Recipe of the Day: Queso Fundido

Queso Fundido

Ingredients
1 small tomato, chopped
1 serrano chile, seeded, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Kosher salt
8 ounces coarsely grated mild yellow cheddar
8 ounces coarsely grated Monterey Jack
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 4-ounce link fresh chorizo or hot Italian sausage, casing removed
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup lager
Tortilla chips

Directions
Mix tomato, chile, and oregano in a small bowl. Season with salt; let salsa stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss both cheeses with flour in a medium bowl. Cook chorizo in a medium saucepan over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until it begins to render, about 1 minute. Add onion and continue cooking until chorizo is cooked and onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Transfer chorizo mixture to a small bowl; return saucepan to heat. Add beer; simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits. Whisking constantly, add cheese mixture a 1/4-cupful at a time, allowing it to become blended and smooth between additions. Stir in chorizo mixture. DO AHEAD Queso can be made 30 minutes ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

To reheat, warm skillet with queso fundido over medium heat; stir until melted and bubbly.

Using a slotted spoon, spoon salsa over queso. Serve in skillet with a basket of tortilla chips on the side.

Recipe found here: Queso Fundido

Recipe of the Day: Millionaire Pie

Millionaire Pie

PREP TIME 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME 5 minutes
SERVINGS 8 servings

Ingredients
1 prepared graham cracker crust
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 can 15.25oz crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup maraschino cherries drained & chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk 14 oz
5 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
1 1/2 cups whipped topping plus extra for garnish if desired

Directions
In a large bowl, combine coconut, crushed pineapple, maraschino cherries, pecans, (Eagle Brand) Sweetened Condensed Milk, lemon juice and maraschino cherry juice.

Gently fold in whipped topping. Pour into crust.

Top with additional whipped topping and cherries if desired. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Do not skip or substitute the lemon juice or this pie will not set properly

Recipe of the Day: Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

– 1 tablespoon butter
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 small onion, sliced
– 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
– 1/4 cup white wine or broth
– salt and pepper to taste
– 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
– 1/2 teaspoon truffle oil (optional)
– 1 cup fontina or gruyere, shredded
– 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
– 4 slices bread
– 2 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Melt the butter and heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.

Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the cremini mushrooms and saute until the start to caramelized and turn golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

Add the wine, deglaze the pan and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, add the parsley and remove from heat and let cool a bit.

Mix the cheese into the mushrooms.

Butter one side of each slice of bread and place 2 in the pan buttered side down.

Top each with 1/2 of the mushroom mixture and finally the remaining slices of bread with the buttered side up.

Grill until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per side.

Recipe of the Day: Easy Mexican Casserole

Easy Mexican Casserole

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups salsa
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, drained
3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
2 cups sour cream
1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Stir in salsa, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in beans, and heat through.

Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread crushed tortilla chips in dish, and then spoon beef mixture over chips. Spread sour cream over beef, and sprinkle olives, green onion, and tomato over the sour cream. Top with Cheddar cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Recipe of the Day: Lobster Club Sandwich from Spago

Lobster Club Sandwich

Level: Easy
Total: 20 min
Active: 20 min
Yield: 1 sandwich

Ingredients
3 slices walnut bread (7 1/2 x 3 x 1/4 inches)
1 ounce good mayonnaise
2 1/2 ounces butter
3 ounces lobster meat, cooked
1/4 ounce wild arugula
Spago House Balsamic Dressing (recipe follows)
2 slices vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes
Salt and black pepper
2 slices applewood-smoked bacon, crisped
2 caperberries

Spago House Balsamic Dressing:
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/4 cup Tuscan olive oil

Directions
Toast the walnut bread under a salamander until golden brown. Spread 1/2 ounce of mayonnaise on two slices of the bread.

In a small sauté pan, heat up the butter. Add the lobster to the pan and remove from the heat to gently poach warm.
Toss the arugula in a small bowl with the house dressing to slightly coat. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper.

