Dijon Cream Herb Sauce/Maras

Great sauce for fish, chicken or pasta.

1 cup scallions, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh tarragon, chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 pint heavy cream
salt and white pepper to taste

Saute first 3 ingredients until tender.  Add wine and stock, reduce by 1/2.  Add cream, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper, thicken with cornstarch and water slurry.  Off heat add herbs, 1/4 cup dijon mustard and 1 cup diced tomatoes.

Clams Casino

First you have to make a really good casino butter!  You can make a good size amount, roll it up in wax paper and freeze so you always have on hand.

1 lb. margarine
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic

Soften margarine and mix rest of ingredients.

12 little neck clams on the half shell, tendons cut from bottom shell
Casino butter
4 slices bacon, cut in 1/3rds
Italian bread crumbs
provolone cheese(optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place 1 tsp. Casino butter under each clam.  Top with bread crumbs then bacon.  Bake clams for about 5-10 minutes or until bacon is done.  If desired, top with cheese and bake until cheese melts.

Garlic and Herb Butter

OK, it's not really "butter", but this is cheaper to make and can be used to saute, bake or make great garlic bread.

1/2 lb. margarine
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. white pepper
pinch salt
1/4 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. freeze dried chives

Soften margarine, then mix rest of ingredients. 

Dijon Salad Dressing

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp.sugar
2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
3/4 cups red wine vinegar
dash Tabasco Red Pepper sauce
2 1/2 cups olive oil

Blend all ingredients except oil.  In a processor or with a mixer on slow, slowly add oil, incorporating into the dressing.  Refrigerate.

Pesto Sauce

1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)

Blend all ingredients in processor.  Refrigerate.

Maryland Steak Seasoning

Who needs "Montreal" when you have "Bawlmer"? 
You'll want to use this on steaks, burgers and chicken, so make enough to last!

1 cup Kosher salt
1/2 cup garlic powder
1/2 cup onion powder
1/2 cup McCormick Fajita seasoning
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning

Mix thoroughly and keep in a tightly closed container.

Cajun Shrimp with Cilantro Lime sauce

1 lb. jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
cajun spice
melted butter or margarine

2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. Tabasco Green Jalapeno Sauce

In a blender, puree sour cream with lime juice, cilantro and Tabasco.  Reserve
Coat shrimp in butter then dredge in cajun spice.
Grill on a hot grill for about 2 minutes on each side.
Serve with sauce on side.

Irish Toast

Start St. Patrick's day off right, with some Irish Toast and an Irish Coffee : )

6 slices white bread, Texas toast style
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 eggs

Mix milk, Bailey's and eggs well.  Add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, whisk well.  Dip bread into egg mixture and pan fry in butter or margarine.  Serve with butter and syrup. 

St. Patrick's Irish Potato Boats

A St. Patrick's Day version of stuffed potato skins.  Always a popular appetizer in sports bars, so must be perfect for St. Pat's!!

3 large baked potatoes
1 15 oz. can green pork chile (or chicken)
shredded cheddar and jack cheese
sour cream
guacamole

Cut potatoes in half and hollow out with a spoon.  Take most of the potato out but be careful not to break potato apart.  Best to have the potato cold when prepping.  Either deep fry or bake potatoes in very hot oven until the skin gets crispy.  Place "boats" on a baking sheet and fill with green chile.  Top with cheese and bake in oven until cheese slightly browns.  Serve with sour cream, guacamole or ranch dressing.
If you can get it, try Stinkin Good Green Chile.  It's available in both pork and chicken varieties.
http://stinkingood.com/buy/

Irish "Car Bomb"

St. Patrick's version of a boilermaker.

1/4 pint glass Guinness Stout or Murphy's
1 oz. Bailey's Irish Creme
1 oz. Jameson's Irish Whiskey

In a shot glass, layer Jameson's on top of Bailey's.  Drop shot glass into pint glass of Guinness.  Drink as a shot.  Repeat.  Don't drink and drive.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

It's almost St. Patrick's Day.  Have to have some corned beef and cabbage.  Here's some trivia for everyone.  Corned beef is the American version.  The Irish are more accustomed to ham and cabbage. 

2 1.2 lb. corned beef brisket, with spice packet

1 whole yellow onion, left whole with stems and outer skin removed
4 stalks celery, cut in half
½  cup pickling spice
1 med head cabbage, quartered and tied with twine
1 lb. baby carrots
1 lb. red potatoes, halved

In large stock pot, place corned beef, onion, celery and carrots.  Cover with water plus about 1 inch.  Add pickling spice and spice packet, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 2 hours.  Remove corned beef from broth and reserve.  Strain out onion, celery and carrots, reserve.  Bring broth back to a boil and add potatoes. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until tender.  Strain out potatoes and reserve.  Bring broth back to a boil and add tied up cabbage.  Cook about 5 minutes or until done.  Slice corned beef thinly, going against the grain.  Serve with spicy mustard.

Corned Beef Hash

Great recipe to use up leftover corned beef.

2 potatoes
1/4 lb. bacon
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. corned beef, chopped
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 tbsp. bourbon
1 tsp. worcestershire
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, grated
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

Cook potatoes until tender, let cool and chop coarsely.
Cook bacon in oil, pat dry and dice. Save bacon drippings.
Combine corned beef, pottoes, bacon, onion, bourbon, worcestershire, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a saucepan, reduce heavy cream by half.
Melt reserved bacon drippings, add hash mixture and cook for 15 minutes.
Add parsley and reduced cream.  Stir well.
Place in well buttered baking dish.  Bake in oven till golden crust forms.

Irish Coffee

St. Patrick's Day wakeup beverage : )

2 oz. Irish Whiskey (Jameson's or Bushmills)
1 oz. Kahlua
1 oz. Bailey's
6 oz. hot coffee

Top with whipped cream.  Garnish whipped cream with drizzle of green creme de menthe.

Classic Reuben

Only 3 days till St. Patrick's Day!!

2 slices toasted rye bread
4 oz. thinly sliced corned beef ( or mix of corned beef and ham)
2 tbsp. thousand island dressing
1/4 cup sauerkraut, drained
2 slices swiss cheese

Arrange corned beef on a microwavable plate, topped with dressing, kraut and cheese.  Microwave on high for about 1 minute or until hot.  Place on bread and slice.  Serve with slaw and potato chips.

Crab Reuben

Delicious twist on the classic sandwich.

2 slices toasted rye or marble rye
3 oz. thinly sliced ham
2 tbsp. thousand island dressing
2 oz. crab salad
2 slices swiss cheese

On a microwave safe plate, arrange ham topped with thousand island, crab salad and cheese.  Microwave for about 45 seconds or until hot.  Place on rye and slice.  Serve with cole slaw on side.

Irish Hero

Time to start getting ready for St. Patrick's Day!!  This corned beef sub is my version of a classic saloon selection. 

1 Italian sub roll
6 oz. sliced corned beef
2 slices swiss cheese
sweet and sour kraut dressing
Ken's Honey Mustard dressing

Sweet and sour kraut dressing.
1 can shredded sauerkraut, drained
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup white onion, diced
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup apple juice

Combine ingredients for dressing and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Top corned beef with dressing and swiss cheese.  Microwave for about 1 minute or until hot and cheese melts.  Place on sub roll, cut in half.  Serve with honey mustard on side.