Aunt D's Buttermilk Pancakes

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
4 Cups flour, all-purpose 
6 Tbls sugar, white divided
2 Tbls baking powder 
1 tsp salt 
4 Cups buttermilk, reduced-fat 
6 Large egg, whole separated
1 Tbls extract, vanilla 
oil, olive cooking spray

Optional:
12 Ounce(wt)s chocolate chips, semisweet mini

Tools Needed:
OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop
Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick 11-Inch Square Griddle

Directions: 
Whisk flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl to blend. Add buttermilk, egg yolks and vanilla and whisk until smooth (batter will be very thick). 

Using electric mixer, beat whites in medium bowl to soft peaks. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff but not dry; fold into batter. 

Fold in chocolate chips, if using. 

Spray griddle or heavy large skillet with cooking spray over medium-low heat. Working in batches, pour batter by 1/4-cupfuls onto griddle. Cook until pancakes are golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. 

Transfer to plates. Serve with maple syrup. 

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Pretzel Crusted Chicken Cutlets

Yields 6 servings
Adapted from Rachel Ray

Ingredients:
6 6-ozs chicken breast, boneless, skinless cut into cutlets
8 Ounce(wt)s Rold Gold Honey Wheat Braided Twists
1/2 cup cheese, Parmesan
1 to taste salt and pepper 
2 Large egg, whole 
1 Tbls water
2 Tbls mustard, Dijon or whole grain
1 to taste oil, vegetable for frying

Tools Needed:
Cuisinart DLC-2009CHB Prep 9 9-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless
12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover

Directions: 
Preheat a large non-stick skillet with a 1/4-inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. 

Place the pretzels in a food processor or blender and ground until fine. Transfer the ground pretzels to a shallow dish, add the cheese and some salt and pepper. Crack and beat 2 eggs in a second shallow dish with water and mustard. One at a time, coat each chicken cutlet in the egg and then the ground pretzels. 

Add the pretzel-coated chicken cutlet to the hot oil. Cook in a single layer, in batches, about 3 or 4 minutes on each side, until the juices run clear and breading is evenly browned.  Transfer to a rack on a cookie sheet and keep warn in a 300 degree oven until ready to serve.

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Killer California Grilled Flank Steak

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:
6 to 8 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
2 Tbls Silver Service Chef's California Steak Rub
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt, Kosher
1 Tbls worcestershire sauce 
2 Tbls vinegar, red wine 
1/3 Cup oil, extra virgin olive 
2 Pounds beef, flank steak 


Tools Needed:
Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press
Weber Style 6435 Professional-Grade Grill Pan

Directions: 
Mix garlic, Steak Rub, paprika, cumin, salt, Worcestershire sauce and red wine vinegar. Whisk in extra-virgin olive oil. Place meat in a Ziploc-bag and coat it evenly in marinade. Let stand at least 1 hour, but the longer the better. 

Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat.  Grill flank steak 6 to 7 minutes on each side. 

Remove flank steak from grill and let juices redistribute before slicing. Thinly slice meat on an angle, cutting the meat against the grain.

If using a charcoal grill:
Heat up coals in a chimney starter; burn 20 minutes until a light grey color.  Build a 2-level fire by arranging coals onto 1/2 of the bottom of the grill.  Heat grate for 5 minutes.

Grill steak directly over coals until seared, 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip steak; grill on second side another 3 minutes. turn grate 1/4-turn and close lid and cook indirectly for 3 more minutes or until middle of steak registers 125-degrees on a thermometer.    

Remove steak from grill and let rest 5 to 10 minutes.  Slice steak, about 1/4-inch thick, against the grain and on the bias.  Serve immediately.

Suggested Sides:
Oven-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Lemon Parmesan Broccoli

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Lemon Parmesan Broccoli

Ingredients:
1 Head broccoli cut into florets
1 Large lemon 
3 Tablespoons oil, olive 
1/2 Teaspoon salt, Kosher 
1 Teaspoon seasoning, Greek 
1/3 Cup cheese, parmesan, grated 

Directions: 
Toss cut, dry broccoli in enough olive to lightly coat each piece. Add salt and Greek seasoning and toss to coat. 

