Steak Sandwiches

 The above picture isn't exacly what the recipe calls for. I didn't have a baguette so I just arranged everything that was in the recipe, plus some tomatoes(The dark sauce on the left is caesar dressing)

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds, cracked
• 3 (12 to 14-ounce) rib-eye steaks
• 4 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 baguette (about 2 feet long), split lengthwise
• 2 cups lightly packed arugula

1. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard seeds in a large resealable plastic bag. 
2. Add the steaks and seal the bag. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, turning the steaks occasionally.
3. Prepare the barbecue for medium-high heat or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. 
4. Drain the marinade from the steaks. 
5. Grill the steaks to desired done ness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare.
6. Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes. Cut the steaks crosswise into thin slices.
7. Meanwhile, stir the cheese and sour cream in a small bowl to form a thick spread. 
8. Season the cheese mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper. 
9. Remove some of the bread from the center of the baguette halves. 
10. Spread the cheese mixture over the baguette halves. 
11. Arrange the arugula then the warm steak slices over the baguette bottom. 
12. Sprinkle the steak slices with salt and pepper. 
13. Cover with the baguette top. 
14. Cut the sandwich crosswise into 6 equal pieces and serve.

Chicken Parmesan

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
• Pinch sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh buffalo mozzarella, water drained
• Freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

1.  Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. 
2. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. 
3. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil. 
4. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes), cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, salt and pepper. 
5. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.
6. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
7. Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. 
8.  Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them.
9. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/2-inch thick. 
10. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. 
11. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. 
12. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, season with salt and pepper.
13. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. 
14. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. 
15. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.
16. Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil.
17. Bake the Chicken Parmesan for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. 
18. Serve hot with spaghetti

Seared Beef with Mushrooms and Garlic

• 1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 steaks (about 2 1/2lbs)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 pkg shiitake or button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 1/4 cup beef stock
• 2 tbsp parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• parsley, chopped for garnish(extra)

1. Soak porcini mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and chop. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in shallow pan and cook beef for a few minutes on each side. Remove from pan.
3. Saute the onion and garlic, in the same pan. Until translucent.
4. Add mushrooms, and cook over high until softened.
5. Add the wine and stock, bring to a boil.
6. Simmer for 10 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat and add parsley, season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve the steak with the mushrooms and garnish with parsley.

Italian Pork Stew

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb boneless pork, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large cans of tomatoes
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 2 cups frozen green beans or fresh
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1tsp Italian Seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Parboil potatoes for about 5 minutes. (Reduces cooking time)Remove and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan and brown meat on all sides, remove from pan, and set aside.
3. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent.
4. Add tomatoes.
5. Put meat back in the pan and add potatoes and green beans.
6. Add basil, Italian seasoning, pepper and salt.
7. Let simmer for an hour to an hour and a half until meat is cooked and tender.
8. Just a few minutes before you take the pan off the heat, add parmesan cheese and mix through.
9. Serve hot with fresh Italian bread.

Roasted Greens Panzanella Salad

• 1 bunch kale, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 1 bunch red chard, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 loaf day-old ciabatta bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
• 1 (8-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
2. Line a baking sheet with foil.
3. Place the chopped greens on the foil. 
4. Drizzle with olive oil and gently toss. 
5. Top the greens with another piece of foil and seal shut. 
6. Roast the greens until tender, about 20 minutes.
7. Place the bread cubes, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. 
8. Gently toss. 
9. Add the roasted chard and toss to combine. 
10. Serve.

Spicy Baked Macaroni

• Salt
• 1 pound elbow macaroni pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound assorted mushrooms, quartered
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup
• 1/4 cup Romano, plus 1/3 cup
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons
• 12 ounces mozzarella cubed (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onion is golden, about 7 minutes. 
4. Add the tomatoes, spinach, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup Romano. Spread the softened butter in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle half of the bread crumb mixture inside the dish to coat.
6. In a large bowl combine the vegetable mixture with the cooked macaroni, cubed mozzarella, the remaining Parmesan and Romano cheeses, and the nutmeg. 
7. Spoon into the prepared baking dish, top with the remaining bread crumb mixture, and dot the top with the remaining butter. 
8. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Garlic Spread

• 1 cup  unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tbsps garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsps  garlic powder

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.

Chicken Cannelloni

 A little heavy on the Bechamel Sauce, I think next time I would half it.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 3 rashers bacon, chopped
• salt, pepper to taste
• 3 tbsps grated parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup butter
•  3/4 cup flour
•  4 cups milk
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup tomato pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup water
•  cannelloni tubes
• grated parmesan to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2.  Heat oil in a large pan, add onion and saute 2 mins
3. Add ground chicken and bacon, stir until browned and cooked
4. Remove from heat
5. Add parmesan, salt and pepper
6. Set aside
7. Make a bechamel sauce by melting the  2/3 cup of butter in a saucepan, add flour and stir 1 minute
8. Remove from heat, gradually add milk, stirring well
9. Return to heat, stir until sauce thickens and boils
10. Remove from heat
11. Stir in seasonings, cheese and eggs
12. Fill cannelloni with chicken mixture
13. Grease a large oven dish
14. Mix pasta sauce and water together and spread half on the base of the baking dish
15. Place cannelloni in 2 rows in the dish
16. Pour the remaining pasta sauce over the top of the cannelloni
17. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, spread evenly
18. Sprinkle with a little more parmesan
19. Dot with 2 tsp butter
20. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown
21. Serve hot with a tossed salad