Black Bean and Mango Salsa

Easy, Tangy, Sweet and Salty!  The perfect combination for a summer salsa!

1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 large mango (cut into tiny bite sized pieces)

1 large shallot, finely chopped

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon of tiger sauce

salt and pepper

Mix ingredients and enjoy with your favorite tortilla chip!

Pan Fried Noodles with Fiddlehead Ferns, Sugar Snap Peas and Broccoli

So a new fun veggie I am getting used to cooking with is the fiddlehead fern.  Such a fun interesting vegetable, only found in Wegmans of course!  It's a a dark green crunchy vegetable that is good sauteed with garlic or can be a new addition to any stir fry!

For two:

Handful of fiddlehead ferns (cut ends)

Handful of sugar snap peas

1 head of broccoli (cut in bite sized pieces)

1 package of Thai Noodles (I find that these are the best noodles to use for pan frying)

3 garlic cloves minced

hot pepper flakes

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup orange juice

sesame oil

canola oil

soy sauce

Combine orange juice, soy sauce, garlic and hot pepper flakes.  Saute veggies in 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of canola oil and 1 minced garlic clove in a wok. Add some sauce, heat through.

Boil noodles as directed.  Once done cooking, remove veggies from wok.  Add more sesame oil and canola oil in wok.  When hot, add noodles, toss until browned.  Add veggies, toss with orange garlic sauce.  Enjoy :)

Grilled Pita Pizzas

A fun fresh tasty meal that can be made in only 15 minutes!

For 2:

3 whole wheat pitas 

4 medium tomatoes 

2 medium garlic cloves minced

small handful of fresh basil (tear with fingers!)

salt and pepper

fresh mozzarella

fresh gated parmesan

Dice tomatoes into very small pieces, I like to toss the seeds/juice to avoid a watery pizza.  Mix tomatoes, garlic, basil salt and pepper.  I like to marinate flavors together for at least 15-20 minutes,  but you don't need to.  On a cookie sheet, flatten pitas and add a few spoonfuls of tomato mixture on top.  Add cheeses and grill to your liking.  Enjoy :)

Fennel and Blood Orange Salad

Recipe for 2:

1/4 fennel bulb; very thinly sliced

1 blood orange; peeled

Greens

Pitted kalamata olives (optional)

Dressing:

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons of orange juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1 small shallot; chopped

salt

pepper

Mix all ingredients and let sit for at least 1 hour.

Arrange greens on a plate, add fennel, oranges (and olives).  Add dressing. Enjoy :)

Chinese Broccoli Slaw

1 package of ramen noodles

3/4 cup butter

1 package of broccoli slaw

1/4 cup peanuts

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

3-4 green onions, chopped 

1/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Crush ramen noodles in package.  Melt butter in a frying pan, when melted, add noodles.  Fry until golden brown and heated through.

In a bowl make dressing.  Mix soy sauce, canola oil, sugar and vinegar together.   In a separate bowl, add slaw and dressing.  Add noodles, peanuts, sunflower seeds and chopped onions before serving.

Enjoy :)

Spinach, Ricotta and Caramelized Onion Pizza

2 Pizza Doughs (room temperature)

sun dried tomatoes

1-2 cups baby spinach

2 small cooking onions - thinly sliced 

(saute in pan until browned and cooked through)

1 cup ricotta cheese

fresh mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

provolone cheese

2 cloves minced garlic

tomato pizza sauce 

(I made ahead of time, just need tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, oregano, onions)

capers

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Pizza #1  Spinach, Ricotta, Caramelized Onion

Assemble:

Roll out dough, spread pizza sauce evenly and top sauce with minced garlic.  Add fresh baby spinach leaves.  On top layer, caramelized onions and sun-dried tomatoes.  Add some fresh thin slices of mozzarella and dollop 1 tsp. of ricotta over the pizza.  

Pizza #2 Capers and Caramelized Onion

Assemble:

Roll out dough, spread pizza sauce evenly and top sauce with minced garlic.  Layer capers, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, provolone cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until brown and dough is crisp!

Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.  Enjoy :)

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.  You'll have to try this recipe out!

 Root Beer Float Cupcakes

2 cups root beer 

1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder


1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces


1 1/4 cups granulated sugar


1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar


2 cups all-purpose flour


1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda


1 teaspoon salt


2 large eggs

Toppings


1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream


5 tablespoons powdered sugar


1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract




Make the root beer cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 22 cupcake cups/or 10 large cupcake cups with paper liners. In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Fold the liquid and flour mixtures together in the large bowl. The batter will be slightly lumpy; this is okay. If you overbeat it, it will get tough.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 to 3/4 full (a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup will filled mine perfectly) and bake cupcakes, rotating trays back to front and top to bottom halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Assemble cupcakes: Whip heavy or whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until it holds soft peaks. You can do this with an electric mixer, but if you do it by hand, not only will you get a killer arm workout (which you can trade in for a cupcake, very soon), it will be nearly impossible to overbeat the cream. (Which I almost always do with a mixer.)

Use the tip of a knife to cut a small cone of cake out of the top center of each cupcake; feel free to snack on these, I won’t tell anyone. Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, nest a scoop of ice cream in each indent. Surround ice cream with dollops of whipped cream. Top with a cherry, if using. To keep cupcakes in a holding pattern while you assemble the remaining ones, you can put them in the freezer, but try to do so for no more than 5 minutes or the whipped cream will harden.

Eat immediately.