Roast broccoli for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Cut lemon. Squeeze lemon juice over broccoli and toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

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Stuffed Sweet Bell Peppers

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 Large bell peppers, assorted 
2/3 Cups rice, long grain white  (if doing brown, this will take much longer to cook)
2 Pounds beef, ground chuck
1/2 Tbls Silver Service Chef's California Steak Rub
2 Tbls worcestershire sauce 
2/3 Cups onion, yellow chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 Ounce(wt)s mushrooms, canned**
1 to taste salt and pepper 
1 Tbls oil, olive 
2 Cups cheese, cheddar medium shredded
16 Ounce(wt)s sauce, tomato 
6 Ounce(wt)s tomato paste 
1/2 Cup water 
1/3 Cup wine, dry red 


Tools Needed:
12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover
Pyrex Grip-Rite 2-Quart Oblong Baking Dish, Clear
Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press
Rosle Can Opener 


Chef's Note:
My mother always did this with canned mushrooms. The thought kind of turns me to stone, but to each his own. If you are like me, then slice 8 ounces of fresh creminis and saute them in a little butter.  This means to melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat and add the mushrooms and top with a little salt then leave them ALONE.  Every 5 minutes, you can stir them around and then walk away again.  Just make sure they don't burn, but if you keep moving them around, they will get watery.  Trust me.

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut off tops of peppers, chop and reserve. Remove seeds and membrane from the peppers and slice each in half, lengthwise. 

Brown meat in oil, remove and drain off fat. Saute onions and garlic with the chopped pepper tops until soft.  Add canned mushrooms and heat through. Remove veggies.  Add rice and steak rub.  Toast in pan for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, wine, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Add Veggies back to pan.  Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. 

Add half of the cheese. Place peppers on bottom of casserole. Pour meat/rice mixture over peppers. Cover with remaining grated cheddar. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is golden.

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Chicken Saltimbocca (Saltimbocca di Pollo)

Adapted from Mario Batali
Yields 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 Cup flour, all-purpose 
1 to taste salt and pepper 
4, 6-ozs chicken breast, boneless, skinless 
4 Slices prosciutto di parma 
24 Each sage leaves, 4 large and 20 smaller
2 1/4 Cups oil, extra virgin olive 
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 Large shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 Pound mushrooms, shiitake thinly sliced (cremini are fine too) 
1 Cup marsala 
1/2 Cup stock, chicken 
2 Tbls butter 
1 Bunch parsley, flat-leaf chopped
Toothpicks


Tools Needed:
Norpro Meat Veal Pounder
Asian Kitchen 5-inch Spider Strainer
12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover
Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press 

Directions: 
Season the flour with salt and pepper 

With a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts to ¼-inch thickness. Season each breast with salt and pepper and lay 1 sage leaf on each breast. Lay 1 slice prosciutto over each piece and fold in half like a book. Secure the two sides with a toothpick and dredge each breast in the seasoned flour. 

In a heavy-bottomed pot with high sides, heat the 2 cups olive oil to 375 degrees. Make sure that you have a slotted spoon or spider close by. Working in a few batches, fry the leaves in the oil, removing with the slotted spoon after 30 seconds. Season with salt, set on a plate lined with paper towels to drain, and set aside. 

In a 12 to 14-inch sauté pan, heat the remaining olive oil until smoking. Add the chicken and sauté until golden brown on both sides. Mince the garlic with a garlic press.  Add the shallots, garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have sweated, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the Marsala and chicken stock and cook over high heat until reduce by half. Swirl the butter into the pan, add the parsley and serve on 4 warmed dinner plates, topped with the fried sage leaves. 

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Cheesy Stuffed Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 Pound pasta, spaghettini 
6 Cloves garlic, fresh minced, divided
28 Ounce(wt)s tomatoes, italian, canned crushed with your hands
15 Ounce(wt)s tomatoes, crushed
1 Tbls Silver Service Chef Zesty Italian Seasoning
1 Pound chuck, ground 
1 Large egg, whole 
2 Tbls milk, skim 
1/2 Cup breadcrumbs, plain 
3/4 Cups cheese, parmesan, grated 
2 Tbls parsley, flat-leaf chopped
1 to taste salt and pepper 
4 Ounce(wt)s cheese, mozzarella smoked cut into 1/2-inch chunks
10 Each basil, fresh chopped 


Tools Needed:
Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press
Rosle Can Opener
Microplane 40020 Classic Zester/Grater
OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop

Directions: 
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. 

Once the water comes to a boil, add a generous handful of salt along with the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. 

Place a medium-size sauce pan over medium-high heat, add oil. Mince the garlic.  Add half of the garlic and cook until it starts to get lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, cook for 8 to 10 minutes and season with salt and pepper, and Italian Seasoning. 

Grate the parmesan with the microplane grater.

While sauce is simmering, place the ground beef in a medium-size mixing bowl and add the egg, milk, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of grated cheese, the other half of the garlic and the parsley. 

Season the beef mixture with salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients together and using a medium cookie scoop, scoop mixture into 20 medium-size meatballs, each about 1 1/2-inches round. Flatten the meatballs.

