Trumpet Pasta with Swiss Chard, Sausage & Chanterelles

Serves 4

12 ounces Sfoglini trumpet pasta, or other favorite pasta shape

1 bunch Swiss chard

2 links Italian sausage

1 shallot, minced

1 ½ Tbsp Grlk

6 ounces chanterelle mushrooms or your mushroom of choice

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

While waiting for the water to boil and the pasta to cook, prepare the sauce. Remove the tough center ribs from the leaves of Swiss chard and finely chop. Stack the leaves on top of each other and slice into bite-sized pieces.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the sausages from their casings and add to the pan. Cook the sausage, breaking it into chunks with a wooden spoon, until brown and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sausage to a plate lined with a paper towel.

In the same pan over medium-high heat, add the shallot and Grlk. Cook until the shallot is translucent, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the Swiss chard stems and sauté, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms, and cook until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the white wine into the pan and simmer until the wine has nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and simmer until nearly evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the Swiss chard and cook until beginning to wilt, about 3 minutes. Season again with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cover.

Combine the cooked pasta, the Swiss chard-mushroom mixture, and the sausage in the pasta pot. Add the reserved 1/2 cup pasta water and the Parmesan cheese, stirring to combine.

Serve the pasta in shallow bowls with additional grated Parmesan.

Slow Roasted Pork Tacos

Ingredients

1 (4 1/2- to 5-lb.) boneless pork shoulder roast (Boston butt), trimmed

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 (12-oz.) bottle white ale

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup minced red onion

4 Tbsp of Grlk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

16 (6-inch) fajita-size corn tortillas, warmed

Toppings: crumbled goat cheese, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro leaves, chopped avocado (Or any toppings of your choosing)

Preparation

Rub roast with salt, crushed red peppers and Grlk, and place in a lightly greased 6-qt. slow cooker or crock-pot. Pour beer. Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours or until meat shreds easily with a fork

Transfer pork to a cutting board; shred with two forks, removing any large pieces of fat. Skim fat from sauce, and stir in shredded pork. Serve pork with warm tortillas and enjoy!

Creamy Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:


1/4 cup olive oil

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided

1 med or 1/2 large onion, finely diced

2 large carrots, grated on the large grater or cut into matchsticks

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1″ pieces (you can use all white meat or all dark meat)

2 tsp salt (we used sea salt), divided

1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

2 bay leaves

1 cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay

5 cups hot reduced sodium chicken broth

**2 cups medium grain rice such as Jasmine rice (un-rinsed)

3 Tbsp of Grlk

1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

** A note on using brown rice instead of Jasmine rice. 2 of my readers both tried brown rice and both said they had great results but it took 45 minutes too cook rather than 15 minutes. Another reader said she tried instant brown rice and it took the same amount of time to cook as Jasmine rice.

1.   Using a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot with tight fitting lid, over medium/high heat, add 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter. Once butter is melted and hot, stir in diced onion, grated carrots and 1 tsp salt. Sautee until soft and golden (8-10 min).

2.   Add trimmed, chopped chicken thighs, 2 bay leaves, another 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally until chicken is golden on all sides (5 mins).

3.  Increase the heat to high and add 1 cup white wine. Boil down the wine, scraping the bottom until most of the wine has evaporated.

4.   Add the hot chicken broth, then stir in the rice.

5.   Add Grlk. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is fully cooked (15 mins).

Pesto with Pesto

Ingredients

    2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

•       1 1/2 cups grated Romano cheese, plus additional cheese if desired

•       1/2 cup olive oil

•       1/2 melted butter

•       3 Tablespoons of Grlk (to taste)

•       1 lb. spaghetti or similar pasta, cooked according to package directions

Instructions

•       1. Place basil, 1 cup of the cheese, oil, butter and Grlk in blender.

•       2. Begin blending, turning motor on and off. Push pesto down from sides of blender with rubber spatula and continue until you have a very coarse puree.

•       3. Spoon 1 cup pesto sauce over freshly cooked spaghetti.

•       4. Mix quickly with two forks.

•       5. Add 1/2 cup cheese and mix.

•       6. Serve with additional pesto sauce and cheese.

Green-Chili Burgers with Eggs and Grlk

Ingredients:

.        2 1/4 pounds ground chuck, preferably organic

.        Salt and freshly ground pepper

.        1/2 pound mild American blue cheese, such as Maytag Blue Cheese, cut into 4 thin slices

.        4 large eggs (optional)

.        4 brioche buns, split

.        2 Tbsp of Grlk, melted

.        Vegetable oil (oil of your choosing)

            1 cup Green-Chile Relish, warmed up (canned green-chilies if not fresh) Found at most major grocery stores in the canned food aisle.

