Recipe: Chicken Fajitas

• 1 pound of chicken breasts - boneless
• 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 3 medium bell peppers - sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 8 flour tortillas - warmed

Slice chicken into thin strips approximately 3 inches long and set them in a flat glass baking dish.

Squeeze the juice from one lime on top of the chicken.

Mix together sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes and sprinkle the spices onto the chicken being sure to coat all the chicken.

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees. Wrap eight flour tortillas in a clean dish towel and put them in a serving dish. Cover the dish with tinfoil and put it in the oven for about 10 minutes to warm up. Preheat your oven safe serving dish in the oven as well.

In a large preheated frying pan, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sliced onions and pepper and sauté 2-3 minutes or until tender. Season with salt and pepper and remove from pan. Place on heated serving dish. Cover with tinfoil to keep warm.

Add the chicken to the hot pan and quickly sauté until cooked through – approximately 4-5 minutes.

Add the cooked chicken to the serving platter.

Place warm tortilla on a plate; add chicken and peppers and onions and serve.

You can garnish Chicken Fajitas with salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese and sour cream.

Recipe: Nutella Crepes

• 2 tablespoons of butter - melted (set aside one more teaspoon of butter - not melted)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 cup of flour (white all-purpose)
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of white sugar
• 1 jar of Nutella

With an electric hand mixer, blender, or a whisk, mix together 2 Tablespoons of melted butter, the eggs, the milk and the water.

Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, salt and sugar) and add them to the wet mixture. Blend until smooth.

Transfer the batter to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours (or up to 2 days).

If the ingredients have separated, gently stir them together again.

Heat a 9-10 inch non-stick fry pan over medium high heat. Melt ½ teaspoon of butter in the pan. Brush the butter over the surface of the pan with a heat resistant brush. (You should hear a sizzle!)

Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan with one hand, and with the opposite hand, swirl the pan until the batter coats the bottom of the pan. (For a 6-7 inch pan use 2 1/2 Tablespoons of batter – slightly more than half of 1/4 cup)

Cook the crepe until it is a patchy light brown on the bottom, 30 seconds to one minute.

Loosen the edges of the crepe and flip it to the other side. Cook the second side until it is spotted brown and dry, about another 30 seconds.

Remove the crepe from the pan and continue cooking the remaining batter, adding more butter if necessary.

With the side you cooked first facing down, spread some Nutella over one half of the crepe.

Fold the crepe in half, then in half again or into thirds for the 9-10 inch crepe.

Garnish with powdered sugar and fresh fruit.

To store cooked crepes:
Stack between squares of wax paper, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to three days. The crepes can be frozen for up to two months.

Yield:
Makes sixteen to twenty 6 to 7 inch crepes or approximately twelve - 9 to 10 inch crepes

Recipe: Gazpacho

• 3 large tomatoes - peeled and diced
• 2 cucumbers - peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 red bell pepper - diced
• 1 green bell pepper - diced
• 1/3 cup of red onions - diced
• 1 clove of garlic - minced
• 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups of tomato juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

In large glass bowl combine all of the vegetables. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add 1/3 of the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Combine puree with original mixture. Chill for 4 hours and serve.

Recipe: Tomato Sauce Recipe

• 1 medium onion - minced
• 1 carrot - minced
• 1 clove of garlic - thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons of fresh basil - chopped
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes (14 oz cans)
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup of dry red wine (or white wine) - optional

In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil over very low heat.

Add the minced garlic and stir over a very low heat for about a minute.

Add the diced carrots, onions and fresh basil. (Or instead of the basil, you could use thyme and oregano or marjoram or a good pinch of dried mixed herbs)

Cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened and are lightly colored.

Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste and the sugar and give it a good stir, then add the wine if you are using it.

Bring the pot to a boil, stirring regularly, and then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.

Cook the sauce uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add some salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

Adapted From: Jon Sacker

Recipe: Guy Kawasaki's Famous Teriyaki Sauce

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of soy sauce
• 1/2 orange
• 2 jalapeno peppers - seeds removed
• 5 green onions - chopped
• 1/3 cup of ginger (approx ½ hand-size or so) - peeled and chopped

Blend everything in a blender/food processor.

Puree until smooth.

This recipe will make 3 cups of sauce which is enough to marinate 2 and 1/2 pounds of chicken or tri-tip steak.

************

To marinate chicken or steak, place it in a glass bowl or plastic bag. Cover with the marinade and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Remove the chicken or steak from the marinade and pat dry. You can cook the chicken or steak on an outdoor barbeque or on a grill pan on the stovetop.

Put the remaining marinade in a medium size pan and boil for 15 minutes. (If the marinade gets too thick, add 2-3 Tablespoons of water and continue boiling.)

Strain the marinade through a fine sieve and drizzle on top of cooked chicken or steak.

Adapted From: Guy Kawasaki

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 1/8 cups of flour (185 grams)
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter (113.4 grams)
• 6 tablespoons of light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons of white sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 6 ounces of chocolate chips - semi-sweet
• 1/2 cup of nuts - optional

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl large egg with vanilla and set aside.

In a large bowl, blend together softened butter, white sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Mix in the egg and vanilla and blend well. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips (and nuts).

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Cut the cookie dough into 12 even cubes.

Roll each cube into a ball and place on a 14 by 15 inch cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 17-19 minutes or until golden.

Let the cookies rest 2-3 minutes before removing from the tray onto a cooling rack.

Makes 12 cookies.