Steak With Shrimp & Parmesan Cheese Garlic Sauce

This is a new favorite of ours! The sauce is very rich but it just goes perfectly with the steak. We served ours with grilled asparagus and it was an awesome meal... perfect if you are craving some surf & turf!

Ingredients:

2 New York Strip
2 C heavy cream
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp minced garlic
salt & pepper to taste
1 lb shrimp, deveined, skin, head & tails removed

Lightly coat both sides of steaks with olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic {to taste}. Place Basil leaves on top of steaks and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Grill steaks to medium rare {remove basil when turn, placing basil on opposite side of steak while grilling}.

Heat cream in sauce pan and bring to light boil.

 Cook until it is half it's original volume {stirring consistently}. Mix in Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, pepper and garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add shrimp, and cook until pink and cooked through.

Top steak with shrimp & sauce.

 Dedra

Print this recipe: Steak with shrimp & parmesan cheese garlic sauce

Roasted Brussel Spouts

This is my favorite way to make {and eat} Brussel sprouts! I don't know what it is about these... what I call 'mini-cabbages' but I could eat them 7 days a week! This is the only way I make them...

Ingredients:
1 package of fresh brussle spouts
2-3 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse brussle spouts and tear off any yellow leaves. trim brown parts off bottom. Cut each in half. Place in bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss.

spread evenly on baking sheet and cook for 40-50 minutes until brown and crispy on outside.

Sprinkle with more salt to taste and serve.

My kids even eat these... although we call them 'brussle chips' ... seems to give the impression that no, honey, its not good for you! haha! Enjoy!!!


 Dedra

Sweet Onion Muffins

I cannot remember where I found this recipe ... but I have been making these muffins for years and they are always such a big hit. I love them and try to make them as often as I can.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 C finely chopped onion
1/2 C melted butter


In a medium bowl  combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl beat eggs, onion and melted butter together.

Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients, just until moistened.

Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full and bake at 400 degrees 20-25 min.

Cool five minutes before removing. Serve warm.

*If making mini-muffins bake 10-12 minutes.


These are really worth a try! A bit of sweet a bit of savory... they are just really that good!

 Dedra


Print recipe here: Sweet Onion Muffins

Red Wine & Garlic Mushrooms

I have NEVER liked mushrooms but they are one of my husbands favorite foods. So one night I made these mushrooms for him and I fell in love with them. We have them all the time now which makes my husband very happy!


Ingredients:

2 pints of whole baby Portabella mushrooms
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 Cup red wine
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

In a large skillet heat oil and butter until butter is melted. Add mushrooms and saute for about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Add wine and gently mix everything together.

Cover and simmer on med/low heat for about 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until sauce has reduced. {I forgot to snap a photo of the desired reduction, but it is pretty much reduced to a very small amount of sauce}.

In the meantime, chop your fresh parsley.

Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with lemon juice and top with parsley. Serve immediately.

 Dedra


Print this recipe here: Red Wine & Garlic Mushrooms

Turkey Meatball Subs

{serves 6-8}

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs lean ground turkey
1 egg, lightly beaten
Half of a medium onion finely diced
3 tbsp minced garlic
1.5 tsp fresh chopped oregano
1.5 tsp fresh chopped basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt
1 jar of tomato & basil pasta sauce
6-8 hoagie buns, split
12-16 slices of Swiss or Provolone cheese

In a large bowl mix ground turkey, egg, onion, garlic, oregano, basil, pepper and salt. Combine all {usually best to just use your hands}. Shape into meatballs {about 40}.

In a large skillet, add a bit of oil and brown the meatballs in 4 batches of 10 each. Drain on paper towels and then place in a large sauce pan.

Pour tomato sauce over and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes.

A few minutes before your meatballs are done, open hoagie buns and place 2 pieces of sliced cheese in each bun. Place buns on cookie sheet and put in oven on broil until cheese is melted and edges start to crisp.

