ITALIAN SAUSAGE SAUCE OR SOUP

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SAUCE OR SOUP

INGREDIENTS: 2 tbs butter, 1 chopped onion, 6 cloves chopped garlic.  4 hot Italian sausage patties broken into pieces, 3 cups beef broth, 1 cup white wine, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 tbs dried basil, 2 tbs chili garlic sauce, 1 can cannelloni beans. Fresh basil for garnish.

Sauté onion and garlic in butter for 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook almost thoroughly. Add everything else and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Eat as a soup or over your favorite pasta!

SMOKED BABA GANOUSH

SMOKED BABA GANOUSH

INGREDIENTS: 2 peeled eggplant, 1 tbs tahini, juice of 1 lemon, 6 cloves peeled garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp salt & white pepper, 1 tbs smoked paprika.

Olive oil spray.

Garnish: Sumac, parsley and olive oil

350 Oven. Peel and slice eggplant 1/4 inch thick. Lay on a sprayed cookie sheet. Spray the top with olive oil spray and sprinkle salt, pepper and smoked paprika on top. Bake for 20 minutes. Don't let it get too brown.

Put eggplant, tahini, lemon and garlic in food processor. As mix is churning, slowly add olive oil. If it's too thick and chunky, add more olive oil or lemon or even both. Take a taste and see. 

Don't forget to garnish it!

SPINACH FATAYER

SPINACH FATAYER

When you go to a Mediterranean restaurant, these will be served in the shape of a small or large triangle. I made them like little balls because I already had the biscuit dough in my fridge.

INGREDIENTS: Some kind of dough. I used pillsbury biscuits that I had to use a rolling pin to flatten out. Dough sheets work much better.

Mix: 1/2 cup pine nuts, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 chopped onion, 1 tbs crushed garlic, 1 bag baby spinach, 1 tsp salt, pepper and sumac, 2 tbs lemon juice. 

Sauté the pine nuts and onion in the olive oil until light brown, add everything else and mix well. Drain the mix in a colander to remove excess moisture. Put mix in the center of a piece of dough (which should be around the size of a pop tart. Fold each end so the mix is completely covered. If time, put in the fridge for an hour to chill and set up. Bake on a foil lined and greased cookie sheet on 375 for 15-20 minutes until brown. I sprinkled sumac on top just for fun!

ASPARAGUS & PARMESAN STUFFED MUSHROOMS

ASPARAGUS & PARMESAN STUFFED MUSHROOMS

INGREDIENTS:

-Dozen mushrooms: wash throughly then hollow out the center. You can use the insides for the dish, save it for soup or discard. 

-1/4 cup light olive oil, 6 asparagus stalks (cut off ends and chop into small pieces, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 cup chopped baby bok choy.

-3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 cup parmesan cheese, 1 tbs black pepper, 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs.

Garnish with a red spice. I used a sweet and smokey seasoning. 

Sauté the veggies until softened. Add rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly. If mix is too dry, add more lemon juice or water. Stuff the mushrooms with the mix and bake for 20-30 minutes uncovered at 350. Time depends on how large the mushrooms are. Broil at the end if you want them browned. 

HUMMUS

HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS: 2 cans drained garbanzo beans, 6-10 cloves fresh garlic, 1 heaping tablespoon tahini, juice of 1 lemon & 1/3 cup olive oil. Garnish with parsley, sumac and extra virgin olive oil. 

Put beans, garlic, tahini & lemon juice in a food processor. As it is churning, slowly add the olive oil. If you want it spicier, add 1/2-1 tsp white pepper. Drizzle olive oil on top as well as a sprinkling of parsley and sumac. 

EGGPLANT & CHICK PEA MAGHMOUR

EGGPLANT & CHICK PEA MAGHMOUR

INGREDIENTS: 2 eggplants peeled and cut into squares, 1/2 tsp sumac, allspice, salt, crushed pepper and 1/4 cup olive oil.

1 onion, 1/4 cup olive oil, 6 cloves chopped garlic. 2 oz tomato paste, 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1/2 tsp paprika, cayenne, allspice, sumac & salt and 1 can of rinsed canned garbanzo beans, 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, 2 cups veggie stock.

Garnish - sour cream & fresh mint

400 oven: Mix eggplant with spices & oil and put on a foil lined and sprayed cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes.

While eggplant is cooking, sauté oil, garlic and onion for 10 minutes, add the rest of the ingredients and cook on a medium heat. When the eggplant is done, add to the mix and cook for another 20 minutes on a low heat. Garnish with sour cream & mint if desired. 

BUTTER GARLIC SAUCE

BUTTER GARLIC SAUCE

INGREDIENTS: 1 stick of butter, juice of 1 lemon, 4 cloves crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp pepper and a little fresh parsley.

Simmer all the ingredients in a saucepan on low heat for 20 minutes. Great for dipping lobster, shrimp, crab or broccoli!

TERIYAKI SAUCE

TERIYAKI SAUCE

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup sake, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbs fresh grated ginger, 1 tbs honey, 3 cloves crushed garlic, 2 tbs brown sugar,  and 1/4 tsp cayenne - if you want a little kick to it!

Put everything in a saucepan and simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. 

SHRIMP COCKTAIL

SHRIMP COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS: Raw shrimp (thawed if frozen) Pot of boiling water with  a generous helping of herb seasoning, salt, garlic powder, basil.... really you can put any herbs in the water that you like.

