Recipes

Arancini Rice Balls

2019-12-15T05:33:00.000-08:00

I recently made this at a dinner party as a side dish for a pasta dish and it seemed to add just enough of a crunch to both contrast and compliment the pasta dish at the same time.

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic

2 Cups Arborio Rice

1 Qt chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay)

1/2 lb shredded fontina cheese

3 Tbsp light butter

Vegetable / Canola oil for deep frying

* Olive Oil

* Salt

* Black pepper

Stuffing Mix

3 parts - Progresso Italian Style breadcrumbs

1 part - Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Oregano - minced

Fresh Parsley - minced
Garlic Powder

Olive Oil (amount will vary based on quantity, we are looking for a specific texture)

Rice ball coating mix

Progresso Italian Style Breadcrumbs

4C seasoned panko breadcrumbs

1 Pint Eggbeaters (original)

Tools:

Instant Pot

6 - 8 qt stock pot

Wire basket

Preparation:

Rice Filling:

Set the Instant pot to saute for 7 minutes with some olive oil and the minced garlic cloves with salt and pepper until fragrant. After about 5 minutes, add the wine and mix up the bits of garlic. Add the arborio rice, butter, and the chicken broth. Close up the instant pot and pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. Quick release when done and immediately mix in Fontina cheese. Set aside and allow to cool.

Stuffing Mix:

In a bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese, oregano, parsley and garlic powder. Stir in olive oil until the mixture has the consistency of wet beach sand (should hold its shape when formed)

Coating Mix:

In a 1 qt chinese food soup container (or equivalent) mix together the italian style and panko breadcrumbs. Cover and shake to incorporate together.

Rice Balls:

In a bowl mix the cooked rice, stuffing, and some egg beater mix to incorporate it well. It does not have to match the rice 1:1 but it should be enough that its visible throughout. Using a teaspoon, scoop off some of the mixture and roll like a meatball into a ball anywhere between 1.25 and 2" in diameter. Place into the breadcrumb container and shake until coated thoroughly.

Cooking:

Heat enough oil in a large stock pot to 370 - 380 degrees and drop in rice balls for between 30 - 60 seconds until each is golden brown. Set aside on a cooling rack to drip dry of any extra oil.

Roasted Garlic, Shallot and Mushroom Risotto

2018-11-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

This is variant of the butternut squash risotto I've made for years. I made it using the cooking liquid from a venison pot roast but it is equally as tasty when using chicken or vegetable stock.

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic

5 Shallots

1 lb small cremini mushrooms

2 Cups Arborio Rice

1 Qt Homemade Low Salt Vegetable Broth

3/4 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay)

1/2 lb Gruyere Cheese

4 Tbsp light butter

* Olive Oil

* Salt

* Black pepper

Tools:

Oven Safe baking dish

6 - 8 qt stock pot with lid

2 qt saucepan

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Rough chop shallots into 3/4" chunks and crush/peel garlic. In a baking dish, add a drizzle of olive oil, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper. Put in the oven and roast until it has started to brown. (approx 15 minutes). Feel free to use the broiler at the end for 2 - 3 minutes to finish.

In a 2 qt saucepan bring vegetable broth with salt to a boil.

In the stock pot, melt butter and add rice mixing well. Season the rice with salt and pepper and stir until well incorporated. Spread rice around the edges and add wine again mixing well. Using a small ladle (4oz) add 2 ladles of boiling broth to the rice mixture.

Repeat this process once the liquid has mixed in and boiled down until half of the stock has been added. Rough chop the cremini mushrooms into quarters or halves depending on size and add to the pot with the roasted shallots and garlic (chop if necessary) mixing well. Continue to add broth in the same increments until all broth has been mixed in with the rice.

Using a fine blade food processor, grind up Gruyere cheese until it is almost a powder and mix in with the risotto.

At this point, the mixture needs to simply cook until the rice is no longer crunchy being stirred frequently to ensure that all of the cooking liquid has been incorporated in.

Serving

This serves 6 with roughly 1 cup of cooked per serving.

For an added kick, dice up bacon or prosciutto and fry until crispy topping risotto with some crunch.

Arancini Pork Casserole

2018-09-03T18:27:00.001-07:00

This is a less healthy variant of https://www.skinnytaste.com/sicilian-rice-ball-casserole/

Ingredients:
1 Qt Joe's Homemade Pasta Sauce

1/2 Medium Red Onion

3 cloves garlic

1/2 Cauliflower

2 Cups uncooked Jasmati Rice

1 Qt Homemade Low Salt Vegetable Broth

3/4 lbs Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese grated

1/2 cup Progresso Italian Style Breadcrumbs

5 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 whole egg

1 egg white

1 lb Ground Pork

* Olive Oil

* Cooking Spray

* Salt

* Black pepper

* Garlic Powder

* Dry Basil

Tools:

13x9 Oven safe casserole dish

Small oven safe dish (for roasting cauliflower)

Large skillet for pork

2 qt saucepan

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small oven save dish, add olive oil, cauliflower, salt and pepper. Put in the oven and roast until it has started to brown.

