Everything Tasty from My Kitchen

Easy Mediterranean-Style Roasted Cod

2015-01-08T18:23:00.000-05:00

Mediterranean- Style Roasted Cod

The holidays are over and this is when I usually start craving lighter and healthier foods. I'm on a mediterranean flavor kick which is full of fresh seafood, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lots of garlic, lemon and fresh herbs. This savory, fresh fish recipe is a great way to kickstart my mediterranean diet. This dish is so delicious, that's what happens when you have fresh and favorable ingredients that can stand on their own come together.

Serves 2 or more depending on the size of fish

Ingredients

2 pieces of cod (scrod, or any white fish)
Olive oil
Course salt
Pepper
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 clove of fresh garlic, chopped
1 handful of fresh spinach, sliced thin
1/4 cup of black olives, pitted and sliced
1 TBLS of capers

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Drizzle olive oil on top and bottom of fish making sure to coat well. Season the top of the fish generously with salt and pepper.
Place all other ingredients on top of fish and squeeze some extra lemon on top.
Roast in the oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes.

A deep baking dish to capture all the healthy juices.

Place all the fresh ingredients on top.

Out of the oven with all the lemony juices.

Delicious over couscous or brown rice!

Crispy Kale Chips

2014-10-26T15:05:00.000-04:00

Crispy Kale Chips

And than Kale Chips came along! I'll be honest, I was skeptical at first but who isn't on the hunt to discover the next secret delicious snack that you can munch on without all the guilt and regret when you're done? I won't lie, salt is key here so don't skimp and best eaten right out of the oven.

Crispy out of the oven in 15 minutes.

Toss kale in a large bowl with olive oil and course salt.

Lay kale flat in a single layer on a large sheet pan.

Ingredients

Bunch of curly kale, stems removed
Course Salt
2 tsp olive oil to coat the kale

Directions

Pat the kale with a towel to remove any moisture and remove any large stems.
Lightly toss kale with course salt (sea or kosher) and olive oil.
Lay flat in a single layer on a large baking pan.
Bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Grilled Rosemary Chicken Wings

2014-08-07T17:14:00.000-04:00

Grilled Chicken Wings Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza

If you have ever visited south Florida and ate at one of Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza Restaurants, you know what I'm talking about when I say I've been craving these wings ever since my last visit!
Unfortunately, I don't have a coal fired pizza oven in my kitchen but these came out great in the oven at a high temperature and on the grill as pictured above. All the flavors just marry together so perfectly with hints of rosemary, garlic and lemon. A nice change from Asian inspired wings. The result is a juicy, flavorful wing that will keep you wanting more!

Ingredients:

4-5 pounds chicken wings
1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:

Place chicken wings in a large nonreactive bowl or roasting pan. Whisk remaining ingredients together in a small bowl, season with salt, to taste. Pour marinade over wings, tossing to coat. Cover wings and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Toss occasionally; do not over-marinate.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place wings in a baking dish, single layer, skin side up. Cook for 25 minutes, turning wings over halfway through cooking process to brown both sides.

*At the restaurant, the wings are served with caramelized onions and focaccia bread piled high in a hot cast iron skillet.

Michael Symon's Grilled Skirt Steak

2014-08-05T11:50:00.000-04:00

Marinaded Grilled Skirt Steak

There's no doubt about it, skirt steak is absolutely on my top 2 list for cuts of red meat. It's so flavorful, juicy, versatile, great on the grill, and everybody loves it! I am in love with skirt steak and
actually prefer it to a filet any day of the week. I love it straight over a mixed green or caesar salad, rolled in a soft tortilla with all the fixings or straight up with rice or potatoes.

This marinade is perfect for skirt steak. The balsamic, rosemary, garlic and brown sugar adds a delicious richness to the steak without taking over. It's delicious drizzled over a leafy salad too!

Ingredients:

1 1/2-2 pound Skirt Steak ( or Flank; Hanger)
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
2 Garlic cloves (smashed)
2 sprigs of Rosemary
1 teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

2 packages of skirt steak, usually 1 pound each.

Directions:

Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, rosemary and chili flakes. Add about 1/3 of a cup of olive oil. Place the steak in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade into it. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours and preferably overnight in the fridge.
Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes prior to use. Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Wipe off the bits of marinade from the steak and drizzle it with olive oil.
Place the steak on the grill and cook 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until the meat has grill marks. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice across the grain and serve.

Cut the long pieces in 3 sections to make it easier to handle on the grill.

Dunk each piece of meat in the marinade and put in a plastic zip bag or container
before pouring in the marinade. This will ensure full coverage.

Delicious grilled skirt steak!

