Dinners for a Year and Beyond

Beef Stew Bourguignon

I went to visit my sister last week. She lives in Minnesota on a farm with her husband, three kids, a dog, a cat, and their herd of cattle.

My sister has been battling breast cancer for the last 9 months. I would rather just visit her for fun, but I was there to help her with all the daily responsibilities of being a mom because the radiation treatments she has been getting for the past 5 weeks make her very tired.

Her refrigerator and freezer are now full of healthy lunches and dinners. I drove her to Mayo Clinic for her appointments so she could read the newspaper or take a nap during our 1 and 15 minute drive. My niece and I tried to find a dress for her upcoming confirmation ceremony, but unfortunately had no luck.

And I made my sister laugh. I spent my first 3 days on the farm mooing at the cattle and trying to convince them that I was their friend. I just wanted to see them up close. Every time I walked up to the cattle, they would scatter. My sister was confused at my mooing and staring at the livestock and later on confessed that she had no idea what I was doing. I explained that I just wanted to get a closer look at the cattle. She lead me to the barn and gave me a bucket of corn. The cattle came running! After my sister stopped laughing at me, she snapped a few photos as I fed my new friends.

I know she appreciates the help I gave her while I was visiting. As her sister, of course I would do whatever she needed me to do. But the best part of the visit was just hearing her laugh, even if she was laughing at me. During this long emotional and tiring roller coaster of a battle with cancer, it is good to have a laugh.

As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine.

One of the dinners I made for my sister's family was Beef Stew Bourguignon. It is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day.

Beef Stew Bourguignon

serves 6

8 slices of bacon, diced
olive oil
2 1/2 pounds of chuck roast, cut into large chunks
salt
pepper
1 pound organic baby carrots
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth, low fat and low sodium
1 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 pound button mushrooms, quartered and sauteed

Heat a large Dutch oven and add the bacon. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Add enough oil to the dutch oven to equal about 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle the beef cubes with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Add the carrots and onions to the dutch oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the beef broth and thyme. Reduce to a simmer and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cook on the stovetop for about 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the sauteed mushrooms. Continue simmering the beef stew until the gravy thickens slightly. Season to taste.

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Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

Tailgate - [teyl-geyt] adjective - relating to or pertaining to a picnic set up on a tailgate.

Who would think that eating and drinking in a parking lot surrounded by rows and rows of cars, buses, and RVs could be so much fun?! Food tastes better and a cold beer is that much more thirst quenching when served out of the back of your car while enjoyed with good friends at a sporting event on the outskirts of a huge sports arena.

Spending an afternoon and evening at a college lacrosse tournament, the highlight for me was the tailgate. My contribution to the parking lot picnic was Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches. Thin sliced deli roast beef is combined with roasted red peppers, peppperoncinis, dried thyme and oregano and beef stock. If you are in a hurry, just a couple hours on High are all that is needed to make these satisfying sandwiches which taste like you spent all day preparing them. To make your sandwich more parking lot-worthy, add a generous squirt of Kraft Sharp Cheddar Easy Cheese

Eating out of the back of your car never tasted so good.

No cheese, please.

Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

serves 12

3 pounds of thin sliced deli roast beef
4 cups of beef stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 jar (12 ounce) sliced pepperoncinis
1 jar (12 ounce) sliced roasted red peppers
12 long rolls, split
1 can Kraft Sharp Cheddar Easy Cheese

Place all the ingredients in crock pot and stir to evenly distribute. Set crock pot to High and cook for 2 - 3 hours or set to Low for 5 - 6 hours.

To serve, put a generous amount of the beef and peppers into a roll and drizzle with the broth. Squirt cheese on top if desired.

Herb and Balsamic Steak Kebabs

Eating food on a stick is fun. No Thank You Boy will eat twice as much food if I serve it on a skewer. I have made Thai Chicken Tenderloin Satay no less than 5 times this month for my clients and family. And that does not include the numerous Beef Kebabs with Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce and a new client favorite of Herb and Balsamic Steak Kebabs I have prepared this month.

