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Buttery Breakfast Strata

Buttery Breakfast Strata

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serves 8 – 10
adapted from NY Times

Using croissants as the bread component gives this strata a wonderful buttery taste. The mild nuttiness of the Gruyère compliments it well.  Prepare the day before and bake to serve.

  • 1lb croissants (about 5 to 7), split horizontally into 2 pieces
  • 1TBS extra-virgin olive oil, more for baking dish
  • 1bunch scallions (6 to 7), white and light green parts thinly sliced, greens reserved
  • 1lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 2tsp finely chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 8large eggs
  • 3cups whole milk
  • 1cup heavy cream
  • 8oz Gruyère, finely grated, not shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 1¼tsp kosher salt
  • 1tsp black pepper


Heat oven to 500°F. Spread croissants on a large baking sheet and toast, cut side up, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes (watch carefully to see that they do not burn). Let cool, then tear into large bite-size pieces.

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add sliced scallions and sausage meat; cook, breaking up meat with a fork, until mixture is well browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, toss together croissants and sausage mixture.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, 1½ cups cheese, sage, salt and pepper until well combined.

Lightly oil a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Turn croissant mixture into pan, spreading it out evenly over the bottom. Pour custard into pan, pressing croissants down gently to help absorb the liquid. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

When you’re ready to bake the casserole, heat oven to 350°F. Scatter the remaining grated cheese over the top of the casserole. Transfer to oven and bake until casserole is set, golden brown and firm to the touch, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced scallion tops before serving.

Scrap Chicken Noodle Soup (IP)

Scrap Chicken Noodle Soup (IP)

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Yield: 6 to 8 Servings
Very loosely adapted from https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/instant-pot-chicken-noodle-soup/

Don’t laugh at the name. This tasty soup is made with scrap chicken and/or turkey bones, skin, giblets, etc. that you saved in the freezer. You do save all your poultry scraps, right? Using a soup bag gets all of the flavor from the scraps and makes them easy to discard.

  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 1large onion chopped
  • 3to 4 medium carrots chopped
  • 3to 4 stalks celery chopped
  • 1tsp salt plus more to taste
  • ½tsp pepper or to taste
  • 1tsp thyme dry
  • 1tsp parsley dry
  • 1tsp oregano dry
  • 8cups water
  • 4lbs chicken scraps, thawed if previously frozen
  • 1chicken breast
  • 2to 3 heaping tsp chicken base
  • 6oz egg noodles uncooked, (about 2½ cups)
  • Special Equipment: Soup Bag/Soup Sock, available at Amazon.

Set Instant Pot to the saute setting.

Add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery and saute for 5 to 8 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.

Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme, parsley, oregano and stir. Pour in half the water. Add the chicken scraps to a soup bag and place in IP. Add the chicken breast to the IP (not in the bag!). Add remaining water, but do not exceed the Max fill line.

Close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to the Manual setting and set the timer to 20 minutes.

Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, use a quick release. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.

Remove the breast and set aside. Remove and discard the chicken scaps in the soup bag.

Dice or shred the chicken breast

Set the Instant Pot to the saute setting again and return to a boil. Add the chicken base and and mix. Check for seasoning and adjust.

Add the noodles to the soup and cook for 5 to 6 minutes uncovered, until the noodles are cooked al dente.

Turn off the Instant Pot. Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot, taste and adjust seasoning.

Garnish with additional parsley if preferred.

Pork Tenderloin – Pan Roasted

Pork Tenderloin – Pan Roasted

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Yield: 2 Servings (can be doubled)

Scott Nowell

Ah, so good with a nice seasoned crumb crust.

  • 1pork tenderloin
  • all-purpose flour
  • 1egg beaten
  • 1TBS milk
  • 1cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1TBS minced flat leaf parsley
  • 2tsp finely minced rosemary
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1-2TBS butter
  • salt
  • black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Remove any fat and silver skin from pork. Season well with salt and pepper. Sprinkle all over with flour. Pat flour to stick.

Mix beaten egg with milk in shallow dish.

Mix panko, parsley and rosemary in another shallow dish or plate.

Heat oil in oven proof skillet large enough to hold tenderloin.

Dip tenderloin in egg-milk mixture and roll to coat.

Roll tenderloin in panko mixture pressing to coat all over completely.

