Pumpkins filled with Bacon, Mushrooms and Shallots

2 small pumpkins
4 slices bacon, chopped
½ lb. crimini mushrooms, chopped
4 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
½ tsp. paprika

Cut the top 1/3 off each pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds. Place tops and bottoms cut side down on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. While the pumpkins bake, sauté the bacon and shallots in butter for 10 minutes, until bacon starts to crisp. Add mushrooms, paprika and sauté 5 minutes longer. When pumpkins are ready, fill with the bacon mixture, including all the butter. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, just to heat through. Remove and serve with the tops.

Baked Pork and Napa Cabbage Egg Rolls

1 lb. lean ground pork
1-2 tsp. vegetable oil
1½ cups shredded carrots
1 cup diced yellow onion
6 cups shredded Napa cabbage*
1 clove minced garlic
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. corn starch
12 egg roll wrappers
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400º F. In a large pan (I prefer cast iron), over medium high heat, brown 1 lb of lean ground pork by breaking it apart into small pieces as it cooks. Add a little vegetable oil to the pan as needed to prevent sticking, depending on how lean the meat is. Once cooked through, transfer to a covered dish for keeping while the vegetables cook. Prep the vegetables while the meat is cooking to save time.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onions and shredded carrots to the pan the pork was cooked in. Cook for 3 minutes. Add a little oil as needed to prevent sticking. Add 6 cups of shredded cabbage to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the cabbage is wilted. While the cabbage is cooking, whisk together the minced garlic, ground ginger, soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce and corn starch in a small bowl. Once the cabbage is wilted add it to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until all of the liquid is absorbed, and then remove the pan from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool for 10-15 minutes before filling the egg rolls.

To fill the egg rolls add 1/4 C of filling to the center of the roll, fold in one corner, lightly wet it by dipping your finger in water, and fold over a second and a third corner. Lightly wet the folded corners again, and then roll the egg roll towards the fourth corner to form a roll. Place each spring roll on a lightly greased baking sheet and lightly brush each one with vegetable oil. Bake in a 400º F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Best served immediately.

*When cutting your cabbage, discard the white heart of the leaf and just use the green, leafy part.

Roasted Tomato Soup

5 large tomatoes, cut into ¾” slices
1 yellow onion, cut into ½” slices
½ jalapeno, cut in half lengthwise, seeded
2 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 4 pieces
Olive oil
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange all vegetables on baking sheet. Drizzle all over with olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes.

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour into a pot and heat to serve. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.

Zuppa Tuscana

Who knew that making something so satisfying could be so easy?!

1 lb. sausage
4 cups half-and-half
3 cups cubed potatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. pepper
2 cups torn kale leaves

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Crumble sausage into pot and cook until browned; discard excess oil. Stir half-and-half, potatoes, chicken broth, milk, onion, oregano, and red pepper flakes into sausage, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with black pepper; stir kale into soup. Simmer until kale is tender, 10 to 15 more minutes.

Mixed Berry Compote

Not quite a jam, not yet a jelly. Mixed Berry Compote is a fruit topping made from ripe summer berries that can be used on any number of sweet treats, from ice cream to waffles. Slow-simmer your favorite summer berries in a simple syrup – with just a touch of citrus – until you have a gorgeous whole fruit sauce. Serve warm or can for storage.

1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped
½ pint blueberries
½ pint blackberries
½ pint raspberries
¼ cup sugar or 2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 lemon peel (optional, but helps with thickening)

Combine the berries, sweetener, water, vanilla extract and lemon peel in a large sauce pot. Stir to combine. Heat over a high flame until the liquid begins to bubble; reduce to medium/medium-low heat to maintain a steady simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12-14 minutes, or until the berries soften then fall apart and the compote thickens.

Funnel into prepared jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes. When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. Once the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.

Garlic Sautéed Okra with Tomatoes

Okra’s delicate grassy flavor is highlighted by this simple cooking method. By cooking the pods whole, quickly, and without liquid, you avoid the factors that make it slimy. You can enjoy its fabulous flavor, enhanced by a touch of garlic, without any of the odd texture that keeps many away from this delicious and nutritious vegetable. Tomatoes have acit in them that keeps the slime in check.

1 lb. okra
2 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt, to taste

Rinse the trimmed pods, carefully pat them dry, and slice into bite-size pieces. Extra water in the cooking process can lead to the slick factor this recipe is designed to avoid, so the dryer the better.

Peel the garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise, and slice it crosswise as thinly as possible.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oil, swirl the pan to coat the bottom with the oil, and heat until the oil shimmers, about 30 seconds. Add the garlic and let it sizzle until it just starts to turn golden, about 1 minute.

Add the okra, stir to coat it with oil, and combine it with the garlic. Cover and cook, shaking the pan frequently to move the okra pods around inside until the okra is starting to brown on the edges and is tender to the bite, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sliced cherry tomatoes, and sauté and additional 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with a little salt and enjoy.
Here are a few suggested additions and substitutions:
Use a green onion cut into short lengths and then slivers instead of garlic for a gentler flavor.
Drizzle on a teaspoon of soy sauce or tamari instead of using salt.
Add a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger alongside the garlic for a flavorful kick.
Add fresh crunchy vegetables from the garden, such as sweet peppers and onions, for a nice textural contrast.
Sprinkle on some freshly chopped mint before serving. The sweetness of mint is a particularly good match for the grassiness of okra.
Add a simple spritz of fresh lemon juice before serving for a lovely brightness.

Orange Cauliflower

1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small green pepper, seeded and diced
3 green onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup flour
4 Tbsp. corn starch, divided
1/4 -1/2 cup water
1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
3/4 cup chicken broth (vegetable or chicken)
1/2 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed is best)
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 – 2 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400, and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Mist with a nonfat cooking spray. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, a bit of salt & pepper, and enough water to make a thick batter. It should be thick enough to evenly coat the florets, and not thin enough that it runs off entirely. Dip each floret into the batter, gently shake off the excess, then place onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in oven, and bake until golden brown, and tender, about 15-20 minutes. The crust should be slightly crisped. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, orange juice, zest, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and Sriracha sauce. Prepare a cornstarch mixture with remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Heat sesame oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add in red and green peppers, and sauté until slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Add in garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute. Pour in the broth and orange juice mixture, and bring to a boil. Then, turn to medium-low heat, and slowly pour in the prepared cornstarch/water mixture, constantly stirring until sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the cooked peppers and cauliflower, and mix well. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve.

Roasted Corn and Poblano Chowder

3 poblano peppers, stemmed, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
6 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from cobs
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
7 cups chicken broth
1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch dice
¼ cup half and half
1 Tbsp. minced cilantro
1 Tbsp. lime juice

Adjust the oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element in your oven. Line a cookie sheet with foil, rub poblano peppers with oil and place skin side up on your cookie sheet. Broil for 10 to 15 minutes until the skin of the peppers have blistered and browned, turning with tongs from time to time. Remove the peppers to a bowl immediately and cover with plastic wrap to steam the skins for easy removal.

Place the corn kernels on the same pan you used for the peppers and season with a teaspoon of salt and add 1 teaspoon of oil, stirring the corn. Broil them for 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time and until the corn is browned and tender.

Remove the skins from the poblano peppers and chop the peppers.

In a large stock pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve for serving. Add onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt to the bacon drippings. Cook the onion, stirring frequently until the onion is tender and browned. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Drain any excess bacon drippings.

Add chicken broth, potatoes, corn kernels, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir the soup, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer just under a boil for 20 minutes. Test the potatoes to see if they are done – cook longer if necessary. Off heat, add half and half. Scoop out about 2 cups of soup to a large measuring cup along with the 2 corn tortillas that you have cut up; use your immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. (Use a blender if you do not have an immersion blender). Return the puree to the soup and add the chopped poblano peppers to the chowder. Bring to a slight boil. Add minced cilantro, lime juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt if necessary.

Serve with crisp bacon bits, additional cilantro, lemon wedges, sour cream and grated queso fresco if desired

Honey Balsamic Asparagus

Elevate asparagus with an easy, tangy honey-balsamic glaze that brings out the sweetness in the spears.

