CDFREAKS CHEFS

Ok so here's the recipe for spaghetti that I promised di.

2 Lbs ground beef.
1/2 White onion.
Fresh Garlic to taste
2 Cans Tomato Paste. (the smaller cans, I'm not sure on the ounces)
4 Cans Tomato Sauce
2 cans whole peeled tomatoes. (smash the tomatoes, and make sure no skin is left on them)
I like olives in mine, so you can throw some of those in there if you want.
My mom uses the spaghetti seasoning you get at the store, but I prefer fresh spices. So the choice is yours on that.

Slice up the onion and garlic and cook with the ground beef. Salt and pepper to taste. Add all the other ingredients. Add about 1 cup water. And cook for about 20 minutes. If you let it cook longer the flavors will soak in more.

Another Spaghetti Recipe

INGREDIENT LIST

1 package of 5/6 mild or hot Italian sausages +
(some like gound beef beef added)
I also like some whole Italian sausage added or optional meatballs
2 bell peppers, diced
2 onions, diced
1 large package sliced fresh mushrooms (8 or 16 ounces - depending on how much you like mushrooms)
(can mushrooms can be used)
2 large cans (28 ounce) crushed Italian tomatoes
1 large (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 small (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning or spaghetti seasoning
3 heaping Tbsp. minced garlic (fresh is best)
1 Tbsp basil (fresh is best)
1 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp fennel seed
3 Tbsp (or more to taste) salt

PREPARATION

In a large pot, remove the skins from Italian sausages, brown and break up (crumble) into very small pieces.
# Drain well.
# Add bell peppers, onions and mushrooms. Saute with the drained sausage meat until onion is translucent.
# Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Stir well.
# Add all seasonings, cover and simmer mixture over low heat for at least two hours, stirring frequently to keep from scorching.
# Adjust seasonings, if needed.
# Freezes well and like most casserole dishes, tastes better the second day.
# Serve over spaghetti or other pasta with a small dinner salad and garlic bread.

Basic Pesto Recipe (from Lindsey)

¾ cup grated Parmesan
1 clove garlic
2 cups basil leaves – stemless, washed & dried
¼ cup pine nuts
½ - 1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/6 cup lemon juice

Personal Note: 2-3 cloves garlic and a squeezed half-lemon is more to my taste; also, no more than half a teaspoon of salt should be used.

Using food processor, finely mince garlic.
Add basil, pine nuts and salt; pulse about 10 times to combine.
Add grated cheese and pulse to combine.
Add olive oil and lemon juice; pulse to a paste.

Place in serving bowl or freezer container. Cover surface of pesto with cling wrap until ready to eat.

Makes enough to serve 4 people when combined with a pound of pasta.

Filet Mignon with Merlot Reduction Sauce

Simple, easy to make and kinda impressive... useful if you wanna break out the china and trick your girlfriend's family into thinking you're a gourmet chef.

1 750mL bottle Merlot (cheap stuff is fine)
2 14½ ounce cans of low-salt chicken broth
1 14½ ounce can of beef broth

2 T (¼ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 T all purpose flour
1 T olive oil
6 6-ounce filet mignon steaks (each about 1” thick)
Freshly cracked pepper
¼ cup chopped shallots
1 t chopped garlic
1 t chopped fresh thyme

Boil wine, chicken broth and beef broth in heavy large saucepan over high heat until mixture is reduced to 2 cups (about 1 hour). This can be prepared 1 day ahead of time; cover and refrigerate.

Mix butter and flour in small bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and cracked pepper. Sauté steaks until medium-rare, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

Add shallots, garlic and thyme to skillet; stir 30 seconds. Add 1 ½ cups reduced win mixture to skillet (reserve remainder for another use). Bring mixture to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add butter mixture and whisk until smooth. Boil sauce until think enough to coat spoon, about 2 minutes. Serve steaks with sauce.

Serves 6.

Hey Tropic...

