Amish Cinnamon Bread

No kneading, you just mix it up and bake it

Batter:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:
2/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions
Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs. Add milk, flour, and baking soda. Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan). Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan. Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. or until toothpick tester come clean.
Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Italian Pasta Salad Supremo with Primavero Toast

Ingredients

PASTA SALAD

12 oz tri-color rotini pasta (or your favorite small pasta), cooked according to package directions

1 cup green pepper, medium diced

1 cup red pepper, medium diced

2 fresh roma tomatoes, seeds removed, diced

1 Tbsp fresh garlic, chopped

3 Tbsp sundried tomatoes

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/2 lb Genoa salami, julienne cut

1/2 lb Capicola ham, julienne cut

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, medium diced

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Romano cheese

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

SPREAD FOR TOAST

2 cups mayonnaise

1 green onions, thin sliced

1 Tbsp fresh garlic, chopped

1/2 cups Parmesan cheese

Paprika as needed

MISC

1 loaf Italian bread, sliced

Basil leaves

Spring mix lettuce greens

Grape tomatoes (as needed)

Procedures

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.

1. COMBINE all pasta salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix evenly and chill until ready to serve.
2. COMBINE mayonnaise, green onions and garlic together in a separate bowl.
3. TOAST Italian bread slices lightly. Turn bread over. Spread mayonnaise mixture on untoasted side. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and paprika.
4. BAKE for 6-8 minutes or until lightly brown.

PLATING SUGGESTION

1. PLACE a layer of spring mix lettuce greens on a chilled salad plate. Place a 1-cup portion of pasta salad in center of plate.
2. DECORATE plate with grape tomatoes and toast. Garnish with basil leaves on top of salad. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Baked Stuffed Artichokes with Foccacia

Ingredients

ARTICHOKES & STOCK

2 fresh artichokes

1 fresh lemons, cut in half

1 small onion, rough chopped

8 cups water

4 cups white wine

1 ea bay leaf

4 ea peppercorn, black

TOPPING

6 Tbsp fontina cheese, shredded

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

ARTICHOKE STUFFING

1/4 cup butter, salted

1 cup onion, small diced

1/4 tsp fresh garlic, chopped

1 tsp basil, fresh chopped (1/4 tsp dry)

1/2 cup tomato, plum diced, remove jelly and seeds

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

1 1/4 cup foccacia bread, small diced

1/2 cup white wine

2 tsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

Salt to taste

Pinch black pepper

Procedures

Preheat oven to 350ºF.ARTICHOKE STUFFING

1. USE scissors to snip off sharp points of each artichoke leaf.
2. COMBINE lemon halves, chopped onion, water, wine, bay leaf and peppercorns in a stock pot. Bring to a boil; add artichokes.
3. SIMMER until artichokes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow artichokes to cool in stock.

STUFFING:

1. MELT butter in a medium saucepan. Add remaining onions and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and let cool.
2. CUT cooled artichokes in half, lengthwise, exposing inner leaves.
3. SCOOP out center prickly leaves with a teaspoon, leaving the choke (heart) intact. Place stuffing in the hollowed-out artichoke.
4. TOP with cheeses and bake at 350ºF until center is hot (about 20 minutes).

Fresh Green Beans with Tomato and Garlic

Ingredients

1 lb fresh green beans, cleaned with ends removed

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup tomatoes, seeds removed and finely diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedures

1. BLANCH green beans for 1 minute in a pot of salted boiling water. Drain and cool beans under cool running water.
2. HEAT olive oil in a sauté pan and mix in garlic. Cook for 1 minute and add green beans. Cook green beans with garlic for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes to green bean mixture. Cook for 1 minute, or until green beans are tender but still green.
3. SEASON with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Marinated Peppers

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers

2 green bell peppers

2 yellow peppers

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp fresh basil, chopped (1/4 tsp dry)

1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped (1/4 tsp dry)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 loaf Italian bread, sliced

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Procedures

1. WASH and dry peppers.
2. ROAST whole peppers in oven at 450ºF for 10-15 minutes or until skin blisters and blackens. Immediately transfer peppers to a holding pan, seal with plastic wrap and cool.
3. REMOVE skins and seeds from cooled peppers. Slice peppers into strips. Season peppers with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, basil, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.
4. DRIZZLE both sides of bread with extra virgin olive oil. Grill bread on both sides.
5. TRANSFER peppers to serving plates. Serve with grilled bread.

Gamberoni All'Aglio

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 tsp crushed red peppers

1 1/2 lbs medium fresh shrimp, shelled, tails removed

1 stick butter

1/2 cup white wine

3 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped (1 Tbsp dry)

Salt and pepper to taste

8 oz angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions

Procedures

1. HEAT oil in a sauté pan. Add onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper; do not brown garlic. Sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp, cook 1-2 minutes.
2. ADD butter, wine, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly & shrimp turn from opaque to pink.
3. PLACE cooked, drained pasta on large platter. Evenly distribute shrimp and sauce over pasta and serve immediately.

Beef Filets in Balsamic Sauce

Beef Filets in Balsamic Sauce

Ingredients

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 Tbsp butter

1 yellow onion, medium and sliced thin

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 fresh rosemary sprigs, finely chopped

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1/2 cup beef broth

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 beef tenderloin filets (6 oz each)

1 dash parsley, finely chopped

Rosemary sprig, for garnish

Procedures

1. HEAT oil and butter in large saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions, salt, and pepper.
2. COOK 10 minutes or until caramelized (softened and golden brown), stirring frequently.
3. ADD wine, broth, vinegar and chopped rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half.
4. RUB beef filets with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grill to preferred temperature.
5. PLACE grilled filets on a large platter; top with sauce. Garnish with parsley and rosemary.