I am officially declaring March the Month of the Kebab.

After mixing up the marinade, add the cubed sirloin steak so it can soak up the herb, balsamic, and Dijon mustard flavors. Thread the beef onto bamboo skewersalong with some peppers and red onion wedges followed by a quick roasting in a hot oven or on the grill is all that is needed for a great dinner. Add a brown rice pilaf with sauteed leeks and peas and you will be eating a delicious dinner with a minimum of fuss.

Dinners for a Year and Beyond. Helping families get back to the dinner table one recipe at a time.

Herb and Balsamic Steak Kebabs
serves 4, 2 kebabs per person

2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano, basil, and thyme
1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak, cubed
1 red pepper, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 green pepper, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, cut in 1-inch pieces
8 bamboo skewers

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oregano, basil, and thyme. Place the steak in a large resealable bag and add all but 2 - 3 tablespoons of the marinade. Set reserved marinade aside. Let the steak marinate in the refrigerator for 2 - 6 hours.

Thread meat alternately with the peppers and onion on the skewers. Baste the kebabs with the reserved marinade. Place on a broiler pan and roast in oven for about 4 - 5 minutes per side. During the last couple minutes of cooking, turn the oven to broil to slightly char the kebabs.

Remove from oven and let sit covered for 5 minutes before serving.

Note - alternately, the kebabs can be grilled on an outdoor grill for 4 - 5 minutes per side.

Sugared Shortbread

Cookies are an important time of my day. With coffee for breakfast. As a pick me up in the late afternoon. And a couple with a shot of milk before bed make for a good night's sleep.

I was introduced to Sugared Shortbread by my neighbor and good friend Kathleen. She can brew a pot of coffee and have a tasty baked good ready at a moment's notice. Even if I stop by unannounced. These buttery, dense treats are melt-in-your mouth delicious and include rice flour as an ingredient. Rice flour is available at your local grocery store in the baking aisle or can be bought online. One brand I typically use is Bob's Red Mill White Rice Flour. Or make your own rice flour by grinding white rice in a coffee bean grinder.

If you start a batch of Sugared Shortbread now, it will be ready for when that next cookie attack hits.

Sugared Shortbread

makes 32 cookies

2 cups flour
1/4 cup rice flour such as Bob's Red Mill White Rice Flour *
1/4 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling on top
1 cup butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 8 x 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine the flour, rice flour and sugar. Stir in the melted butter. Add a little more flour if needed for the dough to be a firm consistency. Press into prepared pan to a thickness of about 1 inch.

Bake for about 40 - 45 minutes or until the shortbread is evenly golden brown. Cut immediately into cookie sticks and sprinkle generously with the extra sugar. Cool completely before removing from pan.

* note - rice flour can be made by grinding white rice in a clean coffee grinder.

Brie & Caramelized Onion Stuffed Chicken

When I cook dinner at home, I relax, usually take my time, have a glass of wine, and get dinner to the table in an unhurried manner. Cooking for my personal cheffing clients is different. Very different.

I cook for my clients weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. I even have a few clients that just call me up and hope that I can fit them into my schedule. The day starts with packing my car with my cooking supplies, zipping through the grocery store, chatting with my favorite checkout clerk Bonnie, and packing the groceries in my eco-friendly bags, before heading to my client's home.

Upon arrival, at usually an empty house, I chat with the dogs, unpack the groceries, sharpen my knives, put on my impeccable white apron (a la Julia Child), and start my day. With menu in hand, I plan my cooking balancing act. My goal is to cook a complete meal in about 45 minutes, give of take time for entrees requiring several steps to prepare like Brie and Caramelized Onion Stuffed Chicken versus ones that I can whip through such as Ginger Honey Barbecued Pork Tenderloin.

