Spring is alive with dozens of opportunities to celebrate! February gives us Candlemas or Imbolc
(Groundhog Day), Mardi Gras, and Valentines Day, March gives us St. Patrick's Day and Ostara. April
gives us Easter! It seems just as you finish one celebration, another begins. I love to kick off the year
with a New Orleans style Mardi Gras House Party in February. Gives me something to look forward when
winter just won't let up. Good music, spicy food, and yet another excuse to make/wear a costume..sign
me up!
Alton Brown's Sweet & Sour Pork
Rachael Ray's Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Roll-Ups with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
RR's Spaghetti with Zucchini & Garlic
RR's Ham with Jezebel Sauce
RR's Spinach Artichoke Calzones
Want To Throw A Mardi Gras House Party? Click HERE!
Want a Valentines Day Cookie Recipe? Click HERE!
Every February I make my Almond Crescent Cookies!
Want Valentines Day Champagne, Sparkling Wine and Chocolate ideas? Click HERE!
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St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef & Cabbage:
4-6 lb. Corned beef brisket with seasoning package inside
Enough COLD water to cover meat
6 medium sized Idaho potatoes
1 yellow onion
1 head of cabbage
4-6 carrots
1 bay leaf
Pinch of black peppercorns
In a large soup pot add meat and any juices from the meat packaging. Add seasoning package, bay
leaf, and peppercorns. Add enough water to cover meat and put it on the stove. Bring to a boil, and
turn down to a simmer. Simmer for time indicated on your package of meat (based on weight). When
your meat has 15-20 minutes left to go, add chopped carrots, onion and potatoes to the pot. If you
need to, add a little more water or vegetable broth. When meat has only 10 minutes left to go, add
shredded cabbage to the pot. When meat is ready, remove it from the pot of broth, and place it fat
side up on a foil lined baking sheet. Place meat under the broiler for about 10 minutes or until the top
has "crisped". Let meat rest before carving.
*Serve CB&C with vinegar and stone ground mustard on the side. Rye bread is good with it too.
Reserve the potatoes and meat for tomorrow morning's Corned Beef Hash! (recipe follows) I always
have to have a loaf of rye bread on hand for a cold corned beef sandwich the next day!
Grandpa Pat's Corned Beef Hash:
Ingredients
left over corned beef
left over potatoes
1/2 yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
salt & pepper
Eggs (as many as you need!)
Take remaining corned beef and cut into cubes or shred it up. Grab left over potatoes and set aside. In
a large pan add two TBS of vegetable oil. Add chopped bell pepper and onion to the pan and soften.
Add leftover meat and potatoes to the pan and cook until meat is hot and potatoes are browned.
Season with black pepper and a little salt, not too much. Cook your eggs right on top of the hash if you
like, or cook some fried eggs in another pan and rest them on top of your hash on your plate.
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My Version of "Bosko's Silvana Pasta" (Bosko's Trattoria is located in Calistoga, Ca.)
After falling in love with this pasta dish at Bosko's, I set out to try and replicate it at home. My version
comes pretty close, but it's not dead on.
2-3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts or one package b/s chicken tenders
1 medium to large zucchini, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
5-6 white mushrooms, sliced
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
1 tsp. Dried oregano
1/2 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
1 box linguine or fettuccine pasta
2 TBS butter
1 TBS flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 head of garlic, roasted
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Earlier in the day or the day before you make this recipe, cut the top off of a head of garlic, sprinkle it
with some salt & pepper and a little olive oil. Wrap it up in foil and roast it in the oven at 375* for about
1 hour, this depends on the thickness and size of the head. Remove the roasted garlic from the skin
and reserve it for the recipe.
Put a large pot of cold water over hight heat and bring to boil for your pasta. Once water is boiling, add
a little salt and the pasta. Stir occasionally and cook for recommended time on your pasta package or
until al dente. Set aside.
Cut the chicken up into bite sized pieces and add them to a heated pan with two TBS of olive oil.
Season chicken with salt & pepper, 1/2 of the dried oregano and cook until browned. Remove chicken
from pan to a plate and reserve. Add a little more olive oil to the pan and add chopped mushrooms,
zucchini, and onion. Season vegetables with salt & pepper, dried oregano and crushed red pepper
flakes and cook vegetables until softened. Keep it on the stove warm and waiting for the next step.
In a small sauce pan add the butter and flour and cook the flour until it is a light golden color. Add
heavy cream with a whisk and remove any lumps. Bring it to a boil, and then turn it down to a simmer.
Add the reserved roasted garlic and parmesan cheese. Season sauce with cracked black pepper and a
pinch of salt. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Combine the cooked chicken with the vegetables and toss together. Pour the sauce down over the
chicken and vegetables and stir to coat everything. Simmer for two minutes or so. Everything is already
cooked, you just want to meld flavors at this point. Turn the heat off and add the cooked pasta and
toss it to coat.
Serve with more grated parmesan cheese.
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Rack of Lamb (recipe donated by Kathy)
A rack of lamb (fat trimmed, usually about 8 chops per rack)
1 bottle of dark molasses
1 bag of slivered almonds
1 tub of basil pesto (fresh or frozen)
A roasting pan or cookie sheet (cover with foil for easier clean up)
Preheat oven to 350*
Trim most of the fat from the rack of lamb, but leave SOME on for flavor. I
don't "french" the bones, but you could if you want less fat. Place the lamb on your roasting pan or
cookie sheet. Schmeer all sides of the meat with dark molasses (don't schmeer the bones,
just the meat). Begin to pack the molasses schmeered meat with the slivered almonds. You should not
see any of the meat through the almonds (don't cover the bones).
Roast the rack of lamb in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes, depending on
the size of rack and if you like it medium rare or more toward medium well. You want the nuts to be
browned but not burned (the smell of the nuts will tell you when the meat is done!) If the nuts begin to
brown too much, place a foil tent over the rack. Remove from oven and allow the rack of lamb to rest,
allowing the juices to redistribute before carving.
To Serve: Spoon a heaping teaspoon of fresh or frozen (defrosted) pesto onto the serving plate and
top with a chop. Allow 2-3 chops per person (but you'll want to eat the WHOLE RACK!) Garnish with
some of the nuts that have fallen off the meat, and meat juices. ENJOY! And, YES, pick up those
bones and knaw on them!!!
*Serving Suggestions: This recipe goes GREAT with wild rice or black Japanica rice to soak up any
left over pesto and meat juices (spoon some of the nuts onto the rice too) and fresh string beans!
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Springtime Make Me Think Of...The Florida Keys!
~FLORIDA KEYS MEMORIES RECIPE COLLECTION~
RR's Cuban Sandwich, Fried Plantains and Mojito Slushies
RR's Cuban Spiced Pork Tenderloin & Sofrito Rice
Cuban Mojito
Conch Fritters
Cuban Sandwich (MY FAVORITE!)
Southern Fried Gator Tail
Key Lime Pie
Jerk Chicken YouTube Video Recipe!