The Joy of Pita Bread

I love pita bread. You can get it in regular, wheat and multi grain. I use it toasted but you can use it right out of the bag. When toasting, cut in half first. You can toast in oven, toaster oven or toaster. I use my toaster. The bread is usually to large so when it "pops" I simply flip it over and toast some more. You do need to work with it right after you remove it from the toaster or oven when it can still "move" a bit. Just like bread when toasted, it gets harder as it cools.
Here are just a few ideas to get you started.
Breakfast
Fill the pita pocket with scrambled eggs. You can add crumbled bacon or sausage. Jazz up your egg pocket with onions and peppers.

Toast the pita bread, butter the inside of the pockets and sprinkle with sugar and Cinnamon.

Lunch:
Chop lettuce and place in the pita bread. Take your favorite lunch meat, roll two slices and place in the pocket and top with shredded cheese.

Dinner:
Grill hamburgers, cut them in half and place one half in half the pita pocket. You can add cheese to your burger and add onion and lettuce to the pocket.

Fill pockets with sloppy joe.

Fill pockets with beef stew.

In a bowl add diced chicken, chopped celery, peppers, onions and mayo - salad dressing or ranch dressing. Season to taste. Mix well and fill pita pockets.

Toast the pita bread and cut into pieces to use with dips.

As you can see the possibilities are endless. Be creative.

Enjoy!

Pork Chop and Rice Bake

NEED:
2 1/2 cups rice ( instant is fine)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 can condensed cream of celery soup..diluted and blended
garlic powder and pepper to taste
4 pork chops bone in or boneless.

Place rice in bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish. Add chicken broth and water and mix together. Lay chops on top of rice mixture..sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper and slowly pour soup over top. Cover with foil.
Oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Baked Chicken with Miracle Whip

This is very tasty and very moist.
NEED:
4 boneless chicken breasts
Miracle Whip
garlic powder and pepper to taste.
Seasoned Bread Crumbs.

Place chicken in a sprayed, shallow baking dish. Brush each piece with miracle whip. Cover completely, but not overly thick. Sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs.

Oven at 350 degrees. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mayo Cake

This was posted by an online friend, Bridgett....I have had a cake like this before..its very yummy.
Cake:
6 Tablespoon cocoa
3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups cold water

Chocolate Icing
1 cup butter. softened
1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5-6 cups confectioners' sugar
6 or more tablespoons milk

Preparation
Sift cocoa, flour, baking soda, salt and sugar into a medium bowl, mix well. Combine mayonnaise, vanilla and water in an electric mixer at low speed. Once smooth, slowly add in dry mixture until just incorporated (do not over beat).
Oven at 350 degrees. Bake in 2 8 inch cake pans that have been greased and floured or sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes or until done. Check by inserting toothpick...should come out clean when done. Cool on wire racks.

Enjoy!

Squaw Point Pork Chops

NEED:
6 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Coarsely ground black pepper
6 Tablespoon Sour cream
8 teaspoon Minced fresh dill
4 Boneless pork loin chops,
1- 1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice

Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour 1/2 of sauce over chops, cover and
refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce. Remove
chops, discarding marinade. Grill chops over medium coals for 9-11 minutes
per side or to desired doneness. Brush top side of chops with LEMON DILL
SAUCE one minute prior to removing from grill. Pass remaining sauce. THIS
MARINADE WORKS WELL WITH VEAL OR LAMB CHOPS. You can also broil or use a Foreman Grill.

Enjoy!

Pork with Vegetables and Cashews

NEED:
1 lb Boneless fresh pork, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 Medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 Tablespoon Soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 package (10 oz) frozen peas
8 ounce Fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
2 Tablespoon cold water
1 Jar (2 ounces) pimiento, chopped
1 cup Salted cashews or peanuts
1/4 teaspoon Pepper

Mix pork, onion and soy sauce in 3-qt casserole. Cover and microwave
on medium (50%) until meat is no longer pink, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir every
3 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, peas and mushrooms. Cover and microwave on medium (50%) 9 minutes. Stir every 3 minutes. Blend cornstarch and water;
stir into meat mixture. Stir in pimiento. Cover and microwave on medium
(50%) until meat is tender, 9 to 12 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Stir
in cashews. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Serve with rice if desired.

