By KATHY GIBBONS
INTERLOCHEN -- Marie Rizzio isn't exactly your everyday cook.
Still, she cooks every day, and happily so, for her husband of 60 years.
Rizzio has won dozens of food contests in the past several decades. While hosting people for dinner, she may very well at the same time be testing out a recipe that might soon show up as a winner in the National Chicken Cooking Contest or a Faygo pop recipe competition.
But to her and the people who love her cooking -- husband Richard chief among them -- it's just dinner, nearly every night of the week, prepared from scratch at home.
"I cook every night, I really do," she said, noting that if she and Richard eat out, it's normally for lunch.
Both are Italian, and spaghetti is typically in the weekly dinner lineup. Here, Richard contributes, making up a batch of pasta sauce that they divide and freeze into meal-size portions.
Richard and their sons like to hunt, so there is usually venison in the freezer, which could translate into Italian or breakfast sausage. They also fish, so fresh fish when they have it is a staple. The Rizzios enjoy lamb and pork, too.
"I usually like to have a variety," said Marie. "So if we have a meat dinner one night, I will try to have vegetarian the next night.
"I rely a lot on the ethnic dishes I grew up with."
That might mean stuffed eggplant. Or veal piccata, as Marie prepared for a Tuesday night meal last week.
Marie frequently makes soup and freezes it in smaller portions in the freezer.
"Having a freezer helps out when you don't have time to cook and you can just go to your freezer," she said. "This winter I did that, and there was always a variety of soups we could come home to."
Rizzio likes to make homemade bread, and often does dough for pizza, too.
Meanwhile, she continues to experiment with recipes and enter contests in her spare time.
"I just send them online," she said. "That's the way I've been doing it. It's really, really easy that way."
Steak and Spinach Provolone
4 beef tenderloin steaks, cut 3/4 inch thick (about 4 ozs. each)
Seasoning salt, black gound pepper and garlic powder
1 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large vine-ripened tomato, chopped (about 1 c.)
12 fresh spinach leaves
4 slices Provolone cheese
Sprinkle steak with seasonings. Place on broiler pan 3 inches from element. Broil 5 minutes each side for rare or to desired doneness. While steak is broiling, heat oil in skillet; add garlic.and cook for a few seconds. Add tomatoes and the spinach leaves; cook until spinach wilts, about 2- 3 minutes.
When steak is cooked, place three spinach leaves with 1/4 cup tomatoes on top of each steak. Place cheese slice on top; broil until cheese melts to golden brown. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
-- Marie Rizzio
Chicken Swirls and Vegetable Linguine
4 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
1/2 t. salt, divided
1/2 t. garlic powder, divided
1/4 t. onion powder
1/2 t. fresh ground pepper, divided
5 T. butter, divided
2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 T. fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 c. seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
1 medium carrot, cut in long julienne strips
1 celery rib, cut in julienne strips
1 medium zucchini, cut in julienne strips
1 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
Pound chicken breasts until very thin. In small bowl, mix together the 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the garlic powder, onion powder and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Sprinkle evenly on chicken; set aside.
In large non-stick skillet, place 3 tablespoons butter. When melted, add the tomato and green onion, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, garlic powder and pepper; saute 2 minutes. Stir in fresh basil and breadcrumbs; cook until slightly thickened. . Divide tomato mixture into 4 portions.
Place 1 portion on each chicken breast and roll up jelly-roll style securing with wooden picks.
In same skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add chicken rolls and cook about 10 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Push chicken to one side; add carrot, celery and zucchini strips and chicken broth. Cover and cook vegetables 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender and chicken is cooked.
Place vegetable "linguine" on platter. Remove wooden picks from chicken and cut rolls in serving pieces. Arrange upright (so swirl is visible) on vegetables. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs. Makes 4 servings.
-- Marie Rizzio
Veal Piccata
4 pieces scallopine of veal
2 T. flour seasoned lightly with salt and pepper
3 T. unsalted butter, divided
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 c. dry vermouth
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. capers, drained
1/2 lemon, sliced
Pound veal with wooden mallet until very thin (1/8-inch). Dredge lightly in seasoned flour; shalke off excess.
Melt two tablespoons butter in nonstick skillet. Place garlic and veal in skillet; cook quickly, just until brown, about 1 minute per side. Add remaining tablespoon butter, wine and lemon juice to pan; simmer 3 minutes, scraping bottom of pan to loosen drippings. Pour over veal. (small can of mushrooms may be added with wine and lemon juice). Garnish with lemon slices. Makes 4 servings.
-- Marie Rizzio
