Orange Brioche French Toast

Orange Brioche French Toast
Topped With A Orange Cointreau Syrup!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

  

Ingredients
Brioche loaf cut into 1 inch thick slices
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp orange zest
1/8 tsp cinnamon
butter for frying

Cooking Tools
Shallow baking dish
Skillet
Small stock pot

Directions
In a shallow baking dish, whisk eggs, vanilla extract, milk, orange zest, cinnamon and sugar.  Place cut Brioche slices into the egg batter and let it soak through on both sides.  In a skillet on medium heat, add some butter and coat bottom of pan.  Place soaked Brioche in preheated skillet and fry a few minutes on each side until golden brown.  Fry the Brioche in batches,  Place on a serving platter and top with Orange Cointreau Syrup (recipe below).

Orange Cointreau Syrup
Ingredients
segments of 2 Valencia oranges
1 tbsp orange skin, chiffonade
1/3 cup simple syrup
1 tbsp honey
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Cointreau


Directions
In a small stock pot on low heat, add; butter and orange skin chiffonade.  Let orange skin simmer in the butter for a minute to release the oils from the skin into the butter. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Pour on top of Orange Brioche French Toast.

Coconut Custard

Coconut Custard
Tropical Flavors of South East Asia!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

 

Ingredients
4 eggs
6 tbsp light brown sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
confectioners sugar for dusting
1/2 cup fresh berries for garnish
Boiling water


Cooking Tools
Large roasting pan
Ovenproof ramekins or small mason jars
Mixing bowl

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 Degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, add; eggs and sugar and whisk until smooth.  Add coconut milk and vanilla extract and whisk until well incorporated. Place coconut mixture into mason jars evenly and set them into a roasting pan. Pour boiling water into roasting pan until it comes halfway up the mason jars.  Carefully place roasting pan in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until custards are set.  Remove roasting pan from oven and remove the jars from the water to cool.  Place cooled custards in the refrigerator to chill.  Before serving, dust with confectioners sugar and garnish with berries.
Serves 4-6

Falafel

Falafel
A Tasty, Healthy Snack!  Serve With Your Favorite Sauce!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups canned garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
2 tbsp olive oil + frying
1/4 cup parsley, chopped + garnish
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 tbsp cilantro, minced
juice of half a lemon
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 tbsp self rising flour


Cooking Tools
Food Processor
Skillet

Directions
In a food processor, add all the ingredients and pulse until semi-smooth.  You want some chunks of garbanzo beans for texture.  Create patties and place them in a oil lined skillet on medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Garnish, serve with your favorite sauce.
Yield 6 Patties

 

Roasted Grape Crostini

Roasted Grape Crostini
So Few Ingredients Makes Such A Flavorful Impact!
Difficulty: easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

So Simple And Rustic!

Ingredients
1 loaf, Ciabatta or baguette, Tuscan loaf, sliced
1 1/2 cups fresh Ricotta cheese
4 cups seedless grapes
1 tbsp parsley, minced (garnish)
olive oil for drizzle
salt
pepper (optional)

Cooking Tools
Parchment lined sheet pan

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  Place sliced loaf on the parchment lined sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil on both sides, salt and pepper (optional).  Place in oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until crusty. Remove from oven and place Crostini on a serving plate to cool.  On the same sheet pan used for the Crostini, place all the grapes on the hot sheet pan and place back in oven and cook for 30 minutes. Spoon Ricotta cheese on the Crostini and place roasted grapes on top and garnish with minced parsley.
Serves 6

Sweet & Sour Sriracha Shrimp

Sweet & Sour Sriracha Shrimp
Perfect For An Appetizer Or A Topping On Grilled Fish!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients
1 lb. 16-20 count shrimp (tail on) shelled & deveined
2-3 tbsp Sriracha (hot chili sauce)
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup pineapple, small dice
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup pineapple juice
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1 tbsp parsley, minced

 Cooking Tools
Indoor grill pan
Skillet

Directions
On high heat, preheat grill pan and sear the shrimp for a minute or two on each side, does not have to be fully cooked through.  Set aside shrimp in a warm location.  In a skillet on medium heat, add; Sriracha, butter, lemon juice, honey and pineapple juice.  Whisk together and cook until nice and bubbly.  Add to the skillet the shrimp, diced pineapple, salt, pepper and parsley. Lightly toss shrimp in the sauce on low heat and cook for an additional few minutes until shrimp is cooked through.  Place in a serving bowl or on top of grilled fish!
Serves 4

Topping For A Perfectly Grilled Swordfish!

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata
A Heavenly Lemon Caper Sauce!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serve With Your Favorite Pasta Or Potatoes!

 

Ingredients
4 chicken breast, boneless & skinless
1 cup flour
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine (Pinot Grigio)
1/2 cup capers, drained
3 + 3 tbsp olive oil
2 + 3 tbsp butter
4-5 lemon slices
1/4 cup parsley, minced
salt
pepper


Cooking Tools
Large skillet
Meat mallet

Directions
Pound out the chicken breast with a meat mallet to thin and tenderize.  In a large skillet on medium high heat, melt 3 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of butter.  Salt and pepper chicken breast on both sides and dredge chicken breast through the flour on both sides and place breasts into the hot oil.  Cook for 4-5 minutes on both sides until cooked through and browned.  Remove cooked breast and set aside in a warm location.  Clean out skillet and place back on heat and add 3 tbsp of olive oil, 2 tbsp of butter and garlic slice on medium low heat.  Cook until garlic is slightly tender, add; lemon juice, white wine, capers, 4-5 lemon slices.  salt and pepper to taste, adjust seasoning. Place chicken back into the sauce and heat through.  Place chicken on a platter with cooked hot pasta or potatoes and pour the pan sauce and lemon slices over the chicken evenly and garnish with minced parsley.
Serves 4

Vegetable Chow Mein

Vegetable Chow Mein
A Light & Healthy Vegetarian Recipe
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

 

Ingredients
1 package dry Chow Mein noodles
1 cup Shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup carrots, julienne
2 cups broccolini tops
1/2 cup red onions, sliced
3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
2 cups baby Bok Choy, chopped
3/4 cup baby corn, sliced
3/4 cup water chestnuts, sliced
1 cup snow peas
1 clove of garlic, sliced
1/4 cup green onions, sliced + garnish
2-3 tbsp soybean oil or canola oil
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
pinch of white pepper


Cooking Tools
Wok with lid
Large stock pot

Directions 
In a large stock with boiling water, add Chow Mein noodles and cook according to directions, drain.  In a wok add soybean oil to coat bottom of wok on high heat.  Add broccolini, garlic and carrots and stir fry, add a bit of water, just to get the vegetables slightly tender.  To the wok, add the rest of the vegetables and continue to cook until vegetables are slightly tender but still has some crispness to the vegetables.  To the wok, add; sesame oil, soy sauce and the cooked and drained Chow Mein noodles.  Toss all the ingredients together and quickly toss to coat all the ingredients, garnish with green onions and serve hot!