Egg Salad Cups

Egg Salad Cups

How Cute Are These To Serve Up!

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

4 sliced bread

5 eggs, hard boiled

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp grain mustard

2 tbsp minced celery

2 tbsp minced onion

1 tsp Mirin

pinch of celery seed

pinch of Harrissa

butter

olive oil for drizzle

minced parsley for garnish

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Small pot

Small mixing bowl

Muffin pan

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter one side of bread and place bread in muffin pan shaped like a cup. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, remove and cool bread cups. Cook eggs, chill and peel. Chop or slice boiled eggs, can leave some slices for garnish on top. Place chopped eggs in mixing bowl and add; mayonnaise, mustard, celery, onion, mirin, celery seed, Harrissa, salt & pepper.  Blend well and place egg salad into bread cups.  garish with egg slices, minced parsley, fresh pepper, Harrissa,then just a small drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4

 

Chocolate Apples

Chocolate Apples

Endless Flavor Possibilities!

Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 small Fuji apples

2 bag Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups M&M Trail mix

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp butter

Cooking Tools

Bain Marie

2 small mixing bowls

4 Popsicle stick or equivalent

Small sheet pan

Directions

In a Bain Marie add water to bottom pot, secure top half over simmering water.  Stir together 1 1/2 bags of the chocolate chips, cream and butter until melted smooth and without any lumps. Place sticks into apple half way to secure.  Mix walnuts and the rest of the chocolate chips in one mixing bowl then place the trail mix in another. Dip one apple into the melted chocolate then into the bowl of walnuts and chocolate or trail mix. Repeat with the other apples.  Place apples on sheet pan and place in refrigerator to firm up.

Serves 4

Roasted Tomatoes & Ricotta Bruschetta

Roasted Tomatoes & Ricotta Bruschetta

Fresh Garden Tomatoes From Jennifer's Garden!

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Tuscan or Ciabatta bread, sliced 1/2" thickness

4-5 cups sweet grape tomatoes

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp minced parsley

olive oil

Balsamic glaze

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Sheet pan 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.  Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil to coat the tomatoes. Season with oregano, garlic powder, half the minced parsley, salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Remove the tomatoes to a bowl and leave behind the juices in the sheet pan.  Place slices of bread on sheet pan to absorb the juices, then flip over the bread and place the sheet pan back in the oven with the bread and bake for 10 minutes. Slightly cool the bread before spreading on the ricotta cheese.  Top the bread with ricotta with the roasted tomatoes, drizzle with some olive oil and garnish with the rest of the minced parsley.  Drizzle some Balsamic glaze right before serving if you so desire.

Serves 4-6

 

Fresh Strawberry Pudding

Fresh Strawberry Pudding

Just A Few Ingredients Makes Something Fresh & Delicious!

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: No cooking required

Chilling Time: 1 hour

Food Dye Was Not Used In This Recipe.

Ingredients

3 cups fresh strawberries, quartered

3 cups heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup chilled strawberry jam (seedless)

1 large box instant vanilla pudding

3-4 drops of red food dye (optional)

Cooking Tools

Large mixing bowl

Electric hand mixer 

Directions

Pour 3 cups of cold whipping cream in mixing bowl.  Using a hand mixer, whisk on high until slightly thickened,  cream.  Add in jam and whip until it dissolves into the cream, about a minute.  Add in the instant pudding mix and whip until completely thickened. You can add the red food dye to make it pink if desired at this time. Chill pudding in the refrigerator for about an hour, before serving, fold in the quartered strawberries.

Serves 4

 

Cassoulet

Cassoulet

This Is A Much Quicker Version Than The Traditional French Version!

