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Beef Tenderloin and Mushroom Roulade

4 6 oz. beef tenderloin filets
3 T olive oil
1 1/4 C onion, diced
1 1/2 C sherry
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 C chopped button mushrooms
2 C chopped portabella mushrooms
1 T dried tarragon
3/4 C heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
2 C bread crumbs
4 oz. bleu cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and brown slightly. Add sherry and reduce by 1/3. Add mushrooms and saute until liquid evaporates. Stir in heavy cream. Remove from heat. Stir in bleu cheese and bread crumbs. Set Mixture aside.

Butterfly steaks and lay open on plastic wrap. Cover with second sheet of plastic wrap and pound with flat side of meat mallet until half inch thick. Press mushroom filling into steak and roll like a jellyroll. Tie with cotton string. Roast until the internal temperature is 155 degrees, approximately 20 to 25 minutes

Zuppa Toscana Soup

A spicy soup of sausage, russet potatoes, and cavolo greens (Kale) in a light creamy broth. Just like Olive Garden makes!

4 cups (650 ml) chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
2 medium russet potato
4 cups (475 ml) chopped kale
1 lb (.2 kg). spicy Italian sausage 1/2 tsp (1 ml) salt
1/2 tsp (1 ml) crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup prosciutto

Grill or sauté the sausage. When cooked and cooled, cut the sausage at an angle into slices about 1/2 inch thick.and set aside. Combine the stock and cream in a large stock pot or saucepan and heat over medium heat. Slice the unpeeled potato into 1/4-inch slices, then quarter the slices and add them to the soup. Add the kale. Add the sausage to the soup. Add the spices and prosciutto and let the soup simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serves 4

I got this recipe from a dear friend i don't think she would mind if i share it with all of you.

rudy hope you and you family have a nice evening, i think my blanket is calling my name so i'm of to the blanket show you have a good night and sweet dreams.

Baked French Toast

An easy way to start the morning without a lot of cleanup. Just bake it, then top it with fresh berries, fruit preserves, warm maple syrup, or powdered sugar.

1 pound Challa bread (about 1 loaf)
8 large eggs
3 cups Plain, Vanilla, Lemon or Raspberry Yogurt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
11/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cut bread into one-inch cubes and set aside.

Beat eggs in a large glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Add yogurt, syrup, sugar, salt, and cinnamon, mixing well. Add cubed bread and stir to coat all pieces well. Pour into a greased 13x9-inch pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until golden. Makes 12 servings.

Restaurant-Style Zuppa Toscana -- serves 4

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package smoked sausage
2 potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3/4 cup chopped onion
6 slices bacon
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups spinach - washed, dried, and shredded
4 cans chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup prosciutto (optional)

Directions:
Cut links in half lengthwise, then cut at an angle into 1/2-inch slices.
Place bacon slices in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until done. Remove bacon and crumble. Set aside.
Drain off some of the bacon grease add garlic, and onions cook until translucent remove from pot. Add chicken broth and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes.
Add crumbled bacon, sausage, onions, garlic, spinach, and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve.

This is the same recipe as above, however i use spinach instead of kale.

Cheese Lover's Tuna Casserole -- Servings: 6

Ingredients:
2 cup elbow macaroni
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of milk
2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained
3/4 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups french fried onions

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, in a 9x13 inch baking dish, combine soup, tuna and 1/2 of the cheese; mix well.
3. Add pasta to baking dish and mix together. Add remaining cheese to the top of the mixture, then add french fried onions. Cover dish and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted; serve.

Crispy and Creamy Doughnuts -- Servings: 18

Ingredients:
2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Glaze
1/3 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons hot water or as needed

Directions:
1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stirring with a wooden spoon. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise until double. Dough is ready if you touch it, and the indention remains.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts sit out to rise again until double. Cover loosely with a cloth.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the icing is somewhat thin, but not watery. Set aside.
5. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large heavy skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slide doughnuts into the hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry doughnuts on each side until golden brown. Remove from hot oil, to drain on a wire rack. Dip doughnuts into the glaze while still hot, and set onto wire racks to drain off excess. Keep a cookie sheet or tray under racks for easier clean up.

