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Filet Mignon With Cabernet Sauce

Ingredients

  • 4 4-ounce filet mignon steaks
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
  • 1/4 cup shallots, minced
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 cup cabernet sauvignon
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons butter

Directions

Coat a large nonstick pan with olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the steaks evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired doness (we cooked them for ~7 minutes a side). Remove from pan.

Add shallots to pan; saute 1 minute. Stir in vinegar and soy sauce; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates, stirring constantly. Add remaining salt, pepper, wine and broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 11 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in butter. Drizzle over steaks.

Serve with Roasted New Potatoes and Sauteed Rosemary Mushooms.

Cooking Light Magazine

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Shannon’s Tasty (Oohmommy) Quiche

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup onion or shallot, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
  • 1/2 cup frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 4 mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 pieces bacon, baked and diced

Directions

Make pate brisee.  Poke with holes, line with foil and put weights in the pan.  Prebake at 425 for 25 minutes. 

Beat eggs.  Mix in heavy cream through nutmeg.  Place bacon in prebaked crust and then pour in egg mixture.  Cover crust with foil.  Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

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Roxanne’s Roast Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1.5 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 1.5 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1.5 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 small white onion, diced
  • 1 4-lb roasting chicken
  • 12 large pitted green olives

Directions

Mix the vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, mustard seeds, rosemary, pepper and onions together in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken.  Set aside.

Remove the package from the cavity of the chicken; reserve for another use or discard.  Rinse the chicken inside and out and dry thoroughly.  Roll the chicken around in the marinade, making sure plenty flows into the cavity.  Cover and marinate 8 hours to overnight in the fridge. 

Prior to cooking, bring chicken to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 375.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any marinade that sticks to the chicken to remain.  Save the remaining marinade in a bowl.  Put the olives in the cavity of the chicken.  Set the chicken, breast side down on a roasting rack (non-stick or sprayed with PAM) in a roasting pan.   Add 1/2 inch water to the roasting pan.  Roast for 50 minutes.  Flip the chicken to breast side up (careful of the olives), pour the remaining marinade over the bird, and roast for 40 minutes longer, or until the chicken reaches 170.  Tent with foil if the skin gets too brown. 

Remove from oven and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. 

Serve with Parsley Red Potatoes, Roasted Red Potatoes or Golden Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Sour Cream.

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Beef Kebabs

Ingredients
* 1 pound steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
* 1 onion, cut into large sections
* 1 red and 1 yellow pepper, cut into large sections

Marinade
* 1/2 cup red wine
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon worchestershire
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions
# Combine marinade ingredients and beef in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours, stirring occasionally.
# Heat grill. Remove beef from marinade, reserve marinade. Place onions, peppers and beef on skewers. Grill for 8 – 10 minutes, turning and basting occasionally with remaining marinade.

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Thad’s Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients

* baby back ribs
* beer
* BBQ sauce

Directions

Put ribs in pot with about 4 beers (any variety). Add water to cover ribs. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 1 hour to 1.5 hours. Remove ribs from pot, cover in BBQ sauce, then BBQ for a couple minutes on each side.

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The World’s Best Lasagna

Ingredients

  • 1 package of Lasagna noodles
  • 1 15 ounce container of Ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 large ball of mozzarella, grated
  • 1 jar of pasta sauce
  • 3/4 lb ground meat (beef and/or pork)
  • OMIT 1 head of broccoli, steamed and cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablepoon (or more) red pepper flakes
  • salt, pepper, basil and oregano to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cook Lasagna noodles according to directions on package.

Mix together Ricotta cheese and beaten egg. In a separate bowl, mix grated mozzarella and parmesan.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Saute onion for 3 mintues, then add garlic and continue to saute for 2 more minutes. Add the ground beef and pork and saute until done. Drain excess fat. Add pasta sauce, broccoli and red chili flakes to taste. Add additional spices if necessary.

Put 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish. Place a layer of noodles on top. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on top. Sprinkle 1/3 of the grated mozzarella mixture on top. Repeat 3 times.

Bake, covered in tin foil, for 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted.

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Maple Glazed Carrots

Another yummy Thanksgiving treat from the Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving Cookbook (complements of Thad’s Recipe Collection)

Ingredients

* 3 lbs carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into 1 inch pieces (or just use baby carrots)
* 5 cups chicken stock
* 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
* salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the carrots, stock, maple syrup, and butter. Bring to a brisk simmer and cook, uncovered, until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots to a dish. Raise the heat to high and cook the liquid in the pan until it has reduced to about 1 1/4 cups and is syrupy, 30-40 minutes longer.

Return the carrots to the pan. Add the vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

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Fancy Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Marinade
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 3 tablespoons lime juice
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1 cup packed cilantro leaves
* 1/2 jalapeno, seeded
* Salt and pepper

Vegetables
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 large onion, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
* 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
* 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Flatten chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap with a mallet or rolling pin. Even better is to buy the less expensive thinly sliced chicken breasts. Place chicken breasts in glass baking dish. In a blender combine 2 tbsp olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and pour over chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and let chicken marinate for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat oil. Add onions and peppers and cook until they are tender and begin to brown. Transfer to serving dish and put it in the oven to keep warm. Toast flour tortillas for about 30 seconds per side and keep warm in an aluminum foil pocket. Grill the chicken on each side for a few minutes.

To serve, slice chicken into even strips. Serve hot with onions and peppers, grated jack and cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Copyright: Thad’s Recipe Collection

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Chicken a la Louise

Ingredients

* frozen chicken thighs, enough to cover the bottom of the pan
* olive oil (optional)
* red pepper flakes, to taste
* salt, to taste
* pepper, to taste
* 6-10 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 tablespoon capers
* dry red wine, enough to half submerge chicken
* balsamic vinegar, enough to drench top surface of each thigh
* 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
* tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Put oil and frozen chicken into a large sucepan on high heat. Sprinkle red pepper flakes, salt and pepper on thighs. Add garlic, capers and wine. Splash balsamic vinegar on each thigh. Add onion and optional mustard. Once liquid begins to boil, turn thighs every few minutes. If pan dries out add more liquid (wine or water). Continue until sauce is reduced, chicken is cooked and covered in a carmelized coating. Just before the sauce is boiled down, add the lemon juice and cook down for a few minutes.

Serve with Basmati rice.

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Cooper’s Chicken

Ingredients

* 8 chicken breasts
* 1 medium size sour cream (next time try 1 small size)
* 1 can Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup
* 1 jar of chipped beef, sliced into strips
* 1 pound button mushrooms, sliced into fourths
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons bourbon

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°.

Place beef on bottom of 9×13 inch glass dish. Place chicken on top. Mix soup, sour cream, mushrooms and bourbon. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover with foil tightly. Cook for 3 hours. Serve with pasta.