Italian Muffuletta

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1/3 cup olive oil
10 large pitted green olives, chopped
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
1 lb round bread loaf (about 7 inches in diameter)
4 oz thinly sliced ham
4 oz thinly sliced mortadella
4 oz thinly sliced salami
4 oz sliced provolone cheese
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 oz arugula leaves

1. In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, garlic, and oregano to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Stir in the green and kalamata olives and roasted peppers. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

2. Using a serrated knife, slice off the top inch of the bread loaf. Hollow out the bottom and top halves of the loaf. Spread some of the vinaigrette in the bread bottom. Layer the meats and cheese in the bottom half. Top with the onion, then the arugula. Spread the remaining vinaigrette on the cut side of the bread top, then replace the bread top. (The sandwich can be made a day ahead. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

3. Cut the sanwich into wedges and serve.

**The combination of sliced meats is flexible; feel free to substitute or omit any of them. But what bakes this sandwich a muffuletta is the olive and red peper spread, so don't skip it!

Recipe from: Giada's Family Dinners

Calzones

Dough:*
1 pkg. regular active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp veg. oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 - 1 3/4 C whole wheat flour** (makes it South Beach phase 2 & 3 friendly)
1 egg white beater

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Stir in sugar, oil, salt and flours. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough whole wheat flour to make it easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, knead about 5 minutes. Don't overknead, or the dough will toughen. Cover and let rest 15 - 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

* Doubling the batch allows for plenty of food with leftovers.
**If you don't have whole wheat flour, just use the all-purpose flour

Filling:*
1 C cut up cooked chicken
4 oz mushrooms
3/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 C chopped onion
8 oz. pizza sauce
1/8 cup chopped black olives
2 T Parmesan cheese

*Filling can range from anything you can find on a pizza (pepperoni, green pepper, bacon, ham, sausage, etc). This is also a great opportunity to have a vegetarian dish.

1. Mix ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Divide dough into 6 equal parts. Roll out into a 7 inch circle on lightly floured surface.

3. Place about 1/4 - 1/3 cup of filling on half of each circle - spread to 1 inch of edge. Fold dough over, press edge to seal with fork.

4. Spray cookie sheet, and place calzones on sheet. Brush with egg white (or butter). Cut vents into top of dough to vent steam. Bake 25 minutes or until golden.

Recipe from: Tara B.

Beef & Vegetable Stir-fry

1 lb beef top round steak
1 1/2 cups broccoli, cut into one-inch pieces
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp dry sherry
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, halved lengthwise (optional)
Deep fried rice sticks or hot cooked rice.

1. Partially freeze beef; slice very thinly across the grain into bite-size strips. Cook broccoli and carrots, covered, in boiling salted water for 2 minutes; drain. Mix cornstarch, salt and sugar; blend in soy sauce and sherry. Set aside.

2. Add cooking oil; preheat wok over high heat. Stir-fry broccoli, carrots, and onion in hot oil for 2 minutes or till crisp-tender. Remove from wok. (Add more oil if necessary.) Add half the beef to hot wok; stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or till browned. Remove beef. Stir-fry remaining beef 2 to 3 minutes. Return all meat to wok. Add peas, water chestnuts,and bamboo shoots. Stir soy mixture; stir into wok. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Return broccoli, carrots, and onion to wok; cover and cook 1 minute more.

Serve atop deep fried rice sticks or with rice.

* South Beach phase 2/3 if you use brown rice and avoid water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.

Recipe from: BH&G Best Wok Recipes

Beef & Chipotle Burritoes

1 1/2 lbs boneless beef roumd steak, cut 3/4 inch thick
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (NOT 1-2 cans of....*)
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
6 9 to 10 inch tomato-flavored or plain flour tortillas, warmed**
3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 recipe Pico de Gallo Salsa - as follows
Shredded jicama or radishes (optional)
Dairy sour cream (optional)

1. Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 6 pieces. Place meat, undrained tomatoes, onion, chipotles pepper(s), oregano, cumin, and garlic into crock pot.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting fir 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Remove meat from crocker. Using two forks, pull meat apart into shreds. Place meat in a large bowl. Stir in cooking liquids to reach desired consistency. Divide meat among warm tortillas, spooning it just below center. Tip with Pico de Gallo Salsa, and, if desired, jicama and sour cream. Roll tortillas.

*I made the mistake of putting 1 1/2 cans of chipotles. It did a number on us...
** Warm tortillas by wrapping a stack in foil. Heat in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes to soften.

Pico de Gallo Salsa:
In a bowl combine:
2 medium finely chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
1 fresh serrano chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
dash of sugar

Cover and chill before serving.

Recipe from: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Skewered Beef & Corn

4-pound boneless chuck roast
Unsalted meat tenderizer
Pineapple-Wine Marinade (recipe follows)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup salad oil
5 medium-size ears corn, husked and cut into 2-inch lengths
3 medium-size green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch squares
2 large mild red onions, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium-size pineapple (about 3 1/2 lbs.), peeled, cored, and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes.

1. Cut meat crosswise into steaks about 1 1/2 inches thick. Then apply tenderizer according to package directions. Cut meat into 1 1/2-inch cubes and place in a large bowl.

2. Prepare Pineapple-Wine Marinade and pour over meat; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until next day, stirring occasionally.

3. In a small bowl, stir together butter, oil, and 1/3 cup of the marinade drained from meat; set aside. Discard remaining marinade.

4. On long, sturdy metal skewers, thread meat alternately with corn, bell peppers, onions, and pineapple. Brush all over with butter mixture. Place skewers on a lightly greased grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of hot coals. Cook, turning and basting frequently with butter mixture, until meat is done to your liking; cut to test (about 15 minutes for medium-rare).

Pineapple-Wine Marinade
In a bowl stir together:
1 1/2 cups canned pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 Tbsp instant minced onion
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire
1 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed.

Santa Cruz, 1999.

Recipe from: Mindy via The Ultimate Grill Book

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Save time by making the roux ahead of time. When cooked, roux should be a coppery color, similar to that of a tarnished penny.

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cooking oil
3 cups water
12 oz cooked smoked sausage links quartered & sliced.
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 3/4 - inch pieces
2 cups sliced okra or one 10 oz package of frozen okra sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
3 cups hot cooked rice

1. For roux, in a medium heavy saucepan stir together flour and oil until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir constantly about 15 minutes more or until a dark reddish-brown color is reached; cool.

2. Place water in a 3 1/2 or 4 quart crockery cooker. Stir in roux. Add sausage, chicken okra, onion, sweet pepper, celery, garlic, salt, black pepper and red pepper.

3.Cover and cook on low-heat setting fo 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setiing of 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Skim off fat. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Recipe from: Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book 12th Edition.