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

4 chicken confit quarters or duck confit

3 cans cannellini beans, drained

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 cups chicken bone stock

3/4 cup pancetta, small dice

1 smoked keilbasa sausage, sliced

1 tbsp duck fat

1/2 tsp dried thyme

pinch of ground cloves

2 bay leaves

minced chives for garnish

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Dutch oven or

Cassoulet pan

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. On the stove top on medium heat, in a Dutch oven or Cassoulet pan, melt duck fat and saute Pancetta to render some of the fat. Add in carrots, celery, onions and garlic until slightly tender. Add in beans, sausage, seasoning and the stock. Bring to a simmer and lay the confit of chicken or duck and immerse into the stock and beans.  Place in the oven for about 40 minutes to evaporate some of the liquid.  Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with minced chives.

Serves 4

Hokkaido Milk Bread

Hokkaido Milk Bread

Reminds Me Of Kings Hawaiian Bread!

Difficulty: Moderate

Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients

3 tbsp water

3 tbsp milk

2 tbsp bread flour

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

2 1/2 cups bread flour + dusting

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp active dried yeast

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter, melted

vegetable oil for greasing

Egg Wash

1 egg

2 tbsp milk

Cooking Tools

Small saucepan

Bread loaf

Large mixing bowl

Stand mixer with paddle

Pastry brush

Plastic wrap

Rolling pin

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together 3 tbsp water, 3 tbsp milk and 2 tbsp flour on low heat.  Whisk until smooth and slightly pasty.  Remove from heat and whisk in 3/4 cup milk and dissolve flour mixture then whisk in 1 egg until whisk through.

2. In the mixing bowl, add; 2 1/2 cups bread flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp yeast, 1 tsp salt, butter and the egg, flour liquid from saucepan and blend on low until dough ball forms and pulls away from the bowl.  If it is to sticky, just add a little bit of flour.  Grease mixing bowl and add in the dough ball, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm location to let rise for 1 hour, 30 minutes.

3. Once risen, punch down dough and place on a flour covered work surface. Knead into a large ball, then divide into four sections, roll each section into a ball.  Use a rolling pin and roll out to about 8-9 inches long and with width of the loaf pan.  Roll dough from one side to another and place in greased loaf pan.  Proceed the same with the other three dough balls.

4. Place bread in a warm area for about 45 minutes to rise again.

5. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Whisk together egg wash and brush on top of bread dough then place bread in the oven and bake for 30-35. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes before inverting to a rack or cutting board.

Yields 1 loaf

 

Pear & Gorgonzola Salad

 Pear & Gorgonzola Salad

What A Beautiful Way To Present Simple Ingredients!

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: No cooking required

Ingredients

4 ripe pears with stem

2 cups Arugula, trimmed

1 cup Clover Sprouts

1/2 cup caramelized walnuts

3/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese

olive oil

balsamic glaze (bottled)

1/2 lemon

4 skewers (optional)

Cooking Tools

Serving platter

Directions

Clean and dry ripe but no too soft pears.  Cut two slices, creating (3) parts, rub the half lemon on the cut layers of the pear to prevent browning. Layer the two middle sections with the the trimmed Arugula, Clover sprouts, cheese and the walnuts.  Use the skewers down the center to hold in place if needed. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.

Serves 4

 

Crab & Avocado Stack

Crab & Avocado Stack
Simple And Healthy Made Easy

Ingredients

1 cup Jumbo Lump Crab, cooked

1 avocado, sliced

1 mango, small dice

1 shallot, small dice

1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, diced

salt

soy sauce 

Cooking Tools

Ring molds

Small mixing bowl

Mandoline slicer 

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, add; diced mangoes, shallots and a pinch of salt. Place rings on serving dish. Slice avocado on a mandolin for thin slices, add to the bottom of ring mold. Next add the lump crab meat evenly, gently press down evenly. Add a layer of diced roasted red peppers, press evenly.  The last layer is the diced mango and shallots. Place dish in refrigerator for 1 hour to chill and set in place.  Before serving, gently lift the ring mold and serve the salad with some soy sauce.

