I’ve been trying to make this next recipe for a couple of weeks now. It did require some hot oven time, so once the weather cooled off again in it went. It’s an odd combination of ingredients, but definitely one to try. Thank you for sharing Facebook.  

The Best Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins

Salt and pepper

1 jar mayonnaise (original calls for “Best,” I used Hellman’s)

1 box (two envelopes) Lipton’s Dry Onion Soup Mix

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Rinse and pat the tenderloin dry with a paper towel and place it on a 9-by-13-inch aluminum foil covered baking dish or pan.

Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper and slather the top and sides with about 1/8 of an inch of mayonnaise. Take the envelopes of soup mix and crush before pouring over the entire outside of both loins.

Bake uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes or until the internal temperature is about 160 degrees F.

Helpful hint
Try mixing the soup mix with the mayonnaise and apply to the tenderloin.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

I've mentioned my friend Meril Caceres in this column before. She's one of my go-to people when I'm in a pinch and need a recipe that I know will be good. She's made everything for us, from elaborate dinners and special celebration cakes to crescent-wrapped hot dogs and homemade dips. Regardless of what she makes, I know it will always be good. This recipe is no exception, and that little kick of jalapeno takes it to a whole new level of good. It also travels well for all of those picnics and tailgates coming up this summer.

Spicy Asian Slaw

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (if you can't find toasted, regular sesame or extra-virgin olive oil will work)

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

¼ cups garlic chili sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Half a small head red cabbage

Half a head of Napa cabbage

1 large carrot, grated

4 scallions, sliced on the diagonal

1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly

¼ cup fresh cilantro

Preparation

For the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sesame oil, vinegar, chili sauce, lime juice, ginger, salt, pepper and sesame seeds, and set aside.

For the slaw, core, quarter and slice both cabbages thinly. Transfer them to a colander, run cold water over them to wash then drain and pour into a large bowl. Add the grated carrot, scallion, red bell pepper and cilantro and toss. Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss to combine, then cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for two hours before serving.

Helpful hints

My friend Dede Gales shared this on Facebook, just in time for mosquito season. At your next outdoor gathering try this safe and effective method of keeping mosquitoes at bay. Slice a few limes in half and press a good amount of cloves into the pulp of each half. Just set them on a plate or dish in bunches of three or four throughout the area you want covered for an all-natural mosquito repellent.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

This recipe popped up on my Facebook page, thanks to my friend Nancy Berg Vandelaarschot. I haven't tried it yet, but when you see the ingredients, you just know it's going to be good (and I don't even really care for peanut butter). She shared it from a Facebook account named Hillbilly Recipes and after "liking" it myself, I have a feeling there will be plenty more Hillbilly recipes to come.

Chocolate peanut butter bars

Ingredients

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1¾ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter

½ cup chopped peanuts (optional)

1 cup (6 ounce package) semisweet chocolate chips

1 large egg, beaten

1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup creamy peanut butter

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine oats, brown sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles fine crumbs. If using peanuts, stir them in here.

Reserve 1½ cups of the crumb mixture and set aside. In the remaining crumb mixture stir in the beaten egg then press into the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking pan and bake for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir (or beat) together sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter until well combined and pour evenly over partially baked crust.

In a separate bowl, stir together reserved crumb mixture and chocolate chips and sprinkle evenly over peanut butter layer. Bake an additional 15 minutes, cool and cut into bars.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

Every once in a while I will see a picture of a recipe and think to myself, "I've got to try that." Sometimes it's a great choice, and sometimes - not so much. This next recipe, by Elise Bauer, is a great one. And judging by the empty casserole dish that was wiped clean at the end of the night, my family agrees. Make sure you read through the entire recipe over beforehand.

