Italian Sausage Sandwiches

Serves 4

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon salt

1 Vidalia onion

1 Red Pepper

3 medium zucchini

½ cup beer

water (if needed)

4 Italian sausages

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoons melted butter

4 Provolone cheese slices

4 hotdog/hoagie buns

Instructions:

1. In a pan with sides heat beer and add sausage. Cover and allow to par-boil 10 minutes.  Check regularly to make sure liquid hasn’t evaporated.  If so add water.
2. Grill sausage until cooked thoroughly. Set aside to rest.
3. Cut pepper in half and remove white veins and seeds.  Slice onion into thick slices.  Slice zucchini into thick slices lengthwise.  Brush vegetables with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt.  Grill until almost tender to tender depending on preference.
4. Slice vegetables into strips and toss in a bowl with balsamic vinegar.  Set aside.
5. Brush bun with butter on outside and place cheese slice on inside.  Lay bun flat on the grill with butter side down.  Allow to crisp and heat up for no more that 2 minutes.  The cheese should heat up and melt. 
6. Place sausage in the bun with the cheese and top with vegetables.

Summer Grilled Chicken Salad

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced

6 cups red or green leaf lettuce, washed & chopped

1/2  English cucumber, peeled and diced

½ cup fresh berries

1 cup green grapes, halved

1/4 cup radishes, diced

1/2 cup mango, diced

1/4 cup toasted almond slivers

Marinade for chicken:

½ cup vegetable oil

juice and zest of 2 limes

1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 Tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic salt

¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

Instructions

Marinade chicken for 1-2 hours in the marinade ingredients.  Grill or cook chicken until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.  Set aside to rest.

Toss all salad ingredients except chicken together in a bowl with vinaigrette.  Plate salad and place grilled chicken on top to serve.

Honey Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Whisk  together vinegar, mustard, honey and pepper.  Slowly add oil to create an emulsion.
2. Toss with salad.

Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce

Yield: 24 skewers

1 cup water

3/4 cup peanuts, ground

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lime juice

1 tsp. molasses

1 tsp. ginger, grated

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. beef steak, cut in 1/2 inch cubes or strips

24 skewers

Combine water, peanuts, soy sauce, lime juice, molasses, ginger, pepper, and garlic in a small saucepan. Simmer about 15 minutes to develop flavor. Remove from heat and cool.

Marinate steak in cooled marinade for about 1 hour.

Skewer cubed steak onto each of 24 skewers. Dip skewers in soy mixture and arrange on a small sheet pan.

Transfer remaining marinade to a small saucepan and bring to a boil (over 165 degrees). Remove from heat.

Cook skewers on the grill, basting occasionally with the soy mixture. Bring remaining marinade to a boil again (over 165 degrees). Transfer to a dipping sauce bowl. When skewers are cooked, transfer to a serving platter with peanut sauce and remaining re-boiled marinade.

Spicy Peanut Sauce

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

1/4 cup shallots, peeled and minced

1 Tbsp. garlic, peeled and minced

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1-2 Tbsp. garlic-chile paste

3/4 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup peanut butter (to taste)

Fish sauce to taste  (optional)

In a small saucepan, cook shallots and garlic in oil until softened. Push aromatics aside and “sizzle” garlic chile paste until fragrant. Add coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk in peanut butter to form a smooth sauce. (Note: Do not boil it! It might separate.) Season to taste with fish sauce.

 Ingredients:1 pkg. dry active yeast1 cup whole milk, warmed to just before boiling½ cup granulated sugar1/3 cup butter, melted1 teaspoon salt2 eggs4 cups all-purpose flour 

Bun Filling:1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed3 Tablespoons cinnamon1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

Instructions: 

1. Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Mix together sugar, butter, eggs, and salt. Add flour and make into a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

2. Place dough in a very lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place free from draft from a minimum of 1 hour until dough as nearly doubled in size. Can be refrigerated overnight.

3. When dough is ready, in a separate bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.

4. Punch down dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle shape about ¼” thick.  Spread the filling mixture evenly over the surface of the dough.
5. Roll up the dough like a jelly roll.  Cut the rolled dough into 1 1/2” slices and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, allow about 1” of space between each roll.

6.  Put rolls into a warm place and allow rolls to rise until about double in size, approximately 30 minutes.

7. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly golden. Ice the rolls when still warm.

