Garden Bruschetta

NEED:
1 large loaf French bread
2-3 large tomatoes
1 large onion
5-6 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
Olive oil
1 clove garlic (or to taste)
Fresh mozzarella, can use low-fat

Chop tomatoes, garlic and onion. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly tender. Add 5-6 chopped tomatoes and saute for 2-3 more minutes then set mixture aside. Using a sharp bread knife, make thin slices French bread cutting at an angle. Cut thin slices of mozzarella. Using a paper towel, oil a cookie sheet with olive oil. Arrange bread slices on sheet. Add tomato mixture to bread. Cover mixture with one slice mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake 10-15 minutes in 400 degree oven or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

ENJOY!

Mushroom Tacos

NEED:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
20 ounces brown mushrooms, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely minced
1 lime, juiced
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
8 small corn tortillas
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cumin, chili powder, garlic, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and mix well. Add mushrooms and toss to coat. Marinate for 15 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to skillet and saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. To make pico de gallo, add tomato, onion, jalapeno, lime juice, and cilantro to a small mixing bowl and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat corn tortillas in skillet over medium heat for 1 minute per side. Top each corn tortilla with mushrooms and pico de gallo. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Enjoy!

Tropical Fruit Salad

NEED:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 (6 ounce) containers lemon yogurt
3/4 cup sugar
3 bananas, diced
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, chopped and drained (reserve one whole cherry for garnish)
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Mint leaves (for garnish) - optional


In a large bowl, beat together first three ingredients until well mixed. Stir in remaining ingredients, except mint. Spoon into a 1 1/2-quart glass bowl. Garnish by putting reserved cherry in center and arranging mint leaves around it to form a flower. Cover and chill 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

White Corn and Baby Pea Salad

NEED:
1 16 ounce package frozen white corn, thawed
1 16 ounce package frozen baby peas, thawed
1 cup chopped peeled potato or you can use turnip if you'd like.
2/3 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup thinly sliced green or red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley - can used dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash white pepper
1 tablespoon snipped fresh mint - optional - and dried is ok

In a bowl combine corn, peas, potato, celery, green pepper, and green onions. In a jar mix together the rice vinegar, brown sugar, parsley, salt, and white pepper; shake well. Pour over salad; toss. Cover and chill 2 hours. Add mint, if desired.

Enjoy!

Spinach & Mushroom Quiche

NEED:

8" pie shell, partially baked
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions, scallions
2 tablespoon butter
2 packages frozen chopped spinach--the small packages
1/2 pound chopped, sauteed & drained fresh mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Pinch nutmeg (nutmeg enhances spinach very nicely)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half & half cream
1/4-1/2 cup extra sharp, white Cheddar or other sharp Cheddar (can go fairly heavy on the cheese)

Spinach, thoroughly thawed but not cooked and thoroughly squeezed dry (3 minutes on high in the microwave thaws it perfectly).
Cook the scallions slowly in the butter until limp but not browned. Remove from heat. Add spinach and, if necessary, stir over moderate heat for a minute to evaporate all its water (this won't be necessary if it was thoroughly squeezed dry in a strainer). Stir in salt, pepper and nutmeg; taste carefully for seasoning.

In a mixing bowl beat eggs and add cream. Then add spinach and mushrooms; stir well. Have this ready when partially baked pastry shell is coming out of the oven. Pour mixture into hot shell. Gently stir spinach and mushrooms around with a fork to distribute evenly. Sprinkle cheese over top.
Oven at 375 degrees. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Quiche is done when inserted knife comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Avocado Salad

NEED:

1 ripe tomato, peeled
2 avocados
1/2 onion, minced
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 chopped green chile, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Mash together the tomato and avocados. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Serve with warm tortillas.

Optional: Mix in pomegranate seeds for added color and a unique but authentic variation.

Enjoy!

Olive Salad Sandwich

NEED:
SALAD
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 c. chopped green stuffed olives
1 c. chopped oil cured black olives, (pitted)
4-5 peperoni's, minced
1/2 c. roasted red peppers, chunks
1 c. olive oil
3 tbsp. fresh parsley
large pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. each oregano and basil
2 tbsp. white wine or balsamic vinegar

SANDWICH
1 large round loaf bread
1/3 lb. salami, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. Provolone, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced in circles
1/2 lb. Havarti cheese, thinly sliced - or cheese of your choice.
1/3 c. Prosciutto or Capicola ham, thinly sliced

Combine ingredients for salad and allow to stand overnight so that flavors can mingle.
Slice the bread in half, slicing off the top portion (like a cap) and scoop out some of the center of loaf. Drizzle oil from salad on both top and bottom halves, using a good deal of the mixture for the bottom half.

