Decedent Penne Vodka

Vodka Sauce

1 pint of heavy cream
1/2 container of Marscapone Cheese
2 cups of Parmesan or Asiago Cheese (or both)

1 clove of garlic smashed
1 can of Pastene crushed tomatoes
Fresh Basil (as much as you like)
2 tbs of fresh Italian Parsley chopped
1/2 to 1 cup of chicken stock
1/2 cup of white wine
1/2 stick of butter
2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch of red pepper flake (add more to make Spicy Penne Vodka)
salt and pepper to taste


In a large pot add your cream and we want to reduce this to half (meaning, boil on medium for about 10 minutes, until thick and it becomes half in quantity). Once the cream is reduced add the cheeses and let it all melt in. Set this aside.

In a separate pan, add your butter, oil and garlic. Let the garlic brown up. Add your pepper flake next. To this add your can of crushed tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Let this simmer for about 30 minutes. Once the sauce has cooked, add in your cream mixture and let cook another 10 minutes. Toss with Penne and extra Parmesan Cheese and Romano. Enjoy!

* Looking to make this fancy? Add in chopped lobster, shrimp or crab and serve as a main course.

**Add in Italian sausage or grilled chicken if you want to add in some protein.

Banana's Foster

One of my favorite desserts. Here is my spin on an old classic. Super quick, easy and elegant.

Banana's Foster

3-5 bananas sliced into rounds

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of white sugar

1 cup of dark rum

1 tsp of vanilla

1 stick of butter

1 tbs of cinnamon

In a large saucepan melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add both sugars and let cook for 5 minutes. Once sugar is dissolved add the rum. Cook for 1 minute. Add the vanilla and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minutes and add the bananas. Coat the bananas in the rum sauce and let cook another 5 minutes.

Serve on top of premium vanilla ice cream like Haagen-Daaz or Ben and Jerry's. Top with freshly whipped cream and mint!

* Turn this dessert into breakfast and instead of using maple syrup, top your french toast, waffles or pancakes with this divine confection.

Crab Meat Stuffed Mushrooms

 2 packages of button mushrooms (cleaned and stems popped out. Chop up the stems)
 1 stick of butter
1/4 olive oil
1 clove of pressed garlic
1/4 cup of white wine
1/4 cup of fresh Italian Parsley finely chopped
1/2 lb of lump crab meat
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers ground
1 cup of Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of Romano cheese
1 tsp Old Bay
1 tsp garlic power
1 tsp black pepper

In a large pan, add the stick of butter, olive oil and the garlic. Saute garlic until brown. Add in the chopped mushroom stems. Saute the mushroom stems for about 15 minutes. Add in the white wine and cook another 5 minutes. Add in the crab meat and fresh parsley and remaining ingredients to form your stuffing. Make sure the stuffing is not too wet or not too dry. Add more crackers or some water to adjust.

Once your stuffing is made, stuff each mushroom. You want to be generous with the stuffing. Drizzle each mushroom with some melted butter and extra Parmesan. You may even top with a small slice of bacon if you would like. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and the stuffing is golden brown.

*If you don't like crab meat, use sausage as an alternative option and for you vegetarians, substitute chopped spinach!

Fresh Strawberry Lime Margaritas!

Have you been using that bottle of chemical's to make your favorite strawberry margaritas? Well, here is a simple and fresh new way of making homemade margarita mix.

1 container of fresh strawberries (or see Tips section!)
Juice of one lime, plus zest
Simple Syrup=1/2 to 1 cup of cane sugar (make a simple syrup by boiling one part sugar to one part water until sugar dissolves)
1/2 to 1 cup of water (depending on how thick or thin you like it)

Mix all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Taste the mixture to make sure it is sweet enough to your liking. Put through a sieve to remove seeds and to make smooth. Put into a pitcher with tequila and garnish with additional strawberries, mint, limes and rim glasses with salt if you like.