Chicken and rice casserole

Ingredients

2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 to 1½ inch pieces, patted dry (I used breasts)

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ pound cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup dry sherry or white wine (I doubled the rice so I used ¼ cup of each or ½ cup total)

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup sour cream (may substitute lite)

¼ cup heavy cream (may substitute milk/not skim)

2 cups raw, medium or long grain, white rice

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon each of Italian seasoning and poultry seasoning, (or 2 teaspoons of one of these herb mixes, or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil)

½ teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Note that I did double the rice so I had to increase the liquid. The original recipe calls for ¼ cup sherry or white wine, 1 1/3 cups chicken stock, and 1 cup of rice.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan on medium high or high heat. Sprinkle a dash of salt on the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and working in batches, brown on two sides - do not cook through - about 1-2 minutes per batch. Add a little more salt to the pan (and more olive oil if needed) after every batch. Remove chicken and set aside.

In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, lower the heat to medium, add the onions, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes; add the garlic, cook 30 seconds more and remove to a shallow 9x13x2-inch casserole dish. Because I doubled the rice, I used a 4-quart baking dish.

Raise the heat to medium high, add the sliced mushrooms and dry saute them (no need to add butter or oil), allowing them to brown lightly and release some of their moisture. Add the mushrooms to the casserole dish. (You can also skip this step and saute the mushrooms with the onion-garlic mixture.)

Deglaze the pan with the sherry or white wine scraping up the browned bits from the bottom and letting it reduce to about 1-2 tablespoons. Add the chicken stock, remove from heat, and stir in 1½ teaspoons salt, the cream and the sour cream. Add the raw rice to the casserole dish, then pour the stock, sherry, cream mixture over the rice. Add the seasonings (or fresh herbs) and paprika to the dish and stir so that everything is evenly distributed.

Place the chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture (in a single layer if you can). Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil. If the casserole is too liquid, let it cook another 5 minutes uncovered, until the excess liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving (optional).

Helpful hints

If you are avoiding cooking with alcohol, skip the sherry and deglaze the pan with a 1/4 cup extra of chicken stock. Depending on how salted your stock is, you may choose to omit the salt altogether for the rice.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

Asparagus, you either love it or you hate it. I'm always looking for new recipes to try, and this next one is perfect for a Sunday brunch.

Asparagus and prosciutto Strata

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, tough stem ends snapped off, cut into 2-inch lengths

1 loaf crusty-style bread (French or Italian), cut into 1-inch cubes

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into ½-inch-thick strips

1¼ cups shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese (about 5 ounces)

½ cup chopped chives

6 large eggs

2½ cups milk

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium pan over high heat, bring about 2 quarts water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set aside. Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook until bright green and barely tender, about 2 minutes, then drain and rinse in ice water.

Spread half the bread cubes in a lightly oiled 9x13-inch baking pan. Top with half the prosciutto, cooked asparagus, cheese and chives. Repeat layers. In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, lemon peel, salt, and pepper to blend then pour evenly over layered ingredients. Cover and chill at least 1 hour then bake until center is set and top is lightly browned, about 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I got a nice surprise the other night … my husband made dinner. Now with full disclosure I have to admit that it probably had more to do with his craving for one of his mother's recipes than it did to appease any of us, but hey, sometimes you have to take what you can get - and in this case it was delicious. Now if he would just clean up his mess.

Beef Parmesan

Ingredients

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

1 1/3 cups water

1/3 cup chopped onion

¼ teaspoon oregano

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup fine bread crumbs

6 cube steaks (tenderized)

2 eggs, beaten

Oil for frying

1 can mushrooms, drained (Tom used fresh, sautéed mushrooms)

Six slices mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Combine the first six ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer over low heat.

While the sauce is simmering, mix together the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and set aside. Season the cube steaks with salt and pepper and dip into the beaten eggs, then dip into cheese/bread crumb mixture, coating both sides. Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat on both sides before placing it in a shallow baking dish. (Do not cook the meat through, it will continue to cook in the oven.) Use the reserved oil to heat the mushrooms (or sauté them) through, then drain and spoon the mushrooms over the steak. Pour the sauce over the meat, top with a slice of mozzarella and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with noodles or on a hearty roll with a salad.