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. asparagus, woody ends removed
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the asparagus on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and minced garlic. Whisk the balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl. Roast the asparagus on the middle rack of the oven until it is crisp-tender and slightly charred, 15-20 minutes. Check to see that the asparagus is done. Remove from the oven or add time as needed. Drizzle the honey-balsamic mixture over the asparagus spears. Serve immediately.

Honey Garlic Salmon

Salmon with honey garlic sauce garlicky, sweet and sticky with simple ingredients. Takes only 15 minutes to make this beautiful dinner!

2-4 salmon fillet strips
Salt
Pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. warm water
1½ tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ lemon, sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Season the surface of the salmon with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

Mix the honey, water, lemon juice and a pinch of salt together. Stir to combine well.

Heat up an oven-safe skillet (cast-iron skillet preferred) on high heat. Add the olive oil. Pan-fry the salmon, skin side down first, for about 1 minute. Turn the salmon over and cook for 1 minute. Turn it over again so the skin side is at the bottom.

Add the garlic into the pan, sauté until slightly browned. Add the honey mixture and lemon wedges into the skillet, reduce the sauce until it’s sticky. Finish it off by broiling the salmon in the oven for 1 minute or until the surface becomes slightly charred. Top the salmon with parsley and serve immediately.

Vegetable Stir Fry

The best easy stir fry vegetables recipe. Make delicious takeout style vegetables in your own kitchen!

2 cups cooked rice
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
½ yellow onion, cut in thin half-moons
½ lb. bok choy, roughly chopped
4 medium carrots, sliced on the diagonal
1 bunch green onions, cut in 1-inch pieces, diagonally
2 cups snow peas (cut off any tough ends)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
Sesame seeds for garnish

Sauce ingredients:
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. honey
2-3 Tbsp. water, if needed

Cook 4 servings of your favorite rice per package instructions. Place all sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Adjust each of the ingredients to your taste. Chop all vegetables before cooking begins. In a non-stick wok or large skillet, bring sauce to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high, add carrots and boil about 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms and mix until thoroughly coated with sauce. Cover and let cook for 2 minutes. Stir in snow peas and red pepper. Cover and let cook 2 minutes. Stir in onions. Cover and let cook 1 minute. Stir in bok choy, cover and let cook until bok choy is wilted, about 1 minute. Adjust sauce flavors if needed. Place rice on serving dish, add vegetables and spoon extra sauce over the top. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Shrimp and Fennel Pasta with Asparagus Pesto

A fresh spring pasta dish topped with asparagus pesto, shrimp, fennel, walnuts and parmesan.

Pesto:
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup walnuts or pine nuts
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2-4 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice from ½ lemon
Pepper

Pasta:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 large fennel bulbs, cored and sliced thin, fronds reserved
1 lb. prawns, shelled and deveined
2 lbs. fettuccine
Salt and pepper

Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil. Add asparagus pieces and cook for 8-10 minutes, until asparagus is tender but still a bright green color. Drain well and let cool. Add asparagus, garlic, nuts, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and lemon juice to a food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. If the mixture feels too thick, add additional olive oil. Sprinkle with pepper, taste, and adjust seasoning, adding more cheese or lemon juice as needed.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil for pasta. Meanwhile in a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add red onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add fennel and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until fennel has softened and begins to brown. Add shrimp and cook until pink, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain liquid and run under cold water, then toss pasta with pesto, tossing to coat. Serve pasta with fennel and shrimp mixture on top, sprinkled with some freshly ground black pepper and fennel fronds

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage

This tender, fall-apart corned beef will make your St. Patrick’s Day dinner one to remember. Serve it with cabbage, potatoes and carrots to make complete the meal.

Corned beef often comes with a spice packet. For this version, discard the packaged spices, and instead make my own blend for a more flavorful, satisfying brisket.

1 flat-cut corned beef brisket (approx. 4 lbs.)
¼ tsp. mustard seed
¼ tsp. coriander seed
1/8 tsp. whole cloves
1/8 tsp. whole peppercorns
2-3 bay leaves
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
6 Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
1 head cabbage, outer leaves removed and cut into 6 wedges
12 slender carrots, peeled and left whole
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Dijon or grainy mustard (for serving)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot, place the brisket, mustard seed, coriander seed, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and onion quarters. Add enough cold water to just cover the meat. Over medium heat on the stovetop, bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 3 1/2 hours, or until the beef is very tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the meat from the broth with tongs and transfer it to a shallow baking dish or baking sheet.

Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Place the corned beef in the oven with a ladle of stock, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top browns. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, cover with foil to keep warm, and let rest while you cook the vegetables. Turn off the oven.

In a fine mesh strainer, strain the stock and return it to the pot. Add the salt. With a ladle, skim the fat that rises to the top. Bring it to a boil. Add the potatoes and adjust the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage wedges and carrots, cover and bring to a simmer again. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage are tender. Transfer them to a deep platter, cover with foil, and keep them warm in the turned-off oven.

Roasted Salmon with Potatoes and Mushrooms

Sheet pan dinners are a weeknight dinner life saver. This fuss-free, flavorful recipe starts with new potatoes with crimini mushrooms that have been tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper. You’ll roast these veggies first so they can start browning and tenderizing before you add your salmon fillet. The dish really comes together at the end when you’ll add a drizzle of homemade honey mustard sauce and fresh parsley. Prep only takes about 20 minutes, and if you preheat your pan while you wash and slice the mushrooms and potatoes, you’ll save even more time (and get better results).

1 lb. Yukon Gold creamers, halved
½ lb. crimini mushrooms, halved
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 1¼ lb. salmon fillet
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
1 tsp. hooney
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Heat oven to 400°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, mushrooms, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until the potatoes begin to soften, about 20 minutes. Push the vegetables to the edges of the pan and place the salmon in the center. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast until the salmon is opaque throughout, the mushrooms are tender, and the potatoes are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey, and parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salmon and vegetables before serving.

Potato Soup

The Best Potato Soup…a thick , creamy, hearty soup that’s absolutely delicious!

1 large onion, diced
½ cup thinly sliced carrots
1 lb. bacon, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken broth
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. fresh tarragon leaves
1/3 cup kale, stems removed and chopped fine
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the bacon in a dutch oven until done. Remove the bacon, drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease. Cook celery, carrot and onion in the 1/4 cup bacon grease until soft. Stir in the minced garlic, cook for 1 minute more. Add cubed potatoes, toss to coat. Sauté the potatoes 3 or 4 minutes. Place the fried bacon back in the pan. Add enough chicken broth to the pan to cover the potatoes, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. In a heavy duty sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat, whisk in the flour, cook and whisk the mixture for 2 minutes to remove the flour taste. While still whisking add the cream in a slow stream to the flour mixture. Cook and whisk until mixture thickens, add the Tarragon and Kale to the pot. Stir the cream mixture into the potato mixture. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Grilled Portabella and Asparagus Fajitas

Grilled Portobella Mushroom Asparagus Fajitas are fajita-spiced veggies grilled to perfection. Serve with homemade guacamole for a healthy, vegetarian 30 minute meal!

1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
½ tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large portabella mushrooms, stemmed, gills removed, ½” slices
1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
Soft taco tortillas
2 avocados, diced
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 jalapeno, sliced
Cilantro, rough chopped

Preheat the grill to medium. Toss the vegetables with taco seasoning, olive oil and salt until coated. Place the vegetables on the preheated grill and cook for 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and the vegetables are crisp-tender, turning halfway during cooking time. Remove from heat. Serve with warm tortillas, avocado, lime wedges, jalapeno, and cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!

Pan Roasted Wild Alaskan Halibut with Asparagus Risotto

Spring has sprung, wild Alaskan halibut is here, and after a long winter, fresh asparagus has found its way into your Market Bags, which means it’s the perfect season to make this dish. It’s an excellent representation of the season and it’s super easy to make.

Wild Alaskan halibut is top quality and really easy to work with. Just sear it for a few minutes on each side and you’re good to go!

