Selena’s Recipes

INDEX

• Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Lemon Frosting (my mouth is watering, thinking about these—–spicy, sweet & refreshing
• Frying Pan Cookies (no idea why they’re called frying pan cookies, since you don’t use a frying pan (has to be one of those in-law secret family quirks)
• Apple Crisps (my father-in-law made up this recipe one day. It’s quick, easy and so tasty)
• Christmas Butter Cookies (yes, there’s butter, but it’s Christmas, one or two won’t land on your hips—–well, just in case, put in some extra gym time)
• Chocolate Mayo Cake (yes, that’s right, you use mayonnaise, but trust me, it’s moist and chocolate-ilcious) topped with Buttercream Frosting
• Pumpkin, Zucchini, Potato Casserole
• Eggplant Meatless Balls
• Crostini with prosciutto, figs & goat cheese
• Basil Pesto
• Chocolate Pizza
• Popovers
• Oatmeal Cookies with a Twist (chocolate chips, butterscotch & peanut butter)
• The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Friday Soup
• Parsley Pesto
• Selena’s No Name Platter
• Eggplant Manicotti
• No Noodle Lasagna
• Refreshing Cupcakes
• Selena’s Favorite Salad
• Sauteed Broccoli Rabe
• Roasted White & Sweet Potatoes
• Chicken Pasta Bowl
• Artichoke Dip
• Breakfast Apple Crisp
• New Twist on Lemonade

***

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Lemon Frosting:

 Ingredients for cupcakes:

 2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 TBSP ginger

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper (or if you’re daring like I am in the kitchen, you can use cayenne pepper)

2 TBSP shortening

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

1/3 cup molasses

1/4 cup sour milk

•  Pre-heat oven to 350 F
• Line muffin tin with paper cupcake holders
• Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt & pepper.
• In a separate bowl, cream together: shortening, sugar and eggs and beat in the molasses.
• Alternately stir in the sifted dry ingredients and the sour milk.
• Pour batter into each cupcake holder
• Bake for 25 – 30 minutes (or until done)
• Cool on a cake rack and frost. (For a fun presentation, after frosting, add a little gingerbread man on each cupcake)

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Lemon Frosting:

 8 oz cream cheese (softened)

2 TBSP unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

2 tsps. freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a bowl cream together the cream cheese and butter, add the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla, and beat the mixture until it is fluffy and smooth. Beat in the zest and the lemon juice and chill the frosting for 30 minutes.

Frying Pan Cookies:

1/3 lb. unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 1/3 cups dates (firmly packed)

2 cups Rice Krispies

1 tsp. vanilla

1 package of small shredded coconut (if you’re like me and are not a fan of coconut, you can roll them in confectioner’s sugar instead)

• In a sauce pan add: butter, sugar and dates and bring to a boil. Let boil while stirring constantly for five minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and Rice Krispies.
• Let cool, long enough so that you can handle the mixture with your hands.
• Form into little balls and roll the balls in coconut (or confectioner’s sugar)
• Makes approximately 45 cookies.

Apple Crisps:

4 large baking apples (we use Granny Smith apples) peeled, cored and sliced thinly

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

pinch of salt

•  Preheat oven to 375 F
• Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
• Layer apple slices in baking dish.
• In a bowl, cut in the butter, add sugar, pinch of salt and flour and work it, until it looks like granulated sugar.
• Spread this mixture evenly over the apple slices.
• Bake at 400  for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350 and bake until the apples are soft and the topping is nicely browned.

Christmas Butter Cookies:

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 cups flour

1 cup grated almonds

1 1/2 cups chopped candied fruit

• Pre-heat oven 325 F
• Cream butter, add sugar and mix well.
• Add eggs.
• Gradually add flour, almonds and candied fruit.
• Roll and cut to desired shapes.
• Bake for 10 minutes

Chocolate Mayo Cake

2 cups flour

1 cup Real Mayonnaise

1 1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

4 heaping TBSP Cocoa powder

pinch of salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup of boiling water

•  Preheat oven to 350 F
• Add baking soda in the boiling water.
• MixALLthe ingredients in one large bowl and mix well, until everything is incorporated
• Spray 2 cake pans with non-stick spray
• Pour batter equally in both pans
• Bake for approximately 25 – 30 minutes (or until done)
• Put on cake rack and let cool.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

1/4 cup butter

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

3 TBSP Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. vanilla

2 TBSP milk

• Mix together all ingredients. May need to add more milk (slowly) until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
• Frost cake and decorate with fresh raspberries or strawberries.

