APRICOT & FIG TAPENADE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (250 mL) dried apricots
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) dried figs, stems removed
• 2 cups (500 mL) water
• 1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) loosely packed fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) pecan halves, toasted
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) honey

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine apricots, figs and water in a microwave safe bowl; microwave, covered, on HIGH 5-–6 minutes or until apricots and figs are softened; drain and set aside. Cut apple into wedges.
2. Combine parsley, pecans and apple wedges in Food Processor ; cover and pump handle until coarsely chopped. Add half of the apricot mixture and honey; process until coarsely chopped. Add remaining apricot mixture; process to desired consistency, removing lid and scraping down sides of bowl as necessary...

Yield:

1. about 2 cups (500 mL)
   16  servings of about 2 tbsp (30 mL)

Whipped Cinnamon Pumpkin Honey Butter

 · 

Whipped Cinnamon Pumpkin Honey Butter

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks Butter( 1 C. or 8 oz.), softened
¾ t. Cinnamon
6 T. Pumpkin Puree
4 T. Honey
1 t. Vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add the cinnamon and 1 T. of the pumpkin puree. Beat until well combined. Continue beating, adding in 1 T. of pumpkin puree every 30 seconds.
3. Add the honey and vanilla and beat until thick and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container.

NOTES

Spread on rolls, muffins, toast, English muffins, etc. Bring to room temperature before using.

Good Pizza Burgers

 Good Pizza Burgers
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
8 slices mozzarella or provolone cheese
Pepperoni Slices
8 Tablespoons jarred marinara sauce
grated parmesan cheese
4 whole Kaiser rolls (or good hamburger buns) ( leave out if Low Carb, use Mushrooms instead )

First combine the ground beef, Italian sausage, and Italian seasoning in a large bowl.
Knead it together and form it into four very large thick patties. I love that you can see the Italian sausage intermingled with the beef. That means this is going to be one great tasting burger as is. But then we’re going to add pepperoni, cheese & marinara! Flavor overload, in a good way.
Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat and cook the burgers on one side for several minutes (about 5) until completely browned, then flip-flip-flip the burgers.
Now for the fun part: Lay 2 slices of the cheese of your choice onto each patty and then top with several slices of pepperoni.
Let the burgers cook until they’re done all the way through and the cheese is nice and melted (about 3-5 minutes). While you’re waiting on the burgers to finish cooking, split the buns and spread with marinara sauce. Also, sprinkle with parmesan cheese if you have some (clearly I forgot this step).
Quick tip – If you don’t want an entire jar of marinara sauce, Whole Foods sells small containers of marinara in their “build your own” pizza refrigerated section.
Place the hamburger patties on the marinara sauced buns and there you have it. A pepperoni pizza burger.
ENJOY!

Like   Comment   

Share

Apple Fritter Cake

Apple Fritter Cake! Love this recipe, it's so easy!

For the batter:
3 cups of flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup of sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
6 small apples cored, peeled and diced

For the topping:
1 cup of butter, softened
1 cup of brown sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon

For the glaze:
2 cups of powdered sugar
5 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Start by mixing all the ingredients for the batter (except the butter) together in a bowl. Once combined, carefully pour in the melted butter. If you do this part with your mixer at a high speed it will splash everywhere. So slow is best. Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 pan, any smaller and it will overflow while baking. Evenly distribute the apples over the top of the batter. In a separate bowl mix together the topping, it will be thick so do your best to drop scoops of it evenly over the apples. Then take a knife and drag it in a swirly motion all over the pan allowing the toping to make friends with the apples and batter below.

Bake at 350 degrees for at least 40 minutes. Depending on how many apples you put in and how juicy they were you may need to increase your time. If the top is getting too brown you can always tent it with foil.

Once baked let sit for 20 minutes and then pour the glaze all over the cake.

Crockpot Cinnamon Almonds

Christmas will be here before you know it!!!

Great holiday gift idea!!!!

