What’s Cooking
One thing I do, and do well, is cook. Check out Studly’s waistline if you don’t believe me. Yet it has always frustrated me to read a delicious sounding recipe and then have to figure out what to serve with it. Beans or peas? Fried or boiled potatoes? To salad or not. You get the idea. We’re not talking rocket science, but a clue or two from those big-buck chefs, whose books I constantly buy, would sure help.
So today don your aprons and grab those skillets because we’re taking a giant step to ease the burden of the overworked woman.
Every month a new menu will be posted. Please feel free to email me your thoughts, suggestions, or your favorite recipes. We’re all in this cooking thing together and might as well help out each other.
Studs and I spent a wonderful Saturday with another of my favorite men, Andy Druetzler. I’ve known Andy since before he was born. 
He’s the son of our dear friends Bonnie and Tom. This amazing young man has never failed to impress me, but on that day he outdid himself. These are just two of the fabulous recipes Andy created for his lively group of guests.
August’s Choice
• Grilled Marinated Boneless Chicken Breasts
• Grilled Beef Tenderloin
• Grilled Asparagus
• Grape Salad – courtesy of Aunt Ann
• White Wine – Rhine, Chardonnay, or Pino Grigio
• Red Wine – Bordeaux
COOKING HINT: Andy swears his secret is good quality olive oil and sea salt. The two bring out the natural flavors of the food.
Grilled Marinated Boneless Chicken Breasts
This poultry may be served as sandwiches or an entrée.
1 or 2 boneless chicken breasts per person
The following amounts are all to your personal taste:
Extra virgin olive oil – enough to almost cover the chicken
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Garlic powder
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Combine olive oil, sea salt, ground pepper, garlic powder and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce in a glass pan or disposable aluminum pan large enough to hold the quantity of chicken you are preparing. Add the chicken and cover with clear wrap. Marinate anywhere from 2 to 24 hours. Be sure to set in refrigerator if marinating longer than 3 hours.
Heat grill on the lowest setting. Add the chicken, close the lid and cook for 15 – 20 minutes, depends on the thickness of the poultry. Turn the breasts 2 or 3 times. Please be sure they are done with no pink on the inside before serving. Remember – all meat continues to cook a bit after it’s removed from the heat.
Sharp cheddar or provolone cheese may be added at the end. Allow cheese to melt before serving.
Grilled Beef Tenderloin
1 beef tenderloin
The following amounts are all to your personal taste:
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Rub a healthy potion of olive oil onto the beef. Be sure to coat the ends. Place the meat in a glass or disposable aluminum pan large enough to house the meat comfortably. Sprinkle with sea salt and ground pepper. Cover with clear wrap and marinate anywhere from 2 to 24 hours. Be sure to set in refrigerator if marinating longer than 3 hours.
Heat grill on medium setting. Add the beef, close the lid and cook for 15 – 20 minutes or until it is cooked to your preference. Turn the roast 2 or 3 times to avoid burning.
Grilled Asparagus
3 or 4 spears per person
The following amounts are all to your personal taste:
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Garlic powder
Set grill to high heat. Lay the spears on the grate. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder.
Turn frequently. Asparagus are done when medium to well browned.
Dessert Grape Salad
1 lb. seedless green grapes
1 ob. Seedless red grapes
12 oz. container whipped cream cheese – use large container for this quantity of grapes
Plain yogurt
1 cup pecan halves or slivered almonds
1 – 2 Tbl. brown sugar
Wash grapes. Remove from stems. Lay on cloth or paper towels to dry while you prepare the other ingredients
In a medium-sized bowl, combine whipped cream cheese and enough plain yogurt together to make a smooth dressing. The consistency should equal Ranch salad dressing. Gently stir in grapes until well-coated. Turn this mixture into serving bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the nuts with the brown sugar, then sprinkle across the top of the grapes. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
June is busting out all over and so will I if I don’t start eating healthier. After a few failed attempts, I’ve finally come up with a nice fish recipe I think you’ll enjoy.
June’s Choice
• Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda
• Rice
• Tossed salad
• White Wine – Riesling or Chardonnay
Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda
3 tilapia filets
1½ Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil plus 1 teas.
½ teas. anchovy paste
2 cloves garlic pressed
1Tbs. orange juice plus ½ teas.
1 Tbs. fresh basil if you use dried then 1 teas.
½ teas. lemon juice
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Sauce
Heat butter and olive oil in a pan until butter is melted. Add anchovy paste. Stir to dissolve. Add garlic, cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in orange and lemon juices.
Sauce cane be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Warm before using.
Fish
Preheat oven to 200°F
Sprinkle fish with pepper. Brush with remaining olive oil. Fry fish until opaque about 3 minutes per side. Drizzle sauce over the fish and serve.
Rice
Prepare your favorite brand as the package directs, but replace half the water with chicken broth for more flavor.