Helpful hint

When boiling pasta, do not use oil in the water; it will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email tolakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

On March 20 my friend Amy Gerbitz shared a photo of this next recipe on her Facebook page with a comment stating, "I think I have to make this!!!!" To which I quickly commented, "You and me both." Now I don't know if she's made it or not, but I went out Thursday night and picked up all of the ingredients needed for this dish and an hour-and-a-half later -voila - dinner was served.

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

8 to 10 medium potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes (skin on)

1/3 cup olive oil

1½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons garlic powder

6 tablespoons hot sauce (more if you like the heat)

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes

Topping

2 cups fiesta Mexican blend cheese (or a Monterey jack and cheddar cheese blend)

1 cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 cup diced green onion (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 500 F (this is not a typo). Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and hot sauce; then add the potatoes and stir to coat. Carefully scoop the potatoes into the prepared baking dish (do not pour) leaving behind as much of the olive oil/hot sauce mixture as possible. Bake the potatoes for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until cooked through, crispy and browned on the outside.

While the potatoes are cooking, add the diced chicken to the left over olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate while the potatoes bake. In another bowl mix together the cheese, bacon and green onion and set aside.

Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 400 F and top the potatoes with the raw marinated chicken, then top the raw chicken with the cheese mixture.

Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is melted and bubbly. Serve with extra hot sauce, ranch dressing or sour cream.

Helpful hint

Not everyone in my family likes green onions, so I divided the cheese/bacon mixture in half and added onions to one half, leaving the other half onion free. I also think that increasing the cheese to 3 cups instead of 2 is a better option. Just follow the directions as stated above, but add the third cup of cheese over the bacon, cheese and green onion mixture before baking again.

Just a note, after trying this dish Thursday night, I think it works better as an appetizer than a meal and would be a great addition to any March Madness get together.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

I've never prepared a beef tenderloin (it's an expensive piece of meat), and experimenting with it is not in the budget, but it was finally on sale last week, and I got to try one of two recipes I've been waiting to try. The first one comes from Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond and calls for few ingredients, but turns out juicy and flavorful. We'll see how it stacks up against my friend Dawn Bernatz's holiday tenderloin in another column soon (I hope) - another tenderloin sale would certainly help.

Roasted Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients

1 whole 4- to 5-pound beef tenderloin (I used a 3- to 4-pound cut)

4 Tablespoons salted butter, or more to taste

Lawry's Seasoned Salt (or your favorite salt blend to taste)

Lemon pepper seasoning

Olive oil

1/3 cup whole peppercorns, more or less to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 475 degrees (see helpful hints).

Rinse the meat well and trim away some of the fat to remove the silvery cartilage underneath (I was able to find some very nice tenderloin already prepped, but you can also ask the butcher to trim it for you.)

Sprinkle the meat generously with Lawry's (if you're not sure of measurements, take it easy, but remember it's a big piece of meat and you want the flavor to penetrate). You can also cut a few slits in the meat and rub the seasoning in with your fingers. Once that's complete, sprinkle both sides generously with lemon pepper seasoning.

Heat some olive oil in a heavy skillet and when the oil is to the smoking point, place the tenderloin in the pan to sear, then throw a couple of tablespoons of butter into the skillet to give it a nice little butter injection before going in the oven (optional). A minute or two later, when one side is browned, flip and repeat.

While the meat is searing, place the peppercorns in a sealed bag, and with a mallet, hammer or large, heavy can, smash the peppercorns to break them up and set aside (a pepper mill with a course setting works well).

Once you're done searing, place the tenderloin on an oven pan with a rack (see helpful hints) and sprinkle and press the pummeled peppercorns all over the meat and place several tablespoons of butter all over. If you have a meat thermometer, stick the long needle lengthwise into the meat and cook until the temperature reads just under 140 degrees (for medium-rare), about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the meat stand for 10 minutes before slicing. To serve, spoon some of the olive oil/butter juices from the skillet onto the top of the meat for a little extra flavor.

