Grilled Chicken BLT Salad

Orzo with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Bacon

Bacon Chedder Bread Bombs with Bacon Butter

Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Bacon Bark   

Bacon Chedder Bread Bombs with Bacon Butter

Yield: 2

¼ pizza dough recipe, prepped

2 strips bacon, sliced and cooked saving bacon grease

½ cup cream cheese

½ cup cheddar

¼ cup mozzarella

2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced

2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives or green onions

2 tablespoons parmesan

4 tablespoons softened butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven 400”F

In a bowl combine cooked bacon, cream cheese, cheddar, and mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper then set aside.

In another bowl combine butter, bacon grease, parmesan, parsley and chives/green onions. Stir to fully combine. Set aside

Cut pizza dough int 4-6 pieces, press flat then divide cheese mixture between all dough. Roll dough onto itself ensuring cheese is kept inside, forming dough back into a ball. Place on a sheet tray with parchment paper that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Place it in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve with bacon butter.

Orzo with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Bacon

  Yield: 2

2 Bacon strips sliced

1 cup Butternut squash, small diced

2 Garlic cloves minced

1 cup Green beans

½ cup Onion

¼ cup fresh parsley chopped

¼ cup basil, chopped

1 cup Orzo pasta

2 cups water or stock

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

2 tablespoons Butter

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

¼ cup feta

In a skillet over medium heat add bacon, cook until bacon is crispy then remove from pan and leave bacon grease. Add onions, green beans and butternut squash, cook until onions are soft, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Turn heat down to medium low and add water/stock and orzo. Stir until water is absorbed. Turn heat off  add parsley, basil, garlic/onion powder, and butter. Stir together, finish with parmesan, feta and bacon. Serve.

Grilled Chicken Blt Salad

  Yield: 2

1 cup sliced chicken

Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

4 cups lettuce or 1 head romaine chopped

2-4 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped

½ cup diced tomatoes

1 cup croutons

 DRESSING:

½ cup smashed roasted tomatoes

2 tablespoons roasted garlic with oil

½ lemon zested

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ teaspoon complete seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Season chicken with salt and pepper then bring a grill pan up to medium high heat, add oil and chicken. Cook chicken on each side for 4-5 minutes. if chicken is not cooked through transfer to oven to finish. In a bowl combine all dressing ingredients, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Toss dressing with lettuce, bacon, tomatoes and croutons. Plate and serve cooked chicken over top.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Cupcakes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ teaspoon s baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons

½ cup sour cream

Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons heavy cream

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line a muffin pan with cupcake papers. Set aside

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stopping to scrape bowl and mix until fully incorporated.

Fill cupcake papers just a little over half-full. You should end up with 12-14 cupcakes. Bake for 18-22 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer to cool surface and let cool completely

To make the frosting, add butter to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed until well combined. Slowly add heavy cream and increase speed to medium. Mix a few more minutes until frosting is smooth and well mixed.

Chocolate Bacon Bark

Yield: 10

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup cooked bacon

1 cup chocolate

Bring sugar, water and butter to a boil and allow to turn a rich amber color.

Place parchment paper on a sheet tray and pour hot sugar mixture out onto sheet tray in a thin layer, top with cooked bacon and chocolate. Allow chocolate to warm up then spread out evenly with a rubber spatula. Chill in fridge then remove and break into pieces.

Caesar salad

Fresh Pasta from scratch

Lobster pasta

Cheddar bay biscuits

Chocolate Lava Cobbler

Fresh Pasta Dough

yield: 2 servings

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

  Making fresh pasta dough is fun and very easy. Traditionally, the dough is mixed directly on a board or counter but it is acceptable to begin the dough in a bowl to limit the cleanup. Laminate counter tops are fine for kneading dough but natural or engineered stone is best as it is non-porous and maintains constant temperature, especially important when working with yeast doughs.

  In a bowl or on a countertop, combine the salt and flour. Using your fingers, create a well in the center of the mound, being sure that the well’s walls are equally thick and high. In a separate container, combine eggs and olive oil. Scramble eggs with a fork to incorporate oil.

  Add 1/3 of egg/oil mixture to center of well. Using a swirling motion, pull flour from inner walls of well into eggs and mix until it forms a thick paste. If working on a countertop, be careful not to break through the walls of the well as egg will run out over the work surface. When center is no longer runny, add half of remaining egg mixture and stir to paste. Add remaining liquid and repeat. Continue to mix until fork is no longer effective and then turn dough out onto work surface.

