For more tomato sauce recipes, click here.

• 4 links of your choice, sliced in half lengthwise, then sliced into ½ coins
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp. dried basil, or 3 fresh sprigs
• 12 oz. spaghetti
• ½ cup reserved pasta water
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese, as much as you like

In a large non stick pan, lightly coat with olive oil to medium heat.  Add sausage and cook stirring frequently until browned evenly.  Set aside.  To the pan add the ¼ cup olive oil to medium low heat.  Add the onion and cook stirring until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring for a few minutes.  Add the crushed red pepper flakes, cook one minute.  Increase heat to medium and add tomatoes, season to taste with salt, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and add basil.  Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling.  Cook spaghetti to just before it is tender.  Drain reserving ½ cup pasta water.  If you used fresh basil in sauce, remove.  To your sauce stir in the reserved pasta water, bring to a slight boil.  Add sausage then add spaghetti, stirring until spaghetti is al dente.  from heat and add butter and freshly grated parmesan.  Toss until cheese melts.  Serve immediately.

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2. Spaghetti and Meatballs Again
3. Sausage and Peppers with a Tomato Cream Sauce over Pappardelle

For more green bean and carrots recipes, click here.

• 2 garlic cloves peeled
• 2 cups cilantro
• 1 cup Italian parsley
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp. hot paprika
• ½ tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 lbs. tender green beans, trimmed
• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced into 4-inch long sticks
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a small sauce pan to medium heat. Add cumin seeds and toast turning constantly.  Remove seeds and cool.  With a mortar and pestle, ground cumin seeds.  Set aside.

Chop the garlic in a food processor.  Add the cilantro and parsley and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Add the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, ground cumin, and salt to taste.  Pulse until the sauce has the consistency of pesto.  Season with salt to taste.  Let sauce rest covered in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  Best if made a day ahead.

In a large pot with a steamer insert, add water up to 2-inches and bring to a boil over high heat.  Steam the green beans, covered, until just tender, 4 to 7 minutes.  Shake excess water off green beans and set aside in a serving bowl.  Cover to keep warm.  Add the carrots to the basket and steam, covered, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.  Transfer carrots to the serving bowl with the green beans.

Toss the vegetables with about three-quarters of the charmoula sauce.  Pour remaining sauce over and salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 8 to 10

Total Time: 1 hour

Related posts:

1. Stir Fry Pork Tenderloin with Carrots and Green Beans
2. Chicken, Green-Chile and Cheese Enchiladas
3. Chicken Tostadas With Refried Beans and Grilled Fennel

Thanks Joy for sharing, and happy new year!  Please enjoy!

• 6 medium russet potatoes
• 1 medium onion grated
• 1 egg
• ½ cup flour
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable oil to coat pan generously
• Apple sauce and sour cream (optional)

Peel potatoes and grate in food processor.  Peel and grate onion in food processor.  Place in a large bowl, add egg, flour, and salt.  Stir to combine completely.  Heat oil in electric fry pan to 375 degrees. With slotted spoon, grab spoonful of potatoes and pat gently to remove excess liquid (do not remove all liquid, just a small amount).  Fry potatoes until dark golden brown on first side (do not touch), about 6-8 minutes.  Flip and fry second side for 3-4 minutes, until light golden brown.  Drain on paper towels while you finish cooking the remaining pancakes.  If desired, sprinkle with additional salt.  Serve with apple sauce and sour cream.

Total time: 45 minutes

Makes: 12 medium size pancakes

Related posts:

1. Lemon-Arugula Potato Salad
2. Potato-Leek Gratin
3. Cottage Cheese Pancakes

• 1-12 oz. bag cranberries, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup minced green onions
• 2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded, and minced
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. finely grated ginger
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2-8oz. packages cream cheese
• Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Rinse, drain and pick over cranberries, discarding all that are soft or bruised. Place cranberries in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped but not mushy.

Place cranberries in a bowl and mix together with green onions, jalapeno peppers, cilantro leaves, sugar, grated ginger, and fresh lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours so flavors develop (do not eat right away, it will be too tart).

On a serving plate place cream cheese and cover with salsa. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve with crackers.

Related posts:

1. Cranberry Salad
2. Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
3. Thai Chicken Soup with Coconut Milk

There are a few different types of Kale, Dinosaur Kale, Red Russian Kale, and Curly Kale.  Kale is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and manganese, click here to learn more about the benefits.  Brussels sprouts are also high in vitamins A, C, and fiber.  So go ahead now and eat your vegies!  Please enjoy!

My source for this recipe was bon appetit.

• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. minced shallot
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 large bunch of Tuscan kale, ribs removed, thinly sliced
• 12 oz. brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup almonds, skin on coarsely chopped
• 1 cup shredded pecorino cheese

Combine lemon juice, mustard, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld.  Mix kale and Brussels sprouts in a large bowl.  Spoon 1 tbsp. oil (from ½ cup), into a small skillet; heat to medium, add almonds stirring frequently until golden brown.  Transfer to a paper towl and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Slowly whisk remaining olive oil into lemon juice mixture.  Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.  Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture.  Garnish with almonds.

Related posts:

1. Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Soup
2. Sauteed Brussells Sprouts with Smoked Ham and Toasted Walnuts
3. Mustardy Kale With Bacon

Happy Holidays!  Oh boy, it’s that time again.  I made this chocolate cheese cake as a finishing touch to our thanksgiving meal, very decadent, needless to say!

Because everyone loves cheesecake, I was anxious to try this particular recipe, it’s defintitely not your typical cheesecake.  The crust is a chocolate shortbread, with a cream cheese filling combining lemon zest, chocolate chips, and raisins, (the recipe did not call for it, but I marinted my raisins in rum for a couple of hours).  The topping is made with a smooth dark chocolate.  Thank you to my mother’s friend Vini for sharing this wonderful cheesecake!  Please enjoy!

For more cheesecake recipes, click here.

Crust:

• ¾ cup flour
• 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
• ½ cup wheat flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter-softened

Filling:

• 1-8 oz. package cream cheese
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 tbsp. sugar
• Freshly grated zest of one lemon
• ½ cup raisins
• 3 tbsp. chocolate chips

Topping:

• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate-chopped into small pieces
• 2 tbsp. corn syrup
• 3 tbsp. butter

For the crust:

Sift flour and cocoa into a mixing bowl.  Stir in wheat flour and sugar.  With fingertips, work butter into the flour mixture until it makes a firm dough.  Press dough into the base of an 8-inch spring form pan.  Prick all over with a fork.  Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven but leave oven on.

For the filling:

In a large bowl beat cream cheese with the yogurt, eggs and sugar until evenly mixed.  Stir in lemon zest, raisins and chocolate chips.  Smooth cream cheese mixture over chocolate short bread base and bake 35-45 minutes until filling is just set.  Cool over a wire rack.

For the topping:

Combine chocolate, syrup and butter in a heat proof bowl.  Set over sauce pan of simmering water, heat gently, stirring occasionally until melted.  Pour topping over cheese cake and let set.  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Remove sides of pan and carefully slide onto a serving plate.

Related posts:

1. Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
2. Francesca’s Cheesecake

From the recipe archive……brought back just in time for our (burrrrr), colder days that have just started, please enjoy! 

I was on the lookout for a casserole that I could bring to a friend’s house, and I remebered this recipe from a cook book (sunset) that I have had for years and years, since 1978 to be exact!  I really liked this beef and spinach casserole because it is can be made any time of the year, delicious either hot or cold.  The meat sauce is simmered in red wine which adds so muchdepth, the sauce is then combined with cooked bow tie noodles, and layered with spinach, sour cream and fresh grated parmesan cheese, simply delicious!!  I’ve added fresh sliced mushrooms to the sauce as well.  Please enjoy!

For  more casserole recipes, from Best-Casserole-Recipes.com, click here .

• 1 package bow tie noodles
• 2 packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups grated fresh parmesan cheese

Meat sauce

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb. bulk pork sausage
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove chopped fine
• 1-15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1-6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• ½ cup water
• ¼ tsp. each basil, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, black pepper and salt to taste

While you prepare your meat sauce, heat a large pot of salted boiling water and cook noodles until al dente.  Drain, and place back into pot.

Meat sauce

To a large lightly oiled skillet, add your beef, pork, and onion.  Combine well and cook until meat looses it’s pinkness.  Add garlic and cook until vegetable’s are soft but not brown.  Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, water, and spices.  Simmer uncovered until reduced to about 6 cups, roughly 30 minutes.

Pour meat sauce into pot with noodles, stir to combine and let cool.  In a large casserole dish (2 to 3 qt.) spread half the noodle mixture, scatter half the spinach, dot evenly with half the sour cream, carefully spreading sour cream with a large spoon to cover completely.  Sprinkle with half the parmesan cheese.  Repeat layers of meat and noodles, spinach, and sour cream, and top evenly with remaining parmesan cheese. (Keep covered and cold until ready to bake)

Bake, uncovered , in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until heated through and top is lightly browned.