Helpful hint

I'm not a big fan of medium-rare meat, so I lowered the temperature to 425 and cooked the roast for 20 to 25 minutes instead of 475 for 15 to 20. I didn't have a meat thermometer, but it turned out a perfect medium well (150 to 155) on the ends and medium (140 to 145) in the center.

I also used a cast-iron skillet to sear the meat, then placed it on a plate while I made a rack by crisscrossing some aluminum foil before placing the meat back in the skillet to cook. Why dirty another pan?

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

My friend Sharon Milway hales from Rockford, Ill., via the Twin Cities and now Oconomowoc. While in Minneapolis she often visited the Lincoln Del in Bloomington, Minn., where she fell in love with their cabbage borscht (variations include beets, beetroot, cabbage and beets) and has been looking for the recipe ever since the deli closed back in 2000. She finally came across it recently and was nice enough to bring me some.

I shared some with my husband, who grew up eating the soup. He had one mouthful and exclaimed, "Reminds me of my childhood."

Lincoln Del' Meaty Cabbage Borscht

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

½ pound beef shank bones

½ pound beef bottom round steak

5 cups beef stock or broth

2 medium tomatoes, cut up (Sharon used canned)

2/3 cup ketchup

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon sour salt (also called citric acid, it can be found in the kosher food or canning section of a supermarket)

2 pounds cabbage, cut into bite-size pieces

Preparation

Coat a 4-quart Dutch oven or pot with nonstick cooking spray, then brown the shank bones and round steak in the pot. Once the meat has been browned, carefully add the beef stock, tomatoes, ketchup, sugar and sour salt to the meat in the pot and stir. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, then cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove meat and bones from the mixture and cool slightly. Remove and discard the bones and any fat from the meat, then cut the meat into bite-size pieces, return the meat to the pot and stir in the cabbage.

Bring the mixture to boil and reduce heat. Cover the mixture and let simmer for 10 minutes or until the cabbage is crisp-tender. Ladle the borscht into warm soup bowls.

Helpful hints

Tom suggests serving the soup with a dollop of sour cream. Sharon suggests calling the butcher ahead of time to make sure they have beef shank bones in stock. She also prefers canned tomatoes at this time of the year, but recommends fresh when they're in season.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

My friend Meril Caceres spent a good portion of her childhood in Hawaii while her mother taught at a boarding school there. She eventually moved back to Wisconsin, and when she got older studied the culinary arts. She said this recipe from her church group cookbook takes her back to the islands.

Hawaiian-style braised pork

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3½ pounds boneless country-style pork spare ribs, cut into 1½ inch cubes

6 garlic cloves, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 14-ounce can low-salt chicken broth (may substitute low sodium)

1/3 cup soy sauce (may substitute low sodium)

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1½ tablespoons cornstarch

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy, large pot over medium-high heat.

Season pork with salt and pepper and add 1/3 of pork to pot and sauté until brown, about 6 minutes; transfer to bowl and repeat with remaining pork. Once all of the pork is browned, add garlic, green onions, and ginger to the pot and sauté about 1 minute. Return pork and any juices to pot. Add 1½ cups of broth, soy sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper, five-spice powder and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until pork is tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Stir the remaining broth and cornstarch in a cup to dissolve and mix into pork. Simmer until the gravy thickens, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Season with black pepper (optional) and serve over rice.

Helpful hint

For a different twist, try using a Boston butt or picnic shoulder roast with the same preparation. Cook until fork tender and shred the meat into the sauce. Serve on lightly toasted rolls for a great appetizer.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

My family absolutely loves our neighbor Doug Rowley's Dauphinoise potatoes. They're rich, creamy and delicious. But since that recipe is under lock and key for fear of never being invited to another one of his amazing dinner parties, this Sage Au Gratin recipe by Sunny Anderson comes in a close second. It's a recipe that takes au gratin potatoes to another level and is great for a Sunday dinner or an elegant holiday party.