  Knead dough by flattening, folding it in half and pressing hard with the palm of your hand. Rotate 90’ and repeat over and over until dough is a consistent color (no patches of flour or egg mixture) and begins to feel springy. Pasta dough should be visibly bumpy but soft and smooth to the touch. To test, press a finger into dough. The depression made by your finger should spring back almost entirely. Flatten dough into a disk 1 ½ inches thick, wrap with saran and place in cooler to rest for 20-30 minutes or until finger divot does not bounce back. This means that the gluten that was excited in the kneading process has relaxed and the dough is ready to be rolled and cut.

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Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons

Yield: 2 servings

2 thick slices Italian bread or 4 thick slices French baguette cut in 1 inch cubes

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon garlic, minced or powder

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

½ cup grape tomatoes split lengthwise

1 large egg yolk

1 small anchovy filet or ¼ teaspoon anchovy paste

Juice of ½  lemon

1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped

Sea salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl combine bread, oil and garlic. Toss to combine then place in oven at 350”F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Time will differ depending on size of sliced bread.

In a small bowl combine, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, and anchovy. Stir to combine well. Slowly pour in olive oil while vigorously whisking. Once all oil is added, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. in the same bowl toss rest of salad ingredients and serve.

Creamy lobster pasta with homemade pasta

yield: 2 servings         

1 pasta recipe, prepared and rolled out

½ cup lobster

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup parmesan

1 teaspoon fresh dill

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ cup white wine

½ lemon, zested and juiced

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat add oil and garlic. Cook garlic for 30 seconds then pour in white wine, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook slightly and pour in heavy cream. Stir in parmesan, dill, red pepper flakes, and allow coming up to a boil and turning heat off. Stir in butter, and lobster. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Boil fresh pasta and add directly into sauce once cooked.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Ingredients

 2 cups all purpose flour

 1 Tablespoon Sugar

 1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Garlic Butter Topping:

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted

 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Whisk together the melted butter and buttermilk. Combine with the dry ingredients until incorporated. It will make a thick dough. Fold in the cheddar cheese.
3. Measure out each biscuit in a ¼ cup measuring cup. The measuring cup worked great for packing the dough into the cup and spooning the dough out onto the baking sheet. It made perfect round biscuits.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven until golden brown. Combine garlic butter topping ingredients and brush onto each biscuit. Makes 11 biscuits.

Brownie pudding (chocolate lava cobbler)

  yield: 8

1 cup flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons veggie oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 ½ cup hot water

Preheat oven 350

Grease 9×9 pan

In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, milk, veggie oil, and vanilla. The batter will be very thick. Pour into prepared pan, spread evenly.

In a small bowl combine brown sugar and remaining cocoa powder, pour over top of thick batter. DON’T MIX.

Pour hot water on top and place in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

St. Louis Day

 Toasted Ravioli

 Ingredients

▢ 3 tablespoons milk

▢ 2 eggs

▢ 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs*

▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt

▢ 20 ounce package refrigerated or frozen ravioli , beef or cheese ravioli

▢ 3-4 cups vegetable oil for frying

▢ 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

▢ Warm marinara sauce , for dipping

Instructions

If the ravioli are not frozen, freeze for 1 hour before preparing recipe.

Combine milk and eggs in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Place breadcrumbs, salt and parmesan cheese in a large ziplock bag and shake to combine.

Dip frozen raviolis in egg mixture, then add to bag with breadcrumbs. Shake to coat.

In a heavy pot pour oil to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat over medium heat until oil is hot. Test it by adding a small sprinkle of bread crumbs to the oil and if they sizzle and turn golden, its ready.

Fry raviolis, only a few at a time, for about 1 minute on each side, until golden. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese and serve warm, dipped in marinara sauce. yield: 2

IMO’S PIZZA RECIPE (ST. LOUIS STYLE PIZZA)

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

IN LARGE MIXING BOWL COMBINE

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons dark corn syrup

1⁄2 cup tbsps water

2 tablespoons water

SAUCE

16 ounces whole tomatoes (diced into fine pieces)

6 ounces tomato paste

1 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon crushed basil

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon thyme

CHEESE

1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded

1⁄2 cup swiss cheese, shredded

1⁄2 cup provolone cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon liquid hickory liquid smoke