Serves 2

Hummus & Fried Flatbread

Hummus & Fried Flatbread
You Will Never Eat Store Bought Hummus Again!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

14 oz. can Garbanzo beans, drained

1/2 cup reserved bean liquid

2 tbsp. Tahini

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2+ cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of half lemon

zest of half lemon

3/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp Harissa

minced parsley for garnish

salt 

Cooking Tools

Food processor

Directions
Place all ingredients in food processor except salt.  Puree until smooth, salt to taste at the end. Plate hummus and garnish with extra garbanzo, drizzle with olive oil, Harissa and minced parsley.
Yields 4 

Fried Flatbread

Ingredients

3 cups All Purpose Flour, sifted

APF for dusting

1 cup warm milk

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp active yeast

1 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp olive oil+ greasing

1 tsp salt

vegetable oil for frying 

Cooking Tools

2 large mixing bowls

Plastic wrap

Flour sifter

Rolling Pin

Cast iron Pan

Directions
In one mixing bowl sift together flour and salt. In another mixing bowl add; warm milk, warm water, sugar and yeast and mix. Cover with plastic wrap and place somewhere warm for 15 minutes to activate the yeast. Once yeast is activated, mix in flour and oil to the active yeast and mix to form into ball. Knead dough for about 5 minutes, you can add more flour if its too wet or sticky. Make a large ball and and drizzle with a little oil on top of dough ball.  Cover with plastic and allow to rise in a warm location.  Once risen, punch down and remove from bowl.  Place on lightly floured surface. Cut into eight pieces and roll into balls. Use a rolling pin to roll out your flat bread. Heat cast iron pan with a 1/4 inch of oil on low heat. Fry each flatbread one at a time for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, drain excess oil on paper towels.
Yields 8  

Kiseki Souffle Pancakes

Kiseki Souffle Pancakes
The Japanese Miracle Pancakes Are Just Heavenly!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

 Ingredients

6 egg whites

5 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

maple syrup

fresh fruit (optional)

vegetable oil for greasing

cooking spray

Cooking Tools

Large non-stick frying pan with lid

2 medium mixing bowl

Electric hand mixer

1 cup /measuring cup 

Directions
Place 5 egg yolks, sugar, milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Place 6 egg whites & cream of tartar in a separate mixing bowl and using a hand mixer, whip on high until stiff peaks form.  Fold in egg whites into the yolk mixture gently without losing the fluffy volume. Incorporate until evenly folded. In a non-stck pan, lightly grease pan with vegetable oil, heat on a very low setting/simmer.  Spray the inside of the measuring cup with cooking spray and scoop up the batter and place in pan, cook 3 to a batch.  Place lid on top and cook for 4-5 minutes. Spray spatula with cooking spray to flip pancakes over gently.  Place lid back on and cook for an additional 4 minutes.  Serve immediately with syrup.
Yields 6

Tomato Bread

Tomato Bread
Take Store Bought Bread Dough And Elevate It!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of  Marinara Sauce

store bought pizza dough or bread dough

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

olive oil for drizzle

cooking spray

1 egg

Cooking Tools

Loaf pan

Large cutting board

Small mixing bowl

Pastry brush

Cooling rack 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  Press out dough on cutting board at least wide as the loaf pan and stretch dough out so you can roll several times.  With the dough stretched out, spread the marinara sauce evenly from center to the edges.  Sprinkle on the garlic powder and Parmesan cheese evenly all over the dough.  Drizzle with olive oil and roll from one end to the other, like you are rolling a cinnamon bun. Take the rolled dough and place in the cooking spray lined loaf pan. Whisk egg in a mixing bowl and use the pastry brush to coat top of loaf.  Bake in oven for about 40 minutes.  Invert bread to a cooling rack.  Serve warm as is or use for open sandwiches.

Yields 1 loaf

Lemon Chicken With A Prosecco Buerre Blanc

Lemon Chicken With A Prosecco Buerre Blanc
A Smooth Velvet Sauce, Perfect For Fowl Or Fish!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 6-7 lb. chicken roaster

1 lemon, sliced thin

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

1 cup onion, quartered

1 tsp  dried thyme

1 tsp dried tarragon

olive oil

minced parsley for garnish

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Roasting Pan

Medium saucepan 

Serve With Some Roasted Brussel Sprouts!

