Thursday, December 6, 2012

Fennel, Grape, Apple Salad




1 green apple, thinly sliced
1/2 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
2 cups of green grapes, sliced in half
1 cup of toasted nuts (almonds or walnuts work great)
Blue cheese or Goat Cheese crumbled
2 tbs of Rice Wine Vineger

Lay grapes, apples, fennel and nuts out onto a platter. Sprinkle with cheese and vineger.

Serve!!! So easy and delicious!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Wine and Cheese Appetizer



This recipe is great for any cocktail party, but especially for a wine and cheese party.

Slices of apples and pears
1 block of bleu cheese whipped with half a block of cream cheese
1 cup of toasted, crushed walnuts
Honey

Take each slice of fruit and coat half of the piece with the cheese mixture. Dip the cheese mixture in the nuts.
Serve on a platter and drizzle with honey.


Baked Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes



1 lb of Yukon Gold Potatoes (Peeled, cubed and boiled until done)
1 package of cream cheese
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup of milk
salt, pepper and garlic powder (to taste)

Mix all together until smooth and creamy. Place in a buttered baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Spicy Mayo

If you love spicy mayo for your sushi or just in general...then try this recipe....I got this one from the chef at Sushi Samba in NYC years ago....


1 cup of Mayo
3 tbs of Sricha
1 tsp of Sesame Oil
1 tsp Soy Sauce

Mix together and serve!

Great on:

Sushi
Seared tuna
Crab cakes
Shrimp
Sandwiches
Steak
Veggies

Friday, August 31, 2012

Swordfish with Lemon Parsley Pesto and Aioli



Lemon Parsley Pesto and Aioli

6 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of Italian Parsley
1 bunch of basil
1 lemon zested and juiced
Olive oil (about 1/4 cup)
salt and pepper
Add all of the above into food processor and process for 1 minute. Take out all but two tablespoons. Add in two tablespoons of Mayo. Process for one more minute. That will be your Aioli.

Take your reserved pesto (not the aioli, this will be your dipping sauce) and spread onto both sides of your swordfish. Add some additional salt and pepper and let marinate for at least one hour. Once this has been done, grill and serve with the Aioli!



Friday, August 10, 2012

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Pasta





15 Ripe tomatoes (I peel and seed mine. To peel, make an X on the bottom of the tomato, drop in boiling water for 60 seconds and the peel will come right off.
1 large onion finely chopped
1/2 stick of butter
Olive oil (2 tbs)
Sea salt and pepper
1 lb of Penne
Fresh Basil

In a large saute pan add your butter and oil. Add in your chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add in your chopped tomato, salt and pepper and let cook for about 15 minutes. During this time smash the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.
Add your cooked pasta to the pan and saute for 5 minutes in the sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Have lots of Eggplant?
*You can also cube eggplant and fry in oil for 5 minutes and toss this in too. This would now be Pasta alla Norma.



Monday, July 30, 2012

Parmesan, Tomato, Pesto Garlic Bread


The easiest side dish I can think of is delicious bread. This recipe is great anytime of year and for any occasion, BUT if you do not feel like cooking in the heat, then this is for you!

1 large loaf of fresh Italian or French bread
1 cup of fresh pesto
1 tomato sliced
1 cup of Parmesan cheese
6 cloves of garlic put through a pres
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of fresh Italian leaf parsley chopped

In a pan, heat of the butter, garlic and parsley until the butter is melted. Set aside. Take the loaf of bread and slice it without cutting through to the other side. In each of the slits brush with pesto and add cheese and tomato. Once you finish with this, place the bread on the grill or in the oven at 375 for about 15 minutes or until the bread is toasty. Once you pull from the grill or oven, brush generously with garlic butter. Put back in the oven or grill for two more minutes. Done!


Friday, July 27, 2012

Linguine with Clams (Quahogs)



Clam Sauce
5lbs of Quahogs, shucked and chopped (use a pair of scissors to do this). When you shuck these, it is very important to do it over a bowl, as you want all of the juices.
5 cloves of garlic smashed and sliced
1 bunch of flat leaf Italian parsley washed and finely chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb of Linguine

In a large sauce pan add about 3/4 cup of Extra Virgin olive oil and the garlic. On medium heat, cook this until the garlic is golden. Take off of the heat and add your clams. Place back on the heat and let cook until it come up to a soft boil (about 15 minutes). Add in your parsley and take off of the heat.

