Italian Wedding Soup

Meatball Ingredients
1 small onion, grated
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
8 ounces ground beef
8 ounces ground pork (or Italian sausage)
Freshly ground black pepper

Soup Ingredients
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth/stock
1 pound escarole, rinsed and chopped (1 pound of curly endive would be a good substitution)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12-16oz orzo pasta, cooked al dente

To make the meatballs, combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Set aside.

To make the soup, bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. If using homemade broth/stock, add the leftover carrots, celery, and onion too. Add the meatballs and escarole. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the escarole is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add the cooked orzo pasta to the soup.

Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with parmesan cheese if desired.

Mexican Brownies

Ingredients

For brownies
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips (about 6 ounces)

For brown sugar topping
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Make brownies
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil, extending foil over sides. Stir unsweetened chocolate and butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Continue to whisk until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add flour and whisk just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing surface. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.

Make topping
Whisk sugar, cream and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until mixture is smooth and comes to boil. Remove from heat; mix in vanilla. Cool 10 minutes. Whisk until thick enough to spread. Spread over brownie. Sprinkle with almonds. Let stand until topping sets, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

Using foil as aid, life brownie from pan. Cut brownie into 16 squares. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Chicken and Green Chile Chilaquiles

Ingredients

1 3/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 lime, juiced
4 garlic cloves, 2 smashed and 2 minced, divided
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 jalapenos or serrano chiles, seeded and minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed, with juices
4 poblano peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup chopped cilantro, divided
Vegetable oil, for frying
12 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips
Sour cream, for serving
Crumbled queso fresco, queso anejo, or Parmesan, for garnish

In a large saucepan combine the chicken, chicken broth, water, wine, lime juice, smashed garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of salt, half of the oregano, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through. Remove from the heat and let chicken cool in the broth, then remove and shred chicken into bite size pieces. Strain broth and reserve separately.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and, when hot, add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the jalapenos and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, remaining oregano, and 1 1/2 cups of the reserved chicken cooking liquid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and flavors have come together, about 30 minutes. Add the poblano strips, 1/2 cup cilantro, and heavy cream and season, to taste, with salt. Cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Set aside.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a saucepan or deep-fryer and fry the tortilla strips, in batches, until light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips.

Lightly grease an 8 by 11 1/2-inch casserole and lay half of the tortilla strips on the bottom of the casserole. Arrange half of the chicken over the tortilla strips, then spoon half of the tomato-poblano sauce over the chicken. Top with the remaining tortilla strips, remaining chicken and remaining tomato-poblano sauce, then sprinkle the top with the cheese and the rest of the cilantro.

Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Serve while hot, with dollops of sour cream on top and garnished with some of the queso fresco.

Cilantro Pesto Shrimp & Andouille Sausage Quesadillas

Ingredients
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 andouille sausage link
1 jalapeno pepper
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 tortillas
2 cups Cilantro Pesto

Cut the jalapeno pepper in half, remove the seeds, and then cut it into small slices. Toss jalapeno slices with shrimp and 1 cup cilantro pesto. Set aside and marinate for 30 minutes.

Slice andouille sausage crosswise into thin slices. Saute sausage over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add shrimp mixture and cook for 3 minutes or until shrimp are finished.

Make quesadillas by topping 1 tortilla with 3 tablespoons shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons cilantro pesto, 1/4 shrimp mixture, 3 more tablespoons shredded cheese, and another tortilla.

Cook each tortilla over medium heat 2 minutes per side. Serve with sour cream and green onions.

Cilantro Pesto

Ingredients
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Put all ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients
1 or 2 butternut squash (3 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 - 8 cups chicken stock
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces pancetta, diced
2/3 cup minced shallots (2 large)
2 cups orzo
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads (optional)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the butternut squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil. Place skin side up on a sheet pan. Roast for 45 minutes or until very tender. After it cools, scoop out squash and discard skin. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a large non-stick pan, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the orzo and stir to coat with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the orzo plus 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 1 ladle at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the orzo is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total.

Turn off the heat. Add the roasted squash and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.

Marinated & Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb

Ingredients - Marinade
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons of dry oregano
2 teaspoons of dry thyme
2 teaspoons of dry rosemary
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
3/4 cup of olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
2 cups of dry red wine, e.g. Blackstone Merlot
1 boneless leg of lamb, approx 5 lbs.
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine the first 5 ingredients a bowl. Toss with 1/4 cup olive oil to form a paste. Rub the spice mixture all over the lamb.