When oil is hot, brown tenderloin for two to three minutes per side.

Place skillet in oven and roast for 10 minutes. Check temperature. Should be 145-150°F. Depending on thickness of tenderloin, meat will likely need additional time, add the butter to the pan and add any leftover crumbs. Return to oven and cook five to ten minutes to get temperature to 145°F in thickest part.

Remove meat to plate and cover with foil and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Slice diagonally to 3/4 to 1 inch thick slices.
Serve with:

Vegetable Starch
Green Beans Noodles
Broccoli Austrian-Style Potato Salad (Erdäpfelsalat)
Asparagus Spaetzle
Green Salad French Fried Potatoes
Baked Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp

Baked Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp

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Yield: 2 to 3 Servings

Add some shredded crab meat, lobster meat, or tiny bay scallops to the stuffing to fancy it up a bit.

  • 12jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2TBS white wine
  • 1TBS parsley (chopped)
  • 2tsp ginger (fresh grated)
  • For the Stuffing:
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1TBS butter
  • 12cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1cup dried breadcrumbs (or ritz cracker crumbs)
  • 3TBS parsley (chopped)
  • crab, lobster meat or bay scallops, minced (optional)
  • 1TBS butter

Put the shrimp on a cutting board and make another cut along the inside curve of the shrimp, cutting almost all the way through.

In a small bowl, combine white wine, parsley, and ginger. Pour half of the mixture into a shallow dish, add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and let the shrimp marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes. Reserve the remaining marinade mixture.

Make the stuffing: Heat the oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often until lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and add the lemon juice and half of the parsley, and stir until blended.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Remove the shrimp from the marinade. Press open the shrimp to flatten and place a generous tablespoon of the stuffing onto the belly of each shrimp.

Arrange the stuffed shrimp in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle the reserved marinade over the shrimp. Dot the shrimp with the remaining butter.  Bake until the shrimp are opaque, about 10 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the oven. Preheat the broiler. Broil the shrimp, 4 to 6 inches from the heat source, until the stuffing is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve right away.

Mushroom Sauce for Chicken

Mushroom Sauce for Chicken

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Yield: 4 servings

A delightful mushroom sauce for chicken

  • ¼cup finely chopped shallots (chopped onion will work if you can’t find shallots)
  • 2oz butter (½ stick)
  • 8oz fresh supermarket mushrooms, sliced
  • ½cup white wine
  • 8oz chicken based demi-glace
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium high heat and sauté shallots briefly until they become translucent. Add the wine, then the mushrooms and cook until most of the wine is cooked off. Add chicken based demi-glace and simmer for approx. 5-6 minutes (until sauce has thickened). You know the sauce is ready when it is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Restaurant trick – If you want an even richer sauce, whisk in a tablespoon or two of butter at the end.

Sauce is excellent over any grilled, roasted, or pan-fried chicken.

Sauce au Poivre

Sauce au Poivre

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Peppercorn Sauce
Yield: 4 servings

Forget about having to go to a fancy upscale restaurant to be served Steak au Poivre when you can make your own Peppercorn Sauce at home in less than 20 minutes.

  • ¼cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1oz butter (¼ stick)
  • 1TBS cracked black (or green) peppercorn
  • ½cup red wine (Use a good table wine)
  • 8fl oz demi-glace
  • 2TBS finely chopped parsley
  • Pepper to taste

Melt butter in a sauce pan and sauté shallots for approx. 2 minutes (until transparent). Add peppercorns and red wine, and reduce to an essence (approx. 2-3 minutes).

Add the demi-glace and stir with a whisk until glace is dissolved. Add water and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Blend in chopped parsley and serve over broiled steaks. Sauce is best over strip steaks (approx. 8-12 oz) with all fat trimmed. Steaks can be either pan fried, broiled, or grilled, whatever your preference.

The amount of peppercorn may be varied to suit your personal taste.

Madeira Sauce

Madeira Sauce

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Yield: 4 servings

” A good base lightly flavored with Madeira will produce one of the greatest of all sauces.” Raymond Sokolov, The Saucier’s Apprentice.
The history of Madeira wine goes back to 1418 and the wine initially was not fortified. It was ordinary wine that was a favorite of George Washington who was believed to have drank a pint of it daily.
This classic Madeira sauce recipe goes well with beef, chicken, chops or veal.

