French Country Salad with Lemon Dijon

Homemade Fettuccine with Cream Sauce

Steak Au Poivre

Chocolate Lava Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream

or Lemon Gelato

French country salad with citrus vinaigrette

• 1 (5 oz.) bag of arugula
• 4oz asparagus, tough ends trimmed
• olive oil, to drizzle over asparagus
• sea salt, to sprinkle over asparagus
• 1/4 cup sliced cooked beets, canned, jarred, home-cooked
• 1/4 cup whole walnuts or pecans, toasted
• 1 oz crumbled goat cheese

For the vinaigrette

• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 oz olive oil
• 1 clove small garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheetwith a piece of parchment paper. Cut the asparagus into 1 1/2″ long pieces. Spread the asparagus out onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus along with a sprinkle of sea salt. Roast for 4 to 5 minutes, until the asparagus is tender but still has a bite. Allow the asparagus to cool before using.
2. Toss the arugula with the asparagus in a large bowl; temporarily set aside.

To create the dressing

1. Whisk all of the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl

1. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette until everything is lightly coated in the dressing. Then garnish the salad with the sliced beets, toasted nuts, and crumbled goat cheese.

Fresh Pasta Dough

yield: 2 servings

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

  Making fresh pasta dough is fun and very easy. Traditionally, the dough is mixed directly on a board or counter but it is acceptable to begin the dough in a bowl to limit the cleanup. Laminate counter tops are fine for kneading dough but natural or engineered stone is best as it is non-porous and maintains constant temperature, especially important when working with yeast doughs.

  In a bowl or on a countertop, combine the salt and flour. Using your fingers, create a well in the center of the mound, being sure that the well’s walls are equally thick and high. In a separate container, combine eggs and olive oil. Scramble eggs with a fork to incorporate oil.

  Add 1/3 of egg/oil mixture to center of well. Using a swirling motion, pull flour from inner walls of well into eggs and mix until it forms a thick paste. If working on a countertop, be careful not to break through the walls of the well as egg will run out over the work surface. When center is no longer runny, add half of remaining egg mixture and stir to paste. Add remaining liquid and repeat. Continue to mix until fork is no longer effective and then turn dough out onto work surface.

  Knead dough by flattening, folding it in half and pressing hard with the palm of your hand. Rotate 90’ and repeat over and over until dough is a consistent color (no patches of flour or egg mixture) and begins to feel springy. Pasta dough should be visibly bumpy but soft and smooth to the touch. To test, press a finger into dough. The depression made by your finger should spring back almost entirely. Flatten dough into a disk 1 ½ inches thick, wrap with saran and place in cooler to rest for 20-30 minutes or until finger divot does not bounce back. This means that the gluten that was excited in the kneading process has relaxed and the dough is ready to be rolled and cut.

White wine cream sauce

  yield: 2

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup parmesan

 ½ cup white wine

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon veggie oil

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat add veggie oil and garlic, as soon the garlic is aromatic Add white wine. Cook wine down until the pan is almost dry then add heavy cream and cheese. Mix until cheese is fully melted then season with salt and pepper.

Steak Au Poivre

2 thick-cut Steaks Beef Tenderloin or NY Strip steak, 6-8 ounces, about 1 1/2 – inches thick

Coarse salt

1Tablespoon whole black peppercorns crushed

1 Tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons brandy

1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

1. At least 30 minutes up to an hour before cooking remove the steaks from the fridge. Sprinkle all sides of steaks with salt. Just before cooking, pat steaks dry with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Generously coat all sides of steaks with the fresh ground black pepper, pressing it into the steaks.
2. Heat a large heavy cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add butter and olive oil. Just as butter begins to smoke, place steaks in pan for medium rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Adjust cook time for desired doneness, using a meat thermometer for doneness. Transfer to plate, cover loosely with foil.
3. Turn burners off. Carefully pour Cognac into hot frying pan. Carefully light the alcohol with a lighter and swirl the pan around until the flame burns out. Turn heat back on to medium. Whisking until sauce lightly thickens, about 6-8 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, pour sauce over steaks.

Steak temperature:

Rare 125F, Medium Rare 135F, Medium 145F, Medium well 150F Well done 160F

Truffle Aioli (Truffle Garlic Mayo)

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon white or black truffle oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon lemon juice

1 clove garlic grated

kosher salt or sea salt/pepper to taste

Instructions

Whisk – Add mayonnaise, truffle oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic to a bowl and whisk until combined.