Typically, I have many dishes underway at the same time because I want to minimize the time it takes me to prepare all the meals. Pasta will be cooking for Parmesan orzo and peas, butternut squash, turnips, red potatoes, and baby carrots will be roasting in the oven, onions will be caramelizing on the stove top, and I will be mixing up the dressing for a Caesar salad all at the same time. Add in packaging the meals, adding the labels for heating instructions, and washing dishes and packing the refrigerator full of meals, my day is then complete.

A client favorite is Brie and Caramelized Stuffed Chicken. Chicken breasts are stuffed to overflowing with slow cooked, wine infused onions, garlic, and Brie cheese. After and quick sear to brown the outside of the chicken, it finishes up in the oven. A light sauce of wine, chicken stock and sage complete the dish.

This is a Sunday dinner type of dish. Put it on your menu next week and enjoy dinner with family and friends.

Caramelized Onion and Brie Stuffed Chicken

adapted from a recipe on myrecipes.com

6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, sliced thin, about 4 cups
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 cup white wine, divided
about 6 ounces of Brie cheese, rind removed and cut into 6 slices
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced onion, salt and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Add sliced garlic and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of wine and cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Spoon 3/4 of the onion mixture into a bowl and the remaining 1/4 into another bowl - reserving for the sauce. Let onion mixture cool.

Cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each chicken breast to form a pocket. Stuff about 1 - 2 tablespoons of the onion mixture into each pocket along with a slice of the Brie cheese.

In the same saute pan that the onions were cooked in, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches and brown chicken on each side; about 3 - 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken and place on a large baking sheet. Finish cooking the chicken in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken registers about 165 degrees on a thermometer. Make sure you are testing the temperature of the chicken and not the stuffing.

Meanwhile, in the same saute pan, add the reserved 1/4 of the onion mixture and 1/2 cup wine. Bring to a boil and reduce for about 3 - 5 minutes. Add the sage and chicken stock and continue boiling for an additional 4 - 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir to melt.

Remove the chicken from the oven and place on a platter. Spoon sauce over the top and serve.

The Crab Cake

As a God-fearing, church-going Catholic, I follow the Lenten regulations of abstaining from meat on Fridays mainly because I want to improve my chances of making it to Heaven. It is only these Fridays during Lent that I crave a huge, juicy cheeseburger because I am "not supposed" to eat meat on these days.

As a backup to my burger desire, I keep a can of fresh crab meat on hand to make The Crab Cake instead. A mostly crab meat filled patty with barely enough egg and panko to bind it together reminds of warm summer days spent at The Shore instead of the burger of my dreams.

Crab cakes are a weekly request from my clients. I think I will put in a request to make them for myself this Friday.

The Crab Cake

Use crab meat from the refrigerated section near the seafood department of your local grocery store or Costco. I use Phillip's backfin or special varieties.

makes 12 crab cakes or about 4 servings

1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced celery
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 egg
1 pound of fresh crab meat, either backfin or special varieties
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup panko plus more for dredging crab cakes in before sauteing
canola oil and butter for frying

for classic tartar sauce --
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
squeeze of lemon juice

shredded iceberg lettuce

In a large saute pan, heat about a tablespoon of canola oil and saute the onion and celery for 4 - 5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, gently combine the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, dry mustard, parsley, egg, crab meat, 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, and 1/2 cup of panko and the onion-celery mixture. Make sure that you do not mix too much because you do not want to break up the crab pieces.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, form the crab mixture into 12 crab cakes. If you have time, refrigerate, covered for 30 minutes to help the crab cakes hold their shape while sauteing.

Heat a large saute pan to medium high. Drizzle about 1 - 2 tablespoons of oil and add 1/2 tablespoon of butter into pan. Place about 1 cup of panko in a shallow dish. Dredge each side of the crab cakes in the panko and saute for about 3 - 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

For the tartar sauce, in a small bowl combine the 1 cup of mayonnaise, pickle relish and lemon juice.

