Category: Entrees

• 1 3/4 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted pistachio kernels, chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons garlic paste
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Butter, for greasing
• 1 (6-7 pound) turkey breast, butterflied

Melt butter and oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Stir in onion, cranberries, apricots, pistachio and garlic and cook until onion has softened; set aside about 5 minutes to cool. Place mixture in a bowl and stir in breadcrumbs, whisked eggs and salt and pepper.

Grease a sheet of aluminum foil and place 5-6 pieces of string across it to tie breast together later; set aside. Open butterflied breast and wrap in plastic wrap. Pound out (or roll with a rolling pin) to flatten to about 1/2-inch thick. Trim sides if needed. Place on strings and foil and season with salt and pepper. Press stuffing along the middle of the joint. Lift up the sides at one end, tucking in the short end and then tie the string firmly to keep the stuffing in place. Repeat with remaining strings and then wrap tightly in the foil. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and roast 20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 10 minutes at the end, until juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the middle. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Place turkey breast on a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 6-8 servings.

• 1 (1-pound) beef top sirloin steak, boneless, 3/4-inch thick
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
• 6 thin slices provolone cheese
• 4 hoagie rolls, split and toasted

Cut steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8-inch thick strips. Season with garlic powder and pepper; set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion, pepper and mushrooms; stir-fry 30-60 seconds; remove from skillet and keep warm.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in same skillet until hot. Add half of beef; stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. Remove from skillet; keep warm. Repeat with remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil and remaining beef.

Return beef and vegetables to skillet; cook and stir until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Top beef with cheese slices. Heat, covered, 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted; stir gently to mix. Place beef mixture on toasted bread and serve. Makes 4 sandwiches.

• 1 can (5 ounces) tuna, drained
• 1 teaspoon fresh dill
• 1/2 stalk celery, diced
• 1 small cucumber, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or Italian dressing)
• Sea salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• 4 large lemons
• Fresh dill, for garnish

Place tuna in a bowl and break chunks into small pieces with a fork. Stir in dill, celery, cucumber, onion, eggs, capers and lemon juice. Gently stir in extra virgin olive oil or Italian dressing and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes. Slice off bottoms of lemons so they stand on their own. Scoop out pulp (save it to make lemonade, basil-lemon mayonnaise, lemon butter or sauces) and fill lemons with the salad. Garnish with fresh dill and serve. Makes 4 lemon cups.

• 4 cups mixed mushrooms (porcini, cremini, shiitake, etc.)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh oregano
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup homemade vegetable broth or water
• 1/2 pound spinach fettuccine
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Clean and thinly slice mushrooms. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil and garlic over medium heat. When garlic begins to color (about 5 minutes), add oregano and parsley; cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms and sprinkle them with a pinch of salt to exude its juices. Cook about 7 minutes. Stir in vegetable broth and cook 8-12 minutes, until mushrooms are soft and cooked brown. While mushrooms are cooking, prepare pasta per package directions and drain. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve over pasta. Makes 2-4 servings.

Chicken:

• 2 pounds chicken tenders
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Canola or peanut oil for frying
• 2 cups flour 

Waffles:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Syrup 

Place buttermilk and hot sauce in a resealable bag and massage ingredients together. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to bag, coating chicken thoroughly. Marinate in fridge 1-2 hours. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a medium heavy-bottom skillet or Dutch oven, heat about 1 inch canola or peanut oil over medium to medium high heat, until between 350 and 375 degrees. Add flour to a large mixing bowl and dredge chicken pieces until fully coated. Tap off excess flour and gently place chicken into hot oil (do not crowd pan). Fry 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs until crispy and a deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Set on baking sheet in oven to keep chicken warm. 

To make waffles, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs and place egg whites in a blender. Blend until frothy. Add egg yolks, vegetable oil, milk, melted butter and vanilla extract. Blend until mixed well. Pour into bowl with dry ingredients and stir until combined. Make waffles according to waffle iron instructions. Place chicken on waffles and drizzle with syrup. Serve open-faced or stack as sliders or towers. Makes 4 servings.

• 1 cup grits
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 green onions, sliced 
• Cook grits per package instructions until tender. Stir in butter and cheese; set aside. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook sausage about 3 minutes and set aside. Toss shrimp in Cajun seasoning and add to pan. Cook about 2-3 minutes and set aside. Add broth and tomato paste and simmer 3-5 minutes. Add sausage and shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in cream and remove from heat. Place grits in individual bowls and top with shrimp and sausage mixture. Garnish with green onions and serve. Makes 4 servings.

• 1/2 cup minced celery
• 1/2 cup minced bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes
• 1-2 pinches salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon spicy mustard
• 4 tablespoons egg whites
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1-2 dashes hot sauce
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, pre-cooked
• 2 scallions, chopped (white and green parts)
• Vegetable oil for frying

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add celery, bell pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir about 7-8 minutes, until celery and bell pepper are soft and slightly caramelized. Place in a bowl and set aside. Place crabmeat in a paper towel and gently squeeze to absorb extra moisture so cakes won’t be soggy in the middle.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, egg whites, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce. Gently stir in the breadcrumbs, scallion, crabmeat and cooked celery and bell pepper, making sure not to break up the crab lumps too much. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Gently form into patties and place on a platter or sheet of wax paper sprinkled with breadcrumbs so they won’t stick to the surface. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Fry patties on each side for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 6-8 servings.

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream

• 1 (1-ounce) package taco seasoning mix, divided

• 1 cup diced seedless cucumber

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

• 2 avocados, peeled and diced

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Butter lettuce leaves, torn

• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby Jack cheese

• 1 cup chunky salsa

• 12 flour tortillas or taco shells

Steam, boil or grill shrimp. In a large bowl, combine sour cream and 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix; mix well. Stir in the cucumbers, onions, avocados and lemon juice. In a small bowl, toss the shrimp and the remaining taco seasoning mix together. Layer tortillas or taco shells with lettuce, sour cream mixture, shrimp, cheese and salsa. Makes 12.

• 2 unbaked pie shells
• 1 (6 ounce) package frozen king crab meat, thawed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups cooked shrimp, chopped
• 8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
• 1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced, including green part
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten

Combine crabmeat, shrimp, cheese, green onions and celery. In another bowl, combine mayonnaise, flour, wine and eggs. Mix all ingredients together well and divide between the two pie shells. Bake at 350 degrees 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Makes 2 pies.