Brownie pudding (chocolate lava cobbler)

  yield: 8

1 cup flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons veggie oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 ½ cup hot water

Preheat oven 350

Grease 9×9 pan

In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, milk, veggie oil, and vanilla. The batter will be very thick. Pour into prepared pan, spread evenly.

In a small bowl combine brown sugar and remaining cocoa powder, pour over top of thick batter. DON’T MIX.

Pour hot water on top and place in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Lemon Gelato Recipe

INGREDIENTS

125 ml lemon juice ½ cup (about 3 lemons)

150 g granulated sugar ¾ cup

250 ml milk 1 cup, whole and fresh

250 ml heavy cream 1 cup

INSTRUCTIONS

How to Make Lemon Gelato WITH Ice Cream Maker

Wash and squeeze the lemons. You will need about 125 ml (½ cup) of juice. Of course, it depends on the size of the lemons. About three lemons should be fine.

Strain the juice through a strainer to remove any seeds or peels.

Pour the strained juice into a larger container. Add the sugar to the lemon juice and stir.

Then add the heavy cream and finally the whole milk. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Pour the mixture into the basket of the ice cream maker, close it and start. After about 40 minutes (time may vary depending on the model of the machine) your lemon gelato is ready!

How to Make Lemon Gelato WITHOUT Ice Cream Maker

Wash and squeeze the lemons. Strain the juice through a strainer to remove any seeds or peels.

Pour the juice into a larger bowl. Add the sugar and stir. Then add the very cold whole milk. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Whip the cream with the help of a stand mixer or an electric whisk.

Then add the milk and lemon mixture and stir gently from bottom to top to combine. Pour the mixture into a gelato container and place it in the freezer for about 5 hours. Every 30 minutes you have to break the frozen surface. So remove from the freezer and mix for about 30 seconds using a hand whisk or an electric whisk on low speed.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Filet Mignon with Red Wine Pan Sauce

Lobster Mashed Potatoes

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe

Homemade Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe. Packed with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries with walnuts and brie on a bed of spinach and homemade dressing, this salad is crazy amazing.

Servings: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

5 oz fresh spinach

1/2 cup blueberries

3 oz raspberries

4 oz strawberries, halved

3/4 cup cubed brie

1/2 cup walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the recipe for homemade poppy seed dressing.

In a bowl add the spinach, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, Feta cheese, and walnuts.

Drizzle salad with the homemade poppy seed dressing. Gently toss to combine and serve

immediately.

Poppy Seed Dressing

Servings: 4 servings

1½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 Tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp mayonnaise

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp poppy seeds

Salt and pepper

Whisk Balsamic vinegar, oil, Dijon mustard, mayo, honey, poppy seeds, salt, pepper, and minced garlic.

 whisk dressing vigorously until ingredients are combined.

Filet Mignon with Red Wine Pan Sauce + Garlic lobster Mashed Potatoes 

Serves 2

2 8 oz Filet Mignons, at room temperature

Kosher Salt 

Fresh Cracked Pepper

Herb de Provence
1 Tablespoon Shallot, minced
1/4 Cup Red Wine
1/4 Cup Beef Stock

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted

¼ Cup Heavy Cream, warm

Heat a skillet  over medium high heat and season filets with salt and pepper and herb de Provence on both sides if filets.   Add remaining oil and sear filets, undisturbed, for 2-3 minutes.  Flip filets and insert into the bottom rack of the oven until internal temperature is 135 degrees F for medium rare/medium, about 5-7 more minutes depending on the cut.  Remove filets from oven and tent with foil to keep warm and rest

Place the cast iron skillet used to cook steaks back on stovetop over medium high heat and sauté shallots for 1-2 minutes.  Deglaze pan with wine and reduce mixture by half.  Add stock, and once again reduce mixture by half.  Remove from heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and season the pan sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Lobster Mashed Potatoes

This recipe adds the richness of lobster to the comfort of potatoes

Serves 2

Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes

2 lg youkan gold potatoes

4 gloved of garlic peeled

2tablespoon butter

1/8cup heavy cream

1tablespoon herb cheese

Salt and pepper

Lobster

½ cup chopped lobster meat

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 clove of garlic minced

1/3 cup chicken stock

1 Tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon thyme

Instructions

Mashed Potatoes

cook potatoes in salted water, and garlic drain and mash with butter, heated heavy cream, herb cheese, and fresh ground pepper