In a 2 qt saucepan bring vegetable broth with salt to a boil. Add 2 cups of jasmati rice, cover and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Dice onion and mince garlic, add to skillet with salt & pepper. While cooking, flatten out pork and season with salt, pepper, garlic and basil and fold into the ends over. Once the onion/garlic mix has become fragrant and starts to become translucent, spread to the outside of the skillet and add pork breaking up as it browns on one side. Once cooked through and broken up into small pieces (think taco meat) add enough sauce to mix through but not cover the pork. Cover with a lid leaving partially open and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix together Parmesan cheese, egg, egg white, and cooked rice with about 1 pint of sauce. Mix thoroughly until well incorporated and set aside.

Prepare oven safe casserole dish by spraying all sides and adding 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs, spreading around until all sides of the dish are coated in breadcrumb. Add a 1/2" layer of the rice mixture, cover with pork combined with chopped cauliflower. Add 1/4 lb of grated mozzarella then cover with another 1/2" layer of rice mixture.

Top with remaining 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs and remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake in oven for 30 - 45 minutes until breadcrumbs have toasted and cheese has melted with a good crust.

Serving:

Remove from oven and serve in squares as you would lasagna.

Cheesy Potato Soup

2017-06-30T20:22:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 Russet Potato

1 Medium Red Onion

1 Green Pepper

1/4 lb deli ham OR 1/4 lb taylor ham

1 1/2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 cup 1% milk

1/4 lb block cheddar cheese shredded

2 tbsp sour cream

* Croutons

* Chives

* Cheddar cheese (shredded for garnish)

* Olive Oil

* Salt

* Black pepper

* Garlic Powder

Tools:

Large non-stick skillet with lid

2 qt saucepan

Preparation:
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Dice all vegetables and ham into 1/2" cubes, place in skillet and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir regularly and cover until potatoes are browned and all vegetables are tender.

In a sauce pan, melt butter adding flour and milk to make a roux. Once steam begins to rise, add cheddar cheese and stir until well incorporated. Use sour cream as needed to thicken but should otherwise have a brothy consistency.

Add vegetables and ham once cooked to cream sauce and simmer on low heat.

Garnish with diced chives, croutons, and additional cheddar cheese

Serving:

Serves 2.

Strawberry Italian Ice

2016-08-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

After making lemon and orange for a while, I decided to branch out, this was one of the successful ones.

Ingredients:
1 lb carton of strawberries

1 1/2 cups of water

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1 cup of water (separate)

Tools:

Ice Cream Maker

2 qt saucepan

2x 1qt freezer safe containers

Blender/Food processor

Preparation:
Remove the tops of the strawberries and place in a blender/food processor. (I use a Ninja so its theoretically both). Begin to blend together and add 1 cup of water to thin down the mix. Once the strawberries are the consistency of a smoothie/milkshake, they are done. Remove from the blender and cool in the refrigerator. (the cooler they are at the start of freezing, the faster the ice will form).

In a saucepan, mix 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups of sugar to make a simple syrup. Stir together well over high heat and when bubbles begin to form, remove from heat and set aside to cool. The cooling process can be accelerated by placing the simple syrup in a container and surrounding that container with ice + salt water.

Mix together the syrup and strawberry mix in the ice cream maker and begin churning on a higher speed (if using a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, speed setting is 6 or 7). This will need to run for a while as you are looking for the presence of the ice crystals to form. Stop the mixer every so often to manually scrape down the sides (this will give you a better idea of how close the mix is to freezing as the ice on the sides and the ice in the middle will look similar in texture. If there is ice on the sides but the middle is still liquid, keep churning.

Once the volume of ice crystals is visibly greater than 90% of the mix (meaning that there is a small amount that will still appear as liquid) pour out of the ice cream maker into 1 qt freezer safe containers and allow to chill for another 24 hours before eating.

Serving:
Using a warmed ice cream scoop, serve into bowls, cups, glasses, etc.

Eggplant Parmesan Bread

2016-07-18T04:44:00.000-07:00

This started because a local bakery made something like this and the combination just made complete sense.

Ingredients:
Dough:
1 Tsp Active Dry Yeast (1 package contents)
3/4 Cup of warm water (should be between 100 - 105 degrees F)
2 1/2 Cups of White Flour
1/2 Cup of Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Tsp of Sugar

Eggplant:
1 Whole baby eggplant (Roughly 5 - 6")
1 cup white flour
1 pint of egg beaters (separate 2 - 3 Tbsp and mix with water for egg wash)
2 cup of italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
3 cups of Joe's Homemade Pasta Sauce (divided - 1, 2)

12 oz of Mozzarella Cheese
8 oz Ricotta Cheese
* Parmesan Cheese (unmeasured)
* Olive Oil (unmeasured)
* Corn meal (unmeasured)

Preparation:
In a stand mixer, mix together yeast and water until bubbles form (indicating the yeast is active). Once well blended, add in flour, 1 Tbsp of oil, salt and sugar. Mix together with a dough hook until a solid ball forms. (if its too sticky add additional white flour, if not sticky enough add water). Once The dough ball has formed and is not sticky, let the ball rise in a large covered bowl in a warm dry place for about 1 hour.