Tips!
Try this recipes with different fruits like fresh raspberries, mango, papaya, blueberries, watermelon, pineapple or any other fruit that you can think of!

Delicious Entertaining! Lobster Guacamole

Guacamole

2 avocados (soft and ripe)
1 clove of garlic pressed ( you may use onion instead)
1/2 finely chopped tomato
1 tsp of finely chopped parsley (you may use Cilantro instead)
1 tbs of lemon and lime juice
1 tsp of Jalapeno Tabasco (the Green one)
1 tsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper

Mix all of the above until smooth. SIMPLE!

Classic Maine Lobster Salad (triple this recipe for lobster salad rolls)

1 lobster fully de-shelled and chopped into chunks

1/4 cup of Hellmann's Mayo

1 celery stalk finely diced

1 wedge of lemon squeezed

salt and pepper 

 Mix all of the above. Season to taste and chill. 

When you are ready to serve place the guacamole in a bowl and mound the lobster salad on top. 

Serve with fried wontons, potato chips, crackers, pita chips, rice crackers or whatever you would like. For a low carb appetizer, serve with fresh veggies.

   

Lobster tricks!

*Don't throw out those lobster legs! There is a  ton of delicious lobster meat in them. Take a rolling pin and roll the meat right out of them. You will be surprised at how much meat comes out.

**If you do not know how to boil a lobster, have your local fish monger do it for you.

Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnut Salad

Beet Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

5-6 Beets Roasted and sliced

1 Pear thinly sliced

Goat Cheese Crumbled

Toasted Walnuts (1/2 cup or more if you like)

Handful of Mache or Arugula

Arrange the beets and pear on a plate. Sprinkle cheese and walnuts on top. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette

1 tbs of Dijon Mustard

1 tsp honey

2 tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar

Walnut oil

Salt and pepper

In a bowl add in mustard, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix together. Whisk in Walnut oil (about 3tbs) until vinaigrette is emulsified. 

Roasting the Beets

To roast the beets, wash them and place in aluminium foil. Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Fold up the foil into a packet and roast for 45 minutes at 400 or until a knife will go through. Let sit for 30 minutes and then peel (you may want to wear gloves).

Toasting the Nuts

Take a dry frying pan and on medium-high heat, add the walnuts. Saute these in the dry pan until you can smell them roasting and immediately take them out. Be careful NOT to burn. Roasting nuts makes all of the difference as well. It brings out a ton a flavor.

 

My Father's Famous Potato Salad!

My father is a great cook and everyone LOVES his famous potato salad. He makes this quite often and has multiple requests to bring this heavenly recipe to various summertime bbq's and parties. My father also does a great job garnishing this dish, which makes this recipe very unique.
He tells me this was my dear Aunt June's recipe who was also a tremendous cook as well. This one is defiantly a keeper!

Johnny O's Famous Potato Salad

5 lbs of potatoes, peeled, cubed into quarters, cooked until soft and cooled
1-2 cups (need to eyeball, may need more or less) Hellmann's mayo (do not use any other brand)
1 large heaping tbs Miracle Whip
2 tbs of fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
2-3 tbs French's Yellow Mustard

1 tbs white vinegar
6-8 hard boiled eggs chopped up (plus 2 more for garnish)
Salt and pepper

Garnish
1 large tomato cut into quarters or in half zig-zag style
2 hard boiled eggs cut in half
Black and green olives
Paprika (sprinkle)
Lettuce 
Parsley
You can also garnish with cucumber, peperoncini peppers, bell pepper, etc.

In a large bowl, add the cooked potatoes, and all of the listed ingredients. Once you have everything combined and well seasoned...now it's time to garnish.

In a pretty glass bowl, line with lettuce, add the potato salad in the middle. Garnish with tomatoes, olives and hard boiled eggs. Give once last sprinkle of salt and pepper. Top off with Paprika (not too much). Done!