ITALIAN SEASONING

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons basil

1 teaspoon thyme

DIRECTIONS

1. Crust: Mix until thoroughly combined – Dough will be very stiff. makes enough for two (2) 12″ pizza pies. The dough is ready to use “as-is” No need to rise or kneed. Divide the dough in half, shape into a round ball and roll out paper thin.
2. In order to move the crusts around a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal works well.
3. After the crust, it’s the sauce that begins the first real steps towards forming the total Imo’s pizza experience. Imos uses a tomato sauce mixture that has a sweet taste, but it’s not so overly sweet to hide the rich tomato flavor or spices.
4. Sauce:Combine together and it’s ready to use – do not pre-cook the sauce! This Makes enough sauce for about four (4) 12″ pizza pies, so that should give you some idea of how much to use on each pizza.
5. On top of the sweet sauce Imo’s uses Provel Cheese, which is simply a blend of Cheddar, Swiss and Provolone cheeses with some liquid smoke flavoring. If you can’t find Provel in your local market, it can be easily created.
6. Cheese:Toss until cheeses and smoke flavoring are completely incorporated. Typically it’s enough cheese for two (2) 12″ pizza pies, but if you like extra-cheese you’ll want to make more.
7. Authentic Imo’s pizza toppings include: Extra-Cheese, Onion, Green Pepper, Sausage, Hamburger, Pepperoni, Anchovy, Bacon, Black Olive, Mushroom, Canadian Bacon, Jalapenos, Pineapple, Banana Peppers, and Tomatoes.
8. In a professional pizza oven the meat toppings (Hamburger, Sausage, Bacon, etc.) can usually be put on raw, but at home you’ll want to fully precook the meat before assembling the pizza.
9. Now you have the correct style crust, sweet sauce, smoky cheese, generous toppings, it’s now ready to be lightly sprinkled with some Italian seasonings.
10. Seasonings: Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and blend well.
11. While in the restaurant the pizza is baked in a pizza pan, at home you’ll have the best results using a pizza stone and an oven temperature around 450 degrees. If you don’t have a pizza stone, use the thinnest baking sheet you have and the lowest over rack position. The pizza is done when the underside of the crust is a dark golden brown, and the cheese is has a slight golden tint to it. Underbaking the crust will result in a limp crust, overbaking will result in a hard, tough, burnt-tasting crust, getting the right baking time to produce a crisp crust will require a bit of experimentation. The amount and type of toppings you use will also affect the total baking time. A rule-of-thumb is to check the pizza after about 10-12 minutes and adjust baking time from there accordingly.
12. And, as a final touch to truly replicate Imo’s Pizza at home, is to cut the pizza into tile-like squares instead of the traditional triangle slices.

Olive Garden Salad

FOR THE SALAD

▢ 12 ounce bag iceberg salad mix

▢ 2 Roma tomatoes sliced

▢ 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced

▢ 1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers whole

▢ 1/2 cup black olives

▢ 3/4 cup croutons

▢ 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded or shaved

FOR THE DRESSING

▢ 1 packet Italian dressing mix

▢ 3/4 cup olive oil

▢ 1/3 cup white wine vinegar

▢ 1/4 cup water

▢ 1/2 teaspoon sugar

▢ 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt

▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper

▢ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

▢ 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE SALAD

Place the salad mix, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini, olives, croutons and parmesan in a large bowl.

FOR THE DRESSING

Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth.

Pour 2/3 cup dressing over the salad. Toss to combine, then serve

Gooey Butter Cake Recipe

Ingredients

1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix

1 egg

½ cup butter melted

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

2 eggs beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

powdered sugar to sprinkle

Instructions

Grease a 9×13 pan and turn oven to 350°F.

Blend cake mix, 1 egg, and butter until smooth. Press into your greased 9×13 pan.

Blend cream cheese, 2 eggs, vanilla and powdered sugar until creamy and smooth. Spread over your the first mixture in your pan.

Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until edges are golden brown (middle may sink in a bit).

Top with powdered sugar and ENJOY!

Taco Day

Avocado Crema Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium avocado Not large
• 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Addall of the Avocado Crema ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth, scraping sides down as needed.
2. Avocado Crema may be made 8 hours ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly to the surface of the crema.

Best Mexican White Cheese Dip

Ingredients

½ pound white american cheese

¼ cup milk maybe more if you want it thinner

1 tablespoon butter

1 4 oz can of green chili’s

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

.125 tsp cayenne pepper – a pinch

Instructions

Place cheese, milk, and butter in a sauce pan over low heat.

Heat until melted – stirring frequently.

Stir in the green chillis, cumin, garlic salt, and the cayenne pepper. Remember, it doesn’t take much cayenne.

Add more milk if you want it thinner.

Serve immediately with chips, tortillas, and your favorite mexican dish.

Easy Baked Mexican Rice

Ingredients

1 8 oz can fire roasted tomatoes undrained

2 cups chicken broth

1.5 cups long grain rice

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp paprika smoked or unsmoked, you decide!

