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Italian Cooking Made Easy with Steak Pizzaiola

No, steak pizzaiola is not a recipe for making a bougie-style pizza at home.  Instead, this is a delicious, easy-to-make steak recipe that will fill your home with aromatics and get those stomach growling.   Otherwise known as carne alla pizzaiola, the origins of this dish likely come from a Sicilian recipe using beef shoulder for the meat.  Other ingredients, however, point to Naples, Italy as the origin of the recipe. Why is it called pizzaiola if it's not pizza?  Think of one of your favorite parts of pizza–the sauce.  While there are many variations, one consistent characteristic of [caption id="attachment_3071"...
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Pork Schnitzels with Mushroom Sauce (Jägerschnitzel)

If you haven’t had German pork schnitzels, you are missing out on a delectable treat.  These thinly pounded pork cutlets are breaded and quickly pan-fried, making them crispy and delicious.  Pork schnitzel is a traditional German meal often served with french fries and lemon wedges.  However, you can customize your pork schnitzel by adding a gravy, such as the Jägerschnitzel that features a rich mushroom sauce. For this recipe, start by making the mushroom sauce.  Set it aside on low while you make the schnitzels. Ingredients for the Mushroom Sauce: 6 slices of TBS thick bacon, cut into ½ inch...
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Andouille Sausage and Lentil Bean Chili

If you think “Andouille” sounds French, you’re absolutely right.  Andouille is a traditional Cajun pork sausage, often used in recipes like jambalaya and gumbo.  Many Andouille sausages come pre-cooked, but if you purchase them uncooked, it's simple to prepare them with the directions below to use in your favorite recipe.   The taste of Andouille sausage will vary depending on who makes it.  Most have a smoky, rich flavor that stands up well in soups and casserole dishes.  However, you should always discuss the taste with your specific butcher, as some are produced with more cajun spices than others, giving them...
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Beef Gyro Sandwiches

Interested in trying something new, but perhaps you have some family members that are pretty picky about what they eat?  Gyros are a popular grab-and-go food, but not everyone is keen on eating lamb.  You can still enjoy this Greek-inspired pocket sandwich by making beef gyro sandwiches. Gyro is a Greek word that means “spin.”  Traditional gyro meat is placed onto a vertical rotisserie over a heat source.  The meat is sheared off in strips as it cooks.  Gyros are most often made with lamb but are also made with pork or beef. Beef Gyro Sandwiches Ingredients 1 pound TBS...
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Cheesy Potato and Sausage Casserole

Do you hate cooking after a busy day at work but still want to feed your family something delicious and nutritious?  This cheesy potato and sausage casserole can be made ahead of time and then baked after a busy day and tiring commute.   You can alter the ingredients to fit your family’s tastes, too.  The Butcher Shop carries a wide variety of sausages, allowing you to be creative with your meal preparation.  For example, this same recipe can be made with jalapeno sausages and Monterey jack cheese and served with salsa and sour cream. Ingredients: ½ pound of your favorite...
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Frittata Breakfast Muffins

Grab-and-Go Mini Frittata Breakfast Muffins Easter’s coming up, and that means there’s a very good chance you will have leftover ham you need to use up.  One brilliant solution is to make these easy grab-and-go min frittata breakfast muffins.  Your family can enjoy them at their leisure as they are easy to reheat in the microwave or toaster oven.  Refrigerate leftovers with wax paper between layers for a leisurely grab-and-go breakfast throughout the week. For this recipe, you’ll need two mini muffin tins (those with 24 little cups.) Ingredients: About ½ cup of leftover TBS ham, finely chopped Nonstick vegetable...
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Italian Sausage and Potato Soup (Instant Pot)

Italian Sausage and Potato Soup. Making soup in the Instant Pot or other similar pressure cooker is an easy way to put together a wholesome meal in minutes.  Some people refer to this type of soup as Zuppa Toscana meaning “Tuscan soup,” but the actual Italian name is “minestra di pane,” meaning bread soup.  Italian sausage, potatoes, onion, and kale are almost always core ingredients. Depending on the chef, you may also find this soup containing zucchini, cannellini beans, celery, and carrots.   Italian Sausage and Potato Soup Ingredients 1 pound TBS Italian ground sausage (mild or spicy) 1 tablespoon olive...
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Grilled Leg of Lamb in 45 Minutes

Grilled leg of lamb is a traditional main course for Easter dinner, although many people may not know why.  It’s not seasonality since, in most regions of the world, Easter is before lambing season.  Instead, the tradition’s history can be found in the Christian Bible. Many Biblical stories may shed light on the tradition.  For some, eating lamb at Easter simply represents the sacrifice of Jesus (the lamb of God) on the cross. There are other stories as well, though.  For example, when ancient Egypt experienced traumatic plagues that resulted in high infant mortality, the Jews sought help from God. ...
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Butter Chicken on the Stovetop

Do you love going out for Indian food, but the tab puts a considerable strain on your pocketbook?  Thanks to the unique combination of spices, Indian food has a distinctive flavor that many people find addictive.  The good news is that there are simple Indian recipes you can make at home for a fraction of the cost and minimal work.  One very popular Indian dish is butter chicken. Butter chicken is a culinary creation of Kundan Lal Gujral, an employee at a sweet shop in Peshawar, India, called Mukhey da Dhaba.  He originally came up with the idea for tandoori...
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Creole Shrimp Cakes W/Ancho Chile Rémoulade

Crab cakes make a delicious appetizer, but what do you do during the months when crabs are less prevalent on the Oregon coast?  How about creole shrimp cakes?  This is a tasty recipe combining Creole spices with delicious, chopped shrimp.  Because the shrimp is chopped, it's best to use the largest you can find.  Rock shrimp makes a perfectly flavored cake if available. Creole Shrimp Cakes Ingredients: 1 pound TBS extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped 6 tablespoons olive oil ⅓ cup yellow onion, diced ¼ cup green pepper, diced ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon white pepper ¾ cup green...
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