Bake each loaf for 22 minutes or until golden.





This is a rustic, Italian bread, so it is not a light, fluffy bread!
It is terrific alone, or top slices with olive oil and grated parmesan.
Slices toast beautifully on the grill or under your broiler...brush on garlic & olive oil first..Yum!
Or try roasted tomatoes on it with some onions and fresh basil...the possibilities are endless!
Enjoy!

Steak au Poivre

• 2 8-10oz Boneless rib-eyes, appx. 1-inch thick
  
• 1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns, crushed. (or coarsely ground will work)
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 1/3 Cup shallots, finely chopped
• 1 Clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 Stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/2 Cup brandy
  
• 3/4 Cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 200

Let steaks sit out about 1/2 hour & pat dry. Season both sides of steaks with black pepper & kosher salt, pressing them into the steaks.
Heat a heavy skillet - cast iron works best - on medium-high heat about 2-3 minutes & add oil.
Pan sear steaks, turning over once, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare.
Transfer steaks to an oven-proof pan & place in oven to keep warm.
If there is fat left in skillet, drain, and return pan to medium heat. Add 1/2 of butter (2 pieces),
shallots & garlic & brown, being careful not to burn.
Add brandy (be careful here! It's alcohol & might flame up!). Bring to a boil, stirring, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 4-5 minutes.
Add heavy cream & continue to stir, adding remaing butter (2 pieces) one piece at a time, until incorporated. Reduce to about 1/2, appx. 4-5 minutes.
If there are juices in the steak pan - go ahead & add them back to sauce as it's reducing.
Transfer steaks to dinner plates & spoon sauce over each steak.