Ingredients: 

1 ½ lbs medium Yukon Gold potatoes

1 cup heavy cream

1 garlic clove, finely minced

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 Granny Smith Apples

1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (optional) 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Peel potatoes and apples and slice them 1/8 inch thick. Mix potatoes and apples with the heavy cream, garlic, salt and pepper in a skillet.

1. Cover with foil and roast until potatoes are very tender. Approximately 25 minutes.

1. Remove from oven and preheat broiler. Remove foil and sprinkle potatoes with cheese and walnuts. Broil until top is browned, 2 to 3 minutes and serve warm.

Makes 4-6

Ingredients: 

10 oz ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 potato, diced

½ cup shredded cheese of choice

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed

1 egg, beaten 

Instructions: 

1. Heat oil in a large skillet.

1. Sauté in the heated skillet the ground beef, carrots, onions, and potato until beef is fully cooked.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool.

1. Roll out puff pastry and cut into 6-inch rounds.

1. Portion the filling into the center of each round. Add a small amount of cheese.

1. Brush the rim of each pastry with egg and bring the sides up to meet in the center. Pinch the edges and shape into uniform ovals.

1. Place pastries on a prepared baking sheet and brush with remaining egg. Slit each pasty on either side of the seam to allow steam to escape while cooking.

1. Bake pasties in a 375 degree F oven for approximately 15 minutes, until golden brown.

1. Remove pasties from oven and serve warm.  Watch cheese will be very hot.

What is great about this Panini is it tastes gourmet using simple ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. 

Ingredients

Deli Sliced Smoked Turkey breast
Green Apple or Pear sliced thinly
Fresh Spinach or Arugula, washed
Bacon strips or pancetta slices
Spread able Brie or Goat Cheese
Olive oil
Texan Toast Bread or thickly sliced Italian BreadHoney Dijon Mayonnaise Dip

Instructions

Heat Panini grill or large skillet pan.Brush bread slices with olive oil. Spread cheese on bread.

Italian Pizza Popcorn

2 Bags of air popped popcorn

1 Tbl Italian Seasonings

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano

¼ cup unsalted butter

3 Tbl Tomato Powder or 1/3 cup finely diced sun dried tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan and add garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasonings, and red pepper flakes. Mix together.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Mix together in a large mixing bowl popcorn, cheeses, and tomato powder (or tomatoes), and butter sauce.
3. Feel free to add or subtract ingredients to suite your tastes.

I love the lemon tang of this elegant dessert! Great with a powdered sugar finish and a little garnish of fresh berries or a lemon slice.

Easy Lemon Tart 

Ingredients: 

Pre Baked Tart Shell

½ cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. lemon zest

4 eggs

6 oz. lemon juice

2 oz. heavy cream  To Garnish: Powdered Sugar Instructions: 

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the sugar and zest together thoroughly.

1. Add the eggs. Mix until well combined, but do not whip.

1. Mix in first the lemon juice and then the cream.

1. Strain the filling to remove the zest if desired. Pour the filling into the tart shell. Bake at 350 degrees until the filling is set, about 25 minutes.

1. Allow to cool overnight.  Sift powdered sugar over the top of the tart just before serving.

This is a recipe created while visiting my best friend this past weekend.  She has a one month old baby at home and her usually super-dad husband was down for the count with a pretty bad flu.  With him quarentined to the guest room away from the baby she needed some help taking care of the baby and the sick “baby” — her husband.  For dinner options, I took her to a great supermarket that has a lot of great ingredients already prepped for you.  It definately costs a little more but is worth the time saver when you just don’t have time to chop things yourself.  We made a quick stir fry using already prepared ingredients.  Try and get long grain brown rice as it is the most nutritious. 

“Baby’s Crying” Beef Stir Fry

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

½ lb Beef, already sliced into stir fry strips

4 cups or 1-2 packages of chopped veggies of your choice

(like snow peas, red and yellow peppers, broccoli, and onions)

1 cups sliced mushrooms

2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil

1-2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

¼ cup Teriyaki Sauce

2 cups long grain brown rice, cooked

Instructions:

Cook rice according to package directions (usually 2 cups water to 1 cup rice).

Heat all oil in a wok or very large (sauté) fry pan.  Cook beef 4 minutes in oil stirring constantly.

Add vegetables and cook additional 5-7 minutes constantly stirring.  Add Teriyaki sauce and cook additional 1-2 minutes.

Serve stir fry over rice.

*Can add ¼ cup of almond or cashews if desired when adding Teriyaki sauce.

Roasted Garlic:
1 Head of Garlic
2 Tablespoons Olive oil

Spread:
1 Head of roasted garlic
¾ Cup grated Parmigianino Reggiano Cheese
½ Cup Fresh Basil
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons White Wine
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon pepper

Crostini:
1 loaf French baguette
¼ cup olive oil
Garnish of Italian Parsley

To Make Roasted Garlic: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Chop top off of garlic. Place garlic in center of a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle garlic with olive oil and wrap up garlic in aluminum foil.

Place in oven for approximately 45 minutes until garlic is golden brown.

To Make Spread: Squeeze out roasted garlic from skins and discard skins. Place roasted garlic in food processor.

Place remaining spread ingredients into processor. Blend until completely incorporated.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To Make Crostini: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice baguette on the diagonal into thin slices approximately ½ inch thick. Brush with olive oil and place on a baking sheet.

Place baking sheet in oven and toast bread until golden brown approximately 10 minutes. Beware they can burn easily, check often. Remove from oven and allow bread to cool.

When ready to serve, take a spoonful of spread and spread on one side of bread. Top with a small piece of Italian parsley and serve.