1 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine all ingredients into casserole dish & stir. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until rice is done and fluffy. Tomatoes will rise to top; stir in before serving and top with cheese

Shredded Chicken Tacos

▢ 1 ½ pounds (680 grams) chicken breasts skinless boneless

▢ 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

▢ ½ yellow onion minced

▢ 2 cloves garlic minced

▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin

▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano

▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder

▢ 1 teaspoon salt

▢ ½ cup (120 grams) salsa

Instructions

Poach chicken. Place chicken in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F/74°C. I use the kitchen thermometer to check as overcooked chicken will be dry.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board or bowl, and shred it with 2 forks.

In a skillet, heat oil and sauté the onion until it’s soft and translucent (3 minutes).

Add the garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add cumin, oregano, chili powder, and salt. Cook for 1 more minute.

Add salsa, and just mix it in (if necessary, you can add a splash of water) and let it warm up.

Add the chicken, and mix it in with the sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Serve in warmed up tortillas or taco shells with your favorite toppings

Easy Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

Fish

1 ½ pounds shrimp

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Fish Taco Sauce*

½ cup plain Greek yogurt or 5 tablespoons sour cream plus 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 ½ tablespoons lime juice from 1 lime

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼-½ teaspoon sriracha sauce* or to taste

pinch of salt

water as needed to thin sauce

For Serving

8 small corn or flour tortillas

½ small red cabbage* shredded

1 avocado sliced

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime cut into wedges

Instructions

Prepare the Fish

Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning over both sides of the fish and gently pat the seasoning onto the fish.

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the fish to the pan and cook until the internal temperature reaches 145° F, about 4-7 minutes per side. Turn off the heat.

Make the Fish Taco Sauce

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the plain Greek yogurt, lime juice, garlic powder, sriracha and salt. If the sauce is too thick you can thin it with a little water, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. Set aside.

Warm the Tortillas

(Optional) Warm and slightly crisp the tortillas, one at a time, in a hot skillet on the stove. Alternatively, you can warm the tortillas all at once in the microwave.

Assemble Tacos

To serve, fill each tortilla with shredded cabbage, cooked fish, avocado slices, fish taco sauce and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

  Mexican Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

¾ cup butter

1 ¼ cup sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

3 eggs large

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

¾ cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1:1 flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Line an 9×9″ square baking pan with parchment paper or grease well with butter.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave.

Stir in the sugar.

Stir in the cocoa powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and salt.

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour and chocolate chips and mix until just combined.

Spread the brownie batter in the prepared baking dish. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a rack. When the brownies are completely cool, cut into squares.

Korean Day

Homemade Ramen Noodles

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour 408g

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs beaten

1/2 cup warm water

Instructions

Whisk together flour, salt and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add eggs and warm water.

Set bowl in place on a stand mixer and attach dough hook. Mix at the lowest speed until all ingredients are moistened. Increase speed one or two clicks and mix until dough comes together. Once a dough ball has formed, continue to knead with dough hook for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth. (Recipe Note #2)

Turn dough out on to a floured surface and shape into a rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (but not more than overnight – see recipe note #3).

Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour.

Remove dough from refrigerator and divide into 6 equal pieces on floured work surface and cover loosely with plastic wrap. With your palm, flatten one piece into a rough rectangle about 1/2-inch thick; rub all over with flour. Feed one end through a manual pasta machine, beginning at the thickest setting (1). Turn dial to the next setting (2) and run dough through again. Repeat at the next two settings (3 and 4). (For a shorter ramen noodle, cut the dough in half crosswise before running through the pasta cutter.)

Attach pasta cutting attachment and dust the blades lightly with flour. Run dough through finest cutter (spaghetti-sized ideally). (Recipe Note #4) Dust noodles with flour to coat and separate and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.

Cook noodles for 1 to 2 minutes in a generous amount of water or broth until cooked through. You can also freeze the noodles. They can be added to boiling liquid directly from the freezer and cook about 30 seconds longer than when fresh.

Crispy Chicken Katsu

Ingredients

2 chicken thighs or breasts

1 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 egg beaten

vegetable oil for frying

Chicken Katsu Sauce

4 tablespoons ketchup

2 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

⅛ teaspoon garlic and onion powder

1 ½ teaspoons sugar (optional)

Instructions

Make Chicken Katsu Sauce

Katsu sauce: Combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and garlic & onion powder in a small bowl. Taste and add sugar if desired (start with less if you want a Bull-dog sauce copycat). Set it aside.

4 tablespoons ketchup, 2 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ⅛ teaspoon garlic and onion powder, 1 ½ teaspoons sugar

Dredge the Chicken

Bread the chicken: Prepare the egg, flour, and panko bread crumbs on separate plates. Mix a tablespoon of flour with the beaten egg to create a thicker egg wash for more bread crumbs to adhere to.