Perfect Holiday Scalloped Potatoes

2013-12-19T10:05:00.001-05:00

Perfect Holiday Scalloped Potatoes

I grew up on scalloped potatoes, my Mother usually served these on a special occasion or for a holiday dinner. Although they were good, it was always a little bit of a guessing game if the potatoes were going to be evenly cooked or even worse, was there going to be a bite that had a little uncooked flour pocket.
This happened because the raw potatoes were layered in a dish before baking. When I came across this method from America's Test Kitchen, I immediately thought...."why didn't we think of that?" If we only knew than what we know now, I bet we would have made scalloped potatoes more often.

This recipe and method is fool proof and is an absolute winner. The potatoes are creamy, evenly cooked and go perfect with a roast. I hope you give this recipe a try next time you make Scalloped Potatoes. This recipe can also be made a day in advance before baking in the oven. Just be sure it's a room temperature for 2 hours before baking.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
4 springs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tsp course salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the fastest and most consistent results, slice the potatoes in a food processor.

1. Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, about 1 minute. Add onion and sauté until it turns soft and begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add cream, milk, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and potatoes and bring to simmer. Cover, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain light simmer, and cook until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato slice with some resistance), about 15 minutes.

2. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Transfer potato mixture to a large casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cream has thickened and is bubbling around sides and top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Tip: When the potatoes were cut thicker than ⅛ inch, they slid apart when served. Yet when cut much thinner, the layers melted together, producing a mashed potato-like texture. At exactly ⅛ inch, the potatoes held their shape yet remained flexible enough to form tight, cohesive layers. Although it is possible to cut ⅛-inch slices by hand, it is far easier and faster when using a food processor or mandolin.

Christmas Wreath Appetizer

2013-12-18T09:13:00.005-05:00

Bacon and Cream Cheese Appetizer Christmas Wreath.

This festive cream cheese appetizer spread is just as delicious as it is pretty to look at. The combination of the cheeses, scallions and smokey bacon compliment each out so well. Decorate the top any way you like and you will have a show stopper that your guests will devour!

Christmas Wreath Appetizer.

Ingredients

2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped scallions
10 cooked bacon strips, crumbled
1 cup fresh parsley
1 jar of pimentos

Directions

1. Beat together the cream cheese, mayo, Parmesan and onions until combined well. Stir in the crumbled bacon. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

2. Invert a small bowl or ramekin dish in the center of a serving platter. Drop the cream cheese mixture by rounded spoonfuls around the edge of the bowl. I use an ice cream scooper to make it easier. Smooth the mixture to form a wreath. Garnish with the chopped parsley and pimientos. Serve with crackers.

Enjoy!

The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew

2013-11-09T14:44:00.000-05:00

The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew

I was given a challenge by my friend Maureen to find her the best beef stew recipe that will bring her family runny back asking for more. I just love a cooking challenge and beef stew was a dish I hadn't really made before, or at least, I didn't have a favorite go-to-recipe to call my own. Until now that is!
In addition to it being flavorful and delicious, that was a given, she gave me 3 requirements. It had to be simple to prepare, cost efficient to feed her large hungry family and most of all, it must have lots and lots of gravy. I mean mucho gravy with every serving. I read many recipes and tips for days, learned a few things along the way and created my new go-to-recipe!

I have discovered that making stew is more of an art. Here are a few of my tips to making a great beef stew.

Brown the meat first but do not coat with flour. Using flour only browns the flour. Instead, brown the meat to bring out the natural sugars. This will add a rich flavor to the stew that you can't create without.
Deglazing the bottom of the pot with red wine to get all the little brown bits. This will add so much flavor to the stew.
Use chicken broth as the braising liquid which marries so well with the red wine.
The best cut of meat to use is chuck steak. It has just the right amount of fat and is the perfect quality to use to make a good beef stew. If you use the "ready for stew" meat that's already cut up at the grocery store, it won't be as good.

Ready, let's cook!

Every step is worth it and will only take about 30 minutes for the prep work before everything is in the slow cooker and you can go about your day and come home to this!

