Brenda's Recipes

Greek Salad

Greek Salad with Homemade Greek Dressing

• 4 cups of washed and chopped Romaine lettuce
• 1 sliced tomato
• 1 sliced cucumber
• ½ cup Kalamata olives
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup chopped red onion

Mix all ingredients together in large salad bowl.  Top with Greek dressing.

Whisk together the following ingredients to make a homemade Greek salad dressing:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• 1 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• 1 small garlic clove-minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• ½ tsp oregano

• 1.5 lbs Fresh Halibut filets, skin removed
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme

1. Whish together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and thyme.
2. Pour over halibut in an airtight container or plastic bag, and let marinate for 20 minutes in refrigerator.
3. Preheat oven to Broil
4. Place marinated halibut on baking sheet. Place on upper rack in the and broil for 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of the fish.
5. Remove from oven, drizzle with olive oil a dash of salt and serve with lemon slice.

** Serving suggestion: Accompany with Roasted Lemon and Herb Potatoes (find under side dish tap) and Greek Salad (under salad tab)

Lemon Herb Potatoes

•  4-5 russet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp thyme

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Wash and slice potatoes into wedges or whatever shape you prefer. Place on baking sheet.
3. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme.
4. Pour over potatoes and coat evenly, using hands.
5. Bake for 20 minutes and remove from oven. Using metal spatula, flip the potatoes in pan. This will keep one side from burning.
6. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until potatoes are crisp and golden.
7. Remove and serve with a squeeze of lemon over top.

Pumpkins are not just for decoration this time of year! The sugar pumpkin is a wonderfully versatile ingredient to be used in fall cooking. It pairs well with sweet flavors like honey, maple syrup or brown sugar. While also being nicely complimented by savory tastes like thyme, crushed red pepper , sage and salty cheeses. Sugar pumpkins can be found at any local supermarket. They are not be confused with the larger pumpkins that are used for carving. These are smaller, sweeter and are less fibrous, which makes them great for cooking and baking with.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend picking one up next time your at the store and seeing what you can do with it!

Here is my recipe for a sugar pumpkin risotto.. it just might be the most delicious risotto I’ve made to date. My two year old told me “Mmmmm, It’s really good Mommy” after every bite tonight!

Ingredients:

• 1 sugar pumpkin (should yield about 4-5 cups of pumpkin cubes)
• 2 cup Arborio rice
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 clove of chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoon of butter
• 4 tablespoon of olive oil
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1  cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup grated gruyere cheese
• 2 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Half, seed and peel sugar pumpkin. Dice into 1/2 inch cubes. Put on baking sheet with 2 tbs of olive oil, 2 tbs of brown sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together so that cubes are evenly coated and place in oven to bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven a few times and mix pumpkins around so that the bottom side doesn’t burn. When sugar pumpkins are tender and slightly browned remove from oven. Puree or mash half and leave the other have in cubes. Set aside till its time to add to the risotto
3. For the risotto you’ll need two separate sauce pots. In smaller one bring 6 cups of chicken stock to a simmer. In larger  pot, melt 2 tbs of butter and 2 tbs of olive oil. Add chopped onion and garlic season with 1 tsp salt and pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until onion is soft and translucent.
4. Add rice and toss to coat the rice evenly. Let rice toast a bit, about 5 minutes.
5. Add white wine. Stir often
6. After the rice absorbs the wine, gradually add the chicken stock about a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring often.
7. Once all the stock is used, the rice should be just slightly al dente yet very creamy and smooth textured.
8. Fold in pureed and diced pumpkin along with the gruyere cheese. Stir together until cheese melts and pumpkin is distributed throughout the risotto.

Hello and Welcome to my blog!

 My name is Brenda Lanzilli. By day, I am a full time mommy to my two sons. A cleaning, washing, folding, playing, coloring, running around and changing diapers- Mommy! But at night I’m something different. I’m a chef! No I don’t have any culinary training or impressive apprenticeships under my belt. I don’t have twenty years of experience in the kitchen or a huge collection of recipes that I’ve nourished my family with over the years….YET!   What I do have is a love of cooking, a natural talent for the fusion of flavors, and a true interest in learning and sharing recipes.

Cooking is my passion. It’s my way out, while staying in. It’s my creativity, my inspiration, my joy. Cooking is my muse.

