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Ingredients

2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon shallots, minced
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium saute pan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms; cook and stir until soft. Remove mushrooms from pan, and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon butter to pan, and melt . Add shallots; cook and stir until translucent. Add mushrooms, and cook until soft. Add thyme, bay leaf, and red wine. Reduce.

In a small bowl, dissolve arrowroot in 1/4 cup cold beef broth. Stir remaining broth into sauce, and bring to a boil. Whisk in arrowroot mixture, and stir until thick. Add reserved mushrooms. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and salt.

Ingredients

4 large green bell peppers, tops removed, seeded
4 large red bell peppers, tops removed, seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound ground pork
2 onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (10.75 ounce) can tomato puree
1 (4 ounce) package feta cheese
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place green and red bell peppers in a bowl with enough warm water to cover, and soak 5 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place pork and onions in the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pork is evenly brown. Drain grease, and mix in wine and tomato puree. Continue cooking 10 minutes.

Transfer skillet mixture to a large bowl, and mix in feta cheese, cooked rice, raisins, pine nuts, and parsley. Stuff peppers with the mixture, and arrange in a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove foil, and continue baking 10 minutes, until stuffing is lightly browned. May be served hot or cold.

Ingredients

3 large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Directions

Toss the cucumbers with the salt in a colander, and leave in the sink to drain for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Whisk together the sugar and vinegar in a mixing bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumbers, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro; toss to combine. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top before serving.

Ingredients

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter
2 veal chops
1 portobello mushroom, sliced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup red wine

Directions

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil with butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chops until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Once browned, stir in mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and rosemary; cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in red wine, increase heat, and cook, uncovered, until sauce is reduced by half. Veal chops may be removed at any time to prevent over-cooking, then returned to the pan for the final minute.

Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and serve.