COVER WITH A MICROWAVE COVER OR PAPER TOWEL..NO NOT USE PLASTIC WRAP.

Enjoy!

Island Barbecue Pork Chops

NEED:
1 teaspoon Ground Allspice
6 Pork loin chops,1/4 inch thick
1 Garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Barbecue Sauce

Mix the barbecue sauce, juice, garlic, vanilla and allspice. Heat electric
broiler (not necessary to preheat gas broiler). Place chops on greased
rack of broiler pan. Broil 3-4 inches from heat for 10 to 12 minutes on
each side or until done, brushing frequently with barbecue sauce.

Enjoy!

Black Bean Burgers

NEED:
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1/4 cup diced and sautéed onions
2 slices multigrain bread, finely crumbled
1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, black pepper, and onion powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup cracker crumbs

In a large bowl, mash the drained black beans. Add the sautéed onions, crumbled bread, and spices. Mix thoroughly. Add about 1/4 cup of cracker crumbs (or just enough to be able to form patties from the mixture). Using your hands, form the mixture into 1/2-inch thick patties. For a breaded burger, gently coat each patty with more cracker crumbs.
In a lightly oiled non-stick pan, fry both sides of the patties. Serve with a garnish of lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and any other condiments on buns or over a bed or rice.

Enjoy!

Artichoke Pesto Pasta

NEED:
8 ounces pasta (tri-color spirals)
1/2 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 lb. extra firm tofu, sliced into thin strips or mashed
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
1 can black olives1 lemon
Fresh basil to taste
Red pepper flakes
Nutritional yeast

Cook the pasta until tender. Drain and rinse, then set aside.
In a large skillet, fry the tofu, onion, and garlic in oil on medium heat for about 5minutes.
In a serving bowl, mix chopped parsley, chopped basil, walnuts or pine nuts, artichokes hearts, and olives with the cooked pasta. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice over pasta and mix. Sprinkle nutritional yeast and red pepper flakes to taste. Stir in tofu, onion, and garlic before serving.


Enjoy!

Mushroom Cream Sauce Over Whole Wheat Pasta

NEED:
2 Tablespoon soy margarine
8-12 ounce mushrooms, sliced (try shiitake, oyster mushrooms, or portobello)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
10 ounce cooked whole wheat pasta, such as fettuccine or linguine

Melt one tablespoon of the margarine in a sauté pan, then add the mushrooms and garlic. Sauté until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Melt the second tablespoon of margarine, then stir in the flour and cook for about one minute. Gradually stir in the soy milk and mix until smooth.
Add the mushrooms, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour the sauce over warm pasta, garnish with additional parsley (if desired), and serve immediately.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian and Vegan Beet Casserole

NEED:
4 cups sliced fresh beets
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sliver of fresh ginger
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon grated onion
Layer the sliced beets in a lightly oiled 7-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the sugar, salt and paprika. Dot the beets with the margarine, then add the lemon juice, ginger, water and onion.

Oven at 350 degrees. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven once during baking and stir well.

Enjoy!

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

NEED:
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 ounces bacon, 1/4 inch diced
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or regular salt
3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
3/4 cups chicken stock
Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the precooked bacon. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is golden brown and crisp (5-10 minutes). Place bacon on a plate lined with a paper towel. Add the Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper to the fat in the pan and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the chicken stock. Lower the heat and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are tender when pierced with a knife (about 15 minutes). If the skillet becomes too dry, add a little chicken stock or water. Return the bacon to the pan, heat through, season to taste, and serve.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Easy Squash Casserole