Peel the eggplant and slice 1/8 lengthwise. You will need 3 shallow dishes: in one shallow dish, distribute flour evenly, in the second, empty entire carton of egg beaters, and in the third mix together both breadcrumbs. Dip the eggplant slices in the flour, then egg, then pat well in the breadcrumbs to ensure complete coating.

Heat broiler on high. Using a stoneware pan, drizzle with olive oil and place down one layer of the breaded eggplant. Drizzle more on the exposed side of the eggplant and place in the broiler until crispy. Depending on your oven, this may vary in time, the best gauge is to look every 2 - 3 minutes and flip when they have just started to brown and before they burn. When done, remove from pan and let rest/oil drip on paper towels. Wipe down the oil from the stoneware pan but do not allow to completely cool.

In a 2 quart saucepan, heat up pasta sauce and shred the Mozzarella cheese.

Cooking:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Stretch the dough out on a flat surface into a rectangular shape that matches the stoneware pan. Once it is the appropriate size, flip one side onto the other and coat the surface that it will contact with corn meal so it can easily be transferred. Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom approximately 3/4 of an inch from the edges and only to the center line of the dough. Add a layer of mozzarella cheese onto the sauce and layer in a row of eggplant again keeping the edges 3/4 of an inch from the edges of the dough. On top of the eggplant, spread a 1/4 inch layer of ricotta cheese followed by another layer of eggplant, sauce and cheese.

Using the egg wash that was set aside, brush the edges of the dough and fold over stretching as needed to cover the eggplant layers until sealed (similar to a calzone). Transfer to the stoneware pan (corn meal side down) and make shallow slices across the top (similar to how you would see on a loaf of french bread). Brush the surface with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. Put in the oven and repeat egg wash every 3 - 4 minutes until golden brown.

Serving:
Remove from the pan and slice width wise with a large knife. Serve with remaining pasta sauce for dipping. `

Venison Chili

2016-05-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

I'm thankful to my friends who hunt and can supply me with venison to make this dish.

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground venison - fat content will dictate how long this should cook down
1 large red onion
1 package (28 oz) of diced pancetta
1 can (14 oz) Rotel tomatoes and chili peppers
1 can (14 oz) medium red chili beans
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
* Chili Powder
* Garlic Powder
* Kosher Salt
* Cracked black pepper
* Cumin
* Coriander

Preparation:
Finely dice onion to about the same size as the pancetta.

Cooking:
Heat a dutch oven (preferred) over medium heat and add pancetta. Finely dice onion and when the pancetta starts to sizzle, add to the pan with some salt and pepper. Season the venison with salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili powder evenly. When the onion becomes translucent, add the seasoned venison to the pan and as it begins to brown, break it up to ensure that there are no large chunks. Once meat has browned, add in the chili beans, tomatoes/chilis and the can of crushed tomatoes adding salt and pepper and stirring well.

Cook over low/medium heat for between 1 - 3 hours depending on the fat content in the grind until the chili reduces down and becomes thickened to your desired consistency.

Serving:
Eat as a meal or as a topping for anything else. Goes great with hot dogs and cheese sauce.

Stuffed Peppers

2015-08-06T20:20:00.002-07:00

This is a recipe that I've used lately in conjunction with grilled chicken dishes though it could go along with nearly any protein.

Ingredients:
10 assorted small sweet peppers
1/2 cup of Italian style breadcrumbs
1 block Gruyere Cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher Salt*

Preparation:
Remove tops from peppers but do not cut into them. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and the white flesh of the pepper. In a food processor mix cheese, breadcrumbs and olive oil until it has the consistency of sand castle sand. (Add oil to achieve this texture). Spoon in the mixture and line a baking dish with the peppers stuffing side up.

Cooking:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, add kosher salt to the baking dish and fill dish with water bath so that the peppers are halfway submerged. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until the stuffing mixture begins to brown.

Serving:
Remove from baking dish and serve along side your favorite protein.

Hanks Franks hot dog potato topping

2014-12-28T09:35:00.000-08:00

For years, I've gone to Hanks Franks (Facebook Page) in Lodi to have anywhere between 5 and 9 hot dogs with a variety of toppings. One of the favorites is the potato topping and out of the area, when describing this, many reactions are "potatoes on a hot dog???".

Ingredients:
2 Medium Baking or Russet potatoes
2 Tbsp stick butter
Kosher Salt*
Cracked Pepper*

Preparation:
Dice potatoes into 1/4 - 3/8" cubes and soak in cold water. In a pot, bring about 1 1/2 quarts of water to a boil, salt with kosher or sea salt in similar fashion to pasta.