In the meantime, cook your linguine and drain it. In a large pasta bowl add your pasta and then the clam sauce. Finish with extra parsley and more olive oil. Serve!

*I add Romano and Parmesan cheese to mine, which I know is frowned upon by the culinary community, but I don't care! HAHA! It is delicious!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Summertime Peach Crisp





For the Peaches
6-8 Peaches, washed, pitted and sliced (about 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt

Mix all of the above and put into a buttered 9x13 pan. 

For the Crisp
1 stick of softened butter (yes, one stick I said)
1 cup of oats (do not use Steel Cut)
1/2 cup of flour
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of cinnamon

Mix all of the above until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of the peaches that are in the buttered baking pan. Bake at 375 for about 25-35 minutes or until the top is golden and the peaches are bubbling.
Serve with Haagen-Daaz Vanilla ice cream and freshly whipped cream.

*Add in berries or substitute blueberries, raspberries or blackberries.

Summer Pesto and Pesto Butter




Summer Pesto
3 cups of freshly picked and washed basil leaves
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese
1/2-1 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper (about a tablespoon each)

In a blender add all of the above and starting with 1/2 cup of the olive oil. Blend until smooth. Add more olive oil to as you go to get very smooth. 

*You can freeze this and have fresh pesto all winter. Should last for 6 months.
Summer Pesto Add Ins:
Fresh Spinach, Mint, Pine Nuts, Walnuts, Pecan, Roasted Garlic, Roasted Red Peppers, Sun Dried Tomato and anything else you can image.

Pesto Butter
1 stick of softened butter
3 tablespoons of Pesto
Wax Paper 

Mix together well.  Place onto the wax paper and form into a log. Roll up in the paper and freeze. This will last for about 6 months. 

Pesto Uses:
Pasta, marinade for fish, shrimp, chicken or meat, spread on pizza, dipping sauce, add into soups, mix into meatballs, mix with marinara sauce, use as an Italian Chimichuri, use as a sandwich spread, etc.



Thursday, July 19, 2012

Grilled Thai Salmon




1 lb of Salmon

Thai Marinade

1 lime zested and juiced
1 tablespoon of honey (I used raw/organic)
2 tbs of Soy Sauce
1 tbs of Sriacha
2 tbs of Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Sesame Oil
Ground Pepper

Mix all of the above. Marinate salmon for at least 30 minutes. Grill up the salmon to your liking (I like medium). Take the remaining marinade and boil for 5 minutes. Once you take the salmon off of the grill, top with the sauce and let sit for 15 minutes.

Delicious!

Zucchini Fritters with Yogurt Dipping Sauce




3 large zucchini grated
1/2 onion grated
1/2 cup of flour (or panko)
1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese
2 tbs of Romano Cheese
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 large egg
salt, pepper and garlic powder

Grate the zucchini and onion in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. In a large frying pan have it coated in olive oil and have the pan hot. Add about two tablespoons of the mixture to the hot oil....fry for about 3-5 minutes on each side until crispy. Place on paper towel to absorb the extra oil. Serve!

* You can eat these plain, or top with a Greek Yogurt dipping sauce.
** Serve as a side dish!

1 Container of Plain Greek Yogurt
1 tsp of Lemon Zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper

Mix and serve chilled.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Stuffed, Grilled Nectarines



5 Nectarines pitted and split in half
1 small container of Mascarpone Cheese
5 Amaretti Cookies crushed up
1 tsp Almond Extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbs white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice

Mix together everything but the nectarines. Stuff one tablespoon in the cavity of the nectarine, take the second half of the nectarine and place on top of the stuffing. Wrap each nectarine in foil and grill for 30 minutes. Take off the grill and let sit for 5 minutes, open the foil packet over the vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

*You can use peaches too!
**Garnish with chopped nuts and mint
***Add raspberries and blueberry into the stuffing as well

Thank you to my good friend Jackson who just suggested that these would be even more deadly if you drizzled with Nutella!!! Can't wait to try this!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Sparkling White Peach Sangria




1 bottle of Prosecco or Champagne
3/4 cup of Peach Schnapps
1/2 bottle of Sprite or two cans (you can use Fresca here too)
1 diced lime
1/2 orange diced
10 Maraschino Cherries chopped
(chopped apple and strawberries can be added as well)

In a large pitcher muddle the lime, orange and cherries. Add your Prosecco, Peach Schnapps and soda. Garnish with extra fruit and mint!