The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2 - 3 pounds chuck steak, cut into 1.5 inch cubes (pat the meat dry using a paper towel)
1 onion, cut into pieces
4 large celery sticks, cut into pieces
4 large carrots, cut into pieces
6-8 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup of flour
2 cloves garlic minced
2-3 Tbls olive oil
1 Tbls butter
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
2 Tbls of tomato paste
1 tsp of dried thyme
3 Tbls of brown sugar
2 Tbls of Worcestershire sauce
6 cups of chicken broth
6 tablespoons of flour (used as a thickener towards the end of cooking)
1 cup of frozen peas (optional)

Chuck Steaks

Directions:

In two batches, using a large dutch oven or skillet, heat oil and butter over medium high heat. Brown the meat on both sides. Don't move the meat once it's in the pot until after 1-2 minutes to be sure it browns and caramelizes nicely. To really brown the meat, this may take 5-8 minutes. Remove the meat into another bowl and reserve.
Place cut up vegetables in the skillet that the meat came out of and let them slightly brown. Add 1/4 cup of flour to the vegetables and toss. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until the flour darkens. At this point, take all the vegetables and put into the slow cooker and than add the meat on top of the vegetables with any accumulated juices.
Deglaze the skillet with the wine, scrape all the goodness from the bottom and sides, don't leave any behind! This will take about 2-3 minutes on medium/ high heat. The wine will reduce and than pour this mixture over the meat in the slow cooker. Don't leave any behind!
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the tomato paste, thyme, brown sugar, Worcestershire, garlic, salt, and pepper with the chicken broth. Pour over meat in slow cooker and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-5 hours. I prefer to cook on low heat when using the slow cooker.
30 minutes before you are ready to serve the stew. Ladle 2-3 cups or more of broth into a medium size mixing bowl. Whisk in the 6 Tbls of flour, 1 Tbls at a time. Keep whisking until there are no lumps. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker with the frozen peas and stir.
The stew is ready when the vegetables are fork tender and the meat is tender and delicious.

Note: I prefer not to coat the meat with flour when browning as this only browns the flour and not the meat. Also, don't salt and pepper the meat before browning, this will bring out the juices and you want the meat to be dry when browning. This will give you the best results.

Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!

Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip

2013-11-03T10:55:00.000-05:00

Buffalo Chicken Dip!

If you are looking for a crazy delicious addictive dip for your next game day spread, look no further. People go crazzzy for this quick and easy appetizer. All the flavors of what we love about hot wings are right here.
It doesn't look the prettiest but trust me it's really good and will disappear fast. Make this ahead of time and take it to your tailgate in a tinfoil pan and heat it right on the grill.

Use Wing It Buffalo Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked and shredded rotisserie chicken

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Ranch dressing

1/4 cup of blue cheese dressing

1/2 cup of WingIt Buffalo wing sauce (or more!)

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (optional)

Directions

In a medium sauce pan, melt the cream cheese over low heat and than add all other ingredients and mix well for about 10-15 minutes until all the cheeses are melted and nice and hot.
Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle the blue cheese crumbles on top.

Serve with tortilla chips and watch this addictive dip disappear!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

2013-10-27T16:02:00.001-04:00

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

I think I have an obsession with butternut squash soup. Adding a little curry puts this delicious heart warming Autumn harvest soup over the top. It's just so delicious, it's hard to believe there isn't any butter, sugar, cream, honey or fruit in this recipe.

It's just pure satisfying deliciousness that's good for you too. I usually double the recipe because it doesn't last long in my house. The best part is, it's all made in one pot!

If you are lucky, you can find butternut squash already cut up.
Otherwise, buy a whole butternut squash, peel and seed it.

Sautee butternut squash with the onion until slightly browned
to add a nice rich roasted flavor to the soup.

Add half of the chicken broth and let everything simmer and soften together.

Use one of my favorite kitchen tools, an immersion blender to puree the soup.
I like to leave a little texture but it's all up to you.

Add the remaining chicken broth and adjust seasoning to your liking.
I like to use 32 ounces, use more if you like a thinner soup.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium to large onion, about 2 cups cut up
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 butternut squash, cut up into 2-inch cubes (or one package already cut up)
1 teaspoon course salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons of curry powder, or more!
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
32 ounces or 1 container of low sodium chicken broth (I prefer Swanson's)
Sour cream and croutons to garnish (optional!)

Directions

In a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, squash, garlic and saute until slightly brown, about 5-8 minutes. Add curry powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and continue to saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add 2 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes and squash is nice and tender.
Turn heat off and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Turn the heat back on low and add the remainder of chicken broth and bring the temperature back up. Add more curry for a little more spice if you like!

Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and croutons if you like!

Greek Orzo Salad with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette

2013-08-12T14:47:00.001-04:00

Greek Orzo Salad with Mustard Dill Vinaigrette

If you love a Greek or Mediterranean salad like I do, you are going to love this zesty orzo salad. The flavors of the fresh dill and mustard make the perfect vinaigrette and bring the tasty flavors over the top!
The creamy vinaigrette holds all the ingredients together nicely. This is a perfect side dish to serve with grilled chicken, shrimp or steak. Everyone loved this recipe and best of all, it can be made ahead of time and chilled until ready to serve.