Sunny's Sage Potatoes Au Gratin

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (optional)

2 cups heavy cream

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

10 fresh sage leaves

1 pound russet potatoes

Cayenne pepper

¾ cup grated manchego cheese

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8x8-inch casserole dish using 1 tablespoon of the butter and sprinkle with the chopped garlic.

In a pot, add the heavy cream, teaspoon salt and sage leaves. Bring to a simmer and steep for 10 minutes. While steeping, peel and slice the potatoes 1/8-inch thick on a mandolin. (If you don't have a mandolin, use a sharp knife and cut the potatoes as close to 1/8 as you can get.) Begin to layer the potatoes on the bottom of the prepared dish, overlapping each slice by half. When the first layer of potatoes is complete, season them with salt, cayenne pepper, and sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Repeat two more times, ending with a final layer of just potatoes.

Once the potatoes are set, strain the heavy cream, discard the sage and pour the heavy cream over the casserole, pressing the potatoes down. Dot the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in pieces evenly over the top of the potatoes. Cover with aluminum foil (you may want to use a nonstick spray on the foil) and place in the oven, lowering the temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Helpful hints

If you can't find manchego cheese, try a Swiss, Gruyere or your favorite cheese.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

Trying to cook dinner for my family can be refrigerator roulette at times: Find me a recipe, and hope we have all the ingredients that go with it. This recipe is an award-winning Taste of Home recipe that I clipped a number of years ago and put aside. As I looked through my fridge and pantry, I found that all the items necessary were there, and finally got to test it out. You be the judge.

Shrimp Monterey

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ cup white wine or chicken broth

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for a spicier dish try pepper Jack)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a skillet over medium heat, saute garlic in butter for 1 minute then add shrimp and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until pink (may have to be done in batches). Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a greased 11-by-7-inch baking dish, set aside and keep warm.

Add wine to the skillet and bring to a boil, cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes or until the sauce is reduced. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and top with cheese and parsley. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes six servings.

Helpful hints

This dish is great over pasta or try it as an appetizer with a crusty bread, pita chip or cracker. For a less cheesy version, cut the cheese down to 1 cup.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond claims this is one of her 16-minute meals, but I have to call her out, as it took me a bit longer. Maybe it's because I didn't have all my ingredients prepped and ready to go, but I did have the assistance of a couple of sous chefs: hungry teenagers Milena and Sebastian. Even with their help, it was still closer to 30 minutes, but well worth the wait.

Chicken Quesadillas w/ Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons taco or Cajun seasoning mix

1 large onion, cut in half and then into slices

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

1 yellow bell pepper

Butter, for grilling

12 large flour tortillas

2 ½ cups grated cheese (Monterey jack or pepper jack for some spice)

Pico de Gallo, for garnish, recipe follows

Preparation

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper and taco seasoning and add to the skillet. Saute over medium-high heat until done, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the breast. Remove from the skillet and dice into cubes and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet over high heat and throw in the onions and peppers and cook until soft - 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Butter one side of each tortilla (six bottoms and six tops) and place them on a griddle or skillet over low to medium heat. Then build the quesadillas by layering a good amount of grated cheese on the bottom tortilla, the chicken and cooked peppers; top with more grated cheese and with the second buttered tortilla.

When the tortilla is golden on the first side, carefully flip the quesadilla to the other side. Continue cooking until the second side is golden. If some of the cheese starts to ooze out of the sides, all the better. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and fillings. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve with pico de gallo.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

12 Roma tomatoes (slightly under ripe is fine)

3 yellow or red onions

2 cups fresh cilantro leaves

2 to 3 small jalapeños, finely chopped

1 lime

Salt to taste

Preparation

Dice up equal quantities of tomatoes and onions and roughly chop the cilantro and put them in a medium serving bowl. Slice the jalapenos in half and with a spoon, scrape out the seeds. Once the seeds have been removed, dice the jalapenos finely. Slice the lime in half and squeeze the juice from half the lime into the bowl. Sprinkle with salt, and stir together until combined. Be sure to taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. This can be made ahead and refrigerate to allow for the flavors to blend.

