Home cooks share secrets

A few weeks ago, we asked chefs across the valley to share with us their signature recipes -- those dishes that someone thinks of when they think of a particular chef.

At the same time, we asked those who are chefs of their own home kitchens to share with us -- and other readers -- their own signature dishes. Here are some of their submissions.

MOM'S MEATLOAF

2 pounds 85/15 ground beef

2 jumbo eggs

Scant 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Scant 1/4 cup parsley

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1/2 loaf Italian bread, turned into pieces, soaked in water and squeezed

4 tablespoons Heinz ketchup

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup Progresso seasoned bread crumbs (if needed)

6 slices uncooked bacon

1 small can peas, drained

1 small can tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend meat, eggs, cheese, parsley, onion, wet bread, ketchup, and salt and pepper and mix well. If it is too wet to easily shape, add some bread crumbs.

Shape mixture in a football shape and place in baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, then arrange bacon on top and top with peas and tomato sauce. Return to oven, raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes; the meatloaf is ready when the bacon is crisp.

-- Recipe from Mamie Glorioso of Las Vegas

FAT BOY'S CHICKEN MARSALA

Flour for dredging

8 ounces very finely grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese

Fresh or dried thyme, to taste

Fresh or dried sweet basil, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cavender's All-Purpose Greek Seasoning, to taste

2 cups heavy whipping cream (divided use)

4 eggs, beaten

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half

2 sticks unsalted butter (divided use)

1/2 cup Marsala wine

10 to 12 ounces of mushroom caps, cut into quarters

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine 1 cup whipping cream with the beaten eggs in another bowl. Dredge chicken in first the egg mixture, then the seasoned flour. Repeat for a thicker crust.

Melt 1 stick of butter in a large, heavy cast-iron skillet. Brown chicken in butter and remove from skillet. Deglaze skillet with the wine (pour wine into skillet and stir to remove browned pieces from bottom of pan). Return chicken to the pan and add mushrooms. Pour wine and pan drippings over the chicken and mushrooms (make sure the mushrooms are completely covered with the liquid, or they will dry during cooking).

Add the remaining cream and a little more butter to the pan. Sprinkle on a little more thyme and bake, uncovered, in a preheated 250-degree oven for 45 minutes. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Serves 8.

-- Recipe from Bob Glover of Las Vegas

HALLOWEEN TO THANKSGIVING PUMPKIN SOUP

1/4 cup salted butter

1 large shallot, minced

1 sweet onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

1 tablespoon curry powder, to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste

6 cups good-quality chicken broth

3 1/2 cups pumpkin pulp (or any hard squash pulp, such as butternut or acorn)

2 cups half-and-half

Sour cream and chives for garnish

Melt butter in stockpot. Saute shallot, onion and garlic until translucent. Add pepper flakes, curry, coriander and salt and stir/saute briefly to release the aromatic flavors (do not burn).

Add chicken broth and pumpkin pulp, stir and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the pumpkin pulp from settling and burning on the bottom of the pot.

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth (or transfer to a regular blender, then return to pot). If preparing ahead, refrigerate at this point.

Thirty minutes before serving, return soup to a low simmer (avoid boiling), add the half-and-half and stir thoroughly. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.

Serve warm, offering garnishes of sour cream and chives.

Serves 8 to 10.

-- Recipe from Lori Isaacs of Las Vegas

IRRESISTIBLE STEAK SOUP

1 cup butter

1 pound (at least) beef top round or sirloin, cut in bite-sized pieces

1 cup flour

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 29-ounce can chopped tomatoes with puree

3 quarts beef stock

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

Garlic powder, to taste

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

Melt butter in a large pan. Brown meat in butter, then stir in flour until smooth. Add celery, onion, carrot and garlic. Cook 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire and seasonings. Simmer, covered, for about 3 hours.

Add half-and-half during last 10 minutes of cooking and heat through.

