Fresh Hand-Made Pasta Dough

Homemade Fettuccine with Four Cheese Alfredo

Garlicky Herb Shrimp Tortellini

Strawberry Salad with Basil and Avocado

 Chocolate Lava Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream

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.

Four cheese Alfaro

  yeild: 2

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoon butter

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup parmesan

½ cup mozzarella

¼ cup provolone

¼ cup Romano

Salt and pepper to taste

In a sauce pan add butter and garlic and cook until you smell garlic. Then add heavy cream and all cheeses. Mix until fully melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Garlicly shrimp herb tortellini

  yeild: 2

1 pasta recipe

1 cup shrimp ( 8 oz chopped fine)

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup mixed herbs (parsley, chives, basil)

½ cup ricotta

¼ cup parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup butter

In a small bowl combine both cheese, garlic and shrimp. Mix and season with salt and pepper. Cut circles out of sheet of pasta, place filling in center of pasta circles and fold in half, bring the two edges together and crimp together. repeat until mixture or pasta runs out.

Cook in boiling water until floating then an additional 3-5 minutes to ensure shrimp is cooked. strain and place in bowl with butter, toss with herbs and serve.

 Strawberry salad with basil and avocado

  Yield: 2

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

½ cup halved mini mozzarella balls

1/2 ripe avocado, pitted and diced

¼ cup candied pecans, toasted

¼ cup loosely packed basil, torn

2 cups romaine chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Balsamic glaze for drizzling

Olive oil for drizzling

Place the strawberries, mozzarella, avocado, pecans basil and romaine in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Gently toss. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

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.

Stuffed Chicken

Pasta with Alfredo

Roasted Veggies

Lemon Blueberry Trifle

 Spinach Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Chicken

  Yield: 2

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded

½ cup cooked spinach

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

¼ cup onion finely chopped

¼ cup cream cheese

¼ cup shredded mozzarella

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 thin slices bacon

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, spinach, garlic, onions, mozzarella and Parmesan. Mix until the cream cheese is evenly distributed.

Divide filling between chicken. Roll chicken up. Starting from the top of the breast, wrap one bacon strip around the 1st half of the chicken breast. Repeat with a second slice. You can stretch the bacon a bit to wrap the whole breast evenly. Repeat with the other chicken breasts.

Place the chicken breasts onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper, and place in oven cook 35-40 minutes, until cooked through (175F internal temperature).

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.

Alfredo Sauce

• 1/4cup butter, cut into large cubes or slices
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt (not table salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Add the butter and cream to a large nonstick sauté pan, over medium-low heat; whisk until butter has melted.
2. Add in the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; whisk until combined and smooth.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil) and cook for 3-4 minutes, whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken.
4. Stir in the parmesan cheese just until melted and the sauce is smooth.
5. Take off the heat and toss with cooked fettuccine noodles (or your favorite pasta.)
6. (If the sauce isn’t quite thick enough, allow it to stand for 2-3 minutes before tossing with the pasta.)

Roasted Vegetables with Garlic and Balsamic

yield: 2 servings

10-12 oz assorted vegetables ( broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, zucchini or sweet potato)

4 garlic cloves, quartered

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fine balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Pinch of ground black pepper or more if preferred

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

  In a medium mixing bowl, toss vegetables with garlic, oil, balsamic vinegar salt and pepper until coated. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400 until vegetable start to brown. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Blueberry Lemon Trifle

Yield 8:

1 ½ cups fresh blueberries, divided

1 can (15-3/4 ounces each) lemon pie filling

1 cup lemon yogurt

½ prepared angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes

3-4 cups whipped cream

Optional: Lemon slices and fresh mint

Set aside 1/4 cup blueberries for garnish. In a large bowl, combine pie filling and yogurt.

In 8 glasses, layer a third of the cake cubes, lemon mixture and blueberries. Repeat layers twice. Top with whipped topping. Garnish with reserved blueberries and, if desired, lemon and mint.

Pasta with Lemon Creme Sauce

Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara

 Pasta with Pesto

Strawberry Spinach Salad

 Chocolate Pot De Crème

Fresh pesto

yield: 2 servings

12 large fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic,

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

Place everything into food processer and blend until smooth, serve over pasta

Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe

Homemade Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe. Packed with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries with walnuts and brie on a bed of spinach and homemade dressing, this salad is crazy amazing.

Servings: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

5 oz fresh spinach

1/2 cup blueberries

3 oz raspberries

4 oz strawberries, halved

3/4 cup cubed brie

1/2 cup walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the recipe for homemade poppy seed dressing.

In a bowl add the spinach, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, Feta cheese, and walnuts.

Drizzle salad with the homemade poppy seed dressing. Gently toss to combine and serve

immediately.

Poppy Seed Dressing

Servings: 4 servings

1½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 Tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp mayonnaise

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp poppy seeds

Salt and pepper

Whisk Balsamic vinegar, oil, Dijon mustard, mayo, honey, poppy seeds, salt, pepper, and minced garlic.

 whisk dressing vigorously until ingredients are combined.