Serve!

Grilled Pizza!




Tip # 1. Before you begin, have ALL of your topping prepped and put into bowls.
Tip #2. You need to work FAST when you are making these, they cook in minutes and you don't want to burn anything.

The Grill

Step #1. Fire up your grill.
Step #2. Clean your grates.
Step #3. Put the cover down and heat it up. You want the grill to be medium/high.

The Dough
1lb of fresh dough for each pizza. You can buy this at your local grocery store or even ask your local pizza shop to buy it.

Step #1. Roll out your dough as you normally would to make pizza. You want to have this ready to go for the grill.

Pizza!
To grill each pizza, open the lid of your grill and take your rolled out pizza dough and throw directly onto the grill (no pan needed). Close the lid of the grill and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes. Open the lid and check on your pizza dough...if it has some nice grill marks and looks cooked and crispy, its time to flip it over and work fast. Flip your dough, add your toppings asap and close the lid to melt all of the cheese and cook the other side. This should take no more than 5 minutes. That's it!. The more you make this the easier it gets.

Shrimp Pesto
Grilled shrimp seasoned with salt and pepper
Pesto sauce
Parmesan Cheese
Smoked Gouda
Fresh Basil

Margarita

San Marzano crushed tomato
Mozzarella
Parmesan Cheese
Basil
Salt, Pepper and Hot pepper Flake

Caramelized Onion and Bleu Cheese

Caramelized Onions
Crumbled Bleu Cheese


Monday, June 18, 2012

Nutella and Mascarpone Crepes in Dulce de Leche Rum Cream Sauce



Crepes
1 small container of Mascarpone Cheese
1 small jar of Nutella
1 package of crepes (feel free to make your own too)

Spread a layer of Mascarpone on half the crepe and a layer of Nutella on the other half. Fold in half and then in half again so that the crepe is folded in quarters. Set aside.

Dulce de Leche Rum Cream Sauce
1 small container of dulce de leche
1/2 cup of Rum
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Dash of Cinnamon
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 stick of butter

In a large saucepan, add your butter and let this melt. Once this melts, add your brown sugar and cinnamon. Let this bubble and then add your rum. Cook the rum for about one minute. Once this is done, add the dulce de leche and cream. Let this cook for about 2 minutes. To this add your crepes cook for about one minute each.
*Garnish with whipped cream of vanilla ice cream
** Strawberries and bananas
***Sauteed Apples for a Caramel Apple Crepe

Boursin Chicken





4 Bone on Chicken Breast
1 package of Boursin Cheese
salt, pepper and garlic powder
Bread Crumbs
Olive oil

Season the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Divide the Boursin cheese into quarters. Take one quarter of the cheese and stuff it under the skin of each chicken breast. Place in an oiled baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and more olive oil. Bake at 375 for about 45-55 minutes (until juices run clear). As the chicken is cooking you can baste with any juices and melted Boursin.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Clams Zuppa





25-30 Clams (littlenecks or cherrystones are my favorite)
6 cloves of smashed garlic
1 can of crushed tomatoes 
1 cup of freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 pinch of red pepper flake (more if you like spicy)
1/2 bottle of white wine
Olive Oil
Freshly Ground pepper (and a little salt)

In a large pot, add about 1/4 of Extra Virgin Olive oil, garlic and red pepper flake. Brown the garlic. Once the garlic is brown, add your clams and toss with the garlic. Add the crushed tomato, toss and cook for 5 minutes. Next, add the wine, pepper and top with the lid and steam for about 5 minutes. Take a look and see if the clams are opening up..they should start. Add your fresh parsley and cook another few minutes with the lid off. At this point most of your clams should be opened. Cook another few minutes and if there are any unopened clams, disgard them. They are bad, you do not want to get sick from eating a bad clam.

Take off the heat and drizzle some extra olive oil and more fresh parsley. Serve with grilled French or Italian bread or toss with pasta! Enjoy!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Crab Bomb Dip!