4 4-6oz halibut fillets
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
½ lb. asparagus, diced
1 shallot, diced
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Add two tablespoons of butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add in the shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they’re soft and translucent. Add the rice to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute stirring continuously or until the rice is fully coated with butter and the shallots are well incorporated. Add the white wine and cook while continuously stirring until the wine has been fully absorbed by the rice. Start adding in your stock a 1/2 cup at a time. As soon as the rice absorbs most of the stock add in more and repeat until the rice is fully cooked and tender. Add the asparagus to the rice when the rice is about halfway cooked. Once the rice is fully cooked, stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Pat your fish fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. In another skillet over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons of butter. Once fully melted and frothy, add the fish fillets and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the fish and repeat on the other side.

Serve the fish with the risotto and maybe a nice glass of any leftover white wine!

Garlic Butter Sautéed Asparagus

Easy and healthy asparagus recipe that takes only 10 minutes from prep to dinner table. Quick, fresh and delicious!

1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed
2 Tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Heat a skillet on medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté the garlic until slightly browned before adding the asparagus. Toss with a spatula to combine well with the garlic. Add salt and pepper, drizzle with lemon juice to steam the asparagus. Once the asparagus becomes tender and just cooked, remove from heat and serve immediately. DO NOT overcook the asparagus!

30 Minute Vegetarian Asparagus Soup

This rich, velvety soup has all the creaminess with NONE of the guilt! Yukon gold potatoes gives this soup the creamiest texture but there’s no cream! On your table in about 30 minutes it’s a great meal!

2 lbs. asparagus, woody ends trimmed off
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, shopped into 1/2-inch pieces
½ yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup shredded Parmesan
4 cups vegetable broth
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay asparagus spears on a cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in preheated oven for 15 minutes, stirring once during roasting. Remove from oven, allow to cool. When cool, cut into 1-inch pieces, reserving some tops for garnish. In a large stockpot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil before adding potatoes, onions, and celery. Season with salt, pepper and pepper flakes. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the vegetable stock, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; add in the roasted asparagus. Using a submersion blender, blend the soup until it is creamy. Add the shredded Parmesan and blend until the consistency is to your liking. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add roasted asparagus tops to the soup when serving

Grilled Artichokes

2 large artichokes
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lemon, sliced for garnish
Bring a large pot of water to a steady boil. As water is heating, use a sharp knife to slice both artichokes in half length-wise. Once water is boiling, places artichoke halves in water and allow to cook for 15 mins or until artichokes are slightly tender. Use tongs to remove artichokes. Drain excess water and set aside. Heat a large grill pan on low with olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Cook for about a minute. Add wine, salt and pepper. As soon as wine begins to heat, less than a minute, add the four artichoke halves flat-side down onto hot grill pan with shallots and garlic beneath them. Turn heat up to medium and allow artichokes to grill for about five minutes or until the bottoms have grill marks. Pour lemon juice over tops of artichokes and allow to cook one more minute. Remove from heat and serve with browned shallots, garlic and lemon wedges.

Roman Style Artichokes

Artichokes are bathed in olive oil, white wine, red pepper flakes, garlic and fresh herbs and braised until tender in this classic Roman dish.

1 lemon
6 artichokes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for sprinkling
2 tablespoons minced garlic (from about 5 cloves)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve lemon and squeeze juice into a large bowl of cold water; add squeezed lemon halves to bowl. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, peel tough outer leaves and trim 1 inch from top. Trim fibrous green skin from heart and stem. Halve each artichoke lengthwise, scrape fuzzy choke from heart with a spoon, and transfer to lemon water.

Drain artichokes and place, cut side up, in a wide, shallow ovenproof pot. Pour wine, oil, and water over artichokes and sprinkle with salt, red-pepper flakes, garlic, and herbs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, transfer to oven, and braise until artichokes are tender, about 45 minutes. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with red-pepper flakes, and serve with pan juices

Stuffed Artichokes

This Ultimate Stuffed Artichoke Recipe is out of this world. Serve it for a scrumptious vegetarian first or main course. It’s great for sharing too, and is one of my favorite artichoke recipes ever!

2 large artichokes
¼ cup lemon juice, divided
4 cups vegetable broth
½ cup bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 clove garlic, pressed
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 carrots, finely grated
2 large Swiss chard leaves, chopped
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
¼ cup feta cheese

Trim the top 1 inch off each artichoke. Place two tablespoons lemon juice into a small bowl and dip cut top of each artichoke into the juice. Bring vegetable stock, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and pressed clove of garlic to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and place artichokes top down into boiling liquid. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until a knife can be easily inserted into the bottom of each artichoke. Remove from liquid, drain and allow to cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While artichokes are cooling, place bread crumbs, onion and minced garlic into a glass bowl (with a lid). Add 1 cup of the boiling broth (that the artichokes were cooked in) and stir. Cover bowl and allow to sit for 30 minutes, until broth has been absorbed. Stir in carrots, chard, parsley, salt, pepper olive oil and feta.

Once the artichokes have cooled, separate leaves from center. Use a paring knife to remove the inner choke (fuzzy red-tipped leaves). Spoon half of the breadcrumb mixture into the center of each artichoke. Place artichokes face-up into a baking dish and spoon 2 tablespoons broth liquid onto each artichoke. Spoon 1/2 cup additional broth into the bottom of the dish. Bake for 15 minutes.

Sockeye Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce

This Sockeye Salmon recipe should be your weeknight thing! Sockeye Salmon is a rich flavored salmon that shines here with the lemon butter sauce.

Salmon:
4 sockeye salmon fillets, skin on
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. butter

Lemon Butter Sauce:
3 Tbsp. butter
½ tsp. flour
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves (you can also use fresh dill instead of thyme)
½ tsp. lemon zest
¼ cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 lemon, sliced

Pat dry your sockeye salmon fillets. Season the salmon with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Melt the garlic butter or regular butter in a skillet. Sear the salmon on both sides until golden and the salmon forms a crust. Remove the salmon from the skillet and use the same skillet without washing to make the sauce. Add in more butter to the skillet and flour. Whisk until smooth and thickened, at that point add in the lemon juice, thyme, zest and thin it out with chicken stock to the desired consistency. Place the salmon back into the skillet and add in lemon slices. The salmon should simmer in the sauce for just 2 minutes and it’s ready. Serve the salmon on a plate with extra lemon butter sauce.

Grilled Salmon Sliders

You’ll be really impressed with these grilled salmon sliders. Use your barbecue to grill your seasoned salmon, assemble with the other ingredients, and enjoy!

FOR THE GREEN GODDESS AIOLI:
⅓ cup fresh parsley leaves
3 Tbsp. fresh tarragon leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. anchovy paste
1 clove garlic
½ tsp. salt
½ cup mayo

FOR THE GRILLED SALMON:
1½ Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 lbs. sockeye salmon, skin on (cut into 8 pieces)

FOR THE SLIDERS:
8 mini pretzel buns
1 avocado, sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
Microgreens

For the green goddess aioli: Put parsley, tarragon, chives, lemon juice, anchovy paste, garlic, and salt in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add mayonnaise and blend again until fully combined. Set aside. This can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to five days.

For the grilled salmon: Fire up the grill to preheat and carefully oil the grates. Lightly brush salmon on all sides with olive oil and season with salt. Put salmon fillets on the hot grill, skin side up, and cook, covered for 4 minutes, until the fish easily releases from the grill (if it sticks when you go to flip it, give it another minute). Flip and cook on the other side for another 2 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick the salmon is, until it’s cooked through and skin is crispy. Transfer to a plate. You can remove the salmon skin at this time or keep it on.

Assemble the sliders: Spread an even layer of green goddess aioli on either side of each mini pretzel bun. Top bottom bun with a salmon fillet, a slice or two of avocado, red onion, and a small handful of microgreens. Close the sandwich and serve.

Honey Garlic Sockeye Salmon

This Honey Garlic Sockeye Salmon is soon to become a delicious family favorite – from freezer to fork in 30 minutes!

