Steak with Spicy Mushroom Sauce

5 Tbs. butter
1 lb of mushrooms....quartered
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
4 beef top loin or rib eye steaks, each about 1 inch thick
1 onion thinly sliced
1/8 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 dash of hot pepper sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. sugar
2/3 cup cooking sherry ( or substitute with more beef stock)
1 cup beef stock

1. Melt 2 Tbs of the butter in a frying pan. Add the mushrooms and shallot, and cook until softened, about 5 min. Drain off the excess liquid. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the parsley and a little salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper and arrange them on the rack in the broiler pan. Set aside.

3 Milt the remaining butter in a saucepan, Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 min. Stir in the red pepper flakes, cayenne, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and sherry. Bring to a boil until the sauce is reduced by half.

4. Meanwhile, broil the steaks about 3 inches from the heat, 5 min on each side for med rare, 8 min. on each side for medium.

5. While the steaks are cooking, add the stock to the sauce and boil again to reduce by half. Season to taste with salt and pepper, Stir in the cooked mushrooms.

6. Transfer the steaks to heated plates and spoon the sauce on top.

The sauce is also wonderful with BBQ'ed steaks....I also make a little extra so I can put it on top of mash potatoes.

Banana Drop Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Icing
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
1/3 cup butter
1 Tbs milk
1 Tbs vanilla 2 cups powdered sugar


Mix butter, sugar eggs, stir in bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients and nuts. Chill dough for 1 hour. Drop by teaspoon on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake approximately 12-14 minutes in oven heated at 375 degrees.

Icing: Mix cream cheese, butter, milk m vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat well.

Chocolate-raspberry cheesecake

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
I cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup better, cut up
4 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
2 tsp. vanilla
3 8 or pkg cream cheese or reduced fat cream cheese (neufchatel)
2 Tbs flour
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup raspberries
1 3.5 ox bar chocolate with liquid raspberry filling or two 1.45 oz bars milk chocolate broken
Sifted powdered sugar

1 Preheat oven to 375 . In food processor, combine 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, 1 cup flour, butter, 2 teaspoons of the lemon peel, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.
Cover and process until fine crumbs form. Press mixture onto bottom and 1 1/2 to 2 inches up side of 8 or 9 inch spingform pan. Bake for 10 to 12 min or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine cream cheese, 2 tablespoons flour, remaining granulated sugar, and remaining vanilla. Beat with electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and egg yolk all at once; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in milk and remaining lemon peel.

3. Pour half of the mixture into crust-lined pan. Sprinkle with raspberries and chocolate. Pour remaining cream cheese mixture into pan.

4. Place spring-form pan in shallow baking pan. Bake for 35 to 45 min for 8 inch pan, 35 to 40 min for the 9 inch pan, or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken.

5. Cool on wire rack for 15 min. Loosen crust from side; cool for 30 min. Remove side of pan; cool cheesecake. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours. If desired, garnish with additional raspberries and sprinkle with powdered sugar.