Layer the olive salad, cold cuts, cheeses, and layer again until all ingredients are used. Top with bread top (cap). Slice into 6 wedges.

ENJOY!

Scrambled Egg Taco

You can make this low fat and healthy if you choose. Going low fat and with the egg substitute there are 123 calories per taco, 3 mg of cholestoral and 2 g of fat.
NEED:
2 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon salsa
2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese or cheese of your choice
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute , such as Egg Beaters or real eggs

Top tortillas with salsa and cheese. Heat in the microwave until the cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.
Meanwhile coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, add egg substitute and cook, stirring, until the eggs are cooked through, about 90 seconds. Divide the scrambled egg between the tacos.

Enjoy!

Asparagus and Parmesan Sandwich

NEED:
1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and cut in half
1/3 cup water
12 slices French bread
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
12 Bibb lettuce leaves
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the asparagus and 1/3 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave on High 1 minute, or just until tender. Rinse under cold water, and blot dry with paper towels.
Spread 1 side of 6 bread slices with 1/4 teaspoon butter and about 1 tablespoon mayonnaise each. Layer with asparagus, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place lettuce over the asparagus, season with pepper, and top with remaining 6 bread slices to form 6 sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Chicken Chimichangas

NEED:
1 (16-ounce) jar picante sauce or salsa, divided
7 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 small onion, diced
2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
20 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
Toppings: guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato
Combine 1 1/2 cups picante sauce and next 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven; cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, 25 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates. Spoon 1/3 cup mixture below center of each tortilla; top with 2 tablespoons cheese.
Fold in 2 sides of tortillas to enclose filling. Fold over top and bottom edges of tortillas, making rectangles. Secure with wooden picks. Place, folded side down, on greased baking sheets. Coat chimichangas with cooking spray.

Oven at 425° Bake for 8 minutes; turn and bake 5 more minutes. Remove picks; top with remaining picante sauce and desired toppings.

Makes 20

Enjoy!

Veggie Mac and Cheese

NEED:
8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
1 cup diced yellow squash
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 small purple onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and diced
1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Romano cheese

Cook macaroni in a Dutch oven according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Sauté broccoli and next 4 ingredients in hot oil in Dutch oven over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; add macaroni, bell pepper, and next 5 ingredients, stirring until blended. Stir in beaten eggs.

Pour mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with tomato slices; sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Romano cheese.

Oven at 350 degrees. Bake 15 minutes; uncover and bake 20 more minutes or until golden. Serve warm.


6 to 8 servings

Enjoy!

Shrimp, Asparagus and Penne Pasta

NEED:
1 cup uncooked penne (tube-shaped pasta)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups (1-inch) sliced asparagus (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
1/4 cup (1 ounce) preshredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, onion, garlic, and shrimp; sauté for 5 minutes. Add oregano, pepper, and tomatoes; cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cooked pasta; sprinkle with cheese.

4 servings.

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken and Cheese Sandwich

NEED:
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup mayonnaise
12 (3/4-ounce) Monterey Jack cheese slices
12 whole wheat bread slices
1/4 cup butter or margarine,softened

Stir together first 5 ingredients. Place 1 cheese slice on each of 6 bread slices; spread evenly with chicken mixture, and top with remaining cheese and bread slices. Spread half of butter evenly on 1 side of each sandwich.
Cook sandwiches, buttered side down, in a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat about 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Spread remaining butter evenly on ungrilled sides; turn and cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 6 sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Fresh Key Lime Salsa

NEED:
4 medium very ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper*, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 medium red onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Juice of 2 Key limes or 1 small lime

In a medium size glass bowl mix together the tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, onion, sugar, and salt and pepper. Combine well. Add the juice; cover and refrigerate for 4-5 hours before serving.

Serve with fresh tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Fruit Shakes

NEED:
1 cup Ice
1 Medium banana
1/2 cup fruit juice
1/2 cup Pineapple or mango cut into small chunks
1/2 cup Quartered strawberries
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
2 cups pitted peeled and coarsely chopped fresh or frozen fruits of your choice
2 cups plain yogurt
3/4 cup Orange juice
4 ice cubes
4 sprigs mint, optional
Combine yogurt, fruit juice and maple syrup in a blender with ice cubes. Process until smooth. Pour into 4 tall glasses.

