Crispy Sweet Onion Rings

3 cups buttermilk

2 sweet onions (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla), thinly sliced into rounds, then separated into rings

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

canola oil (for frying)

Pour buttermilk into large bowl. Add onion rings; toss to coat. Let stand 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Mix flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in another large bowl.

Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F. Working with a few onion rings at a time, shake off excess buttermilk, then turn onion rings in flour mixture to coat. Fry onion rings until deep golden brown, adjusting heat as necessary for each batch to maintain temperature at 350°F, about 2 minutes. Transfer onion rings to paper towels to drain.

Rib Eye Steaks w/ Gorgonzola Butter

Gorgonzola butter

• 2 heads of garlic, top 3/4 inch cut off to expose cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 6 10- to 12-ounce rib-eye steaks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For gorgonzola butter:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic on piece of foil; drizzle with olive oil. Enclose garlic in foil. Bake until garlic is very soft, about 1 hour. Cool. Squeeze garlic cloves out from papery skins into medium bowl; mash garlic with fork. Mix in butter, cheese, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer Gorgonzola butter to sheet of plastic wrap. Using plastic wrap as aid, form butter into 1 1/4-inch-diameter log, wrapping plastic tightly around butter. Chill until firm. (Can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled.) Cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
.

For steaks:
Brush steaks with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat. Add 3 steaks to each skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve with Gorgonzola butter.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake

For cake layers

• 3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut

• 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting

• 1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

Special equipment

• two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans

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DIRECTIONS: 

Make cake layers:

* Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

* Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

* Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
* In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. 
* Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

* Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Make frosting:

* Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.

Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).

Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

Egg Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Garlic, finely chopped
• Ginger, grated
• Salt
• Sugar, 1/4 teaspoon
• Scallions, sliced thinly
• Carrot, cut into 1-inch julienne strips
• Red pepper, cut into 1-inch julienne strips
• Cabbage, shredded
• Soy sauce
• Chinese rice wine
• Wonton wrappers covered loosely with a damp paper towel to prevent drying
• 10 shrimps, cooked and minced

• In a wok or skillet, stir-fry the ginger and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add veggies and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes. Add sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and shrimp.
• Fill and roll the egg roll wrappers, using 1 tablespoon of filling for each roll. 
• In a skillet set over moderately high heat, heat the remaining oil and saute the egg rolls until golden brown on all sides, using tongs to turn them. 
• Serve when cool enough to eat, with dipping sauce.

Steak Fajita

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1 1/2 lbs. skirt steak, trimmed of fat
• garlic, minced
• 1 bottle of beer
• chile powder
• ground cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano leaves

• olive oil
• 1 jalapeno, seeded, and minced
• 1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 2 large bell peppers, one green and one yellow or red, seeded and cut into thin slices
• 1 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped, (optional)
• salt, pepper
• fresh lime juice

• flour or corn tortillas

Condiments:

Guacamole/ Salsa/ Sour Cream/ Shredded Mexican or Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

• Marinate - combine first 6 ingredients.
• Grill the meat and then slice it.
• Cook the bell peppers, jalapeno, salt, black pepper and onions on the stove w/ olive oil. 
• Once done - Add lime and cilantro.
• Warm the tortillas just before serving.

Tomato Mozzarella Pasta

Ingredients:
* Spaghetti
* Olive Oil
* Garlic - chopped
* Tomatoes - chopped
* Fresh mozzarella - chopped into cubes
* Fresh Basil - 2/3 leaves
* Parmesan
* Salt, Pepper

Directions:
* Boil spaghetti as per package directions.
* In a wok - add olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir until tomatoes look done.
* Add pasta and mozarella. Stir until cheese is melted. Add basil.
* Sprinkle parmesan on top.

(Courtesy: Burns)