Serve crab cakes on top of shredded iceberg lettuce with a squeeze of lemon and classic tartar sauce.

Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn

Growing up, we had a Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper. By what seemed like magic, the popcorn popper would turn oil and corn kernels into an overflowing bowl of perfectly popped popcorn. The magic stirring wand on the base of the popper constantly moved the kernels insuring all the corn popped without burning. Adding a pat or two of butter to the special butter well on top of the popper allowed it to melt over the corn as it popped. The icing on the cake was that the plastic dome doubled as a bowl meaning less clean up after gorging on handful after handful of buttery popcorn.

When I had kids of my own, I first made microwave popcorn for them. Quick, convenient, and no mess to clean up, it was an ideal snack for a mom with 3 kids under 4 years old. As my kids got older, we experimented with making popcorn in a pot on the stove top. We liked the big, fluffy pieces of popcorn this method produced, and the popcorn did not have that processed taste like the microwave version. With lots of shaking of the heavy pot and steam sneaking out from under the lid, making popcorn was sometimes a dangerous cooking adventure for my kids and I.

When my daughter asked for a popcorn popper for Christmas a couple years ago, I headed to the Internet to do some research. There were fancy poppers which are miniature versions of the poppers used at carnivals and the circus. Fun but impractical. Where would I store that thing? There were poppers by major appliance makers each touting some special feature. But these poppers tended to be on the expensive side. I only wanted to buy a popcorn popper. Not a popper, chopper, dicer, mixer, and blender all in one.

Then I remembered the Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper of my youth and all the fun my best friend Susie and I had making bowls upon bowls of perfectly popped and buttered popcorn at our weekly sleepovers. I had found the popper for my daughter!

After over 2 years of near constant use, my daughter's Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper pops a beautiful bowl of popcorn every time. We usually are just butter and salt popcorn eaters. I decided it ws time to change it up and did a little experimenting to come up with with different flavored popcorns.

Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn was invented to satisfy my salty and sweet cravings. The corn is popped in a mixture of oil and sugar so each piece of popped corn in covered with a slightly crunchy sugary coating. The hot, just popped kernels are then tossed with a cinnamon, sugar and salt mixture for added flavor.

Make a double batch. Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn will disappear quicker than it took you to make it.

Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn
makes about 6 cups

2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup popcorn
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons sugar

In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the salt. Set aside.

Put oil, popcorn and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar into the popper If using a Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper, it will do all the work for you. After the popcorn stops popping, flip over the dome and add the cinnamon mixture. Using a large spoon, toss to coat the popcorn evenly with the mixture. Serve immediately or spread on a large baking sheet to cool and package in an airtight container.

If using a pot with a lid, place it on the stove top over high heat. Add the oil, popcorn and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar to the pot and place the lid on top. Start shaking the pot as soon as the corn starts to pop. Continue shaking until the popping almost stops. Remove quickly from heat, open lid and pour in cinnamon mixture over hot popcorn. Toss the popcorn and the mixture with a large spoon making sure all the popcorn is coated. Serve immediately or spread on a large baking sheet to cool and package in an airtight container.

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The Perfect Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We have been told this for years. It is the meal that jump starts the day. In the warm summer months, a smoothie whipped up with nonfat Greek yogurt and ripe strawberries, peaches and plums is a standard breakfast at our house. But as the warm days give way to cold and dark winter mornings, something a little more hardy and not so healthy is a grab and go meal that can be eaten with one hand.

I have loved the American institution that is the Egg McMuffin for as long as I can remember. The Perfect Breakfast Sandwich was created to fill my need for this McDonald's breakfast staple when there was not a McDonald's in sight. The English muffin is made with white flour, the egg is high in cholesterol, the ham and American cheese are loaded with fat, and the butter is full of calories, but boy does this morning sandwich sure taste good. On occasion, I have been known to make a half dozen of The Perfect Breakfast Sandwich, wrap each in parchment paper, and store them in the refrigerator for a quick breakfast. Just heat in the microwave on low power for about a minute and you will be out the door and on with your day in no time at all.

