Stuffed Baked Potatoes

One word, YUM!  Stuffed baked potatoes are a delicious side to any meal.  Here it goes...


2 Large Potatoes
cheddar cheese (about 2/3 cup)
milk (about 1/4 cup)
sour cream (about 1/4 cup)
2 TB butter
real bacon bits (about 2 TB)
chives (about 1 TB)


Here is my trick, after washing the potatoes and putting them in the oven to bake, pop them in the microwave for 5 minutes to get the process started.  Now, you only need to bake the potatoes for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.  On the week nights, this is a great option! 


After you let the potatoes rest, cut in half. Scoop out potato and place in a bowl.  In bowl, add cheddar cheese, milk, butter, sour cream, chives and bacon bits.  Mash all together, add less or more milk until potatoes are at the consistency you like.

Add filling to potato halves, top with cheese and chives, bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. ENJOY :)

Pasta with Veggies and Ranch Sauce

This is one of our favorite meals because not only is it flavorful, but very easy!  Jason got this great recipe from his mother and was the first dish he ever cooked me!  It will be a sure hit anyone can whip up!

Whole wheat pasta (Penne and Rotini Mix)

1 zucchini (thinly sliced)

1 summer squash (thinly sliced)

1 green pepper (chopped)

1 carrot (long slivers)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

olive oil

2 ranch dressing packets (NOT the dip packet)

fresh cracked pepper

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Boil pot of water, cook pasta.

In a large pan, heat olive oil, garlic and fresh cracked pepper.  When hot, add all veggies to the pan.  Add one packet of ranch seasonings.  Look on medium heat.  You don't want to cook too long.  I recommend adding the veggies to the pan once the pasta is in the water.  When the pasta is cooked, drain and add to veggies.  Add other packet of ranch, drizzle a little olive oil over pasta.  Toss and ENJOY :)

Paired with Greg Norman
Pinot Noir

Chicken Quesadillas

Simple and Tasty!  


For two:
1 Large chicken breast
salsa
taco seasoning
mexican cheese
sour cream
guacamole
whole wheat tortillas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pound chicken so it cooks through evenly.  Chicken does not need to be thin.  In a baking dish, sprinkle chicken breast with taco seasoning, then spread about 2/3 cup of salsa on top.  Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and tender.  Cut into bite size pieces for the quesadilla.

Heat Griddle or frying pan.  Place 2 tortillas on griddle.  Layer with cheese, salsa and chicken.  When cheese has melted and the tortilla is browning, remove.  Place 2 more tortillas on the griddle.  Layer with more cheese.  Melt the cheese and brown the tortilla for about 2-4 minutes.  Place tortilla on top of tortilla with cheese and chicken.  Place back on griddle for another minute.  Serve with sour cream and/or guacamole.  ENJOY :)

French Onion Soup

Now that November is here, the air is a little more brisk, for me this means it is officially soup season!  Last night, I made a delicious French Onion Soup that is easy, fast and full of flavor!

3 thinly sliced cooking onions

1 tsp. thyme

4 Tb butter

4 cups of beef broth

2/3 cup white wine

2 Tb cream

Gruyere cheese

garlic toasts

1 garlic clove

In a pot, add butter, onions and thyme.  Cook on  medium -high heat until caramelized (about 20 minutes).   Then add beef broth, wine and cream.  Simmer on medium heat for another 10-20 minutes.  Meanwhile, slice day old bread and season with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toast in oven about 5 minutes at 400 degrees.  When it's done, rub the garlic clove over the hot bread.  The garlic will melt into the toasts.  

Ladle 2 cups of soup into each ramekin.  Lay 1 garlic toast over the soup then layer with gruyere cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  ENJOY :)

Veal Cutlets with Fennel

This recipe is from a cookbook my mom gave me, Perfect Italian.  This is a great cookbook if you are looking for some new classic Italian cuisine.  The first time I made this dish, I was in love!  Usually, I make this dish with pork, but I found some veal cutlets on sale at Wegmans, so I felt adventurous.  If you have never cooked with fennel this is a great dish to incorporate it in.  It gives just the right crunch, sweetness and texture to enhance all flavors of your meal!

Fennel Sauce Mixture

Veal Cutlets
flour mixture (flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder)
1 egg
1 cup of thinly sliced fennel
thyme
sage
1/2 cup of cream
1/2 cup white wine
gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles
olive oil


Start by dipping veal in egg wash, then flour mixture.  Fry veal in pan on medium-high heat, about 3 minutes on each side.  You just want to brown the sides.  Since the veal is very thin, it cooks very fast.  You will also be putting the veal back in the pan so you don't need to worry about cooking it through.  Place on plate.  In the same pan, add fennel, thyme, sage and white wine.  Reduce to medium heat, cook until the fennel has browned and softened.  Add cream and cheese crumbles.  Reduce and heat sauce.  Add veal to pan.  Cook veal for another 2-3 minutes on each side in sauce. Plate and Enjoy :)

Pizza Italiana

I love pizza, simply because all of my favorite indulges are in one bite!  Hot, delicious crusty crunchy bread, saltiness, of fresh cheeses, salami and prosciutto, tomatoes, sauce and basil. YUM!


whole wheat pizza dough (room temperature)
pizza sauce
(both I cheated and bought from Wegmans :))
genoa salami (thick slices)
fresh tomato slices
mozzarella cheese (rolled with fresh basil and prosciutto)
parmesan cheese
pizza seasoning


Roll out pizza dough.  Layer sauce, tomatoes and salami.

Then cut mozzarella cheese roll into thin slices and layer on the pizza.  Top with parmesan cheese and pizza seasoning.
Bake pizza at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  ENJOY :)