Fresh dill, Dijon mustard and olive oil make the most delicious creamy vinaigrette.

Ingredients

1 box of orzo, cooked al dente and cooled
1 large cucumber, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and sliced
3 green scallions, thinly sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

Combine orzo, cucumber, scallions, and tomatoes in a large bowl.
Place fresh dill, vinegar and mustard in a blender and blend until smooth.
With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil to emulsify the mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the vinaigrette over the cooled orzo and combine well.
Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese.
Chill until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

It's Guacamole Season

2013-07-22T11:48:00.000-04:00

Fresh Guacamole

Guacamole is one of my favorite appetizers. It's fresh and simple to make. The only tricky part about making guacamole is guessing when the avocados are the perfect amount of ripeness and ready to use. I use Hass avocados and they will turn black from green when they are ripe and if you push in with your finger it will leave a slight indent. When the stars align, you are ready to go.

I get rave reviews with this recipe.

Ingredients

3-4 medium Hass avocados
1/2 purple onion, chopped finely (about a half cup)
1/3 cup of chopped cilantro (a big handful, chopped)
juice of one small lime or half a lemon
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped with seeds removed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp of kosher or sea salt (an essential ingredient)
few dashes of hot sauce or 1 minced jalapeno pepper

Directions

Slice the avocados in half and remove the pits. Scoop out the avocados into a large bowl.
Add all other ingredients and use a fork to mash everything together to your liking, some like it chunky (that's me!) and some like it smooth.
Add more salt, lime or hot sauce to taste.

Tip: If you keep a couple of the pits in the guacamole, they help preserve the beautiful green color longer.

Serve with chips and enjoy!

Baked Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Asian Orange Sauce

2013-04-08T07:17:00.002-04:00

Baked Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce

This is a really fast and healthy way to make coconut shrimp. Baking the shrimp instead of frying saves loads of calories without sacrificing taste or that little crunchy bite we all love about coconut shrimp. Using cornstarch helps the coating to adhere much better to the shrimp rather than using flour. Best of all, they can be made ahead of time and than popped into the oven when you are ready to bake.

This recipe works best with extra-large shrimp, 15-20 to the pound, because you want to give the shrimp enough time to brown in the oven without over cooking. The spicy Asian orange sauce has just enough heat to make the perfect dipping sauce for these scrumptious little guiltless shrimps.

Appetizer of Baked Coconut Shrimp with a Spicy Orange Sauce

Baked Coconut Shrimp ready for the oven.

Spicy orange sauce reduces down before pureed in the blender.

Ingredients

1 lb extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined (Tails on or off)
1 cup sweetened coconut, flaked
1 cup panko
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 egg whites, slightly beaten

Spicy Mango Sauce

1 teaspoon canola oil
2/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup Asian duck sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp (or more!) Franks hot sauce or Spicy Chili Sauce
4 teaspoons lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions for the shrimp

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place coconut and Panko crumbs in a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Don't over process, you don't want to break up the Panko too much. Place crumb mixture into a shallow dish or bowl.
In a 2nd bowl beat egg whites lightly.
In a 3rd bowl, add cornstarch.
One at a time, dredge shrimp in corn starch, shaking off excess, then in egg whites, then dredge in crumb mixture, pressing to adhere to shrimp.
Place shrimp on a lightly greased baking sheet and pour any leftover egg white evenly over each shrimp.
Spray each shrimp lightly with canola oil and bake for 18-20 minutes. Don't over cook the shrimp or they will be tough.

To Prepare Spicy Sauce

In a small sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoons oil, add onion, ginger and garlic and saute 4 minutes until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and reduce to 3/4 cup.
Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
Place mixture into a blender and process till smooth.
Let cool and serve with shrimp!

Delicious Baked Coconut Shrimp!

Light and Airy Ramen Noodles

2013-03-10T19:01:00.000-04:00

Ramen Noodles

This is almost too simple that I am a little embarrassed to even post this, but I had to share this simply yummy secret with you. I was recently having dinner at a new sushi bar and we decided to bring home an order of the house lo mein for our son. Lo mein is one of our favorite dishes but this one was a little different. I realized it was made with raman noodles resulting in a very light and delicious noodle dish.

We started with just a taste but before we knew it, my son's dish was devoured within minutes! The owner of the restaurant told us that using the ramen noodles was actually more expensive than the traditional noodles you find in most restaurants. We made him very happy that we appreciated his noodles! Although this recipe is very simple and doesn't have any Asian flavors, I made this in a pinch and it was a delicious nice change.

