Recipe: Guy Kawasaki's Famous Teriyaki Sauce

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of soy sauce
• 1/2 orange
• 2 jalapeno peppers - seeds removed
• 5 green onions - chopped
• 1/3 cup of ginger (approx ½ hand-size or so) - peeled and chopped

Blend everything in a blender/food processor.

Puree until smooth.

This recipe will make 3 cups of sauce which is enough to marinate 2 and 1/2 pounds of chicken or tri-tip steak.

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To marinate chicken or steak, place it in a glass bowl or plastic bag. Cover with the marinade and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Remove the chicken or steak from the marinade and pat dry. You can cook the chicken or steak on an outdoor barbeque or on a grill pan on the stovetop.

Put the remaining marinade in a medium size pan and boil for 15 minutes. (If the marinade gets too thick, add 2-3 Tablespoons of water and continue boiling.)

Strain the marinade through a fine sieve and drizzle on top of cooked chicken or steak.

Adapted From: Guy Kawasaki

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 1/8 cups of flour (185 grams)
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter (113.4 grams)
• 6 tablespoons of light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons of white sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 6 ounces of chocolate chips - semi-sweet
• 1/2 cup of nuts - optional

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl large egg with vanilla and set aside.

In a large bowl, blend together softened butter, white sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Mix in the egg and vanilla and blend well. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips (and nuts).

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Cut the cookie dough into 12 even cubes.

Roll each cube into a ball and place on a 14 by 15 inch cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 17-19 minutes or until golden.

Let the cookies rest 2-3 minutes before removing from the tray onto a cooling rack.

Makes 12 cookies.

Recipe: Fried Rice

• 2 cups of cold white rice
• 1 cup of frozen peas - defrosted
• 2 eggs - beaten
• 1 small yellow onion - diced
• 2 green onions - chopped
• 1/4 cup of oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of canola, peanut or vegetable oil

On medium temperature, heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan.  Add beaten eggs and cook until dry.  Remove from pan and cut into ribbons.  Set aside.

Increase the heat to medium high and add one more Tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Add diced yellow onion and cook for one minute.  Add rice and cook until heated.  Add sauces, peas, and green onion.  Stir until everything is hot.  Add cooked egg and serve.

Optional cooked extras:  diced shrimp, chicken, pork, or ham

Recipe: Omelet with Cheese

• 2 eggs
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1 teaspoon of oil
• 1/3 cup of cheese - shredded
• 1 tablespoon of chives - minced

Blend together eggs, water and salt.  Add oil to a 6 inch sloped sided non-stick fry pan.

Heat oil, on medium for one minute; add egg mixture and cook.  

As the eggs begin to set, with a spatula, lift the edges and let the raw mixture run to the bottom of the pan.

When the top is no longer runny, but still moist, sprinkle the cheese on ½ of the omelet

With a spatula, flip the omelet in half.  The cheese will take about 20 seconds to melt.

Slide the omelet onto your plate.

Garnish with chives and black pepper.

Recipe: Grilled Cheese Sandwich (video)

• 2 slices of bread
• 2 slices of cheese
• 1 tablespoon of butter - softened

Spread the softened butter on one side of each slice of bread.

Lay one slice of bread, butter side down, in a non-stick frying pan.

Put two slices of cheese on the bread.

Now cover it with the other slice of bread with the buttered side up.

Turn the stove on medium heat and place the pan on the stove.

After about 2-3 minutes it should be ready to flip.

The second side will take a lot less time to turn golden brown because the pan is already heated up.

Slice the grilled cheese on a cutting board with one swift downward motion slice through the sandwich.

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Pancakes

• 3/4 cup of white flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter - Melted
• 7/8 cup of milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons of chocolate chips

In a medium size bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and the salt.

In another bowl mix together the: melted butter, milk, egg, and vanilla, (wet ingredients).

Add these wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined.

Pre-heat large non-stick frying pan for 3-4 minutes on medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of Vegetable oil.

Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop out the batter and pour it into the frying pan. Repeat so there are three pancakes in the pan.

Sprinkle on about 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips on each pancake. Cook the pancakes until bubbles appear on the surface and start to pop. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown on the flip side.

Repeat with remaining batter.

Makes six 4-inch pancakes

Enjoy!

Recipe: Chocolate Fudge Brownies

• 14 tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/4 cups of sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 cup of walnuts - chopped

Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line an 8 inch by 8 inch by 2 inch pan with tin foil.  Spray foil with cooking spray.

Cut butter into pieces.  Place the butter into a large microwave safe bowl and melt it in microwave.

With a whisk, blend in unsweetened cocoa.  Add sugar and mix well.

In another bowl lightly beat together eggs and vanilla extract.  Add egg mixture to the cocoa mixture and blend together.

Mix in flour and salt.

Fold in walnuts.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.  To test for doness insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the brownies; it should have some moist crumbs attached to it. Do not over bake.

Remove brownies from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.  

Flip the brownies onto a wire rack and peel away the foil.  Flip brownies onto cutting board to cut.

Wrap in plastic wrap and store in an air tight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

These brownies freeze beautifully!

Recipe: Beef stew

• 3 pounds of stew beef - cut into 1 and 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large onion - diced
• 4 tomatoes - cut into wedges
• 1/2 pound of baby carrots
• 1 red pepper - cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 1 pound of small mushrooms - cleaned
• 2 small turnips - cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons of instant tapioca
• 1/2 cup of dry bread crumbs
• 2 cups of red wine
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/2 pound of frozen small pearl onions

Put all the ingredients except the pearl onions in a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 3 1/2 hours. Don’t peek!

Add the pearl onions after the stew is removed from the oven.

Serve with crusty bread.

Adapted from: Fete Accomplie, Washington, DC

Recipe: Rudolf’s Christmas Cookies

• 3/4 cup of raisins
• 3/4 cup of sliced almonds
• 3/4 cup of shredded coconuts
• 2 cups of crushed cornflakes
• 3/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup of candied cherries
• 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate
• 6 ounces of white chocolate

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a baking tray with non-stick tin foil.

In a large bowl mix together: raisins, almonds, coconut, cornflakes, and sweetened condensed milk.   Make cookies by placing a scant ¼ of a cup the mixture onto the foil lined oven trays.

Cut the candied cherries in half and put ½ of a cherry on each cookie. 

Bake the cookies for 14-15 minutes or until light golden.

Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before removing from them from the tray.

Put the dark chocolate into a small bowl and melt it in the microwave.

With a knife, spread the chocolate into a thin layer on the bottom of the cookie. Let the bottom chocolate completely harden before flipping them over

Put the white chocolate chips into a small baggie.  Set the baggie of chocolate chips into a bowl of hot water to melt.

Snip the corner of the baggie.  Squeeze the chocolate into a funnel shape and drizzle it on the top of each cookie. (If any cherry has fallen off, use the melted chocolate as glue to reposition the cherry!)

Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Makes 20 cookies

Adapted from: Nestle

Recipe: Meatloaf

• 1 packet/envelope of onion soup mix
• 2 pounds of ground beef (or meat loaf mix)
• 3/4 cup of dry bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of water
• 2/3 cup of ketchup - divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl combine soup mix, ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, water, and only 1/3 cup of the ketchup.  (Save the remaining 1/3 cup of ketchup for the toping.)

In a 9 X 13 inch baking pan shape into loaf

Spread the remaining ketchup over the top of the meatloaf

Bake 1 hour and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

• 3 1/4 pounds of butternut squash - peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large onion - chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic - chopped
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

In a large pot melt the butter on medium temperature and add the onions.

Cook the onions for about 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and the cinnamon and cook for another 30 seconds.

Add the squash and cover with 3-4 cups of stock

Bring pot to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the squash is tender.

Puree the vegetables in small batches. Put puree in separate pot. Stir in the maple syrup.

Add cooking stock according to desired thickness; season with salt and pepper.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken - Indoors!

