Smoked Steak Sandwiches

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb Sirloin Sandwich Steak

½ cup Worcestershire

Nonstick cooking spray

1 onion, quartered

2 bell peppers, quartered

Smoked Sea Salt

Black Pepper

4, 6 inch French bread, or Kaiser Rolls

Smoked Gouda

4 tbsp Mayo

4 to 6 fresh basil leaves

½ tsp garlic powder

1. Place steak in a shallow baking dish
2. Pour Worcestershire on top of steak. Cover dish and refrigerate for a ½ hour.
3. Preheat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray
4. Add onions and peppers to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove vegetables from pan
6. Spray pan with cooking spray
7. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper
8. Sauté the steak for 3 minutes on each side.
9. Toast bread of your choice
10. Process basil in food processor until it forms a paste, about 4 pulses
11. Whisk mayo, garlic powder and basil in a small bowl
12. Spread 1 tbsp of mayo on each roll
13. Cut steak into thick slices. Divide evenly between rolls.
14. Add vegetables & cheese.

ENJOY!!!!!

Lamb & Mushroom Ragu with Parmesan Polenta

Servings: 4 – 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time:  2 hours

Lamb Ragu Ingredients

½ lb ground lamb

½ lb ground sirloin

½ cup Worchestershire

2 tsp fennel seed

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1 cup dry white wine

½ tsp paprika

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

20 large tomatoes, with skin & seeds removed, coarsely chopped

1, 14-16oz can of tomato sauce

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley

2 Bay Leaves

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

1 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 cup Fresh Basil leaves

Parmesan Polenta Ingredients:

1 cup instant Polenta

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 tbsp butter

Ragu

Place mushroom in a small bowl. Pour wine over mushrooms and set aside

In a large bowl stir together lamb, sirloin, worchestershire, fennel, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

Preheat olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan with 4 inch high sides (or a French skillet).

Add lamb mixture to pan & brown for about 10 minutes or until cooked through

Remove lamb mixture from pan, leaving pan drippings in pan

Add onion, & bell pepper to pan. Sauté until tender

Add mushrooms, wine & tomatoes to pan with the next 8 ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally

Add parmesan & fresh basil. Stir and simmer for another 20 minutes

Add reserved lamb mixture. Stir and continue to simmer for another ½ hour.

Polenta

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil

Add salt, garlic to boiling water

While stirring constantly slowly pour polenta into boiling water.Continue to stir constantly for 5 minutes & remove from heat.

Add parmesan and butter to polenta & stir

Spread evenly in a 10 inch round or square baking dish

Let cool completely

Cut into circles or squares 

Place 3 pieces of polenta in a shallow bowl

Ladle a cup of hot ragu on top of Polenta and serve

Enjoy!

Tuna Melts

I love tuna, every way! These tuna melts are great on a pretzel roll with a thick slice of tomato and a 

basil infused mayo. YUM!!!!!

Servings: 2 – 3

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 – 6 oz cans of tuna, drained

1 Tbsp minced onion

1 Tbsp minced bell pepper

2 Tsp minced celery

1/2 cup organic baby spinach

1 medium egg, beaten

½ cup cheddar cheese crumbles

Sea Salt

Black pepper

1 Tsp Mustard, optional

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients

Form into patties

Spray sauté pan or grill with nonstick cooking spray

Preheat pan or grill

Gently place patties in pan or on grill

Cook about 5 minutes on medium heat or until browned

Gently flip patties and cover for about 5 minutes

Serve with your choice of bread and ENJOY!!!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

The next time you bake cookies, try turning them into ice cream sandwiches. Use two cookies at room temperature, and a scoop of ice cream. With a spatula, gently spread evenly over cookie. Wrap Ice cream sandwich with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until ready to serve.

WINGS, WINGS, WINGS!!!!

Buffalo, Regular & Tiger :)

Smoked Gouda & Mushroom Risotto

Risotto, if made correctly can be a special treat! It’s delicious BUT labor intensive. That’s probably the reason why it isn’t served in every Italian restaurant like ever so popular lasagna. This recipe requires constant stirring. I suggest turning on your Mp3 player and getting your stirring arm ready. The least you can do for yourself is get your groove on while putting in so much work. (I’m serious)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45- 55 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup chopped mushrooms

½ cup chopped onion

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 cups Risotto

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

5 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, hot

½ cup freshly grated parmesan

1/4 cup smoked gouda shredded

½ cup dry white wine

Smoked Sea Salt

Black Pepper

In a medium saucepan, sauté mushrooms, onion, garlic, butter & olive oil over medium heat for about 3minutes

Add rice and stir constantly until it glistens

Stir in a ½ cup hot broth & reduce heat.

Simmer until stock is absorbed, stirring frequently

Repeat steps 3 & 4 until rice is tender but firm & creamy.

Add wine and simmer until absorbed

Add cheeses. Stir in salt, if needed  & pepper to taste

ENJOY!

9/11

Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing on 9/11. I was at work daydreaming about what I was gonna cook for my cousin Evelyn's birthday party. Then I received word that a plane flew into one of the towers. I immediately thought that the pilot was drunk or fell asleep. Never did I think that someone would purposefully do something so horrific. Then the second plane hit....WOW. I screamed out loud. At that moment I knew that the only thing that mattered was that I get home to see my family.

I was an emotional wreck while waiting 45 minutes in the car garage trying to head home. I was a mess driving to get home. You could see it in everyone's eyes. We were all overcome with emotion and anger and worry and sadness and disparity. I just kept peaking at the Sears Tower through my rear view mirror while heading South on the Dan Ryan. When I finally got home, my initial reaction was to sit on my Mom's lap like I did as a child. Instead, I stood close watching and listening while she called family members to check on their whereabouts.

9/11 changed my perception about people and life in general. I realized at that moment what truly mattered in life. I grew up that day. In my head I was no longer the little girl that my parents adored. In my head, I was an adult who was about to make sure that my loved ones knew that I loved them. I was an adult who was about to "trim the fat" out of my life. I stopped entertaining conversations from negative people. Life is too short. I stopped being judgmental. Who was I to judge anyone? I stopped trying to please everyone. I became more of an individual. I started paying attention to the things that we take for granted. When I woke up in the morning, I looked at the sky to see the sun coming up. On my way to work I noticed how magnificent the Sears Tower really is. At that time I really noticed how beautiful Chicago's skyline really is. When driving home, I no longer became aggravated at the sun for being so bright. I would instead think about how beautiful the sun looked while setting.  I realized that I'm not in control of other peoples actions. I no longer felt the  need to debate other people's points of view. Instead, I began asking more questions in an effort to understand why people felt the way that they did. I also began cooking more.  My Mom always said that knowing what flavors  to pair together was my gift from GOD. I realized on 9/11 that if I don't use my gifts from GOD, that  I may never have the chance to. The future is not promised. I realized that life is short and that EVERY DAY I need to do the best that I can.