PUMPKIN, ZUCCHINI, POTATO CASSEROLE

1 pound potatoes, thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds pumpkin

2 yellow (or green) zucchini, thinly sliced

1/2 cup apple juice (unsweetened)

10 ounces vegetable broth

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

6 plum tomatoes, thickly sliced

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup bread crumbs

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F

In boiling water, cook potatoes until tender. Drain.

In large saucepan, add pumpkin, apple juice, broth and rosemary, and bring to a boil, then cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add onion, salt and pepper and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.

In an ovenproof casserole dish, arrange layers as follows:

Potatoes, zucchini slices, tomato slices, parmesan cheese, add a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

Keep layering like this until you have no more potatoes.

On top spoon the cooked pumpkin along with all the liquid.

Top with tomato slices, cheese and bread crumbs.

Bake for 34 – 40 minutes, or until topping is a golden brown and crispy.

Serve hot.

EGGPLANT MEATLESS BALLS:

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants

3 eggs (beaten)

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup grated romano cheese

3 TBSP finely chopped fresh basil

2 TBSP finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 cloves minced garlic

¼ cup minced onion

1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs (or 1 ½ cups of stale Italian bread made into crumbs)

Olive oil

salt and pepper to taste Important: (taste the mixture before adding salt, as the cheeses are a bit on the salty side)

Steps:

Pre-heat oven to 400

Slice eggplant, lay on a flat surface, sprinkle with salt and lay a cutting board on top. Let sit for about 15 minutes, this will draw the water and bitter juices out.

After 15 minutes, rinse off the salt and pat dry, then chop eggplant into cubes.

Boil water in a pot, add the cubed eggplant for a few minutes cook until eggplant is tender.

Drain water and squeeze the eggplant so you can squeeze out as much of the water as you can.

Heat some olive oil in a pan, turn heat to medium, add the eggplant, onion and garlic, cook until onion and garlic is cooked (about 5 minutes)

Let the eggplant cool before adding the other ingredients.

Once it’s cooled down, in a large bowl add: basil, parsley, eggs and cheese.

Add the bread crumbs a little at a time, to ensure you have the right consistency to form a ball.

If mixture is too dry after adding breadcrumbs, you can add some egg whites to help with consistency. If mixture is too wet, add a bit more breadcrumbs.

Generously coat a baking sheet with olive oil.

Arrange the balls on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for 40  minutes . At the mid-way point (20 minutes in) turn the balls to ensure even baking. The balls are done when they are a nice golden brown. Depending on your oven, you may have to add an extra 10 – 15 minutes in baking time.

Serve with your favorite tomato sauce either on their own with a salad or with spaghetti.

CROSTINI WITH PROSCIUTTO, FIGS AND GOAT CHEESE

Ingredients:

1 loaf of French or Italian baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices

Soft Goat Cheese

Large Ripe Figs

Slices of Prosciutto (or you can also use Serrano Ham)

Extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Cut the figs in half

Get all the other ingredients ready into small bowls so you can have them handy once the bread is out of the oven.

Drizzle olive oil on each slice of bread and put under broiler until a light golden brown. (I like to broil both sides, but it’s your choice whether you do one side or two)

Once the crostini is done, spread some goat cheese on each crostini.

Drape a slice of prosciutto over each crostini, then squash a piece of fig on top, drizzle with a tiny bit of extra virgin oil oil and a DOT of balsamic vinegar and top with some freshly ground black pepper.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you have a favorite “purple” recipe you’d like to share and I’ll upload on this blog.

