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  • Cathi’s Florentine Zucchini

    Ingredients

    1 pound seashell pasta
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 onion, chopped
    3 cloves garlic, chopped
    4 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
    salt and pepper to taste
    2/3 cup white wine
    1/2 pound ricotta cheese
    1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Directions

    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

    Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until onions begin to soften. Stir in zucchini and season with salt and pepper.

    Increase the heat to medium-high and add the wine. Allow it to reduce by half, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in ricotta and cinnamon. Heat through and season with salt and pepper. Add drained pasta to skillet and toss. Serve immediately.

  • Grilled Gorgonzola Flat Irons

    Ingredients

    1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
    1 tablespoon garlic powder
    1 tablespoon chili powder
    1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
    1/4 cup dark brown sugar
    4 (8 ounce) flat iron steaks

    2 tablespoons olive oil
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1/4 cup red onion, minced
    1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon (or other dry red wine)
    1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

    Directions

    Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

    Combine the cinnamon, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the flat iron steaks on all sides, and press into the meat; set aside.

    Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in the red wine, and boil until the wine has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes more. Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside.

    Cook the flat iron steaks on the preheated grill for 4 minutes per side, then remove and place into the skillet. Top the steaks with the onion mixture, and sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese.

    Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese has melted and the steaks have cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 5 minutes for medium. Sprinkle with chopped basil to serve.

  • Recipe For Chili Verde Stew

    Ingredients

    3/4 pound boneless pork roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
    1 tablespoon canola oil
    1/4 cup chopped green pepper
    1/4 cup chopped onion
    1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
    1/4 cup dry red wine or beef broth
    1 cup canned diced tomatoes
    1/2 cup salsa
    2 tablespoons canned chopped green chiles, divided
    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    1/4 teaspoon sugar
    1 dash ground cloves
    2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
    1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

    Directions

    In a large saucepan, cook the pork in oil over medium heat until no longer pink; remove and set aside. In the same pan, saute the green pepper, onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes or until tender. Stir in the pork, wine or broth, tomatoes, salsa, 1 tablespoon chilies, cumin, sugar and cloves. Cover and cook over low heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    Stir in the parsley, jalapeno and remaining chilies. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes longer or until meat is tender.

  • Recipe For Seafood Triangles

    Ingredients

    3 tablespoons chopped green onions
    3 tablespoons butter, divided
    1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and quartered
    1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
    4 teaspoons cornstarch
    1/3 cup 2% milk
    1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    1 (6 ounce) can crabmeat – drained, flaked and cartilage removed
    1 teaspoon sugar
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1/8 teaspoon white pepper
    22 sheets phyllo dough (14 inches x 9 inches)
    1 egg white, beaten

    Directions

    In a large nonstick skillet, saute onions in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Add shrimp and wine or broth; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp.

    Combine cornstarch and milk until smooth; stir into the cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, crab, sugar, lemon juice, cayenne, white pepper if desired and shrimp. Remove from the heat; cool.

    On a dry surface, carefully remove two sheets of phyllo dough and place on top of each other (keep remaining dough covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying). Melt remaining butter. Cut sheets widthwise into six strips about 2 in. wide. Lightly brush the tops with butter.

    Place a rounded teaspoonful of shrimp mixture near lower right corner of each strip. Fold left corner of dough over filling, forming a triangle. Fold triangle up, then fold over, forming another triangle. Continue folding like a flag for the length of the strip.

    Place triangles on ungreased baking sheets. Brush tops with egg white. Bake at 400 degrees F for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.