Prep time:  10 mins
Cook time:  10 mins
Total time:  20 mins
Serves: 4

• 4 10 ounce thick tenderloin beef filets
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• Garlic & Herb Butter:
• ½ stick butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• ½ tablespoon minced garlic

1. For the herb butter: Soften the 1/2 stick of butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. Stir in herbs and garlic until fully mixed. Spoon the butter onto tin foil doing your best to reshape it to resemble a stick of butter. Place in refrigerator for about 10 minutes and remove 5 minutes before adding to the filet.
2. For the filets: Preheat the oven to 415° F. Remove steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, this is to bring the steak to room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
3. Add the olive oil and plain butter to an oven safe cast iron skillet and turn up high, allow the skillet to become scorching hot first. Place the filets face down and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the filets and sear for an additional 2 minutes. This will give your filets a nice seared edge.
4. Transfer your skillet directly to the oven. [WARNING] skillet may be hot, handle with oven mitts. For rare, bake for 4-5 minutes. Medium rare, 5-6 minutes. Medium, 6-7 minutes. Remember, depending on the size of the steak, the more or less time it will take. This recipe is ideal for a 8-10 ounce portion, roughly 2-3 inches thick. Remove filets from the skillet and set on a plate, lightly cover with tin foil and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. This is important to bring your steak to its final serving temperature. Top with a slice of garlic and herb butter and serve.
5. Serve with fresh vegetables and your favorite salad.  

NOTES
Temperatures for steak:
Rare: 130°F to 135°F
Medium Rare: 140°F to 145°F
Medium: 155°F to 160°F
Well Done: 165°F to 170°F

 Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound (5 links- favorite Italian sausage)
1/2 white or yellow onion
1/4 red pepper
1/4 green pepper
1tsp garlic powder
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp Lowery garlic salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sage flakes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tbsp white sugar
​Parmesan Cheese to taste
1 package linguine
8 small Bella mushrooms (chopped)
​2 Jars ( 8  ounces)  
24 ounces tomato sauce (Plain or your favorite)
​1 can 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes with roasted garlic
Five Cheese Garlic Bread
Directions
1.  In a dutch oven place 2 quarts of water with kosher salt & 1 tbsp olive oil and bring to a boil then add linguine and cook for 11-15 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain, and place back in the dutch oven pot.  Add 1 tbsp oil oil and 1 tsp parsley.  Stir, cover and set aside.

2.  Place Italian sausage and 3 cups of water into a cast iron skillet and set on high to boil uncovered.  When water is evaporated pour in 1 tbsp olive oil and brown on all sides at medium heat for 5-6 minutes.  Cover and set aside..

3.  While sausage is cooking brown ground beef then add chopped onions, red, green peppers, garlic, garlic salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, Italian seasoning, sugar, mushrooms, and sage.  Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to low to simmer for 15 minutes.

4.  ​Add roasted garlic and herb tomato sauce to the meat mixture in step 2.  Slice up Italian sausage and add to meat sauce.  Bring to a boil and then reduce back to low heat.  

5.  Preheat Oven according to package directions for the five cheese garlic bread. (11-15 minutes).

6.  After bread is done turn everything off and let rest to absorb all the flavors for a minimum of five minutes.  Pour your favorite glass of wine and enjoy.  TIP:  Keep and store the noodle separate from the sauce.

This recipe turned out to be the best meal of the last seven days.  Whenever Joyce says, " I don't know what you're cooking but it smells so damn good." Cooking relaxes me and it is the best time to think and reflect.  The layout of our kitchen has an open floor design and the cutting board that allows easy access to prepare meals, cook and watch a good game of football.  If the cooking preparation does not smell good then it simply won't taste good.  I usually try to clean and cook at the same time (Good Luck with that).   I have a habit of not eating once the food is ready.  I have to take time and wait for the sounds of approval from dining guests. So on the second day back home my relaxation is to cook another meal to perfection and the kitchen is full of Italian heavenly flavors and a delicious pasta meal served with a fresh garden salad with my favorite blue cheese dressing with a rewarding taste of roasted garlic Parmesan and Alfredo sauce with chicken, sausage, and shrimp.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS
·         1 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
·         1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (1 inch)
          1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage removed from casings.
          2 links of Italian sausage with mozzarella cheese
·         12-15 medium shrimp 
·         1/2 medium onion, chopped
          4-5 sliced fresh mushrooms
·         1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
·         1 medium green pepper, chopped
          1 tablespoons of butter
·         2 tablespoons olive oil
·         6 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tbsp minced garlic 
·         3 jars (24 ounces each) Alfredo sauce with Parmesan cheese
·         1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
·         1/2 teaspoon pepper
·         1/4 teaspoon salt
·         2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook the chicken, sausage, mushrooms, onion, butter, red and green peppers in oil over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Do not drain excess liquid!

3. Stir in the Alfredo sauce, soup, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Stir in cheese. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.
Serve desired amount immediately. Cool remaining mixture; transfer to freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To use frozen pasta: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a large skillet; cook and stir over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 8 servings.
​
To microwave frozen pasta: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or until heated through, stirring once.

We enjoyed our vacation in Las Vegas.  A vacation can always be remembered by the food we had for room service or dining in at our favorite restaurant.  The best part about eating something good away from home is that I enjoyed not having to clean up the kitchen after cooking.  Upon returning back home I was back in the kitchen to cook up something different and new.  So the first day back I cooked up some lemon pepper baked chicken as pictured above with the following recipe

Ingredients

YIELDS: 4
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 lemons, divided
1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (cooking)
1 cup. low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic (Chopped)
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions
PREP TIME: 0:15
TOTAL TIME: 0:30

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, lemon pepper, salt, and zest of one lemon. Toss halved chicken breasts in the flour mixture until fully coated. Slice 1 lemon into thin rounds.
3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat olive oil. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until golden on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken breasts.
4. To the same skillet (cast iron preferred), add the chicken broth, butter, garlic and lemon slices and transfer skillet to the oven. Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170° F and the sauce has reduced slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Spoon sauce on top of chicken. Garnish with parsley.

​