Salt and pepper the chicken, coat it in flour, and shake off the excess. Next, dip it into the beaten egg and then cover it with a generous layer of panko bread crumbs. Firmly press the panko into the chicken so it adheres well and doesn’t flake off in the fryer. See Note 2 for a crispier crust.

2 chicken thighs or breasts, 1 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 egg

Deep-Fry the Chicken

Heat oil: Add enough vegetable oil to deep fry the cutlets and heat to 340°F over medium heat. This is to ensure the bread crumbs don’t burn before the chicken cooks.

If you don’t have a thermometer, drop some bread crumbs into the oil. It’s ready when it begins to sizzle.

Fry the cutlets: Gently place a chicken cutlet into the oil and fry one side for about 4 minutes. Flip and fry the other side for 4 more minutes or until the coating is golden brown and the chicken is fully cooked.

Repeat with remaining cutlets and work in batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature. Use a skimmer to remove loose bread crumbs and try to keep the oil temperature at 340°F. See Note 3.

Serve: Slice the chicken katsu into 1-inch thick pieces and serve with katsu sauce, shredded cabbage, and rice. Enjoy

Asian Cucumber Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds Turkish, Persian or English cucumbers (about 5 cups sliced)

1/2 teaspoon salt

4–5 scallions, finely sliced

1 teaspoon ginger, grated

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce, (for gluten-free use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Coconut aminos)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey, or sugar), more to taste

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (sambal olek) or sriracha, more to taste

1–2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

Using the tines of a fork, score the cucumbers lengthwise- this will help the dressing cling to the cucumber. (Feel free to skip if in a hurry.)

Slice the cucumbers thinly. Place in a mixing bowl and toss with the salt to help them release water. Let this stand while you gather the remaining ingredients.

Strain the cucumbers using a fine mesh strainer (do not rinse) and place them in a large mixing bowl. add the scallions, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, optional red chili paste and toasted sesame seeds. Mix to combine.

Taste and adjust salt and sweetness to your liking. Add more chili paste if you like.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Cucumber salad is best served on the same day but will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Strawberry Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter softened

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons strawberry Jell-O mix

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 (3.4-ounce) package white chocolate instant pudding

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 (12-ounce) bag white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and Jell-O mix together with a hand mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to the butter mixture, and mix well.

Fold in white chocolate chips.

Use a small cookie scoop to scoop and roll dough into 1½-inch balls, then place on a greased baking sheet.

Bake for 9–10 minutes.

Let cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a rack to cool

Snack Day

Pancake Muffins

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (187 g) all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 ¼ cups (280 g) whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, room temperature

3 tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, melted

Fresh fruit of your choice, for topping

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F and spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, vanilla, egg, and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Using a ¼ cup as a scoop, put batter into the prepared muffin tin.

Choose your desired toppings (fruit, bacon, chocolate chip, etc) and use about a tablespoon for each muffin. Be sure to press the toppings down into the batter.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Best served warm and with syrup.

HEALTHY APPLE NACHOS

INGREDIENTS

2 apples of choice

1/4 – 1/3 cup natural nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower, etc.)

small handful chocolate chips

small handful shredded coconut

small handful slivered almonds, optional

sprinkle of cinnamon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Apples: Wash, core and cut your apples into 1/4 inch slices. I like to cut mine into quarters, take a small paring knife and carefully remove the core and upper and lower end where dirt may still be collected (even after washing). Lay apple quarters on a flat surface with the inside of the apple facing up, carefully slice your apple into 1/4 inch slices, even 1/2 inch slices is good too. Whatever thickness you prefer, no rules here! Place apple slices in a small bowl with the lemon juice, toss to coat.

Nut butter: Heat your nut butter just until warmed and somewhat runny. I like to heat mine by using a small silicon bowl placed in a small pot with just enough water to reach half way up the side of the silicon bowl, heat water on low and gently heat the nut butter until warm and drizzable. Alternatively, warm in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds.

Assemble: On a serving plate, lay your apple slices in a single layer around the outside edge, then layer another small layer over those but towards the inside center of the plate (like shown in the picture above). Drizzle the nut butter in a circular motion, from the middle of the plate to the outside edge. You can also just zig zag the almond butter from one side to the other if you like. Again, no rules – just do what you feel is best! Top with chocolate chips, coconut flakes, almonds and sprinkle of cinnamon (or whatever you’ve chosen to use as your toppings).

Serves one generously, or two as a small plate.