-- Recipe from Cindy Pitochelli of Henderson

MAKER'S MARK MARINATED RIB-EYE STEAKS WITH CINNAMON MASHED POTATOES

1 1-pound or 1-inch-thick rib-eye steak

4 cloves

1 teaspoon honey

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup Maker's Mark bourbon

Butter

4 or 5 red potatoes

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Combine steak, cloves, honey, salt, pepper, garlic and bourbon in a zip-top bag. Shake; marinate in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place a touch of butter in a hot pan and bring to a sizzle. Drain the steak (reserving the marinade), pan-sear on both sides to form a crust, then cover and heat in the oven until meat reaches the desired level of doneness.

For the mashed potatoes, wash and dice the potatoes and boil them until you can pierce them with a fork. Heat the reserved marinade to boiling. Drain the potatoes and add the buttermilk, cinnamon, brown sugar and some of the marinade, mashing them well.

When the steak is ready, remove from the oven and let rest.

To serve, make a nice mound of potatoes in the center of the plate, then slice the steak and arrange in a half-circle around the potatoes, and sprinkle the plate with cinnamon.

-- Recipe from David M. Walker of Las Vegas

STRING BEAN MEDLEY

1 pound ground beef

Chopped onion, to taste

Soy sauce, to taste

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 package frozen French-style green beans

Hot cooked rice

Brown meat and chopped onion in a large pan. Add soy sauce and soup and mix. Add beans. Mix well, cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Serve over rice with extra soy sauce.

Serves 4.

-- Recipe from Patricia Kepner of Henderson

SQUASH STIR

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onions

1 clove garlic

3/4 cup baby carrots

1/2 cup green beans

2 cups squash (any summer variety such as zucchini or yellow), cut in bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon tomato bouillon

1/4 cup white zinfandel wine

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half, or wedges of larger tomatoes

Hot, cooked rice or noodles (optional)

Heat oil in cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, or until onions are soft. Add carrots and green beans. Cook for 5 minutes and add the squash. Add the bacon and remaining ingredients.

Cook until tomatoes start to break down and carrots begin to soften, about 20 minutes. Serve alone or over rice or noodles.

-- Recipe from Shirley Mally of Las Vegas

SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD

1 package Rice A Roni, Rice Pilaf flavor

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 cup Craisins (dried cranberries)

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup-plus mayonnaise

Cook rice as directed; let cool. Add remaining ingredients and chill.

When ready to serve, add additional mayonnaise if mixture is dry. Serve on a bed of romaine lettuce.

-- Recipe from Wendy Whittaker Whaley of Las Vegas

GINGERBREAD WITH LEMON SAUCE

Nonstick spray

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup Grandma's Dark Molasses

3/4 cup hot water

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spray a baking pan or glass dish -- about 9-by-9-by-2 inches -- with nonstick spray.

Measure all ingredients into a large mixer bowl. Blend 30 seconds on low speed, scraping constantly. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed, scraping as needed.

Bake 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Lemon sauce:

1 cup sugar

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup water

1 well-beaten egg

1 teaspoon lemon zest, or more to taste

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Serve warm.

Store in refrigerator; reheats well in microwave.

-- Recipe from Patricia Van Remortel of Las Vegas

THE BEST ZUCCHINI YOU EVER SLAW

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon caraway seed

4 cups bite-sized zucchini pieces

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, including tops

2 or 3 medium Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and caraway seed.

In a large bowl, combine the zucchini and green onions. Core apples, peel if desired and cut into 1/2-inch chunks; you should have 3 cups. Add apple to zucchini mixture, pour dressing over all and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.

Cover and chill 2 to 4 hours. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a serving bowl.

Makes about 6 generous servings.

-- Recipe from Ellen Waters of Las Vegas

MANGO BREAD

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 slightly beaten eggs

3/4 cup oil

1/2 cup pecan bits (optional)

1/2 cup raisins

2 cups diced mango (best bought at Trader Joe's in frozen chunks and thawed)

Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and sugar in a bowl. In another bowl mix eggs, oil, pecans and raisins. Combine the two mixtures, then add mango and mix well.

Spray two to three medium loaf pans with cooking spray. Bake bread for about 1 hour, pressing tops to see if they're done.

-- Recipe from Dee Mehocic of Las Vegas