Basil Pesto

This is a wonderful way to use fresh basil and since pesto freezes very well, it’s the perfect way to preserve basil so you can use it throughout the year.

This recipe is for one batch. We make enough batches to put in freezer containers so it will last us throughout the year.

Here is a picture of a big bowl of basil pesto. We then transfer it into Ziplock Freezer containers.

 

Ingredients

4 cups packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 TBSP freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 TBSP freshly grated Romano cheese

1 tsp. salt

In a food processor add: basil leaves, garlic and pine nuts.

Pulse the food process then stream in the olive oil and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and smooth.

Put mixture in a bowl then add: salt, Parmesan cheese & Romano cheese and mix well together.

Chocolate Pizza:

Ingredients

• Pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter (about 2 tablespoons butter) melted
• 1/4 cup as Nutella spared
• 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
• For Optional Toppings see below

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sprinkle some flour on your working surface.

Roll out dough on the surface (if using a round pizza pan, then roll out  to fit pan, or if using a square pan roll out to fit that pan)

Transfer dough to baking sheet.

Using your thumb, make indentations all over the dough.

Brush the dough with melted butter over.

Bake for about 20 minutes (until dough is a light golden.)

Remove from oven and spread the Nutella over the hot crust.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips all over and return to the oven.

Bake for another 2 – 3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt.

Cut into slices! Delicious this way, or experiment with the optional toppings below, or some of your own creations.

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS.

- mini marshmallows (sprinkle on top and broil for 1 – 2 minutes, until marshmallows are golden)

- sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts before serving

- sprinkle with shredded coconut before serving

- add colorful M&M’s before serving

- sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper, for that sweet & spicy experience

 

POP OVERS: (Serve with Roast Beef or Pot Roast)

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 whole egg

6 egg whites

1 cup flour plus about 3 TBSP of flour

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp salt

Pam Spray

Make sure ALL your ingredients are at room temperature first.

Note: If you don’t have a blender you can use an electric mixer.

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Spray muffin tins real real well with Pam spray.

3. In a blender, add in this order: milk, olive oil, flour, salt, whole egg, egg whites

4. Put blender on high (BEATING setting) You may need to use a spatula when you turn it off and just rub the sides of any flour stuck to the sides of blender.

5. Then go back to beating it, for about 5 minutes. What you want to see is a lot of bubbles, lots of bubbles makes them light and airy and big.

6. Pour batter equally in each muffin tin and put it in the oven.

IMPORTANT: Under NO circumstances should you open the oven door, they will fall. So leave in for 25 minutes, then peek in the window to see that they are risen and done. They’ll be done when they are a golden brown all the way around.

OATMEAL COOKIES with a TWIST (Chocolate Chips, Butterscotch & Peanut Butter)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 TBSP vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 cups oatmeal (old fashioned, not instant)
Hershey’s baking chips: ½ cup milk chocolate, ½ cup butterscotch, ½ peanut butter

Preheat to 350 F

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream butter, brown and white sugars and vanilla extract together until mixture is creamy and smooth.

In a separate bowl combine until well blended, the following: flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg.

Add dry the ingredients to the creamy mixture and mix well.

Add eggs to mixture and stir.

Add oatmeal and chocolate/butterscotch/peanut butter chips and combine all ingredients together. Be careful not to overs-stir, as too much stirring in a cookie recipe can make cookies to become cakey.

Form mixture into balls and place on cookie sheet.

Bake 10 – 13 minutes (depends on your oven, so keep an eye on them).

Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes.

Transfer onto a wire rack.

THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

(at least that’s what friends and family tell me)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup UN-salted butter (softened at room temperature)
1/2 cup Crisco Golden shortening (softened at room temperature)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla (if possible, use real vanilla, but I know there are times when one has no choice but to fake it, so imitation is okay too)
2 cups all-purpose flour (you can add an extra 1/4 cup of flour, if the mixture is too wet, you’ll be able to judge when you’re done)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips

In a bowl, cream the butter, shortening, both sugars together until smooth and creamy.
Then add the eggs and vanilla and stir well.
In another bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt and stir together
Add dry ingredients to creamy mixture and fold together (don’t stir too much, just enough to have everything coated)
Add the chocolate chips (again, fold it all together, but not too much, just enough that the mixture looks and feels right)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

While oven is preheating, put the cookie dough bowl in refrigerator.

Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray. Add 1 tsp (rounded) of cookie dough mixture on to sheet, put sheet in middle oven rack and bake for about 8 – 9 minutes (depending on your oven). Cookies are done when edges are a golden brown. Take out of oven, let sit for about 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

FRIDAY SOUP (aka Leftover Soup)

Ingredients:

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 leek, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 tbsp extra olive oil

6 cups assorted vegetables, peeled and chopped (anything goes in here)

5 cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock

Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a big soup pot, heat up the olive oil on medium low add the onion, garlic, carrots, leek and celery and cover. Let these vegetables sweat, occasionally stirring so nothing burns. Let cook on medium-low for 15 minutes, or until the onion is transparent.

Turn the heat up to medium high, add the stock and the vegetables you are adding to the soup, stir until soup starts to boil. Once soup starts to boil, lower temperature to simmer, and let simmer for a few hours.

Before serving, add to a processor or blender and blend all together to make a creamy soup (great for family members who refuse to eat spinach or any other vegetable that has been left behind). Or you can chop the vegetables to bite size and don’t blend.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve with toasted baguette.

Options to make it a meal with protein:

Add leftover chicken or roast beef (just cut into bite size pieces), or if you don’t have any of that on hand and want to make a meal out of this, throw in some chick peas or lentils.

For a little extra something to your soup, add a dollop of Parsley Pesto:

PARSLEY PESTO:

2.5 cups of fresh parsley, washed, dried and chopped
1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional for the pesto: 1/3 cup of pine nuts, pistachios or cashews (soft nuts work the best for a pesto)

Add all the ingredients EXCEPT for the cheese in a food processor and process until it’s all finely chopped.

Put in a bowl and then add the cheese and stir.

Top your soup with some pesto.

SELENA’S NO NAME PLATTER

Ingredients:

1 Sweet Yellow Pepper
1 Sweet Orange Pepper
2 Fresh Tomatoes
1/2 Vidalia Onions
4 ounces Bocconcini cheese, drained and sliced ½” thick
1 Head Roasted Garlic (don’t worry, when garlic is roasted it does not make you a people repellant..it’s raw garlic that can turn you anti-social)
10 fresh Basil leaves
1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
Coarse sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
French or Italian Baguette

Roast the peppers until skins are black, remove from oven, put in cold water, remove skins and slice the peppers thin.
Slice the Vidalia onion thinly
Roast a head of garlic (if you don’t have a garlic roaster, simply put the head of garlic in aluminum foil, pierce with fork, drizzle with olive oil, close it up, and leave a small opening to let steam out and bake at 300 degrees for about 45 min or until garlic is soft when pierced with a fork on the side).

Once garlic is done, squeeze the garlic into a bowl, add a touch of salt (optional) and mix.

Cut the baguette into slices, drizzle olive oil on each slice and broil until golden on top. You have to keep your eye on the bread, because it broils quickly.

Remove bread from oven, and spread each slice with the roasted garlic.

On a platter, arrange your slices of roasted peppers, top it with a layer of tomato slices and onions. Top with the sliced cheese and a basil leaf.

Drizzle with the oil and vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

With a glass of red wine, this makes a delicious light dinner or as an appetizer.

EGGPLANT MANICOTTI:

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

1 cup ricotta cheese (you can use fat-free if you wish)

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese (if you prefer a milder cheese, you can use Parmesan)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 1/2 cups homemade tomato sauce (you can use store-bought jar sauce if you prefer)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (you can use calorie reduced cheese)

Olive oil spray

Preheat oven 60 450

With a sharp knife, square off the eggplant to make a block. Slice lengthwise into 8 slices that are about 1/6″ thick. Lay the eggplant slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheets (spray the baking sheets first). Season with salt and pepper to taste and lightly spray with olive oil spray. Roast eggplant until it’s almost tender, about 20 minutes. Let it cool slightly.