Soft Pretzel

Ingredients

Pretzel Dough:

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup of water

2 tsp dry active yeast

410 grams of bread flour (2 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp of flour)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)

Baking Soda Solution:

2 cups of warm water

2 tbsp baking soda

Topping:

6 tbsp melted unsalted butter (for dipping after baking)

coarse pretzel salt (for topping before baking)

Directions:

Heat the milk and water to 105°F (I microwave it for 45 seconds.) Stir in the yeast and allow it to proof for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and melted butter. Pour in the proofed yeast mixture and knead for a few minutes until the dough comes together into a ball. (Dough should be slightly tacky.)

Lightly grease the top of the dough with 1 tsp of oil and allow it to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in another mixing bowl, dissolve the baking soda in water. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 410°F. Turn the dough over to a greased area.

Cut the dough into 6 equal strips.

Roll and stretch each piece into a 35 to 40-inch rope or to the thickness of your finger. Then holding the ends, make a U-shape and twist twice. Pinch ends to the pretzel. Dip pretzels into the baking soda solution and quickly pat against a kitchen towel to remove any excess water.

Transfer the pretzels onto a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 7-8 minutes.

Dip warm into the melted butter. Serve.

Turkey Roll Ups (Costco Copycat)

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese softened

1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce

8 (10-inch) flour tortillas

1/2 head romaine or green leaf lettuce, torn into 4-inch pieces

16 slices deli turkey

16 slices Havarti or Swiss cheese, halved

2 medium tomatoes halved and sliced

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix cream cheese with cranberry sauce until uniformly combined.

Lay one tortilla flat on a cutting board and spread a thick layer of cream cheese all the way to the edges. Layer 3 lettuce leaves down the middle of the tortilla.

Layer two slices of turkey and 4 pieces of Swiss cheese on top of the lettuce. Top with several slices of tomatoes.

Starting at one end of the tortilla, roll tightly towards the filling. Continue rolling until the filling is tightly wrapped and the cream cheese holds the rollup together.

Continue with the remaining tortillas until all have been assembled. Wrap each tortilla rollup tightly in plastic wrap.

Chill the wrapped rollups in the refrigerator until serving time. To serve, trim any unfilled ends away. Slice each tortilla into 8 equal pieces

Cookie Dough Bites

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (226 g) (2 sticks) unsalted butter

⅔ cup (133 g) light brown sugar firmly packed

⅓ cup (65 g) dark brown sugar firmly packed

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (60 ml) sweetened condensed milk

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (170 g) mini chocolate chips

Instructions

To Heat Treat Flour

Preheat your oven to 350F (175C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and pour flour evenly over the parchment. Once oven has preheated, transfer flour to center rack and bake for 7 minutes (flour temperature should exceed 165F to eliminate risk of E.coli).

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

Remove flour from oven and allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, cream together butter and sugars using an electric mixer or stand mixer. Beat until creamy and well-combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat on high speed for one minute.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, ⅔ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar

Add condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until combined, scrape the sides of the bowl again, and gradually increase speed to medium-high and beat another 1-3 minutes.

¼ cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt

Once flour has cooled, measure out ¼ cup (30g) and set aside. Gradually stir remaining 2 cups (250g) into butter/sugar mixture until combined. If texture isn’t firm enough to roll, add remaining flour from the reserved ¼ cup, 1 Tablespoon at a time, but only as much as is needed. Discard any extra/unneeded flour.

Stir in mini chocolate chips.

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Scoop cookie dough by 2-teaspoon-sized scoops and roll between your palms to form a smooth ball. If the dough is too greasy you can add additional flour, or I recommend waiting 10 minutes or even refrigerating the dough for 10 minutes. Since the butter is warm from being beaten so much the dough will seem softer than it really is, allowing it to sit for 10 minutes or so usually helps to firm up the dough and make it easy to roll.

CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ¹⁄₄ – ¹⁄₂cup  butter or 1/4-1/2 cup  margarine, softened
• ¹⁄₄cup  sugar
• 2 tablespoons  honey
• ¹⁄₂teaspoon  vanilla
• 1 large  egg
• 1 cup  all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon  cinnamon
• ¹⁄₂teaspoon  baking soda
• ¹⁄₄teaspoon  salt
• 1 ¹⁄₄cups crisp rice cereal (Rice Krispies)
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 ¹⁄₂cups  rolled oats
• raisins (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease or spray 9 x 13 pan.
2. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, sugar, and butter until light and fluffy.
3. Blend in honey, vanilla and egg.
4. In separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add flour mixture gradually to sugar mixture and beat until combined.
6. By hand, stir in almonds, chocolate chips and oats until well mixed.
7. Press mixture firmly in bottom of greased pan, and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes, or until light golden brown.
8. Cool and cut into squares.