Let the water boil for 5 minutes so the water becomes aromatic. Turn off the heat, put the shrimp in the water and stir gently until they are done. These shrimp were large so it took about 5-6 minutes for them to be fully cooked. Drain the shrimp, put in a bowl with some ice cubes on them and put in the fridge to chill. 

LEBANESE SALAD DRESSING

LEBANESE SALAD DRESSING

INGREDIENTS: 2 ounces olive oil, 2 ounces lemon juice, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 1 tsp each salt, pepper, sumac and zahtar 

I'm putting the dressing over a salad made of white and red cabbage, radishes, purple onions, cucumbers, fresh mint and cilantro, 

BROCCOLI CAESER

BROCCOLI CAESER 

INGREDIENTS: 3 cups raw chopped broccoli, 1 cup chopped cabbage, 1/2 cup chopped fennel, 6 slices of bacon, 1/2 cup shredded fresh parmesan cheese, 3 tbs raisins, 1 cup of Caesar dressing (recipe on my blog!)

First, make the dressing and set aside so the flavors become friends. Cook the bacon while you chop up all the vegetables. Mix everything and enjoy! This is such a great salad idea!!

SEARED TUNA

SEARED TUNA

INGREDIENTS: 1 pound raw ahi tuna, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or black if you don't like things spicy), 2 tbs black sesame seeds, 2 tbs white sesame seeds, 2 tbs sesame oil 

Rub oil on both sides of tuna, rub 1/4 tsp of cayenne on each side, put 1 tbs black and white sesame seeds on one side and press down firmly. Repeat on other side. Sear on high heat for 1-2 minutes each side depending on how rare you like it.  

In this pic, I served it over arugula with purple onion, purple cabbage, artichoke hearts, radishes, tomatoes, pickled ginger, shaved carrots, pistachio nuts and my ginger garlic dressing. 

GREEN BEAN SALAD

GREEN BEAN SALAD

INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds french green beans, 1 can unmarinated & quartered artichoke hearts, small purple onion sliced thin, dozen sweet cherry tomatoes cut in half, handful of fresh basil leaves shredded, handful of shaved parmesan cheese, lemon balsamic dressing  (can be found on my blog!)

Steam the green beans for 4 minutes, drain and put in fridge to chill. When you're ready to eat, mix all the ingredients and serve cold!

GLUTEN FREE CLAMS CASINO

GLUTEN FREE CLAMS CASINO

INGREDIENTS: 2 dozen clam shells, 1 tbs butter, 2 celery stalks, 1 cup cabbage, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 jalapeño, 1 small hot red pepper, 1 tbs crushed garlic, 1 tbs basil, 1 tbs chili garlic paste, 1 10 oz can whole baby clams and liquid, 4 tbs grated parmesan cheese. Garnish: parmesan cheese, parsley & chili powder

Chop all the veggies small and sauté in butter for 10 minutes, add everything else and mix well. Fill shells, add garnish and bake 350 for 1/2 hour and then broil for 5 minutes. Serve with fresh lemon wedges. 

LEMON BALSAMIC DRESSING

LEMON BASLAMIC DRESSING

INGREDIENTS: 2 oz extra virgin olive oil, 1 oz balsamic vinegar, juice of 1 large lemon, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 3 crushed garlic cloves

Mix everything in a jar and let sit for a few hours!

GINGER GARLIC DRESSING

GINGER GARLIC DRESSING

INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar, 4 cloves crushed garlic, 2 tbs fresh grated ginger, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tbs agave.

Mix everything in a glass container and let it sit on the counter for a few hours before serving. ENJOY!!

CLAMS CASINO

CLAMS CASINO

INGREDIENTS: 2 dozen clams. 2 tbs butter, 2 celery stalks, 5 small sweet peppers (red, orange & yellow), 2 scallions, 1/2 red onion, 1 tbs crushed garlic, 2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs, 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tbs parsley, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 cup clam stock (or fish or chicken) Garnish with cayenne, taco seasoning and/or paprika and extra lemons.

Wash the clams well. Steam them in water and preserve at least one cup of the liquid for the mix. Use a whole clam in each shell if you want to make 24 clams. Cut the clam in half and put half in each shell if you want to yield 48.

Chop all the veggies small and sauté them in the butter until soft (about 10 minutes) Add everything else and mix well. Taste it. Do you want it spicier (add more pepper), wetter (add more stock) or saltier (add a little more parmesan cheese)???   If not, put the mix in the shell on top of the clam in the shell & garnish with a red spice.

Bake 30 minutes uncovered on 350 (unless clams are small, it may take less time) Broil for 5 minutes to get crunchy on top. Squeeze a little lemon juice on each one and enjoy!

LOBSTER BISQUE

LOBSTER BISQUE

INGREDIENTS:  2 tbs butter, 1 diced zucchini, 2 diced scallions, 1 diced carrot, 1 diced onion, 1 cup diced fennel, 6 cups chicken stock, 1 cup white wine, 3 oz tomato paste, 2 tbs chili paste, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup cognac, 1 tbs thyme & pepper, 1 pound langoustines, 1/4 cup chives

Sauté all the veggies in butter until soft (about 10 minutes) add everything else but the lobsters and chives and simmer for 20 minutes, add the lobster & chives and cook on low another 20 minutes.