NEED:
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Teaspoons Cooking Oil
3 or 4 yellow crooked neck squash (1 to 1 1/2 pounds) washed, and chopped.
1 medium Vidalia onion, peeled and chopped
2 pieces fresh bread to make bread crumbs in a chopper (or unseasoned bread crumbs)
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup, undiluted
3 rounded Tablespoons Sour Cream or cream
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons chopped pimento and or chopped spring green onion or chives if desired for color
2/3 cup sharp or medium Cheddar cheese, grated for topping if desired
Add Butter and oil to a hot pan.
Add the chopped onions and sauté 3-4 minutes. Stir constantly.
Add chopped yellow squash to pan, sauté 5 or 6 minutes uncovered. When squash is about tender, remove pan from heat.
Add to pan;Bread crumbs,Cream of Mushroom or Chicken soup, Sour Cream, cream or milk,Beaten Eggs,Salt, Pepper, Sugar,Pimento, spring green onion or chives if desired) Mix together. Use a sprayed to quart baking dish.
Oven at 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Top with cheese and bake an additional 10minutes.
Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Ziti with roasted peppers, green olives, and salami

NEED:
1 large red bell pepper
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 small shallot, halved
1 cup pitted green olives in brine, drained
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1 pound ziti
4 ounces 1/8-inch-thick slices spicy salami, cut into matchstick-size strips
1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

Char bell peppers directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose peppers in paper bag and cool completely. Peel, stem, and seed peppers. Cut peppers lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
With machine running, drop garlic and shallot through processor feed tube and chop coarsely. Add olives, parsley, olive oil, and oregano and chop finely. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Peppers and olive mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate separately. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well. Return pasta to pot; stir in peppers and olive mixture. Add salami and cheese; toss to combine. Serve warm or let stand at room temperature up to 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Easy Corn Chilaquiles

NEED:
2 (16-ounce) jars Salsa
1 cup whole-kernel frozen corn
1 (7-ounce) can Diced Green Chilies
1 tablespoon or more Diced Jalapenos
3 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips, divided use
3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, divided use
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Lightly grease 2-quart casserole.
Combine salsa, corn, chilies and jalapenos in medium bowl. Layer 1 cup chips, 1 1/2 cups salsa mixture and 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese in bottom of prepared casserole. Repeat layers 2 more times ending with cheese.
Oven at 375 degrees.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted; top with cheddar cheese. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cool on wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. Top with green onions and sour cream, if desired.
Oven at 375 degrees.

Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Easy Corn Chowder

NEED:
4 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
3 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the bacon and onions together until onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the corn, potatoes, soup, milk, and salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 25 to 35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy!

Green Bean, Walnut and Feta Salad

NEED:
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1 small purple onion, thinly sliced
1 (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
Cut green beans into thirds, and arrange in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam 15 minutes or until crisp-tender. Immediately plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process; drain and pat dry.
Toss together green beans, onion, cheese, and walnuts in a large bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Whisk together olive oil and next 5 ingredients; cover and chill 1 hour.
Pour vinaigrette over green bean mixture, and chill 1 hour; toss just before serving.

Serves 8.

Enjoy!

Green Beans and Bacon

NEED:
2 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
3 bacon slices
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cook green beans in boiling water for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge beans into ice water; drain.
Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add shallots to drippings in pan; saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add beans, juice, salt, and pepper to pan; toss to combine. Cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring often. Remove from heat. Sprinkle bacon over bean mixture; toss.
Serves 12.

Enjoy!

Fridge Omelette

NEED:

Take all those left over bits of veg,ham,bacon and any other left overs in your fridge. Put them in a microwave dish and add two or three eggs and cook on full power for one and a half minutes. This should use up your left overs ad give you a tasty fun snack.
Keep in mind that all microwaves are different. You do not want to over cook this so if your microwave has high power ( high wattage) you may want to use power 8 for this.

Enjoy!

Fruit Sautéed with Ginger, Honey and Rum

NEED:
1 Mango
1 Pear
1 cup Seedless Grapes
1/2 Papaya
4 Dried Apricots
1 Lime
1 tsp. extract
4 tbsp. Honey
2 tbsp. Butter
3 inches Fresh Ginger
Dark Rum (optional)

Mix the vanilla with the honey.
Peel and cut mango, papaya, and pear. Cut lime (with skin on) into very thin slices. Peel and slice ginger into thin sticks.
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add all fruits and ginger. Cook for about 5 minutes on a high flame. Then, lower flame, and add the vanilla honey. Stir delicately. Flambé with rum if desired. Serve right away with sorbet or ice-cream.

