Peppered Roast Beef

5 pounds beef round roast, all visible fat removed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fresh, coarsely ground black pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 large stalk celery, sliced
1/2 cup dry red table wine
Preheat oven to 350: F.  Rub meat with oil and pepper, and place in an open roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so tip reaches center of thickest part. Arrange onion, carrot and celery slices around meat. Pour wine over meat and vegetables. Place in oven and cook uncovered 1 1/2 hours, or until meat thermometer registers desired degree of doneness. If more liquid is needed, baste with additional wine during the roasting period. Do not use drippings from the roast for basting. Skim fat from pan juices or remove juices with bulb baster and discard fat. Remove meat from pan and slice thin. Spoon pan juices over meat and serve immediately.     

Pepper Rubbed Beef Dijon

1-pound flank steak, all visible fat removed
2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper
Vegetable oil spray
1 cup (about 3 ounces) sliced fresh mushrooms
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup evaporated skim milk or skim milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Preheat broiler. To prevent meat from curling as it cooks, make 6 shallow slashes on each side of the meat in a crisscross fashion (three slashes in each direction).Rub cracked pepper onto each side of the steak. Place steak on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 3 to 5 inches from the heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and broil meat about 5 minutes more, or until desired doneness. Meanwhile, spray a medium saucepan with vegetable oil. Place over medium heat. Cook mushrooms, green onions and garlic in skillet until mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Add milk and mustard all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. To serve, thinly slice steak diagonally across the grain. Serve with mustard sauce.     

Penne Rustica

Gratinata Sauce:
2 teaspoon Butter
2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 cup marsala wine
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 cups heavy cream
Saute butter, garlic , and rosemary until garlic begins to brown but do not burn the garlic.  Add marsala wine and then reduce by one-third. Add remaining ingredients and reduce by half of original volume. Set aside.
Penne Rustica:
1 oz. pancetta or bacon
18 shrimp peeled and deveined
12 oz. grilled chicken breast, sliced
4 1/2 cups of granita sauce
3 lbs. cooked Penne Pasta
3 teaspoons pimentos, minced
6 oz. butter
1 teaspoon chopped shallots
1 pinch of salt and pepper
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Sauté pancetta until it begins to brown. Add butter, shallots, and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are evenly pick but still translucent, you do not want to overcook the shrimp or else it will be rubbery. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly. Add granita sauce and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and simmer until the sauce thickens. In a large bowl, combine shrimp and chicken mixture with precooked pasta. Place this mixture into single serving dishes or one large casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and pimentos and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 475 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Remove and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.
6  Servings

Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms & Bacon

12 oz fettucine pasta
Sauce:
4 strips bacon, cut in 2-in. pieces
1 medium onion, cut in thin wedges
1 pkg (8 oz) presliced mushrooms
1 large clove garlic, cut in slivers
1 bag (10 oz) prewashed fresh baby spinach
Nice to add:
Diced tomato and grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook as package directs.2. Meanwhile cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Place on a paper towel to drain. Remove all but 1 Tbsp fat from skillet. Add onion and mushrooms to skillet. Sauté 4 minutes or until onion has browned. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add spinach; cook until wilted. Scoop 1/2 cup cooking water from pasta pot; stir into spinach mixture. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add Sauce and bacon; toss to mix. Sprinkle with tomato and cheese.
4  Servings

Pasta Florentine

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
12 oz sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 oz ham (Black Forest if possible), julienned
1/4 cup chopped parsley
8 oz pasta (your favorite shape), cooked according to package directions
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped
Heat extra virgin olive oil and garlic in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Once garlic starts to sizzle, add mushrooms. Sauté 2-3 minutes. Add heavy cream and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Allow to slightly reduce, for about 10 minutes. Add ham, peas and parsley and cook 4 minutes.  Return cooked, drained pasta to pot and add sauce. Cook until sauce simmers and coats the pasta.  Remove pot from heat and stir in grated Parmesan. Toss gently to combine.  Transfer to large serving platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve. 
Chef’s Tip: Use a small amount of salt. The parmesan cheese naturally contains salt.
4  Servings