Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
I sure do love Brussels Sprouts and what could be better than pairing these little babies with bacon! This is such a simple recipe with a big return.
INGREDIENTS
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
2 Thick Slices Bacon
4 Cups Trimmed & Halved Brussels Sprouts
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Finely Chopped Medium Shallot
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
½ Cup Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and let cool. Crumble the bacon and set aside. While the bacon is cooling add the Brussels Sprouts to the bacon drippings in the skillet. Add the salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until well browned in spots and beginning to soften. Stir often. Reduce the heat to low and add the shallot and butter. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan while cooking. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 2 minutes until the broth has cooked out. Stir in the vinegar and crumbled bacon. Cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Serves 4
Roasted Pepper Pizza
This pizza is so easy to make and very healthy. Homemade pizzas are lighter and puffier. They are more like the ones you find at artisan pizza restaurants. Make this Roasted Pepper Pizza for lunch, dinner or a snack. If you want to add meat go ahead, but I think it tastes great the way it is.
INGREDIENTS
Pizza Dough
2 Large Sliced Onions
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
16 Ounces Fire-Roasted Peppers (Drained and Sliced Into Strips)
1 ½ Cups Drained Salsa Fresca
1 Cup Sliced Black Olives
¾ Cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese
Remove the dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to make your pizzas. Preheat your oven to 500° F and arrange an oven rack one-third of the way up from the bottom of the oven. Place a pizza stone or invert a heavy baking sheet on the rack. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onions, cook and stir for 10 minutes until the onions are limp and translucent. Stir in the sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook until the juices bubble. Transfer the onions to a strainer set over a bowl. Drain for 3 minutes. Return the juices to the skillet and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the consistency is like honey. Remove from the heat and return the onions to the skillet and stir to coat. Set aside. To assemble, stretch each dough portion into a circle. Transfer one circle onto a pizza peel (a pizza size spatula) or rimless cookie sheet dusted with flour. Top in the following order using one-fourth of each topping per pizza: onion mixture, peppers, salsa, olives and mozzarella cheese. Using the peel or cookie sheet, slide the topped pizza onto the hot baking stone or baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the toppings are bubbling, the cheese is turning golden and the edges of the pizza are golden brown. Rotate the pizzas halfway through for even baking. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. While one pizza is baking, repeat with the remaining dough and toppings. Makes 4 pizzas. Serves 8
Egg Salad Sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
6 Large Eggs
¼ Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Ground Coarse Mustard
½ Cup Chopped Kalamata Olives (Optional)
¼ Cup Crumbled Pancetta
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Dill
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Rosemary
½ Teaspoon Coarse Salt
½ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
8 to 10 Slices Sourdough Bread – Crusts Removed
In a medium size saucepan, bring 8 cups of water to a boil over a high heat. Carefully add the eggs, one at a time. Cook the eggs for 10 minutes. Drain and cover with ice. Allow the eggs to cool for 20 minutes. Peel the eggs and finely chop and place in a medium size bowl. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, olives, pancetta, dill, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Evenly spread the egg mixture over half of the bread slices. Cut into quarters. Serve immediately. Makes 1 ½ cups or 4 to 6 sandwiches.
Lobster Bisque
A nice special treat. This soup is great to make for Valentine’s Day.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Cooked Lobster Meat
1/3 Cup Dry Sherry
¼ Cup Butter
3 Tablespoons flour
3 Cups Milk
1 Teaspoon Steak Sauce
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon Chives
Combine the lobster meat and sherry in a small bowl. Set aside. In a medium saucepan over a low heat melt the butter. Blend in the flour and cook. Stir constantly until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add the milk and stir constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture is thickened. Stir in the steak sauce, salt and pepper. Add the lobster and sherry. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Garnish with chives. Makes 4 Cups.
Slime Soup
I love soups and winter is the perfect time to create unique soups. I created this soup and absolutely love it. It is easy to make and extremely tasty!