Remove from oven and load up with your meatballs and sauce. The reason this recipe says it feeds 6-8 is because I found that, for me, five meatballs were the perfect amount to put in the hoagie buns... My husband and seventeen year old son, however, found that more was better. So depending on your preference and how stuffed you like your sandwiches will determine the final servings count :)

We served ours with my youngest kids favorite side, onion rings ...and yes, I am ashamed to admit they were indeed the ones you pull out of the freezer *sigh* ... But you could serve these with anything!

PS: These are GREAT the next day served warmed back up, or how I liked it, cold {reminded me of those yummy cold meatloaf sandwiches I loved so much as a kid!}

 Dedra



Print the recipe here: Turkey Meatball Subs

Braai Broodjie {Barbecued Bread}

Very popular among the South African crowd at BBQ's... I was first introduced to these over 6 years ago and haven't stopped making them since! Mainly served along side some grilled meat and veggies... these are really filling and delicious! They are also awesome the next day cold {or at least I think so!}. This recipe makes 4 braai broodjie's.


Ingredients:

8 slices of white bread
Aprox. 4 tbsp Mrs. H.S. Ball's Chutney {or apricot jam or softened butter}
1 medium onion- sliced
2 medium tomatoes- sliced
1 1/2 - 2 cups of shredded cheese

Spread chutney {or butter or apricot jam} over one of the slices of bread...

Sprinkle with a little cheese...

Add onion slices then tomato slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. {please ignore my sad onion slices... I was finishing off an onion half that I had used for another dish}...

Top with more shredded cheese. {I used a blended cheese here but plain cheddar or sharp cheddar is great too}

 Top with other slice of bread....

Grill over LOW heat, turning frequently until golden brown and cheese is melted. The trick here is very low heat so that the outside doesn't burn before the cheese gets melted. Serve immediately. Yum!

 Dedra

Print the recipe here: Braai Broodjie



NOTE: Mrs H.S. Ball's Chutney is usually found in international grocery stores or places like World Market because it is imported from South Africa.

Veggie Pita

I am including this into our recipe collection because this is just one of my favorite things to have for lunch! You can really use any veggies, fruits, dressings, cheese you like.... the following recipe is generally how I make mine.


Ingredients:

Pita bread {healthy version whole wheat... my version white}
Mayonnaise {healthy version fat free... my version real mayo}
Salad dressing of your choice {I use submarine dressing}
Provolone cheese
carrots
celery
tomato
cucumber
sprouts

Chop veggies into circles to easily fit into pita. Cut pita in half. On one side spread the mayonnaise. Layer cheese and veggies inside pita {my version: half slice of provolone cheese, then 3-4 slices of a Roma tomato, then sprouts {I like spicy sprouts},  then 3-4 slices of cucumber, then I just kind of stuff in the carrots and celery pieces everywhere}. Drizzle with the dressing and eat.

Half of the pita usually fills me up so I save all my sliced stuff for the next day... but there are plenty of times I could devour both... they are that good!

 Dedra

Print this recipe here: Veggie Pita

Avocado lemon sauce



1 Avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Zest
salt and pepper to taste

add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until a smooth consistency, serve over crab cakes or any seafood



Debbie 





print recipe here: avocado lemon sauce

Crab Cakes

1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 slices of bread finely chopped in food processor
1 egg beaten
2 tablespoon mayo
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh parsley chopped
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro chopped
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pound of lump crab meat

mix all the ingredients together except crab......refrigerate for at least an hour and then add crab, slowly mix in crab

. Form patties and saute in a large fry pan with a little olive oil and butter, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Serve warm...I served a yogurt avocado lemon sauce over the cakes sitting on top of garlic grits...

Print recipe here: Crab Cakes
print sauce here: avocado lemon sauce

Fruit Dip

1 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 small Jar of Marshmallow Fluff



Mix together with a hand mixer and serve with your favorite fruit (note if you use the whole big jar of fluff use two cream cheese......serve with grapes, strawberries, blueberries or any fruit of your choice......this stuff is to Die for

  Debbie

print recipe here: Fruit Dip