2 package of Cream Cheese at room temp.
1 lb of Lump Crab Meat (you can use the can too, but Lump is the best)
1 bottle of Cocktail Sauce

Mix the cream cheese until soft, then fold int he crab. Form into a large ball or spread on a dish. Pour the entire bottle of cocktail sauce on top of the ball. Serve chilled and with buttery crackers!

My Dad's American Cheese Mac and Cheese!





1 lb of Land O' Lakes white American cheese (get the one ONLY from the deli counter, not pre-packaged)
1 lb of Rigatoni pasta
1/2 stick of butter
2 cups of Whole Milk
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Cook pasta according to directions. In the same pot that you cooked the pasta in, melt your butter and add the milk. Let the milk get just about to a boil, remove from heat and add your cheeses and then the pasta back into the pot. Let everything melt and add to a buttered 9x12 baking dish. Bake for about 25-35 minutes or until bubbly. You can also add breadcrumbs on top...as well.


Spicy Rosemary, Lemon Chicken Wings


1 sprig of Rosemary chopped
6 cloves of chopped garlic
1 whole lemon juiced and zested
2 tbs of finely chopped parsley
1 tbs Red Pepper Flake
1 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
Olive Oil (1tbs)
Sea Salt and Pepper
1lb of Wings

Simply mix everything together and toss with wings. Let marinate at least one hour (the longer the better). Fire up the grill and grill until crispy.

Tip
*When you first get these on the grill, season with salt and pepper.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Seared Tuna with Wasabi Cream Appetizer



Super easy and delicious, make this for your next soiree!

Seared Tuna

1 tuna loin
salt, pepper, sesame seeds
Rice Crackers

Coat the tuna with salt and pepper. Press the tuna into sesame seeds until fully coated. Grill about two minutes on each side. If you do not have a grill, you can sear in a pan. Let the tuna rest about 5 minutes and cut into slices.

Wasabi Cream

1-2tbs of Wasabi powder
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp seasame oil
1 tsp Sricha
1 Container of Sour Cream

Mix the above. Place into pastry bag or take a ziplock bag and cut the tip off of it.

To assemble, take one cracker, lay a piece of tuna on top and then squirt a dollop of the Wasabi Cream on top. That's it!

Puttanesca Pasta




1 can of anchovies minced
6 cloves of slivered garlic
2 tbs of chopped capers
one handful each of black and green olives chopped
1 cup of white wine
1 can of Pastene crushed tomatoes
one pinch of red pepper flake
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb of your favorite pasta (cooked), I like Linguini with this

In a large saute pan add about 1/4 of olive oil, add garlic and red pepper flake. Brown the garlic and add anchovies. Cook the anchovies for about 5 minutes, you want them to melt with the garlic. To this add your capers and olives. Cook for another minute and then add  your wine. Let the wine cook for about two minutes and then add your tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste and let this simmer for about 25 minutes. Add your pasta to the pan and cook another two minutes. Add fresh Parmesan and romano cheese. Done!

*Use this sauce on top of steak or chicken with no pasta for a low carb meal!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Heirloom Tomato and Brie Pasta





5 Heirloom Tomatoes seeded
1 large wedge of Brie (remove rind) or Camenbert Cheese (Robiola or any other soft cheese works well too)
1 clove of garlic minced or put through press
5 leaves of basil torn or you can use pesto here too
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1 lb of Bowtie pasta
Parmesan Cheese

Dice tomatoes and cheese. Add to a big bowl. To this add garlic, basil, oil and salt and pepper to taste. Zap in the microwave for one minute. As soon as it comes out, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for two hours.

Once the tomatoes have marinated, cook your pasta in salted water until done. Toss with the tomato mixture. Add about one to two handfuls of Parmesan Cheese and drizzle with some extra olive oil. Serve!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Simple Dessert - Icebox Pudding Cake




2 packages of Graham Crackers
2 package of Chocolate Pudding (or vanilla)

Make the pudding from according to directions. In a 13x9 dish, layer the pudding and Graham Crackers. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Bill's Portuguese Pork Cacoila with Spicy Sauce (Spicy pulled pork sandwiches)




 If you love pulled pork, then you will LOVE this spicy version. 
Another masterpiece recipe
from Cousin Bill! This recipe is a true labor of love. 
Make it for your next BBQ, as it does need to 
be made in advance. Enjoy!
 
