Beef with Piquant Sauce

Typically Piquant sauce is a spicy, tomato base that is found in Cajun cookin, here Joni used chicken stock instead. The word Piquant comes from the French for “to prick or sting” and this zesty sauce just does that.

Kale, Beef and Potato Soup

An interesting combination for a nice hearty soup. Something to enjoy on a cold day or to share with family. A hearty flavored soup. This dish is originally a Portuguese dish, but instead of using Linguica (Portuguese sausage), it became a more American dish using beef tips(beef tenderloin chunks). CandiAnne’s note: My Aunt Carrie grew Kale in her yard so she made this all the time. It was a favorite at her house and across the street at ours. LOL being Portuguese, we obviously used the Linguica

Seared Scallops with Maple Cream Sauce

Who doesn’t love a bacon-wrapped scallop? This dish was created to bring the saltiness of the bacon with the sweetness of the maple syrup to elevate the scallops. It’s a protein that pairs easily with any side dish to make a full meal and it’s rich enough to enjoy by itself. It is a balanced dish of textures and flavors that the whole family will enjoy.     CandiAnne’s Note: We were stationed at Fort Drum, NY for 4 1/2 years and maple weekend is a huge thing there. You can visit numerous producers, taste their wares, and grab some …

BBQ Beef Pot Roast

For this recipe I added a lot of carrots and potatoes because my family eats a lot of them, feel free to add more or less to suit your family’s needs. This roast is an easy one-pot meal that will feed your whole family. Growing up I ate a lot of pot roast as it was something easy for my mother to toss in the crockpot or on the stove to cook while she helped me and my sisters finish any schoolwork we had for the day. I remember the delicious smell wafting through the house as we sat doing …

Ham En Gelee Deconstructed

When making the ham, I fried the ham and used the grease to make the gravy for the Ham En Gelee. I’m from the South and I decided to serve it with ham & rice. The dinner turned out really well. I’m not usually a fan of gravy myself, but I enjoyed it. As did the rest of my family. This recipe began as a jello mold type dish circa 1970s so I was told to make it modern and bring it into the now. This is what the jellied version looks like and the recipe it came from. The …

Italian Pot Roast

Over the weekend, I had such a tremendous cooking experience in my unit’s kitchenette making Italian Pot Roast, all while trying to deal with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Henri. Yet, with much love and patience, I spent my evening prepping a delectable meal for the family and me. I have to say the pot roast was tender, paired well with multigrain rotini pasta for those like myself with dietary restrictions. I even had time to make an Arugula with lettuce salad dressed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. As an appetizer, I toasted Fresh Italian bread; seasoned …

Lamb Chops

Ever tried lamb before? Me neither! However, I will be making this a staple in my house! Be prepared to take cooking to a different level! Tender beyond anything you can think and minus a little marinade time super quick! The family will enjoy and more so you will be the new superhero in the house. I paired this with locally grown fresh cucumber, tomato, and red onion salad, as well as a basic Greek Tazaki sauce. You can pair this recipe with so many different options. In the winter, how about some roasted potatoes, onions, and mushrooms. In the …

Flank Steak Bordelaise

Imagine taking a bite of a perfectly seasoned steak with so much flavor that you never want to stop chewing. Well, now take a sauce that is so good you will mistake it for your new favorite drink. Combine both the sauce and the steak and you have a perfect dinner. Throw in some veggies and starch of choice and you can once again thank me later for this moving up the list of being one of the best dishes. It’s so good that you can impress anyone and everyone, go ahead it’s a lock-in dinner for impressing that first …