Helpful hint

For a spicier pico de gallo, leave some of the white membranes in the jalapeños when chopping. To cut down on the heat, add a little more lime. Remember that this pico will get spicier as it sits, so if you're not a heat seeker, cut back to one or two jalapenos to begin.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

When it gets this cold outside, there are three things we at the Luksich home usually turn to: coffee, hot tea and cocoa, although a nice fire also helps. These three recipes will satisfy any of the three cravings you might encounter.

Cafe con leche

Ingredients

2 cups of coffee (a dark or espresso work best)

2 cups of milk

Sugar to taste

Preparation

Prepare the coffee as directed (the stronger the better). While the coffee is brewing, bring the milk to scalding without letting it come to a boil. Fill large coffee cups halfway with the coffee and fill to the top with the hot milk. Add sugar, if desired. The ratio of coffee to milk should be 1 to 1.

Chamomile Herb Tea

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fresh chamomile flowers

2 cups boiling water

2 slices apples (thinly sliced)

Honey or sugar to taste

Preparation

If using a tea pot, fill the pot with two cups of cold water, and add the apple slices. Heat water to a boil, then add the chamomile flowers and steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into two tea cups, and add honey to taste.

Hot cocoa

Ingredients

3 ½ cups sugar

2 ¼ cups cocoa

1 tablespoon table salt

Whole milk for serving

Cinnamon sticks, optional

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine sugar, cocoa, and salt, and whisk to combine well. Store the mixture in an airtight container until ready for use.

For individual servings, pour 1 cup whole milk into a microwave-safe mug, and microwave on high just until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa mix, and stir to dissolve. For a larger batch, warm the milk in a saucepan set over medium-low heat (for a Spanish twist, add a cinnamon stick or two here while the milk is simmering), taking care not to let the milk boil. As the milk warms, stir in 2 tablespoons of cocoa mix for each cup. Serve with whipped cream or marshmallows if desired. If using the cinnamon sticks, remove them before serving or leave them for use as a swivel stick.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

 Okay, maybe the Dickens’ reference is a bit over the top, but I’m sure if you speak to any of my children, they’d be happy to tell you that at times it seems like they're living the life of Oliver Twist: too many chores and not enough fun. Fortunately, every once in while, they take a break from complaining and appreciate one or two things. This banana bread recipe is one of them.

Bea's Hawaiian banana bread

Ingredients

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 cup coconut

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

2 cups mashed bananas (4 large)

1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple (drained)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon; stir in nuts (I didn't) and coconut and set aside.

In separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir until just moist (I added two tablespoons of the drained pineapple juice to the mixture). Mix together dry ingredient mixture and wet ingredient mixture and pour into two prepared loaf pans (see note below). Sprinkle a little granulated sugar on the top for a sweet crunchy top (optional).

Bake for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. Check center of loaf with toothpick and if it comes out clean, it's done. Cool before removing from pan (about 15 min).

Note: Line bottom of pans (8½-by-4½-by-2) with wax paper and grease and flour sides or spray thoroughly with cooking spray. Bottom will burn before cooked through if not lined.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.comor follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

If you're like me, you remember those horrible early frozen TV dinners that showed a tasty picture of a meal on the outside but contained bland, frozen hockey pucks on the inside. Since my parents were from Puerto Rico, this whole TV dinner trend was a relatively new experiment for them. One that I have to be grateful did not last long. Unlike many frozen dinners of today, these gelatinous, tasteless meals were hardly appetizing.

At any rate, this next recipe is going old school comfort - flavor included.

