CHEESEBURGER WONTONS

CHEESEBURGER WONTONS

INGREDIENTS: WONTON WRAPPERS. 1/2 POUND GROUND BEEF. 1/2 ONION DICED SMALL. 4 CLOVES DICED GARLIC. 1/4 CUP LIGHT OLIVE OIL. 1 TBS CHILI POWDER, OREGANO, ONION POWDER AND CUMIN. 1 TSP SALT AND PEPPER. 5 OUNCES ENCHILADA SAUCE. 

SAUTE THE ONION AND GARLIC IN THE OIL UNTIL SOFT, ADD THE BEEF AND COOK. ADD EVERYTHING ELSE AND COOK THROUGHLY. 

LET COOL.

PUT SOME IN THE MIDDLE OF A WRAPPER. WET THE EDGES. SEAL AND FOLD EDGES OVER LIKE A PACKAGE. FRY IN VEGETABLE OIL UNTIL PRETTY LIGHT BROWN ON BOTH SIDES. 

I SERVED WITH SALSA VERDE AND A HOMEMADE SRIRACHA MAYO SAUCE. 

SALSA VERDE

 SALSA VERDE

INGREDIENTS: 8 TOMATILLOS, 1 SERRANO PEPPER, 1 JALAPEÑO PEPPER, 1/2 RED ONION, 2 CLOVES OF GARLIC, 1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL, 1/2 CUP PACKED CILANTRO, 1/4 CUP FRESH LIME JUICE, 1/2 TSP SALT

REMOVE THE HUSKS ON THE TOMATILLOS AND CUT THEM IN HALF. CUT THE STEMS OFF THE PEPPERS AND CUT THEM IN HALF. REMOVE SEEDS. BAKE FOR 20 MINUTES AT 375 ON A SPRAYED AND FOIL LINED COOKIE SHEET

PUT EVERYTHING IN A FOOD PROCESSOR. TASTE. YOU MAY WANT MORE LIME OR SALT - DEPENDS ON YOUR LIKING. 

PEAR & SQUASH SOUP

 PEAR & SQUASH SOUP

INGREDIENTS: 1 POUND CUT UP BUTTERNUT SQUASH, 1 SLICED ONION, 1/4 CUP LIGHT OLIVE OIL, 4 CLOVES CHOPPED GARLIC,  4 PEARS PEELED AND CUT UP, 1 TBS CURRY POWDER, 1/4 CUP FRESH GRATED GINER, 1 TSP SALT & WHITE PEPPER, 4 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK, 1/2 CUP WHOLE MILK OR HEAVY CREAM

GARNISH: SOUR CREAM & CHIVES

SET OVEN TO 350. SPRAY A FOIL LINED COOKIE SHEET, ARRANGE THE SQUASH ON THE SHEET, SPRITZ THE SQUASH WITH OIL AND BAKE FOR HALF HOUR

SAUTE THE ONION AND GARLIC IN THE OIL FOR 5 MINUTES, ADD THE PEARS, CURRY, GINGER, SALT & PEPPER AND STOCK TO THE POT AND SIMMER FOR HALF HOUR WHILE THE SQUASH IS COOKING. ADD THE SQUASH AND SIMMER FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES. 

LET COOL FOR HALF HOUR.

BLEND THE SOUP IN A FOOD PROCESSOR OR BLENDER. I HAD TO DO IT IN BATCHES. RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL POT AND REHEAT.

THE FLAVOR IS GREAT IN THIS SOUP!

BUCATINI WITH SAUSAGE & MIXED GREENS

BUCATINI WITH SAUSAGE & MIXED GREENS

INGREDIENTS: 1 POUND BUCATINI, 1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL, 1 POUND ITALIAN SAUSAGE (I LIKE HOT BUT SWEET WORKS TOO!), 6 CLOVES OF GARLIC, 1 SHALLOT, 1 POUND MIX OF SPINACH, SWISS CHARD & KALE (YOU COULD ALWAYS DO MORE OR JUST USE ONE OF THE GREEN VEGETABLES), 1 TSP SALT AND PEPPER.