That is too funny, I have been looking around for one of those little bottles, (I think they were 3 oz ) of red wine to do a flank steak in. I don't drink alcohol, so a full-sized bottle of wine would go bad before I would get around to using it again. I would hate to see good hootch go to waste LOL I might make wine-cubes with the reduction, and see what happens ...



On the Pesto... I had an over-abundance of Basil in my hothouse one season, so gave it away in shopping bags full to various friends and neighbours... In return, they gave me a jar or 2 ( 1/2 pint) of pesto... I had pesto to the earballs! Was all good

Thanks for the recipes, the more the merrier

Just a note, I took some of my Chicken Salad Sandwich mix and put it into an omlette with some cheddar in it too and WOW , it was sooo yum

Here is another recipe that is good, is good for you, and is inexpensive to make.
Need 2 cucumbers, 3 tomatoes, a package of fake crab (krab), green scallions, cilantro, 4 - 6 limes, Queso Fresco cheese or Panela cheese, and a package of round crispy tortillas.
Finely mince the green onion and toss in bowl. cut the cucumber and tomato into small chunks (diced) and toss in bowl.. Finely mince the cilantro and add to bowl Add the Krab. Squeeze all of the juice from 3 of the limes into the bowl of the other ingredients, mix thoroughly, and let stand for about 30 minutes. Place crispy tortilla on plate and scoop on some of the mixture. Crumble some of the cheese on top. I like to squeeze a little extra lime on mine.. Then enjoy...

Scanned this out of a supplement magazine that came with a paper a few weeks back, so I though I would type it up here for everyone.

pancetta and pea risotto (serves up to 4, maybe 3 if you like bigger portions)

ingredients

1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock
2 tsp olive oil
40g/1 ½oz unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
80g/2 ¾oz pancetta, finely chopped
375g/13oz frozen peas
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
200g/7oz risotto rice (arborio)
50g/1 ¾oz grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper.

1. In a pan bring the stock to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and keep at simmering point.
2. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large heavy based saucepan. Add the onion and pancetta and sauté over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until the onion has softened.
3. Stir in the peas and parsley and add two ladlefuls of the stock, simmer for 6-8 minutes.
4. Add the rice and the remaining stock and simmering for 12-15 minutes or until the rice is al dente.
5. Stir in the parmesan and remaining butter, season with salt and pepper and serve.

This is just a good green chile chicken soup. Tastes great even if you use canned green chile.

Old Town Soup – 4 servings

6 T butter
1/3 c flour
1/2 c milk
1/2 c light cream
3 c chicken broth
1 c chopped cooked chicken
1-2 cans green chile

Melt butter in a saucepan. Blend in flour. Slowly add milk, cream and broth, stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps. Cook and stir continuously until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Add chicken and chile. Heat again to a boil. Serve over broken tortilla chips with grated cheese on top. This recipe scales easily and freezes nicely.

Skirt Steak BLT With Basil Mayonnaise


Provided by Tyler Florence

Ingredients

* 2 pounds skirts steak
* 1 loaf of country style bread, thick cut slices toasted on a sheet tray
* 1 head Bibb lettuce, separated leaves
* 3 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, thick-cut slices
* 8 strips of bacon, fried until crispy
* 2 cloves of garlic
* extra-virgin olive oil
* kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup fresh basil
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cooking Instructions

Begin by making the basil mayonnaise so the flavors have time to come together. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until combined. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the sandwich.

Heat a cast iron griddle pan/skillet or outdoor grill until smoking hot. Season the skirt steak with plenty of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil then grill both sides for 3 to 4 minutes until medium rare. Set aside loosely tented with aluminum foil while you prepare the other fillings.

To assemble, take one slice of the toasted bread and rub a garlic clove all over 1 side. Put a big slather of basil mayonnaise across the bread. Layer the lettuce over the top and then the thick-cut slices of tomato. Top with the crispy bacon slices and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Take the skirt steak and using a sharp knife cut across the grain into thick slices. Lay the pieces of the sliced skirt steak on the top of the open sandwich and serve with more basil mayonnaise on the side.