Enjoy!

Brie & Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

NEED:
18 large mushrooms, stems removed & chopped
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
3 ounces Brie, cut in 18 pieces

Wash and dry mushrooms, remove stems. Place mushroom caps on a cookie sheet. Brush caps with some of the butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.

In a skillet, saute the mushroom stems, onion and Worcestershire sauce using the remaining butter. In a bowl, mix crabmeat and mayonnaise. Fill caps with mushroom and onion mixture. Top with crabmeat and Brie. Bake for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and cheese is melted.
Oven at 350 degrees.
Serves 6

Enjoy!

Basic Mustard BBQ Sauce

It is getting to be the season of outdoor cooking around here. I love BBQ. Of course, you can do it in the oven, on a grill, in a smoker..but no matter where you cook it..it's the sauce that makes it great. I like bottled sauces. I always try to buy some of the non standard and not so well know names. One of my favorites is Sweet Baby Ray's. I also like to make my own. As with everything you cook, it's a matter of personal taste. Don't be afraid to be daring. If unsure, only make a little the first time.

NEED:
1 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cayenne
Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer on low for at least thirty minutes. This is great for southern pork style barbecue

Enjoy!

Basic Vinegar BBQ Sauce

NEED:

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Stir the brown sugar into the hot water. Continue stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and heat on low for a few minutes. This perfect to coat pulled pork, but don't add so much that it gets soupy.

Enjoy!

Basic Tomato BBQ Sauce

NEED:

1 regular can of tomato sauce
1 can of tomato paste
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons onion, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne
fresh ground pepper to taste
Cook the garlic and onion until it's soft, and then add all the rest of the ingredients. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. Keep stirring it often so it doesn't burn, then refrigerate for a few days before you use it. This allows the flavors to blend and mellow.

Enjoy!

Bourbon BBQ Sauce

NEED:

1/4 cup Wild Turkey Bourbon
2 cups ketchup
1 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Pineapple juice
3 teaspoon Molasses
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon Olive oil
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
1 teaspoon Salt

Mix all ingredients and simmer on stove until bbq sauce thickens.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Dijon

NEED:
1-1 1/2 lb broccoli
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion finely chopped
2-4 garlic clove. finely chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt & freshly ground black pepper
Cut the broccoli into florets and slice the stalk.
Steam or boil until tender but still firm and bright green.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic about 5 minutes until tender but not brown.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir over low heat.
Spoon the sauce over the broccoli and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

How to wrap with lettuce

Here are a few tips for lettuce wrappers:

For best results, pick the largest, most pliable lettuces leaves. Iceberg, red lettuce and radicchio leaves or cups along with large spinach leaves are other possibilities.
Core the lettuce and soak in ice water for an hour or two for easy removal of intact leaves. Separate the leaves and drain each one individually, then refrigerate on a towel for a couple of hours to crisp them. Lettuce leaves or cups can also be rinsed, dried and stacked, wrapped in a plastic bag and refrigerated several hours or overnight. Be sure to dry the lettuce well before serving lest you will have a messy and watery mixture running out of the wrapped-up lettuce leaf.

Greek Salad Roll-Ups

NEED:
Two large tomatoes, chopped
One cucumber, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, cut in chunks
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive halves
One green onion, chopped
Seasoned salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup cut-up or crumbled feta cheese
Six butter lettuce leaves **any large leave lettuce will work.
Combine all ingredients except lettuce leaves. Toss until blended. Chill until serving time. To serve, place some of filling mixture on lettuce leaf, wrap up and serve.
2 to 3 servings

Enjoy!