While eggplant is cooling, combine ricotta, 1/4 cup of Romano (or parmesan cheese) and basil in a medium bowl. Season cheese mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread 3/4 cup sauce in a 7 x 10 baking dish.

Lay roasted eggplant slices on a work surface. Spoon 1/8 of the ricotta mixture onto the bottom of each piece of eggplant and then roll it up, jelly-roll style, to encase the filling. Nestle the 8 eggplant “manicotti” seam side down, in the baking dish.

Pour remaining tomato sauce over the top and sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining grated cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted.

NO-NOODLE-LASAGNA

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini (sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick)

2 medium-sized eggplants (peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick)

2 cups ricotta cheese

tomato sauce (you can use jar sauce or make your own)

2 eggs slightly beaten (one egg will be for coating the zucchini)

2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

4 TBSP chopped fresh basil

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Grated Parmesan cheese

Flour (for coating the zucchini)

Vegetable oil (to fry the zucchini)

Salt & Pepper to taste

STEPS:

• Make your tomato sauce and put aside.
• Pat zucchini and eggplant slices dry
• Add vegetable oil to pan and heat
• Coat zucchini slices first with flour then dip in egg, fry until golden brown, pat and put aside.
• In a bowl, add: ricotta cheese, chopped parsley, parmesan cheese, spinach, one beaten egg, salt & pepper to taste and mix well together, put aside
• Heat the oven to 375F
• Lightly spray a baking dish with a non-stick spray
• Layer the baking dish as follows: zucchini, ricotta cheese mixture, eggplant, tomato sauce, sprinkle some fresh chopped basil on top of the sauce, and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top (not too much, just about half a handful)
• Repeat in the same order, except for the last layer, do not add any mozzarella.
  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top
• Bake UN-covered for 10 minutes (or until all the cheese is melted and lightly browned) Remove from oven. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

REFRESHING CUPCAKES

Since I have given up chocolate for lent, I thought I’d post a recipe that was handed down to me by my mother-in-law. She was all about simple, easy to bake recipes, and I loved her for that…well, that and the fact that she gave birth to a wonderful man.

Ingredients for cupcakes:

1 package of Duncan Hines Lemon Cake

1 package of Lemon Jell-O

Confectionary Sugar

1 lemon

1 lime

• Follow the cake mix directions and - oven to what they specify for cupcakes on the package
• Add the Lemon Jell-O to the mix and stir well
• Note: Instead of water, I used milk in the batter, and let the batter sit in the cupcake pans for about 20 minutes before baking – cupcakes were quite fluffy
• While cupcakes bake, mix together in a bowl, confectionary sugar and the juice of a fresh lemon and lime, add enough of the juices and sugar to a thin glaze consistency
• When cupcakes are done, remove from oven and with a toothpick, poke about 6 to 8 holes in each cupcake
• Pour the sugar/lemon/lime glaze onto each cupcake

Note: Works well with Orange Cake mix and you add Orange Jell-O

SELENA’S FAVORITE SALAD:

Fresh baby spinach

Watercress

Pine nuts (or any other kind of nut that you like)

Fresh sliced strawberries

Mandarin orange slices

Fresh blueberries

Chopped Goat (or Feta) cheese

Dried Cranberries

Chopped Mango (peeled)

Thin slices of red onion

Add all these ingredients in a large bowl and toss.

Make the dressing:

¼ cup strawberry (or balsamic vinegar)

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup Honey

3 TBSP Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 shallot (diced)

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

Over low heat, warm the vinegar, Dijon mustard and honey, add shallots and garlic, stir over the low heat until shallots and garlic are soft. Remove from heat and let sit for about 2 minutes, then add the olive oil, stirring well so the oil is well blended with vinegar mixture.

Pour most of it onto your salad bowl (keeping an ounce aside) and toss well.

Top salad with leftover chicken breast (grilled chicken is delicious with this), grilled shrimp, roast beef or salmon (or any other kind of protein you enjoy).