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.

Lemon cream sauce

  yield: 2

1 cup heavy cream

1 lemon zested and juiced

¼ cup white wine

½ cup grated parmesan

In a large skillet over medium heat combine all ingredients and cook until thickened.

Season with salt and pepper then serve over pasta

 Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara with Rosemary Bacon

  Yield: 2

1 pasta recipe, prepped, rolled out and cooked

½ cup pasta water

½ cup butternut squash mashed

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Red pepper flakes to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 slices bacon chopped

2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons honey

2 large egg yolks

1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons butter

In a pan over medium high heat add bacon and begin to cook. Cook for 3 minutes then add rosemary. Allow to cook until bacon is to desired crispiness then turn heat off and remove bacon from pan. Add thyme, garlic, and cayenne pepper to pan. Stir in butternut squash, cheese, honey and egg yolks. Slowly add pasta water while stirring. Add cooked pasta and butter to pan and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, toss in bacon and serve.

Chocolate pot de crème

  yield: 8

3 cup heavy cream

2 cups semi sweet chocolate

4 egg yolks

3 tablespoon sugar

½ stick butter

¼ teaspoon salt

Whipped cream for serving

Pre heat oven to 300”F

Over a double boiler melt, heavy cream, chocolate, butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until fully melted and fully combined. Temper the egg yolks by slowly adding the hot mixture.  When about a 1/3 has been added you can now add it to the chocolate mixture.

Pour evenly into ramekins and pour 1 inch of hot water into a sheet tray along with ramekins. Place in oven for 30-35 minutes.

Once finished chill for 3 hours before serving.

Chicken Strips

Homemade Pasta with Alfredo

Mixed Berry Romaine Salad

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie with Ice Cream

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.

Alfredo Sauce

• 1/4cup butter, cut into large cubes or slices
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt (not table salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Add the butter and cream to a large nonstick sauté pan, over medium-low heat; whisk until butter has melted.
2. Add in the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; whisk until combined and smooth.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil) and cook for 3-4 minutes, whisking constantly, until it starts to thicken.
4. Stir in the parmesan cheese just until melted and the sauce is smooth.
5. Take off the heat and toss with cooked fettuccine noodles (or your favorite pasta.)
6. (If the sauce isn’t quite thick enough, allow it to stand for 2-3 minutes before tossing with the pasta.)

Fried chicken strips

  yield: 2

2 cups chicken breast cut into strips

1 cup seasoned flour

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

Oil for deep frying

In a small bowl combine egg and milk. Whisk to combine. Stir in seasoned flour making sure no lumps appear.

If mixture is to thick, adjust by adding 1 tablespoon of milk at a time.

Add chicken and fully coat.

In a large skillet bring oil up to medium high heat. Slowly add 3-4 chicken strips into oil at a time. Cook until golden brown. Once ready to remove, place onto plate lined with paper towel to drain any extra oil. Continue to cook chicken until all are done. Serve with choice of sauce.

Romaine and Berry Salad with Vinaigrette

yield: 2 servings

½ head Romaine lettuce, rinsed and cut in ½ inch slices

½ cup mixed berries

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

3 tablespoons walnuts roughly chopped and lightly toasted.

1 teaspoon Italian parsley, minced

1 teaspoon honey

Sea salt and ground black pepper

  In a small mixing bowl, combine champagne vinegar, honey and thyme. Whisk to incorporate and add parsley. Pouring in the slowest steady stream possible, drizzle olive oil into bowl while whisking vigorously. If oil begins to pool, stop pouring and whisk until incorporated and oil is used. As emulsion forms, dressing will thicken and will not separate. Taste and adjust flavor with salt and pepper.

  Dry Romaine thoroughly. Using tongs, place a mound of lettuce on a chilled salad plate. Arrange sliced strawberries on top of lettuce and sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle dressing over salad and serve immediately.

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie for Two

Ingredients

1/2 cup (75g | 2.6oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup (50g | 1.8oz) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (50g | 1.8oz) light brown sugar, packed

1 tsp pure vanilla extract, (store-bought or homemade)

1/4 cup (60g | 2.1oz) butter, melted

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup (90g | 3.2oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (save a few tablespoons to melt and drizzle over cooked cookie)

—

Your favorite vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously butter a 6-1/4” mini cast iron skillet. If you didn’t have such a skillet, you could use a 6” cake pan instead, but you may have to adjust baking time slightly.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix well with a whisk until well combined; set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until well combined.

Add the egg yolk, stir well, and then carefully stir in the flour mixture. Mix until completely combined, then stir about 2/3 of the chocolate chips.

Transfer the cookie dough to the cast iron skillet and arrange it delicately with your fork, just so it’s evenly distributed across the skillet.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are puffed and browned and the center appears set.

Remove from the oven and press a few additional chocolate chips across the surface of the cookie, if desired; allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining chocolate chips in the microwave, adding a few drops of oil to make it more drizzleable, if necessary.

Garnish the cookie with a great big scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with the melted chocolate and serve with 2 spoons!