Enjoy!

KFC Coleslaw

Wow..I have been away a bit. Sorry, the new job is sucking up all my time....Let s get back to the good stuff..or should I say great stuff. Found by my pal Boogie..the KFC Coleslaw Recipe..they make the BEST..so this is a real find.

NEED:
8 cups finely diced cabbage (about 1 head)
1/4 cup diced carrots
2 tablespoons minced onions
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Cabbage and carrots must be finely diced.
(I use fine shredder disc on food processor.) Pour cabbage and carrot mixture into large bowl and stir in minced onions.
Using regular blade on food processor process remaining ingredients until smooth.
Pour over vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly.
Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

Serves 10.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Fruit Skewers

This was sent to me by my cousin. Not in my regular format..but there s not much to it really..I made it last week. WOW! You'll love it..so take a read.

On eight 10-inch skewers, thread chicken, bacon, pineapple and plantains, alternating ingredients. Set skewers on a tray with sides or in a glass baking dish. In small bowl, stir together pineapple juice, lime juice, oregano and garlic cloves. Pour pineapple juice mixture over skewers, turning to coat all sides thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours, turning skewers occasionally. Before cooking chicken, prepare pineapple sauce. Prepare grill. When coals are hot, lift skewers out of marinade and brush lightly with vegetable oil. Grill over medium-hot coals for about 20 minutes, turning often. Stir remaining marinade into sauce. Boil sauce over hot stove, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Serve skewers hot, passing Pineapple Dipping Sauce separately. Pineapple Dipping Sauce: In medium bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1 large onion, minced; 1 10-ounce jar of pineapple fruit spread and remaining marinade. Boil as instructed before serving.

Enjoy!

Spring Pea Soup

NEED:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, lightly crushed
1 1/2 cups sliced leek, white and pale green parts only
3/4 cup diced celery
2 1/4 cups Chicken Stock mixed with 2 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 1/2 cups shelled peas (about 4 1/2 pounds unshelled)
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Sea salt..can use table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Basil Oil, finely sliced fresh chives, or Prosciutto Bits (optional)

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Add the garlic and let it sizzle for about 1 minute, then add the leek and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 8 minutes. Do not let them color. Meanwhile, pour the diluted stock into another saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Add the cream to the vegetable mixture and bring to a simmer. Add the peas and 3 cups of the simmering stock-water mixture and return to a simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the peas are just tender, about 8 minutes. Add the parsley and thyme and simmer for 1 minute longer, then remove from the heat. Transfer in batches to a blender adding more of the stock-water mixture as needed to thin the soup to a pleasing consistency. Strain the soup through a sieve placed over a clean saucepan.

Reheat the soup slowly, but do not let it boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in warmed bowls, garnishing as desired with a drizzle of Basil Oil, or a sprinkling of chives or Prosciutto Bits.

Serves 6

Enjoy!

Sugar Snap Peas with Mint and Lemon

NEED:
1 pound of fresh snap peas, trimmed and strings removed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced ( can use jarred garlic)
1/3 cup loosely packed chopped mint leaves
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice of 1/2 lemon

Fill a bowl with ice and water. Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium/high heat. Add sugar snap peas; cook until bright green and still a little crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and submerge in the ice water, then drain.
Heat oil over medium/high heat. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add peas, mint and lemon ring; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Add salt and lemon juice. Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Pork & Mango Kabobs

This was given to me by Cathy "yo-ma" . Way too good to not share.
NEED:
1 package pork tenderloins

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp sugar

Sea Salt to taste

Pepper, freshly ground, to taste

½ tsp ground coriander

¾ tsp cayenne pepper (or less to taste)

¼ cup olive oil

2 mangoes, seeded, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 medium Vidalia onion, cut into wedges

Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, combine cumin, sugar, salt, pepper, coriander, cayenne pepper, and olive oil. Add meat and toss gently to coat. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours.

Soak twelve 10-inch wooden skewers in water for ½ hour. On wooden skewers, alternately thread meat, mangoes and onions leaving ¼-inch between pieces.

On a grill, place skewers on the rack directly over medium coals. Grill uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes or until meat is slightly pink in center, turning occasionally to brown evenly.

Enjoy!