Cooking:
Strain potatoes and add to the boiling water, boil potatoes until they are fork tender (approximately 5 - 10 minutes depending on how large the chunks are). Once they are fork tender, remove from heat, and strain. Season with salt and pepper and return to the pot.

Refill the pot with water just over the level of the potatoes and add butter. Return the pot to the heat (same high heat as was done to boil the water) and cook down water stirring occasionally until the potatoes start to break down. Remove from heat while there are still solid potato chunks and let sit for a minute.

Serving:
Spoon over grilled or boiled hot dogs. Goes well with cheese sauce or chili.

Who Hash

2014-12-28T07:16:00.002-08:00

This is what happens when you have a newborn before Christmas and neither entertaining company nor visiting company is very feasible. This is my version of what I would believe "How the Grinch Stole Dinner" would end up. Recommend serving with Roast Beast (Beef).

Ingredients:
2 Medium Baking or Russet potatoes
1 Large Red or Yellow onion
4 slices of Taylor pork roll (thin slice)
7oz (1 pkg) KerryGold Reserve Irish Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
Olive Oil*
Kosher Salt*
Cracked Pepper*
Italian Seasoning*

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel and slice onion into 1/8" strips then cut radially into 4 segments to produce pieces of onion that are between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch in length. Peel potatoes and slice width-wise into 1/8 - 1/4" slices, after sliced, turn 90 degrees and cut strips (think thick julienne) and soak in some cold salty water. Cut pork roll slices in half and then in thin strips 1/8" thick.

Cooking:
In a nonstick skillet (recommended vs stainless) place a generous amount of olive oil and heat over medium/high heat. When the pan is hot, add onions generously salting and peppering. Saute onions until they begin to get translucent but do not brown, strain potatoes, add to the pan with more salt, pepper and olive oil. Lightly brown the potatoes keeping them moving every few minutes so they do not stick. (Even though it is a non-stick pan, the starch can act like glue). This will need to cook stove-top for about 7 - 9 minutes.

In another pan, heat up a small amount of olive oil over medium high/high heat and add pork roll strips. Fry pork roll until crispy and add to the potato/onion pan.

Add 1 - 2 Tbsp of olive oil to an oven safe / broiler safe baking dish and coat the bottom and sides. Add contents of the pan to this dish and top with shredded cheddar cheese (mix together) and add a light sprinkling of Italian seasoning.

After 20 - 25 minutes, place under the broiler for 1 - 2 minutes to crisp the top.

Serving:
This dish can be served as a side to any protein. I recommend roast beef or ham.

Mexican Lasagna

2014-03-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you have leftover taco meat and buy the "bulk" pack of soft taco shells from BJs Wholesale.

Ingredients:
1 pound of Sargento Reduced Fat Mexican Shredded Cheese
8 fajita size soft tacos (10")
Taco Meat (Use the meat from this recipe: Quick and Easy Nachosl )
Vegetable Oil - Enough to lightly spray on a skillet

Preparation:
Spray a large skillet with a light coating of oil and apply medium heat (recommended to use two for faster cooking). Heat up tortillas one by one until lightly golden brown on each side. (Flip after 45 - 90 seconds per side). In a baking dish, start layering the tortillas (it may be necessary to cut them in half and line the straight sides of the baking dish with the straight edges of the tortilla. Alternate layers of cheese and taco meat until 4 layers have been built up.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place on baking dish on a medium shelf cooking until cheese melts.

Serving:
Remove from oven and cut like a traditional lasagna.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2013-09-10T04:00:00.001-07:00

This is an adaptation from one of my coworkers with reduced heat and substituting coconut milk for heavy cream. This makes the dish healthier and maintains a creaminess.

Ingredients:
5 Cloves of Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
2 Cans Tomato Paste
3/4 Can coconut milk
1 Small container of yougurt (plain non Greek)4 pcs Chicken (~1 lb)

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Olive Oil

Spices:
* Garlic Powder
* Ginger Powder* Turmeric Powder
* Cumin
* Coriander
* Paprika
* Garam Masala
* Cayenne Pepper
Preparation:
Chicken: Press garlic into a small sealable container and add in approximately 1/2 - 3/4 tsp of each of the spices. Add in yogurt and stir together (marinade should take on a yellow color). Place chicken in the marinade coating generously and chill in the refrigerator for 4 - 5 hours though it is recommended to do it overnight.

When ready to cook, heat 1 - 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large stainless skillet. When hot, add chicken carefully as the yogurt will cause the oil to splatter. Cook evenly (as you would breaded chicken) for 3 - 5 minutes per side flipping only once. Chicken should take on a golden brown color and still have a soft exterior. Remove from heat and cut up into 3/4" cubes.

