Avocado Aioli

Great on Burgers, Sandwiches

....or as a dip for french fries

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Use as you would mayonnaise in a variety of dishes.  Works particularly well with burgers, sandwiches, and grilled chicken or fish.

Storage Tip:

Refrigerate leftovers in a tightly sealed container with a freshly sliced piece of onion to prevent browning.

Ginger Macaroons

Gingery Coco-nutty Goodness

Ingredients:

14 oz sweetened shredded coconut 
5 egg whites
1 Tablespoon Gourmet Garden Ginger
   (or finely minced fresh ginger)
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.  Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Mix together coconut, egg whites, and ginger, stirring well.  Using a 2 inch scoop, scoop coconut mixture into firmly packed balls.  Place balls 1 inch apart on baking sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes until coconut is lightly browned.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Melt chocolate in the microwave at 50% power.  Drizzle over cooled macaroons or dip bottom of macaroon in chocolate.

Tip:  For finer textured cookies, place shredded coconut in food processor and pulse several times until coconut is a minced consistency.

Serves 9

Lemon Grass Pot DeCreme

Light And Creamy

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
2 Tablespoons cold water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon Gourmet Garden Ginger
2 Tablespoons Gourmet Garden Lemon Grass
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup agave nectar or simple syrup
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
Lime zest to taste



Directions:

Mix powdered gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and set aside to bloom.

In a medium pot, warm milk, ginger, lemon grass, and vanilla.  When milk starts to bubble around the edges, quickly whisk in the bloomed gelatin.  Do not allow mixture to boil.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together agave nectar, buttermilk, yogurt, and lime juice.  Once the milk mixture has cooled slightly, add it to the mixing bowl. whisking well to combine.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth.  Divide mixture into 8 4 oz ramekins or wine/martini glasses.  Top with lime zest.

Place ramekins in refrigerator to chill for at least 3 to 4 hours or overnight.

Serves 8

Chicken Hash

Great Way To Use Leftover Chicken

Good For Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner

Ingredients:

Pam or other cooking spray

1 small red onion, diced

2 cloves minced garlic

1 bell pepper, red or green, julienned

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced - if desired

1 Tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

12 to 16 ounces small red potatoes, diced small (do not peel)

2 to 3 cooked boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced or shredded

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 small Roma tomato, diced for garnish

1/4 cup queso fresco, or other soft cheese, for garnish

Directions:

Liberally spray saute pan with Pam or other cooking spray.  Saute onions, garlic, and peppers until soft and onions are translucent.  Remove from pan.  Coat pan with 1 Tablespoon oil and return to heat.  Add potatoes and fry until a golden crust forms.  Return onion and pepper mixture to pan and add chicken.  sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Press mixture together as it cooks and form it into a 1/2 inch thick cake.  Flip over to brown both sides.

Top with diced tomatoes and cheese and serve warm.  

Also delicious topped with an egg cooked over-easy.

Serves 2  

Easy Pasta Alfredo

Rich And Creamy!

Ingredients:

6 ounces fresh fettuccine or pasta of your choice
 OR 4 ounces dried pasta
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons lemon juice 
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch (or 2 - to taste) white pepper
Sea salt to taste

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain

Stir cream and lemon juice in a skillet to blend.  Add butter and cook over medium heat about 3 minutes until the butter melts, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.

Add the pasta to the cream mixture and toss to coat.  Add Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and nutmeg and toss.  Return the skillet to very low heat and stir continuously until the cheese is incorporated and the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Additions:

Great on its own or stir in chopped cooked chicken, baby shrimp, lightly steamed vegetables, or leftover meat/veggies to round out this dish!

Serves 2

Cake In A Cup

A Quick And Easy Treat!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Cake In A Cup mix*
3 Tablespoons water
Cool Whip, chocolate sauce, or other desired topping.

Directions:

Spray a heavy mug with Pam or another cooking spray.  Put 1/3 cup of mix into cup.  Add water and mix well.  Microwave for 1 minute.

May be topped with Cool Whip, chocolate sauce, fruit, or any other topping or eaten plain.

Enjoy!

*Cake In A Cup Mix

1 box (Duncan Hines or other brand) Angel Food cake mix

1 box (same brand) any flavor cake mix

Thoroughly mix the 2 cake mixes together in a gallon size zip-loc bag.  Used as instructed above. Store remainder for future use.