• 4 boneless chicken breasts (5-6 ounces each)
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (or white sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

In a small bowl mix together the salt, sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Rub the spice mixture over both sides of the chicken.

Add chicken to preheated grill pan and cook on each side 4-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe: Chicken Salad with Wild Rice

• 1 package of long grain and wild rice - (Near East preferred) cooked according to directions on the package
• 3 cups of chicken - cooked and cut into chunks
• 3 green onions - chopped
• 1 red bell pepper - diced
• 1/3 cup of your favorite vinaigrette dressing
• 1 lemon - juiced
• 2 medium avocados - chopped
• 1/2 cup of pecans

Mix together cooked rice, cooked chicken, chopped scallions, and diced red pepper and salad dressing.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Before serving, peel and chop avocados. Pour the lemon juice over the avocados to coat.

Add just the avocados to the salad.

Serve on lettuce leaves and garnish with pecans.

Recipe: Potato Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

• 2 pounds of new potatoes
• 3 teaspoons of salt - divided
• 1 clove of garlic - crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
• 2 teaspoons of grainy mustard
• 1 lemon zest
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1/3 cup of green onions - chopped

Place the small, new potatoes, whole, in a saucepan with enough boiling water just to cover them. Add 2 teaspoons of the salt, bring to a boil and then simmer them for about 12- 15 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile make the vinaigrette. Crush the garlic and add the remaining teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. With the back of a spoon, mash the salt and garlic together. Remove the zest from one lemon and add it to the bowl. Gradually whisk in the fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Set aside.

Chop the green onion and set aside until ready to serve.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander and spill them out onto a cutting board. Cut potatoes in half (or bite size). Put the potatoes into a large flat dish and pour on the vinaigrette dressing while they are still hot. Gently toss them around in the dressing and let them sit for a few minutes in order to absorb the dressing. Put the potatoes into a decorative serving dish and scatter the green onions and on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Adapted From: Delia Smith

Recipe: Scallops

• 1/3 cup of all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of seasoning salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons of lemon pepper
• 16 sea scallops - rinsed and drained
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 4 tablespoons of fresh parsley
• 4 teaspoons of lemon juice

Put into a clean plastic bag; flour, salt, oregano, and lemon pepper.

Add scallops to the flour mixture and toss until lightly coated on all sides.

Remove the scallops from the bag and put them onto a plate.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat.

Using a pair of tongs, shake off excess flour before adding the scallops to the pan.

Add half of the scallops to the pan and sear on both sides (about 2 minutes for each side). Remove scallops from pan and place on a plate.

Repeat cooking process with remaining scallops.

Toss with parsley and lemon juice.

Adapted from: No Reservations

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Meatballs

• 1/2 cup of minced onions
• 1 pound of ground veal
• 1 pound of ground pork
• 1 cup of seasoned, dry bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

SAUCE

• 2 Tablespoons of butter, melted
• One 10-12 ounce jar of apricot jam
• ½ cup of barbeque sauce

Preheat Oven to 350.

Mix together the veal, pork, bread crumbs, eggs, minced onion, and salt.

Form into 1 inch balls.

Melt butter and oil in a fry pan and brown meatballs.

In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, apricot jam and barbeque sauce. Add the browned meatballs and gently coat the meatballs with the sauce.

Pour the meatballs and sauce into a large, flat, baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Makes 5-6 dozen Meatballs.

Recipe: Pork chops

• 1 can of cooking spray
• 4 one-inch thick boneless loin pork chops
• 1 dash of black pepper
• 1 dash of salt
• 1/2 cup of peach preserves
• 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of water

Spray a non-stick frying pan with the cooking spray and heat over med-high heat.

Sprinkle both sides of the chops with salt and pepper and add to the skillet.

Sear 1 minute on each side, then reduce heat to medium.

Cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

Mustard Sauce

Add the peach preserves, mustard and water to the skillet. 

Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Spoon the sauce over the pork chops and serve.

Adapted from: Debra Fioritto Weber