Amazing Clam Bake

This is a family favorite that is easy to make!

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 lb kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1-inch rounds
1 1/2 lbs baby potatoes, halved with skin
11/2 cups white wine, dry
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 lbs clams, soaked in ice water with a handful of flour or cornmeal and then rinsed well
1 large lemon, quartered

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over high heat.
2. Add sliced onion and cook until it starts to brown, stirring frequently.
3. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add potatoes, kielbasa, wine, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
5. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are half cooked.
6. Add mussels and clams, toss and combine, cover pot and cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until clams and mussels have opened.
7. Transfer to serving bowls with the broth and serve with lemon quarters.

Note: Make sure to discard any mussels or clams with unopened shells.

Heartwarming Beef Pot Roast

This is a wonderful, easy-to-make dish on a rainy day. Serve with rolls or steam rice.

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp minced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 sliced onions
13/4 cups beef broth
1 c tomato juice
11/2 lbs potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
2. In a small bowl, combine dried parsley, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
3. Pat roast beef dry with paper towels and rub all over with seasoning mixture.
4. In a large Dutch oven or oven-proof heavy sauce pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
5. Add the roast and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
6. In the same pot, add onions and 1/4 cup water and cook about 8 minutes or until tender and golden, stirring occasionally.
 7. Stir in broth and juice and bring to a boil. Add roast back to pot, cover and transfer to oven. Roast for 2 hours.
8. Stir in potatoes and carrots, cover and continue roasting for 45 minutes or until vegetables and meat are tender.
9. Transfer roast and vegetables to a large serving platter and drizzle with pan juices.

Mussels in an Aromatic Coconut Broth

Ingredients:
4 lbs of Mussels (make sure they are close)
1 red chili pepper (seeded and thinly sliced)
1 stalk of lemon grass (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 cup coconut milk
3 tsp. olive oil
Cilantro (chopped)
1/2 cup White wine (dry)
2 stalks of spring onion (thinly sliced)

Directions:

1. In a heated pot or deep pan, combine mussels, white wine, sprig of thyme.
2. Cover and share pot. It's very important to keep the lid on to continue the steaming process.
3. Once the mussels opened, drain and set aside. Make sure to save the broth.

Sauce:

1. In a pan, add olive oil, chili, garlic, lemon grass, and spring onion.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add mussel broth in the pan and coconut milk and simmer for about 2 minutes.
4. Sift the broth to get rid of the ingredients.
5. Put the broth back in the pan and add cilantro for garnish.
6. Pour broth in the mussels.

Note: If you don't like cilantro (not many people do) you may use Thai or sweet basil. I use cilantro because I like the smell. Thai basil is difficult to find in grocery stores and difficult to grow in Las Vegas.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

2/14 lb potatoes (you may use brown potatoes if you prefer)
Sea salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tbsp butter
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
1/3 c whipping cream
1/3 c milk

Directions:

1. Cut potatoes into bite-sized cubes and boil in salted water until tender.
2. Mashed the potatoes using a ricer (if you have it), then stir through the butter and chopped onions.
3. Pour cream and milk in a pot and boil until slightly creamy.
4. Add the milk and cream mixture into the potatoes and mix.
5. You may garnish the potatoes with fresh dill (chopped) for color.

Note: As I noted, you may use either white or brown potatoes. You also have the choice of using whole milk--I use 2% milk.