Pictured above are some of Danny’s prized car collection that was auctioned last Spring. Amy, Andrew and Emily Gans attended this exciting nationally televised event.

Julie’s New Year Recipe for You

Listen to Danny’s holiday song, “Christmas for the First Time” as you browse:

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sifted powdered sugar + extra for topping
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ cups sifted flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup finely chopped nuts of choice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together. Sift dry ingredients together. Blend wet and dry ingredients together and add nuts. Mix until a soft dough forms. Chill for at least 30 minutes (this makes for easier rolling into balls).

Roll pieces of dough into 2” balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until set, but not brown. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool cakes and roll again in powdered sugar. Makes 3 ½ dozen.

Remembering Danny’s Birthday.  A Few of his favorite birthday recipes.

Italian Sausage and Mushroom Soup

2 sweet Italian sausages, cut into 1” slices
2 hot Italian sausages, cut into 1” slices
1 lg. onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
1 -15oz can diced tomatoes
1-15oz can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 qt. chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
¾ cup dry sherry or dry white wine
1 bunch parsley, minced (remove stems)
1 tsp. each dry fennel seeds, basil, oregano leaves, marjoram.
2 bay leaves
¾ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1-15 oz. can cannelini beans
1-15 oz. can garbanzo beans
3 zucchini,  cut into 1” slices
1-10 oz. package Orzo pasta, cooked, firm

Brown sausage in skillet. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms. Saute until tender. Add remaining ingredients except parmesan cheese. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour.
Add ½ cup parmesan cheese, beans and zucchini. Simmer 20 minutes. Toss in pasta.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese for serving.

Danny’s Favorite Cheese Cake

Crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
3 T sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup (1/2 stick) melted butter

Filling:
3 packages (8oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
6 eggs, separated
1 pint sour cream
1/3 cup flour
2 tsp. vanilla
Grated zest of one lemon
Juice of ½ lemon

Method:
Mix crust mixture and press into a greased 9” spring form pan.
Cream together: cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Stir in sour cream, flour, and vanilla, grated lemon zest and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold in whites into cheese mixture. Pour all into prepared crust.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Refrigerate for 3 hours or more before serving. Remove clasp from spring form pan.

Note from Julie: Danny was a purist and liked things straight forward and simple. Although you can top the refrigerated cheese cake with fresh berries, your favorite preserves, or even chocolate sauce, Danny always preferred the “real deal” with nothing added.  Making the crust from scratch is simple, and although it involves a few extra steps, it is well worth it.
Thank you for remembering Danny this October birthday month. Join our family and many around the world toasting to Danny while enjoying his favorite birthday recipes.

Danny and Julie’s April Anniversary Recipes

Daniel always planned a special small trip or dinner for our anniversary. He really loved planning it and always made it a surprise. In return, I  liked to make him a special dinner for an at- home celebration, which he always preferred to going out.

These recipes were his most requested. The cake was Daniel’s absolute favorite and he always requested it for   our anniversary. He would eat it for dessert and loved it for breakfast always accompanied by a large glass of cold milk. He would then double up on his cardio workout to burn off the extra calories so he would always fit into his pants on stage. He said it was worth the extra workout.

I mention at the end of the cake recipe about watching the topping under the broiler. This is because I was notorious for burning toast, or anything in the broiler. Dan always said I used the smoke alarm as a timer.
When the smoke alarm did go off, which it often did, he claimed it was the dinner bell.  Funny guy!! –Julie Gans

OATMEAL CAKE

CAKE
1 cup quick oatmeal, uncooked
1 ½ cups boiling water
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp kosher salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs

TOPPING
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 5-oz can evaporated milk
8 oz flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt

Combine oats and boiling water in a small bowl. Allow to stand 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Oil a 13 x 8 inch baking pan. Combine flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside. Cream butter till light. Add vanilla and the sugars beating until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time. Add the oatmeal mixture and combine. Add flour mixture and blend well. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes until cake tester comes out clean or cake springs back when touched.

While cake is baking, prepare the frosting. In a saucepan, melt butter and sugar until it bubbles. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and blend in the coconut, nuts, vanilla and salt. Spread the hot frosting on the hot cake. Turn the oven to broil keeping cake from the burner about 6 inches. Broil for 1-2 minutes until frosting bubbles. Watch it!!! It burns fast.

LEMON CAPER CHICKEN

8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded thin
¾ cup flour
½ tsp each salt and pepper
½ cup butter
½ cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb sliced fresh button mushrooms
1 cup dry white wine or vermouth
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 tsp lemon zest
4 oz capers plus the juice
Tabasco to taste

Season flour with salt and pepper in a low dish. Dredge chicken breasts in flour. Set aside. In a large skillet melt half of the butter and oil over medium heat. Sauté half of the chicken until golden brown. Remove to a platter and repeat with remaining butter, oil and chicken. Add chicken to platter and keep warm.

Add garlic and mushrooms to pan and sauté till tender. Add vermouth and simmer. Add lemon juice and zest, capers and Tabasco. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for about 15 minutes covered. Remove cover and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Note: I always served this with melon seed pasta (Orzo) tossed with olive oil, herbs and Parmesan accompanied by sautéed zucchini or roasted asparagus or Parmesan cheese topped broiled tomatoes.

CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD

4 bonless chicken breasts, cooked and coarsely shredded
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup snow peas, sliced
1/2 cup green grapes
1/2 cup diced apple
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

DRESSING:
1/2 cup light mayonaise
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice
3 Tbls soy sauce
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ginger
2 Tbls chutney

Combine dressing ingredients. Set aside or chill the day before use.
Toss salad with dressing just before serving.

POPOVERS

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup shredded parmesean cheese.

Turn oven on to 400. Oil muffin pan or 5oz custard cups. Combine eggs, milk, flour and salt in a blender till free of lumps. Blend in cheese with a spoon. Pour batter into prepared cups 1/2 full. Bake about 35-40 mins until brown and crisp. May make the batter several hours ahead of time. Add 5 additional minutes cooking time if batter is chilled.