Ramen Noodle Dish

Ingredients

2 packages of ramen noodles, discard the seasoning packets
3-4 Tbls butter
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup of chopped parsley

Boil noodles according to package. Drain and toss with remaining ingredients.

Delicious Ramen Noodles

Crispy Chicken a l'Orange and Brown Rice

2013-02-17T14:48:00.000-05:00

Crispy Chicken a l'Orange Baked Over Brown Rice.

I can't decide if my favorite part of this dish is the sweet taste of the orange marmalade mixed with the asian flavors of the soy and honey with a bite of juicy chicken or if it's a spoonful of rice that cooks so nicely under the chicken, capturing the savory juices, and crispy pieces along the sides of the pan. Which ever part you like best, this is a winner all around. It's just as good reheated too!

Bed of brown rice and uncooked chopped carrots.

Top with the chicken pieces and the rest of the ingredients.

Crispy Chicken a l'Orange and Brown Rice

Ingredients

1 cut up whole chicken or a package of cut up chicken with bone-in (I used 2 small chickens cut up above)
1/2 - 1 cup of orange marmalade (amount may vary depending on how much chicken you have)
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tbls honey
1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cup chopped carrots, raw
2 cups of raw brown or white rice
3 Tbsp butter
Course salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cook rice according to package and toss with the butter and chopped raw carrots. Spread the rice mixture in a large casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Sprinkle the orange juice over the rice and than place all the chicken pieces in a single layer over the rice and season with salt and pepper.
Spread a layer of orange marmalade on the chicken and scatter the rest over the rice.
Sprinkle the soy and honey over the chicken and rice.
With the back of a wooden spoon, poke a few wholes in the rice to allow the juices from all the ingredients to get into the rice.
Bake uncovered for 50 minutes and once browned, cover loosely with foil and let cook another 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is brown, bubbling and a little crusty on the edges.

Enjoy!

Baked Spinach Manicotti

2013-02-17T09:19:00.001-05:00

Baked Spinach Manicotti

Why haven't I made this for so long. It does take a little bit of time to fill all the shells but everyone loves this baked dish so much it's well worth the effort. The best part is, make a whole batch and freeze the rest so that you can take them out for an easy to prepare dinner. I use the inside packaging from the box the shells come in for an easy way to freeze the prepared shells and prevent them from sticking. Served with just a simple tossed salad, this baked creamy classic is a delicious and light comfort dish that everyone will love.

Use a plastic storage back to easily fill the shells.

Cut the tip off the bag to fill the shells from both ends.

Use the plastic containers to freeze the rest. This will prevent them from sticking.

Ingredients

1 box (8 ounces) Manicotti

1 Tbls extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 bag (8-12 ounces) fresh spinach, chopped (may substitute 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained)

2 large eggs

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese

1/3 cup chopped basil leaves

1 tsp course salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the manicotti for 7 minutes; drain and rinse in cold water.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add fresh spinach and garlic; saute 5 minutes until wilted. (If using frozen spinach, you do not need to saute it. Just add it to the cheese mixture.)
Mix together, eggs, ricotta, Parmigiano, 1 cup mozzarella, basil, salt and pepper and combine well and gently stir in the spinach mixture.
Fill the shells from both ends.
Spread 3/4 cup sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish and place the manicotti over the sauce. Pour sauce over the shells to cover almost completely.
Sprinkle additional mozzarella cheese on top.
Baked covered with foil for 30 minutes and uncover for another 10-15 minutes untill all the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.

Enjoy!

Chicken Fricassee

2013-01-01T10:09:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

I was recently invited to a friends for dinner who just so happens to be a French Trained Chef. I was so excited because I knew the dinner was going to be fabulous and I couldn't wait to find out what we were having. To my surprise, he serviced us chicken. Nothing I would think of serving company unless I was having a barbecue. Well, this chicken was so delicious, juicy, tender, and flavorful. I told him that I would have chicken every night if it came out like this.

He told me the key is to get a fresh, natural whole chicken, like a Bell and Evans, and cut it up yourself. The chicken that you buy cut up in the grocery store has typically been sitting for a long time and has lost it's flavor. I followed the advice my friend gave to me and went to the specialty butcher and found the chicken. Inspired by that great dinner I had, I wanted to share this delicious recipe with you for a classic chicken Fricassee matched perfectly with silky wide egg noodles. The fresh tarragon gives the chicken special French flavor and the chicken comes out juicy and tender when cooked this way.

Whole Bell & Evans Chicken.

Cut the chicken into 10 or 12 pieces, cut each breast in half. I left the wings whole but will cut them next time. Discard the back bone and wing tip or use them to make stock.

Brown the chicken in batches. Delicious all ready!

Set aside while you prepare the vegetables and sauce.