Lobster

in a saucepan over med heat, sauté garlic in olive oil; after about 30 seconds add thyme and chicken stock; whisk in butter.

heat and stir until blended and then add lobster meat. With a slotted spoon remove the lobster and toss with the mashed potatoes.

place in a casserole dish and drizzle 2-3 Tbsp of juice over top.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This is the BEST Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe. It is easy to make, gluten-free, and oh so decadent! It is the perfect dessert for any occasion.

SERVINGS 16

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs lightly beaten

1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

For the chocolate ganache:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan. Place it in the bottom of the pan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. To make the cake, put the chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the butter is melted, and the chips are soft, about one minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. If you need to reheat, do for 10 seconds at a time and stir.
3. Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
4. Add the eggs and stir until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and stir until just combined. Don’t over mix.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 25 minutes or until the cake has a thin crust on the top and the center registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.
6. Let the cake cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a butter knife and carefully turn it upside down onto a cake plate or serving plate. The bottom of the cake will now be the top of the cake. Let the cake cool completely.
7. While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate ganache. Combine the chocolate and cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the cream is very hot so it will melt the chocolate. I always start with 30 seconds and check it. It might take longer; it just depends on your microwave. Remove from the microwave and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.
8. Spread the chocolate ganache glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Let the glaze set up for a few hours before cutting and serving the cake. I always put it in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
9. Cut the cake into slices and serve with powdered sugar and raspberries, if desired. This cake is also great with whipped cream or ice cream.

Smoked Salmon Crostini with White Wine Aioli

Beef Tenderloin topped with Scallops and Bourbon Browned Butter

Bacon Potato Rose with Spiked Herb crème

Bacon Bourbon Green Beans

Chocolate Caramel Trifle

 Smoked Salmon Crostini with White Wine Aioli

  Yield: 2

¼ thin baguette

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp melted butter

½ cup Greek yogurt

3 tbsp cream cheese

2 tbsp fresh chopped dill

1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Salt to taste

4 oz smoked salmon

Capers and fresh dill for garnish

AOILI

1/4 cup mayo

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/8 cup white wine

Mixed all Aioli ingredients together and set aside.

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the baguette along a diagonal into 1/4 inch slices using a serrated knife. Do not slice them thicker than 1/4 inch, or they will be difficult to bite through when toasted.

Thinly slicing a baguette. Place the slices on a cookie sheet. Stir together the melted butter and olive oil. If using unsalted butter, add a small pinch of salt to the mixture and stir to combine. If using salted butter, no need to add any additional salt. Brush the tops of the bread pieces with the oil and butter mixture.

Brushing sliced baguette with olive oil. Place the bread into the oven and let it toast for 8-10 minutes till the bottoms of the bread slices are golden brown and toasted. Flip the slices to check for doneness– they will brown more on the bottom than they will on the top. Toasted crostini on a baking sheet. While baguette slices are toasting, place 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, cream cheese, dill, and lemon juice into a bowl. Mix till ingredients are well combined. Continue to add Greek yogurt till the mixture is soft and spreadable. Add salt to taste.

. When the baguette slices have cooled, top each slice with 1 tsp of the Greek yogurt mixture. Top the Greek yogurt mixture with a slice of smoked salmon. Place another small dollop of Aioli mixture in the center of the smoked salmon slice. Top the small dollop with a couple of capers and small sprig of dill.

 Beef Tenderloin topped with Scallops and Bourbon Browned Butter

  Yield: 2

Beef Tenderloin

Scallops

2 tablespoons oil

¼ cup bourbon

4 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat Large Skillet over medium heat, Pat scallops dry and add oil to pan. Add scallops and cook until golden brown on one side about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove and add to plate. Add extra oil if needed to pan. Season steak with salt and pepper then add to pan. Cook until desired temperature. Remove from pan.  Set scallops on top of steak on a plate. Add butter to pan and allow to brown. Once browned turn heat off and add bourbon. Scrap bottom of pan and spoon brown butter over top of steak topped with scallops.

