Lamb Stew

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Ingredients:

1 lb boneless lamb cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 T flour
1/2 t ground black pepper
2 pinches of salt
2 T olive oil
3 strips of meaty bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 medium sweet onion, cut into chunks
8 oz cremini mushrooms, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into thick chunks
3 large garlic cloves, chopped or smashed
3/4 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 lb unpeeled yellow or red potatoes, scrubbed, bad spots removed, and cut into large pieces
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
2 t tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 t dried thyme
1/8 t dried rosemary
1 T parsley, chopped
Optional garnish: chopped chives or sliced green onions Read More

Bolognese Sauce with Beef Pork and Bacon

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Ingredients:

4 strips meaty bacon
8 oz cremini mushrooms, cut into large chunks
1 t olive oil, optional
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into pieces
4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 lb ground lean beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1 (28 oz can whole peeled Italian plum tomatoes, crushed by hand, shoulders removed
1 rounded t dried thyme
1/4 t dried Mediterranean oregano
1/4 t dried garlic
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of salt (you may add when you taste but you can’t take it out!)
1/4 cup milk
Read More

Chicken Breasts with Prosciutto and Mushrooms

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Plated with Timbale

Serves two

Ingredients:

1 thick (about 3/4-1 lb) boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced in half laterally to create two thinner pieces
2-4 slices provolone
2-4 slices prosciutto
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
4 large cremini mushrooms, rinsed, dried, and thickly sliced
1/3 cup sweet onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
4 large cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 t Mediterranean oregano
1/8 t ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup slightly sweet white wine Read More

Spicy Ropa Vieja

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Ingredients:

1 T olive oil, preferably a fruity oil
1/2 of one large sweet onion, sliced into 3 inch lengths about 1/2 inch thick
1 green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and sliced as you did the onion
4 cloves garlic, chopped or smashed
1 1/2 T tomato paste
3/4 t cumin
3/4 t Mexican oregano (please do not use Mediterranean oregano)
Ground black pepper, at least 1/4 teaspoon
1 good splash of white wine
1 T soy sauce
1 bay leaf
1 large whole jalapeno, rinsed and dried
1 lb flank steak cut across the grain into four pieces
Several red jalapenos, left whole, rinsed and dried
1/2 t white vinegar Read More

Calabrian Style Beef Vegetable Soup

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Ingredients:

Nutrition analysis for 8 servings

1 T olive oil
1 lb lean minced or diced beef steak
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery chopped
1 Calabrian hot chile, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
2 1/4 cups beef stock
1 (15 oz) can Italian tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 t ground garlic
3/4 t dried basil
1/2 t dried Mediterranean oregano
1/4 t dried rosemary
1/4 t dried thyme
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 medium red potatoes, cleaned, left unpeeled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup cut green beans, fresh or frozen
1 T minced fresh parsley Read More

Feasting in Frascati

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a beautifully delicious day in Frascati. Wish I was there, but at least we can read about it. What is your favorite part of this meal?

Charles Scicolone on Wine

On our recent trip to Rome, Michele and I were fortunate to be invited to the home of Josephine Wennerholm, a food blogger and cooking teacher in Frascati. We follow her blog Frascati Cooking That’s Amore  and have always found it full of good information, not just on Frascati, but on Rome and the surrounding area.

Josephine’s husband Pino picked us up in Rome and drove us to Frascati, which is about 30 minutes from Rome, unless there is traffic. There we met a group of their friends, great food and wine lovers all. Josephine had prepared a real feast, and several of her guests contributed their specialties.

We started with an amazing assortment of antipasti. Josephine had made delicious suppli, Roman style rice balls, that were flavored with mushrooms and tomato and fried in a crispy breadcrumb coating.

Next we had little fried turnovers filled with greens and cheese.

There…

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Pot Roast for a Small Family

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Ingredients:

1 (small 1 1/2 lb) chuck roast
2 T all-purpose flour
Fresh ground black pepper to cover the roast
a little bit of salt to accompany the pepper
1 1/2 T vegetable oil (or your favorite high heat oil)
1 small sweet onion, cut into large pieces
3 slender carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into 1 1/2” lengths
1 stalk celery, include some leaves, and cut into large diagonal pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, deseeded and cut into large pieces
3 garlic cloves
1 cup beef stock
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t dried thyme
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

Optional: 2 sprigs fresh thyme Read More

Pequeña Turkey and Bean Chili

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Ingredients:

1 T olive oil
1 lb ground turkey, lean (not extra lean)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper
1 red jalapeno or serrano, deseeded and sliced
1 1/4 T Gebhardt Chili Powder
1 t dried garlic granules
1 1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t dried Mexican oregano
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/8 t chipotle chili powder, optional
1 1/2 T all-purpose flour
1/ 1/2 T tomato paste
1/4 cup roasted hot Hatch chiles, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 – 2 cup chicken stock
1 (15 oz) cans beans, drained and rinsed – pinto, great northern, kidney, small red – use your favorite

Optional garnish: chopped cilantro, cheese, green onions, avocado, tomatoes, and jalapenos Read More

Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup for Four

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Ingredients:

1 T butter
8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
2 thick sliced meaty bacon, cut into large chunks
1 (8oz) package cremini mushrooms, rinsed, patted dry, and thickly sliced
1/2 medium sweet onion, sliced into large chunks
1 celery stick with leaves, sliced on the diagonal
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1 small shallot, minced
1 T garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup of white wine such as Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc
1/3 cup wild and brown rice
3/4 t thyme
1/4 t ground black pepper
2.5 oz baby spinach
1 dash of Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup cream Read More

Standing Rib Roast coal grilled method

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Ingredients:

1 bone-in rib roast
1/4 cup or more of one recipe of Tony’s Meat Rub

Spoon Mage™ Note:

I did not specify the number of ribs or which end to get, the larger or small. Why? Because it all depends upon how many people are eating or which type of meat you prefer.

A standing rib roast has seven ribs from small end to large. Each rib will serve two healthy appetites or three light eaters. A three rib roast is good for anywhere from 6-9 people. Read More