1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ tsp. fresh minced ginger
½ cup honey
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
4 sockeye salmon fillets
….optional ingredient….1 tsp of your favorite crushed chili. if fresh make sure you seed and vein the chili and just the meat of the fruit.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then brush the foil with oil. Place the rinsed salmon fillets skin down on the baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. While the salmon is roasting, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger and sauté for about 3 minutes. Mix in the honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, and heat to boiling on medium-high heat, stirring frequently so it does not stick. When the mixture boils, reduce to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring as it thickens. Remove the salmon from the oven, reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees. Drizzle the salmon with 3/4 of the honey garlic sauce. Place the salmon back in the oven and roast another 5 minutes, but be careful the sauce does not burn in the oven. Remove the salmon from the oven and serve immediately, using the remaining sauce as needed.

This honey garlic sockeye salmon was deliciously served with braised spinach and pureed sweet potatoes, and my husband even drizzled some of the honey garlic sauce on the sweet potatoes. Yum!

Buckwheat Waffles with Ricotta and Citrus

1 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cugar
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1½ whole milk
½ stick butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1½ cups fresh ricotta
2 blood oranges, peel and pith removed, sliced
2 cara cara oranges, peel and pith removed, sliced
4 mandarins, peel and pith removed, sliced
Honey for serving

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter, and egg until combined. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Let batter stand, uncovered, 20 minutes. Preheat a waffle iron and lightly coat with cooking spray. Cook waffles according to manufacturer’s instructions (for standard-size Belgian waffles, fill each cavity with about 1/2 cup batter) until golden brown and crisp (for Belgian waffles, about 8 minutes). Top each waffle with ricotta and citrus fruits, and drizzle with honey; serve.

Mandarin Orange Chicken

3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch cubes

For the marinade:
½ cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. orange juice
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. Sriracha chili sauce
2 tsp. fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
¼ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. Sherry
¼ cup cornstarch

For preparation and serving:
Canola oil or vegetable oil for frying
2 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
Chopped green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish

Add all the ingredients for the marinade to a large bowl and whisk to combine the ingredients. Add the cubed chicken and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes or up to an hour.

Get a large pot heating up with oil over medium heat. Whatever size pot you use, only fill the pot halfway up so the oil doesn’t boil over. Clip your thermometer to the side of the pot and let it heat up until it reaches 375 degrees.

While the chicken is marinating and the oil is heating up, you can get the sauce together by adding the sesame oil to a medium pot. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add in the rest of the sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch, stir and bring to a boil.

Mix the cornstarch together in a small dish with 3 tablespoons of water, then slowly pour into the sauce while whisking. Bring to a boil once again then turn the heat off, cover and set aside.

When your oil reaches about 375 degrees you can start frying the chicken. Take the chicken out of the marinade a few pieces at a time and carefully add them to the oil. Fry for 5-6 minutes, then remove to a paper towel lined plate and start your next batch of chicken.

Once the chicken is all fried, add it to a large bowl along with the mandarin oranges.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and oranges and toss to coat.

Cara Cara Orange, Beet and Avocado Salad with Chicken and Goat Cheese

A winter citrus salad with sweet beets, creamy avocado, and a tangy orange dressing.

2 medium beets
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 cara cara oranges, segmented
Zest from cara cara oranges
½ cup fresh squeezed cara cara orange juice
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ avocado, cubed
1 cup cooked, cubed chicken breast
A few handfuls leavy greens (spinach/arugula/spring mix)
Crumbled goat cheese, for topping

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse the beets thoroughly and stab all sides with a fork. Place each on a square of aluminum foil, spread 1 tbsp of the oil between the two beets and turn them to coat evenly. Wrap the aluminum foil around each beet, pinching closed to seal. Roast for 35 minutes, then check for doneness by inserting a thin knife into the center of the beet. If it pierces easily, they are done; if not, roast for 10 more minutes and check again. Cool slightly, then remove the skin from the. Cube.

Meanwhile, put the greens in a large bowl and add the orange slices, chicken, and avocado. Add the beets once cubed.

For the Dressing: in a small bowl, whisk the orange juice, zest, vinegar, salt and pepper together. Slowly stream in the remaining 1 tbsp oil while whisking constantly to emulsify. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss everything together with two large spoons. Plate and add crumbled goat cheese on top before serving.

Blood Orange and Fennel Salad

The bright, beautiful salad showcases juicy blood oranges, refreshing fennel and peppery arugula in a mild vinaigrette. It’s a gorgeous starter for a special occasion, or you can pair it with soup or crusty bread to enjoy as a light dinner.

2 fennel bulbs, trimmed
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups loosely packed arugula leaves
4 blood or navel oranges, peeled with a knife and sliced crosswise into thin slices

Halve the fennel bulbs lengthwise and, using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut the halves crosswise into paper-thin slices.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until the dressing is smooth. Add the arugula and fennel and toss to coat evenly with the vinaigrette. Mound the mixture on a platter, distribute the orange slices over and around the salad, and serve.

Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms

These Parmesan cheese stuffed mushrooms make a tasty appetizer for a your New Year’s Eve party, or just about any gathering. Or serve them as a side dish along with steaks or a roast.

1 lb. crimini mushrooms
4 green onions
1 tsp. minced roasted garlic
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. seasoned salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Water or stock to moisten, as needed

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a baking dish large enough to hold the mushroom caps in a single layer. Rinse the mushrooms to remove any bits of dirt or sand and then dry them with paper towels. Remove the stems and chop them finely; set them aside. Remove the root ends from the green onions and chop them finely (white and green parts). In a skillet over medium heat, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter with the olive oil. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add green onions and garlic and continue cooking, stirring for 2 minutes longer. In a bowl, combine the butter and stem mixture with the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs or basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. If the mixture is very dry, moisten with a small amount of water. Fill the mushroom caps with the stuffing mixture and arrange them in the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Arrange the mushrooms on a serving plate and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Broccoli and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers

There’s plenty of both crunch and cream in these party appetizers. Fresh chives help them really stand out.

12 miniature sweet peppers
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup minced fresh chives
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2/3 cup finely chopped fresh broccoli
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut peppers lengthwise in half; remove seeds. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, chives, salt and pepper; stir in broccoli. Spoon into pepper halves. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake until heated through, 9-11 minutes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes longer. Cool slightly before serving.

Sriracha Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

This recipe for spicy Buffalo cauliflower bites is a great vegetarian alternative to Buffalo wings. Roasted cauliflower stands in for chicken and provides more fiber and fewer calories. Serve this easy appetizer with carrot sticks, celery and your favorite ranch or blue cheese dressing.

8 cups cauliflower florets
2 Tbsp. olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
1-2 Tbsp. Sriracha
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss cauliflower florets, olive oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread on the prepared baking sheet; reserve the bowl. Roast the cauliflower until it starts to soften and brown on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine hot sauce, Sriracha to taste, butter and lemon juice in the large bowl. Add the roasted cauliflower and toss to coat. Return the cauliflower to the baking sheet and continue to roast until hot, about 5 minutes more.

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are always a favorite party appetizer, but sometimes you want to switch it up from the traditional recipe. Merging the flavor of guacamole with the richness of a deviled egg, this South meets south-of-the-border appetizer is the perfect creative answer. Together, the two classic party appetizers are a totally swoon-worthy snack that everyone will love. They’re creamy, tangy, and a little bit spicy!

6 hard-boiled eggs
1 ripe avocado
1 Tbsp. cilantro
1 Tbsp. finely minced red onion
1-2 tsp. small diced jalapeño
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
½ tsp. salt

Peel the hard-boiled eggs, slice them in half, and scoop out the yolks. Place the yolks in a bowl. Place the white halves in an egg plate or on a tray. Peel and mash the avocado in a bowl with a fork or potato masher. Leave it as chunky as you wish or make it perfectly smooth. Mash the egg yolks well. Add the mashed egg yolks, cilantro, onion, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and salt to the mashed avocado and mix them all together until completely combined. Add more salt to taste. Place the filling in a piping bag or simply use a spoon to add it to the empty egg white halves. Add a cilantro leaf on top of each deviled egg. Serve immediately.

