Marie Antoinette - Cocktail

This awesome cocktail comes from Perch restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. The unique blend of cherries and jalapenos gives the drink a sweet & spicy flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• Cognac
• Cherry Liquor (Dr. McGillicuddy's works fine.)
• Black Cherries (if using frozen, let thaw first)
• Jalapenos (sliced from a jar or can)

DIRECTIONS

1. Muddle together the black cherries and Jalapenos
2. Add 1 part Cognac
3. Add 1.5 parts Cherry Liquor
4. Combine with ice and shake vigorously
5. Pour into martini glass

Olga’s Italian Vegetable Soup

During the winter, I make a lot of soups.  This recipe was posted in Men's Health magazine several years ago.  The first time I made this, I knew it was a winner.  It's amazingly flavorful, but the only seasoning you use is salt & pepper.  All the flavor comes from the vegetables themselves! It's a staple in my "winter soup rotation."

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup olive oil (more or less)
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
•  Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch parsley, washed and chopped, thick stems discarded
• 4 or 5  cabbage leaves, chopped
• 1 bunch chard, washed and chopped (use white or red chard)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 to 4  cups cooked white beans, such as cannellini, with their liquid if possible

DIRECTIONS

1. Put about a third of the olive oil in the bottom of a deep pot over medium heat. Add half each of the chopped onions, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften (about 10 minutes). Add half of the remaining oil and repeat the process, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Add the last of the oil with the parsley, cabbage, and chard, and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is softened but not browned. Adjust the heat as necessary.
2. Add the tomato paste and stir. Partially mash the beans, leaving some of them more or less whole; add them to the pot, along with any bean-cooking liquid and enough water to make the whole mixture stewy but not too watery.
3. Keep cooking, tasting, and seasoning as necessary, until all the vegetables are tender and the soup is hot.

Juicy Marinated Skirt Steak - Grilled

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 ½ pounds skirt steak, cut crosswise into 4 equal pieces
• Oil for grill grates

DIRECTIONS

• In shallow dish combine vinegar, sugar, garlic, rosemary 1 teaspoon coarse salt and ½ teaspoon pepper
• Pierce meat all over with a fork: add to marinade and turn to coat
• Let marinate at room temp at least 15 min.  Or cover and refrigerate up to 1 day
• Heat grill on high; oil grates
• Cook on grill turning once to desired done-ness

Chicken Marsala

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for coating
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 1/4 cup cooking sherry

DIRECTIONS

1. In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown. Turn over chicken pieces, and add mushrooms. Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet; simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Chicken Piccata

This is an easy and healthy version of a favorite Italian dish.  Served with spinach instead of pasta.  No wine is needed for this recipe as it uses chicken broth instead.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
• 6 oz fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
3. Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning.
4. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. 
5. Add in spinach and cover. Allow spinach to steam and become soft.  Too long and it will turn brown.
6. Remove chicken to platter. Pour sauce & spinach over chicken and serve.

Carne Asada - Grilled

This recipe comes from the William Sanoma Complete Grilling Cookbook which is my grilling bible in summertime.

INGREDIENTS
1 skirt or hanger steak, about 1 to 1.5 lb (750 g)
For the Chili Powder Marinade:

• 1 tablespoon ground ancho chile

• 11/2 teaspoons hot or smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 

• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

• Salt

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup (2 fI oz 60 ml) olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the chili powder marinade, in a small dish, stir together the ground chile, paprika, cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cayenne to taste, and garlic. Stir in the oil and lime juice. Pour 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) of the marinade into a shallow, nonreactive dish just large enough to hold the steak. Cover the remaining marinade and set aside. Add the steak to the dish and turn to coat both sides with the marinade. Let the steak stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare a CHARCOAL or GAS grill for DIRECT grilling over MEDIUM-HIGH.  Remove the meat from the marinade. 
3. GAS: Grill the steak over the hottest elements, turning once, until nicely charred and cooked to your liking, 3 - 4 1/2 minutes per side for medium-rare.
4. Let the meat rest for about 3 minutes. Thinly slice the meat across the grain.

Awesome Crispix Cereal Mix

This is a modified version of Kellog's Crispix cereal mix recipe.  I like to use this instead of Chex cereals because you only have to buy and use one kind of cereal.  Using plenty of peanuts and Cheez-it crackers makes this a snack people can't get enough of.  Excellent for holiday parties!

Yield: About 9 cups

Serving Size: 1/2 cup (28 grams)

Ingredients for 1 batch:

• 6 cups Crispix cereal

• 1 cup Cheezit crackers

• 1 cup peanuts

• 1 cup pretzels

• ½ stick butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

• 1 teaspoon onion salt

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 ½  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:

1. In large glass mixing bowl, combine cereal, peanuts, and pretzels.
2. In small microwave safe mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Stir gently until well coated. Microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds or until melted.
3. Microwave for 5 to 6 minutes, at 2 minute intervals stirring between each interval.
4. Repeat process for additional batches

CONVENTIONAL OVEN DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 250º F.
2. Combine Kellogg's Crispix cereal, nuts, and pretzels in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Set aside.
3. Stir together remaining ingredients. Pour over cereal mixture. Stir gently.
4. Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. 

Store in airtight container.