Pour the remaining dressing over the protein and serve right away.

ROASTED WHITE & SWEET POTATOES

Ingredients:

2 large white potatoes (I love Yukon Gold, but you can use red or table potatoes)

2 large sweet potatoes

5 garlic cloves

1 Vidalia (or sweet) onion

4 TBSP fresh rosemary (if using dried rosemary you’ll only need 1 TBSP)

Olive Oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Peel potatoes, cut in 1.5” cubes and soak in cold water with ice (for about 1 hour). Soaking them in cold ice water, helps the potatoes have a crispy exterior and a moist interior.

Preheat oven to 475 F

Slice onion thinly

Peel garlic cloves (leave whole)

In a large bowl add: potatoes, rosemary, onion slices, salt & pepper and coat the potatoes with olive oil – enough to coat them all, mix well.

In a shallow roasting pan, add about one inch of water and place the garlic cloves in different areas of the pan.

Add the potatoes into the baking pan.

Bake for about 45 minutes (until potatoes are a golden brown on the outside).

CHICKEN PASTA DINNER IN A BOWL

Angel Hair Pasta

2 cups of mushrooms

2 yellow (or green) zucchini – sliced thinly

3 cups fresh spinach

2 fresh tomatoes – peeled, cored and diced

½ cup fresh basil (chopped fine)

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 cup pine nuts

Chicken breasts (cooked and sliced) Leftover chicken works real well with this dish

Olive Oil

Fresh parmesean cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat some oil and sauté the mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, and garlic, until vegetables pierce easily with a fork (but not too mushy). Set aside when done.

Cook pasta al dente and drain about one minute before they are supposed to be done.

Return the skillet to the heat, and add pine nuts, chicken slices and spinach, and heat everything through, until spinach leaves are wilted.

Add the pasta to the skillet and toss everything together, then add the pine nuts and toss, until everything is heated through.

Top with fresh basil and parmesean cheese. Your whole meal in one bowl.

ARTICHOKE SPINACH DIP

Ingredients:

14 ounce can artichoke hearts

10 ounce package chopped frozen spinach

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1 garlic clove – minced

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Drain and chop artichoke hearts
3. Thaw and drain chopped spinach
4. Combine all ingredients and mix well
5. Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray (spray lightly)
6. Pour mixture into the casserole dish
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until mixture is all heated through

Serve with toasted baguette or your favorite crackers.

BREAKFAST APPLE CRISP

Ingredients

• 6 apples – peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 3/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice
• 1 TBSP whole wheat flour (or you could use all purpose flour)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Spray a baking pan with Non-stick Spray
3. In the pan, mix sliced apples honey.
4. In a bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, brown sugar cinnamon, salt and orange juice.
5. Spread oatmeal mixture evenly over apples.
6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until topping is golden and crisp.

NEW TWIST ON LEMONADE

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• Simple syrup (see instructions below)
• the juice of 6 fresh lemons (enough to make 1 cup juice)
• 4 cups cold water
• lemon sherbet
• lime sherbet
• fresh strawberries

1.  Make simple syrup by heating 1 cup of water and the sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely. After sugar is completely dissolved, let it cool  (not in the fridge, on the counter)

2.  Extract the juice from 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3.  Add the juice and the simple syrup into to a pitcher with some ice and freshly washed strawberries.

4.  Add 4 cups of cold water

5.  Refrigerate 30 minutes (or longer)

When serving, add a 1 TBSP of lemon sherbert and 1 TBSP of lime sherbert in a tall glass, add lemonade.

SAUTEED BROCCOLI RABE:

Broccoli Rabe Recipe:

• 2 pounds broccoli rabe, trimmed
• extra virgin olive oil
• roasted garlic (about 2 cloves)
• grated Parmesan cheese
• salt & black pepper to taste

Serving Options:

- serve on toasted slices of baguette

- toss into cooked pasta (optional, to add some hot peppers)

- serve as a side dish with sausages (this is the traditional way of eating this vegetable)