Seared Scallops with Warm Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Prosciutto

You can shred the Brussels sprouts in one of three ways: by hand with a sharp knife, using a mandoline’s slicing blade, or in a food processor with the shredding disk.

3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 thin slices prosciutto, chopped
½ lb. Brussels sprouts, shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lb. sea scallops

In a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the oil. Add the garlic and the prosciutto and sauté until the garlic softens and the prosciutto begins to crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and season well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the Brussels sprouts begin to soften and brown slightly on their edges, about 4 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a platter. Using a paper towel, wipe out the frying pan and return it to high heat. Warm the remaining 1 Tbs. oil over high heat. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Sear the scallops until medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side. Arrange the scallops on top of the Brussels sprouts and serve immediately.

Easy Apple Pie

This chunky apple pie has always been one of my favorite desserts. I love how the topping is more like a streusel than a traditional pie crust.

Crust :
1½ cups flour
2 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. milk
Filling :
6-8 apples
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon

Butter Crumble Topping :
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
½ cup butter, softened

Mix the crust ingredients together. Pat the dough into a pie pan.

Peel, core and chop the apples into large chunks. Mix the apple chunks with the sugar, flour and cinnamon until all of the apples are coated in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the apple filling in the crust to make a heaping mound. Gently pat the pan on the counter to allow the apples to settle. Add more apples if needed.

Cut the butter into little pieces if it is still firm so that it is easier to mix. Mix the butter, flour and sugar with a knife or a pastry blender until it is the smooth consistency of a cookie dough. Place the crumble mixture over the apples. It will not completely cover the apples, but it will melt and fill in the gaps while baking.

Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake it for an additional 20 minutes or until it is golden brown, starting to bubble and the apple chunks are soft.

Baked Pork and Cabbage Egg Rolls

*When cutting your cabbage, discard the white heart of the leaf and just use the green, leafy part.

Classic French Onion Soup

Classic French Onion Soup

¼ cup butter
3 lbs. sweet onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
6 cups beef stock
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
12 French baguette slices (3/4 inch thick)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown and caramelized, about 30-40 minutes.* Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the stockpot. Stir in beef stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 15-20 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in white wine vinegar; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Preheat oven to broil. Place baguette slices onto a baking sheet. Place into oven and broil until golden brown on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side; set aside. Divide soup into ramekins or ovenproof bowls. Place onto a baking sheet. Top with baguette slices to cover the surface of the soup completely; sprinkle with cheeses. Place into oven and broil until golden brown and cheeses have melted; about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Healthy Mixed Berry Breakfast Smoothie

Kick-start your day and brighten up your morning with this healthy homemade smoothie, the ultimate mixed berry smoothie. Simple smoothie recipe packed with mixed berry fruits and yogurt, it’s just what you need to get you going and makes an excellent start to the day.

1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. honey
2 cups milk
1 cup each (plus extra to decorate)
Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Put the yogurt, berries, and honey into a blender/fruit mixer. Pour over the milk and blend until smooth. Divide the smoothie between glasses or clean jam jars. Sprinkle with the extra berries to serve. Enjoy!

In-Their-Husks Grilled Corn on the Cob

On of my favorite ways to cook corn…These recipes are just in time for your 4th BBQ…enjoy…

Sweet, sweet corn… Just picked… Extraordinarily delicious. There’s nothing like the simple pleasure of sinking your teeth into a corn on the cob – amply worth the minor nuisance of getting those little fibers wedged between your teeth.

As delicious as traditional boiled corn on the cob is, when grilled it’s even more of a treat.

There are many ways people like to grill corn on the cob. Some shuck them and place the ears directly on the grill. Some peel back the husks, lather the kernels with butter and seasonings, then pull the husks back over the kernels and grill the ears. Others soak the unshucked ears in buckets of water before placing them on the grill. And I’m sure there are many more ways of grilling corn.

For me, the most special thing about fresh, sweet corn is how juicy and tender the kernels are. Preserving that succulent essence is as important to me as the intense flavor you get from the grill. That’s why placing the shucked ears directly on the grill is my least favorite method. It burns off the sugars so much that the kernels become hard, tasteless, sticky bits.

After experimenting a few times I found that shucking the corn to the last couple of layers, and brushing the remaining husks with a little oil before placing them on the grill accomplishes my goals. The kernels remain juicy, plump and sweet, and they acquire that irresistible smoky-flavor. Now I’m ready to fire up the grill again. How about you?

4 large ears fresh corn – husks removed to the last 2 layers only
1 Tbsp. olive oil to brush the ears
Butter
Salt and pepper

Preheat gas grill to medium-high heat or prepare charcoal grill. Brush the husks with the oil and set aside on a tray. When the grill is ready, place corn directly on the grill and grill until husks are charred, rotating them so that they grill evenly on all sides. Transfer to a tray and let stand until cool enough to handle. Remove husks, spread a little butter or brush cob with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve

Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob

WHO doesn’t like Bacon???

Even the kids will eat their veggies when there is bacon involved!!!!

As long as you’ve got the grill fired up you may as well use it. Corn on the cob comes with a natural handle that makes it easy to turn the cobs on the grill. For this bacon-wrapped corn recipe, try lining the bacon with basil and jalapeño pepper before you wrap it around the corn. The bacon crisps and the corn steams inside. Some of that smoky flavor penetrates, and as you bite into the corn you get bright bursts of aromatic basil and the sweet heat of the jalapeño pepper. This bacon-wrapped corn on the cob is so good it’s practically a meal all by itself.

3 lbs. bacon slices
1 bunch basil (leaves only)
2 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced
8 ears corn, shucked

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay a 13-by-18-inch piece of parchment paper on your countertop and lay 6 or 7 slices of bacon alongside each other, slightly overlapping one another, fat side against meat side, to form a rough rectangle that is as wide as an ear of corn is long. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and pound lightly with a meat mallet or small sauté pan to flatten the bacon and press it together. Remove the top parchment sheet and decorate the bacon with 10 to 12 small pieces of basil (you can tear up the larger leaves) and a few slices of jalapeño pepper. Lay 1 ear of corn across the bottom of the rectangle and roll the corn up in the bacon. Transfer the bacon-wrapped corn to the prepared baking sheet, laying it seam side down on the parchment paper. Repeat the process with the remaining 7 ears of corn (you can use the same 2 pieces of parchment paper) until all are wrapped in bacon. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium heat. If you have a larger grill with an upper rack, use that to cook the bacon. Grill the corn, starting with the bacon seam side down. Give them a quarter turn every 5 minutes until all of the bacon is crisp and caramelized and the corn is tender, 25 to 30 minutes total. Alternatively, you can lay the bacon-wrapped corn on a rack set over a baking sheet and cook it in a 350 F / 180 C oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the corn is tender. This bacon-wrapped corn on the cob is delicious served with a charred lime crema

Double-Decker Portabella Burger

Portabella mushrooms have a hearty texture that makes them a good candidate for these easy meatless burgers

7 cloves garlic, divided
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt
8 large portabella mushrooms, gills scrapped out with a spoon
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. finely chopped parsley
1/2 sweet onion, cut into 4 thick slices
1 large firm tomato, cut into 4 thick slices
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 slices
4 mini whole grain ciabatta buns, halved

Mince 6 cloves garlic. Place in a small bowl and whisk in oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Place mushrooms in a shallow dish. Add marinade, turning mushrooms to coat. Let stand 30 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, grate remaining garlic clove. combine in a small bowl with mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley and pinch of salt. Refrigerate.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Brush onion and tomato with oil. Remove mushrooms from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Grill mushrooms and onion 3-5 minutes per side or until tender and slightly bronzed. Grill tomato 3 minutes on 1 side.

Turn mushrooms gill-side up. Top evenly with mozzarella. Grill 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Grill buns, cut side down, 1 minute. Spread buns evenly with mayonnaise mixture. Top bottom half of each bun with 2 mushrooms, 1 onion slice, 1 tomato slice and top half of bun.