Cut everything into 1/4 size pieces.

Cut the crimini mushrooms into quarters so that they retain their size and don't shrink away.

Saute until soft and than add the flour.

Add the wine and broth. Place the chicken back in the pot.

Please don't leave out the fresh tarragon! Secret ingredient!

Add egg mixture and remaining ingredients.

Chicken Fricasee or Chicken Stew, call it what you like. Delicious comfort food!

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (discard back and wing tips or use for stock)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)

1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1/2 cup)

1 celery stalk, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1/2 cup)

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

2 Tbls flour

⅔ cup dry white wine

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 to 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon leaves

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 package of wide egg noodles

Directions

1. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large pot, over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil to the pot. When the butter melts and the pan is hot, add half the chicken, skin side down, in a single layer; do not crowd pot. (If butter begins to blacken, lower the heat.) Fry chicken, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total, and transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add onions, carrots and celery to the pot, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Sauté and stir occasionally, until soft and golden brown in places for about 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms darken, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until flour is absorbed by vegetables and is no longer visible, about 1 minute.

4. Add wine to the pot, bring to a boil, stirring until liquid just thickens, about 1 minute. Add broth, and stir.

5. Place chicken and accumulated juices, skin side up, in a single layer on vegetables. Add parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs and bay leaf . Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and cook for 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Simmer liquid, uncovered, until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Discard herbs.

6. Whisk together egg yolks and cream in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, pour ½ cup cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, into egg mixture to temper it. Than add to the pot and stir.

7. Return chicken to the pot. Add tarragon, lemon juice, and the remaining butter. Bring to a simmer, stir gently to combine, and serve over wide egg noodles.

Easy Crock Pot Lasagna

2012-12-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

Crock Pot Lasagna

The Best Lasagna!

I was so intrigued when I first read about the idea of making a lasagna in a slow cooker. I have been wanting to try this for a while and finally the perfect cold winter day came along. Actually, if you want lasagna on a hot day, this is really the way to do it since using a crock pot doesn't heat up the kitchen. When you live in New England, there is just something so comforting knowing that a delicious meal is cooking in the kitchen all day long on a cold day and the best part is, you don't even need to be home! The bottom line, this turned out to be the very tastiest lasagna I have ever made.

I think it's because everything cooks so slowly together for about 4-5 hours and all the flavors have time to come together and make the most flavorful lasagna. Okay, perhaps it's the browned sausage and onions I add to my favorite tomato and basil sauce. The dry noodles, no need to cook the noodles first (big bonus) and don't use the no boil noodles, cook from all the moisture from the sauce and cheeses. I was also surprised on how well it stayed together and plated so nicely. It was the perfect consistency. To me, it was like a lasagna from a favorite Italian restaurant.

Add the sauce after the sausage and onions are cooked.

Break the noodles up to fit, it's okay if they overlap.

I use sheets of mozzarella over the ricotta. It helps keep everything together and I like the taste and texture of both the ricotta and mozzarella.

Slow Cooker Lasagna!

The Best Lasagna!

Ingredients

1 lb ground sausage
1 onion (chopped)
2 jars of your favorite red sauce (I prefer Paul Newman's Tomato and Basil)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 eggs
32 oz of part skim ricotta cheese (large container)
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
8 ozs of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 packages of sliced mozzarella cheese
12 ozs lasagna noodles (uncooked)

Directions

Over medium heat, saute the sausage and onions until the sausage is slightly brown and the onions are soft. Add the sauce and combine, remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, parmesan and half of the shredded mozzarella.
Use a large crock pot (mine in the pic is 6.5 quarts) and start layering the lasagna. First, place about 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the crock pot and than layer the noodles, breaking them up is necessary. It's okay if they overlap.
Next layer half of the ricotta mixture and spread evenly (it's easy with the back of a large spoon). Next, layer the sliced mozzarella cheese to cover completely and than add a a layer of sauce.
Repeat the process again, ending at the top with a layer of noodles and than cover the top layer of noodles with sauce. Cover completely so that the noodles will cook.
Cover and cook on low heat for 4.5 - 5 hours and than, remove the cover and sprinkle the remainder of the shredded cheese over the top. Cover and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes or until you are ready to serve.
Turn the crock pot off and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Mom's Traditional Apple Pie

2012-11-16T08:21:00.000-05:00

Traditional Apple Pie

Simply delicious traditional apple pie. I will never win a beautiful pie contest but I'll go up against any pie for flavor, texture and consistency. I like to think of my design as rustic! Over the years I have tried different recipes with varying ingredients or changing up the method and I have had a lot of good pies in my time, but I always come back to the old stand bye childhood favorite recipe that my Mom always made. The ingredients are simple and the list is short and you can't beat it. I always brush the top crust with egg whites and sprinkle sugar all over the crust to make it pretty just like my Mom always did.

