Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 lb bacon

1 16 oz whipped cream cheese, room temperature

1 lb of mushrooms

Directions:

Cook bacon. I prefer in microwave between paper towels or to bake in oven. Let cool and break into small pieces. The best way to do this is leave in paper towels and crush with pan.

In bowl, add cream cheese and bacon. Blend well and scoop teaspoonfuls into mushrooms.

Bake for 10-15 minutes. 

Ham and Cheese Hero

One of my favorite sandwiches is ham and cheese on a hero with red onions, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and mayonnaise.

Ingredients:

12” hero bread

8 slices of ham

6 slices of Swiss cheese

Sliced red onion

Sliced tomatoes

A few lettuce leaves

Sliced cucumbers, some don’t like this crunch, so leave out if you don’t like it.

2 tbs. mayonnaise

 

Directions:

 Now we all know how to make a sandwich, so I am going to leave the instructions out! 

 

 

Broiled Shrimp

I love to eat shrimp because its so low in calories and fat and simply yummy in my book. I always have a frozen bag of cleaned, de veined shrimp in my freezer. Its a great go to and always buy it when its on sale.  Cooking shrimp is quick, easy and makes a great meal.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of thawed shrimp

1 cup of Dijon mustard

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 tbs. of minced garlic

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. of red pepper flakes

shaved Parmesan cheese for the top

Directions:

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Make sure to toss shrimp well and I would let sit for 20 minutes. Heat the the oven to 350 degrees and place shrimp with marinade in baking dish. Let bake for 8-12 minutes depending on your oven. I sometimes serve over pasta and the marinade is my sauce. If you make it the pasta, empty shrimp and marinade over the pasta and toss. Plate and top with the shaved Parmesan cheese. Oh so good.

 

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

½ blue crumbled cheese

½ cup of hot sauce. (if you like hot add more, if you don’t like hot use less. I use ¼ cup)

2 chicken breasts, cubed

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In fry pan heat a tsp. of olive oil and cook chicken through and lower heat. Add in cream cheese, blue cheese, hot sauce and blue dressing. Combine well and place in baking dish.

Bake  for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with crackers. You can also garnish with crumbled blue cheese.

Shrimp with Cream Cheese Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients:

50-60 frozen shrimp, defrosted

16 oz. whipped cream cheese

8 oz. jar of cocktail sauce

Directions:

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and chill. 

Make sure shrimps are defrosted, cleaned and chilled.

Place shrimp on serving dish with dip in center.

By accident Marble Cake

So this was an ooops day. I was making a cake to bring to my friends house as she was having an Arbonne makeup party and when I poured the yellow cake mix into the bundt pan.....it wasn't enough cake mix. I must have bought the jumbo size one. So what to do, I made a chocolate cake and poured it right on top. Yes, sometimes the boo boos come out to be good things. We just served it on a cake plate and it was simply delicious. If you want to get more of a swirl so it looks very marbly, just take a knife through the batters and give it some twists and turns....

You can try this technique with many flavor cakes.

 

Ingredients:

1 yellow cake mix

1 chocolate cake mix

 

Directions:

Make cake batter according to instructions on the box and pour half of yellow cake mix into pan (use bundt pan) and then half of chocolate cake mix and then repeat. Take a knife and make swirls in the mix to get a marble effect. Not a lot of it will just blend into one color. Bake according to the directions on the box, but keep testing it with a knife or toothpick as it might take a bit longer to cook thoroughly.  I had to bake mine 10 more minutes.

Brownie Pops

The rage is cake pops and they have these sorts of gadgets to make them, but I found that all you really need is a small ice cream scoop, even a spoon will work. There are so many creative ways to make these types of desserts and I will try my best to start bringing some to you. Since I love chocolate and more chocolate, my first one, of course is all chocolate! The hardest part about this is storing them after you have decorated them. So...go by a piece of green styrofoam from you craft store. You can use it over and over again. Make sure its about 5 inches high and 12 inches long and 8 inches deep as you do not want them to tip over.

 

Ingredients:

1 pkg. of brownie mix

1 bag of chocolate chips, I use semi-sweet

Chocolate sprinkles

 

Directions:

Prepare the brownies according to the box. When done, let cool completely. In a small microwave bowl, heat the chocolate chips. Start off in small amounts of minutes as to not burn the chocolate. You need to be organized because the chocolate will harden quickly. Place the sprinkles in a small bowl as well. Like an assembly line, brownies, sticks, melted chocolate and sprinkles. With the ice cream scoop, make like you are scooping ice cream. Take the brownie mixture and put in the palms of your hands and roll into a ball. Then place on stick, at least half way through, dip in melted chocolate and into sprinkles. Then store on styrofoam. So easy. Seems hard and a bit overwhelming, but its easier than frosting a cake and what a wow for a party. 