GARNISH: FRESH SHREDDED CHEESE (I USED PARMESAN)
 

I BOILED THE PASTA 2 MINUTES LESS THAN THE DIRECTIONS SAID AND ADDED SOME SALT AND OLIVE OIL TO THE WATER. BEFORE DUMPING IN THE STRAINER, I RESERVED 3 CUPS OF THE WATER.

MEANWHILE, I SAUTÉED THE GARLIC, SHALLOT AND SAUSAGE IN THE OIL IN A LARGE FRYING PAN UNTIL THE SAUSAGE WAS BROWNED AND COOKED THROUGH. I ADDED THE GREENS, SALT AND PEPPER AND SAUTÉED FOR 2 MINUTES. I ADDED THE PASTA AND WATER TO THE PAN AND COOKED ANOTHER 3 MINUTES. IT WAS FANTASTIC!

CITRUS RED CABBAGE SLAW

 CITRUS RED CABBAGE SLAW

INGREDIENTS: 3 CUPS SLICED RED CABBAGE, 1/2 CUP CHOPPED PURPLE ONION, 1/4 CUP FRESH SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE, 1/4 CUP FRESH LIME JUICE, 2 CLOVES CRUSHED GARLIC, 1/4 CUP HONEY, 1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL, 1/2 TSP SALT, 1 TSP PEPPER

LAST: 1/4 CUP FRESH CHOPPED BASIL

MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER WELL. ADD BASIL AND MIX SOME MORE. I LET MINE SIT FOR A FEW HOURS FOR THE FLAVORS TO BLEND BEFORE SERVING

THIS CAN BE EATEN AS A SIDE DISH, SALAD OR WITH TACOS - WHICH IS WHY I MADE IT

WE HAD IT WITH SHRIMP TACOS!

ARUGULA PESTO

 ARUGULA PESTO

INGREDIENTS:

2 CUPS PACKED ARUGULA, 1/3 CUP SUNFLOWER SEEDS, 1/2 TSP SALT, 2 GARLIC CLOVES, 1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL

PUT EVERYTHING IN A FOOD PROCESSOR UNTIL BLENDED

MAPLE BACON BRUSSEL SPROUTS

 MAPLE BACON BRUSSEL SPROUTS

INGREDIENTS: 1 POUND BRUSSEL SPROUTS, 1/2 POUND BACON, 1 TSP SALT AND PEPPER, 1/3 CUP MAPLE SYRUP.

OPTIONAL  1/4 CUP VEGETABLE OR AVOCADO OIL

CUT UP THE BACON AND COOK UNTIL CRISP. ADD THE SPROUTS, SALT AND PEPPER AND STIR OFTEN. IF THE BACON ISN'T FATTY, ADD SOME OIL. WHEN THE SPROUTS ARE DONE TO YOUR LIKING, ADD THE MAPLE SYRUP AND COOK FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES STIRRING CONTINUOUSLY SO THE FLAVORS MIX WELL.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

 ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD: 4 RED & 4 YELLOW BEETS, 1 CUP SPINACH, 1 CUP ARUGULA, 1 CUP CARAMELIZED WALNUTS, 1 CUP CRUMBLED GOAT CHEESE

EXTRA INGREDIENTS FOR ROASTING BEETS: LIGHT OLIVE OIL, SALT AND PEPPER

DRESSING: 1/2 CUP OLIVE OIL, 1/2 CUP WHITE BALSAMIC VINEGAR, 1/2 TSP SALT AND PEPPER, 4 CLOVES CRUSHED GARLIC, 1 TBS MAPLE SYRUP, 1 TSP DIJON MUSTARD, 1/4 CUP DICED SHALLOTS

PEEL & SLICE BEETS. PUT ON A SPRAYED COOKIE SHEET, DRIZZLE WITH OIL, SALT AND PEPPER AND BAKE FOR 20 MINUTES ON 400.

LET COOL.

MAKE DRESSING AT LEAST ONE HOUR BEFORE EATING AND LET SIT ON COUNTER. 

MIX EVERYTHING AND TOP WITH CHEESE!