The Perfect Grilled Burger

1 lb. 80/20 ground beef, cold
4 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
4 hamburger buns
Butter for buns

Make the burger mix: Put the cold ground beef in mixing bowl. Sprinkle the other ingredients evenly over top. Fold the meat over a few times to get everything incorporated. This entire process should only take about 30 to 45 seconds. Don’t over handle the meat.

Shape the burger patties: Rather than forming the patties in your hand, form them on a tray. This makes it easier to shape the patties without over-handling or warming the meat. On the tray, divide the meat into 4 equal parts. Gently form each portion into a patty that is 4 inches across with 1 inch sides and a shallow depression in the middle. Cover the patties with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge while you heat up the grill.

Heat the grill: Heat a gas or charcoal grill to 450 – 500 degrees F, or hot enough that you can only put you hand above the grill grates for about 1 second. Butter the insides of all the buns and set them near the grill.

Grill the burgers: Place patties on the grill over direct heat. Cook to your desired doneness. Flip the patties at least once during cooking, or as often as you wish. Do not press down on the patties at any time.

Add the cheese and toast the buns: When you have about 1 minute left on the cooking time, add the cheese to the patties and the buttered bun to the grill over indirect heat.

Rest the burgers: Remove burgers and buns from grill and transfer to a clean platter. Let the burgers rest for 1 minute before serving.

Serve: Serve with your favorite condiments and an abundance of freshly sliced lettuce, tomato, pickles and onions.

How to Grill the Best Burgers

We’ve tested all sorts of methods for mixing, shaping, and grilling backyard burgers and are happy to share with you our take on the perfect grilled burger!

First things first: start with a clean grill. Just like you want to use a clean skillet with a little oil to cook dinner on the stovetop, you want to start with a clean grill with oiled grill grates when making dinner on the grill. Start by scrubbing your grill grates with a grill brush to remove any built-up residue from past meals. Then oil the grill by dipping a folded paper towel in oil and using grilling tongs to rub the oil soaked towel on the grates.

Use an 80/20 mix of ground beef. A burger can be seasoned a hundred different ways, but it means nothing without a solid foundation. For a juicy, flavorful burger, skip the extra-lean ground beef patty blends and use ground beef with a higher fat content. Ground beef with an 80/20 mix is the best for grilled burgers. This means a mix of 80 percent lean beef and 20 percent fat.

Keep the meat cold. The heat from your hands combined with room temperature ground beef can melt and smear the fat. This prevents the fat from binding with the lean meat, causing too much of it to render during the cooking process, resulting in a dry, dense burger.

The solution is to keep the meat cold and shape the patties as quickly as possible. Leave the ground beef in the refrigerator until you are ready to season it and form the patties. Then, mix the ground beef just until it comes together and not a second more. Form it into patties and put them back in the fridge until you are ready to grill.

Don’t over-mix the ground beef. Less is more when it comes to mixing the ground beef and forming patties. If you’ve eaten a burger that crumbles apart as you eat it, that was mostly likely a result of someone overworking the beef. The results are similar to what happens with a broken emulsion. You are trying to get the fat and the protein to bind together, but if you overmix it, you will “break” the binding, causing your burger to dry out, crumble, and lose flavor.

So, here’s what to do: Evenly sprinkle your seasonings over the ground beef and use your hands to fold them in gently. After mixing, take a piece about the size of a quarter and flatten it to the palm of your hand. Turn your palm down. If the meat sticks, you’re good to go.

Sorry, guys … size matters … when it comes to burgers! Some people like the idea of a huge hamburger patty spilling out over the edges of the bun, and some believe it should be a perfect fit. But no one want a burger that’s smaller than the bun.

To correctly size your patties to fit on your buns, make your burgers about 1-inch thick at the edges and one inch larger than the bun. This takes into account the inevitable shrinkage that happens during cooking.

Should you dimple your patties? All over the internet and in cookbooks, you will find burger recipes that will instruct you to make an indentation in the center of the patties, usually about the size of a thumbprint or a tablespoon. The goal in dimpling is to prevent the burger from puffing up in the center. But, does it really work? Well, I tried it. I found that a thumbprint or tablespoon indention prevented center puffing, but the burgers still shrank. Making a wide, shallow depression in the patty, however, worked like a charm. Think of a salad plate rather than a donut.

Even better, though, place an ice cube in the center and form the beef around it so it’s sealed. The ice cube will prevent the burgers from overcooking and add bit of extra moisture to the beef – something that is especially helpful if you are grilling rather large patties.

Charcoal vs. Gas? That is the question. Lake Tahoe Markets believes that the best choice for grilling burgers is always wood or charcoal because of the additional flavor and charring that happens with those grills. Charcoal is more versatile. You get a hotter, drier heat which give you a better sear. If you use charcoal, you can add different kinds of wood to contribute to the smokiness and enhance the overall flavor of the meat.

However, if you prefer a gas grill because of its ease of use, and the lack of mess, don’t worry – you can still cook a great burger on a gas grill! When using a gas grill, you want to make sure to get the grill up to 450 to 500 degrees before adding your patties.

How long to grill burgers. In general, following these grilling times:

For rare burgers, cook for 4 minutes total (125°F)
For medium-rare burgers, cook for 5 minutes total (135°F)
For medium burgers, cook for 6-7 minutes total (145°F)
For well-done burgers, cook for 8-9 minutes total (160°F)

Please note that the USDA recommends cooking ground meats to an internal temperature of at least 160°F, which is well done without any pink in the center. Cooking burgers to other degrees of doneness should be done at the cook’s discretion.

All this said, ultimately, the time it takes for a hamburger to reach a certain temperature depends on how hot your grill is and how thick the patty is. You can check the temperature of the burger by inserting a meat thermometer through the side, not through the top, which provides a more accurate reading.

Flip – DON’T PRESS – your burgers. Once you put those patties on the grill, don’t press them down. Pressing forces the fat and flavor out of the burgers, which results in dry, bland patties. However, feel free to frequently flip your burgers. While it was once believed that it was best to let the burger be and only flip once during cooking, it is now recommended that frequent flipping cooks a burger more evenly.

When to add the cheese? Add cheese about 1 minute before the burger is finished cooking. If you put the cheese on too early, you risk it melting off. Too late, and you could over cook the patty waiting for the perfect melt. Timing is everything, after all!

When to toast the buns? The perfect toasted buns are rich with butter and sturdy enough to hold all of the wonderful fixings of a hamburger, but they also squish down and are easy to bite through. Whichever buns you choose, butter the top and bottom of the bun, and then plop them on the back of the grill, out of direct heat, until they are golden. Start toasting the buns with you have a minute left on the patties.

Don’t’ forget to rest your burgers. Let the burgers rest for a minute after they come off the grill. This allows time for the juices to redistribute throughout the burger, giving you a more flavorful experience.

Ways to flavor your burgers. Once you have mastered the basic burger, feel free to get funky with your flavors. You can add mushrooms, herbs or cubes of cheese. Or, try adding lemon zest to the ground beef, which cuts the fatty flavor of the meat. Ultimately, the choice is yours. As long as the patty is meaty and juicy, you can’t go wrong.

While there is no right or wrong way to grill a hamburger, following this advice will assure that you will have a burger to write home to Mom about!

Spring Pea Salad

This salad has two different types of peas in it, topped over a bed of spinach and arugula, with radishes and the most delicious creamy lemon dressing. This salad can be served as a main dish with a piece of salmon or grilled steak on top, or just as a side dish.

1 cup fresh snow peas
1 cup freshly shelled peas
1 cup arugula leaves
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
¼ cup sweet onion, thinly sliced
4 radishes thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Salmon or steak for topping, if desired

For the dressing:
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 lemons, zest and juice
2 tsp. salt

Blanch the snow peas and green peas in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, until they turn bright green. Drain and rinse with ice cold water. Add peas to a large bowl with arugula, spinach, onion and radishes and refrigerate until ready to serve. For the dressing, add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Can be served as a side salad, or as a main dish topped with salmon or steak. Delicious!