 Bacon Potato Rose with Spiked Herb creme

  Yield: 6

4 yukon gold potatoes, halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

12 strips center cut bacon

fresh thyme, to serve

grated parmesan cheese, to serve

SPIKED HERB CRÈME

½ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons mayo

¼ cup liquor of choice (I like to use bourbon or red wine)

2 tablespoons of dried mixed herbs or ¼ cup fresh (parsley, rosemary, basil, thyme)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C).

Using a mandolin and a hand guard, thinly slice the potatoes into a large mixing bowl.

Add olive oil, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, pepper, and salt to the sliced potatoes and toss with tongs until evenly coated.

On a cutting board, lay out two pieces of bacon overlapping each other vertically.

Line the bacon with the sliced potatoes, making sure each potato is overlapping.

Starting at one end, gently roll up the bacon, creating a potato rose.

Place the rolled potato roses in a greased muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining bacon strips and potatoes.

Bake for 20 minutes. Cover the roses with tin foil, and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Top the roses with thyme and Parmesan. Bake for an addition 5-10 minutes uncovered.

Mix all Crème ingredients together and serve.

Skillet Green Beans With Bourbon And Bacon

• 2 strips bacon diced and cooked until crispy
• ▢¼ cup medium sweet yellow oniondiced
• ▢1 clove garlic minced
• ▢1/2 pound green beans cleaned and ends trimmed
• ▢½ teaspoon black pepperfreshly ground
• ▢1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
• ▢¼ cup water
• ▢3 tablespoons bourbon
• ▢3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Instructions

1. Cut bacon into ½” pieces, then place in skillet and cook until crisp, but not burned. Remove from bacon grease (save grease) and set aside bacon to use as garnish.
2. Add onion to bacon grease and sauté until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook just until garlic blooms (softens and releases it’s oil) approximately 15-30 seconds.
3. Add green beans, pepper, salt and red pepper flakes then cook until the beans begin to show brown spots, 6-8 minutes over medium heat.
4. Add water, cover and cook 2 minutes. Beans should still be bright green and crisp.
5. Add bourbon and brown sugar and cook 4-5 minutes, uncovered, until beans are barely crisp. Stir often.
6. Taste the beans and add salt, if needed.
7. Sprinkle beans with crisped bacon and serve.
8. ENJOY!

Nick’s Supernatural Brownies

1/2 pound/2 sticks/227 grams unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces

1/2 pound/227 grams dark chocolate (60% is perfect), cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 cup/200 grams firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

1 cup/135 grams unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups/about 200 grams pecan or walnut pieces, divided (optional)

9×13 pan

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Let the butter start to sizzle and get very hot. Off heat add the chocolate. Shake the pan to submerge the chocolate and wait a minute. Whisk smooth.
3. Place the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the paddle on medium speed until the mixture is very fine and powdery, 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate between additions, followed by the vanilla.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and thoroughly fold in the butter and chocolate mixture. Fold in three quarters of the nuts, if using.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts, if using.
7. Bake the brownies until they are slightly firm and no longer liquid in the center of the pan, about 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then wrap in plastic and wait until the next day to cut them—they are still too soft immediately after cooling. To rush the process, chill the cooled and wrapped brownies for a couple of hours before cutting the brownies into 2-inch squares.

Chocolate Caramel Trifle

Ingredients

2 boxes 3.4 oz each instant chocolate pudding mix

3 cups cold milk

2 cups cream whipped

Cooked and cooled brownies: two 8×8 pans or one 13×9 batch

Caramel sauce

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes.

Fold in the whipped cream.  Place mixture in refrigerator while preparing the other ingredients.

Cut the brownies into 1-inch cubes.

In a 3-quart bowl, layer 1/3 of the brownies, 1/3 of the pudding and 1/3 of the caramel. Repeat layers two more times. Garnish with reserved whipped topping, if desired.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

Bourbon Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup bourbon

1/3 cup heavy cream

1, 3 finger pinch salt

2 tablespoon butter

To a saucepan over medium high heat add water then sugar. bring up to a boil, don’t stir. allow to caramelize, this process will happen fast once sugar starts to turn gold. Once sugar has turned brown, add heavy cream and bourbon. stir while pouring in liquid but be careful, mixture might bubble. add vanilla and salt. stir until smooth. remove from heat and stir in butter.