Steak Sammie with Asiago and Smoked Gouda Cheese Sauce

This is NOT your typical Philly Cheesesteak (made with Cheese whiz).
(makes 4 sandwiches)

Asiago and Smoked Gouda Cheese Sauce:
2 T. butter, unsalted
1 T. flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk, beaten
8 oz. Asiago cheese, shredded
4 oz. Smoked Gouda, shredded
2 T. Italian seasoning
1/2 t. freshly grated* nutmeg
Kosher* salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Special equipment: Double Boiler (or use a stainless steel bowl set snugly inside a saucepan filled
     with water

Steak Ingredients:
4 T. EVOO (you may need a little more for cooking steaks)
2 oz. pancetta, diced
1 small red pepper, sliced thin
1 yellow or orange pepper, sliced thin
1 med. sweet* white onion, sliced thin
4 oz. mushroom gourmet blend (baby bella, shitake and oysters)
1&1/2 lb. rib-eye steak - thinly sliced (about 8 slices - 2 per sammie)
Kosher* salt and freshly* ground pepper, to taste
4 Ciabatta rolls

For Cheese Sauce: (this sauce should take about 8-10 mins. to complete, but it requires your undivided attention). Pour water half full in a double boiler, and place over med. heat. Melt butter in the top of the boiler. once butter is melted add flour to make a roux, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for about 2 mins. or until blended well. Then add heavy cream and continue to stir constantly. Add Asiago and Smoked Gouda to cream mixture, use whisk to blend cheese well. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk until nice and smooth, then add egg to mixture. Whisk until the sauce is warm and begins to thicken, then add Italian seasoning, horseradish sauce, and nutmeg. Continue whisking constantly, then add S&P to taste. When cheese sauce is thick, reduce the heat to low to keep it warm while preparing the steaks.

To prepare the steaks: In a large skillet over med. heat, add 2 T. oil, then add pancetta, peppers and onions; sauté until slightly softened, about 2-3 mins., then add mushrooms to the mixture. Saute until mushrooms are tender. Season veggies lightly with S&P. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Cover and keep warm. Add the remaining oil to skillet and be sure pan is hot so rib-eye steak will cook fast. Saute steak, cooking each slice about about 1/2 min. on each side, but do not overcook. Remove steak and place on a plate; season lightly with S&P. Place two slices of steak on ciabatta roll and top with veggie mixture. Then spoon some of the cheese sauce over the steak and veggies, cover with top roll. Repeat with remaining 3 rolls. Serve with Lay's potato chips* and a smile*!!

"You don't have to figure out how it's going to happen. It may not work on paper; there may not be a logical solution. In the natural, you don't see a way, but that's not your job. Your job is to believe."

Have FUN today!!!

Love,

MM

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Rosemary Ham and Sweet Potato Bread

BOOYA!! Made these yesterday to rave reviews from my peeps!!

For the soup:
1 package (16 oz.) dried green split peas, rinsed
1 package Rosemary* ham (Trader Joe's), cut or hand torn into small pieces, or 2 cups cubed 
     fully cooked ham (and add 1 t. fresh rosemary* leaves snipped, or 1/2 dried, crushed)
1 large sweet* onion, chopped
1 cup julienned or chopped organic* carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. fresh thyme sprigs*, or 1/2 t. dried
1 carton (32 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf (from my farm*)
2 cups water
Italian herbs* and grated Parmesan*
Cider vinegar*
Lemon pepper*

For the bread:
Cooking spray
1 package Marie Callendar's Sweet Potato Muffin mix
1 egg
6 T. butter, melted
3/4 cup 2%* milk
1/4 t. nutmeg*
1/4 t. cinnamon*
Butter*
Sugar in the Raw*

To make the soup: Put ingredients up to Italian herbs and Parmesan in the crock pot. Cook on high 1 hour* then on low 8-10 or until the peas are soft. Put a splash of cider vinegar* in each bowl and sprinkle with lemon pepper*. Editor's note, this is a French touch to any bean or legume soup*.

To make the bread: Preheat oven to 375. Spray a square baking dish. Melt butter, and put it into a med. mixing bowl. Add egg and milk. Combine. Add mix, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir to combine well. Bake til top is set. Take out and rub butter on top, and sprinkle with Sugar in the Raw*. Put back in oven and cook til a toothpick comes out clean. 18-20 mins. total. Watch!! This almost tastes like crème brulee, I swear*!! Let cool 10 mins. before cutting.

"Friends get better with age."

Have FUN today, and stay dry!!!

Love,

MM

Endive Salad with Pear, Gorgonzola, and Hearts of Palm*

Endive spears are such a COOL way to present a salad, dip, or spread. I LOVE 'em!!
(serves 4)

1&1/2 T. walnut oil
1&1/2 t. sherry vinegar
1/4 t. Dijon mustard
1/8 t. Sugar in the Raw*
1/8 t. kosher salt
1/8 t. freshly ground* black pepper
3 heads Belgian endive white and red*, trimmed, halved, and leaves separated
1 firm ripe red Bartlett pear cored and thinly sliced
1 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)
1 stalk of jarred hearts of palm*, sliced into rings

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Arrange endive, pear, and hearts of palm on 4 chilled* salad plates. Drizzle with vinaigrette; sprinkle with Gorgonzola. Serve with a warm loaf of sliced* garlic bread* and soft Kerrygold* butter.

"Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles. It takes away today's peace."

Love,

MM

Frozen Banana Pops

These will "satisfy your sweet tooth without the guilt".
(makes 8)

4 large bananas, peeled and cut in half crosswise
5 T. unsweetened plain almond milk
1/4 cup natural creamy unsalted peanut butter
1 T. pure maple syrup
2/3 cup toppings of your choice (shredded coconut, finely chopped milk* or dark chocolate, or
     chopped nuts)
8 wooden pop sticks
Parchment paper

Gently push a wooden stick into the cut end of each banana. In a small bowl, combine milk, peanut butter, and maple syrup until smooth. Pour toppings onto a plate. Holding 1 banana pop over bowl, spoon peanut butter mixture over top of it to cover all sides, letting the excess drip off.  Hold coated banana over plate and evenly spoon toppings over it until covered. Lay coated banana pops on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining bananas and ingredients. Cover and freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Transfer to a zip-top freezer bag or container and keep frozen for up to 2 months.

"You have to start with Faith."

Love,

MM                      

Roasted Shrimp with White Beans and Feta

"Roasting shrimp in the oven is a hands-off route to bringing out robust flavor, and also helps prevent overcooking keeping the shrimp tender".
(serves 4)

2 T. plus 4 t. EVOO, divided
3 T. fresh lemon juice, divided
1/4 t. kosher salt, divided
1 lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1 (15 oz.) cannellini beans, or small white beans*, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
1 t. finely grated lemon rind
4 t. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh lemon* mint
1 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 450. Combine 2 t. oil, 1 T lemon juice, and 1/8 t. salt in a dish. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Set aside. Heat 2 t. oil in a nonstick skillet over med. heat. Add onions; sauté 2 mins. Stir in beans, stock and remaining salt; cook 3 mins. Arrange shrimp on a baking sheet; roast for 4 mins. Combine remaining 2 T. oil, remaining 2 t. lemon juice, rind, vinegar, mustard, and black pepper in a bowl. Pour half of oil mixture over beans; toss. Stir in mint. Divide evenly among 4 plates ; sprinkle with feta. Arrange shrimp alongside. Top with remaining oil mixture.

"People become really quite remarkable when they start believing they can do things."

Have FUN today!!!

Love,

MM

Butternut Squash Soup

A "quintessential cold-weather" dish:
(serves 6)

2 butternut squash
EVOO
Kosher* salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1 small sweet* onion, chopped
2 T. cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. minced fresh ginger
1 sachet (3 springs thyme, 1 bay leaf and 1/2 T. coriander seeds)
1/2 cup OJ
3/4 cup crème fraiche
3 springs fresh sage, leaves only
Garlic croutons*

Preheat oven to 350 and arrange a rack in the center. Slice the squash in half from stem to bottom and scoop out the seeds. Rub oil on the flesh and season with S&P. Wrap each half in foil and place on a baking sheet, cut sides down. Bake for 1&1/2-2 hours, or until tender. Remove and rest at room temp. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over med. heat, warm 2 T. oil Add onion, garlic, ginger, and the sachet. Sprinkle with S&P. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 mins. or until veggies are tender but not browned. Unwrap the squash and scoop the flesh into the pot. Add orange juice and 1 qt. of water and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 mins. extract and discard the sachet, and transfer squash mixture to a blender with the crème fraiche. Puree until smooth (and pass through a fine-meshed sieve, if desired), and pour into a clean pot. Bring to a simmer, and adjust seasoning with S&P if needed. Just before serving, chop the sage leaves; ladle the soup into warm bowls and garnish with the chopped sage. Serve with a bowl of garlic croutons on the side*.

"Made every day count."

Have FUN today, and Go Dawgs!!

Love,

MM

Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry

Happy New Year!! And here is a good start:
(serves 4)

1 T. toasted* sesame oil, divided
1/2 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
2 T. Ponzu Citrus Sauce* or low-sodium soy sauce
1 T. rice vinegar
2 t. chile paste
2 t. cornstarch
1/4 t. kosher* salt
2 T. canola oil, divided
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast thighs, or 1&1/2 lb. thighs, cut into bite size-pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 cup snow peas or sugar snap peas*, diagonally cut
1/2 cup sliced sweet* onion
1 t. peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Combine 2 t. sesame oil and next 6 ingredients in a bowl. Heat a wok or large skillet over med.-high heat. Add remaining sesame oil and 1 T. canola oil; swirl. Add chicken; stir-fry 2 mins. Remove chicken from pan. Add remaining canola oil; swirl. Add bell peppers and next 4 ingredients; stir-fry 1 min. Add broth mixture; cook 30 secs. or until thick. Return chicken to pan; cook 4 mins. or until done. Spoon 1/2 cup rice onto each of 4 plates; top each with 1 cup chicken mixture, green onions, and peanuts.

"The BEST is yet to come!"

Love,

MM