Baked Rigatoni

1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
Sea salt and white pepper
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
1 pound dry rigatoni
3 tablespoons butter, diced

Directions:

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the milk and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon which will take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fontina and prosciutto. Season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.
In a large pot of salted water, boil the rigatoni and cook for about 5 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander. Return pasta to the pot and pour in bechamel sauce then mix well.
Place pasta with sauce into a baking dish. Top with diced butter and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Roasted Veggies

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch thick circles
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts halved
1 pound red bliss potatoes, cut into thick slices
3 medium parsnips, cut into thick slices
1 pound sweet potatoes, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
Sea salt and pepper
Directions:

Preheat oven to 400º.
Grease a baking sheet pan with extra-virgin olive oil. Place vegetables in baking sheet and add the dried herbs, salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat all the vegetables with the seasonings and oil.
Spread the vegetables evenly on a large baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes.

Crab Cakes

Ingredients:
1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells
1/3 cup crushed Ritz crackers
2 onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients. Shape into patties and dust with flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully place crab cakes, in batches, and fry until browned which is about 5 minutes. Flip crab cakes and fry the other side until golden browned which is about 4 minutes. Serve warm with preferred sauce.

Parmesan Tilapia

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions:
Preheat your oven's broiler. Line a pan with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and salt. Mix well and set aside.
Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for 2 more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned. The fish should flake easily with a fork.

Steaks with Sauteed Mushrooms

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound New York strip steaks, cut 3/4 inch thick
1 package sliced fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons red wine
Sea salt and pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, and thyme. Sprinkle onto each side of the steaks. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and minced garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Stir in the red wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
In another skillet, fry steaks for about 5 minutes per side or to your preferred degree. Top with mushrooms and serve.

Herb Potato Salad

Ingredients:
3 pounds small white boiling potatoes
Sea salt
2 tablespoons good dry white wine
2 tablespoons chicken stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

 Directions:
Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot off the heat. Leave the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender but firm.
In a small bowl, whisk together the wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Set aside.
Cut potatoes into quarters or halves. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the onion and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well and refrigerate for couple hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups half-n-half
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 bananas, sliced
Whip cream
Silvered almonds

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
Add egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Keep stirring and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the mixture from the stove then add butter and vanilla. Stir until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency.
Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture.
Bake at 350º for 12 to 15 minutes. Chill for an hour. Top with whip cream and sprinkle with silvered almonds when ready to serve.

Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter, melted
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375º.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt then add to butter mixture. Mix well. Stir in vanilla extract, cranberries, and walnuts until well blended.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Classic Date Nut Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup dates, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a loaf pan with butter.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar. Pour in melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Stir in dates and walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Tomato Sauce with Pancetta Pasta

Ingredients:
6 ounces of pancetta, diced
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 can tomato puree
1 pound linguine
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
Sea Salt
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute pancetta with butter over medium heat until golden brown which is about 8 minutes then add the onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes then season with salt. Stir in tomato puree and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until sauce thickens which is about 15 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, to taste.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the linguine until tender but still firm to the bite which is about 8 minutes. Drain.
Toss the linguine with the sauce and sprinkle Pecorino Romano cheese on top. Blend well and season with salt if necessary.

Broccoli & Cheese Bake

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh broccoli, trimmed and cut into large florets
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 pound cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Sea salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º. Butter a casserole.
Steam the broccoli until tender which is about 10 minutes. Melt the butter in a medium skillet and saute the celery, mushrooms, and onions until soft which is about 10 minutes. Combine the broccoli and vegetables in a bowl.
In a saucepan, combine mushroom soup and cheese until the cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine the vegetables and cheese soup into the casserole. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese immediately and serve.

Grilled Lamb Chops

Ingredients:

• 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Pink of cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 6 lamb chops

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper then pulse for half a minute. Pour in butter and pulse until mixture turns into a paste. 
2. Rub the paste on both sides of the lamb chops and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. 
3. After 1 hour, remove lamb chops from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature which is about 30 minutes.
4. Heat a grill pan over high heat then add the chops and sear for about 2 minutes. Cook for another 3 minutes on the other side for medium rare. If you want medium then add another 30 seconds.