Balsamic Fillet Mignon

INGREDIENTS
2 fillet mignon steaks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
1. Season both sides of steaks evenly with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook about 7 minutes on each side or until your desired doneness. Remove steaks from pan; keep warm by covering a plate with aluminum foil.
2. Add garlic and red pepper to pan; saute 30 seconds. Add sherry to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 30 seconds. Add soy sauce balsamic vinegar and honey, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, and cook 1 minute. Serve with steaks.

Stuffed Artichokes

INGREDIENTS
2 lemons
3 artichokes
3 cups fresh bread crumbs
3/4 cups grated Romano
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2 cups olive oil
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Grate the zest of 1 of the lemons set aside. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 of the zested lemon into a large bowl filled halfway with cold water. Set aside. Juice the remaining 1 1/2 lemons and reserve the juice.
2. Cut the stems off of the artichokes and clip all the pointy tips plus the top 1/4 of the artichoke.
3. Using your fingers, gently pry the leaves apart to reveal the inner choke and, using a spoon, scoop out some of the inner leaves and the fuzzy choke and discard. This should leave a pretty big hole in the center of each artichoke for stuffing. Put the artichoke in the lemon water bowl then repeat with the remaining artichokes.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, lemon zest, Romano, garlic, basil, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and about 3/4 cup of the olive oil. Add 1/2 cup of warm water and mix thoroughly. The crumb stuffing should be moist enough to clump together. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Remove the artichokes from the lemon water and turn over to let it drain. Fill the center of the artichokes with the stuffing, pressing downward as you add the stuffing. You can also stuff some of the large outer leaves. Drizzle each artichoke with a about a tablespoon of olive oil.
6. In a large saucepan place the artichokes, stem side down and stuffing up, and add about 1 1/2 inches of cold water; it should come up to the bottom of where the leaves begin. Add any remaining lemon juice and olive oil.
7. Cover the pot and bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue to cook, covered, until the leaves pull away easily from the artichokes and the heart is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 35 to 40 minutes. Carefully remove the artichokes from the pot and set aside to cool slightly.
8. Serve the artichokes with your favorite Italian salad dressing. Or for those weirdos out there I guess you can serve it with some mayo (barf!).

Citris Ginger Marinade

INGEDIENTS
1/3 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large zip-lock freezer bag, add your favorite meat. Seal and refrigerate at least one hour.

* I generally prefer to grill the chicken, but was out of propane. Still tastes awesome!

Basil spinach summer pasta

2 1/4 Ditalini pasta cooked
1/2 Cup basil chiffonade
1 1/2 Cup Spinach
1 Lemon zested (about 1 tbsp)
1/4 Cup pine nuts
1/2 Cup fresh parmigiano reggiano grated
1 Shallot thin sliced
5 Cloves garlic chopped
Pinch salt and pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

In large pot of salted water bring pasta to a boil. While pasta cooks preheat 1 Tbsp olive oil in pan and add spinach. Cook until half wilted and add in shallot, garlic, salt and pepper. Drain pasta and add to pan. Add remaining olive oil, basil, lemon zest and Parmesan. Toss to coat and serve.

This is also great tossed together cold as a lovely summer BBQ dish. To do so, cool pasta and toss with olive oil. Cool spinach and add to pasta with all remaining ingredients, refrigerate and serve. This dish would also be great tossed with some shrimp.

Tangy asian bbq sauce & marinade

Makes 2 cups marinade or 1.5 cups sauce

Marinade
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 oz pineapple juice
2 tangerines or Clementine's - juiced
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 pinch pepper
3 cloves garlic - chopped
1 small shallot - thinly sliced
1 large green onion - chopped in 1/4 inch rounds

BBQ Sauce
2 Tbsp cold water
1 Tsp corn starch

To make bbq sauce bring all marinade ingredients to a boil. Combine corn starch and water and pour mixture into boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and whisk until sauce thickens. Strain and use as a bbq sauce or dipping sauce.

This recipe is a great marinade for chicken or pork and a terrific sauce for bbq chicken or as a glaze on pork tenderloin. I will be making pork tenderloin in the marinade and then topped with the reduced glaze.

As a sauce!

Chinese chicken and mushroom lettuce cups (Or just Chinese mushroom lettuce cups)

First of all can I just say it taste like I just got home from a cheap, dirty, authentic Chinese restaurant. Only, this is totally home made and only about 200 calories for 3 cups!

1 Package boneless skinless chicken
4 Cloves garlic minced
3 tsp vegetable oil
1 Cup shitake mushrooms minced
1 Cup baby bella (or button) mushrooms minced
3 Cups Napa cabbage shredded (discard white thick stem part)
1/4 tsp salt
2 Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 Can (8 oz) water chestnuts chopped up
1 Cup green onions (about 4 onions)
1/8 Cup carrots minced
3.5 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Head butter lettuce
Black pepper

Preheat oven to 405. Season chicken with 2 tsp oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until done (juice runs clear when cut into when chicken is done). When there is about 5 minutes left on chicken heat remaining 1 tsp vegetable oil in very large non stick skillet. Add garlic and carrots. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and allow to cool to touch. As chicken is cooling add onions and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are soft (about 4 minutes). Add cabbage and wilt down by tossing frequently with mushroom and garlic mixture. Add water chestnuts, salt, crushed pepper, hoisin sauce and soy sauce. At this point if you are a vegetarian you want to remove your portion and set it aside. Shred chicken with two forks (or fingers if cool enough) and add it to pan. Toss it and coat it. Cook for about 2 minutes to warm through and absorb flavor. Place cups on plate in bowl shape and fill with mixture. Serve with white rice.

*Note you can also skip the lettuce cups and simply serve right on top of rice!

Prewilted cabbage

Post wilted cabbage

Paprika chicken with onion garlic sauce

Chicken
1 package boneless skinless chicken cut into halves (quarters for breasts)
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp favorite poultry seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil

Sauce
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 red onion sliced in strips
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp COLD water
2 tsp corn starch
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
1/4 tsp favorite poultry seasoning

Preheat non stick pan with oil over medium high heat. Combine all ingredients for chicken on plate. Coat chicken and place in pan. Cook for 8 minutes and flip. Cook for 8 minutes and check that the inside runs clear when you cut it with a knife. If so you are done, if not keep cooking. When chicken is done remove it and set it on a plate covering it in foil. In same pan pour wine, chicken stock and seasonings in and bring to a boil. Using a rubber spatula pick up all the bits from the bottom of the pan and stir those in with your liquid. Mix cornstarch in cold water. Reduce sauce to about 2/3 and add in corn starch mixed in water and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and allow sauce to thicken. Pour of chicken.

Note: If sauce is not thick enough you can add more cornstarch a teaspoon at a time. If it is too thick add 1/4 cup chicken stock.