Stuffed Manicotti

Stuffed Manicotti
Make This With Or Without Meat!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 35-40 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
8-10 dried Manicotti, boiled, drained & dried
4 cups marinara sauce
3 cups Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese + garnish
2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
2 cloves garlic, fine mince
3-4 generous handfuls of fresh baby spinach
1/2 tsp dried oregano
minced parsley for garnish
olive oil
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools

Stock pot

Medium skillet/ fry pan

Medium size mixing bowl

1 large baking dish or 2 small

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.  Boil pasta in salted boiling water according to box directions, drain and dry. Saute spinach in 1 tbsp olive oil and let water evaporate.  Add in garlic and saute until all moisture is gone. Set spinach aside to cool.  In a mixing bowl, add; Ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup Italian blend cheese, the cooled sauteed spinach and garlic, 1/4 tsp oregano, salt and pepper to taste.  Fill manicotti pasta with the ricotta filling Cook's Note: If your going to add cooked ground beef, I usually add it to the filling. Pour 2 cups of marinara sauce at the bottom of baking dish. Place stuffed manicotti on top of sauce and pour the rest of the sauce on top. Spread 1 cup of shredded cheese and sprinkle with some Parmesan. drizzle with olive oil, dried oregano and minced parsley.  Bake in oven covered with loose foil, bake for 40 minutes.
Serves 4

Coconut Cream Tapioca Pudding

Coconut Cream Tapioca Pudding
Just Sweet & Simple Perfection!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 minutes

Ingredients
2 3/4 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup cream
3 tbsp quick cook tapioca
1/2 can sweet condensed milk
1/4 tsp vanilla bean extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 egg
raspberries for garnish
mint leaves for garnish

Cooking Tools

Medium saucepan

Plastic wrap 

Directions
In a medium saucepan, whisk together all ingredients except the garnish. Let ingredients set for about 5 minutes without heat. Turn on heat on medium high until it start to boil.  Whisk often so the milk does not burn. Whisk at a boil for approx. 1 minute and remove from heat. As it start to cool, place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Cool for 30 minutes, either serve warm in dessert glasses with garnish or place in refrigerator to chill.
Serves 4

 

Sticky Mango Chili Ribs

Sticky Mango Chili Ribs
Perfect For Football Game Day!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients
1 rack pork ribs
2 cups Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce
1/4 cup bbq sauce
1 ripe mango, diced
1/4 tsp Chinese Five Spice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp sesame oil
garlic powder
salt
pepper

Cooking Tools

Sheet tray

Small Food processor

Large skillet 

Directions
Place ribs on sheet pan, Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake in convection oven at 350 Degree F.  Bake in oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool and slice each riblet. In a food processor, add; sweet chili sauce, bbq sauce, fresh mangoes, Chinese Five spice, garlic, sesame oil, salt & pepper. Puree ingredients and pour into skillet. Heat sauce on medium heat and toss in riblets, coat each riblet and cook an additional 10 minutes until the sauce start to caramelize on the ribs. 
Serves 2

Fresh Ricotta Cheese

Fresh Ricotta Cheese
You Will Never Buy Grocery Store Ricotta Again!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients

8 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

toasted bread slices

honey (optional)

Cooking Tools

Cheese cloth

Large mesh strainer

Large pot 

Strain Through A Cheesecloth Lined Strainer

Directions
Heat milk, cream, salt on medium heat until it comes to a boil, stir frequently to not scald milk.  Lower heat to a simmer and add lemon juice, stir gently for at least 2 minutes as the curds develop.  Set aside as you prepare the strainer.  Line the strainer with the cheesecloth with ample overhang. Pour curds and liquid through the strainer.  Place strainer back over the pot and let it strain for an hour.  Serve warm, any leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 2 days. Cook's Note: can be used for over pasta, lasagna, or sweet filling for cannoli.
Yields 2 cups

Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad
Simple, Rustic and Sublime!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: No cooking required

Ingredients

4 Roma Tomatoes, sliced

1 large fresh mozzarella, sliced

5-7 fresh basil leaves

extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Platter 

Directions

Layer slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, add fresh basil leaves. salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2-4

Huguenot Torte

Huguenot Torte
A Crusty, Sweet, Gooey Dessert! 
Recipe From The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, diced

1 cup pecan or walnuts, chopped

1 tsp vanilla extract

butter for greasing

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp sour cream

Cooking Tools

Baking dish

2 medium mixing bowl

Whisk

Hand mixer 

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 Degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs until creamy and frothy. Add in sugar, flour, baking powder,salt, apple, pecans, and vanilla. Combine after each ingredient.  Grease baking dish and pour batter, bake for 45 minutes or until crusty.  Remove torte from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.  In a separate mixing bowl, add heavy cream and sour cream and using a hand mixer, whip until soft peaks form.  Spoon into individual portions and dollop with the Sour Cream whip.
Serves 6

Lemon Ricotta Crostata

Lemon Ricotta Crostata
Topped With A Blueberry Sauce!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients

1 box Pillsbury rolled pie dough (2)

1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta

1 cup whipped cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean extract

zest of 1 lemon

juice of half a lemon

1 egg 

Cooking Tools

2 small cast iron skillets

Medium mixing bowl

Medium saucepan

Hand mixer 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. In a mixing bowl, whip together all the ingredients.
Line each cast iron pan with the rolled pie dough, trim off excess, leaving about inch over hang.  Pour evenly into the 2 prepared pie pans then fold over the inward and pinch. Use an egg wash ( 1 egg and some water then whisk) for the outer crust. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool to room temperature, pour Blueberry sauce (recipe below) in center, right before serving. 

Blueberry sauce

Ingredients

3 cups blueberries

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup blueberry jam 

Directions
On medium heat, in a saucepan add ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes, set aside to cool.

Serves 4