Chef Steff’s Cugini Rigatoni
1 lb. (dry weight) rigatoni pasta
1 lb. ground sausage
3 oz. olive oil
1 tsp. crushed garlic (approx. 2-3 cloves)
4 leaves basil
1 stick butter
4 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 bag spinach (8 oz.)
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1. Pre-cook 1 lb. of rigatoni pasta (you can also use a different pasta, but rigatoni is recommended for this dish) and pre-cook the sausage.
2. In a large sautee pan, add 1 tsp. of fresh, crushed garlic to 3 ounces of olive oil. Brown the garlic until its color becomes a deep golden brown.
3. Add the cooked ground sausage, 4 oz. whipping cream, butter, basil, spinach and ricotta cheese. Add 4 oz. of water if the mixture is too thick, stir and let it come to a rolling boil.
4. Add the pre-cooked pasta, toss and then continue to sautee for at least another 4 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let the dish sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Chef Steff’s Bolognese Rigatoni
1 lb. rigatoni pasta
1 lb. ground beef
4 oz. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh, chopped garlic
12 oz. tomato sauce (smooth, not chunky)
4 oz. melted butter
4 oz. heavy cream
1. Pre-cook 1 lb. of rigatoni pasta (you can also use a different pasta, but rigatoni is recommended for this dish)
2. Brown 1 lb. of ground beef and drain it of all drippings when done.
3. In a large sautee skillet, add 1 Tbsp. of fresh, chopped garlic (approximately 2 cloves) to 4 ounces of olive oil. Brown the garlic slightly in the oil.
4. Add the browned ground meat and sautee for 2 minutes.
5. Add tomato sauce and simmer.
6. Add 4 ounces of melted butter and 4 ounces of heavy cream and bring the sauce to a boil.
7. Mix in the cooked pasta and cook the sauce and pasta for 4 more minutes. To finish, add salt and pepper to taste.
Chef Steff’s Bolognese Rigatoni
1 lb. rigatoni pasta
1 lb. ground beef
4 oz. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh, chopped garlic
12 oz. tomato sauce (smooth, not chunky)
4 oz. melted butter
4 oz. heavy cream
1. Pre-cook 1 lb. of rigatoni pasta (you can also use a different pasta, but rigatoni is recommended for this dish)
2. Brown 1 lb. of ground beef and drain it of all drippings when done.
3. In a large sautee skillet, add 1 Tbsp. of fresh, chopped garlic (approximately 2 cloves) to 4 ounces of olive oil. Brown the garlic slightly in the oil.
4. Add the browned ground meat and sautee for 2 minutes.
5. Add tomato sauce and simmer.
6. Add 4 ounces of melted butter and 4 ounces of heavy cream and bring the sauce to a boil.
7. Mix in the cooked pasta and cook the sauce and pasta for 4 more minutes. To finish, add salt and pepper to taste.
Chef Steff’s Crab Cakes
2 lb. jumbo lump crab meat
5 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. spicy brown or dijon mustard
2 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 tbsp. fresh parsely
2 whole eggs
4 oz. white zinfandel wine
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1. Mix all ingredients except the crab meat in a metal bowl.
2. Gently fold the lump crab meat into the bowl, taking care as to not break up the lumps.
3. Once the crab meat has been folded into the mixture, portion it out into 4 oz. cakes.
4. Arrange the cakes on a baking sheet and brush them with melted butter.
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 6-7 minutes.
Caprese Pasta
8 oz. (1 individual pkge) grape tomatoes, sliced in half
10 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed
15 basil leaves, chopped
3 oz. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick of butter
3 oz. whipping cream
1 lb. penne pasta, dry
salt and pepper to taste
1. Cook the pasta according to the manufacturer’s directions.
2. Sautee the olive oil and garlic over a high heat in a large sautee pan until golden brown.
3. Mix half of the chopped basil into the sautee pan.
4. Add the stick of butter to the sautee pan.
5. Reduce the heat to medium and mix-in the whipping cream.
6. Add the cooked pasta and mix it well with the base sauce.
7. Finally, add the fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Toss several times. Serve the finished dish!
Chef Steff’s Thanksgiving Stuffing
1 loaf potato bread
1 loaf rye bread (no seeds)
1 loaf wheat bread
1 lb ground sausage
1 minced onion
2 cups celery, (sliced)
2 cups carrots, (shredded)
1 stick butter
5 eggs
4 ounces olive oil
2 ounces soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasonal
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tbsp ground garlic
1. Take all veggies and saute them in olive oil for 15 minutes
2. Chop bread into small pieces
3. Add 1 stick melted butter
4. Brown off 1 lb sausage
5. Put all ingredients (including eggs) into large bowl and mix by hand
6. Stuff bird and put the extras in a glass pan. (bake the glass pan for 1 – 1/2 hours at 300 degrees.)
Mary’s Mash
2 cans evaporated milk
1 lb butter
10 lb potatoes
2 oz salt
2 oz Season-all
1. Whip it all together, and you’re ready to serve!
Jenny’s Sweet Potatoes
1 large can Yams
7 oz brown sugar
1 stick butter (melted)
4 oz honey
Top with Marshmallows
1. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour
Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
3 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 cups buttermilk
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup Crisco shortening
Sift the flour to make sure there are no lumps. Add in the baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add the Crisco slowly, working it into the dry ingredients. You can use a large spatula or spoon, but I preferred using my hands. Next add the buttermilk, working it into the mixture too. After everything is thoroughly mixed, plop it down on a floured counter top or cutting board. Turn you oven to 450 to allow it to preheat. While it’s heating up knead your dough until it is about the consistency of clay that kids play with in grade school. You can make it a little dryer if need be by sprinkling more flour on your counter or cutting board. As you knead your dough it will pick up more of the flour.
After you have it the right consistency you can shape your biscuits by hand or using a cookie cutter. I preferred pinching off a chunk, rolling it into a ball, and then patting it a little flat. If you want them more perfect, you can roll out your dough using a rolling pin and then cut them with a round cookie cutter. Place your biscuits on a cookie sheet that is either lightly greased or lightly sprinkled with flour. If you use the flour option, be sure not toput too much. Bake these biscuits for 18 minutes on the middle rack in your oven (time depends upon how hot your oven is and how far this rack is from the top). If the rack is too low you can move the biscuits to the top rack the last minute to get them browned. Leave them on the middle rack and thy should turn out lightly browned. Pop them out of the oven and eat them while still piping hot.
Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
2 bags fresh cranberries
1/2 bottle bourbon
8 oz brown sugar
4 oz butter
1. Put everything in a glass pan and bake at 300 degrees for 4 hours.
