Mango Parfait

Mango Parfait
Refreshing Dessert On The Hot Days Of Summer!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required
Cooling Time: 1 hour +

Ingredients
1 8oz container Noosa Honey yogurt
8oz whipped cream cheese
2 ripe mangoes, peeled & cubed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp agave syrup
1/4 cup almond slices
1/4 cup sweetened coconut shavings
mint leaves 

Cooking Tools
Food Processor
Hand mixer
Medium mixing bowl

Directions
Place cubed mangoes in the food processor until pureed smooth.  In a mixing bowl, add; Yogurt, whipped cream cheese, 1/2 of the mango puree, vanilla extract and agave syrup.  Whip ingredients with a hand mixer until whipped smooth.  Place equal amount of whipped mango mixture in dessert glasses.  Top with the other half of the mango puree equally and top each dessert with almond slices and coconut shavings, garnish with mint leaves.  Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Serves 2-4

Japanese Style Grilled Ribs

Japanese Style Grilled Ribs
No Sauce Needed!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients
1 rack baby back ribs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
pepper 

Cooking Tools
Outdoor grill

Directions
Preheat grill on high then turn down to low.  Season the ribs evenly with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder.  Place ribs on a high rack and cook for 1 hour, turning on occasion.  Remove rib and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.  Place sliced ribs back on the grill and cook for additional few minutes.
Serves 2

Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake
Celebrating Our 500th Recipe On Our Blog!!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 25 minutes 
Cooling Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
3 cups All-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup butter, softened + greasing
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped & drained
Edible flowers

Cooking Tools
3  8" cake round pans
2 large mixing bowls
Small mixing bowl
Parchment paper
Flour sifter
Large whisk
Cooling rack
Off- set icing spatula
Hand mixer

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  Grease cake pans with butter, cut parchment into rounds to fit bottom of pan and grease the parchment paper.  In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.  In a small mixing bowl, mix together the smashed bananas, pineapple, oil, vanilla and eggs. Add all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend well with a large whisk.  Divide batter among the 3 prepped cake pans.  Bake for 25 minutes, insert wooden toothpick in the center to make sure the toothpick comes out clean.  Cool cake completely on a cooling rack before layering with filling and icing the cake. Once cakes are cooled, cut the cakes to make it more level if necessary.  Spread Pineapple Pecan Filling (recipe below) between layer.  Spread Cream Cheese Icing (recipe below)  Frost icing starting at the top and lightly ice on the sides, leaving the layers exposed.  Cook's Note:  Their will be icing leftover, you can use more icing on the cake or use for other baked goods.  Add edible flowers on top and cascading down the cake.
Serves 6-8

Pineapple Pecan Filling
Ingredients
1 cup pineapple, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 cups of the Cream Cheese Icing

Directions
Remove excess moisture from the chopped pineapple.  Mix all the ingredients together.

Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
2 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups confectioners sugar

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, beat with a hand mixer the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract until creamy.  Gradually add confectioner sugar until completely incorporated.

Chicken Corn Noodle Soup In Boule

Chicken Corn Noodle Soup In Boule
Serving In The Bread Bowls Adds That Extra Yum!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
4 Boule French bread rounds
3 cups rotisserie chicken, cubed or shredded
1 cup potatoes, diced
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 cups dry Cavatappi or elbow macaroni
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt
pepper
chives 

Cooking Tools
Large stock pot

Directions
In a stock pot with boiling salted water, cook pasta half way (par-boiled).  Drain pasta and set aside.  In the same stock pot, on medium heat, add butter, potatoes, carrots and celery.  Saute for 10 minutes, then add in the onions, corn and chicken and cook for additional 5 minutes.  Blend in the flour to coat the ingredients until absorbed. Pour in the chicken stock and cream and mix. Bring the temperature to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Add in the pasta, thyme, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until pasta is cooked through and the soup start to thicken, about another 10 minutes. Cut Boule bread into bowls and hollow out excess bread so you have enough room to fill with soup, garnish with chives.  Reserve excess bread for dipping into soup or use for other recipes.
Serves 4

Beef & Broccolini Tacos

Beef & Broccolini Tacos
Unusual Flavor Combo, But It Really Works!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. ground round beef
1 cup onions, diced + 2 tbsp minced
2 packets of taco seasoning (mild or spicy)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup water
1 cup jarred salsa
1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed & drained
1 tbsp cilantro, minced
2 cups lettuce, shredded
4 spears broccolini, chopped
1 tbsp butter or oil
8 hard taco shells
shredded cheese
sour cream (optional)
salt 

Cooking Tools
Large skillet
Small skillet
Small mixing bowl

Directions
In a skillet on high heat, cook ground beef until browned.  Add in the onions, taco seasoning, cumin, garlic powder and water and lower heat to a simmer.  Cook beef and onions for 10-12  minutes or until beef is fully cooked and onions are tender. In a mixing bowl, add; salsa, tomatoes, pinto beans, minced onions, cilantro and set aside.  In a small skillet, melt butter on medium heat and saute chopped broccolini until slightly tender, season with salt. To assemble tacos, add ground beef on the bottom, then lettuce, then tomato and bean salsa. Top with sauteed broccolini and shredded cheese.
Serves 4

Toad In A Hole

Toad In A Hole
Breakfast of Champions!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup Bisquick Pancake Mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
6 sausage links
2 tsp butter
maple syrup 