Marinade Ingredients :
1 tbs Kosher Salt
1 tbs Ground Black Pepper
1 tbs Granulated Garlic
1 tbs Minced Onion
1 tbs Portuguese All-Spice (Antonio's)
1 tbs 1 tbs Portuguese Paprika (Antoino's)
1 tbs Dried Parsley Flakes
1 tsp Dried Cilantro Leaves
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
3 tbs Portuguese Wet Hot Crushed Peppers (Gonsalves or Antonio's)
2 cups Water
4 cups Red Wine (Cavat Pinor Noir or Merlot)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
6 Bay Leaves

 

2 Package of Whole Pork Tenderloins
(3-5lbs)

1 28 oz. CanCrushed tomatoes or chopped with juice
1 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste(optional for thicker sauce
4-5 Tablespoons -Portuguese Wet Hot Crushed Peppers for Sauce






Directions :





Day 1 Marinating:

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together (except tomatoes) in a large, 
covered enameled 
Dutch oven or aPyrex/ Corning ware type oven-proof large covered, bowl. 
(7 - 8 quart capacity).

Trim the membrane tissue from the tenderloins and discard. 
(Some regular fat can remain and will dissolve
during cooking). Cut the tenderloins a third to half way through 
every three inches or so and liberally pierce
them through with a knife. 
(Place the whole tenderloins in the marinade and refrigerate overnight, up to two days,
covered. Stir occasionally.**)



Day 2  Slow Cooking:

Remove the Cacoila from the refrigerator 1/2 to 1 hour prior to cooking.
Pre-heat the oven to 275 degrees.

Mix in the can of tomatoes with juice to the pork and marinade.
Place in the oven, reduce the heat to 210 - 220 degrees and slow cook 
for approximately seven hours.
(Optionally stir every couple of hours if you are around or just let it go).
Remove the Cacoila from the oven.

Check the temperature of the marinade and pork with an instant-read thermometer.
The marinade should be 200 degrees plus and the pork should be 180 degrees plus.
Remove the bay leaves as you find them.

With forks, tongs, etc. break apart the pork or shred into pieces or chunky, 
as you prefer, in the marinade.
Allow to cool and absorb for 45-60 minutes, down to 140 degrees.

Place in the refrigerator, loosely covered, on a trivet and refrigerate overnight.


 Day 3 Spicy Sauce:

Remove the Cacoila from the refrigerator. Remove pork to a metal 
colander over a large bowl.
Push out as much marinade as you can (with a potato masher, etc.) 
into the bowl. 
(Return drained Cacoila to the refrigerator).

Combine this liquid with remaining marinade
(should be approximately 7 - 8 cups) with 
small pork pieces in a 4 quart saucepot. Add 4-5 tablespoons of 
wet crushed pepper to the pot. 
(Optional - Add tomato paste for a thicker sauce).

Bring the marinade mix to a boil on medium-high heat in the
 uncovered saucepot. 
Reduce to simmer on mediumto medium-low heat, for approximately 
two to three hours, 
stirring and scraping the sides occasionally, until reduced by a third to a half.

(Yields approximately 4 - 5 cups. You can +/- the reduction for less 
spicy or more spicy, 
as you desire, or you can add more or less wet crushed pepper in 
the beginning of the process).

Allow the sauce to cool down and refrigerate, loosely covered, overnight or 
until cold.


Day 4 Serving:

Reheat individual portions with or without as much Spicy Sauce 
as you may prefer. 
(Or cold).
Serve on fresh Portuguese rolls.

Use Cacoila and sauce within three days or freeze in appropriate portions.



Thursday, May 24, 2012

Bill's Escargot Bourguignonne with Garlic Butter



  

Ok, now we are going to get fancy on you! I have asked family members to send me their favorite recipes and wow....my cousin Bill surprised me with this one! Super elegant and delicious, treat yourself to this one during the week or surprise your guests at your next dinner party for a delicious first course! Thanks Bill!!