Serves: 8

Total time: 60 minutes

Related posts:

1. Beef and Spinach Casserole
2. Bertha’s Beef Stroganoff
3. Beef-Wheat Balls

For more Thai soup recipes, click here.

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 box Swansons chicken broth
• 6 ¼ inch slices ginger
• 2 stalks lemon grass cut into 1-inch slices
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tsp. honey or sugar
• 2 tsp. sirancha or to taste
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce (we like the red boat fish brand)
• ½ cup cilantro

In a large soup pot heat over medium, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil.  Add your chicken and sauté until browned.  Remove and set aside.  To your pot add the coconut milk, chicken broth, ginger, and lemon grass.  Bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes or so.  Strain soup to remove the lemon grass and ginger.  Add mushrooms, lime juice, honey (or sugar), sirancha, fish sauce, and chicken.  Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Add your cilantro and serve immediately.

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2. Steak and Vegetable Soup
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I was so excited to make these panko crusted halibut tacos last night, because I new they were going to be really tasty.  And that they were!!  We had dinner with some friends the other night at BJ’s Brewery, when my eyes hit the halibut tacos on the menu, I decided to try them.  I hate to admit this but I’ve never had fish tacos.  They were lightly breaded with panko bread crumbs, and served in warm tortillas with plain shredded cabbage.  On the side was the creamy avocado sauce, and salsa. So I decided I was going to make my own panko crusted halibut tacos, but change it up a bit by combining the raw cabbage with the avocado sauce to create a slaw that could be plopped right on top of the halibut.  I prepared the avocado cabbage slaw first so it could sit in the refrigerator and marinate, while I prepared my halibut.  Halibut is a great source of high quality protein, rich in minerals, vitamins, and the most beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids.  Now this is just a few of the benefits, click here to learn more about the very nutritious halibut fish.  Please enjoy!

For more recipes with halibut, click here.

For the halibut:

• Corn tortillas, 8 to 10
• 1 lb. halibut fillets, washed and cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. whipping cream
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp. olive oil

For the creamy avocado slaw:

• 1 avocado
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• ½  cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. green salsa
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. red pepper chili flakes
• ½ lime, juiced
• 2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced

Prepare you creamy avocado cabbage slaw first.  In a large bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly, adding your cabbage last, tossing to coat cabbage evenly.  Place in refrigerator while you prepare you tacos.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place your tortillas in foil and warm in oven while you prepare your halibut.  Wash and trim skin off halibut.  Cut into 2- inch pieces.  Place flour in shallow dish.  In a medium size bowl, beat eggs with whipping cream and water.  Place panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish, add salt and pepper to taste.  Dredge halibut pieces one by one in flour, shaking to remove any excess flour, then dip into egg mixture, lastly coat with the panko bread crumbs.  Heat a nonstick skillet with olive oil until barely smoking.  Sauté halibut pieces to a golden brown turning once, about 5 minutes.  Place halibut pieces in an oven proof pan, to finish cooking.  About 8 minutes.

To serve, place halibut pieces in warmed tortillas, and top with creamy avocado cabbage slaw.

Serves: 6

Total time: 60 minutes

Related posts:

1. Panko Crusted Halibut Tacos with a Creamy Avocado Cabbage Slaw
2. Creamy Coleslaw
3. Halibut With Citrus Butter Sauce

This was a very delicious dish that was effortless to put together.  There are so many versions of chicken and mushrooms, I like mine with a creamy sauce.  You can change this up however you like.  I made this years ago from cook book that I could not longer find, this is purely from memory.  Served over rice or noodles, with custy french bread, definitely a winner!  Please enjoy!    

For more chicken and mushroom recipes, click here.

• 1 lb. Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” chunks
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. Dried Thyme leaves
• Olive oil, generously coating your pan
• 3 large cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 3 large shallots, chopped fine
• 1-lb. sliced cremini mushrooms

Sauce mixture:

• 1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup whipping cream
• 2 tbsp. Tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. Oyster sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. Dried Thyme leaves

Combine chicken, flour, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag and shake until chicken is well coated.  Remove chicken from bag shaking off any excess flour.  To a large non-stick pan over medium heat, add the olive oil.  Add your chicken and cook until nicely browned, about 10 minutes.  Remove chicken to a separate plate.  Add your garlic, and shallots, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.  Add your mushrooms, stirring until the mushrooms release their juices and start to wilt.  Add your sauce mixture, stirring completely to combine.  Bring to a boil, add your chicken and reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer until your sauce thickens, 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve over rice or noodles.  

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3. Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Sauce