Crab Ceviche -- Servings: 8

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package imitation crabmeat flaked
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 limes, juiced
3 serrano peppers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Place the shredded imitation crab into a glass or porcelain bowl. Plastic or metal are not recommended. Stir olive oil into the crabmeat until well coated, then stir in the cilantro, onion, tomato and serrano peppers. Squeeze the lime juice over everything, and mix well. Season with plenty of salt and pepper. Refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.

BBQ Glazed Homemade Meatballs -- Servings: 12

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup quick cooking oats
6 1/2 ounces evaporated milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.

In a bowl, mix beef, egg, oats, evaporated milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and 1/2 cup onion. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and arrange in a single layer in the baking dish.

In a separate bowl, mix ketchup, garlic, sugar, 1/4 cup onion, and liquid smoke. Pour evenly over the meatballs.
Bake uncovered 1 hour in the preheated oven, until the minimum internal temperature of a meatball reaches 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).

Buffalo Shrimp -- Servings: 4

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Creole-style seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
with tails attached
4 cups oil for frying

BUFFALO SAUCE:
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
6 ounces hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Directions:
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, Creole-style seasoning, garlic powder, ground cayenne pepper, onion powder, and ground black pepper. Seal the bag and shake a few times to combine the ingredients well.

Rinse the shrimp under cold water and place them in the plastic bag with the flour mixture. Seal the bag and shake to coat all of the shrimp well with the flour mixture.

Place the coated shrimp on a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes. Save remaining flour mixture in the bag.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together garlic, butter hot sauce and cayenne pepper; set aside. In a pot, heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Remove shrimp from refrigerator and shake a second time in flour mixture.
Place the shrimp in hot oil and fry until pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately coat with buffalo sauce.

Braised Oxtails in Red Wine Sauce -- Servings: 6

Ingredients:
2 (750 milliliter) bottles dry red wine
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
5 pounds beef oxtail, cut into pieces
1/4 cup butter, divided
5 shallots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
5 cups beef broth

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Simmer the red wine in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced by half. Meanwhile, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Dredge the oxtail in the seasoned flour, and shake off excess; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a roasting pan over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Remove the oxtails from the pan and set aside. Turn the heat to medium-low and melt another 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Stir in the shallots, garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook and stir until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme, bay leaf, parsley, beef broth, and reduced red wine. Place the browned oxtail on top of the vegetables in a single layer, then bring to a boil.
Cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil, then bake in preheated oven until the oxtail is very tender and nearly falling off the bone, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Once the oxtail is tender, remove the meat to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm. Strain the remaining braising liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until the sauce has reduced to 2 cups. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and pour over the oxtail to serve.

Pico de Gallo Chicken Quesadillas -- Servings: 4

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cut into strips
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (12 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup sour cream, for topping

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chicken and saute until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the hot skillet and saute the sliced onion and green pepper until tender. Stir in the minced garlic and saute until the aroma is strong. Mix in half of the pico de gallo and chicken breast meat. Set aside; keep warm.

In a heavy skillet, heat one flour tortilla. Spread 1/4 cup shredded cheese on the tortilla and top with 1/2 the chicken mixture. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup cheese over the chicken and top with another tortilla. When bottom tortilla is lightly brown and cheese has started to melt, flip quesadilla and cook on the opposite side. Remove quesadilla from skillet and cut into quarters. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve quesadillas with sour cream and remaining pico de gallo.

Baked Brie in a Bread Bowl

2 cups water
1 cup sliced almonds
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
vegetable cooking spray
4 6-inch pita bread rounds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 (16-20 oz.) round loaf vienna bread or butter crust bread
1-1/2 lbs Brie Cheese

Preheat oven 350° F.

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add almonds, and boil 1 minute, drain. Toss almonds with sugar.

Spread in thin layer on baking sheet lightly coated with vegetable cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned; let cool. (These will crisp as they cool.)

Cut each pita round into 8 wedges. Slice top and bottom pieces apart. Spread on an ungreased baking sheet. Combine garlic and oil. Brush wedges lightly with oil mixture.

Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes, or until toasted. Cut a circle in top of bread loaf, leaving a 3/4" edge. Scoop out center of bread to make a 2-1/2" deep well, leave the bottom intact.

Brush inside of loaf lightly with remaining oil mixture. Cut rind from cheese. Cut cheese in chunks; place cheese in center of bread. Bake at 350° 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To serve, place bread bowl on tray; sprinkle with almonds. Surround with pita chips. Serve immediately.

Yield: 12-15 appetizers