Serves 1 

Copy Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. imitation crab meat (copy crab)
2 T mayonnaise
2 T bread Crumbs, dry, grated, plain
1 t Worcestershire sauce
2 T lemon juice
1 egg
1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil cooking spray 

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Chop or shred crab to the  desired texture and mix in bread crumbs.  In a separate bowl, whisk together Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, mayonnaise and egg.  Pour over crab and breadcrumbs and mix well.  With your hands, form mixture into balls and then flatten.

Place the "crab" cakes on a cookie sheet sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.   Broil until just beginning to brown, about 15-20 minutes (turn half way through).

Sprinkle immediately after removal from broiler with Parmesan cheese to taste. Allow the cheese to melt well before serving.

Substitutions:

Fresh or frozen crab meat may be substituted for a delicious treat.  This recipe also works well with lightly cooked chopped shrimp or fish.   

Serves 4

Ziplock Omelet

Ingredients:

2 Large Eggs

2 Tbsp (or 1/8 Cup) milk

1/8 cup chopped green pepper

1/8 cup sliced mushrooms

1/8 cup chopped tomato

1/2 oz diced cheese - cheddar or jack works well

Salt, pepper, or dried herbs to taste

Directions:

Fill medium sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Beat eggs and milk in bowl. Add cheese and veggies and mix well. Season to taste with salt, pepper, or herbs.  Pour mixture into ziplock sandwhich bag and seal. Place bag in boiling water and cook for about 13 minutes or until eggs are cooked through. 

Use up leftover vegetables, meats, or cheeses by adding to egg mixture before cooking.  Top with additional cheese, salsa, or veggies and serve.

Serves 1

Faux Auntie Anne's Pretzels

Quick And Easy Buttery Hot Pretzels!

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Simply Crusty French bread dough
2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
2 Tablespoons baking soda
Sea salt or Kosher salt to taste
Pinch of sugar
4 Tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut dough into 6 to 8 pieces.  Roll each piece into a long rope.  Twist each rope into a classic pretzel shape.

Mix 2 cups water, 2 t sugar, and 2 T baking soda together in a shallow dish.  Dip each pretzel in the baking soda solution.  Sprinkle each pretzel with sea salt.

Place pretzels on parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake in 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.  Mix pinch of sugar into melted butter and brush each baked pretzel liberally with melted butter.  Serve warm.

Rice Porridge for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner

Comfort food

Rice Porridge (aka Congee or Jook)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice
6 cups water
salt

Directions:

1.  Place rice and water in a deep pot (It boils over easily).
2.  Bring to boil and simmer covered until it thickens, approximately 2 hours.
3.  Season with salt and add toppings as desired

Alternately, add water to cooked rice in a pot and simmer until the rice breaks down into porridge.  Watch pot and add more water to maintain desired consistency and prevent sticking/burning.

Toppings

• Honey or some sugar with milk

• Cooked chicken, grated ginger, soy sauce

• Cooked beef, scallion, soy sauce, sugar

• Add a beaten egg to hot congee

• Soft boiled or poached egg.

• Cooked mushrooms

This link is to a savory recipe from Mark Bittman.  Jook - Rice Porridge

Giada De Lorentiis' Spicy Tomato Soup

Quick and Easy!

Ingredients:

• 
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (26 oz) jar marinara sauce  
•   (recommended: San Marzano)
• 2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
• 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans,
•   drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the jar of marinara sauce, chicken broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

SERVINGS: 4 - 6

Guacamole

Simple and Good!

Ingredients:

2 to 3 Haas avocados
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 bunch cilantro, chopped or 
  2 Tablespoons prepared cilantro
1 to 2 minced jalapenos (to taste)
1 diced tomato
splash lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Cut avocados in half.  Remove pit and scoop out flesh.  Mash avocados with chopped onion, cilantro, and jalapenos.  Stir in tomato, lime juice and salt.  Serve with tortilla chips. 

Candied Bacon

Decadent!!

Ingredients:

1 lb. good quality bacon, sliced

¼ c. brown sugar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

½ tsp. Kosher salt

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a large bowl, add the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, Kosher salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.  Add uncooked bacon to and toss gently with your hands. Make sure that all of the slices are evenly coated.
Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes. The bacon will be a bit brown, but will most likely need to bake for another 10-15 minutes. It should look slightly dark (not burnt) and crispy. If you take it out too soon, the texture will be chewy. Be patient!
Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the rack. Don’t let them sit too long or else they will stick.  Once cool enough to handle, you can break the bacon into pieces or leave them whole.  Serve at room temperature.


Wrap a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a wire rack.

Place the bacon in a single layer onto the wire rack.