Southwest Style Lettuce Wraps

NEED:
2 cups chopped cooked skinless chicken breast
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 cup rinsed and drained canned black beans or 1/4-cup each canned black beans and canned corn
One tomato, chopped
Four to six, lettuce leaves
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Guacamole
Sour cream
In a medium glass bowl, combine chicken, salsa, black beans and tomato. Mix well. Heat in microwave oven one to two minutes, if desired. To serve, spoon some of chicken mixture on a lettuce leaf, top with a little cheese and guacamole and wrap up. Dip into sour cream and additional salsa if desired.
Makes 2 servings.

Enjoy!

Asian Chicken in Lettuce Wraps

I love these. The lettuce is a nice change from bread. It lightens things up a great deal. I am also a fan of Asian food. The flavors in this are just great.
NEED:
2 cups chopped cooked skinless chicken breast
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/3 cup chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chow mien noodles (canned) or fried puffed up rice sticks (crisp)
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Seasoned salt and pepper
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded red and green cabbage
Four to six butter lettuce leaves **any large lettuce leaves will work
Peanut sauce (see recipe below or Asian dipping sauce or Asian Chile sauce (store-bought)
Peanut Sauce:
1/3 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons hot water
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon Chili powder
2 to 3 teaspoons bottled plum sauce
Combine peanut butter and hot water; mix with fork until well blended. Blend in lime juice, chili powder and plum sauce until well blended.
In a medium glass bowl, combine chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, water chestnuts, green onions, noodles and almonds. Mix well. Season to taste with seasoned salt and pepper. Cover and heat in microwave oven, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, until warm. Prepare peanut sauce. On platter, arrange a mound of chicken mixture and separate mounds of carrots and cabbage along with a stack of lettuce leaves. Add small containers each of peanut sauce and Asian dipping sauce to platter. To serve, place some of chicken mixture on a lettuce leaf, top with some carrots and cabbage and roll up in leaf. Dip into peanut sauce and Asian dipping sauce as desired. Recipe makes two servings.

Enjoy!

Baked Squid

NEED:
2 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen squid , cleaned & sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
4 or 5 cups cooked rice
Juice of one lemon
In a 4 to 5-quart pan, bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil. Add squid, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 seconds. Drain and dry. Fry in olive oil with the onions and garlic until onions are tender. Add tomato paste and white wine. Spread cooked rice evenly in a baking pan. Pour squid mixture over the rice. Bake at 400° F. for 25 minutes. Sprinkle lemon juice over mixture before serving.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Deep Fried Squid

NEED:
2 1/2 pounds squid, cleaned and cut open into flat pieces
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs
Oil for deep frying
Combine milk, egg, salt and pepper. Dip squid in mixture and roll in breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a skillet to 375° F. Place squid in the hot oil in a single layer. Fry until lightly browned. Turn carefully. Cook the other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 4

Enjoy!

Grilled Squid Salad

NEED:
4 large fresh squid, cleaned and left whole
1/4 cup soy sauce
6 to 8 cups assorted salad greens
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Marinade the squid in the soy sauce for 1 hour. Thread skewers through the squid two or three times so they will lie flat on the grill. Skewer the tentacles separately.
Grill the squid very quickly, on the hottest part of the grill; it should take no more than 60 seconds per side to become lightly browned. Dress the greens with the lemon juice and olive oil, then cut up the squid and scatter it on top of the salad. Sprinkle with the sesame oil and serve.
4 servings

Enjoy!

Squid Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese

NEED:
12 squid, about 6 inches each, cleaned.
1/2 pound ricotta cheese
2 lbs fresh spinach, steamed lightly, and liquid squeezed out
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, pureed in blender
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon pine nuts or sunflower seeds
Cut off tentacles so that you have just the body cavity. Make sure to keep it whole so you can stuff it without leaks. Reserve the tentacles. Mix together the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, pepper, nutmeg,parsley and egg. Set aside. Heat the oil at medium in a large heavy skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic. Stir and cook for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and add tomato paste. Lower heat and add rosemary. Simmer sauce for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the sauce is simmering, stuff the body of each squid only about 1/3 full of the spinach/cheese mixture. If you over stuff them, they will explode. You might also want to poke a hole or two in the body of the squid. Fasten the opening of each squid with a toothpick. After the sauce has cooked, place the stuffed squid in the simmering sauce. Add the tentacles to the sauce. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Then turn carefully and simmer for an additional 3 minutes. While the squid is cooking, melt the butter in a clean pan and toss the pine nuts in the butter until golden. Watch carefully; pine nuts have a tendency to burn. Lift out stuffed squid to a warm, flat serving dish with sides. Spoon sauce around and garnish with pine nuts.
Serves 6

Enjoy!