Cooking Tools
2 individual cast iron pans
Small mixing bowl

Directions
On medium low heat, cook sausage links (3) per pan.  Fully cook the sausage, remove any excess grease, but leave some to coat bottom. In a mixing bowl, add; pancake mix, milk, egg and whisk until well blended.  Pour batter equally in to the pans with the cooked sausage and cook on medium low heat. Wait until air bubbles appear on the top and golden crusty on the bottom to flip.  Cook about 3 minutes on each side.  Serve with in the pans with some butter and maple syrup.
Serves 2

Poached Pears With A Ginger Marsala Syrup

Poached Pears With A Ginger Marsala Syrup
Delicate Flavors Infuse the Pears!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Cooling Time: 3 hours

Ingredients
4-6 Honey Bell Pears
3 cups water
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup crystalized ginger slices
peel of 1 orange
3/4 cup raw sugar
1 cup Agave syrup
2 sprigs of Tarragon leaves
Mint leaves for garnish

Cooking Tools
Deep medium size saucepan
Shallow saucepan
Vegetable peeler

Directions
Into the deep stock pot, add; water, Marsala wine, ginger, orange peel, sugar, Agave and Tarragon leaves. Bring liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Simmer liquid for 30 minutes.  Remove 1 1/2 cups of liquid and transfer to the shallow sauce pan. While the liquid is simmering, peel pears but leave stem intact. Place peeled pears into the simmering liquid and simmer for 15 minutes.  Do Not Overcook!! Take off heat and place a small dish, smaller the the circumference of the saucepan and place on top of pears to submerge them under the liquid. Let the pears in liquid come to room temperature then place in refrigerator for a few hours to chill.  For the reserved liquid in the shallow sauce pan, reduce liquid on a low simmer until it comes to a syrup like consistency. Cool syrup to room temperature and set aside.  Remove pears from poaching liquid and place pear in a serving bowl and drizzle about 1 to 2 tbsp of the syrup.  Garnish with a mint leaf.  Cook's Note: Save the poaching liquid in the refrigerator for cocktails, salad dressings, pickling  and drizzle over fruit!
Serves 4-6

 Poaching Liquid

Simmer Poaching Liquid For 30 Minutes To Infuse the Flavors Of The Ingredients!

                                             Save The Poaching Liquid!

Baked Paccheri & Sausage

Baked Paccheri & Sausage
I Love Using Different Cuts Of Pasta!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 bag Paccheri pasta
5 Italian sausage links, cut into 1" pieces
1 jar marinara sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup onions, diced
8 oz. Mascarpone cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp minced parsley, garnish

Cooking Tools
Large stock pot
Large skillet
4 individual baking dishes

Directions
Preheat oven 350 Degrees F.  Boil water in stock pot, salt water and cook pasta according to directions.  In a skillet on medium heat, add sausage pieces.  Saute sausage until browned and then add garlic and onions.  Saute sausage, onions and garlic until onions are translucent.  Pour in the marinara sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Incorporate Mascarpone cheese in and mix well with the Marinara sauce.  Drain pasta and place into the Marinara sauce and toss until well coated.  Place equally into baking dishes and bake for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of pasta for the last 5 minutes of baking.  Garnish with minced parsley and serve hot.

Serves 4

 

Chicken & Potato Croquettes

Chicken & Potato Croquettes 
Two Leftovers Combined To Make A New Meal!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
4 cups cooked leftover smashed potatoes
2 cups cooked chicken breast, minced
2 eggs
1/2 cup onion, small dice
1 tbsp minced chives+ garnish
1 tsp garlic, pressed
salt
pepper
olive oil

Cooking Tools
Medium mixing bowl
Parchment lined sheet pan

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, add; smashed potatoes, minced chicken, eggs, chives, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  Mix the ingredients well and create patties approx. (6). Drizzle some olive oil onto the parchment lined sheet pan and place patties on the olive oil and bake in oven for 40 minutes.
Yields 6

 

Hibachi Steak Over Kimchi Fried Rice

Hibachi Steak Over Kimchi Fried Rice!
Yummy Is The New Flavor Profile!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5-6 hours
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

 

Ingredients
2 Flat Iron steaks
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Sake
1/2 cup Mirin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, pressed
pinch of pepper

Cooking Tools
Large Ziplock freezer bag
Outdoor grill
Large skillet or wok
Small saucepan
Small mixing bowl

Directions
In a small mixing bowl, add; soy sauce, sake, Mirin, sugar, ginger, garlic and pepper.  Whisk until sugar has dissolved.  Place steaks into the freezer bag with the marinade.  Marinade steaks for 5 hours in the refrigerator. Remove steaks from bag and cook the steak on a preheated grill on high for several minutes on each side.  Reserve marinade and place in a saucepan and cook on medium heat, reduce to a simmer and cook until marinade is like a syrup like consistency.  Let grilled steaks rest for a few minutes before slicing.  Place steaks on Kimchi Fried Rice (recipe below) and drizzle with the soy reduction and garnish with bean sprouts.

Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
4 cups cooked hot rice
1 jar prepared Kimchi
1 cup match sticks carrots
1/2 onion, sliced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup bean sprouts for garnish

Directions
In a large skillet or wok heat oil on medium heat.  Saute carrots and onions until slightly tender.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and heat through for a few minutes.