CROCKPOT CINNAMON ALMONDS

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp. Cinnamon ( Use My Simply the Best Cinnamon  to make this so extra Special)
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 Egg White
2 tsp. vanilla
3 Cups Almonds
1/4 C. Water

Directions:
In a medium sized bowl, mix together sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In another medium sized bowl, whisk the egg white and vanilla until it’s a little frothy. Add almonds. Make sure the almonds are thoroughly coated in the egg white mixture. Add cinnamon mixture to the almonds and toss until coated.

Thoroughly spray with the stoneware of your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray and add the mixture of almonds and sugars.

Cook on low ( with the lid on) 3-4 hours stirring every 20 minutes. In the last hour, add the 1/4 C. of water and stir well. This ensures a crunchy yummy coating. (*make sure after you've added the water that you continue to cook the nuts for another 45 minutes to an hour.)

You have to stir really well, especially as it gets later in the cooking process.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread the almonds flat to cool. The almonds will be sticky at this point, so make sure you separate them a little and have no large mounds.

Pastitsio Greek Pasta Bake

This meal is sort of like a Greek lasagna in a way because of the layers.  If you’ve never had it, it’s about time you changed that.  It takes a bit of time but is worth every.single.second.  I love a good, creamy bechamel sauce more than maybe anything else in the world.  The pasta just soaks up the sauce while it’s cooking and creates perfection in every bite.  My favorite part of this dish is the warm, comforting spices.  The seasonings in the meat are a party in my mouth.  I never rave about anything I make, but when I do, I really mean it.  Please make this! Thank you.

Pastitsio Greek Pasta Bake

Layers of comfort food are baked to perfection in this Pastitsio (or Greek Pasta Bake) with layers of seasoned ground beef, creamy Bechamel sauce, and pasta. This is one of my very favorite meals!

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef or lamb (or a mixture of both)
• 1 large onion, diced
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup tomato sauce (approx 1 - 8 oz can)
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz can)
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 pound Ziti pasta
• 4 eggs, divided
• 1½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375° and grease/spray a 13x9 baking dish
2. In a large skillet - brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Add in tomato sauce, wine, can of undrained diced tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste - adjust seasoning if desired.
4. While meat is simmering - cook pasta. Do not overcook - pasta should be just shy of al dente.
5. Drain pasta. Return pasta to pot and mix in olive oil, 2 beaten eggs and ½ cup of parmesan cheese.
6. Now start the bechamel/white sauce. In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk until it's a smooth paste. Cook for a minute or two but do not brown.
7. Slowly add in milk and cook for a few minutes, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Season to taste with salt, pepper & a bit of nutmeg.
10. Mix in 2 beaten eggs & remaining 1 cup of Parmesan cheese. This will be a very thick sauce - if it's too thick to work with you can add a bit more milk.
11. Assembly:
12. Spread half of the pasta mixture evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish - make sure bottom is completely covered.
13. Evenly spread the entire meat mixture over bottom pasta layer.
14. Top meat with remaining pasta.
15. Pour the bechamel sauce on top of noodles.
16. With a spoon spread sauce making sure to get edges and corners. Sauce should be nearly to top of casserole dish- you may have a little leftover.
17. Bake for 45 minutes - top will be golden brown. Let rest for 20 minutes before cutting.

Browned Butter Roasted Apples with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Browned Butter Roasted Apples with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds 

Simple and easy to prepare, these Browned Butter Roasted Apples with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds will become a seasonal favorite and the perfect addition to your holiday meals.

Ingredients

• 5 apples, peeled and sliced relatively thick (will cook down), I used Gala - Granny Smith would also work
• 4 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Instructions

1. Brown butter in a skillet or frying pan on medium-low heat until hot enough that the apples sizzle when added.
2. Add half of the sliced apples and bump up the heat to medium-high.
3. Brown apples on both sides until a nice brown, caramel color. Remove from pan and place on a platter.
4. Add more butter if needed and repeat process with the second half of the apples.
5. Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds over the top before serving. This gives a nice crunch to the soft apples and a beautiful presentation. Enjoy!

