Chef Chuck's Green Bean and Carrot Salad

Fagiolini Verdi e Carote

Green beans and carrots with the orange honey vinaigrette is a sweet summer salad. The flavors come alive with a sunny orange taste. Select freshly picked organic vegetables, to obtain a healthy and flavorful salad.

Orange Vinaigrette
juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper to taste


Whisk together all ingredients.

Green Bean and Carrots

1 pound green beans
5 carrots, sliced


Wash and cut beans, slice carrots and steam. Combine green beans and carrots, pour vinaigrette over and toss.

Chef Chuck's Pasta Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Insalata di Pasta


In this delicious pasta salad it has tricolor farfalle, with a blend of vegetables, goat cheese and fresh picked oregano. The homemade vinaigrette is simple to make and the taste is so robust. A great recipe for a barbecue or picnic.


Pasta Salad
1 pound farfalle pasta
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 cucumber, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Cook pasta till al dente, rinse in cold water, place in large bowl. Add peppers, onions, cucumber, carrots, goat cheese, oregano, salt and pepper.


Vinaigrette


1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper


Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and mix.

Chef Chuck's Zucchini Bread

Pane di Zucca

Fresh zucchini makes a wonderful bread, filled with nuts, raisins and cinnamon. The smells are so inviting, I think we will have some warm zucchini bread, tonight. This recipe makes two loafs one for our house and one to give away, see you tomorrow, Margarita and Nick.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cups zucchini, shredded

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup walnuts

1/2 cup raisins

2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease 2 loaf pans. Beat eggs then add olive oil, zucchini, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, nuts, raisins and flour. Fill pans 3/4 full and place on a baking pan, bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool on a rack, this bread freezes well.

Chef Chuck's Basil Pesto

Pesto di Basilico


Homemade Genovese basil pesto with fresh picked basil, and homegrown garlic, has the ultimate flavors. Pesto is great for pasta's, spreads or in soups. Freeze pesto in ice cube trays then store in plastic bags, use 1 or 2 cubes when making soups or stews. The authentic way of making pesto is with the mortar and pestle.


Basil Pesto
2 cups fresh basil
3/4 cups parmigiana, grated
1/2 cup pine nuts
2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil


Put all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor slowly drizzle in olive oil till all ingredients are combined. Store in refrigerator, will cover 1 pound of pasta.

Chef Chucks Shrimp with Orzo

Shrimp and orzo is full of flavor, a quick and inexpensive meal, sure to be satisfying. By leaving the shell on the shrimp you add a lot more seafood flair.


Shrimp and Orzo
1 pound medium shrimp, shells on
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound orzo
red hot pepper flakes
drizzle of olive oil


Prepare orzo as directed. Meanwhile heat a frying pan, add olive oil and saute the celery, carrots and onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic, broth, salt, pepper and shrimp. Cover and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add cooked orzo to pan, sprinkle red hot pepper flakes, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Chef Chuck's Stuffed Sweet Cherry Peppers

Stuffed sweet cherry peppers is a great recipe for an appetizer. Simple, yet full of flavor with the anchovies and olives, they are great for any summertime party. Serve with an assortment of olives, cheese, some crusty bread and your favorite wine.


Stuffed Sweet Cherry Peppers
1 jar sweet cherry peppers, about 12
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
4 small anchovies
6 green and 6 black olives
1/3 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon pine nuts
2-3 tablespoons olive oil


Rinse and cut out stems of peppers, discard seeds. Combine all other ingredients in a food processor and stream in olive oil till moist, gently stuff each pepper.

Chef Chuck's Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms

Filetti di Manzo al Funghi


Beef tenderloin is a hearty and satisfying meal, accompanied with rice or potatoes and a salad makes a complete meal. I sear the steak in a heavy pan only turning once, this insures a tender and moist steak.


Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms
2 beef tenderloins, 1 inch thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
3 large portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup beef broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Wash and pat dry steaks, bring to room temperature. Using a large heavy pan on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper both sides of steaks place in pan and do not move. For a medium rare steak, sear each side for 6 minutes, remove and cover with tin foil allowing to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. In same pan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil add mushrooms and broth, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Then add garlic, parsley, salt and pepper cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Slice steak and pour gravy over top and serve with mushrooms.