Watermelon Salad

Watermelon Salad

Your will need:

½ fresh watermelon (cut up)
1 vine ripe tomato (cut up)
¼ red onion (sliced thin)
1 long hot pepper (chopped with seeds)
1 clove garlic (crushed & chopped)
½ cup cilantro (chopped)
½ cup parsley (chopped)
1 ear of corn (blanched & sliced off of the cob)

Dressing:

In a small bowl combine:

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. sugar
1 tablespoon honey

In medium bowl combine watermelon and salad ingredients and toss.

Add the dressing and serve.

Enjoy

Apple & Sour Cream Crepes

For crepes you will need:

1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup water
1 tsp. confectioner’s sugar
sprinkle of ground nutmeg
sprinkle of ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter (melted)

For filling you will need:

5 apples (peeled and sliced)
1 pat of butter
sprinkle of ground nutmeg
sprinkle of ground cinnamon
sprinkle of ground cloves
1 tsp. of sugar
1 container low fat sour cream

In medium sized frying pan place apples, spices and butter and heat until the apples slightly soften.

In medium size bowl combine flour and eggs and mix together well.

Slowly add milk and water continually mixing everything together.

Add butter and spices continually mixing.

In a small frying pan place a little butter and melt.

Pour in a ladle of batter and move pan around to spread the batter evenly.

Cook for about 3minutes and gently loosen crepe and flip.

Cook for about 3 minutes on other side and remove from pan.

Place 2 tsp. of sour cream on crepe and a few apples and fold crepe.

Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Enjoy!

Chicken Breast with Apricot Preserves Glaze

You will need:

2 lbs. chicken breast
2 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)
½ cup parsley (chopped)
1 head fresh broccoli (sliced)
1- 15 oz. canned peaches (drained) (reserve syrup)
2 cups uncooked rice
3 tablespoons olive oil

chicken glaze:

¼ tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Apricot preserve

Prepare rice in rice cooker.

In large frying pan place olive oil and chicken breast along with crushed garlic and parsley, sauté for about 10 minutes on each side.

Prepare chicken glaze in small bowl. Coat chicken with glaze while still in frying pan. Let each side continue to sauté for about 10 minutes.

Slice chicken and place on griddle, drizzle with a little olive oil and let grill to a golden color.

Steam broccoli and let cool.

Drizzle a little olive oil on griddle and grill broccoli to a golden color.

Grill peaches on griddle to reach a golden color.

Place rice in large bowl and top with broccoli, peaches and chicken.

Heat frying pan chicken was cooked in and pour reserved syrup to deglaze drippings from chicken.

Pour the deglazing from the pan over the chicken.

Enjoy!

Chicken Breast with Brown Sugar & Cumin

You will need: 

 2 lbs. chicken breast 

3 tablespoons olive oil 

Rub: 

 4 tablespoons brown sugar 

1 tsp. cumin 

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

 In large heated frying pan place olive oil, place chicken breast and sauté for about 10 minutes on each side before placing rub. 

 Prepare rub: Combine all ingredients for rub in a small bowl and mix. While in frying pan spoon rub on chicken, continue to sauté to a golden color.  Turn chicken over and place rub on the other side, again sauté to a golden color. About 15 minutes or so on each side. 

 Enjoy!

Cabbage with Cannellini Beans & Jalapeño

You will need:

1 – 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 – 1 lb. 13oz. can cannellini beans (drained)

1 – 14.5 oz. can red tart cherries (plus ¼ cup juice)

1 medium head cabbage (sliced thin)

1 medium sweet onion (sliced)

4 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)

1 jalapeño (sliced with seeds)

½ cup cilantro (chopped)

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. paprika

4 tablespoons olive oil

In a large frying pan combine olive oil, onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño and cabbage.

Cook veggies down and add cherries plus ¼ cup juice and continue to simmer.

Add crushed tomatoes, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, cumin and paprika.

Continue to simmer on low for about ½ hour.

Serve with rice.

Enjoy!

Rice Meatballs with Tomato Sauce & Capers

Meatballs:

Preheat oven 350 degrees:

You will need:

About 3 lbs. ground Sirloin
2 eggs

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)

1/2 cup parsley

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. dried oragano

Combine all of above in large bowl and mix well.

Shape into meatballs and bake in oven for about 25 minutes.

Set aside as you prepare sauce.

Red Caper Tomato Sauce

You will need:

1 box of your favorite spaghetti

1 - 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 - 28 oz. can whole tomatoes

1 large sweet onion (sliced)
5 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)

1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)

1/2 cup parsley (chopped)

1 tablespoon capers ( with a little juice)

juice of a quarter lemon

1 tsp. vinegar

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. oregano

3 tablespoons olive oil

Romano cheese for garnish

In a large frying pan place olive oil, onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro and let everything simmer until the onions become clear.