Swimsuit season is months away. Why not enjoy The Perfect Breakfast Sandwich today. Add a glass of orange juice and all your food groups are covered.

The Perfect Breakfast Sandwich

makes 1 sandwich

1 English muffin, split
butter
1 large egg
2 slices American cheese
2 slices honey ham

Heat a small skillet to medium and add a pat of butter. Spray the inside of a 3 inch round biscuit cutter and place in the skillet. Crack egg into the biscuit cutter and cook the egg until the outside of the yolk is cooked just through.

Loosen the egg from the edge of the cutter with a small knife and remove the cutter from the pan. Flip the egg and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes. You want the yolk of the egg just cooked through.

Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add the ham to the pan and cook to just heat through.

Meanwhile, toast the English muffin and butter both sides. Immediately top each side with a slice of American cheese. Place the ham on the bottom half of the muffin and top with the cooked egg. Place the remaining half of the muffin on top of the egg.

Breakfast is served.

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Triple Cheese Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Spinach

People comment on my blog posts. I don't get hundreds of comments like The Pioneer Woman or Smitten Kitchen, but I do get some comments. Some readers say they like my recipes or photographs. Others give me feedback on a certain recipe that they have tried. Still other readers relate to the story behind one of my recipes and then give me a little insight into themselves.

Personally, I do not know the people who comment on my blog. I only know my readers through the cyber world and many of them now seem like old friends. I did meet one person who reads my blog. By chance, we were both at a taping of The Martha Stewart Show. She recognized me from my profile picture. Kinda weird and kinda freaky.

I like reading the comments posted on my blog, and it feels like a warm hug. Realizing I am helping at least a few people get dinner on the table is a satisfying feeling. For some people, dinner time is very stressful and if I can do a little bit to make it less of a chore and more enjoyable, my blog is a success.

I received an email not to long ago from a reader inquiring if I had a delicious stuffed shells recipe. Little did this reader know that Triple Cheese Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Spinach is an almost weekly request from my clients - especially during the blustery, snowy, and long winter season. One client commented that it is the perfect meal with each shell holding its own complete meal.

With our latest blast of snow and bone-chilling temperatures, I whipped up a batch of stuffed shells on a recent school cancelling snowy day. Along with my kids, a favorite Guest Eater - Two Scoops - spent the day at our house and joined us for dinner. All were thrilled when finding out what was on tap for dinner except for No Thank You Boy. He choose to devour 2 bowls of pasta with marinara sauce.

Triple Cheese Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Spinach is a warm-you-to-the-bones meal that is a perfect make ahead entree. This recipe is for you Angela!!

Triple Cheese Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Spinach

I use Barilla Jumbo Shell Pasta. There are about 35+ shells per box. My recipe calls for sweet Italian turkey sausage but feel free to substitute your favorite kind of Italian sausage.

serves 6 with leftovers

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 stalks of fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
1+ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 package jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente rinsed with cold water and set aside
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
3 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make the sauce, saute onions in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until transparent. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, salt and sugar and simmer sauce for about 20 - 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the sausage, spinach, ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

In a 9 x 13 baking dish, spread about 1 cup of the sauce. Fill each shell with the cheese mixture and arrange in the baking dish. Top the filled shells with another generous cup of the sauce and sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake for about 25 - 35 minutes until bubbly and hot. Serve with remaining marinara sauce, if desired.

Serve with a tossed salad of romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, slice peppercinis, and Parmesan cheese with a balsamic dressing and a big basket of garlicky toasted Italian bread.

Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Sometimes it takes a few trys until I get a dish right. That is how it is with most things in life.

