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!