Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients:

• 24 fresh, unopened oysters
• 1 cup beer
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt
• 4 black peppercorns
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
• 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Clean oysters, and place in a large stockpot. Pour in beer and enough water to cover oysters; add 2 cloves garlic, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, drain, and cool.
2. Preheat oven to 425º. Once oysters are cooled, break off and discard the top shell. Arrange the oysters on a baking sheet.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter until soft. Reduce heat and stir in spinach, fontina, and mozzarella. Cook until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Stir in the milk then season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over each oyster, just filling the shell. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake until golden and bubbly, approximately 8 minutes.

Chicken Fettuccine with Pesto Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 pound fettuccine
• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

 Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound chicken to an even 3/4-inch thickness with a meat mallet. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet and cook the chicken until golden brown about 4 minutes per side. Slice each piece across the grain into 4 strips then keep warm.
3. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot.
4. In a small saucepan, warm pesto over low heat and stir in cream. Toss pasta with reserved cooking water and half the sauce. Transfer pasta to serving dish and top with chicken.

Roasted Salmon with Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 skinless salmon fillet (1 1/2 pounds)
• Sea salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 1 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 450º. Season salmon with salt and roast until opaque throughout, about 15 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter and add flour. Cook for 1 minute then add wine. Let boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced by half which is about 8 minutes. Stir in chives. Season with salt and pepper. Serve wine sauce over salmon. 

Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

• 5 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water 
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, flour, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
3. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

• 6 cups chicken broth, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.
2. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft which is about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid then set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Peach Martini

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces vanilla vodka
• 1-ounce peach schnapps
• 2 ounces peach nectar
• 1/2-ounce fresh lime juice
• Ice cubes

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker mix all the ingredients along with the ice. Shake well and serve.

Rosemary Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound small red-skinned potatoes, halved
• Salt
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• Red pepper flakes
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
• 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450º. Cover the potatoes with salted cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender which is about 8 minutes then drain and set aside.
2. Combine the rosemary leaves, garlic, salt, and the red pepper flakes. Transfer the paste to a bowl. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon and the olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, cover and cook until the skin browns, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken then add the mushrooms and potatoes to the skillet and drizzle with the remaining lemon juice.
4. Add the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halves to the skillet then transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp about 20 minutes.

Sangria!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle red wine
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1/4 cup white sugar  
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 1 lime, sliced into rounds
• 8 maraschino cherries

Directions:

1. In a large pitcher, mix together the brandy, lemon juice, lemonade concentrate, orange juice, red wine, triple sec, and sugar. Float slices of lemon, orange, lime, and maraschino cherries in the mixture. Refrigerate overnight to let flavors infuse.

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

Ingredients:

Filling:

• ¾ pound rhubarb, 1/2’ (3 1/2 -4 cups)
• 2 pints strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Topping:
• 1 1/3 cup oats
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 12 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 1” pieces

Directions:

1. Mix rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in heavy saucepan. Let stand 20-30 minutes
2. Bring to a boil, stir frequently
3. Reduce heat and simmer until juices are thick, about 3-5 minutes
4. Pour filling into buttered casserole dish, about the size of an 8 in. pie shell.
5. Combine oats, flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add butter and cut in until crumbly. Cover top of fruit
6. Bake at 375º for 30 minutes until bubbly and serve warm. 

Oysters with Bacon & Leeks

Ingredients:

• 20 medium oysters, shucked
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces bacon, chopped
• 4 cups thinly sliced leeks
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch cayenne pepper
• splash dry white wine
• about 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread

Directions:

1. Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add flour; whisk 2 minutes. Add cream slowly and whisk until mixture thickens slightly. Cook for a few minutes stirring lightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Sauté bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
3. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from skillet. Add leeks, celery, bay leaf, and cayenne to skillet and sauté over medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 12 minutes. Add wine and cook until absorbed, about 15 seconds.
4. Add cream mixture and bring to simmer. Stir until leek mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in bacon and cheese. Season generously with salt and pepper.
5. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be made 1 day ahead).
6. Place 1 oyster on each of 20 oyster shells or ramekins. Top oyster in each shell with 2 tablespoons leek mixture. Place on rimmed baking sheet. Cover and chill. (Can be made 4 hours ahead).
7. Preheat oven to 500°F.
8. Divide breadcrumbs among shells or ramekins. Bake until leek mixture bubbles and crumbs are golden, about 8 minutes.

Island Salad

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 pound bacon
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped
• 2 3/4 ounces croutons
• 1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Place eggs in a pot and cover completely with cold water. Bring water to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 minutes. Remove from hot water and cool. Once cool, peel, and chop.
2. Place bacon and onions in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
3. Prepare the dressing in a blender by combining the sugar, salt, oil, vinegar, pepper, and Dijon mustard.
4. In a large salad bowl, combine the eggs, bacon, spinach, croutons, and mushrooms. Coat salad with dressing. Toss and serve.

White Wine Scallops with Herbs

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 ½ pounds scallops (not in shell)
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 more tablespoons cold butter
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 3 tablespoons toasted and seasoned bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, shallot and garlic. 
2.  Lightly dust the scallops in flour and add to the hot pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes or until lightly brown. Turn the scallops and add the wine. Cook over medium heat until reduced to a glaze which is about 3 minutes.
3.  Swirl in the cold butter and herbs. Shake the pan gently until the butter is melted and the sauce is glazy. Season to taste. Spoon onto a platter and garnish with the toasty bread crumbs.

Bistro Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces penne pasta
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, diced
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente.
2. Melt butter together with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and cook until translucent which is about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper, and mushroom. Cook over medium-high heat until soft which is about another 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the shrimp and cook until pink then pour in Alfredo sauce and Romano cheese. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly until thickened which is about 5 minutes. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Combine drained pasta into the sauce.