INGREDIENTS


1.   Chopped Parsley (Fresh or dried)                                    To Taste
Chopped Dill (Fresh or dried dill weed) Optional        To Taste
Unsalted Butter                                                                  1 Stick
Minced Garlic                                                                    3-5 Cloves…..To Taste
Lemon Juice                                                                       1 Teaspoon or so

2.   Snails                                                                                    1 Can-‘Roland’ Escargots Snails
Chopped Shallots                                                              @ ½ Shallot
Salt and Black Pepper                                                     To Taste
Red Burgundy Wine (Sub Pinot Noir, etc.)                 A Couple of Ounces

3.      Snail Dishes or Mini-Cupcake Pans

Cream the butter in a bowl. (I usually cut the stick up in small pieces and put it in a small metal bowl on top of a pan of hot water from the tap a couple of times to soften or microwave on a low power level @30 seconds a couple of times ). Beat in the minced garlic, parsley, dill,
Lemon juice and salt and pepper.

Rinse the snails a couple of times in the can with cold water and strain. Saute them in a couple of teaspoons of the butter mixture with the shallots and red wine. (A minute or two at medium –high heat).

Put the snails in the dishes or pans. (One snail in each section). Spoon a little of the shallot mixture from the pan over each one. Place a spoon of butter mixture over each snail (Use it all).

Bake in a pre-heated oven at @ 425 degrees for 8 minutes. (Do not over cook).

Serve the snails in the dishes or pan with small pieces of Italian or French bread for soaking up the butter, shallot mixture.

A nice bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau or similar wine goes well with dish.

By Bill Onysko



Carol's Olive Puffs and Bleu Cheese Cheese Ball

I have some pretty good cooks in my family and these two delicious recipes comes from my cousin Carol. If you are looking for some yummy delights to make for your next party, then these are the two to try! Your guests will go crazy!! Thanks Carol!!


Olive Puffs
2 c. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 lb. butter
3-4 doz. small stuffed olives
Combine all ingredients except olives. Mix very well; chill. For each puff, use a generous teaspoon and shape into a ball. Push finger into center and make a deep depression. Put olive in, shape the dough around to fully cover the olive. Bake in preheated oven 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Do not brown. Makes 3-4 dozen.
 Bleu Cheese Cheese Ball

8 oz cream cheese
4oz Bleu cheese
4 oz Old English (Kraft 5 oz jar)
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Let cheese soften - whip together and roll into ball. refrigerate for 1 hour or more.  Roll in walnuts (or other type)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Stuffed Chicken Tenders Wrapped in Bacon





1 package of chicken tenders
1 package of Ranch Powdered Dressing
1 jalapeno sliced into thin sticks
1/2 block of cream cheese cut into cubes
maple syrup
salt and pepper

Season each piece of chicken on both sides with the ranch dressing.  In addition, lightly salt and pepper as well. Add a piece of cream cheese, jalapeno and roll up with bacon around each piece of chicken. Secure with a toothpick and add to baking pan. Drizzle with maple syrup and bake for 35 minutes at 400 or until the bacon is crispy.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Grandma Anna's Baked Chicken


6 chicken thighs
salt
pepper
garlic powder
olive oil

Season the chicken on both sides(and under skin) liberally with salt, pepper and lots of garlic powder. This is the trick. Drizzle with olive oil (don't be stingy). Bake at 425 for about 25-30 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and cooked.

Broccoli with Garlic and Olive Oil





2 heads of fresh broccoli cut into florets
3 cloves of garlic sliced
olive oil

Wash and cut the broccoli. In a large pan, put in enough olive oil to coat the pan. Add your garlic and brown the garlic. Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Toss in the garlic mixture and add 1/4 cup of water and cover. Toss every couple of minutes and add more water until the broccoli is soft. Once this happens, re season with salt and pepper and make sure any water is evaporated. You want this to get a bit caramelized as well.

Serve!
*You can toss this one with pasta too!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Penne Arrabiata!



1 can of Pastene Crushed Tomatoes
1 lb of cooked Penne pasta (DiCecco is one of my favorite brands to use)
6 cloves of slivered garlic
1 tsp-1tbs of red pepper flake (for less spicy, use 1 tsp)
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup of fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
Extra Virgin Olive oil
salt and pepper
Romano and Parmesan cheese

In a large frying pan add your olive oil, garlic and hot pepper flake. The trick here is to brown the garlic as much as you can. Brown the garlic, but do NOT burn. Once this has browned, add in your tomatoes (add salt and pepper to taste) and let simmer about 5 minutes. To this add your wine and let this cook about 15-20 minutes. Add in your fresh parsley and add in your cooked pasta. Cook on the stove for about 1-2 minutes. Add in Romano cheese and Parmesan cheese. Serve!