I have loved to cook for as long as I can remember. Most of my jobs early in my life involved food in some sort of way. I was a busgirl at a local hamburger restaurant when I was 15. I worked at an ice cream shop and scooped until my arm was sore when I was 19. I was the weekend cook at my sorority house when I was 22. When I graduated college, the stars aligned and I took my dream job as....... a commercial real estate appraiser. Not.

I was lured by a job in the big city with a steady paycheck, a briefcase, and a train ride to and from work. My first appraisal job lead to two more appraisal jobs until 1 then 2 then 3 kids were running around our house. My appraisal life was over, and I was not sad to see it go.

Fast forward 10 years and with the kids in school full time, I was back in the kitchen and working in a small gourmet cafe. Planning menus, making sandwiches with funky names on focaccia bread, washing piles of dishing, waiting on customers; I was in my glory. It did not seem like work to me. Two years later the cafe closed its doors, and I was again looking for my next food job.

I cooked and I cooked and I cooked for my family. But there is just so much food one family can eat. I stumbled upon the notion of being a personal chef. My days are spent not only cooking for my family, but for 5 other families as well. Each family has a different set of tastes and the menus I prepare are ever changing. There is not a day that I am bored or I wish I was doing something else.

It took a few trys until I found the right job for me. You know it is the right one when it doesn't feel like work. Being a personal chef doesn't feel like work to me.

Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes was a dish that took a few trys to perfect. The pan sauteed chicken is bathed in a light lemony sauce punctuated by artichoke hearts, tart sun dried tomatoes, and gets a kick from Dijon mustard.

This dish comes together so quickly it doesn't seem like work to get dinner on the table.

Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes
serves 4

4 chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise into thin cutlets
salt
pepper
flour
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 (14 ounce can) artichoke hearts, quartered
8 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced in thin strips
1/2 lemon, sliced paper thin
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour.

Heat a large saute pan to medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil. Saute the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 - 4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the chicken. Remove from pan and keep warm.

In the same pan, add the wine and bring to a boil. Whisk in the mustard and chicken stock. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and whisk until it melts and the sauce thickens slightly. Gently stir in the artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes and lemon slices. Add the sauteed chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Ricotta Gnocchi in a Flash!

It is dinner time again. Every day like clockwork, it creeps up on you like a little kid waiting just around the corner to scare you. What will you make for dinner tonight?!

Check the freezer. You spy ice cream, a frozen pizza, a couple pounds of rock hard ground beef, Stouffler's Mac and Cheese, a container of frozen blueberries, a package of half-eaten hash brown patties. And then your eyes widen and your mouth curls into a smile. You see it. The large Ziploc bag of Ricotta Gnocchi you made last month just waiting for the Fresh Basil Marinara in the refrigerator.

You may be thinking that there is not a bag of frozen Ricotta Gnocchi in your freezer because it is too time consuming to make. And wouldn't it be just as easy to buy it from the grocery store? You would be wrong if you thought that. It only takes a short amount of time to make enough gnocchi for dinner and some for the freezer. And the store bought gnocchi will taste...well....store bought. With a quart of marinara on hand, a dinner that will be more satisfying than the frozen pizza you were thinking about eating will be ready in about the time it takes to boil water.

I have learned to do foods simply. Making meals with good ingredients and simple cooking techniques yields pleasing and scrumptious food. Ricotta Gnocchi is one such food.

Live to eat. Don't eat to live.

Ricotta Gnocchi in a Flash!
Recipe by personal chef Kris Etze

2 pounds ricotta cheese
all purpose flour (enough to fill the cheese container, leveled off)
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh basil marinara
grated Parmesan cheese

Place the ricotta into a mixing bowl. Measure the exact amount of all purpose flour needed to fill the container. Level it off. Add to the ricotta cheese with the salt and blend well.

Take the dough and roll it onto 1 inch ropes.

Cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Press with your thumb to make an indentation or roll off a fork like traditional gnocchi.