Salisbury steak

with garlic mushrooms

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 large egg, lightly beaten

¼ onion, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

7 saltine crackers, finely crushed (about ¼ cup)

1 teaspoon minced fresh sage (3/4 teaspoon if using dried)

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons butter, divided

8 ounces sliced, mixed mushrooms

1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups hot beef broth

½ cup red wine

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

Gently mix the beef, egg, onion, garlic, cracker crumbs, sage, salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl using your hands. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into oval patties, about ½ inch thick.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the patties, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and cook the mushrooms until slightly browned, about 2 minutes (I like to sauté a clove of fresh garlic with the mushrooms). Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste, scraping up any browned bits. Sprinkle in the flour, stir and cook 1-2 minutes before adding the beef broth and wine. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, swirling to combine.

Return the patties and any juices from the plate to the skillet. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the patties are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley (optional) and season with more salt and pepper if needed. This recipe can easily be doubled.

Serve with noodles or hot mashed potatoes.

Helpful hints

If you don’t like the taste of raw onions in your patties, sauté them with the garlic in the same pan you’ll be browning the patties. Just add the onion and garlic mixture to the meat mixture before forming the patties. This works well when making meatballs too.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

I’m a big fan of lemons. Whether it’s desserts, drinks, cleaning supplies or childhood concoctions (see helpful hints), I love this super fruit. This next pound cake recipe comes from a Natalie Dupree recipe that incorporates lemon into both the cake and the syrup for a refreshing take on pound cake which I find can be rather dry.

Lemon poppy seed poundcake

Cake ingredients

2¼ cups cake or soft winter wheat flour (I used all-purpose)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1½ tablespoons grated or chopped, no white attached, lemon peel

4½ tablespoons poppy seed

1¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

5 large eggs, beaten to mix

1 tablespoon vanilla

Lemon syrup

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan, line the bottom with wax paper or parchment paper then grease and flour the paper.

To make the cake, sift together the flour, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon peel, poppy seeds, butter, 1/3 of the beaten eggs, and the vanilla, and mix together on the low speed of an electric mixer until moist. Turn up the speed and beat for 1 minute. Add another 1/3 of the eggs, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl again and add the remaining eggs, beating for 20 seconds more. Turn into the prepared loaf pan and bake 1 to 1¼ hours, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the syrup. In a small pan combine the sugar and lemon juice over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack and run a knife along the sides to loosen the cake. Prick the top of the cake with a toothpick (or something similar), and brush it generously with the warm syrup, allowing it to run down and soak into the sides and bottom of the cake. Cool slightly in the pan before removing the cake to the rack to finish cooling.

Helpful Hints: When I was a little girl my friend Christina Gomez was always eating lemons (not recommended by the dental association). One of her favorite snacks was a candy cane straw inserted into a fresh lemon. Just cut the top of the lemon off and poke a hole in the middle that’s big enough to stick the candy cane in and take a sip. The mint mixed with the tangy lemon juice makes for a refreshing snack. Works great with lemonade too.
 

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

My son, Sebastian, loves bacon but is thoroughly "disgusted" when I refrigerate the bacon fat so I can use it later in future dishes. "Eww, Mom," is a phrase I hear on a regular basis from him when he catches me in the act - the horror.

But bacon fat is great for adding flavor to many dishes, including stews, beans, rice and more, and if an Iron Chef agrees, I can't be wrong.

Chef Michael Symon is an admitted bacon addict, and this award-winning chef uses bacon fat in many of his recipes, including the one below. It's not something you'd make on a regular basis, but with the upcoming playoffs and Super Bowl, it's great for entertaining.

Fried potatoes with spicy aioli

Ingredients

1½ pounds 1- to 2-inch baby Yukon gold potatoes (about 16)

Kosher salt

Spicy aioli

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sriracha (a type of Thai hot sauce)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lime, zested and juiced

Kosher salt

Favorite fat, for frying (Michael loves saved bacon fat (and so do I) or duck fat)

2 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias (diagonal), to garnish

Preparation

Add the potatoes to a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Salt the water generously and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer until the potatoes are just fork tender, about 10 to15 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the water and let cool a bit.

