Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

2 Portabello mushrooms
Balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, chopped
2 large strips of roasted red pepper, chopped (from a jar)
1 Roma tomato, chopped
2 c fresh baby spinach
1/4 c breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
Mozarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.

Remove stem and gills from mushrooms. Drizzle about 1/2 tsp Balsamic vinegar over each mushroom.

Chop stems and saute with onions, garlic, tomatoes and seasonings in olive oil until vegetables are tender. Add chopped red peppers to heat through. Add spinach and cook until wilted.

Spoon filling on top of mushrooms, top with breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes until mushrooms are cooked.

Chile Rellenos with Salsa

Salsa
3 tomatoes, coarsley chopped
2 bell peppers, coarsely chopped
2 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
3 T caldo de pollo (powdered chicken broth)
½ tsp oregano
2 T tomato paste

Cover vegetables with water in large pot. Cover pot and boil vegetables for 15 minutes. Turn down heat and simmer for one hour, adding more water if necessary.

Add caldo de pollo, oregano and tomato paste and stir to combine. Using a slotted spoon, spoon salsa over cooked rellenos.

This salsa is good over fried eggs and excess broth can be used as a soup base.

Chile Rellenos
CHILE RELLENO
6 Anaheim chiles, roasted and peeled
6 egg whites
6 egg yolks
Jack cheese, cut into thin strips
Flour, small amount

Lay chiles on broiler tray and broil; turn chiles until charred and blistered on all sides. Remove from broiler pan and place in large Ziplock bag. Close bag and allow chiles to steam for 15 minutes.

Remove chiles from bag and peel carefully so as not to tear the chiles. Put peeled chiles on a plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Cut small slit in each chile and insert cheese.

Whip egg whites at high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks have formed.

Heat the oil in a skillet until a drop of water sizzles when dropped into the pan. Beat egg yolks with 1 T flour.

Mix yolks into egg whites and stir until you have a thick paste.

Roll stuffed chiles in flour then dip in egg mixture, shaking off excess. Fry seam side down on both sides until golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain.

Put chiles on a serving plate, top with shredded cheese and microwave until cheese melts. Spoon salsa over chiles and serve.

Mexican Risotto

1/2 cup Arborio rice
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 small jalapeno, finely diced
1 T olive oil
2 T tomato paste
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
1/8 tsp cumin

Heat olive oil in small saucepan. Add onion and jalapeno and cook for five minutes. Add rice and white wine. Cook until liquid has been absorbed. Add bouillon and cumin and stir well. Put tomato paste into hot water and stir until blended. Add 1/2 cup of hot water at a time into the rice until all is absorbed. If you need more liquid, plain hot water can be used.When risotto is done, add jack cheese and stir until melted.

Chile Verde

10 tomatillos

5 lbs boneless pork shoulder

2 T olive oil

1 T chicken bouillon

5 cloves garlic, peeled

1 onion, coarsley chopped (divided use)

2 large jalapenos, stemmed and seeded

1 (7 oz) can whole green chiles

2 corn tortillas

Remove wrapper from tomatillos and wash. In food processor, puree tomatillos, bouillon, garlic, jalapenos and green chiles. Add half the onion.

Remove fat from pork and cut into 1" pieces.

In large pan, fry meat until it loses its color. Add the sauce and mix well. Cook on low for 4 hours until meat is very tender.

During last half-hour of cooking, add the other half of the coarsley chopped onion and two corn tortillas which have been cut into 1/2" dice.

Venison Tenderloin

1 to 1.5# venison tenderloin
3 garlic cloves, slivered into thirds
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
3 slices bacon

With a small knife, cut slits in the tenderloin. Insert garlic cloves. Wrap bacon slices around tenderloin securing with toothpicks. Put in Ziplock bag; add wine and teriyaki sauce and refrigerate for three hours.

Remove tenderloin from refrigerator about 30 minutes before ready to cook. Put a little olive oil in pan heat until hot. Sear tenderloin on all sides in hot pan, about 4 minutes. Cover pan and put in the oven set to 450F for 18-21 minutes for rare.

Remove tenderloin from oven, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Oxtail Ragu

1.5# Beef oxtail
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 parsnip, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 cups red wine
4 T tomato paste, divided use
½ c tomato sauce
Olive oil

Soak oxtails in cold, salted water for an hour. Rinse and put them into a pan; cover with clean water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove oxtail and place on paper towels to dry. Discard liquid.

Heat olive oil in a heavy pan. Add oxtail and brown on all sides. Remove to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Add the carrots, parsnip, celery, onion and garlic. Cook until vegetables are soft. Return oxtails to pan. Add red wine, 2 T tomato paste and bay leaf and enough water to almost cover oxtails. Simmer for 4-5 hours or until meat is falling off bones.

Remove from heat. Remove oxtails and pull the meat off the bones. Put meat into a baggie and refrigerate overnight. Strain liquid, keeping vegetables and liquid in separate containers and refrigerate overnight.

The next day remove liquid from refrigerator and skim fat. Return sauce to a pan. Add remaining 2 T tomato paste and ½ c tomato sauce.

Put the soffritto, which has been drained into the bowl of a small food processor and pulse until vegetables are blended. Pour vegetables into sauce to thicken. Return meat to sauce and heat through. Serve over your choice of pasta garnished with grated parmesan cheese.

Oatmeal Cookies with Dried Apricots and White Chocolate

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
7 ounces dried apricots, chopped (1-1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix flour, oatmeal and baking soda in a medium bowl. Cream butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add salt, vanilla, and eggs, and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture gradually, beating until just combined. Stir in chocolate and apricots. Cover, and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 1 week. Makes about 4 dozen.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living, March 2009