42, Palatine
Former cook of the week.
Favorite cookbook: "Fix it and Forget it"

Smothered Round Steak with Parsnip Puree

• 1 onion, thinly cut
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 2 pounds lean, boneless bottom round steak
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato paste
• 1/2 cup Gale's Root Beer
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano

Parsnip puree

• 1 pound parsnips
• 1/2 large orange, juiced
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Pepper to taste

In a large skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook the onion and green pepper, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. While that cooks, pound out the meat using a meat tenderizer. If the meat is in one steak, cut into four equal pieces.

To the skillet, stir in the garlic, beef broth, tomato paste, root beer, Worcestershire sauce, basil, thyme, and oregano. Bring to boil. Add steaks to skillet; cover and cook over medium/low heat for 1 hour, or until the steak is tender, stirring occasionally.

For the puree: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Peel parsnips and place in water, cooking until tender when pierced with a fork (about 10 minutes). Remove parsnips from water and put in food processor. Add juice from orange, beef broth, and garlic. Mix in food processor, being careful not to over mix or consistency will become runny. Season with pepper to taste.

Divide puree among four plates. Slice round steak into four pieces and place on top of puree. Top with sauce.

Serves four.

26, Elk Grove Village
Favorite TV chef: Bobby Flay

Spaghetti with Sauteed Canadian Bacon in a Grapefruit White Sauce

• 1/4 cup Quaker Oats Old Fashioned Oats
• Garlic powder
• 1 grapefruit
• Onion powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound dry spaghetti
• 1 pound 10-12 count sea scallops
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 20-30 grape tomatoes
• 4-5 slices Rose Packing Co. Canadian bacon
• 2 green onions
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh goat cheese
• Fresh basil, chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the oats onto a baking sheet pan in a single layer. Sprinkle evenly with garlic powder and place in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes to toast. Once cooled, chop finely; this will become a breadcrumb-like topping for the dish.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Juice half the grapefruit into a bowl. Add a few shakes of garlic powder, onion powder and a pinch each of salt/pepper. Add the scallops to marinate 15-60 minutes.

In a non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil. Cut the tomatoes in half and cut the Canadian bacon into 1/4-inch cubes and add both to the butter mixture. Slice the green onions up to the white part and add into the mixture as well. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the juice from the remaining half of the grapefruit and season with garlic powder and onion powder - a few good shakes each. Cook 2 to 3 minutes and then add in the white wine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Add in 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese and mix slowly, allowing the cheese to melt into the sauce.

Drain the pasta, making sure to leave a spoonful or two of pasta water in the bottom of the pot. Pour the pasta directly into the sauce pan and toss until evenly coated.

In a separate stainless steel frying pan over medium high heat, drizzle a small amount of olive oil, just enough to barely coat the pan. Remove the scallops from the marinade and sear for about 3 minutes per side. They should be slightly firm and be nicely browned when finished.

Pour the pasta into a serving dish and top with the seared scallops. Top with the garlic toasted oats and crumble the remaining goat cheese on top. You can top with chopped basil if you have some handy to add some freshness and color.

Serves five to six.

Root Beer-Glazed Round Steak Braciole with Roasted Red Potatoes in a Root Beer-Tomato Sauce

• 1 pound beef round steak (preferably top round)
• 3-4 medium parsnips
• 1 orange
• 1 bottle (12 ounces) Gale's Root Beer
• 1 pound baby red potatoes
• 1 tub (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely diced bell pepper
• 1 can (28 ounces) peeled whole tomatoes
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh oregano
• 1 bunch fresh basil, plus more for garnish
• 1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste
• Pecorino romano, for garnish

The round steak should be about 1 1/2 inches thick. Take a sharp knife and slice it lengthwise about one-third of the way down, almost to the end of the meat. Turn the knife and continue slicing the opposite direction so you can unfold the steak into one long thin piece. Cover the steak with a piece of plastic wrap and pound flat using a mallet (or a rolling pin works in a pinch!). Place in a large dish and season with salt, pepper and orange zest. Top with half the rosemary and squeeze the juice from half of the orange over the meat; flip the steak over and season the opposite side the same way. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Peel the parsnips and trim the very ends off. Cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces (cutting any fatter pieces in half for even cooking). Place the parsnips in a pot of boiling water and add the orange peels. Boil 8-10 minutes until soft; remove to cool. Cut the potatoes into eighths and add into the same boiling water. Cook 5 minutes; remove from water and set aside to cool.

While the potatoes boil, mash the parsnips (or quickly pulse in a food processer or blender). Chop half the basil, oregano and thyme together and add a few pinches of the herb mix into the mashed parsnips (reserve at least 1 teaspoon herbs for the sauce). Add the ricotta, salt, pepper a pinch of garlic powder. Mix and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add chopped garlic, shallot, bell pepper and a pinch of salt - let soften for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 9 ounces of rootbeer. Open the can of tomatoes and add the juice to the pot. Using your hands, squish the tomatoes into the sauce so they are chunky (I squish them in the can to eliminate the mess and splatter). Add in remaining herb mixture, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes.

Heat oven to 250 degrees.

Lay the steak on a flat surface. Spoon the parsnip/ricotta mixture evenly over the entire surface of the steak (leaving about 1/4 inch to roll) - you don't need to use all the mixture, just enough to cover the meat and fill the roll (about 1/4 inch thick is good). Using only the spinach leaves, layer them generously over the parsnip mixture. Starting at one end, slowly roll the meat making sure to keep as much of the stuffing inside as possible. Secure with twine or toothpicks.

Heat a small amount of oil in a pan over med high heat (just enough to coat - I usually pour a small amount into the pan and wipe with a paper towel so it's just barely coated - you want it to sear, not fry the meat). Place seam side down and let sear for 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip over and sear the other side as well.

Place the meat into a large baking dish (preferably one with a glass cover). Add potatoes next to the meat in the same dish and pour the sauce over the top. Cover and cook 60-90 minutes.

About 10 minutes before you are going to pull the dish out of the oven, start remaining butter in a sauce pan over med-low heat. Pour in the remaining root beer into the pan, add the beef bouillon, black pepper, salt and a pinch of garlic powder. Let reduce until it becomes a glaze - making sure to keep a close eye on it because it can burn quickly - reduce the heat as needed. The consistency should be thin enough to pour, but thick enough to hold to the spoon when dipped in. If it starts to bubble or get too thick, you can always put in a little water.

Place the meat in a serving dish with potatoes and drizzle liberally with the rootbeer glaze. Grate a little bit of pecorino romano on top and sprinkle with fresh basil.

Serves four.