Empanadas de Habana

Directions:

Simmer ground beef with chopped garlic, spices and dried chilli peqine.(cayenne pepper can be substituted) drain. Place one to two table spoons of meat in an envelope of fillo-dough (turnover style) using fork tips press the edges around the dough envelope to seal it. Place them in a pan with 1/4" olive oil hot. Brown the empanadas on both side and repeat untill there is at least two per person. Serve with a yellow safron rice and black beans.. (a Cuban staple) To drink, a sangria or golden beer chilled. - Salude!

Mom's Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Serves 8

When I was growing up, my mother made scrumptious macaroni and cheese with creamy sauce, sautéed onions, paprika, and loads of Tillamook or sharp Cheddar cheese. My siblings and I loved it, especially the crunchy-cheesy topping. Mom baked the casserole in the cast-iron Dutch oven she received as a wedding present.

When I added bacon to the filling and Parmesan cheese and panko bread crumbs to the topping, my kids and friends attacked that mac with a vengeance, thus it took on the name “macattacaroni.” My favorite pasta for this is cellentani , a tubular cork-screw shape that has a ridged surface. It looks very whimsical. For pure indulgence, a fresh truffle or white truffle oil drizzled on top takes this to a special level of comfort food.

1/2 pound uncooked elbow macaroni, cellentani, or other tubular pasta
1/4 pound thick-sliced lean bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 1/4 cups whole milk
4 cups (1 pound) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs, found in the Asian food section of supermarkets

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, put the bacon in a 10-inch Dutch oven and cook it over medium heat for 3 minutes or until a little bacon fat covers the bottom of the pan. Stir in the onions and continue to cook until they are golden and the bacon is cooked through, about 4 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Add enough of the butter so you have 3 tablespoons of fat in the pan. When it has melted, stir in the flour and cook until lightly colored, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring until smooth. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Add 3 cups of the cheese and stir until it has melted. Stir the macaroni and season with paprika, salt, and pepper to taste.

Combine the remaining cup of Cheddar, the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and panko crumbs in a bowl. Spoon the mixture over the macaroni and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. If it is not browned enough, turn the broiler on and cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer, watching carefully that it doesn't burn. Remove the casserole and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Try any of the following mac and cheese additions: cooked chunks of kielbasa, chorizo, or any sausage; cooked chunks of lobster; diced canned or chopped sun-dried tomatoes; a small white truffle thinly shaved and/or white truffle oil; and, of course, canned tuna...a.k.a. Tuna Casserole!

Mike's Magic Meatballs

• 3 lbs 80 or 85% ground beef   (you can also use the meatloaf mix  veal/beef/pork)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of flavoured bread crumbs
• extra virgin olive oil
• chopped garlic
  
  cover the bottom of the baking pan with oil and finely chopped garlic.  throw the meat, eggs and bread crumbs into a large bowl; mix together well.  roll the meat mixture into small meatballs; no larger than a ping pong ball.  (if you want them for buffet style/ cocktail style, make them about the size of an aggie) toss into pan with olive oil and garlic; put into oven set @ 375 for about 15 or 20 minutes or until nicely browned on outside.  save the drippings from the pan and add some to your sauce.  speaking of sauce ...
  

Ray's Favourite Chicken Francaise

• 3 or 4 lbs of chicken cutlet , cut up thinly and cleaned
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of flavoured bread crumbs
• extra virgin olive oil
• chopped garlic
• 2 lemons  thinly sliced
• 2 sticks of butter
• 2 cups white wine

Pour enough evoo to cover bottom of baking pan; throw in chopped garlic.  clean and rinse your chicken.  beat eggs in one bowl, pour bread crumbs in another.  using tongs, dip chicken in egg, then into bread crumbs, coating well.  drop into baking pan.  place chicken into oven @ 375  for about 1/2 hour or so (depending on how thick you cut the chicken) turning once to brown on both sides.  while chicken is browning, add about 1/2 cup evoo, butter, and chopped garlic to large frying pan.  heat until garlic is nicely browned and your kitchen smells yummy. slowly pour the wine into the evoo butter mix, so it does not burn you.   pour this mix over the browned cutlets in the baking pan; cover the pan with lid or foil, and bake for another 10 or 15 minutes.

Don't forget to serve lots of vino and fresh bastone bread.

Mangia Happy!!!

10 Minute Linguine with White Clam Sauce
Recipe from Stephanie Burkland from Cortlandt Manor

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
• 5 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shakes crushed red pepper
• 1 5oz can baby clams
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1Tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup white wine (Goya)
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons Parsley

Directions

Lightly saute garlice in olive oil

Add crushed red pepper

whisk in flour

add wine-BASE WILL THICKEN

add clams and salt and pepper

add butter and parsley-DONE!!!

ANYTIME YOU SEE A STANDARD RECIPE FOR CLAM SAUCE IT ALWAYS TELLS YOU TO USED MINCED CLAMS-YEARS AGO I ALTERED IT TO CANNED BABY CLAMS- WITH THE MINCED THERE IS NO SUBSTANCE NOTHING TO SINK YOUR TEETH INTO!!!!!

THE RECIPE DOUBLES/TRIPLES NICELY

FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE LOTS OF CLAMS YOU CAN ADD AN EXTRA CAN OF CLAIMS TO THE SINGLE RECIPE BUT YOU MUST DRAIN THEM-DON'T ADD THE CLAM JUICE THEY COME IN It literally takes 10 minutes and is ready before the "linguine pot" comes to a boil MOVE OVER RACHEL RAY!!!!!!!

It is common knowledge that Italians have a huge fish meal for Christmas Eve because back in the day no one ate meat on Chistmas Eve.

As an aside 42 years ago (did I just write that?!!!) I was looking for a recipe to impress my new boyfriend. We all know that no matter what generation you are from the way to a man's heart is still through his stomach!!!!!

After 32 years of marriage it is still one of his favorites!

At holiday time we are all running around like chickens without heads. This quick yummy FAST recipe beats fast food any day!!!!!!!!!

Herb-Roasted Turkey with Maple-Orange Glaze
Recipie courtesy of Celebrity Chef Katie Lee

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 to 3½ hours

Ingredients:

1 fresh turkey (12–14 lb.), rinsed and patted dry
3 tsp kosher salt
1 ½ tsp freshly ground
black pepper
1 1 tbsp Herb Butter
3 cups Spicy Corn-Bread Stuffing
¾ cup maple syrup
¼ cup chicken stock
¼ cup orange juice
1 bay leaf

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. 2 Remove neck, giblets and gizzards from cavity and reserve for gravy, if desired. Season turkey with salt and pepper all over skin and inside cavity. Using fingers, gently lift skin and rub Herb Butter underneath. Stuff turkey with about a third of refrigerated Spicy Corn-Bread Stuffing mixture. Truss turkey, place onto a rack in a large roasting pan, and cook in oven for 3 to 3½ hours. 3 Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine maple syrup, chicken stock, orange juice and bay leaf. Bring to a very low simmer and remove from heat. Baste turkey every 30 minutes with maplesyrup mixture. 4 Turkey is one when a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 170ºF and juices run clear. If breasts or legs look as if they are cooking too rapidly, tent with foil. 5 Remove turkey from oven and tent with foil. Let rest 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, carve and serve. All recipes yield 8 servings.