Sauce: Thinly slice onions (1/8" slice) and place in a bowl. Mince green pepper into 1/8" square pieces and more roughly chop red peppers to 1/2" or 3/4" square. In a nonstick skillet, pour in about 1 Tbsp olive oil and heat on medium to high heat. Add all vegetables and lightly season with salt and pepper. When onions begin to get translucent, add in a generous amount of the spices that were put in the marinade (3/4 - 1 tsp) and use garlic powder instead of fresh at this step. Once vegetables are well mixed and well seasoned, add 2 cans of tomato paste and 1 to 1 1/2 cans of water and mix together until well incorporated. Add in coconut milk and stir together (similar to a vodka sauce, it should start to turn a shade of orange / light red).

Reduce heat to low on the sauce and add in the chicken (don't worry if its not cooked all the way through as it will finish in the sauce). Cook covered for another 5 - 7 minutes.

Serving:
This dish is best served over rice, I use longer grain Jasmati (Jasmine and Basmati blend) rice cooked with 1 Tbsp of butter to keep it creamy. Additionally, Naan bread is a side dish that would pair well.

Paleo Friendly Beef Stir Fry

2013-07-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
5 Cloves of Garlic
1 Red Pepper
1 Red Onion
1/2 Yellow Onion
1 Bunch of Scallions
1 cup of sliced cremini mushrooms
1 Bunch of Celery
1 Pound of either Stir Fry Beef or Stew beef

1 Tbsp Coconut Aminos or gluten free soy sauce
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Onion Powder
* Garlic Powder
* Turmeric Powder
* Cumin
* Coriander
* Paprika
* Sesame Oil

Preparation
This will require a significant amount of vegetable prep and would be best prepared with 3 medium to large size bowls and one small one.

Ensure that the beef is cut into thinner strips (it will be easier to eat that way). If they are not to size, cut beef into strips about 1/4 inch wide and however long you please. Place into a medium bowl and drizzle with 1 tbsp of soy sauce/aminos. Season generously with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and paprika. Lightly sprinkle with sesame oil as well and let sit.

In a small bowl, use a garlic press to crush garlic. Once all garlic has been crushed, set aside - this will be the first ingredient added to the skillet.

In a medium bowl slice onions and peppers into reasonably thin slices (between 1/8 and 3/16 of an inch) and cut in half so the pieces are about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in length. Set aside as this will be the second set of ingredients to be added to the skillet.

In another medium bowl cut up celery into 1/4 inch pieces. Add sliced mushrooms and dice up scallions and set aside as this will be the last set of ingredients.

If you do not have a wok, this is best cooked in a deep stainless steel skillet (4" at least) with a cover. Heat skillet on high and add coconut oil until it melts. After a minute, add in garlic and mix together to meld the garlic flavor with the oil.

After a minute or two, add bowl of onions and peppers, salt and pepper and stir until they begin to soften keeping them moving to not sit on the hot pan for too long in one spot. After softened, add the meat and again stir up keeping the mixture moving to not sit in one spot for too long. Put remaining tbsp of aminos/soy sauce in the skillet.

Pour in last bowl of vegetables/mushrooms, mix together, lower heat to medium and cover after lightly seasoning with salt and pepper. With lid on, shake the skillet every 2 - 3 minutes to keep everything mixing together.

Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables and meat and place in a bowl on the side covered. Raise the heat to high and cook down the cooking liquid until it thickens and then pour over the mix.

Serving
Best served to be eaten with chop sticks.

Grilled Vegetables

2013-06-03T19:01:00.003-07:00

Ingredients:
2 Yellow Squash
2 Green Zucchini
1 Red Pepper

* Sea Salt
* Black Pepper
* Olive Oil
* Crushed Dry Basil
Preparation
Leave peel on squash and zucchini and cut in half 2x, widthwise and lengthwise. In a bowl mix together salt, pepper, basil, and oil. Coat the squash and zucchini well in the oil dressing.
Preparation - Indoors
If grilling indoors, you are most likely using a cast iron griddle or griddle pan. Heat griddle over medium heat with a light spray of oil. On one of the burners, char the pepper turning until the skin blackens and can be removed. Do not worry during this span of time if the pepper catches fire (just turn it to put it out). Place squash and zucchini on the griddle and leave face down for 7 - 10 minutes leaving deep grill marks caramelizing the surface.

Preparation - Outdoors
If grilling outdoors, place squash, zucchini and pepper on the grill grate over medium / high heat. Turn pepper occasionally until it is charred all the way around. Cook squash and zucchini for 5 - 7 minutes on direct flame until leaving deep grill marks and caramelizing the surface.

Remove from heat and cut pepper, zucchini, and squash into 1/2" chunks. Mix together in a large bowl dressing with additional olive oil and sea salt and let rest before serving.

Serving
Goes well along side steak, chicken, burgers, and anything else that can be grilled.