Add crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, capers, lemon juice and vinegar to the frying pan and gently mash the whole tomatoes. Let this simmer for a few minutes.

Add red pepper flakes and black pepper and let simmer for a few minutes.

Add meatballs to the sauce and let simmer on low.

While the sauce is simmering prepare your favorite macaroni.

In a large bowl combine the macaroni, sauce and meatballs.

Garnish with grated Romano cheese and serve.

Enjoy!

Sweet Italian Peppers with a Kick!

You will need:

About 8 Sweet Italian Peppers
1 Jalapeño Pepper (sliced thin with seeds)
1 Long Hot Pepper (sliced thin with seeds)
1 tsp. capers (with a little juice)
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)
1 large sweet onion (sliced)
2 vine ripe tomatoes (chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cilantro (chopped)

In a large frying pan heat olive oil with the onion and garlic.

Add all the above ingredients except the cilantro and let everything cook down.

Add the cilantro when everything in the pan has cooked down.

When the peppers have cooked down, drizzle with a little more olive oil.

Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

You will need:

2 quarts fresh strawberries (frozen)

½ cup milk
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. nutmeg

Combine all of above in food processor and mix until smooth and creamy.

Garnish with a few sprinkles of extra nutmeg and serve.

Enjoy!

Chili Paste Peanut Butter Spread Wrap

You will need:

4 tablespoons peanut butter

3 tablespoons apricot jam

½ tsp. chili paste

½ tsp. hot sauce

3 bananas

3 apples

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 mini corn tortillas

Combine peanut butter, apricot jam, chili paste, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Mix well.

Heat tortillas on griddle over medium heat.

In large frying pan drizzle olive oil. Slice bananas and apples. Place in frying pan and heat.

Place chili paste peanut butter spread in tortilla and add spoonful of fruit.

(The chili paste peanut butter spread goes great with meat or as a spread with fruit!)

Enjoy!

Grilled Bell Peppers with Sweet Onions & Chili Paste

You will need:

3 green bell peppers (or any color) (sliced)
1 large sweet onion (sliced)
4 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp. ground fresh chili paste

Heat griddle and place peppers, onion and garlic on hot griddle and drizzle with olive oil.

Grill until peppers and onions become slightly charred.

Remove from grill and toss with chili paste.

Enjoy!

Fiesta Rice

You will need:

2 cups uncooked rice
1 Jalapeño (chopped with seeds)
½ red onion (sliced)
2 vine ripe tomatoes (cut in quarters)
1 cup cilantro (chopped)
½ cup parsley (chopped)
3 stalks celery (chopped)
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. curry
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons vinegar
¼ cup olive oil

Prepare rice in rice cooker.

Place cooked rice in large bowl and add all of above ingredients and mix well.

Enjoy!

Fresh Tomato, Basil & Jalapeño Pizza

1 fresh pizza dough - (bought at your favorite pizza place)
½ red onion (sliced thin)
2 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)
¼ cup fresh basil (chopped)
½ jalapeño (chopped with seeds)
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Romano cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano

2 vine ripe tomatoes (sliced thin)
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven 400 degrees

Place pizza dough on pizza (do not make pizza dough too thin or it will stick to pan!)

Place sliced tomato on top of dough, followed by onion, garlic, basil, jalapeño, mozzarella, Romano cheese, dried oregano and red pepper flakes.

Drizzle top of pizza with olive oil.

Place in oven for about 20 – 25 minutes or until the crust is a healthy golden color.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Zucchini & Jalapeño

You will need:

1 box of your favorite spaghetti
3 large zucchini (cut up)
1 sweet onion (sliced)
4 cloves garlic (crushed & chopped)
1 cup cilantro (chopped)
½ cup parsley (chopped)
2 vine ripe tomatoes (chopped)
1 large jalapeño (chopped with seeds)
4 slices of fresh lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dried oregano
grated Romano cheese for garnish

In large frying pan place olive oil and all of the above ingredients and allow to cook down, slowly.
Prepare spaghetti as directed on box.

Drain spaghetti and add to veggies.

Garnish with Romano cheese and a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Enjoy!

Baked Jalapeño Chicken

You will need: 

 20 pieces of chicken 

2 stalks celery (chopped) 

3 cloves garlic (crushed and chopped) 

1 red onion (sliced) 

2 Jalapeño peppers (chopped with seeds) 

2 vine ripe tomatoes (chopped) 

Juice of 1 lemon 

4 tablespoons vinegar 

¼ cup olive oil 

 Combine all above ingredients in large pot or bowl and let marinade in refrigerator for about 1 hour or as long as overnight.

Preheat oven 350 degrees: Place all chicken in baking pan and pour remaining marinade over chicken. Bake chicken for about 40 minutes or until chicken is golden.

Enjoy,

Catherine

xo