Put the lamb in a large plastic bag. Pour the lemon juice, rest of the olive oil and red wine over the lamb. Squeeze out air from bag, seal it.

Marinate lamb in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 4 hrs).

Remove lamb from refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking it.

Preheat the oven to 450 F. degrees.

Take lamb out of bag, dispose of the marinade. Season the entire lamb with salt and pepper. Place the lamb on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.

Put the lamb into the 450 degree oven and roast for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, lower the temperature to 325º degrees and continue cooking the lamb until the internal temperature is to your liking.

Approximate roasting time for medium rare is 25 minutes per pound. Roast in oven until it reaches 135 degrees.

When the meat is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. The temperature will increase by about 5 degrees while the roast is resting out of the oven.

Slice the lamb into slices across the grain and serve,

Green Curry Chicken

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut in 8 wedges
1 green bell pepper, cut in 8 wedges
1 stalk lemongrass, white bulb only
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh ginger
3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, recipe follows
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 14 oz can of unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut in 1-inch strips
Sea salt
1 lime, juiced
Fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for garnish

Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. Saute the onion and green peppers for 3 minutes to soften. Split the piece of lemongrass down the middle and whack it with the flat side of a knife to open the flavor. Add the lemongrass, ginger, curry paste and lime leaves to the skillet and stir for 2 minutes.

Next, pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth. Lay the chicken pieces in the mixture to poach; add a pinch of salt. Stir together and simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze in the lime juice and shower with basil and cilantro.

Serve in dinner bowls with lime wedges.

Eggplant Lasagna

Usually lasagna feeds a crowd, but this one makes just enough for two. Depending on the size of your eggplant, you may end up with extra slices. Reserve them for another dish, such as eggplant Parmesan, or grill the slices and serve as a side dish.

Yields 2 servings

Sauce
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of salt
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce

Eggplant Ingredients
1 (3/4-pound) eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 large egg white
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Cooking spray

Remaining ingredients
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 oven-ready lasagna noodles (such as Barilla)

To prepare sauce, heat 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic, and sauté 30 seconds. Add wine; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and the next 5 ingredients (tomatoes through tomato sauce). Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°.

To prepare eggplant, arrange the slices in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt on both sides of eggplant. Let stand 15 minutes, and pat dry. Combine water, 1 teaspoon oil, and egg white in a shallow bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place the breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip eggplant in egg white mixture, and dredge in breadcrumbs. Place breaded slices on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 24 minutes or until eggplant is golden and crisp, turning after 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Combine cheeses and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Spoon 1/4 cup sauce into bottom of an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Place one noodle over sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices over noodle; top with 1/4 cup sauce and about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture. Repeat the layers twice, ending with cheese. Cover and bake at 450° for 40 minutes.

Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Spicy Peach-Bourbon Sauce

Sauce Ingredients
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups peach nectar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons bourbon
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Steak Ingredients
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (1-pound) flank steaks, trimmed
Cooking spray

To prepare sauce, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Add nectar, 3 tablespoons sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 15 minutes). Add bourbon, ketchup, Worcestershire, and red pepper; cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in the lime juice. Cool slightly. Pour the sauce into a blender, and process until smooth.

Prepare grill.

To prepare steak, combine 1 tablespoon sugar and next 7 ingredients (1 tablespoon sugar through black pepper); rub over both sides of steak. Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 7 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve with sauce.

Shrimp Parmigiana and Spaghetti

Recipe based off of Emeril's from Food TV

Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti, cooked until dente and covered to keep warm
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiana-Reggiano
1 1/4 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry
2.5 cups Vegetable oil, for frying
5 cups of Jeff's Pasta Sauce
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour with 1 tablespoon of the Essence, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. In a second bowl, beat the eggs with the water. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the Parmigiana, remaining tablespoon Essence, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Add enough vegetable oil to come halfway up the sides of a medium pot and heat to 360 degrees F. Preheat the oven to broil.

Meanwhile, 1 at a time, dredge the shrimp first in the flour, then in the egg wash, and then in the seasoned bread crumbs, tossing to coat evening and shaking to remove any excess. Place on a plate until ready to cook.

Add the shrimp in batches to the hot oil, turning occasionally, and cook until golden brown and the shrimp float to the top, about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Transfer the shrimp to a lightly greased baking dish. Spoon about 1 3/4 cups of the marinara sauce over the shrimp and sprinkle the mozzarella over the top. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the spaghetti with the remaining marinara sauce and warm gently.

To serve, spoon the spaghetti into a large serving bowl and using a spatula, transfer the shrimp to the top. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.