Tomato Salsa

2013-05-29T20:22:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
1/2 Large Red Onion
1/2 Green Bell Pepper
4 Tomatoes on the vine
1 can of tomato paste
1 can of tomato sauce

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Vegetable Oil

Preparation
Rough dice the tomatoes, pepper and onion into 3/8 - 1/2" pieces. In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, heat some vegetable oil and saute peppers and onions with some salt and pepper. Once softened, add in tomatoes and generously salt. Add in tomato paste and sauce, mix well and cover allowing to reduce. After 30 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool before refrigerating.

Serving
Best served on chips, in tacos, or other Mexican fare.

Pork and Bean Nacho Dip

2013-05-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 Large Red Onion
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Tomatoes on the Vine
8oz Can of Tomato Sauce
6oz Can of Tomato Paste
6oz of Chicken Broth
12oz Can of Black beans

102g Boca Soy Crumbles
1/3 Lb Ground Pork

168g Sargento Reduced fat Mexican Cheese

* Kosher Salt
* Sea Salt
* Black Pepper
* Coriander
* Paprika
* Garlic Powder
* Vegetable Oil
Preparation:
Dice onion and pepper into 1/4" pieces (keep 1/8 cup of onion aside). Dice tomato into 1/2 - 3/4" pieces.

Spray a large dutch oven with a light coating of vegetable spray and over medium high heat saute onions and peppers. Add kosher salt and pepper and saute until translucent. In a separate saucepan over medium heat, with a light spray of oil, add remaining 1/8 cup of onions and tomatoes. Mix in tomato sauce and paste and stir well over low heat until it begins to bubble. In another saucepan, mix together 244g of black beans with just enough water to cover and cook over medium heat until it begins to boil.

In the dutch oven spread the onions and peppers to the outside and prepare for the pork. Season the pork with salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, and coriander and brown in the dutch oven. Using a wooden spoon, break up the pork into small bits and mix together with soy crumbles. Once pork has browned, pour in 4oz of chicken broth and mix together until well blended. Pour in tomato salsa mixture and stir well. Strain black beans and mix all together.

Lower heat to low and cover for approximately 5 - 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Mix in remaining 2oz of chicken broth and add in 4 servings (102g) of cheese. Cook covered for another 2 - 3 minutes and remove from heat leaving covered.

Serve in a smaller heat resistant vessel and before serving add in remaining servings of cheese (56g) and cover until ready to serve.

Serving:
This is best served as a nacho dip with tortilla chips or inside of a flour taco enchilada style.

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

2013-04-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 Medium Potatoes
1 Yellow Onion
1 Tbsp light butter (Land o Lakes Light butter with canola oil)

2 pcs thick sliced chicken
1 oz Cabot Clothbound aged cheddar cheese
2 oz Sargento Reduced Fat Mexican Cheese blend

20 chives minced

Vegetable Oil*
Kosher Salt*
Black Pepper*

Preparation:
Peel and grate potatoes on the large size holes of a cheese grater. Set aside in some salt water. Thinly slice onion and then cut the semi-circle pieces into 3 segments approx 5/8 - 3/4" in length. Spray a large nonstick skillet with a light coating of vegetable oil and add in onions (lightly salting and peppering). Cook until onion is translucent, drain potatoes and add to skillet. Add 1 tbsp of butter and stir well over low heat.

Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and cook on a cast iron griddle or grill until cooked through. Takes about the same amount of time as the hash browns will take to cook in the broiler. (see next step to save time). When cooked, remove from grill and wrap in aluminum foil for 2 minutes to rest.

Set broiler to high and pour hash brown mix into an oven safe glass bowl and place in broiler for approximately 7 minutes removing and stirring every 1 - 2 minutes. Once hash browns are almost browned, add in cheddar cheese and return to the broiler for another minute to melt in the cheese. Remove from the broiler and set aside.

Slice chicken 1/4" strips approx 1" - 1 1/2" in length. Layer chicken on top of the hash brown casserole and cover with Mexican Cheese and chives. Return to broiler for approximately 2 more minutes until cheese has melted through.

Serving:
Best served with a side of grilled/sauteed vegetables (Squash, Zucchini, Red Pepper, Cauliflower). Serves 2.

Nutrition:
This meal in its entirety scores 14 weight watchers points plus points.

Butternut Squash Raviolis

2013-02-28T19:45:00.001-08:00

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup of Flour
1 Whole Egg
1 Egg White
1/8 cup of water

1 Medium butternut squash
Preparation:
Peel squash and cut up into small pieces approximately 1/2" cubes. Bring water to a boil and drop in squash allowing to boil until fork tender. Strain squash and use a potato masher to mash up similar to mashed potatoes. Set aside and allow to cool (you can put it in the freezer for a short while or use an ice bath).

In a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix together flour, egg, and egg white until well incorporated. Set aside and allow dough to rest for 5 - 10 minutes. Split dough ball up into 3 - 4 smaller pieces. Run through the pasta roller attachment on the stand mixer (you can use a manual one but its significantly easier). Roll pasta down to a 4 in thickness and allow to rest on a drying rack.
How to Roll Pasta dough

Fill a small ziploc bag with the mashed squash and cut one corner off of the bag. Lay one sheet of pasta dough down, using the ziploc bag similar to a pastry bag, place a dollop of squash down every 1 1/2 inches. Wet a finger and make a square outline around each dollop of squash pressing a second layer of pasta dough over top.