Place a piece of cheese into the center of each meatball and maneuver the meat around the cheese to seal it in the middle. Place the meatballs in the tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through. 

Pour meatballs and sauce over the cooked pasta, sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese and basil, and serve.

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Pasta Piccata

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 Pound pasta, rotini, tricolor 
2 Tbls oil, olive 
1 Large onion, white minced
6 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
1/2 Cup wine, dry white 
1 Cup stock, chicken, low-sodium 
2 Tbls juice, lemon 
1 1/2 tsp Silver Service Chef Zesty Italian Seasoning
28 Ounce(wt)s artichoke hearts, canned chopped, liquid reserved 1 can
1 Tbls cornstarch 
1 Tbls water 
6 Tbls capers with a little liquid
2 Tbls butter, unsalted 
1/2 Cup cheese, parmesan, grated 
2 Tbls parsley, flat-leaf chopped 


Tools Needed:
Cuisinart 622-30G Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover 
Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press
Rosle Can Opener
Microplane 40020 Classic Zester/Grater

Directions: 
Put pasta on to cook while preparing the sauce. 

Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Mince the garlic with a garlic press. Cook and stir the garlic and onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the white wine into the skillet, turn the heat to high, and cook until the wine reduces by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, artichoke hearts, and reserved artichoke liquid. 

Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Mix together the cornstarch and water. While sauce is boiling, stir in slurry. Once sauce is thickened, stir in the capers and butter. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Grate cheese with a microplane grater.

Drain pasta. Put pasta back into pasta pot, add sauce, cheese and parsley. 

Put pasta into 3-quart casserole dish and place in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until bubbly. Serve.

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Big and Chewy Oatmeal-Fruity Cookies

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen
Yields 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup flour, all-purpose 
1/2 tsp salt, table
1/2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp nutmeg, fresh grated 
1 Cup Crisco, butter-flavored 
1 Cup sugar, light brown, packed 
1 Cup sugar, white (plus extra for flattening)
2 Large egg, whole 
3 Cups oats, old-fashioned 
1 1/2 Cup Trader Joe's Golden Berry Blend (blend of golden raisins, dried cherries, blueberries and cranberries)


Tools Needed:
Chicago Metallic Non-Stick 3-Piece Value Pack with 2 Cookie/Jelly Roll Pans and Cooling Grid 
Parchment Paper Sheets - 12 × 16½
Microplane 40020 Classic Zester/Grater
OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop


Directions: 
Adjust oven racks to low and middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

Grate the nutmeg with a microplane grater.

Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg together in medium bowl. 

With electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy on medium-high, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs on medium-low, one at a time. 

Stir dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture with wooden spoon or large rubber spatula. Stir in oats and raisins. 

Working with generous 1 tablespoon of dough each time, roll dough into 2-inch balls. Place balls on parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between each ball. Use a glass, or bowl, dipped in white sugar and lightly flatten each ball of dough.

Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, 13 to 17 minutes. (Halfway during baking, turn cookie sheets from front to back and also switch them from top to bottom.) Slide cookies, on parchment, to cooling rack. Let cool at least 5 to 10 minutes before peeling cookie from parchment.

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Beef Burgundy (Slow Cooker)

Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:
5 Pounds beef, chuck roast trimmed, cut in 1 1/2-in chunks
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbls oil, olive 
6 Ounce(wt)s bacon, uncooked cut in strips
3 Large onion, white minced
2 Large carrots peeled, minced
1/4 Cup tomato paste 
12 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
1 Tbls thyme, fresh minced
1/3 Cup flour, all-purpose 
2 1/2 Cups wine, Pinot Noir divided
1 1/2 Cup stock, chicken, low-sodium plus extra if needed
1/3 Cup soy sauce, low sodium 
2 Each bay leaves 
2 Cups onion, pearl, frozen 
1/2 Cup water 
3 Tbls butter, unsalted 
2 tsp sugar, white 
1 Pound mushrooms, cremini small ones halved or large ones quartered 

Directions: 
Dry beef with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Place half of beef in slow cooker. 

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown remaining beef well on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. 

Chef's Note: If there is a lot of beef, do not overload the pan as the beef will steam. Better to cook the remaining beef in two batches to ensure they brown, not steam. 

Cook bacon in skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon from fat and move to slow cooker. Add onions, carrots, tomato paste, garlic and thyme and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stor in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in half of the wine (1.25 cups), scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker. 

Stir broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low OR 5 to 7 hours on high. 

About 20 minutes before serving, bring frozen pearl onions, water, butter and sugar to boil in 12-inch skillet. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until the onions are fully thawed and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Uncover, bring to a boil, and cook until all liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until vegetables are browned and glazed, 8 to 12 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. 