I’m very excited to document and share some of my recipes on this blog. I hope to build the content on these pages with a wide variety of  delicious and easy meals. I welcome you to post any feedback, suggestions, or some recipes of your own. To me, food is all about sharing the love. And I hope I can bring some of my love to your dinner table.

I created this recipe several months ago. My inspriation was a bottle of champagne that I wanted to open and have a glass of, being that I was pregnant I had to stop at only one glass! But I didn’t want to waste the rest of the bottle so I tried to incorporate it into as many elements as possible into my cooking that night.

 I came up with a Pan Seared Halibut in a Creamy Lemon and Thyme Champagne Sauce over a bed of Sauteed Baby Spinach accompanied by a Champage Asiago Risotto…
It turned out incredible!!
I make risotto often but I always have used white wine in it. The champagne makes for a much sweeter and softer flavor, which was truly delicious when complimented by the savoriness of the Asiago Cheese.
The Halibut was out of this world!! I modified a recipe I found online for Pork Chops in a champagne sauce. I had to change it around a bit so that the flavors would work with fish instead of pork, but if you wanted to use it with pork add tarragon or rosemary to the sauce and omit the lemon.

Ingredients:

• 2 -7oz filets of Halibut
• 1 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 half finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 small clove of chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 cup champagne
• 1 cup whole milk, or half and half
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ready to eat package of baby spinach leaves

Directions:

1. Heat oil on med-high heat
2. Season halibut with salt and pepper on both sides and add to pan. Cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside
3. Turn down heat and add onion, garlic, lemon zest. Sautee for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. In same pan whisk together butter and flour to make rue
5. Return onion garlic mixture to pan and pour in the champagne, whisking rapidly to incorporate rue and liquid.
6. Add lemon juice and thyme. Gently boil while whisking for 2 min to reduce sauce.
7. Add milk and continue to whisk, let simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Return Halibut to pan and let cook through in sauce for about 5-7 min, depending on thickness of filets.
9. Meanwhile, in separate pan sauté baby spinach.
10. When fish is cooked through serve over bed of spinach and spoon generous serving of sauce on top.

Champagne Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 half yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 cup risotto
• 2 ½ cup low sodium chicken stock
• 1½ cup champagne
• ½ cup grated Asiago Cheese
• 2 tbsp olive oil

 Directions:

1. Bring chicken stock to slow boil in small saucepan
2. Heat olive oil in medium sauce pan and add onion and garlic, cook until transparent
3. Add Risotto, stirring to coat evenly for about 1-2 minutes
4. Add Champagne, let rice absorb liquid stirring frequently
5. Add heated chicken stock in ½ cup increments, stirring frequently
6. Stir in Asiago cheese in a figure eight motion, then salt and pepper to your taste.

These apples are savory and sweet all at the same time. Serve alongside a bed of baby greens or arugula for fabulously delicious lunch. Reserve the baking liquid and emulsify with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a dash of kosher salt and cracked black pepper to make an Apple Sherry Vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sized baking apples
• ¼ cup Blue Cheese
• ¼ cup toasted, chopped   walnuts
• ¼ cup cranberries , coarsely chopped
• 1/8 cup scallion
• 3 slices crispy Applewood Smoked Bacon
• 1 cup Apple Cider
• 2 Tbs. Sherry Wine Vinegar
• Juice from half a lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine Blue cheese, scallions, walnuts, cranberries, and bacon in small mixing bowl.
3. Peel and half the apples. Using a small paring knife or melon baller remove the core and make a cavity for the stuffing. As you prepare each apple squeeze a small amount of juice from lemon half and rub all over apple to prevent from discoloring.
4. Fill each apple with the stuffing made previously and place in shallow baking dish.
5. Wisk together apple cider and sherry wine vinegar. Pour over apples in baking dish.
6. Bake for about 50 minutes until apples are tender. Baste liquid over apples several times while baking (keep them from looking dry)
7. Reserve the baking liquid and emulsify with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a dash of kosher salt and cracked black pepper to make an Apple Sherry Vinaigrette. Use the dressing over a bed of baby greens or arugula

It’s Apple Picking Time!!! But what to do with all those bushels you bring home? Here is a quick, easy and ohhhhh so delicious recipe for the classic fall treat- Apple Crisp.

Autumn Apple Crisp

For the Filling:

• 7/8 firm apples (Best for baking: Cortland, Macoun, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Empire or MacIntosh)
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablesppon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel, core, and slice apples. Place the fruit in a large bowl and add the zest, juice, sugar, flour, and spices. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish.