Tequila Lime Chicken Tacos with Caramelized Onions

Happy Cino de Mayo

All you need is to pair this dish with your favorite Margarita!

 2 chicken breasts

1 medium white onion sliced thin

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp tequila

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 large garlic clove minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 can dark kidney beans

fresh monterey jack cheese

soft tortilla 

Combine lime juice, tequila, red pepper flakes and salt in a bowl.  Whisk together and set aside.

In a small saucepan, add dark beans (drained), and cilantro.  Cook on medium - low heat.

Cut chicken up into small bite size pieces.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil.  When hot add chicken and garlic.  When almost cooked through, add lime juice mixture and simmer on low.

In another skillet, heat oil and add onions.  Cook on medium heat until browned.  When the chicken is done cooking, add balsamic vinegar to the onions.  Cook for about 2 minutes.

Assemble:

Heat tortilla shells in skillet or microwave until warmed through.

In a flour tortilla shell, add chicken, bean and cilantro mixture, caramelized onions, and top off with shredded jalapeno monterey jack cheese. Enjoy :)

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

12 mini cupcakes or 6 LARGE cupcakes.  Obviously go big or ... go home!  This is a sweet sinful cupcake that you will NOT be able to put down!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, break up into pieces

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1.  Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with appropriate size baking cup liners.

2.  Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium bowl.  Set over saucepan with simmering water to melt and combine or microwave mixture until all three ingredients until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

3.  Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4.  Whisk eggs in bowl to combine.  In mixer add eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt until fully incorporated.  Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.  Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is combined and thick.

5.  Divide the batter evenly among the pan cups.  Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean.  18-20 minutes for small cups.  22-25 minutes for large cups

6.  Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature  before icing, about 1/2 hour.

Peanut Butter Frosting.  YUM!

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup heavy cream

In a mixer combine sugar, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla.  Mix on medium-low speed until creamy.  Add the cream and beat o n high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Spread frosting over cupcakes and enjoy :)

Dark Chocolate/Peanut Butter Frosting on top and bottom and
Root Beer Float Cupcakes in the middle! YUM!

Stir-Fried Asparagus and Basil with Spicy Orange Sauce

This dish was VERY tasty and VERY spicy...I may have added more hot pepper flakes than I intended, oops!

1/2 cup orange juice

2 TB soy sauce

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

asparagus - about 1-2 cups cut into 1 inch pieces

red bell pepper - 1 cup cut into bite size pieces

water chestnuts - 1 small can

4 tsp. peanut oil - use canola oil if you don't have peanut oil

2 large garlic cloves

1-2 tsp. fresh grated ginger

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1 cup brown rice

Combine orange juice, soy sauce, and pepper flakes.

Cook rice as directed.  Use a little less water than needed, and add some sauce to the rice to cook in!

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet set over hight heat.  When the oil is hot, add asparagus, pepper and chestnuts.  Add garlic and ginger to center of wok.  Cook until fragrant, about 15 minutes.  Add most of the orange juice mixture, toss to coat well, and cover  Cook until the asparagus are tender.

Mix rice and veggie mix.  Enjoy!!

Sweet Potato and Ham Soup

Not sure what to do with a left over ham bone? Here is a simple soup that is just wonderful on a chilly night!

Ham bone and about 2 cups of ham

4 cups of water

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1 small onion chopped

1 sweet potato cubed

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

In a large pot combine first 4 ingredients. Simmer on medium heat until it boils.  Once it boils, add potatoes.  

In a sperate small saucepan, melt butter.  Add flour and whisk until it has combined.  Add milk, whisk until has thickened.  Add cheese. 

Once the Potatoes are cooked through, take out ham bone.  Add cheese sauce mixture and mix together.  Enjoy :)

Blue Cheese Burgers

Our first grilling of the season!  Simple and Delicious!

Hamburger meat

St. Pete's Blue Cheese

salt and pepper

Season hamburger with salt and pepper.  Grill hamburger until done to your liking.  Add blue cheese and enjoy :)

Sides:

Caprese Salad

Grilled Zucchini

Caprese Salad

2 large ripe tomatoes

fresh mozzarella

fresh basil

balsamic glaze

olive oil

salt and pepper

Assemble tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. Drizzle with E.V.O. O. and balsamic glaze (Wegmans sells a great bottle, or you can reduce balsamic in a pan over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until it thickens for the glaze) Salt, pepper and enjoy :)

Olive oil and Rosemary Sweet Potato Fries

For two:

1 sweet potato/yam

olive oil

salt/pepper

fresh rosemary

St. Pete's blue cheese

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Microwave for 2-3 minutes to soften.  Cut into semi-thick slices.  Drizzle olive oil, salt pepper and rosemary on sweet potatoes.  Bake for 30-40 minutes until browned.  Top with blue cheese crumbles and enjoy :)

Rosemary Garlic Crusted Veal Chop

2 Veal Chops

Fresh Rosemary

Minced Garlic

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Fresh Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Marinate in ingredients for at least 3 hours.  In a hot caste iron pan, sear chops in olive oil on both sides until browned and crusted.  Bake in oven for 5 minutes on each side. Enjoy!

Side Dishes:  

Sweet Potato Fries with olive oil, rosemary and St. Pete's Blue Cheese

Sauteed garlic spinach

Soy-Ginger Italian Long Green Beans

My favorite new vegetable!

For Two:

-a few handfuls of fresh beans

-fresh ginger grated

-soy sauce

-garlic minced

Mix ingredients and saute until heated through, yet still crunchy and full of flavor! Enjoy on the side of a pork cutlet :)