  • 3TBS finely chopped shallots
  • 1oz butter (¼ stick)
  • ½lb white or Cremini mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • ½tsp cracked peppercorn
  • 1bay leaf
  • 1sprig fresh thyme (¼ tsp dried)
  • ¼cup red wine
  • ¾cup Madeira wine
  • 1cup demi-glace
  • ¼cup heavy cream (optional)

In a medium sized saucepan, sauté shallots in butter for 1-2 minutes or until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are tender. (approx. 3 minutes). Remove mushrooms and set aside.

Add peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaf and cook 30 seconds. Add red wine and reduce by half. Add Madeira wine and bring to boil.

Add demi-glace and whisk until incorporated into the sauce. Return mushrooms to pan and add heavy cream and reduce briefly.

Serve over beef, veal, pork, chicken or other grilled or roasted meats. The heavy cream is strictly optional and gives the sauce a richer color and flavor.

Bordelaise Sauce

Bordelaise Sauce

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Yield: 4 servings
Source lost

This classic French sauce is named for the great wine area of Bordeaux and is made with red wine, bone marrow, shallots, pepper and demi-glace. Bone marrow is listed as optional, but it is really a key ingredient.
NFB this is not a beginners sauce. There is nothing overly difficult here, but marrow and real demi-glace are specialty ingredients.

  • ¼cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1oz butter (¼ stick)
  • 4oz diced beef bone marrow *
  • ¼tsp cracked black peppercorn
  • 1sprig fresh thyme
  • ½cup red wine (Use a good table wine)
  • 1cup demi-glace

Melt butter in a sauce pan and sauté shallots for approx. 2 minutes (until transparent). Add red wine and reduce for approx. 2-3 minutes (to an essence). Add thyme and peppercorns and reduce further for approx. 2-3 minutes (until almost no liquid remains).

Add demi-glace and simmer for approx. 5-6 minutes (until sauce begins to thicken).

In a separate pan, simmer diced bone marrow in water for 3-4 minutes. Drain water and add diced marrow to sauce and simmer for approx. 2 minutes. Serve over tournedos, beef tenderloin steaks, or rump steaks.

Sauce is excellent over most cuts of grilled or roast beef, especially whole roasted beef tenderloin.

*If bone marrow is not available, you can substitute butter instead. It’s still a good sauce but it isn’t Bordelaise.

Sauce Béarnaise

Sauce Béarnaise

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Yield: 4 Servings
Elizabeth E. Skipper

A child of sauce hollandaise, Béarnaise has vinegar, shallots, tarragon and pepper. It is great on steaks, burgers, asparagus or salmon.

  • ⅓cup white wine
  • ⅓cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼cup chopped shallots
  • 2TBS dried tarragon
  • 2tsp dried chervil
  • 1tsp salt
  • ½tsp white (or black) pepper
  • 3egg yolks
  • ½lb butter, melted

With the first seven ingredients, make an acid base and reduce until there remain only 3 TBS-liquid in the pot. Cool slightly, add the egg yolks, and cook whisking over medium heat until the mixture mounds and thickens. DO NOT use aluminum pan, it reacts with the vinegar.

Remove- from the heat and add -the melted butter, slowly at first, to form the emulsion. Whisk in remaining butter, strain sauce through a coarse strainer to remove solids, and serve.

Can be made 1 hour ahead, sit at room temp. Add a little water, reheat and whisk thoroughly.

If desired, add a small amount of ground fresh tarragon.

Sauce Robert

Sauce Robert

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Yield: 4 servings

This classic French sauce was very popular in France in the 17th century and to this day no one is positive where its name came from but think it was derived sometime in the 16th century.

Sauce Robert is considered a brown sauce but is made with white wine and mustard and goes great with beef and pork.

  • 1medium onion
  • ½oz butter
  • ½cup white wine
  • 1TBS Dijon mustard
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • ½oz butter for finishing
  • 8oz demi-glace
  • Sauté the onion in butter over medium high until translucent.

Add the white wine

  • andreduce to an essence.

Add the demi-glace, stir and reduce until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the mustard, taste for seasonings and finish with the remaining butter.

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. and mix in the flour. using a whisk. Cook for two to three minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Add the stock off the heat. whisking briskly to prevent lumps. Continue whisking over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Add the heavy cream, heat through. check the seasoning and adjust to taste.