The Best Italian Wedding Soup

 You don’t have to be Italian to love this easy-to-make soup!  It will be a popular meal with everyone in your family served with hot crusty Italian bread or garlic bread for dunking.  Enjoy!

The Best Italian Wedding Soup

Mini meatballs made of ground beef, pork and veal combined with fresh vegetables to make this delicious Italian soup. Great comfort food for cold nights!

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• ½ Pound ground beef
• ½ Pound ground pork
• 1 small onion, minced
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg
• 3 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Soup:

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil (good quality)
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup minced yellow onion
• 1.5 cups acini de pepe pasta
• 8 oz fresh baby spinach
• 12 Cups chicken stock
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, stir the minced onion, parsley, egg, garlic, salt and bread crumbs together. Add the Parmesan cheese, ground meat and pepper and combine, using your hands or a fork. Using about a heaping teaspoon portion, roll meatballs; this will yield about 40 meatballs. Set aside on a baking sheet. This can be done in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
2. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute until the onion is transparent, about 7 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and meatballs, return to a boil, and cook until the pasta is cooked al dente.
3. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning to your liking with salt and pepper. Add the spinach and simmer for a couple of minutes more, until the spinach is just wilted but still a vibrant green.
4. Ladle into bowls and serve with a little extra grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Avocado Chicken Salad

Avocado Chicken Salad

Healthy, high-protein avocado chicken salad recipe using NO mayonnaise! You can use sandwich bread, a bed of lettuce, pitas, crackers or wraps to go with this easy lunch or weeknight dinner idea.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 1 ripe avocado
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 2 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup plain Greek Yogurt

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes to let all the flavors blend together.
3. Serve on your favorite bread, crackers, pita pocket or on a bed of lettuce.

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounce package chocolate chips {about 2 cups}

Preheat oven to 350º.

In a small bowl stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add the corn syrup, egg and vanilla, beating well.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips . Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes {13-15 minutes for large cookies}, or until lightly browned and almost set. Cool slightly. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Be patient! The cookies will be softer the second day.

Polpette Patate&Zucchine

Polpette Patate&Zucchine

Ingredients
100% organic extra virgin olive oil
6 oz- zucchini diced
6 oz- potatoes boiled
1 egg
3 tbps breadcrumbs
salt
black pepper
Pecorino Romano 

Preparation
In a bowl mash potatoes and zucchini then add egg, salt, pepper, pecorino and breadcrumbs.
Make polpette and fry in plenty of extra virgin olive oil hot.
Serve.

Polpette Melanzane - Eggplants Balls

Polpette Melanzane - Eggplants Balls

Ingredients
100% Organic Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 eggplants boiled
8 oz- ricotta
2 eggs
bread crumbs
parmigiano reggiano
salt
black pepper

Your Favorite Sauce/sugo/Gravy  (Optional)

Preparation
In a bowl put eggplants diced, ricotta, parmigiano, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and beaten eggs then mix.
In the end add breadcrumbs until the mixture is consistent.
Make polpette and fry in plenty of extra virgin olive oil hot.
Serve. 

PHILLY CHEESE STEAK DIP

4.8 from 5 reviews

PHILLY CHEESE STEAK DIP

 

• 1½ cups GRILLED and small chopped thin cut shoulder steak
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced green pepper
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup mayo
• 4 oz. shredded or chopped provolone cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Saute onion and green pepper in olive oil over medium heat. Set aside.
2. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, mayo, provolone, and chopped steak. Stir until well combined. Add sautéed onion and green pepper to bowl and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
3. Serve with chips or toasted baguettes.

Sour-Cream Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Topping:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup cold butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Batter:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

Filling:

• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour and pumpkin pie spice. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans; set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. 
3. Spread half of batter into a greased 4 quart baker or Tube Pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Combine pumpkin, egg, sugar and pumpkin pie spice; drop by tablespoonfuls over streusel and spread evenly. Top with remaining batter. Sprinkle with remaining streusel. 
4. Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.