Tossed Salad
Lettuce from 2 different types torn into bite size pieces green leaf and head are excellent
Tomatoes sliced
Cucumber peeled and sliced
Green Onions, sliced, be sure to include some of the green
Mushrooms sliced
Combine everything and toss with your favorite dressing, but be careful not to add too much. The lettuce will get soggy. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Our good friend Bonnie is a terrific cook and guest this month. She not only has a feel for combining just the right flavors, she also sets the perfect table.
May’s Choice
• Cream of Broccoli Soup
• Jamazetti
• Fresh Italian Bread
• White Wine – Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay
Cream of Broccoli Soup
46 oz. chicken broth
1 lb. fresh broccoli
1 small onion chopped
1 med. white potato peeled and diced
½ cup cornstarch
1 cup whipping cream
Grated cheddar cheese, optional
Heat broth and veggies to boiling, cover and simmer until tender. Mash mixture or use a food processor on puree, be careful it’s hot.
Whisk cream and cornstarch together. Stir in hot broth to the mixture, a few tablespoons at a time, until ½ cup has been added. Reverse the process by adding mixture to the soup.
Return to medium heat until warmed through and thickened.
Serve with grated cheese.
Jamazetti
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 green onion chopped
1 ½ lbs. ground chuck
1 can tomato soup
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
½ teas. black pepper
½ cup pimento stuffed olives sliced thin
½ lb. fresh mushrooms sliced and cooked
½ lb. wide noodles cooked
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 deg.
In a nonstick 12 inch skillet, sauté meat over medium heat, about 10 minutes then drain.
Pour olive oil in a Dutch oven and sauté celery, onion and green pepper, about 5 minutes.
Combine the meat with the veggies, mix well. Stir in soup, sauce, paste and black pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add olives, mushrooms and noodles to the pot. Cover with grated cheese and bake uncovered 20 minutes or until cheese melts.
This dish freezes well and reheats beautifully.
Fish is a food many people shy from. This month I wanted to share a recipe my family loves, particularly my Lenten vegetarian granddaughter. It’s easy, fills the house with a beautiful aroma, and tastes great.
April’s Choice
• Cod Livornese
• Tossed Salad
• Fresh Italian Bread
• White Wine – Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay
Cod Livornese
10 – 30 minutes
Makes 4 servings
4 tea. olive oil
½ medium onion sliced thin
2 garlic cloves presses
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 141/2 oz. can diced tomatoes
¼ sliced black olives
¼ cup parsley chopped fresh or dry
2 Tbs. drained capers
¼ tea. crushed red pepper
4 pieces cod about 6 oz. each and cut to handle easily
In nonstick 12 inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, stir occasionally, until translucent and lightly brown. Stir in garlic, cook 30 seconds. Add wine, cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with the juice, olives, parsley, capers and red pepper. Heat to boiling.
Place cod fillets over tomato mixture. Lower heat to medium. Cover skillet and cook until cod turns opaque throughout and flakes, about 9 minutes.
Don’t prepare extra. Leftovers aren’t any where as good as the fresh cooked meal.
Tossed Salad
Lettuce from 2 different types torn into bite size pieces green leaf and head are excellent
Tomatoes sliced
Cucumber peeled and sliced
Green Onions sliced, be sure to include some of the green
Mushrooms sliced
Combine everything and toss with your favorite dressing, but be careful not to add too much. The lettuce will get soggy. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Garlic bread is a great added touch with this meal!
Amazing Dawn Roberto, owner of Love Romances Café and frequent guest chef, has provided a superb meal that’s easy, quick and absolutely delicious. Studs is already licking his lips for the next time I make it.
March’s Choice
• Swiss Steak over Rice
• Tossed Salad
• Fresh Italian Bread
• Easy Apple-Berry Crisp
• Red Wine – Pinot Noir or Merlot
Swiss Steak
1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours
1 tbs. butter
1 tbs. flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 pound round steak (Sliced in bite size pieces-I used thin sliced round steak in meat section of grocery store)
1 green pepper sliced strips
1 red pepper sliced in strips
1 onion sliced in strips
1 can of either diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes
1) Melt margarine/butter over med heat. Mix flour and seasonings then dredge meat to cover. Place in skillet to brown on both sides.
2) Add 2-3 TBSP water (I added more-about a cup- to this part), reduce heat to low and simmer covered tightly for one hour, periodically checking to make sure enough liquid is in there.
3) Add peppers, onions and tomatoes to steak and simmer up to another 30-45 minutes longer. (I added a can of water as well to this stage).
4) Serve over rice with fresh bread/salad.