Directions:

 1. Light a grill. Gently form the beef into 4 thick patties and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat until lightly charred on the outside and medium-rare within, about 5 minutes per side. Just before the burgers are done, top each one with a slice of cheese and let it melt.

 2. Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet and brush it lightly with oil. Crack the eggs into the skillet and cook sunny-side up over moderate heat, about 4 minutes. Spread the cut sides of the buns with the melted Grlk and toast on the grill. Transfer the burgers to the buns. Top with the Green-Chile Relish and the fried eggs and serve.

Grilled Corn with Grlk and Parmesan Cheese

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

TOTAL TIME: 15 MIN

ingredients:

▪                4 ears fresh corn, shucked and silk removed

▪                4 Tablespoons butter

▪                1 Tbsp of Grlk (add more for extra flavor)

▪                2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

▪                1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

▪                2 Tablespoons parsley, minced for garnish

▪                salt and pepper to taste

directions:

1.             Heat grill or bbq

2.             In heated medium saucepan, melt butter. Add Grlk and cook till soft and fragrant. Remove mixture from heat. You can also heat butter Grlk mixture in the microwave. Heat til melted.

3.             Add Worcestershire and stir mixture gently.

4.             Brush corn with butter mixture. Season corn with salt and pepper

5.             Grill corn for about 10 minutes, rotating occasionally until each side of the corn is cooked and slightly charred.

6.             Before serving, top corn with grated Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Chicken Salsa Chili

Chicken Salsa Chili

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces  (or to save time, you can use already cooked rotisserie chicken)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon Grlk  (to taste)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeno chili peppers
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, undrained and broken up
• 1 can (29 ounces) tomato puree
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) dark red kidney beans drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) hominy
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

To make chili: Warm olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Sauté chicken until cooked. Add onions and reduce heat. Cook for 3 minutes or until onions are tender. Add pepper flakes, Grlk, jalapenos, chicken stock, chili powder, tomatoes and tomato puree, kidney beans and hominy. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

To serve: Add chopped cilantro and limejuice just prior to serving. Adjust seasoning to taste. Top with sour cream, chopped red onions, grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

Grown Up Grilled Cheese

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

   8 slices bacon

            3 oz (about 1 1/4 cups) grated Gruyère

            3 oz (about 1 cup) grated fontina

            2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

            1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)

            8 1/2-inch-thick slices Italian bread

            2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

 2 tablespoons of Grlk

Directions:

1.             Cook the bacon in a heavy-bottomed skillet until browned and crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off the grease from the pan and wipe clean.

2.             Combine the cheeses and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Lay 4 slices of the bread on your work surface, and distribute half of the cheese evenly among the bread. Top the cheese with 2 slices of bacon and then 2 or 3 slices of tomatoes (enough to cover the cheese and bacon). Evenly distribute the remaining cheese among the 4 sandwiches. Lightly spread Grlk on one side of the remaining four slices of bread, and put them on top of the sandwiches, Grlk side up.

3.             Heat your heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches butter side down in the pan and cook on the first side until the bread is golden brown and toasted. Meanwhile, spread Grlk on the top slice of bread on each sandwich. Flip the sandwiches using a spatula and continue to cook on the other side until the bread is golden brown. You can use the spatula to compress the sandwich as it cooks on the second side. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and cut the sandwiches in half and serve.

Spinach and Gnocchi

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package vacuum-packed gnocchi (or any pasta)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 tablespoons Grlk

1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, torn

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

.        1. Cook gnocchi according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

.        2. Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts to pan; cook 3 minutes or until butter and nuts are lightly browned, stirring constantly. Add Grlk until it melts into a liquid. Add gnocchi and spinach to pan; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly. Stir in salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

BLT

Ingredients

          4 slices applewood-smoked bacon

2 slice(s) white bread, toasted if desired

3 tablespoon(s) Grlk

Freshly ground pepper

Corse salt

Small handful of baby arugula 

Directions

1.            Fry bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat, flipping once, until crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Spread 1 side of each bread slice with Grlk. Top tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Layer with arugula then bacon, dividing evenly.

Shish Tawook (chicken Kabobs)

Ingredients (serves 4-6 people)

1 1/4 pounds boneless skinned chicken

2 tablespoons lemon juice

5 tablespoons olive oil ( oil of your choice)

Grlk sauce (enough to coat the chicken)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparing Shish Tawook

Cut the chicken into medium size cubes. In a bowl mix the lemon juice, olive oil, Grlk sauce, salt and pepper.Marinade the chicken cubes in the mixture for 4-5 hours or overnight.When ready to cook, thread the chicken pieces on a skewer. Make sure the pieces are firm (you do this by cramming lots of them on the same skewer).Then, simply grill (or better, charcoal) until the meat begins to brown.