102.3 XLC - Lake County's Best Variety

She gives you traffic every weekday and now some fabulous recipes!

Check back soon for more recipes from Monica! Email Monica

WEEK OF OCTOBER 8TH
Fall weather has finally arrived and it's time for soup to warm you up.

Puree of Roasted Red Pepper and Bean Soup

1 onion diced
1 jar roasted red peppers
2 cans cannellini beans
1 large potato cut into chunks
2 cans chicken stock
pinch Cayenne pepper
pinch nutmeg
pinch black pepper
salt to taste
olive oil

In large pot, heat olive oil on medium heat and saute diced onion for 2-3 minutes. Add potato chunks and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for half an hour or until potatoes are fork tender. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooked beans and potatoes. Then puree the rest of the soup. Add the reserved beans and potatoes. Serve with crusty bread. Makes 6 servings.

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17TH

With the arrival of fall this weekend it's time for slow cooked meals. Nothing is better than a hearty beef stew with lots of potatoes, mushrooms, carrots and onions. This recipe is a combination of Hungarian goulash and an all American stew. Plus my secret ingredient, makes this stew the best you'll make.

Monica's Beef Stew

3 lbs cubed beef (cut into bite size pieces)
3 tbsp. flour
olive oil
boiling water
2 onions sliced
2 potatoes
2 cups baby carrots
1 lb mushrooms sliced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup paprika (this is taken from the Hungarian Goulash recipe)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (my secret ingredient)
salt and pepper

Dust meat with flour. In heavy pot on stove, heat olive oil on high, turn down to medium and brown meat in batches. Scrape bottom of pot as this will stick. Keep adding more oil as necessary. Once meat is browned, add sliced onions and saute 2-3 minutes. Add meat and cover with enough boiled water to cover all meat and onions. Add bay leaf, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil then turn down heat, partially cover and simmer one hour, stirring occasionally. Add carrots, mushrooms and potatoes and simmer 45 minutes. Add more water if stew gets too dry or thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty Italian bread.

WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 4TH
Buffalo Wings

You'll score a touchdown with this buffalo wings recipe. If you're on Atkins or low carb diet this recipe is for you.

2 lbs chicken wings
1 cup canola oil
paprika
salt

Sauce

1 bottle wing sauce
2 tsp butter
1/2 tsp sugar
pinch cayenne pepper

Sprinkle wings with paprika and salt. In deep frying pan heat canola oil on high heat. When oil is hot, fry wings for about 45 to 60 minutes until dark golden brown, turning once. Remember to turn down heat to medium while frying. Place wings on a platter. Meanwhile in a small saucepan heat wing sauce, butter, sugar and cayenne pepper until heated through. Pour over wings. Serve with Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing along with carrot and celery sticks.

Go Bears

Monica

WEEK OF AUGUST 27TH

While BBQ'ing is the method of choice for the Labor Day weekend, I've chosen something that Rebecca wanted to do because you can do this a day ahead before your guests arrive.

Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot

3 lbs pork roast

1 onion

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 -2 bottles your favorite BBQ sauce

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

In crock pot on low setting, place roast along with all ingredients and only half of the BBQ sauce. Allow to cook for 8 hours. Add more water if it gets too dry. In the last half hour, pour in the rest of the BBQ sauce and break up the meat with two forks. Serve on buns.

This can be saved for up to 3 days in the refridgerator.

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Cheese & Sausage Appetizer

half a pound of country sausage

16 oz Velveeta Cheese

1 can Rotel tomatoes

tortilla chips

In frying pan, brown sausage and break up into small bits. Drain and set aside. Drain Rotel tomatoes saving the liquid. In saucepan on median heat, add cheese and tomatoes and keep adding the reserved liquid to make a thick consistency (you may not add all the liquid). Add cooked sausage. Mix and serve immediately with chips or crackers.

Have a great and safe long weekend.

Monica DeSantis

Poppyseed Bread

Yellow cake mix

Instant coconut cream pudding mix

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat all ingredients together for four minutes. Bake for 45 minutes. Makes two loaves.

WEEK OF JULY 30TH

Grilled Panini Sandwiches

(serves 2)

4 slices Italian Bread or sourdough bread

4 slices prosciutto

4 slices provolone cheese

2 tomatoes thinly sliced

oil olive or Pam Spray

Preheat Foreman Grill or BBQ. Place two slices of the prosecutor, provolone and several tomato slices onto one slice of bread. Top with other half. Make another sandwich. Spray or brush with olive oil. Grill on Foreman grill for about 10 minutes. Or grill on the BBQ, 4-5 minutes per side. Slice in half and enjoy. Serve with a salad.

Variation,

use ham, Cheddar cheese and roasted peppers with oregano.

Time for something sweet. This recipe comes to me from my mother-in-law and the first time I had them, it was a taste of heaven. So these sweet treats are called, Prayer Bars (Joe edit for Monica: Do NOT cut them until they are cooled!)

Prayer Bars

2 packages crescent rolls

2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 egg, separated

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and egg yolk until creamy. Place one package of rolls on bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Top with cream cheese mixture. Lay remaining rolls on top. Brush with egg white. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool then cut into squares and refrigerate. Lasts up to 2 weeks. Can be frozen.

Enjoy,

Monica

WEEK OF JUNE 18TH

Whenever it gets hot outside, I crave fresh, cold salads. This pasta salad recipe is always a hit whenever I bring it to parties. It's best the next day.

Tri-Color Pasta Salad

Serves 8-10

1 box tri-color pasta (1lb.)

1/2 small white onion grated

2 tbsp. pimento

1 green bell pepper diced

1 can sliced black olives, drained

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 bottle Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and remember to add salt to the water.

In large boil, add grated onion, diced green pepper and pimento. Drain pasta and add to bowl. Allow the hot pasta to kind of cook the onion. Add the dressing right away so the pasta doesn't' stick and get hard. Add black olives. Stir and allow to cool. When pasta is cool add cheese and serve. This dish is best served the next day. Keep refrigerated.

Monica DeSantis

Side dishes for Summer

This is asparagus and tomato season. With that in mind, here are two dishes that will "wow" your friends.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS
2 bunches asparagus

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

olive oil

2 cloves garlic

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In small pot, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil and sauté minced garlic, be careful not to burn it. Sauté for about 1 -2 minutes. Rinse asparagus and by holding the spear by each end break asparagus. Wherever the spear breaks is the perfect spot for tender asparagus. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. In large bowl toss asparagus, garlic, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Add more olive oil to coat. Place in one layer on cookie sheet. Cook in oven for 12-15 minutes or until fork tender. Serves 8.

Tomato Bocconcini Antipasto

This recipe is one of my favorites. Whenever I serve this instead of a salad, people are so impressed.

4 hot house tomatoes

4 bocconcini cheese (fresh mozzarella in water)

2 Tbsp oregano

16 kalamata olives pitted or not

bunch of fresh basil

Olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Slice tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick. Arrange on 6" salad plates (not bowls). You should have 4 slices per plate. Slice fresh mozzarella and place on top. Drizzle olive oil on top. Add quite a bit as guests will want to sop up the olive oil with fresh Italian bread. Sprinkle with oregano. Roll up basil and slice with a knife to make long strips. Sprinkle each plate with basil and add 4 kalamata olives to each plate. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 4. Can be made ahead and put in the refrigerator

- Monica DeSantis

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