Add remaining 1.25 cups wine to skillet and simmer until it has reduced by half, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Let stew settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon. Discard bay leaves. Adjust stew consistency with additional hot broth as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over Parslied Noodles.

Ingredients:
1 Pound noodles, extra wide
1/2 Bunch chopped parsley, flat-leaf
4 Tbls butter

Directions:
Cook pasta to package directions. 

Drain and toss with butter and parsley. Salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve.

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Curried Chicken and Apricot Salad

Yields enough for 8 sandwiches

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup apricots, dried coarsely chopped
4 Each onion, green cut into 1-inch pieces
4 Cups chicken, cooked, finely chopped (one rotisserie chicken)
1/4 cup mayonnaise, light 
1/4 cup sour cream, light
1 Tbls curry powder, sweet 
2 tsp juice, lemon 
1/2 tsp salt 
1/8 tsp pepper, cayenne
8 leaves lettuce, red leaf
16 slices bread, whole wheat

Optional Ingredients:
1/2 Cup almonds, sliced

Directions: 
In a food processor, finely chop the apricots and scallions. Move to a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the  mayonnaise, sour cream, curry powder, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne; mix well.  Add finely chopped chicken to the large bowl and mix with the apricots and scallions.  Fold in the mayonnaise mixture.

Spread on bread half of the slices.  Top with a leaf of lettuce. Top with sliced almonds, if using and with remaining slice of bread.  Slice as desired and serve.

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Hearty Lentil Soup (Slow Cooker)

Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:
4 Tbls oil, olive, divided
3 Large beef bone, round with marrow (for soup)
2 Large onion, white large dice 
8 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
1 Pound sausage, kielbasa sliced into discs
3 Cups ham, cooked diced
2 Cups carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 Cups celery cut into 1/2-inch slices plus leaves
2 Large tomatoes, red, fresh, wedged
1 Pound lentils, dried rinsed and picked through
1 1/2 Tbls Frank's Red Hot 
1 to taste salt and pepper
1 tsp Southwestern Seasoning 
4 Cups stock, chicken, low-sodium 
24 oz (fl) beer, (Dark German beer such as Bock or Hefeweizen)
12 oz (wt) spinach, fresh baby spinach

Directions: 
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.  Add the beef bones and sear on each side, for 1 minute.  Add the onions on top and saute for 5 minutes.  Remove bones and move to the slow cooker.  Add the garlic to the onion and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.  Add onions and garlic to slow cooker.  Add another 1 tablespoon oil and add sausage to skillet and saute until it begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add to slow cooker.  Add another 1 tablespoon oil and add ham to skillet.  Saute until it begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.  Move to slow cooker.

Add last tablespoon of oil to skillet.  Add in celery, carrots, salt, pepper and Southwest seasoning.  Saute until they begin to color slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add to slow cooker, along with tomatoes, lentils, hot sauce, stock and beer.  Your cooker may be full to the top.

Add lid and set on low and cook for 5 to 6 hours, until lentils are done.  The vegetables will still be crunchy.  Remove beef bones.  Fold in the spinach and let wilt, 5 minutes.  Serve with crusty bread with an herbed butter.

Chef's Note: If you cannot find a beef soup bone, you can make this without, just add 1 to 2 teaspoons of beef bouillon granules when sautéing the sausage. 

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Chicken with White Wine, Tarragon and Cream (Slow Cooker)

Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
6 12-ozs chicken breast, bone-in ribs removed
1 to taste salt and pepper 
1/4 Cup oil, vegetable 
1 1/4 Pound mushrooms, crimini cut in quarters
2 Large onion, white minced
2 tsp thyme, fresh minced
4 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
1/4 Cup flour, all-purpose 
3/4 Cups wine, dry white 
1 Cup stock, chicken, low-sodium 
1 Pound carrots 
2 Tbls soy sauce, low sodium 
2 Each bay leaves 
1/2 Cup cream, heavy 
1/4 Cup tarragon, fresh minced 

Directions: 
Dry chicken with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet (preferably iron or other not non-stick) over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken, skin-side down, and brown lightly, 5 minutes; transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon more oil and remaining chicken; transfer to plate. Let chicken cool slightly and discard skin. 

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, mushrooms, onions, thyme and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to pan. Cover and cook over medium heat until mushrooms are softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until mushrooms are dry and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. 

Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in white wine, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to the slow cooker. 

Stir in stock, carrots, soy cause and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Nestle the browned (now skinless) chicken with any accumulated juices into the slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours on low. 

Transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let braising liquid settle for 5 minutes., then remove fat from surface using a large spoon. Discard bay leaves. Stir in cream and tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce over the chicken and serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

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