While the potatoes are cooling, prepare the spicy aioli. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, paprika, garlic lime zest and juice, and a pinch salt. Stir to combine and set aside.

To finish the potatoes, heat a large cast-iron skillet with your favorite fat (a vegetable oil will also work here). The fat should come 1 to 2 inches up the side of the pan. With the heel of your hand, smash the potatoes so they are relatively flat but still holding together. Add the potatoes to the fat and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the fat with a slotted spoon and place them in the bowl with the spicy aioli. Add a spoonful of the hot fat (I didn't), stir to coat and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the scallions and serve immediately.

Helpful hints

This dish tastes great hot or cold. Try adding some bacon crumbles to the mixture before serving for some added crunch. The aioli also makes a great dip for chips or vegetables, and tastes great on burgers, chicken and smothered on steak.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

It's a new year, it's cold and it's Wisconsin … so why not indulge a bit to get the New Year started off right. This next recipe comes from Ina Garten's new cookbook, "Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust." It yields about 6 to 8 servings, is level easy, and takes just over an hour with prep and cooking time - perfect for a New Year meal.

Ina's Lobster Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (optional)

Salt (for pasta water)

1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni

1 quart whole milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

½ cup all-purpose flour

4 cups grated Gruyere cheese (12 ounces)

2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar (8 ounces)

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1½ pounds cooked lobster meat, ½-inch-diced

1 ½ cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Add the oil (I don't) to a large pot of boiling salted water, add the pasta and cook al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain well. Remember the pasta will continue to cook while in the oven.

Heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't allow it to boil. In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened and smooth. Take off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper and nutmeg and stir until the cheese melts. (Make sure you taste the sauce here, you may want to add more seasoning depending on the saltiness of the cheese; a little hot sauce won't hurt either.) Stir in the cooked pasta and lobster (I cooked the lobster in garlic and butter for another layer of flavor). Pile the mixture into 6 to 8 (2-cup) gratin dishes.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine with the bread crumbs and sprinkle on top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the pasta is browned on top.

Helpful hint

For a bit of a kick and some added crunch, try adding some hot sauce to the cheese mixture. For a crunchier topping substitute ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs for the white bread crumbs.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email to lakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.

Between Christmas, New Year's, Three Kings Day and now a Ukrainian Christmas (thanks Dear), we've got a lot of holiday meals coming up. One of my favorite dishes to serve during this time is ham. This next recipe is an adaptation of a recipe my father, Arjadis, used to make when I was a child. I've always loved ham and this is one of my favorites.

Arjadis' ham

Ingredients

1 spiral-sliced half ham (a butt end or shank end will work)

¾ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

3 tablespoons chili sauce (I like Heinz)

1 20-ounce can pineapple slices, juice reserved

1 small jar maraschino cherries, juice reserved

15 to 20 whole cloves (optional)

Preparation

In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard, ketchup and just enough of the reserved pineapple and maraschino juice to make a thick glaze and set aside.

Preheat the oven as directed on the ham package and follow the instructions for baking the ham. Remove the ham from the oven about 1 hour before the end of baking time and decoratively arrange the pineapple slices, with a cherry in the center, on top of the ham securing them with toothpicks. If using the whole cloves, stud them randomly around the ham. About 30 minutes before the ham is done, spoon the glaze over the ham and bake for the remaining 30 minutes.

Remove the ham from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and carve.

Helpful hint

Try adding some honey to this glaze but reduce the brown sugar to ½ cup to cut some of the sweetness, and don't forget to reserve some of the glaze to pour over the ham before serving.

To share a helpful hint or comment, send an email tolakenews@jcpgroup.com or follow me on Twitter @Cooks_CornerLC.