Indian Day

Easy Butter Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter divided
• ▢ 2 pounds (900 g) chicken breasts skinless, boneless, diced into bite-size pieces
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic about 5 teaspoons, minced
• ▢ 2 inch (5 cm) fresh ginger grated
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 2 teaspoons garam masala
• ▢ ½ teaspoon chili powder optional
• ▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 15 ounce can (400 ml) tomato sauce or passata
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, mint, or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. In a frying pan, heat vegetable oil and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Brown the diced chicken breast until golden. Move the chicken to one side and melt the rest of the butter.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add all of the spices, and the salt, stir and cook for a minute then add the passata.
3. Give everything a mix, cover with a lid and simmer on medium heat for 5-10 minutes for the chicken to cook and the flavors to settle.
4. Carefully open the lid, and stir in the cream, and allow the sauce to reduce a little. Serve warm over rice with chopped parsley, mint, or cilantro.

Naan

Ingredients

1 tsp instant / rapid rise yeast (Note 1)

1/2 cup warm tap water (~40°C/105°F in temperature)

1 tbsp white sugar

2 tbsp milk , full fat (low fat ok too)

1 1/2 tbsp whisked egg , at room temp (around 1/2 an egg

1/2 tsp salt , cooking / kosher

1 3/4 cups bread flour , or all-purpose/plain

30g / 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter , melted

Finishes:

30g / 2 tbsp tbsp ghee or butter , melted

1 small garlic clove , for Garlic Butter option (Note 5)

Nigella seeds

Coriander/cilantro , finely chopped

Instructions

Bloom yeast: Mix yeast with warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Cover with cling wrap, leave for 10 minutes until foamy.

Egg and milk: Whisk milk and egg together.

Flour: Sift flour and salt into a separate bowl.

Add wet ingredients: Make a well in the flour, add yeast mixture, and butter and egg mixture. Mix together with a spatula. Once the flour is mostly incorporated, switch to your hands and bring it together into a ball. No kneading is required.

Proof 1: Cover the bowl with cling-wrap, then leave in a warm place for 1 – 1.5 hrs until it doubles in size. (Note 7)

Cut into 6 pieces: Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 6 equal pieces, then shape into balls into spheres with a smooth surface by stretching the surface and tucking it under (see video).

Proof 2: Place balls on a lightly-floured tray or plate. Sprinkle lightly with flour, cover loosely with a lightweight tea towel. Put in a warm place to rise for 15 minutes until it increases in size by about 50%.

Roll out: Place a round on a lightly-floured work surface, flatten with your hand. Roll out into 3 – 4mm / 0.12 – 0.16″ thick rounds (about 16cm / 6.5″ wide).

Heat skillet: Rub a cast iron skillet with a very light coat of oil using 1/2 tsp oil on a paper towl (unless already well seasoned). Set over high heat until you see wisps of smoke. (Note 8 for other pans)

Cook naan: Place a naan dough in the skillet and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until the underside is deep golden / slightly charred – the surface should get bubbly. Flip then cook the other side for 1 minute until the bubbles become deep golden brown.

Cook remaining naan: Remove, set aside, and repeat with remaining naan, taking care to regulate the heat of the skillet so it doesn’t get too hot.

Finishing: Brush freshly cooked naan with melted butter or ghee (or garlic butter, Note 5). Sprinkle with nigella seeds and coriander. Serve hot

Curried Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower chopped into bite sized florets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon curry powder

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, add the cauliflower and toss through the salt, pepper, and curry powder. Add the olive oil and, using your hands, mix well to ensure all florets are coated with the spices and the oil.

Add the cauliflower on an even layer on the baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Remove from oven and serve immediately

Cardamom gelato

makes 2 pints

1 tablespoon green cardamom pods

3 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup organic sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup crème fraîche

Step 1: Place the cardamom pods in a mortar. With the pestle, pound on the pods until they crack open and the seeds are released. Remove the pods and coarsely grind the seeds by moving the pestle in a circular motion. Set aside.

Step 2: Place 3 cups of milk in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as the milk reaches boiling point, add the cardamom seeds, reduce heat and fast-simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover pan and let stand for 15 minutes to infuse the milk. Strain milk in a fine sieve, discard the seeds and pour milk back in the pan.

Step 3: Place the remaining 1/2 cup of milk, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Reheat infused milk over medium-high heat. As soon as the milk comes to a boil, quickly whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil again and then reduce heat to achieve a fast simmer. Continue whisking constantly for 5 to 6 minutes until the mixture has slightly thickened (it should be the consistency of heavy cream). Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours in the refrigerator or 45 minutes in the freezer.