For the topping:

Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve and enjoy!!

See a picture here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2159869/autumn_apple_crisp.html?cat=22

NY STRIP STEAKS BRUSHED WITH A TANGY GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 head of garlic

1 tbsp. quality olive oil

4 tbsp. butter, softened

1 tsp. fresh chopped parsley, dry will also do.

1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

½ tsp. Grill seasoning (coriander)

1 ½ tsp. Cracked Black Pepper

1 ½ tsp. Kosher Salt

2- 12 to 16 oz NY Strip Steaks

Cast Iron Grill Pan

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Remove the loose outer skin of garlic. Cut less than ¼ off the top to expose cloves inside. Place in muffin pan and drizzle olive oil over the top. Using a muffin pan will keep the garlic saturated in the olive oil and really enhance the flavor of the roasted garlic. Place in oven to roasted for about 20 minutes, or until cloves are soft and lightly browned.
3. In a small bowl combine butter, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and grill seasoning.
4. 4. While garlic is still roasting heat cast iron grill pan on med-high. I like to use a grill pan so the steaks can have those beautiful and ever-so appealing grill marks. Aesthetically, it makes a huge difference for a steak.
5. 5. Rub steaks with salt and pepper. On ONE side of the steak rub olive oil and place that side down into the grill pan. By seasoning first and oiling second you are protecting your seasoning from falling off the steak and burning in the pan
6. 6. Turn heat down to medium and grill for about 6-8 minutes on each side, for a medium rare. Increase cook time by an extra 2 minute increments on each side to change temperature to a more thoroughly cooked steak. Only turn steaks over once for each side, so your grill marks are neat and predominant.
7. When garlic is ready remove cloves into the softened butter mixture and mash together.
8. Let steaks sit for about 5 minutes before brushing with about 2tbsp. butter each. Serve alongside Roasted Herb Red Potatoes.

*** There will be left over garlic butter. This can be a great go-to seasoning for grilled vegetables also. Refrigerate and use within two weeks. Or Freeze and use within three months.

Roasted Herb Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 medium size Red Potatoes

2 tbsp. quality olive oil

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

¾ tsp. Cracked Black Pepper

½ tsp. Paprika

½ tsp. Garlic Powder

¾ Rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Wash potatoes thoroughly and pat dry with towel. Quarter into wedges and place in shallow baking dish.
3. Pour olive oil over potatoes and add seasoning. Mix together so all potatoes are covered.
4. Bake in oven for about 25-30 minutes, until a crispy golden brown.

Both my husband and my toddler have come down with a cold… poor babies! I had to get these guys better for their sake and for mine. So of course this called for a big pot of old fashion, soul warming chicken noodle soup! I highly recommend this super simple take on the most effective natural remedy there is to fight off any nasty cold. Enjoy… in good and bad health!

Ingredients:
1 Whole Rotisserie chicken from your grocery store. (I used a 40 oz chicken)
4 quarts of chicken stock (2 boxes)
8 cups of water
1 yellow onion -chopped
3 cloves of garlic- minced
4 carrots- sliced thin
4 celery stalks- sliced thin
8 oz of egg noodles
½ cup fresh parsley- chopped
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
A pinch or so of chayenne pepper
Cheesecloth
String

Directions:

In Dutch oven or large pot melt 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, celery, and carrot. Season with salt, black pepper, Cheyenne pepper and let cook with lid on for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft and onions are clear.

While veggies are sweating out, cut out the breast from the rotisserie chicken, chop and set aside. I prefer to have white meat in my soup, but if you like dark meat, you can remove that from chicken as well. Take the remaining bird, wrap with cheese cloth, and tie at top with string to secure chicken inside the cloth.

**Many of the medicinal parts of the chicken are in the bones and skin, personally I don’t like having this in my soup and it’s quite a task to try to scoop it all out. By containing the chicken in the cheesecloth you are allowing all the nutrients to soak into the broth and will be able to remove it easily and completely when soup is done.

Add the 2 boxes of chicken stock and 8 cups of water to pot. Add parsley and thyme. Place wrapped chicken in the broth and allow to simmer on med-high heat for about an hour to an hour and a half.

Remove wrapped chicken. Add egg noodles and chopped white meat. Cook noodles in the soup for about 10 minutes then remove from heat and serve.