 

 

Artichoke Chicken over Ziti

Ingredients:

1 pound of ziti

½   cup flour

Pinch of salt

2 ½ tbsp. butter

2   lemons

1 cup of chicken broth

¼ cup of vermouth or sherry (optional)

1 tbs.  garlic powder

6 boneless chicken tenders

2 tbs. Worchester sauce

1 tsp. basil

can artichoke hearts, quartered

tomatoes chopped

Directions:

Bring pot of water to boil and add ziti.

Combine flour and salt on plate and coat chicken. Melt butter in large skillet and add chicken.

Cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Add in lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce , broth, vermouth , basil, tomatoes and garlic simmer for 15 minutes.

Add in artichoke hearts and cover for 10 minutes.

Pour over ziti and serve.

Bailey’s Root Beer Float

This drink brings me back to being a kid when having ice cream float was a big treat, of course, minus the liquor. This is definitely an adult Root beer float. Just delicious!

Ingredients:

1 oz.  Bailey's

10 oz. root beer

 Some ice

Whipped topping

Directions:   

In a shaker combine ice, Bailey’s and root beer. Give a good shake and pour into glass. I always top my creamy drinks with whipped topping.

Red Grapefruit Champagne Cocktail

If your not a Champagne drinker and find the taste not that appealing try this one and it might make you change your thoughts about it. 

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of champagne

1/2 cup of red grapefruit juice, canned or fresh

Maraschino cherry

 

Directions:

This is quite simple, add all ingredients together in champagne flute and serve. Make sure that you have chilled your champagne for at least 2 hours before serving. To make a pitcher add in bottle of champagne and 3 cups of grapefruit juice. Give a good stir and pour into flutes. Add in cherry and serve. 

 

 

 

Chocolate Croissants

Don't you just to wow the family or guests with these simple ideas? I do. They will think you are amazing with these chocolate croissants. All you need is a tube of ready made croissants and 2 chocolate bars. Can't get any easier. A great way to impress the guests on a Sunday morning.

Ingredients:
2 packages of croissants (you can use Pillsbury or store brand) 
1 bag of chocolate chips or 3 Hershey bars 

Directions: Preheat oven according to packages. Open the package and separate the croissant dough. In the center of each piece of dough either place 2 row of candy bars or a tbs. of chips. Add as much or little as you want to make them really chocolatey or less chocolatey. Place on non-stick cookie sheet. 

Bake according to directions and serve hot with some milk, coffee or tea. Now that is good!

Chicken with roses

Ingredients:
Chicken breast – 800 gr.
Rosa Damascena jam – 150 gr.
French mustard – 3 teaspoons
1/2 lemon – just the juice
(crushed clove – 1 pinch)
salt
asparagus (or broccoli)
carrots
rice

Directions:
The marinade: Mix the jam with the mustard, the lemon juice and stir. Cut the chicken breast in portion sizes. Put some salt on it (and the crushed clove if you like this flavor) and leave it in the marinade for at least 30 min.

The garnish: Boil the asparagus with some salt until it gets soft a bit then fry it with some olive oil for 2-3 min. Prepare separately the carrots on the pan too. Use the water from the asparagus for the rice and add some salt and olive oil.

Fry the chicken together with the marinade in a pan until it gets caramelized and you see that golden colour. You are ready to serve it.

P.S. If you substitute the asparagus with broccoli, you don’t need to boil it if it is frozen. Just fry it in a pan for 5 min.

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Cucumber on Pita Chips

This is one of my favorite in case of an emergency appetizers....Like when people stop by unannounced and you have to serve them something and quick. Although, cucumbers do not stay long in your refrigerator the hummus and chips do, so if you can always keep them on hand for these types of "emergencies". I actually make these sometimes just for me as its better than eating a bag of cookies and I like my sweets...

 

Ingredients:

A bag of flat pita chips

1 10 oz. pre-made hummus container (any flavor)

1 large English cucumber (these have no seeds)

 

Directions:

Lay the chips down on a big serving platter. Clean and peel the cucumber and dice into maybe 1/2 inch slices. Top the pita chip with the cucumber and 1 tsp. of the hummus on top and serve. Now that was pretty easy!

 

Extra Chunky Tomatoe Sauce

We all use jar sauce, its not a crime, but sometimes when I am low on it and don't really have time to make a my own, I cut up a container of cherry tomatoes and and add to the jar sauce. It almost doubles the quantity.