To cut individual raviolis, use a ravioli stamp or a pizza cutter returning leftover dough to a ball to roll out again.

This recipe should produce between 30 and 40 raviolis. If you need to store these for the future, lightly coat in cornmeal and place in a freezer safe container using aluminum foil between layers as needed.

Serving:
Bring water to a boil and salt lightly. Drop in raviolis and boil until they float to the top. Allow raviolis to cook for between 3 and 4 minutes until cooked through. Strain and empty pot. Add 1 Tbsp of light butter and a light sprinkling of Parmesan cheese as well as raviolis. Cover and mix well allowing butter to melt.

Alternatively you can dress this with a Marsala sauce and some sliced Cremini mushrooms.

Nutrition Info:
8 Raviolis is 5 Weight Watchers Points plus points. (approx 0.625 points / ravioli)

Polish-Mexican Fusion: Kielbasa with Pinto Beans and Brown Rice

2013-02-18T18:40:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
Homemade Vegetable Broth
1 Link Hillshire Farm Polska Kielbasa
122 g Pinto Beans drained
1/4 Cup Brown Rice (Carolina Brown Rice)
1 Clove Garlic

Olive Oil*
Black Pepper*

Preparation:
Mince or press garlic into small pieces (1/8" or less). Spray medium saucepan with a light coating of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add garlic to pot, season with pepper lightly and add rice toasting. Add in 2 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil covered.

Slice Kielbasa link into 1/4" slices and drain beans. Once mixture has boiled for about 20 minutes, add beans stirring occasionally to ensure they do not stick to the bottom of the pot. After approximately 20 minutes lift cover to reduce and add Kielbasa stirring well. Reduce until there is as much or as little broth as you like.

Serving:
Serve in a bowl.

Nutritional Information:
This is about 11 Weight Watchers points plus points using the above ingredients.

Homemade Low Salt Vegetable Broth

2013-02-18T18:39:00.002-08:00

This is a low salt vegetable broth with flavor similar to that from a can but with significantly less sodium content.

Ingredients:
2 Quarts of Filtered Water
1/2 Red Onion
4 Medium Carrots
4 Medium Parsnips
5 Stalks of Celery
2 Sprigs of Tarragon
2 Bay Leaves

Sea Salt*

Preparation:
Peel and rough chop all vegetables to between 1 - 1 1/2 " pieces. Cut onion in quarters and place all vegetables in the crock pot. Fill with water until vegetables are covered. Lightly salt. Add in bay leaves and tarragon and cook on high for approximately 6 hours covered. Add additional salt (less than 1 tsp) when broth is finished cooking (my crock pot switches to keep warm).

Serving:
This is a good base for any kind of soup, can be used for risotto, couscous, quinoa, or as the base for a cheese fondue. This is extremely low in salt but rich in vegetable flavor and keep in mind that anything added as part of a larger meal will require more salt than if it were from a can.

Chocolate Peanut butter candies

2013-02-05T20:51:00.003-08:00

Ingredients:
1 Package Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate chips
1 heaping tablespoon of Peanut butter

Recommended to use:
Cuisinart Electric Fondue Set (Google Affiliate Ad)
Casino Cubes Ice Tray (Google Affiliate Ad) (you can opt to use any silicone ice cube tray)

Preparation:
In a fondue pot, melt together the chocolate and peanut butter, mix well together until incorporated and completely liquid. Spoon into the silicone ice cube tray while warm and place in the refrigerator for approximately 40 minutes before releasing from the mold.

Serving:
There isn't much to say about serving these. Enjoy

Quinoa with Peppers and Onions

2013-02-04T18:47:00.003-08:00

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Orange Pepper
1 Medium Red Onion
1/2 cup of Quinoa
1 Can chicken stock
1/2 tbsp butter

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
Preparation:
Dice pepper and onion into 1/4 inch pieces. Heat up a skillet over medium high heat and add peppers and onion seasoning with kosher salt and pepper. When softened and translucent, move vegetables to the outside and add butter and quinoa. Mix together and add in 1 can of chicken broth. Cook covered stirring often until liquid has reduced down and quinoa firms up.

Serving:
I suggest serving this alongside any strong protein such as pork or steak.

Handmade Raviolis

2013-02-03T19:27:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
1 Egg
1 Egg White
1 Cup of baby spinach (optional)

1/2 Cup of Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Cup of Mozzarella Cheese

*Extra Flour for dusting
* Sea Salt
* Cornmeal - this is used only to keep pasta from sticking together

Best if using: KitchenAid Pasta Roller And Cutter - KPRA (Google Affiliate Ad)

Preparation:
Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, mix together the flour and egg. Keep the mixer going until all flour has been incorporated and dough has a firm texture (not sticky).[If making the spinach dough, chop spinach finely and add to the dough mixture as it is kneading]. Add flour if necessary to smooth out. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 - 2 hours.