Arrange the arugula evenly on the bread slices with the mayonnaise. On one of those slices, place the tomatoes and the bacon. Place the second slice of bread with arugula on top of the bacon, and arrange the warm lobster evenly on top. Top with the third slice of bread.

Finish with two caperberries skewered onto each side of the sandwich. Carefully slice the sandwich in half with a serrated knife.

Spago House Balsamic Dressing:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the sherry vinegar, and whisk; then whisk in the olive oil.

Recipe of the Day: Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds mahi-mahi filets
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lime, quartered
12 small corn tortillas, warmed
Romaine or Iceberg lettuce, shredded, for garnish
Pico de Gallo salsa, for garnish
1 avocado, pitted and cut into thin slices, for garnish
Sour cream or crema, for garnish

Directions
Pat fish dry and combine in a nonreactive bowl with the white wine, lime juice and garlic. Set aside to marinate about 10 to 15 minutes.

When fish is ready, remove it from the marinade, pat dry, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, place fish skin-side down in skillet. Cook until opaque and firm to touch, about 3 minutes per side.

Flake the fish, squeeze one of the lime wedges over the top, and toss to coat. To make a taco, stack 2 tortillas on top of each other and fill with fish, lettuce, salsa, a few avocado slices, and a dollop of sour cream. Repeat to make 6 tacos total.

Recipe found here: Fish Tacos

Recipe of the Day: Cheesy Gnocchi Casserole

Cheesy Gnocchi Casserole with Ham and Peas

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
One 8-ounce piece deli ham, diced
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
One 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Swiss or Gruyere cheese

Directions

Preheat the broiler to high heat.

Melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the ham and thyme and continue to cook until the ham is lightly browned.

Add the chicken broth and 3/4 cup water and bring to a simmer. Add the gnocchi, stir well, cover and cook until the gnocchi is slightly tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat.

Uncover and stir in the peas, cream, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top and broil until golden and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Serve.

Recipe of the Day: Hot Spiced Cranberry Drink

Hot Spiced Cranberry Drink

Ingredients
8 cups hot water
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 cups cranberry juice
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
12 whole cloves, optional
1/2 cup Red Hot candies

Directions
In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine water, sugar and juices; stir until sugar is dissolved. If desired, place cloves in a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag.

Add spice bag and Red Hots to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for until heated through, 2-3 hours.

Before serving, discard spice bag and stir punch.

Recipe of the Day: Baked Apples with Rum and Cinnamon

Baked Apples with Rum and Cinnamon

Total: 55 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Level: Easy

Ingredients:
The Glaze:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 whole cloves

The Apples:
6 small to medium apples, preferably a sturdy
variety like Rome or Granny Smith, washed
and cored
6 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup unsweetened apple cider
Rum raisin ice cream, optional

Directions:
1. For the glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, rum, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir to blend and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook and reduce for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the sugar and other ingredients to blend together.

2. For the apples: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

3. In a baking dish large enough to hold all of the apples, arrange the apples in a single layer. Put a cinnamon stick inside the cavity made from coring each apple. Pour the glaze over the apples and top each with pieces of butter. Add the cider to the bottom of the dish and place it in the center of the oven.

4. Cook the apples, basting them from time to time, until they are tender but not mushy, 25 to 30 minutes (smaller apples will take less time). Serve with scoops of ice cream, sour cream, or just by themselves. They are also delicious leftover.

Recipe courtesy Alex Guarnaschelli
Recipe found here: Baked Apples with Rum and Cinnamon

Recipe of the Day: Candied Acorn Squash Slices

Candied Acorn Squash Slices

Ingredients
2 medium acorn squash
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened

Directions
Preheat oven to 350deg&; cut squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Cut each half crosswise into 1/2-in. slices; discard ends. Arrange squash in a shallow baking pan; cover with foil. Bake until just tender, 25-30 minutes.

Combine sugar and butter; spread over squash. Bake uncovered, for 15-20 minutes longer, basting occasionally.