Place prepared gnocchi onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. They may be frozen at this point. Freeze, then place in Ziploc bags for later use. Fresh or frozen, to prepare gnocchi, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and return to boil. When the gnocchi float to the top they are done, about 3 - 5 minutes.

Fresh Basil Marinara Sauce
makes about 4 cups

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 ounce) can peeled whole plum tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
red pepper flakes to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
2 stalks fresh basil leaves or 1 heaping teaspoon dried basil

In a saucepan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and onion. Saute for 6 - 8 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and saute an additional minute. Carefully pour in the tomatoes and add the salt, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Stir and bring just to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer, add the basil and continue cooking for about 20 minutes.

Remove basil from the sauce. Cool, package and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Grilled Hoisin Chicken Wraps with Sesame Noodles

Can you cook meals for at least seven days with what you have on hand?

That was a challenge wagered by my personal chef friend Tami aka the Dine-In Diva. For her Cook With What You've Got Challenge, one trip to the grocery store to get fresh vegetables and dairy is allowed. Then for at least a week, cook with what's in your pantry and freezer.

I'm in!!

My pantry and cupboards are stocked to the brim with pastas of all shapes, rices and beans, canned tomatoes, artichokes, and fiery peppers, and enough spices and seasonings to rival the McCormick spice factory. My refrigerator and freezer are burgeoning with more cheeses than Wisconsin, dozens of eggs, yogurts and sour cream, sauces and dressings, a few bottles of wine (always good for getting those creative juices flowing) and frozen tilapia, chicken and flank steak. Plentiful leftovers already on hand include chili with kidney beans, split pea soup with ham, and maple Dijon glazed pork tenderloin.

The first night of the challenge, I prepared a dinner that I was to make over the weekend. Scheduling conflicts on Saturday night prevented me from making this dinner as planned (i.e. we went out to our local corner bar instead). This resulted in Monday night's dinner of Brown Sugar Flank Steak with Creamed Spinach. I added some Mashed Cauliflower from a couple heads that were in the garage refrigerator.

Day One of the Challenge complete.

On Tuesday I did not cook. I reheated. All the leftovers I had one hand along with the addition of Monday night's dinner were what was served for Tuesday night's dinner.

Day Two of the Challenge complete.

One Wednesday I could have pulled out some more leftovers, but that would have been lame. Three chicken breasts, hoisin sauce, honey and soy sauce became the filling for Grilled Hoisin Chicken Wraps. I added a side of Sesame Noodles and dinner was served.

The wraps included a hoisin mayonnaise, baby spinach, and sliced mango as well as the chicken. My Oldest and I particularly enjoyed the fresh tasting, Asian-inspired wraps. No Thank You Boy and My Middle One think fruit and meat have no busy being served together. They decided on bowls of Sesame Noodles with diced pieces of the Grilled Hoisin Chicken. To each his own.

Day Three of the Challenge complete.

Now on to invent tonight's dinner. The suspense is killing me.

Grilled Hoisin Chicken Wraps

makes 4 wrap sandwiches

olive oil
3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
salt
pepper
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 large tortillas or wraps
1 mango, sliced
4 handfuls of baby spinach

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a grill pan to medium high and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and grill for about 2 - 3 minutes per side or until the chicken just gets some nice grill marks. Remove chicken to a shallow baking dish.

Meanwhile, combine 1/3 cup hoisin sauce, honey, and soy sauce. Brush the chicken with the hoisin mixture and bake in the oven for about 12 - 15 or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature is about 165 degrees. Remove chicken from the oven and place it on a cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest 5 minutes. Then slice in long strips.

* Note - the chicken can also be grilled on an outdoor grill and brushed with the hoisin mixture during the last few minutes of cooking. Because of the cold temperatures - and I am a wimp - I decided to go with the indoor grilling method outlined above.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce and mayonnaise. Set aside.

