Beef with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

INGREDIENTS

2 (4 ounce) beef tenderloin steaks (1 inch thick)
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1 1/2 cups water
1 (.5 ounce) package dried shiitake mushrooms (about 1/2 cup)
cooking spray
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2/3 cup sliced green onions
2 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

DIRECTIONS

Trim fat from steaks. Combine hoisin sauce, wine, ginger, and 1 garlic clove in a shallow dish. Add the steaks; cover and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning steaks occasionally.

Combine water and mushrooms in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving liquid. Discard mushroom stems; cut caps into quarters, and set aside. Bring mushroom liquid to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat. Remove steaks from marinade; add marinade to reduced mushroom liquid; set aside.

Prepare grill or broiler.

Place steaks on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat the sesame oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, green onions, and 1 garlic clove; saute 2 minutes. Add marinade mixture, and cook 2 minutes.

Cut the steaks diagonally across grain into thin slices. Arrange steak on each of 2 plates, and top with mushroom sauce. Serve with cooked rice.

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

INGREDIENTS

2 (1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lb.) flank steaks
1/2 c. soy sauce (low sodium)
1/2 c. oriental sesame oil
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Fresh ground pepper
2 med. garlic cloves, crushed

DIRECTIONS

Place in non aluminum pan. Whisk soy, oil, vinegar and generous amount of pepper in medium bowl. Cover pan tightly and refrigerate 24 hours, turning steaks occasionally. Barbecue high heat 4 minutes per side (medium rare). Transfer to platter and let rest 5 minutes.

Fruit Rum Punch

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups rum
1/3 cup banana liqueur
1 dash grenadine syrup
1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 (6 ounce) can frozen pineapple juice concentrate
1 orange, sliced into rounds
1 lime, sliced into rounds
1 lemon, sliced into rounds 

DIRECTIONS

In a large punch bowl, prepare the orange and pineapple juice according to package directions. Stir in the rum, banana liqueur and Grenadine. Float slices of orange, lime and lemon on top.

Irish coffee

INGREDIENTS

1 Shot Irish Whiskey
1 Teaspoon raw sugar
1 heaping spoonful whipped cream
Strong, hot coffee

DIRECTIONS

Pre-warm a stemmed glass. Pour in the whiskey. Add sugar and coffee. Float the whipped cream on top.

Don't stir! Sip your drink through the whipped cream.

Banana Strawberry Smoothie

INGREDIENTS

1 cup skim milk -- cold
8 ounces strawberry yogurt
2 bananas
1 tablespoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Use a blender or food processor for this recipe.
Put all ingredients in blender and turn to puree mode until of desired consistency. (Make only about 2 servings at one time so the blender will not be overfull.) If using a food processor, use the steel knife to process; 8-10 seconds will be sufficient.

Serve in a tall glass.

Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together shortening, margarine, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the oats until just combined. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until just light brown. Don't over-bake. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Brazilian Nut Pie

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup margarine
2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie 

DIRECTIONS

Melt the margarine and the chocolate together, stirring until chocolate is smooth. Add eggs, sugar, salt, and syrup. Stir until everything is mixed thoroughly. Stir in walnuts.

Pour into unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 40-50 minutes, or until pie is set. Let sit for 30 minutes before slicing.

Coconut Pie

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs
1 3/4 c sugar
1/2 c flour
1 stick butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 can shredded coconut
3 c milk
pinch salt
1/4 c canned milk

DIRECTIONS

Separate eggs setting aside; pour milk into pan and heat. Mix sugar, flour, salt, egg yolks, and canned milk in a mixing bowl. Pour into hot milk, stirring constantly until thick. Add butter, vanilla and 3/4 coconut. Pour into baked pie shells. Beat egg whites and spread on top adding remaining coconut. Place in oven to brown.

Chocolate Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS

5 egg yolks, 1 pint (500ml) milk, 1/2 pint (250ml) double/heavy cream, 2 oz (50g) sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS

Create a custard base - and at the point where you remove the saucepan from the heat to allow the mixture to cool, add the cocoa. Then chill the custard until it's really cold. Once chilled, mix until slushy. Add the cream (whipped) and make sure it mixes in well. Transfer the mixture in an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Red Raspberry Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

(For the crust)
2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
3 Tablespoon chopped toasted almonds
4 Tablespoon melted margarine or butter
(For the filling)
24 oz. low fat cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
5 Tablespoon cornstarch
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup amaretto (or any liqueur of your choice)
2 tsp. almond extract (vanilla, if not using amaretto)
(For the sauce)
(2) 12 oz. packages raspberries, thawed
5 Tablespoon amaretto (optional)
1/3 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl stir together crushed cookies and chopped almonds. Add butter and stir to combine. Press mixture into the bottom of a greased 9"  pan.

For the filling:

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch. Beat until smooth with an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well each time. Add yolk and beat again. Stir in the whipping cream, amaretto and almond extract. Mix well. Pour mixture into the crust. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 10 minutes; lower temperature to 200 degrees F. and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the center no longer looks shiny. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a knife around the inside edge of the pan. Turn the oven off; return the cake to the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and chill for 3 hours or more.

Puree thawed berries in blender, food mill or food processor and strain through a fine sieve over a wide bowl to remove all seeds.

Heat puree with sugar till mixed. Remove from heat and add liqueur. To serve cheese cake pool 1/4 cup of sauce on each plate. Place serving of cheesecake on sauce. Garnish ideas: toasted almonds, whole fresh or  raspberries, white rose petals. Serve in heart shaped puree pools.