Tossed Salad
Lettuce from 2 different types torn into bite size pieces green leaf and head are excellent
Tomatoes sliced
Cucumber peeled and sliced
Green Onions sliced, be sure to include some of the green
Mushrooms sliced
Combine everything and toss with your favorite dressing, but be careful not to add too much. The lettuce will get soggy. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Easy Apple-Berry Crisp
1 can apple pie filling
1 can whole berry
1 can cranberry sauce or 1 can cherry pie filling
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ cups dry oatmeal
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. spray a 10 x 13 baking pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine fruit. In a separate bowl, mix together butter, sugar, and oatmeal (mixture will be crumbly). Spread fruit mixture evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle oatmeal topping evenly over fruit. Bake for 30 minutes of until lightly brown and crisp (do not over bake). Serve warm or cold. If desired, top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Dawn
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LR&M Cafe Press Store is now OPEN! Come visit!
The other night we had dinner with Studs’ mom, and two of his eight siblings. Mary made her tasty salad dressing from scratch and it’s superb. Terry created spaghetti sauce like I’ve never had, but sure do hope he does it again, real soon. Hint-hint. Below are the easy recipes and a little dessert I like to serve after a spicy meal.
February’s Choice
• Spaghetti with Sauce
• Tossed Salad with Mar’s Yummy Dressing
• Fresh Italian Bread
• Chocolate Covered Pears with French Vanilla Ice Cream
• Red Wine – Chianti or Merlot
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
1 lb. dried spaghetti
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
¾ c. thinly sliced onion
2 large garlic gloves pressed
3 (14oz) cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 small green pepper sliced thin
1 c. sliced mushrooms, not too thin
Basil handful
Oregano handful
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Melt butter and oil in a large sauce pan. Add ground chuck and sausage, breaking up the chunks with a spatula. After meat is richly browned, add onions and sauté for 2 – 4 minutes. You want the onions soft but not brown, so if the cooking time is less that’s fine. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, paste, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about an hour without a lid to thicken the sauce.
Stir in mushrooms, green pepper, and ground pepper. Cover the pot and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Tossed Salad with Mary’s Yummy Dressing
6 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. lemon juice
Lettuce from 2 different types torn into bite size pieces green leaf and head are excellent
Tomatoes sliced
Cucumber peeled and sliced
Basil to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese
Whisk olive oil and lemon juice until well mixed. Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Pour on a small amount of dressing and toss well until leaves lettuce glisten. Add more dressing as needed, but be careful not to add too much. The lettuce will get soggy. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Chocolate Covered Pears with French Vanilla Ice Cream
Canned pear halves in heavy syrup
¼ c. dark rum
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips
French vanilla ice cream
Drain pears over a small saucepan. Reduce the liquid over medium-high heat, about 13 minutes. Add chocolate chips to hot liquid. Sit until melted, then remove from heat.
Lay pear slices in pretty serving bowls. Add a scoop of ice cream. Top with a few tablespoons of sauce.
After all the holiday rush it’s a great time for easy. Below is a tasty menu that’s easy and won’t break the bank. It serves 8 so cut back the amounts accordingly when serving fewer people.
January’s Choice
• Beef Stroganoff over Egg Noodles
• Tossed Salad
• Fresh French Bread
• Red Wine – Pinot Noir
Egg Noodles
Fill a large pot with water and follow the package directions to cook. If the noodles are done before the Stroganoff, drain them in a colander and set the pot or lid on top of the noodles to keep them warm. REMEMBER: all noodles/pasta can easily be re-warmed by running hot water over them before serving.
Beef Stroganoff
1 8oz. carton sour cream – reduced fat works well, too
4 tbs. tomato paste
1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ c. flour
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 pounds good steak like porterhouse, t-bone or sirloin, cut into narrow strips
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
¾ c. thinly sliced onion
15 ounces beef stock, maybe a bit more to achieve the consistency you prefer
2 c. sliced mushrooms, not too thin
1 pkg. egg noodles
Combine the sour cream, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl, then set aside while you prepare the remainder of the recipe.
Trim off the fat and cut the steak into strips. In a large paper or plastic bag, combine flour and pepper, add the steak and gently shake to coat the meat.
Melt butter and oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes. You want the onions soft but not brown. Add the coated beef, turn up the heat to medium-high and sauté beef until browned, turning frequently. This takes 5-7 minutes. Slowly pour in the stock, scraping pan to combine browned bits into the mixture. Reduce heat to medium. Sit in mushrooms, cover and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and by heaping spoonfuls stir in sour cream mixture. If the sauce looks too thick, slowly add a bit more beef stock until you achieve the consistency you prefer. Cook uncovered 1-3 minutes or until hot. Do NOT let the pan come to a boil.
Scoop egg noodles into soup/salad bowls. Spoon hearty portions of Stroganoff over the noodles and serve.
Leftovers are excellent. To reheat pour the Stroganoff into a saucepan add a little beef stock to thin it and warm through.
Tossed Salad
Lettuce from 2 different types torn into bite size pieces
Tomatoes sliced
Cucumber peeled and sliced
Green onion chopped include some of the green
Any and everything else in the fridge that appeals to you
Your favorite bottled dressing – oil and vinegar works great with this hearty meal
Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Pour on a small amount of dressing and toss. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