Mix all the apples together with ingredients and pour into the bottom crust.

Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar all over the top.

Traditional Apple Pie

Ingredients

3-4 pounds of apples (Baldwin & Macintosh)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 egg white
sugar for top of crust

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Line a 9" or 10" pie plate with favorite pie dough
Peel and slice the apples and mix together with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Put on top layer of pie dough. Crimp the sides together and cut 3-4 slits near the center to allow the steam to escape.
For a pretty glaze, brush top with egg white and sprinkle of sugar.
Bake 15 minutes at 500 degrees until brown. Turn oven down to 350 degrees for another 40 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Lentil Sausage Soup

2012-11-11T12:05:00.000-05:00

Lentil Sausage Soup

There is just something about a big pot of soup simmering away on the stove on a cold fall or winter night. This soup is so rich in flavor, despite it's simple ingredients. I usually have everything on hand and tend to always have a package of sausage in the freezer because it's so versatile. I haven't met a sole that doesn't like the smokey flavor of sausage. The best part is, it's a one pot wonder. This soup is so good, it's the kind that keeps you coming back for more!

Ingredients

1 lb Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
8 cups of chicken broth, low sodium
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes or 2 cans of diced tomatoes
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 16 oounce package of dry lentils
1/2 cup of very small pasta, like Tubettini
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 handful of fresh parsley
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions

In a large pot, brown sausage and break into small pieces.
Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook until vegetables are soft. Than add the spices and lentils and continue to stir and cook for about 3 minutes until lentils begin to crinkle up a bit.
Add the crushed tomatoes and pasta and give a stir and than add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a low-medium and let simmer for about 50-60 minutes until the lentils and pasta are cooked through.

Enjoy with crusty bread and sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Italian Wedding Soup

2012-11-03T18:01:00.001-04:00

Italian Wedding Soup

Why have I waited so long to make this? It's absolutely delicious! Is this a soup or is this a stew? Rachel Ray calls it a Stoup! Another great recommendation from my friend Maria. She insist that I stick to using the ground chicken and gnocchi. The mini meatballs are like little chicken dumplings and cook right in the soup. Yes, you can use another type of pasta but it won't have the same special creaminess that you get with the gnocchi. Forget the chili, I'm making this at the next football party. This is a hearty, fresh and delicious Stoup!

Italian Wedding Soup with Chicken Meatballs and Gnocchi.

Mix all meatball ingredients in one bowl. These cook best right in the soup, no need to bake these.

Chicken meatballs for the soup.

Saute the vegetables together until soft.

Simmer together for about 10 minutes. The meatballs stay together nicely.

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 pound ground chicken
1 large egg
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic minced
dash nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Soup

3 Tbls olive oil
4 ribs celery, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
package shredded carrots
6 cups chicken broth (I prefer Swanson low sodium)
1 16 oz package of frozen gnocchi
1 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley finely chopped (2 handfuls)

Directions

To make the meatballs it’s really easy. Just mix all the meatball ingredients together in a big bowl and then shape them into walnut sized meatballs (about 40-45) and set aside while you prepare the soup.
To make the soup, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and add the celery, onions, carrots and cook 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the broth, cover the pot and bring to a boil.
Once the soup is at a boil, turn down the heat a little and slowly add the little chicken dumplings and simmer for about 10 minutes than add the gnocchi and simmer for another 5 minutes. Now add the peas and parsley and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. The soup is done when the meatballs and gnocchi are cooked through.

Best served with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and crusty bread for dipping!

Hearty Lentil Soup

2012-11-03T08:28:00.001-04:00

Lentil Soup

Satisfying, delicious, easy and cheap! Lentil soup is the perfect fall soup...or is it a stew. I hope you trust me on this one, the picture doesn't do this soup justice. It's not the prettiest but believe me, this flavorful hearty soup makes up for it. I made this for the first time and my husband just loved it. I'm on my 3rd batch now and it's great because it last all week. It's a great starter or as a whole meal serve with crusty bread. A delicious, fast and homey soup!

Ingredients

2 Tbls olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 lb dry lentils
8 cups water with 3 Knorr's Beef Bouillon cubes
1 cup of uncooked Tubettini pasta (or very small shaped pasta)
Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on low to medium heat and add the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery and saute until the vegetables are soft but not browned.
Add the dry lentils and bouillon cubes and saute until the lentils begin to pop open a bit. This will take about 2-3 minutes. The bouillon cube will begin to breakdown and soften.
Add the water and pasta and stir all together. Let the soup simmer together until the pasta is cooked.