 

Ingredients:

1 jar of spaghetti sauce

1 small container of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 small onion, sliced

2 tbs. of olive oil

1 tsp. garlic powder

dash of salt and pepper

grated cheese for garnish if desired

 

In a medium sauce pan heat the oil and onions. Don't let onions burn, just cook the until soft. Add in cherry tomatoes and let heat for about 10-15 minutes. You want the tomatoes to get very soft and break up a bit, but not mushy. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add in jar sauce and let simmer on low for about 15 minutes. In the mean time bring your pasta to boil, drain and toss in to the sauce and serve. Always pour pasta in to sauce and not sauce over pasta.  Garnish with cheese.

 

 

 

Simple Roasted Chicken

Nothing is better than the aromas of something baking in the oven. The summer is over and time to get settled back into Sunday dinners with the family. I try and cook my chicken on a lower heat over a longer period of time. It comes out even juicer than normal. You don't need many ingredients for this.

 

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, washed

1 tsp. of salt

1 tsp. of pepper

1 tsp. of garlic powder

2 tbs. of oil

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place chicken in baking dish, coat with oil all over. I use my hands and season with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. That's how quick it is. I bake in the oven for about 30 minutes per pound since it is on 250 degrees. Usually you bake a chicken for 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees.

 

When its done, you will  have a delicious roasted chicken.

 

 

Orange Pound Cake

I love pound cake and this recipe just gives a bit of a twist on the original. Sometimes I frost it with white icing as well. You can add a bit of zest to the frost and give it an orange taste as well.

Ingredients:

1 box of pound cake mix

1 cup of orange juice

Directions:

Prepare pound cake according to the instructions on the box, but add in a cup of orange juice. Preheat oven and grease loaf pan.  Serve warm or cool and frosting as desired.

 

Tomatoe and Grilled Cheese

As the weather starts to get cooler, we gravitate towards warmer lunches and grilled cheese is one of my all time favorites as you can add so many other things to it. Just think about what you like to eat when your sandwich is cold and grill it.

Ingredients:

2 slices of American Cheese

2 slices of tomatoe

1 small piece of lettuce (optional)

2 tsps. of mayonnaise

a dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

What I do first is heat my small fry pan on and give a coat pan with some cooking spray or a little bit of butter. I lay out the sandwich as if I were going to make it cold. Bread, cheese, tomatoe, salt and pepper, cheese, tomatoe and then spread mayonnaise on the bread and close it. Spread some more mayonnaise on the outside of the bread and lay this side down to grill first. Use remaining mayonnaise on the side facing up. I usually cook for about 2 minutes on each side, but you have to cook according to how you like it. Lighter or darker. You can also use one of the Pannini machines if you have one, but I don't!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Bananas

If I could eat sweets all day, every day and be healthy, I would for sure. Look at these cupcakes. Don't they just look yummy? You don't have to be a baker to make delicious cakes or cupcakes. I would love one day to be a pastry chef or real baker, but I would definitely need to clone myself. This way is good for me as well. Sandra Lee has the concept as she uses part home made and part store bought. I just love watching all my favorite ladies cook.

 

Ingredients:

1 box on yellow cake mix

1 container of cream cheese frosting

1/2 tsp. of banana extract (if you have)

2 bananas sliced, but not until ready to serve or they will get brown

Cinnamon

 

Directions:

Make cupcake batter according to the box. When cooled, combine the frosting and the banana extract. When I use pre made frosting I always remove from container and give a couple of swirls with my hand mixer to get some air in. It makes for a fluffier frosting. For this recipe I got creative and put the frosting into a Ziploc baggie and just gave each cupcake a quick swirl. I refrigerated the cupcakes because sometime I like cold icing. When it was time to serve, I topped each cupcake with 2 banana slices and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Pretty and delicious.

Chicken Meatball Appetizers

When I was growing up no one ever ate chicken meatballs, it was always beef and they were delicious. Times have changed, people are worried about all the red meat. I find chicken meatloaf and chicken meatballs to be a bit bland because most people do not season enough. Chop meat has more fat in it and that is where a lot of flavor comes from. These meatballs can be put in your sauce and eaten over your pasta, but I served these up at appetizers.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of ground chicken

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 cup or Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. of garlic powder

1 tbs. of prepared creamy horseradish sauce

2 cups of panko bread crumbs, Italian will do

1/2 cup of catsup

Canola oil

Directions:

In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients. My trick is that I put in refrigerator to get a bit cold as I find the meatballs easier to roll, but that's your choice. I usually leave in there for about 30 minutes. Heat up the oil and begin to fry the meatballs. Watching very carefully as you do not want to burn. You can also bake them. Spray a large cookie sheet with non stick spray and bake for 40 minutes.

I serve a dish of prepared creamy horseradish with the meatballs, gives them a kick!