Chock Full Of Veggie Salad

Chock Full Of Veggie Salad
With A Sesame Dressing!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

 

Ingredients
4 cup baby kale, chopped
3 cups baby spring salad
1 cup zucchini, sliced
3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup shallots, minced
1 cup yellow peppers, chopped
1 cup cooked barley, cooled
1 1/2 cups button mushroom, sliced

Cooking Tools
Large mixing bowl

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, add; the ingredient for the Sesame Dressing (below) and whisk.  add all the ingredients, except the spring mix to the bowl and toss in the dressing.  Allow the salad to sit in the dressing for about 15 minutes.  Toss in the spring mix right before serving.
Serves 4

Sesame Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp mirin
2 tsp super fine sugar
pinch of salt

Pork & Shrimp Lemongrass Skewers

Pork & Shrimp Lemongrass Skewers
The Infusion Of Lemongrass Permeates Throughout!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

 

Ingredients
3/4 lbs ground pork
1/2 lbs shrimp, shelled, de-veined, tail off, ground
6 lemon grass skewers
1/2 cup shallots, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic, puree
1 tsp ginger, grated
1/8 tsp white or black pepper
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp mustard powder

Cooking Tools
Food processor
Foil lined sheet pan
Cooking spray
Large mixing bowl

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.  In a food processor, mince shrimp.  Add all ingredients in a mixing bowl, except lemon grass and knead ingredients together for about 5 minutes. Divide the pork and shrimp mixture and wrap around the lemongrass skewers 1/3 of the way down, this will be a sticky process.  Place each skewer on a foil lined sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes.  Serve with some soy sauce.
Yields 4-6

Steak Chimichurri

Steak Chimichurri
It's That Time Of The Year!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 12-15 minutes

 

Ingredients
4 Delmonico steaks
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups flat leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
sugar
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools
Outdoor grill
Food processor

Directions
Let the steaks come to room temperature before grilling.  Salt and pepper steaks and grill to your liking.  In a food processor, add; garlic, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, onions, olive oil, red wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar and salt.  Pulse until all ingredients are finely minced.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Let steaks rest for 5 minutes before slicing and spoon sauce over the cooked steak.
Serves 4

Pappardelle Bolognese

Pappardelle Bolognese 
This Recipe By Far, Is My Favorite Bolognese Sauce!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-8 hours

 

Ingredients
Pappardelle pasta for 6
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground veal
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/4 lb. chicken livers
5 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup red wine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 cup carrots, minced
1/2 cup peppadew, minced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
3 whole bay leaves
1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese

 Cooking Tools
Slow cooker
Skillet
Food processor

Directions
In a skillet on medium heat, add; butter and chicken livers.  Cook chicken liver until nice and crispy, almost black and fully cooked, about 20 minutes.  Remove chicken liver and set aside.  De-glaze pan with 1/2 cup of red wine, scraping all the bits and piece from the bottom. Take skillet with the red wine reduction off the heat and set aside.  Place the cooked chicken livers into a food processor and pulse until the livers are finely minced. In the slow cooker on medium-high heat, add; chicken livers, red wine reduction, beef, veal, pork, marinara sauce, garlic, onions, carrots, peppadew, vinegar, sugar, olive oil, bay leaves, oregano and thyme.  Mix all ingredients together, the meat will break down.  Slow cook for at least 7 hours, salt and pepper to taste, towards the end of the cooking.  Cook the pasta, drain.  Toss pasta in the Bolognese sauce, don't over dress the pasta. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Cook's Note: You do not have to cook the ground meats, before placing in the slow cooker, but if you prefer to do so, the meat will be chunky and not break down as well.
Serves 6

Fruity Ricotta Creams

Fruity Ricotta Creams
This Dessert Is Quite Irresistible!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

 

Ingredients
2 cups smooth Ricotta cheese
3 heaping tbsp confectioners sugar
pinch of nutmeg
zest of one orange
2 tbsp Cointreau (orange liqueur)
1/4 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
1/4 cup fresh kiwi, diced
1/4 cup fresh mangoes, diced
1/4 cup fresh blackberries
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup fresh raspberries + garnish
1/4 cup almond, slices
1/4 cup chocolate shavings

Cooking Tools
Mixing bowl
Whisk

Directions
In a mixing bowl, add; Ricotta cheese, sugar, nutmeg, orange zest and Cointreau.  Whip ingredients with a whisk until creamy and smooth.  Fold in fruit and almond slices gently, and just coat enough of the fruit with the cheese mixture.  Over mixing will bruise the delicate fruit and the fruit will start to bleed their color into the cheese mixture. Place in serving dishes and sprinkle with the chocolate shavings.  Garnish with a raspberry and place in refrigerator for 1 hour to chill before serving.
Serves 4

Pork Dim Sum

Pork Dim Sum
Love Going To Dim Sum Restaurants, This Is My Version Of The Steamed Pork Dumpling!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

 

Pork Dim Sum
Dough
Ingredients
5 cups flour + dusting
2 tbsp sugar
1 packet of yeast
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water

Cooking Tools
Bamboo steamer + large pot of boiling water
Mixing Bowl
Wax paper or parchment paper

Directions
Sift flour, sugar and salt. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water, add flour mixture slowly and mix well until smooth. Knead well and put dough in a bowl. Place wet cloth over dough and let rise until dough has risen for at least 1 hour. Knead with butter for 20 minutes. Divide dough into 20 balls and make flat rounds. Place meat mixture in center and shape into round balls, twist off any excess dough and seal any seams. Put a piece of individual wax paper under each ball.  Place in steamer (cook in batches) and steam about 15 minutes.  Serve with soy sauce.

Pork Filling
Ingredients
1 lb. ground pork
1/4 cup Shitake mushroom, small dice
1/4 cup water chestnuts, small dice
1/4 cup bamboo shoots, small dice
1/4 cup green onion, minced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp sweet miso
1 tbsp Mirin
2 tbsp sake
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
1/2 tsp garlic, pressed

Directions
In a mixing bowl; add ground pork, shitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, green onions, parsley, sweet miso, Mirin, sake, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, grated ginger and the pressed garlic.  Knead the mixture very well with your hands for at least 5 minutes.

     

Roll Out Dough And Place Filling In The Middle.

Wrap Dough Around Pork Filling, Remove Excess Dough And Seal Seams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Line Dumplings On Bamboo Steamer Over A Pot Of Boiling Water.

Steam With Bamboo Lid On For 15 Minutes, Cook In Batches.

Yields 20 dumplings

 

Miso Salmon

Miso Salmon
A Burst Of Japanese Flavors!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 1-2 hours
Cooking Time: 12 minutes

The Marinade On The Salmon Will Caramelize As It Broils!

 

Ingredients
4  8oz. skinless, boneless salmon fillets
4 cups hot rice, cooked
2 tbsp miso
2 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
3 tbsp sake
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirin)
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Cooking Tools
Small mixing bowl
Baking dish
Zip lock storage bag

Directions
In a small mixing bowl, add; miso, soy sauce, brown sugar, orange juice, sake, honey, mirin, garlic, ginger and whisk. In a zip lock storage bag, add salmon fillets and half the marinade, squeeze out air and seal.  Place salmon in refrigerator for 1-2 hours to marinade.  Preheat oven to 420 Degrees F on broil.  Place salmon in baking dish and place in oven for at least 12 minutes, basting every 3-4 minutes with the reserved marinade.  Place broiled salmon on a bed of hot rice, drizzle salmon with some of the delicious juices.  Garnish with sliced green onions.
Serves 4