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  Seperate the skin from the meat of the chicken breast gently. Lay lemon slices between the chicken breast and the skin. Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice on chicken. season with salt and pepper and sprinkle herbs and lemon zest on chicken. Stuff quartered onions into the cavity of the chicken. Bake in oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. Right before serving, pour Prosecco Buerre Blanc (recipe below) on top of chicken. Garnish with minced parsley.
Serves 4

Prosecco Buerre Blanc
Ingredients
2 cups of Prosecco
1 shallot, minced
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 stick of butter, cubed
salt

Directions
In a sauce pan, add Prosecco, vinegar and shallots in a sauce pan and cook on low for 20 minutes to reduce by half. Reduced heat down to a very low simmer and whisk in butter by individual cubes.  Whisk in each butter until it melts before adding another,  Repeat until all butter is dissolved and and the the sauce is silky smooth, salt to taste.  Cook's Note: The temperature too high with break the sauce.

Black Nugget Ribeye

Black Nugget Ribeye
The Perfect Marinade For Steaks
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 7+ hours
Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients
2 ribeye steaks, left whole or cubed for kebobs
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated onion + juices
splash of red wine vinegar
pepper

Cooking Tools
Large ziploc bag
Small mixing bowl
Outdoor grill 

The Marinade Make This Steak So Flavorful!

Directions
In a mixing bowl, add; soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, molasses, oil, Worcestershire sauce, onion, vinegar, pepper then whisk.  Place steaks in ziploc bag and pour marinade over the steaks.  Remove air from bag and seal, place in the refrigerator for at least 7 hours, but can be marinaded overnight.  Preheat outdoor grill and cook steaks to your preferred temperature.
Serves 2

Mango & Guava Shortbread Bars

Mango & Guava Shortbread Bars
Tropical Flavors Makes This Dessert A Delight!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, diced

1 ripe mango, peeled & diced

1 cup diced Goya guava paste

Cooking Tools
Baking dish 8 X 8
Pastry cutter
Medium mixing bowl

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. In a mixing bowl, add; flour, butter and sugar. Using a pastry cutter, mix until butter is cut into small pieces. Using your hands, press to create medium to large crumbs. Place a 1/2 inch thick layer of crumb mixture at the bottom of baking dish and press to create a base. Add diced mangoes and guava evenly layered. Top of with the crumbles evenly on top. Does not have to be completely covered. Bake in oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.  Completely cool and cut into 9 bars.
Yields 9 

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Just a Kick To Your Sauce!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30  minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of raw shrimp (medium) deveined/ tail on
1 box dried Spaghetti noodles
1 green pepper, large dice
1 red onion, large slice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup olive oil + drizzle
20 oz. Barilla Vero Gusto Marinara
2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Lobster base
3/4 cup reserved cooked pasta water
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Cajun seasoning (without salt)
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup cooked Andouille sausage minced (optional)
minced chives for garnish
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools

Large stock pot

Large deep frying pan

This Pasta Did Not Have The Sausage In It. It Does Taste Better With The Sausage!

Directions
Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to box directions (reserve 3/4 cup water water). In a large frying pan on medium heat, add; olive, green pepper, onions and garlic and saute until slightly tender. Pour in Marinara sauce, stewed tomatoes, lobster base, sugar, dried oregano, Cajun seasoning, pepper flakes, wine, sausage. simmer for 20 minutes before adding shrimp. Cook shrimp for 2 minutes in sauce before tossing in drained cooked pasta. Toss the pasta in the sauce and continue to cook for a minute to full saturate the pasta with the sauce.  Salt and pepper to taste. Add pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Plate pasta and garnish with drizzle of olive oil and minced chives.
Serves 4