Homemade chips

We have a restaurant here that makes their own chips. They are so good and if there is a line waiting to be seated, they actually come out and give you little containers of them to munch while you wait. They serve them plain and some with hot spices..all very good...I decided to give them a try and found this recipe. Oh so good.
NEED:
4 large russet potatoes-
large bowl of ice water -
2 quarts of oil ( use the type you like--check that there are no trans fat..its better)
sea salt , regular salt or a spice of your choice to taste
Electric fryer

First order of business is to scrub, scrub, scrub your potatoes. Get all that hearty earth off and make them clean. With a sharp knife, slice your potatoes thinly. Place the slices in a the bowl of ice water and soak for 1 hour.
With your electric deep-fat fryer, deep-fat fryer or very deep pan pour in the oil to a depth of 4 to 5 inches, making sure that the oil doesn't come up the sides of your pot more than halfway. Heat the oil until the temperature registers between 375 and 400 degrees F. Use a deep-fat thermometer to gage the temperature.
Drain your slices and pat dry with some paper towels. Fry the slices in small batches until golden brown. Turn them frequently using a slotted spoon. Then, transfer your chips to a paper towel to drain.
Season your chips with the salt or use your favorite seasoning. Seasoned salt gives plain old potato chips a face lift. But go easy! A little seasoned salt goes a long ways.
You can serve these beauties either warm (my favorite way) or cold. Just store them in an air tight container. And make sure you make more than you think you'll need, because these homemade potato chips will disappear faster than you can say, "Potato Chip Heaven!"

Enjoy!

Chicken & Noodle Casserole

NEED:
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables ( if you don t like the mixed veggies use the veggie of your choice)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Stir soup, milk, pepper, Parmesan cheese, veggies, chicken and noodles in 1 1/2 quart sprayed casserole dish.
Oven at 400 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove..stir lightly and top with shredded cheese.

Enjoy!

Teriyaki Chops

NEED:

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 pork chops

In a shallow dish, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, honey and garlic powder. Place chops in dish, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate for 2 to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat grill ( regular grill, Foreman grill or stove top grill pan) to high heat, and lightly oil grate. **if using Foreman or Stove top grill pan, spray PRIOR to heating
Grill chops 5 to 8 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. **Foreman grill cooks both sides at once..check after 4 minutes for desired doneness.

Enjoy!

Zippy Baked Carrots

NEED:
5 cups sliced carrots, cut 1/4 inch thick, divided
6 slices Swiss cheese, divided
SAUCE:
1 small onion, minced
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups milk
TOPPING:
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

On stove top or in a microwave oven, blanch the carrots in covered dish until tender-crisp. Layer half of the carrots in shallow 2-qt. baking pan; cover with half of the cheese. Repeat layers. To make sauce, saute onion in butter for 2 minutes; blend in flour and seasonings. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add milk all at once; cook, stirring, until thickened. Pour sauce over carrot-cheese layers. Combine bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over all. Top with bacon.
Oven at 350 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Easy Maple Glazed Carrots

So simple and so tasty.
NEED
Carrots..cleaned and cut into circles or you can use the bagged baby carrots which is what I do
the amount depends on how many people you are cooking for.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup

In sauce pan cook carrots until tender. Drain water and add butter stir until melted....over low heat..add syrup..you want a light coat on all the carrots so adjust amount if needed. Stir constantly until syrup around edge bubbles lightly. Keep stirring so that the syrup cooks down some and makes a slight glaze on the carrots.

Enjoy!