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ Chopped Large Onion
1 Chopped Shallot
4 Cloves Chopped Garlic
6 Large Basil Leaves
1 Cup Smoke Ham
10 Ounces Cooked Peas
8 Ounces Chicken Stock
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Heat the olive oil in a heavy large pot over a medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, shallots and sauté for 8 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the ham, basil leaves, salt, pepper, paprika and cooked peas. I like to use frozen peas. Stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and let sit for 5 minutes. Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and puree. Return the soup to the pot and heat on low for 8 minutes. You can make this soup 1 day ahead. Serve warm. Serves 4
Green Chile Quesadillas
Quick and delicious! My Green Chile Quesadillas can be made for lunch, dinner or party food. Serve with homemade guacamole if you like.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups (8 Ounces) Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
4 Ounce Can Diced Green Chiles
2 Small Chopped Green Onions
1 Small Diced Tomato
Six 6 inch Fajita Size Flour Tortillas
1 Bunch Chopped Fresh Cilantro (Optional)
Salsa (Optional)
Combine the cheese, chilies, tomatoes and green onions in a medium size bowl. Spread ¾ cup of the cheese mixture on one tortilla. Place the second tortilla evenly over the mixture. Place the quesadilla in a medium size skillet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and the cheese is melted. Slice into quarters and garnish with cilantro and salsa if you like. Serves 6
Chopped Cobb Salad
There are various stories of how the Cobb Salad was invented. The most popular story is that it came about in the 1930s at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, where it became a signature dish. It is named for the restaurant’s owner, Robert Howard Cobb. Legend has it that Mr. Cobb had not eaten until near midnight, and so he mixed together leftovers found in the kitchen, along with some bacon cooked by the line cook, and tossed it with their French dressing.
The best way to serve this hearty salad is on a large luncheon plate, so that all of the ingredients can be seen. Serve any extra vinaigrette on the side.
INGREDIENTS
For the Vinaigrette:
2 Tablespoons Red-Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Pinch of Dry Mustard
¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
½ Teaspoon Finely Minced Garlic
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the Salad:
1 Head Diced Romaine Lettuce
3 Ripe Diced Plum Tomatoes
6 Diced Radishes
3 Diced Scallions
¼ Pound Diced Baked Ham
1 Cooked Diced Skinless/Boneless Chicken Breast
2 Diced Hard Boiled Eggs
4 Tablespoons Snipped Chives
¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
12 Slices Cooked & Crumbled Bacon
1 Ripe Avocado Peeled, Pitted and Diced
4 Ounces Crumbled Roquefort Cheese
In a bowl, whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients except the olive oil. Whisking constantly, drizzle in the oil; continue whisking until the dressing is slightly thickened. Set aside.
For the salad, arrange the lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, scallions, ham, chicken, eggs, 2 tablespoons of the chives, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Just before serving, toss the salad with the reserved vinaigrette. Arrange the salad in a decorative serving bowl. Garnish with the avocado, bacon and Roquefort cheese. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of chives. Serves 4
Chicken & Vegetable Kebabs
These kebabs are so easy to make and very low fat.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Chicken Breasts Cut Into 1 Inch Cubes
1 Cup Halved Mushrooms
½ Medium Red Bell Pepper Seeded & Cut Into 1 Inch Cubes
1 Small Yellow Squash Cut Into ½ Inch Rounds
1 Small Zucchini Cut Into ½ Inch Rounds
½ Red Onion Cut Into Wedges
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
1 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1 Teaspoon Dried Tarragon
Place the mushrooms, vegetables and onions in a large, self closing, plastic bag. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, rosemary and tarragon. Pour into the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 hours. You can either grill these or cook under the broiler in your oven. On 12 inch skewers alternate the ingredients. Arrange the chicken cubes, pepper, squash, onion and zucchini. Gook under the broiler for 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, turning once. Remove from the oven or grill and place on a serving platter. Serve over rice. Serves 4
Camille’s Pita Pizza
Camille created this “Pita Pizza” and loves how it tastes. Try it and see if you like it.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Pita Flat Bread
½ Cup Humus
½ Cup Feta Cheese
¼ Cup Pitted Olives
½ Cup Diced Artichoke Hearts
¼ Cup Halved Cherry Tomatoes
½ Cup Baked & Shredded Chicken
Apply the humus to the pita flat bread. Sprinkle on the feta cheese. Layer with the olives, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes. Finish up with placing the shredded chicken on the top. Bake in a 350° F preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and slice like a pizza. Serves 4
Fortune Cookies
These fortune cookies are very good and taste just like the ones you get in a Chinese restaurant. Have fun adding your own “fortune” inside.
INGREDIENTS
3 Egg Whites
¾ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Melted Butter
½ Teaspoon Vanilla
¼ Teaspoon Almond Extract
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Water
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Make sure to have your “fortunes” ready to go using small strips of paper. In a large metal or glass bowl whip the egg whites and sugar with an electric mixer on high for 2 minutes. You want the egg whites and sugar to be frothy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the melted butter, vanilla, almond extract water and flour one at a time. Make sure to mix well after each addition. The consistency should look like pancake batter. Spoon the batter into 2 inch circles on the parchment paper. Make sure to leave room for spreading. Bake for 6 minutes until the edges begin to brown slightly. You don’t want to overcook because you will need to be able to mold the cookie. Quickly remove one at a time and put the “fortune” in the center and fold in half. Fold the ends of the cookie together into a horse shoe shape. If they come apart pinch them back together and let them cool. Repeat until you are finished. Makes 36 cookies.
