Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons minced shallots
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 large ripe beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2" slices
• 2 tablespoons rinsed salt-packed capers
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 10 fresh medium basil leaves, torn into approx. 1/2" pieces

Preparation

Combine shallots, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil to blend. Set vinaigrette aside.

Arrange tomatoes on a large platter. Sprinkle capers over; season with salt and pepper. Scatter basil on top. Whisk vinaigrette again; drizzle over salad.

Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole

Ingredients
• 1 16-ounce package frozen cauliflower florets
• 1 16-ounce package frozen broccoli cuts
• 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1-1/4 cups milk
• 2 3-ounce packages cream cheese with chives, cut up
• 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs (about 1 slice of bread)
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

directions

1. Cook broccoli and cauliflower according to package directions. Drain well. Place in a large saucepan. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook onion in the 2 tablespoons margarine or butter until tender but not brown. Stir in flour, salt, garlic powder, basil, and pepper. Add milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cream cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Stir into vegetable mixture. Turn into a 2-quart casserole.
3. Toss together bread crumbs, cheese, and the 2 tablespoons melted margarine or butter. Sprinkle over vegetable mixture. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes 12 servings.
4. Make-Ahead Tip: Refrigerate unbaked casserole, covered, up to 1 day, and bake as directed. Or, freeze up to 1 month; thaw frozen casserole in refrigerator overnight, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through

Scott's Coast-to-Coast Famous Chicken Wings

Ingredients

• 1 gallon peanut oil
• 25 chicken wings, segmented and patted dry with paper towels
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon coarse-ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or kettle to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Gently add the wings, one at a time, to the hot oil. Stir gently to assure the wings do not stick together. Fry the chicken wings in the preheated oil until cooked through and the are floating gently atop the oil, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the wing should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
3. Stir the melted butter, hot pepper sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Add the cooked wings to the sauce and turn to coat; transfer to a serving platter.

Footnotes

Cook's Notes: For a 'medium hot' wing, add 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes to the wing sauce. For a truly 'hot' wing, add 2 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of your favorite super-hot hot sauce to the wing sauce.

Asian Beef with Snow Peas

Ingredients

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound beef round steak, cut into thin strips

8 ounces snow peas

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium high heat. Stir-fry ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add the steak and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until evenly browned. Add the snow peas and stir-fry for an additional 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer until the sauce is thick and smooth. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Pasta Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) condensed chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• dash garlic powder
• 1/2 cup ditali or other small pasta shapes, about 2 to 3 ounces
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed, or use mixed vegetables

Preparation:

In a 5 to 7-quart slow cooker, combine the chicken broth, water, cooked chicken, tomatoes, onion, celery, basil, parsley, and garlic powder. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours, or until the vegetables are tender. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water as directed on the package; add the frozen vegetables about 1 minute before the pasta is done. Drain. Add the cooked pasta and vegetables to the slow cooker. Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 30 to 60 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6.