Herb Butter Salmon with Charred Tomatoes and Green Beans

2 cups cherry tomatoes
½ lb. string beans
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 lb. salmon filets
¼ cup butter
¼ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
Salt

Preheat oven to broil high. In a bowl toss tomatoes and string beans with oil. Add salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes. While broiling, combine butter ingredients into a blender and blend until combined. Brush onto salmon and add the salmon to the baking sheet. Broil for 7-9 minutes until veggies are blistered and salmon is cooked through.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Egg Rolls

1 pkg. egg roll wrappers
1 head of cabbage, shredded
3 carrots, shredded
1/3 lb. deli corned beef chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2-3 cups vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. olive oil if baking

Avocado Lime Dressing Ingredients
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup water
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic. minced
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice

Use a food processor or grater to shred the cabbage and carrots. (You can substitute a large bag of coleslaw mix.) Combine the cabbage, carrots, chopped corn beef, garlic powder, kosher salt, pepper, and ginger in a large bowl and mix well.

To fill the egg rolls, place about 1/3 of a cup of the cabbage mixture diagonally on the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, roll snugly half-way to cover the filling. Fold in both sides snugly against the filling and moisten the edges of the flaps with water. Press down. Finish by rolling the wrapper up and seal the top by moistening the flap and pressing down.

To fry the egg rolls, heat about 1-1/2-2 inches of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Place the egg rolls, seam side down, a few at a time, turning occasionally and fry until they are golden brown. This only takes 2-3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. (To bake the egg rolls in the oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Liberally brush the egg rolls all over with olive oil and place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes or until they are golden brown. Turn them over about half way through the cooking time.)

To make the Avocado Lime Dressing, add all ingredients to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if you desire a thinner dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage

This tender, fall-apart corned beef will make your St. Patrick’s Day dinner one to remember. Serve it with cabbage, potatoes and carrots to make complete the meal.Corned beef often comes with a spice packet. For this version, discard the packaged spices, and instead make my own blend for a more flavorful, satisfying brisket. 1 flat-cut corned beef brisket (approx. 4 lbs.) ¼ tsp. mustard seed ¼ tsp. coriander seed 1/8 tsp. whole cloves 1/8 tsp. whole peppercorns 2-3 bay leaves 1 large onion, peeled and quartered 6 Yukon gold potatoes, quartered 1 head cabbage, outer leaves removed and cut into 6 wedges 12 slender carrots, peeled and left whole

May the Luck ‘O the Irish be with ye……

Portabella Mushroom Margherita Pizza

4 large portabella mushrooms, stems removed
Olive oil
8 Tbsp. marinara sauce
½ cup cherry tomatoes
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Wipe down the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt. Gently scrape off the gills inside the mushroom caps with a teaspoon. Brush the caps with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with foil, arranging the mushrooms on it stem side up. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes until they release moisture and get juicy. Drain any excess moisture from the caps. Spoon 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce into each mushroom. Add sliced cherry tomatoes and basil leaves. Top each with mozzarella cheese. Broil at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese starts bubbling. Dish and garnish with freshly chopped basil.

Recipe and photograph courtesy Lake Tahoe Markets.see video on home page.

Roasted Broccoli, Onions
and Mushrooms

1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
½ lb. mushrooms, quartered
2 small red onions, cut into wedges
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the broccoli florets, mushrooms and red onion on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown and tender. Remove from the oven. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wingettes and drummies

¹/₂ cup mayonnaise

¹/₄ cup Land O Lakes® Garlic & Herb Butter Spread, melted

2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

¹/₂ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

¹/₂ teaspoon salt

¹/₄ teaspoon pepper

How to make

STEP 1Heat oven to 425°F. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with aluminum foil; spray with no-stick cooking spray.
STEP 2Place chicken wings into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes. Drain fat.
STEP 3Combine all remaining ingredients in bowl; stir to combine. Pour sauce over wings; toss to coat. Bake 5-10 minutes or until wings are crispy and no longer pink inside.This Recipe courtesy Land’O Lakes Butter…..

Cranberry Sauce

Here is a video with instructions. This takes about 2-2.5 hours to make. Happy Thanksgiving….

Pico ‘D Gallo …

Well it that time of year again, Harvest Time. The Fall or Vernal Equinox has officially arrived and the air has started to become cooler. The days shorter, and the fruits of our summers long labor on upon us. This, as many of my loyal followers know, is my infamous Pico ‘D Gallo Recipe. Unlike most other recipes I use a combination of tomatoes, onions, and chilies, for maximum flavors. This particular batch included 5 chilies, 2 types of bell peppers, two onions and three types of tomatoes. The vegetables were a combination of Farmers Market and from the garden on the current project where I am living. While most Pico recipes are very basic I find that a combination of the main ingredients provide for an extremely robust flavor and also create the opportunity to show off. You can see what I mean by viewing my 2.5 minute video here. I made two different levels of hot yesterday. In the past I have made up 6 levels of hot using a variety of chilies. I was able to find a couple of Bhut Jolokia or the infamous Ghost Pepper. That combined with the Fresno Chili, a red and medium chili in heat with a sweet flavor, the Cayenne Chili, which has a ton of health benefits, a Anaheim Chili which are great for Chili Relleno’s, not quite as good as Hatch Chili, (which I’m a little biased as that is my favorite chili). I also used a couple Hungarian Wax Peppers and two Bell Peppers. The Bells provide a sweet flavor.

Ingredients

2 Pounds Roma Tomatoes

2 Pound Vine Tomatoes

1 Pound Big Boy Tomatoes

1 Lg Red Onion

1 Lg White Onion

2 Bell Pepper use Red and Orange for color

1 Bunch Cilantro

2 LG Cloves Garlic smashed and finely chopped

6 sprigs of fresh Oregano finely chopped

2 tsp Ground Cumin

4 Limes 3 Juiced 1 for slices when serving

Chop all ingredients by hand or use a chopper. I always add the chilies last. Make your base so you can portion it out for different heat levels. If you wish to have a sweet Pico ‘d Gallo then use Bell Peppers and add chopped mango. Squeeze 3 Limes into base. Separate into bowls and then add your chilies. Unless of course, you only require one level of heat. Place in Refrigerator for 2 hours prior to serving to allow flavors to marry. Overnight is better. this recipe will serve at least 20 people. This is a great recipe for a pot luck BBQ. And will definitely get you invited to all the neighborhood gatherings!!!

Recipe and Photographs are created by Aaron Aveiro

Butternut Squash Soup

As advertised in last nights podcast here is my Butternut Squash Soup Recipe. This was first taught to me when I was working at Molly O’s on the Santa Cruz Pier. I, of course, took liberties with the original recipe and gave it what I call an ‘Aaronism’ the twist I added is the garlic and English Sage. This add a little “earthy” touch to the pallet. Rmember everything has a degree of sodium in it as the ingredients come from the dirt so you’ll notice, ‘optional’ for the salt….Just trying to give the blood pressure a break

Prep Time: 15-20 Minutes

Cook Time: Aprx 45 minutes

Yeild: 10-12 Servings

Ingredients

1 Medium yellow onion Chopped

1 Medium red onion chopped

1 Lg Clove Garlic Finely chopped

2 Sprigs English Sage, remove leaves from stems

2 cups celery, ribbed and finely chopped

4 TBSP Butter

2 LG Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch squares. (If you are a seed saver then you know what to do with the seeds)

2 Granny Smith apples peeled and cored (about 2.5 cus)

6 cups of vegetable broth. (You can make your own Broth by using all the trimmings and boiling them in 3.25 cups of water for about 30 minutes. I always save my scraps for this)

Pinch: Nutmeg Onion, Cinnamon, Cayenne, Salt(optional) Pepper. If you desire a more ‘smoky’ flavor add a pinch or two of smoked paprika

COOKING

In your soup pot Sauté Onion, Garlic, Celery, and Sage in Butter till garlic is white. Add liquid and apples with squash. Bring to boil and simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Or until squash is soft.

Place in blender and puree, place back into pot and on low heat add Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cayenne, salt, Pepper, and paprika. Allow to set for about 15-20 minutes for flavors to blend

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

Add a dollop of sour cream garnish with parsley, depending, or chives depending on your taste.