Step 4: When the gelato is well chilled, whisk in the crème fraîche until well blended. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream or gelato maker and freeze according to the instructions of your machine. Transfer the gelato to a container and freeze for 2 to 3 hours before serving. (The gelato should have firmed up, but should still be a bit soft.)

Cook’s note: The gelato will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks, but is best eaten the day it’s made. Remove from freezer and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes until softened before serving

Chicken Saltimbocca

Caesar Salad

Freshly Made Fettuccini with Butter

Mocha Lava Cobbler

                                                                               `

Creamy Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons

yield: 2 servings                                                                           

½ head trimmed Romaine lettuce, cut in 1 inch slices

2 ½ inch slices Italian bread, cut in cubes

¼ cup plus extra-virgin olive oil,

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shreaded

1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 1 small filet mashed)

½ lemon, juiced

½ teaspoon garlic, minced and divided

¼ cup Mayo

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

Small block of parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish

  In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 teaspoon garlic, anchovy, lemon and Dijon. Whisk to thoroughly mix. Add Mayo and continue to mix.  Taste and add salt and pepper to eliminate acidity of lemon. Set is cooler until needed.

  In a small mixing bowl combine ½ teaspoon garlic and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix for 2 minutes to combine and extract garlic oils. Add bread cubes and toss quickly to evenly distribute garlic-oil min. Add parsley, fold in, and transfer croutons to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 3-5 minutes until cubes are golden brown but still chewy in the center. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the salad, Toss Romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing in a mixing bowl to lightly  coat, using only half of dressing to begin. Add more dressing if desired uniformly coating the lettuce. Add croutons and fold until evenly distributed. Divide salad between 2 chilled salad plates and garnish with shaved or shredded parmesan block.

Fresh Pasta Dough

yield: 2 servings

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

  Making fresh pasta dough is fun and very easy. Traditionally, the dough is mixed directly on a board or counter but it is acceptable to begin the dough in a bowl to limit the cleanup. Laminate counter tops are fine for kneading dough but natural or engineered stone is best as it is non-porous and maintains constant temperature, especially important when working with yeast doughs.

  In a bowl or on a countertop, combine the salt and flour. Using your fingers, create a well in the center of the mound, being sure that the well’s walls are equally thick and high. In a separate container, combine eggs and olive oil. Scramble eggs with a fork to incorporate oil.

  Add 1/3 of egg/oil mixture to center of well. Using a swirling motion, pull flour from inner walls of well into eggs and mix until it forms a thick paste. If working on a countertop, be careful not to break through the walls of the well as egg will run out over the work surface. When center is no longer runny, add half of remaining egg mixture and stir to paste. Add remaining liquid and repeat. Continue to mix until fork is no longer effective and then turn dough out onto work surface.

  Knead dough by flattening, folding it in half and pressing hard with the palm of your hand. Rotate 90’ and repeat over and over until dough is a consistent color (no patches of flour or egg mixture) and begins to feel springy. Pasta dough should be visibly bumpy but soft and smooth to the touch. To test, press a finger into dough. The depression made by your finger should spring back almost entirely. Flatten dough into a disk 1 ½ inches thick, wrap with saran and place in cooler to rest for 20-30 minutes or until finger divot does not bounce back. This means that the gluten that was excited in the kneading process has relaxed and the dough is ready to be rolled and cut.

 Chicken Saltimbocca

  Yield: 2

2 chicken breast

Salt and pepper to taste

8-10 large fresh sage leaves

2-4 thin slices prosciutto

Oil

½ cup white wine

½ cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter

Season chicken with salt and pepper then place sage leaves on top and wrap in prosciutto.

In a skillet over medium high heat add oil and chicken. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside. Add white wine and scrape any fond from bottom of pan. Add chicken stock and reduce by half. Turn heat down to medium low and add butter. Swirl pan until butter is melted. Return chicken back to pan and coat in sauce. If chicken is under cooked, place skillet in preheated oven (350 degrees) and bake for 7-10 minutes or until chicken is to 165 degrees. Serve with pan sauce.

Mocha Brownie pudding (coffee chocolate lava cobbler)

  yield: 8

1 cup flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons veggie oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup hot coffee

Preheat oven 350

Grease 9×9 pan

In a small bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, milk, veggie oil, and vanilla. The batter will be very thick. Pour into prepared pan, spread evenly.

In a small bowl combine brown sugar and remaining cocoa powder, pour over top of thick batter. DON’T MIX.

Pour hot coffee on top and place in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.