Spaghettini with Spinach, Garlic and Lemon

Ingredients
1 lb spaghettini, angel hair or spaghetti pasta

6 tablespoons olive oil
8 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
10 oz bag of baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste

preparation
In a skillet heat, 6 tablespoons olive oil over medium low heat. Add garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes to gently cook the garlic.  Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta well and transfer to a large bowl. Immediately add spinach and garlic lemon oil and toss everything together. Mound the pasta on a large platter and serve.

RECIPE MUFFALATTA OLIVE SALAD SANDWICH

Ingredients

Salad:

4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 c. chopped green stuffed olives
1 c. chopped oil cured black olives, (pitted)
4-5 pepperoncini, 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
1/3 c. Prosciutto or Capicola ham, thinly sliced

 preparation

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.

Variations: Thinly sliced pancetta may be sautéed and used in addition to other cold cuts.

A unique muffalatta-like calzone can be made by using home-made bread dough . Add 1 tablespoon crushed fennel seeds and 1/2 teaspoon each oregano, basil, and rosemary to the dough.

When preparing the salad, use 1/2 cup less olive oil.

Roll out to a 14x9 inch rectangle, brush with olive oil, layer on the salad and cold cut ingredients, sprinkle with fresh mozzarella and chunks of ricotta cheese, roll up and pinch closed. Allow dough to rise until nearly doubled and bake until golden. Don't forget to cut a vent hole in the dough to allow steam to escape.

This recipe is a nice take-along for picnics and Summer day trips.

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles

Ingredients

400ml tin of coconut milk (use low fat if you prefer)

2 tbsp red curry paste

3 tbsp peanut butter (can be smooth or crunchy – whatever you have/like)

300ml vegetable or chicken stock

3 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce for a vegetarian version)

1 tbsp light brown sugar

3 lime leaves, ripped in half (optional)

2-3 tsp Sriracha sauce (or other similar chilli sauce)

1 lime, plus wedges to serve

1- 2 red chillies, finely chopped (de-seeded for less heat)

350g/ 12oz medium rice noodles

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

150g/ 5oz broccolini (Sprouting Broccoli), stalks chopped into inch pieces and any large florets halved

150g/ 5oz sugar snap peas, cut in half on the diagonal

2 fat spring onions, finely sliced

150g/ 5oz beansprouts

55g/ 2 oz unsalted peanuts, toasted in a dry frying pan and roughly chopped

Small handful of fresh coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped

 

preparation

Heat a large frying pan or wok then add the coconut milk. Mix well to make sure there are no lumps if it has separated at all then gently bring to the boil. Simmer for a few minutes then add the red curry paste and peanut butter and mix well before then adding the stock, fish sauce, sugar, lime leaves, Sriracha, the juice of half the lime and one of the chillies. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.

While the sauce is reducing put the noodles into a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 5-7 minutes to soften then drain and rinse with cold water to stop them cooking further and from sticking together, then set aside. (If they are still a little on the crunchy side don't worry – they will finish cooking in the sauce.)

Taste to check the sauce then adjust the seasoning if needed (more fish sauce if you need more salt, more lime, sugar, spice etc) until you have the perfect balance. Add the sliced red pepper, broccolini, and sugar snap peas to the pan and stir well through the sauce. Cook for a minute or 2, uncovered, until tender-crisp, then add most of the spring onions and bean sprouts (reserving some for garnish), the drained noodles, three-quarters of the coriander and the peanuts. Toss everything well together so it is all coated in the sauce and piping hot then divide between 4 bowls. Finish with the remaining beansprouts then sprinkle over the spring onions, coriander, chopped peanuts and if you like the extra chilli and serve at once with a wedge of lime, chop sticks and a cold beer!

 

RECIPE HOT ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES

Ingredients

1 lb. thinly sliced roast beef
1 can beef broth
1 whole onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons Wondra flour
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

 preparation

In a medium saucepan, bring beef broth to a boil. Add onion and garlic powder, ketchup, minced garlic and sliced onion.

When broth comes to a rolling boil, drop in the separated sliced roast beef and remove immediately from heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove roast beef from broth after 2-3 minutes. Return broth to stove on high setting and sprinkle Wondra flour over surface, stirring briskly to avoid lumps.

Simmer over medium heat 5 minutes. At the last minute, drain the sliced mushrooms and add. Pour over roast beef on white bread or buttered and toasted buns or bulkie rolls. Top with a thin slices of tomato or a few lettuce leaves , if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve.

 

RECIPE CHICKEN SALSA SANDWICH GRILL

Ingredients 

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup salsa
3 whole garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 hamburger buns
4 large lettuce leaves
seasoned salt
pepper
a few drops fresh lemon juice (optional)

preparation

In a skillet, saute chicken with garlic cloves for 5-7 minutes on each side until chicken is white and opaque or until done (165°F). Turn garlic cloves until both sides achieve a roasted appearance, then crush them into the oil using a fork. Remove if the cloves begin to brown, as this will make the oil bitter.

Meanwhile, brush hamburger buns lightly with a few drops of olive oil (or melted butter if preferred) and broil or toast until lightly golden on the inside.

Remove skillet from heat. Slice each chicken breast into 3 or 4 pieces and divide evenly onto toasted buns. Sprinkle lightly with seasoned salt and pepper, and a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice, if desired.

Top with salsa and shredded cheese; run under broiler just until cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.

Variation: This can be prepared on the outdoor grill. Marinate chicken breasts in olive oil into which the garlic cloves have been pressed for 30 minutes before grilling chicken over hot coals.

Makes 4 Servings.

 

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Ingredients

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla


While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Mini Cheese Balls: Sun Dried Tomato and Pistachio or Pecan with Bacon

Ingredients

Base:
12 oz of reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 c shredded monterrey jack cheese
1 c parmesan cheese
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp parsley flakes
3 oz goat cheese

Sun Dried Tomato with Pistachios
4 tbsp chopped sun-dried-tomatoes (the ones packed in oil)
1 c pistachios (divided)

Bacon with Pecans
1/2 c chopped bacon (not bits, use freshly made)
1 c chopped pecans (divided)
1/2 tsp finely diced green onions

In a large mixing bowl whip together all of the base ingredients with either a stand or hand mixer (you could also use a cheddar or gouda if you prefer a different cheese than monterry jack).  Mix well for at least 2 minutes to combine the ingredients.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.  Remove half of the mixture into a separate bowl.  Add your mix-ins and flavors and mix well to combine (only 1/2 the nuts for each flavor.  Reserve the remaining nuts).  Remove the mixture to a small bowl and chill for at least 30 minutes to an hour.  Repeat this process with the second half of the base and the additional mix-ins.

Put the remaining nuts (keeping them separate) into a food processor and finely chop them.  Pour each into a separate dish.  After the mixtures have chilled, remove from the fridge and scoop out of the bowl using a medium size cookie scooper (you can also use a tablespoon if you don’t have a cookie scooper).  Then roll each scoop  in the chopped nuts, coating each cheese ball in the nuts that correspond with their recipe.  Chill the formed cheese balls in the fridge for another 30 minutes then serve with crackers or vegetables