Serve with crusty bread and a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese on top!

Spinach and Mushroom Crustless Quiche

2012-09-05T18:12:00.000-04:00

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche...Crust-less!

I think quiche is a forgotten pastime. That's unfortunate because it's really an easy dish to hold any kind of vegetable. It's a perfect light lunch or dinner with a salad. I removed the crust to make it lighter and take away the guilt. So, is it breakfast or a dinner.....either way, it reheats nicely. Get creative and add sliced tomatoes or serve with a little tomato sauce drizzled over.

Mushroom and Spinach who needs a crust quiche!

Saute the mushroom and scallion until the liquid is gone.

Layer the spinach than the mushroom mixture.

Pour the egg mixture over the top.

Add the cheeses spread evenly over the top.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche without the Crust.

Ingredients

1 8oz package of fresh mushrooms
1 10oz box of frozen spinach
5 large or x-large eggs
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 tsp course salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 fresh sprig of thyme
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup of shredded swiss cheese
2 oz of feta or goat cheese (which ever you like best)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden on top.

1. Thaw the frozen spinach and squeeze it so the water comes out. Slice the mushrooms and place in a skillet coated with non-stick spray, add the minced garlic, chopped shallot, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat on to medium-high and saute the mushrooms until they release all of their moisture and no more water remains on the bottom of the skillet (5-7 minutes).

2. Spray a pie dish with non-stick spray. Squeeze the rest of the water out of the spinach and spread it out on the bottom of the pie dish. Next add the cooked mushroom mixture and than the crumbled feta or goat cheese.

3. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, parmesan, thyme, and another small sprinkle of pepper. Whisk to combine and pour this mixture into the pie dish over the spinach, mushrooms, and goat cheese (feta).

4. Sprinkle the shredded cheeses cheese over top. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet for easy transfer into the oven. Place the quiche into the preheated oven and bake until it is golden brown on top and the center is solid.

Enjoy!

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing with a Farmers Market Salad

2012-09-03T15:28:00.000-04:00

Easy Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing.

I can't help but get inspired when I go to the Farmer's Market. How can you resist all the fresh locally grown vegetables. The colorful variety of tomatoes caught my eye on this day and I started to think about a light lemon vinaigrette to compliment the fresh baby lettuces, prime ripe tomatoes, crispy radishes and fresh crunchy cucumbers.

Farmers market salad greens with lemon vinaigrette dressing.

Ingredients for Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Mix all ingredients together and shake or whisk before using:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1.5 Tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp course salt
Pinch ground black pepper

Enjoy!

Linguini with Clam Sauce

2012-06-25T11:48:00.003-04:00

Linguini with Clam Sauce

It was one of those nights, what am I going to make for dinner? There has been a can of whole baby clams steering at me for a while now and there you have it, Linquini with Clam Sauce. This recipe is easy, fast and very delicious and gives an extra boost of flavor from the red pepper flakes and squeeze of lemon. If you are looking for a really wet sauce to dunk your bread, just double the olive oil and clam broth.

Ingredients

1 pound thin linguini
1/4 cup olive oil (a little extra to drizzle over the top)
1 can of anchovies (they melt in the pan, you won't know they are there)
4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (15-ounce) can whole baby clams, with their juice
1/2 fresh lemon, squeezed
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt and the linguini and cook al dente, 7 minutes or so. The linguini will continue to cook in sauce, later.
To a large skillet heated over medium heat, add oil, anchovies, garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook together until anchovies melt into oil and break up completely.
Add wine and lemon to the pan and give the pan a shake. Add clams and their juice.
Drain pasta and add it to the clam sauce. Toss and coat the pasta in sauce with clams until the pasta absorbs the flavor and juices, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and season with salt, add parsley and serve.

Party Red Sangria

2012-06-16T07:36:00.000-04:00

Easy Party Red Sangria

Party Sangria is easy to make, easy to drink and even those that don't drink wine will drink the Sangria. It's the perfect party summer drink to make for a crowd. Use any red wine, mix bottles or use what you have left over from the night before. Don't go crazy to find the perfect wine, inexpensive is best for Sangria so this is the time to have fun and pick from The Bin!

Ingredients

2 bottles or 1 large bottle of Spanish (Sangria) red wine
1 cup of brandy
1/2 cup of Triple Sec
1 cup orange juice, no pulp
2 large oranges, sliced
1 large green apple, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
Splash of ginger ale

Directions

Mix all ingredients together except for the ginger ale
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, add a splash of ginger ale to each glass.
Serve well chilled and over ice.

Enjoy!