What you need:

2 lbs russet potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces (skin can be left on or off according to preference)
1 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

What you do:

• Preheat oven to 450º (with rack in upper third of oven).
• Toss taters in large roasting pan with oil, zest, oregano, salt & pepper.
• Roast, turning potatoes occasionally with a spatula until brown & tender (~30-35 minutes).

Ingredients:

4 cups broccoli florets
1 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
lemon wedges
lemon zest

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 450º.
• Toss broccoli with oil, salt, pepper & lemon zest. Place on large baking sheet, sprinkle with some lemon juice from wedges. Roast until broccoli is tender and blackened on bottom (time varies; normally ~20 minutes).
• Serve with remaining lemon wedges.

What you need:

3-4 cloves garlic
2 tsp fish sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
1 green onion, chopped
1 Tbls sesame seeds (toasted is best)
pinch of brown sugar OR drizzle of honey
chili paste to taste
lemon/lime/orange

Noodles/pasta

What you do:

• Heat all ingredients in a sauté pan. Can also stir in fresh ginger, or even shitaki mushrooms.
• Mix with pasta or noodles - can serve hot or cold.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts
2 serrano chilies (or Thai bird chilies)
1 tsp soy sauce
2 cups loosely packed, fresh basil
1 Tbls fish sauce
3 cloves of garlic
½ Tbsp peanut oil (or canola oil)
½ Tbls red-chili paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fresh-cracked pepper

Directions:

• Finely chop garlic and chilies; using the side of your knife press them together to make a paste.
• Pre-heat a wok or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the paste you’ve just made. Cook 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces and add them to the pan, cooking until lightly browned (~3-4 minutes). Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, chili paste and sugar. Continue cooking until the chicken is done all the way through (~3-4 more minutes).
• Add the pepper and basil, and cook until basil is just wilted (~2 minutes). Serve immediately.

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard.

• Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish or a foil-covered roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are all covered with a thin layer of olive oil. (Alternatively you can put the asparagus and oil in a plastic bag, and rub the bag so that the oil gets evenly distributed.) Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub over the asparagus so that they are evenly distributed.

• Place pan in oven and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are, until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.

• Sprinkle chicken w/salt/pepper; brown in skillet in butter. Move to 9×13 pan
• In skillet, sautee onion/celery with leftover ‘juice’ ’til tender.
• Add BBQ sauce, mix well - pour over chicken.
• Bake, uncovered, @ 350 for 1.5 hours (if chicken is sticking up out of sauce, flip halfway thru cooking)

We had quite possibly the best bottle of wine I’ve ever encountered - I don’t recall the exact name/year, but it was a Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon. Delicious! And apparently Willamette is where it’s at for Pinots.

For starters, we ordered the Hot Peppered Shrimp appetizer. It’s a cajun grilled shrimp with a dark, tangy sauce. Wonderful! Came with four jumbo-sized shrimp.

Our entrées were wonderfully prepared and were just the right portions. My partner ended up ordering the Roasted Beef Tenderloin meal, which comes with mashed potatoes. I tasted it - the meat was absolutely tender and very tasty.

I wanted lobster, so I ate the entire 10-oz Australian Lobster Tail. Since we weren’t getting a side to share, I also got the Grilled Asparagus & Prosciutto Salad, which also sported fresh mozzarella, tomatoes marinated in basil and tossed with a lime and herb vinaigrette. It was, quite possibly, the best salad I’ve ever wrapped my lips around!

My compliments to the chef at the St. Paul Grill - random spendy dinner out was a huge success!

Ingredients:

2/3 c. shortening
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. flour
4 tsp. milk
1 egg

Directions:

• Thoroughly cream sugar and shortening
• Add egg
• Beat until mixture is light and fluffy
• Add vanilla and mix thoroughly
• Stir dry ingredients, together with milk, and add to creamed mixture
• Mix well
• Divide dough in half
• Chill for 1 hour
• Roll out half of dough 1/8″ thick. Keep other half chilled
• Cut and place on greased cookie sheet
• Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes
• Allow to cool and ice with buttercream frosting

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

Arugula lettuce (or lettuce of choice)
2-4 Tbsp pine nuts
½ to ¾ c. fresh, shredded parmesan
4 or 5 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

• Toast pine nuts lightly in a dry saucepan over high heat.
• Make Balsamic vinaigrette by adding together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Toss Arugula with Balsamic dressing, pine nuts, and cheese.

Ingredients:

1½ c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
½ tsp. almond extract
3½ c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Directions:
*Note: You need a cookie press for these cookies.*

• Preheat oven to 375°. 
• Thoroughly cream butter and sugar.  Add egg, milk, vanilla, and almond extract; beat well. 
• Stir together flour  and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing to make a smooth dough.  Do not chill. 
• Place dough into cookie press and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. 
• Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. 
• Remove cookies from sheet; cool on rack. 

Makes 7-8 dozen cookies.