Using a pasta roller attachment on the stand mixer, start rolling dough until you have a long sheet. For reference on how best to roll out pasta dough, see this previous article:Rolling Pasta Dough. Once the dough thins (use flour if necessary to avoid sticking) begin reducing the roller thickness from 1 - 5. Hang sheets on a drying rack but do not allow them to dry out as we will need them to be moist.

Use a food processor/blender to shred mozzarella cheese into tiny pieces. Mix mozzarella and ricotta together in another bowl. Spoon this mixture into a ziploc bag and cut the corner off (leaving about a 1/2 - 3/4" hole in the bag.

Keep a small bowl handy with some water to help seal the pasta together. Lay one sheet of dough down, using the ziploc bag with the filling, squeeze a small dollop approximately every 1 - 1 1/2 inches lengthwise and if you can fit 2 across with a 1/4 - 3/8" border, do so otherwise only use 1 row to start. Once all filling is down, use your finger in the water and outline (square) around each dollop of filling. Press another sheet of dough over and apply pressure specifically over the seams that were just moistened. Using a pizza cutter (or ravioli stamp) cut out around each ravioli.

Allow raviolis to sit before cooking on a sheet of parchment paper dusted with cornmeal. If they will not be cooked right away, ensure that the container they are put in has a fair amount of cornmeal and parchment paper and freeze.

Boil salted water (should taste like the sea) and cook raviolis until they float. They will rise up quickly, let them cook for about another minute once they float to the surface.

Serving:
If making a spinach dough, this goes well with: Alfredo Sauce
If making a non-spinach dough, this goes well with: Joe's Homemade pasta sauce

Penne ala Vodka

2013-02-02T19:02:00.001-08:00

This recipe is a conglomerate that assembled over the years. Particularly favored by one of my sisters-in-law, this dish can be a spectacle to make. (Just be sure to keep the fire extinguisher handy the first time you do it in the off chance that something un-intended catches on fire). The author takes no responsibility for accidental fires that may occur as a result of following this recipe in an unsafe fashion.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Butter
1 White or Yellow onion
1/2 cup of Vodka
28 oz can of Tuturosso Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 pint of heavy cream
1 Tbsp parsley (fresh or dried)

56 g / serving of Penne

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Sea Salt

It is recommended to cook this sauce using a high walled stainless steel skillet: Bobby Flay 2-Pc. Stainless Steel Skillet Set (Google Affiliate Ad)

*** SAFETY TIP ****
It is also recommended to move any flammable objects away from the stove while cooking this such as oils, alcohol, paper products, or plastic utensils and to use either a wooden spoon or a high heat silicone spoon.

Preparation:
Dice onion into 1/4 inch or smaller pieces. Heat butter in the skillet on high heat until it melts completely. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Stir around until onions become translucent and soft. Add vodka and mix together. Using a Grill lighter, carefully ignite the vodka, it should produce a blue flame and be difficult to see (turn lights off for better visibility). Once all alcohol burns off (smooths out the sauce) mix in crushed tomatoes, stir well, and let sit covered for approximately 15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and add parsley and continue to cook with the lid lifted to allow the mixture to reduce down. Cook for an additional 15 minutes until it thickens and stays a pink/orange color. Stir occasionally so that the sauce doesn't burn.

Prepare pasta using sea salt to season the water (should taste like the ocean) and keep slightly under-cooked (just before al dente). Strain and cook the remainder of the way in the vodka sauce.

Serving:
It is recommended to serve this with a garlic bread and with Parmesan cheese to compliment the flavors.

Mozzarella Sticks

2013-02-01T19:50:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
Polly-O String Cheese sticks
Egg Roll Wrappers
1 Pint Egg beaters
1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
Soybean Oil - Enough to fill a skillet approximately 1/2 inch

Preparation:
Cut cheese sticks in half (approx 2 1/2 inch pieces) and place at the end of an egg roll wrapper. Roll wrapper halfway around the cheese stick and then fold each side over (similar to how you would have rolled quarters in a wrapper). Continue to roll the remainder of the wrapper until approximately 3/8 - 1/2 of an inch of the wrapper exposed. Brush on a small amount of egg beater and complete roll.

Place breadcrumbs in one shallow dish and egg beaters in another. Dip the rolled cheese stick in the egg beater mix then roll in the breadcrumbs pressing them into the sides.

Repeat this with the rest of the cheese sticks (should yield 2x the total number of sticks in the package).

In a shallow skillet, heat oil until a droplet of water will dance (excess of 212 degrees F). Place cheese sticks in pan rotating every 10 - 15 seconds to ensure even cooking. Remove from oil when breading has browned and place on a paper towel to allow excess oil to drain.

Serving:
Best served with Joe's homemade pasta sauce