Serve with warm sour dough bread or toasted rye bread.

Recipe and Photograph By Aaron Aveiro

Egg Plant Parmesan

1 Lg Egg Plant Peeled

1/2 pound grated Mozzarella

1/4 pound fresh parmesan cheese

Marinara…

The following recipe is one I used when I was the chef at ‘Colombo’s on the River’ in Reno, Nevada. It is one that my Father handed down to me. The saute’ of the herbs was a trick that was aught to me by Maria…the lady from Sicily that taught me Italian cooking. May she rest in peace.

My Marinara

1 #10 can Stewed Tomatoes ( one gallon in size)

1 LG Red Onion

1 LG Yellow Onion

1 Pound fresh sliced Mushrooms

½ pound Fresh Basil (½ cup dried)

{If you use fresh save about an ounce of whole leaves}

1 0z Thyme leaves

¼ pound Fresh Oregano (¼ cup dried)

½ tblsp finely chopped garlic (2 or 3 large cloves)

2 Bay Leaves`

1 29 oz can tomato sauce

2 6 oz can of tomato paste. Add 4 cans of water (2 per can)

1 tblsp olive oil

In a 2 gallon sauce/stock pot

Heat olive oil…Chop all Herbs and Garlic finely and saute’ in olive oil until garlic is white. Add stewed tomatoes, sauce, paste and water. (do the same if dried herbs are used)

Bring to slow boil over medium heat. Add onions. Allow to reduce…about three hours. Add Mushrooms.

This will make about two gallons of Marinara. Sorry but I now no other way to cook Italian sauces, well except Fettuccine, that I can do for two…

Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch slices and layer into pan.

COOKING TIP: Lightly cover pan with olive oil to prevent sticking.

Spoon layer of Marinara and Mozzarella cheese repeat

Cover second layer with whole Basil Leaves and freshly grated Parmesan

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese has browned.

Serve with fresh garden salad, and you favorite Italian side dishes

Recipe: Aaron Aveiro

Photographs: Aaron Aveiro

#Marinara #Basil #EggplantParmesan #Oregano #Mozzarella

GOYA Golden Milk

Goya Coconut milk
No artificial fillers or gums

INGREDIENTS

I can 13.5 oz Goya coconut milk

Equal amount filtered water

1 tblsp grated Ginger Root

1 tblsp grated Numeric root

1/2 vanilla extract….not fake or…

One vanilla bean (this really increases the price but the advantages of fresh bean is well worth it)

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground Cardamom

1/8 tsp ground cayanne pepper

Heat at low heat for about 20-25 minutes.

The key is DO NOT. Let boil…stir constantly till milk thickens slightly. Mixture will turn a golden color from the ginger and numeric combination. Allow to cool and strain into storage container. Keep in refrigerator.

6 oz serving daily will do your body good…

Until next time…

Happy Gardening…

Recipe developed along the way by me…

Images from Goya.com

BAKED CINNAMON CILANTRO LEMON CHICKEN

This is a very simple quick recipe that is sure to tantalize the taste buds. This is a baked chicken with an olive oil and seasoning rub. This particular meal we prepared potatoes au gratin and a stuffing to serve with hot cornbread.

Ingredients

6 LG Chicken Breasts with or without bones ( on a side note here if you use chicken pieces with bones you always have some something for soup stock)

Olive oil…about 2 tbls

1 lemon…juiced

Fresh cilantro always adds a great flavor to any dish

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Rub Mix

1/2 tap cinnamon

1 tbls garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tbls ground cumin

1/4 tsp white pepper

Pinch salt.

Place chicken bone side down in baking pan rub olive oil on the chicken, also squeeze the juice from the lemon on to the chicken and into the pan to assist and keeping your chicken moist Place 2 cups of water in the baking pan. Now spread your rub mix and rub it into the chicken place in preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees approximately one hour.

Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Recipe by Aaron Aveiro

Photographs bybAaron Aveiro

Home style cooking from Aladay Mobile Media

Baked Garlic Lemon Herb Butter Chicken

4 LG Chicken Breasts…can be skinless/boneless or like here

1/2 pound Butter

1 large Clove garlic minced

3 Stems of fresh Greek Oregano

12 Stems if German Winter Thyme

1 Lemon

pinch White Pepper

Remove oregano and thyme leaves from the stems chop fine add to soften butter minced garlic. Also add 1/2 lemon squeeze the juice into butter and mix.

Place chicken breasts in baking pan bone side down spread garlic butter mix over chicken. To prevent chicken from drying out in oven squeeze juice from other half of lemon into two cups of water and place in the baking pan with chicken breast smothered in the butter mix. Save extra butter for baked potatoes.

Place in preheated oven at 350 degrees and bake approximately 45 minutes

From the Kitchen — Garden Salad with Basil

Create your own garden salad from your favorite salad fixings radishes celery onions mushrooms Tomatoes any type of lettuce you prefer add basil leaves for an extra burst a fresh flavor with an Italian Flair.

Save the smaller basil leaves to garnish the baked potatoes and give a Different Twist and flavor from sour cream and chives.

Serve with warm cornbread.

Recipes and photos by Aaron Aveiro

Until Next Time….

Happy Gardening…

Do you have a favorite family, home style cooking recipe you’d like to share?? We are always looking to publish old family recipes. From October 1st through Christmas we try to publish a weekly Holiday Recipes.

. Please fill out contact form and I will contact you. I usually have a brief conversation with the contributor to learn a little about the recipe and you so I can write a opening paragraph about the contributor and why this is their favorite recipe. Thanks for stoping by and sharing…See you in the Kitchen.

What you will need to do:

List of ingredients,
Prep instructions, how many servings, cook time etc.
Photos, Before, prepping and finished dish are best
A brief story about you recipe…

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Author
Recent Posts

Aaron Aveiro

COO at Aladay Mobile Media

I have experience with the following skills Broadcast Media, Business Coach, Business Development , Catering and Farming.Administrative, Agriculture, Agronomy, Benefits Negotiation, Blogging, Business Management, Business Strategy, Foreclosures, Green Building and Journalism.

Gardening With Aladay Mobile Media

Pumpkins filled with Bacon, Mushrooms and Shallots

Baked Pork and Napa Cabbage Egg Rolls

Roasted Tomato Soup

Zuppa Tuscana

Garlic Sautéed Okra with Tomatoes

Orange Cauliflower

Roasted Corn and Poblano Chowder

Honey Balsamic Asparagus

Honey Garlic Salmon

Vegetable Stir Fry

Shrimp and Fennel Pasta with Asparagus Pesto

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage

Roasted Salmon with Potatoes and Mushrooms

Potato Soup

Grilled Portabella and Asparagus Fajitas

Pan Roasted Wild Alaskan Halibut with Asparagus Risotto

Garlic Butter Sautéed Asparagus

30 Minute Vegetarian Asparagus Soup

Grilled Artichokes

Roman Style Artichokes

Stuffed Artichokes

Sockeye Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce

Grilled Salmon Sliders

Honey Garlic Sockeye Salmon

Mandarin Orange Chicken

Cara Cara Orange, Beet and Avocado Salad with Chicken and Goat Cheese

Blood Orange and Fennel Salad

Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms

Broccoli and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers

Sriracha Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Seared Scallops with Warm Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Prosciutto

Easy Apple Pie

Baked Pork and Cabbage Egg Rolls

Classic French Onion Soup

Healthy Mixed Berry Breakfast Smoothie

In-Their-Husks Grilled Corn on the Cob

Double-Decker Portabella Burger

The Perfect Grilled Burger

How to Grill the Best Burgers

Spring Pea Salad

Herb Butter Salmon with Charred Tomatoes and Green Beans

Corned Beef and Cabbage Egg Rolls

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage

Portabella Mushroom Margherita Pizza

Roasted Broccoli, Onions and Mushrooms

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings

Ingredients

How to make

Pico ‘D Gallo …

Ingredients

Butternut Squash Soup

Egg Plant Parmesan

GOYA Golden Milk

Roasted Broccoli, Onions
and Mushrooms