By Cheryl Radkiewicz

Visits with my cousin, Agnes, paid off during her last stay at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem.  In one of the gift shoppes, I found their hospital cookbook, “When You Cook Upon A Star:  Shining Recipes from Near and Far” compiled by St. Luke’s Auxiliary and Health Network.  I was anxious to share some of the “can’t wait to try” recipes with my readers. 

By the way, Agnes never made it to Hershey Medical Center for more tests as we had anticipated.   She was transferred to St. Luke’s Hospice last Friday and passed away Saturday evening.  We were truly blessed having her in our family. 

So, with fond memories of Agnes and our many visits to St. Luke’s,  please enjoy some of their most requested dishes:

Cajun Fettucine:

1 stick butter
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1/2 cup diced andouille sausage
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. dry white wine
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sweet red pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
3 cups spinach fettuccine, cooked al dente

In a 2 quart heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add garlic, andouille sausage, green onions, mushrooms and tomatoes.  Saute’ 3-5 minutes or until all vegetables are crisp-tender. 

Deglaze pan with wine and lemon juice.  Cook until liquid is reduced by half.  Add heavy cream, stirring constantly. Cook and stir about 5 minutes until thickened and reduced.  Add peppers.  Remove from heat.   Add parsley, salt and pepper.  Gently fold in fettuccine and serve immediately.  Serves 6.

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Amaretto Chicken: 

1-6 1/4 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/4 cups Amaretto

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine juice concentrate with half of a can of water.  Combine flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.  Dredge chicken in mixture.  Heat oil and butter in skillet.  Saute’ chicken until browned.  Transfer chicken to a lightly greased 13x9x2″ baking dish.  Add juice mixture, mustard and amaretto to skillet.  Increase heat and bring to boil, stirring until slightly thickened.  Pour sauce over chicken.  Bake, uncovered for 45 minutes.  Serves 8-10.          

Note: Very good when served with couscous.

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Capital Chicken: 

4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half or thirds
1/2 lb. or more or fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-10 1/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. dried tarragon
Salt and pepper, to taste
1-15 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained
6 green onions, chopped
Chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat butter and oil in large skillet.  Brown chicken on all sides for about 10 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a 13x9x2″ baking dish.  Saute’ mushrooms in same skillet for about 5 minutes.  Stir in flour.  Add soup and wine.  Simmer until thickened.   Add cream, tarragon, salt and pepper.  More cream or wine may be added for taste or thickness of sauce.  Pour sauce over chicken.  Bake, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes.  Mix in artichoke hearts and top with green onions and parsley.  Bake an additional 10 minutes.  Serves 8.  Note:  May substitute chicken broth for wine.

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Irene’s Brisket:

4 lb. beef brisket
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 onion, sliced
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
5-6 cloves of garlic
1-12 oz. can beer
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup beef broth

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.  Place in 13x9x2″ ovenproof glass baking dish.  Cover with onions.  In small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, garlic and beer.  Pour over meat.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 4 hours.  Remove foil and bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes.  Remove meat from pan.  Measure 1 cup of liquid from pan (add water if needed).  Let brisket cool.  Slice against the grain.

For gravy, combine pan liquid, flour and beef broth.  Cook and stir constantly until thickened.  Place sliced brisket in baking dish and cover with gravy.  Reheat in oven and serve immediately.  Serves 4-6.

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Seafood Casserole:

3 lbs. sea scallops or lobster
2 lbs. shrimp
2 lbs. lump crabmeat
6 cups mayonnaise
6 eggs
2 1/4 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 1/4 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/2 loaf white sandwich bread, crust removed and cubed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse and dry scallops, shrimp and crabmeat.  Combine mayonnaise, eggs, garlic powder, and seasoning.  Add bread cubed to mayonnaise mixture.  Add seafood.  Spoon mixture into greased 13x9x2″ baking dish.  Bake for 40 minutes until hot and bubbly.  Serves 8-10.

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Sauteed Bay Scallops and Shitake Mushrooms in Sherry Cream Sauce

– Edge Restaurant, Bethlehem

1 lb. dry  bay scallops
1/4 lb. diced shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup sherry wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. fresh, chopped garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
Precooked puff pastry shells

In hot skillet saute’ scallops and shiitake mushrooms.  Cook for 1 minute, then add sherry.  Reduce sauce by half.  Add cream, garlic, salt and pepper.  Reduce to desired thickness.  Serve on a precooked puff pastry shell.  Serves 4.