Baked Apricots

Baked Apricots

4 fresh apricots, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup creme fraiche, or greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the apricot halves in a small casserole, cut side up. Put a dollop of butter in the center of each apricot. Sprinkle the apricots with the brown sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes. Cool a bit before serving with a nice dollop of creme fraiche or yogurt.

Steaks with Stroganoff Sauce

Steaks with Stroganoff Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
4 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 can (about 5 to 6 ounces) Campbell's Beef Broth
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt, to taste
2 thin (1/2 to 5/8" thick) rib eye steaks, about 6 ounces each
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup sour cream

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until the mushrooms have given up their juices and the onions are tender.
Add the flour to the pan and cook for two minutes to cook off the rawness of the flour.

Combine the beef broth, ketchup and garlic. Add to the pan with the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until thickened. Turn heat to low and keep warm.
Season the steaks with salt. Heat another skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and as soon as it shimmers, add the steaks. Cook the steaks for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan to heated plates and keep warm.

Add the sour cream to the mushroom mixture and heat through. Top the steaks with the mushroom sauce and serve.

German's Sweet Chocolate Cream Pie

German's Sweet Chocolate Cream

Pie

Pie Crust:
22 Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer cookies, finely crushed
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened

Pie Filling:
4 ounces German's Sweet Chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup milk
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 8-ounce carton Cool Whip®, thawed

Pie Crust:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix wafer crumbs, sugar and butter until well blended.
Press firmly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate using back of a large spoon.
Bake 8 minutes. Cool before filling.

Pie Filling:
In a saucepan over low heat, cook the chocolate and milk until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth. Cool.
In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir in chocolate mixture. Fold in Cool Whip. Spoon into pie crust. Freeze until firm. Maybe be frozen for up to 3 months.
Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with more Cool Whip, mint and chocolate shavings, if desired.

Makes 1 9" pie

Mandarin Orange and Pear Salad with Toasted Pecans and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Mandarin Orange and Pear Salad with Toasted Pecans and Balsamic Vinaigrette

10 cups baby lettuces
5 to 6 mandarin oranges, peeled, seeded and segmented
2 barely ripe pears, cut into 3/4" chunks
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper , to taste
1 cup toasted pecan pieces

Put the lettuces in a large serving bowl. Top with the oranges, pears, onions amd pecans. Pour on the vinaigrette and toss well; serve immediately.

Vinaigrette:
Using a small whisk, combine the mustard and honey. Whisk in the olive oil. When well combined, slowly whisk in the vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Fried Egg, Bacon and Avocado Sandwich

Serves 4

Fried Egg, Bacon and Avocado Sandwich

2 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
4 slices whole grain bread
12 strips bacon, cooked till crisp and kept warm
4 eggs
1 tablespoon butter
1 large avocado, halved, pitted and cut into 16 thin strips
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tomatoes, peeled and sliced, optional

Combine the first three ingredients well, season lightly with salt. Toast the bread slices and cool slightly; spread with the cheese mixture.

Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet and fry the eggs to desired doneness.

Place three strips of bacon on each piece of toast. Top each with an egg and then with 4 strips of avocado. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with sliced tomatoes on the side, if desired.

Serves 4