To assemble the wraps, place a tortilla on a cutting board. Spread the bottom half of the tortilla with a generous tablespoon or so of the hoisin mayonnaise. Lay a handful of the spinach over the bottom half of the tortilla. On the bottom third of the tortilla, layer a few slices of the chicken and a few slices of the mango. To roll up the wrap, fold in the two outside edges and begin rolling from the edge closest to you. When the wrap is rolled up, slice in a diagonal in the middle and serve with extra hoisin mayonnaise.

Sesame Noodles

serves 4

8 ounces of fettuccine, cooked according to the package and drained
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, chopped
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 scallions, thinly sliced
sesame seeds

In a large saucepan, heat the canola and sesame oils. Add the garlic and ginger root and saute for 1 - 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 - 4 minutes or until the sauce slightly thickens. Add the cooked noodles and scallions and toss to combine.

To serve, sprinkle noodles with sesame seeds.

Peppers, Pasta and Sauteed Chicken

Lunch. The meal in the middle of the day. Sandwich? Salad? Soup? Burger? I am craving something soul-satisfying. I live to eat and think about my next meal more than I should. I think about what my family and friends that happen to stop by might like to eat. For my midday meal, I like one that won't fill me up too much causing that drowsy feeling that precedes a nap. A meal that is too light has my stomach growling by 2 p.m.

There is an Open Refrigerator Policy in my kitchen. The first time my kids' friends visit, I will make lunch, a snack, or dinner for them. After that initial visit, they know they are welcome to help themselves to whatever is in the refrigerator or pantry.

I know what the friends like to eat and drink. No Thank You Boy's friend Two Scoops - so named because he always wants another scoop of whatever he is eating - likes apple juice. There will be a bottle of his favorite drink in the refrigerator when he stops by. Another friend of NTYB, referred to as Eddie Haskell because he reminds me of the brown-nosing character from the 1960's Leave It To Beaver television show, devours ultra-spicy chicken wings. More times than not, there is a batch in the freezer ready to go in the oven. Pancakes are popular with any sleepover guests, and a batch can be quickly whipped up even if still blurred eyed from not getting enough sleep.

One Saturday afternoon found a couple friends of No Thank You Boy stopping by for football and a few games on Playstation. Around lunchtime, I was preparing Peppers, Pasta and Sauteed Chicken. Two Scoops happened to be one of the friends visiting. When he first arrived, he stated that he was not hungry. As the smells of the onions, red peppers, and garlic sauteing began to waft into the family room, he wanted to know what I was making. By the time I was tossing the pasta and chicken with the tomatoey sauce laced with peppers, he was sitting at my island ready to be the first one to dig in.

Knowing that I am always looking for feedback on my cooking, he volunteered, "This bursting with flavor. It's like a party in my mouth."

The sauce is light yet flavorful. It soaks into the pasta adding savory flavor without being heavy. A generous sprinkle of goat cheese adds the perfect tangy contrast. This is the lunch I like to eat. Comforting and filling but not so much as to make you feel stuffed.

Peppers, Pasta and Sauteed Chicken is a prefect lunch that does not induce a nap. I may still take a nap though because naps are good.

Peppers, Pasta, and Sauteed Chicken

serves about 6

4 cups small-sized pasta such as rotini, penne, or rigatoni
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, cut in bite-sized pieces
salt
pepper
2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
dash of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon basil, dried
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
Parmesan or goat cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Transfer to a large serving bowl and cover to keep warm.

Heat a large saute pan to medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and saute for 4 - 5 minutes or just cooked through. Add to pasta.

In the same saute pan over medium high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, red peppers and onions. Saute for an additional 5 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and basil and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 - 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pour sauce over the chicken and pasta. Toss to coat. The sauce is thinner than a typical marinara sauce and will soak into the pasta.

Spoon into shallow bowls and sprinkle generously with Parmesan or goat cheese. My preference is for the tangy goat cheese which melts into the sauce making it creamy.