Balsamic Steak, Wild Mushroom & Gorgonzola Flat Bread

There are no words that I could come up with to describe how crazy good this flat bread is..All I can say is you absolutely have to try this as soon as you get through reading this recipe... get you keys   and wallet and hit the road..even if its pouring out like it is today in NE!

Even with the rain I was happy to run  out to the market ,after all its the end of the week and you know what that means
... YUP family dinner & Sunday gathering at my favorite sister's house where the food is as if you were in the North End In Boston...Oh ya, So good always! I always volunteer too to bring something it gives me such joy to  get creative and write a new recipe...So here you go...This Flat Bread is today's creation hope you enjoy!

                                Balsamic Steak, Wild Mushroom & Gorgonzola Flat Bread
                                                           2- .59 lb sirloin steaks
                                                           1-8oz pkg (containing 2) flat breads
                                                           1-5oz-pkg Baby Arugula
                                                           1-lg red onion( sliced)
                                                           1-4oz pkg wild mushrooms
                                                           1-Cup of Gorgonzola Cheese
                                                           3 cloves fresh garlic( sliced)
                                                           1/4 Cup balsamic vinegar
                                                           1 tbs brown sugar
                                                           2 tbs of butter

                                                            Pre-heat oven to 400
           Slice steak and sear in a hot pan for about 10 minutes, add wild mushrooms and Balsamic vinegar, cover and continue to cook for about 5 minutes then set aside. In another  pan add butter ,sliced red onion , garlic then brown sugar. Cook until caramelized about 15 min on medium.

                       Place flat breads on a cookie sheet top with steak & mushroom  mix then caramelized onions.Cook @ 400 for 12 minutes. Remove from oven add 1/2 cup Gorgonzola to each flat bread then a Sprinkle of Arugula, drizzle remaining Balsamic Vinegar from pan that you prepared steak in  over flat breads...... and  prepare to be happy!!!
                      

Brown Sugar Banana Muffins

....These beautiful Muffins are  perfect for a sunny Saturday morning just like today...pour yourself a cup of coffee or a glass of cold milk, sit down and do nothing else...but enjoy a quite moment of banana bliss!

Yesterday I stopped for Coffee with a friend she insisted I try the Banana bread, Which let me tell you was probably THE BEST BANANA BREAD I had in my life... Of course I thought about it for the rest of the day...and had to get home  in a hurry and create my own version in a muffin... these ingredients are simple and probably what you have on hand so go ahead and whip some up today...you like me will be thinking about these yummy muffins for days!

1/2 Cup melted butter

1 Cup brown sugar

2 lg eggs

2 lg mashed bananas plus one for muffin topping

1/4 Cup milk

1tsp Almond extract

2 -1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 kosha salt

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/4 cup honey plus 1tbs for topping

zest of one orange

preheat oven to 350

Beat butter until creamy , add eggs one at a time, then brown sugar and almond extract. Gather two mixing bowls in one mash bananas, add the milk then honey, in your other bowl put all

of your dry ingredients.. flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then whisk.

with your standing mixer on low

alternate ingredients adding flour mix and banana mix to butter, egg, brown sugar & almond extract mix.being careful not to over mix.Chop remaining banana the 1/2 cup of almonds and remaining honey,and zest of 1 orange and mix in a bowl. Fill your pre- greased muffin cups 2/3 of the way full and add chopped banana, almonds and honey to top. Bake @ 350 for 25 minutes.

-Meatball Sliders-

I absolutely love, love, love ,this recipe for meatballs...its my very own concoction of meat ,garlic ,cheese, and a few other things  ..  I usually do a huge pot of these, boil up some pasta and serve with a great marinara sauce but tonight.....considering we had a 5 course meal for Easter I thought I'd whip some up and serve them slider style...easy and simple right?  You bet!  Serve them as you wish! 

              1-1/2 pound of lean ground beef

  1-1/2 pound ground veal

   1-1/2 pound ground pork

                       1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

  1/2 cup of bread crumbs

      3-smashed cloves of garlic

Splash of milk

2 eggs

              1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley

1 baguette loaf

       1-6oz pkg fresh mozzarella

1 pkg fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Slice the baguette loaf , next slice the mozzarella  & then Tear off basil leafs from the steams, set all three ingredients aside.  

  Place all remaining ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer, or a regular bowl for mixing.   

Set mixer on low speed until all ingredients are combine, Or use your hands to mix..  

Then scoop meat mixture with a spoon or an ice cream scoop ,  roll in your hands to form meatballs.Place on a cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes. When done toast bread, place cheese then basil leaf and meat ball on top. Top with sauce of your choice and a little extra shredded Parmesan cheese....So pretty and yummy at the same time! These are great as an appetizer too..

Strawberry , Spinach & Shrimp Pasta Salad

Strawberry ,Spinach & Shrimp  Pasta salad Sound so down right Devine doesn't it? Well, one of my favorite salads to begin with is Strawberry Spinach Salad with glazed walnuts red onion and strawberry blush wine vinaigrette...So The other day I though... hmmm I could add some shrimp and feta and pasta ya...and  even cucumber yes!!! And make a pasta salad with all of my favorite ingredients and a few more...and this beautiful pasta salad was created...I brought this to Sunday dinner this week everyone loved it ,I hope you do too!

1-Bag of baby spinach

1-Container fresh strawberries

4-oz Feta Cheese

1-English Cucumber

40-50 medium shrimp

1-Bag glazed walnuts

1- Pound fettucine noodles

1-12 oz Blush Wine Vinaigrette

1 lemon

Pre-heat oven to 400 , Place shrimp on a cookie sheet prepared with olive oil, sprinkle with kosha salt & fresh cracked pepper. Cook for 10 minutes ,remove and set aside.

Cook Pasta as directed, When done... strain and  run cool water over the pasta. Place pasta to chill in refrigerator for about half an hour. While you wait , Slice Strawberries, Cucumber & feta cheese . Place Spinach, Sliced strawberries,Cucumber & Feta  in a Big mixing bowl  add pasta & Shrimp ,toss gently pour 1 cup of Dressing over pasta mix, toss again and refrigerate for two hrs.....Garnish with the zest from one lemon finish top of pasta dish with lemon slices & Glazed walnuts.......YUM!!