*Add sausage, shrimp or chicken to this dish.


Penne all'arrabbiata

Friday, May 11, 2012

The Perfect Treat for Mother's Day Brunch! Pain Perdu




1 loaf of Brioche Bread cut into 2 inch thick pieces
6 eggs
1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp of cinnamon
2 cups of crushed corn flakes
Butter
Vanilla Ice Cream
Dulce de Leche
Maple Syrup
Fresh strawberries, bananas blueberries, etc

Mix the eggs, sugar and cinnamon. Dip the bread in the egg mixture for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the egg mixture and push both sides into the crushed corn flakes.
In a large skillet, melt a tablespoon or so of butter until bubbly and fry the Pain Perdu on each side until golden brown.

To serve, place on a plate and drizzle with dulce de leche, maple syrup and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries. Cheers!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

White Bean Pasta Fagioli




1 pound of pasta (elbows are my favorite for this)
1 can of Progresso White Cannellini beans
2 cloves of smashed garlic
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch of red pepper flake
salt and pepper

Get your water boiling for the pasta. Make sure you salt it and cook your pasta.
In a frying pan, add your olive oil, red pepper flake and garlic. Make sure you brown the garlic. Add in your beans and let simmer for 15 minutes.You may need to add some water if it is getting too thick. I also smash the beans while they are cooking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the pasta is cooked, toss it with the beans and some more olive oil. Finish with a handful of Romano cheese and grate some extra Parmesan on top. Delicious!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Kentucky Derby Beer Cheese!

 Looking for a recipe to make for your Kentucky Derby Party? Try this delicious one today!

1 pound extra-sharp cheddar, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup dark beer
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Salt
Toasted baguette slices from 2 baguettes
 Sliced tomatoes
 
 In a food processor, combine the cheddar with the beer, garlic, mustard and cayenne and blend until smooth. Season the beer cheese with salt.
Preheat the broiler. Spread the toasts with the beer cheese and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil the toasts 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, rotating the pan, until the cheese is bubbling and browned around the edges. Top with tomato slices and serve.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Marscarpone Creamed Corn




6 ears of fresh corn, corn taken off the cob
1/4 of an onion finely chopped
1 small container of Marscarpone cheese
1/2 stick of butter
2 tbs olive oil
8 leaves of fresh basil julienned
Fresh Chives finely chopped
1 tsp Old Bay
Cayenne Pepper (optional)
salt and pepper

In a large saute pan, add you butter, olive oil and onion. Saute the onion for about 10 minutes. You do not want color on the onion, so cook on low heat and add some salt to it.  Add in your corn, chives and basil. Add Old Bay and salt and pepper to taste. Let this saute for about 10 minutes. Finally, add the Marscarpone cheese, mix until melted in. Garnish with more fresh basil and chives.



Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Spanish Tapas! Patatas Bravas



Patatas Bravas
4-6 potatoes peeled and chopped into one inch cubes
1 garlic clove smashed
Extra Virgin Olive Oil for frying
Salt, pepper and Spanish Smoked Paprika (look for it at Williams Sonoma)
Garnish with Italian Parsley

In a large frying pan, add about 1/4 inch of the olive oil to the pan. Let the oil get hot and keep your pan at medium-high heat. Add in your garlic, let cook for one minute and then add in your potatoes. Season very well with salt, pepper and about 1 tbs of the Spanish Smoked Paprika. Toss and let the potatoes cook. You want to get a nice golden crispy exterior. This will take about 25 minutes. Once the potatoes are crispy and brown take them out and place on a paper towel to drain the oil. Sprinkle with salt while hot and serve with the Garlic Aioli on the side or drizzled on top. Garnish with freshly chopped Italian parsley.

Garlic Aioli
1 clove of roasted garlic (to roast garlic, take a whole head of garlic, slice in half, add salt, drizzle in olive oil and bake in an aluminum foil packet for 45 minutes. Simple)
1 cup of Hellmann's Mayo
1 squirt of Siracha Hot Sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Smash the garlic and mix all ingredients well. Serve alongside the Patatas Bravas.