Cinnamon Bun Icing 

Ingredients: 

2 sticks butter, softened3 cups powdered sugar½ cup cream cheese1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Whip together all ingredients. 

Ingredients

1¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1¾ cup buttermilk
1 package vanilla sugar (or 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 oz melted unsalted butter

For topping

1 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup fresh berries
1 cup whipped cream

Special equipment: waffle iron

Instructions

Preheat waffle iron and brush it with melted butter.

Sift flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and butter.

Combine flour mixture and egg mixture together just until almost smooth. Do not over mix.

Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter into waffle iron depending on size of waffle iron. Cook waffle according to manufacturer’s instructions until golden and cooked through, approximately 3-5 minutes. Repeat until all the batter is used.

Serve waffles with maple syrup or top with fresh berries and whipped cream

Rock Shrimp Rolls

By Stefanie Paganini

Serves 4

For Salad:

1 pound cooked Rock shrimp (or shrimp of choice), peeled, de-veined, diced small 3 Tablespoons sour cream1/4 cup mayonnaise (can add more to taste) 2 teaspoons lemon juice¼ teaspoon salt1 Tablespoon fresh tarragon, minced¼ cup English cucumber, diced small

1 Tablespoon shallots, minced

freshly ground black pepper, optional

For

4 Kaiser Rolls

tomato slices

lettuce

Red onion slices

Serves 8

Ingredients:

3/4 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced julienne
1/4 cup dried Chinese/cloud ear mushrooms, sliced julienne
8 oz. pork loin
1 cup canned bamboo shoots, rinsed and julienne
2 cups firm bean curd/tofu, large dice
8 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup scallions, finely sliced
3-4 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to ta ste

Instructions:

1. Soak dried mushrooms in hot tap water until soft and slice, removing the tough base of the mushrooms.

2. In a large stock pot, heat stock until boiling. Add pork and allow to boil for 3-4 minutes.

3. Add bamboo and mushrooms. Continue to boil for additional 3-4 minutes. Add vinegar and soy sauce and continue to boil for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add bean curd and continue to boil for additional 3-4 minutes.

5. Whisk the soup quickly while you add the egg slowly to allow long strands of scrambled egg to occur. Allow to boil additional 2-3 minutes.

6. Salt and pepper to taste

Grilled Chicken Salad with Walnuts and Grapes

Serves 6

4 large skinless grilled chicken breasts cut into large pieces

1 cup red onion, diced
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 cup red seedless grapes, sliced in half
3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 1/2  cup real mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Garnish

Lemon Slices

Candied Walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo and the lemon juice. Add salt, celery, onion, grapes, and walnuts. Mix until incorporated.  Fold in the grilled chicken. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Right before serving, scoop chicken salad into a prepared phyllo bowl. Sprinkle with candied walnuts.  Garnish with a lemon slice.

Vegetable Fried RiceServes 6 

3 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
½ cup onions, diced¼ cup carrots, diced¼ cup celery, diced¼ cup red pepper, diced¼ cup snow pea pods2 garlic cloves, minced1/ 4 cup mushrooms, sliced2 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
3 cup cold cooked rice
3 egg, beaten
3 Tbsp. soy sauce1 tsp. pepper1 Tbsp. Sesame oil 

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add carrots, celery, onions, red pepper, bean pods, and garlic to wok. Stir constantly.  Once onions have become transparent, add cold rice and mushrooms. Stir constantly. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger, and pepper.  Add soy sauce mixture to wok and incorporate.  Stir until completely incorporated and cooked.  Serve warm. 

Italian Wedding Soup
created by Stefanie Paganini of
The Loretta Paganini School of Cooking

I have received many requests for a good Italian Wedding Soup. This is the one I make at home. Enjoy! - Stef (Serves Ingredients for meatballs: 1 lb. lean ground meat 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs 2 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, chopped 1/2 tsp. thyme 1/2 cup milk 2 large eggs Salt and pepper Incorporate all the ingredients together. Shape into small meatballs, and place on a large baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove and reserve. Ingredients for soup: 4 cups chicken stock 2 cups shredded spinach 4 large eggs 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. white pepper 1/8 tsp. nutmeg Heat stock in a large pot. Add meatballs and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Whisk eggs, nutmeg and cheese together in a large bowl. Stir mixture into the stock. Add spinach, salt and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn heat up to allow soup to boil. Whisk in egg mixture and allow eggs to cook while continuing to whisk 2-3 minutes. Serve soup with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.