BURRATA & PROSCIUTTO CROSTINI

Burrata is Buffalo Mozzarella's softer, creamier, way cooler cousin. You're gonna like this a lot.

INGREDIENTS

• Ciabatta loaf, sliced
• 1 garlic clove
• 4-5 Cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Burrata cheese
• 1/4 lb Prosciutto
• EVOO
• Big pinch Kosher salt
• fresh black pepper
• Fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat broiler
2. Drizzle with EVOO, place under broiler for 1 minute until golden, both sides
3. Chop garlic in half, on the oiled side of toast, rub in garlic
4. Chop tomatoes in half and rub the tomato into the same side of the bread
5. Layer each slice with Prosciutto, 2 teaspoons Burrata, drizzle EVOO and season with Kosher salt and pepper
6. Garnish with finely sliced basil

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Warm nuts

Bunch last minute visitors arrived on your doorstep...?! Have no fear. Keep your pantry stocked with these simple ingredients and it will always be a breeze.

INGREDIENTS

• bag of nuts (any kind, but I prefer cashews, unsalted)
• 1 teaspoon butter
• dash of smoked paprika
• pinch of Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In small heat-proof dish, add all ingredients
2. Microwave for 30 seconds
3. Mix and serve with a ice cold beer or cocktail.

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Herbed Goat Cheese

A perfect last minute appetizer for the holiday season or any party.

INGREDIENTS

• 4oz soft goat cheese log
• 2 green onions, chopped finely 
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped finely (or, dill works too)
• pinch Kosher salt
• 6 grinds fresh black pepper
• whatever bread you have... Bagel, French Baguette, sliced thinly

DIRECTIONS

1. mix green onion parsley and salt and peper
2. roll the goat cheese in the mix coat generously and evenly
3. toast your bread and serve. 

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Hummus 2.0

One of my favorite go-to lastminute appetizers, take a simple little hummus and make it party fancy. 

INGREDIENTS

• Spicy hummus (or whatever you have in the fridge)
• kalamata olives, chopped
• pita bread or flat bread
• extra virgin olive oil
• pinch Kosher salt
• pinch cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Garnish hummus with drizzle of evoo, olives, dusting of cayenne and pinch salt
2. Toast bread and slice and serve 

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Crispy rice pancake & eggs

Sometimes you gotta go with what you've got - and when it turns out, it's wonderful. I made it for breakfast, if you love Loco Moco this is a close cousin.

INGREDIENTS

• egg
• 1 cup cooked white rice, chilled
• 10 crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce  
• Pinch kosher salt
• Few grinds black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

1. In small pot on medium heat, add chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and season
2. mix cornstarch with few tablespoon of cold water to make paste, then add to broth, cook 5 minutes
3. preheat hot skillet, add oil, mushrooms and onion, cook 2 minutes
4. add rice to skillet, mix, then flatten forming a pancake, cook 1-2 minutes each side
5. cook egg over easy
6. layer pancake, egg, season add gravy

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ROSEMARY BUTTER KNOTS

And old-school, but definitely a goodie. Simple biscuits transform into delicious, garlicky twisted knots of rosemary perfection. Geez, could I have used anymore adjectives?

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tube fridge biscuits  

• 1/4 stick butter

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Rosemary

• Kosher salt

• fresh black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven 400

2. Roll each biscuit into 10 - 12" stick, tie a knot and tuck ends underneath

3. Place on nonstick oiled baking sheet with 2 - 3" spacing, bake according to packaging

4. While cooking, heat small pan on low heat, melt butter add garlic, black pepper and Rosemary

5. When cooked, paint knots liberally with butter while still hot

6. Garnish with pinch Kosher salt

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Crab Roll (the New England kind, not the sushi kind)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound crab meat
• 1/4 cup greens onions, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons curly parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons dill, finely you know what
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 3 tablespoons mayo (I like Kewpie) 
• 1  1/2 tablespoons Sriracha
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 4 hot dog bun-type things

DIRECTIONS

1. Put all ingredients except buns in a large bowl and mix well to combine
2. Toast buns lightly if you want, add crab mix and serve.

Sriracha Chicken Wrap

Super fast food, then perfect munchie food remedy. Make it!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Deli Roasted Chicken breast meat, shredded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon Srirach
• 1 tablespoon runny honey
• Blue Cheese crumbles
• Iceberg lettuce
• handful celery leaves
• wheat tortilla

DIRECTIONS

1. In small pot on low heat melt butter, add Sriacha and honey 
2. Add chicken, cook 2 minutes (until heated through)
3. Warm tortilla
4. Build: tortilla, lettuce, chicken/sauce, blue cheese crumbles, celery leaves.

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GREEK CHICKEN WRAP

Proof you can eat healthy quickly, this takes 5 minutes. 

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup deli roasted chicken breast meat, shredded
• 1/4 cup English cucumber, skinned, thinly sliced half rounds
• 1/4 red onion very thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• pinch Kosher salt
• 2 pita breads
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup greek yoghurt

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix chicken, red onion, cucumber, fresh herbs (keep a pinch aside for garnish)
2. In small container mix oil, lemon juice, and Kosher salt, pour dressing into chicken/mix and coat well
3. Warm pita breads, 1 minute each side in dry skillet
4. Build: pita, chicken/salad mix, yoghurt, garnish with pinch of herbs

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Leftover Steak & Caramelized red onion Naan

This is so delicious. A great party food appetizer, if you are entertaining, the blue cheese pairs well with good bottle of red. 

Serves 2 as appetizer

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb leftover pre-cooked chilled steak (I used filet, but anything you like)
• 1 naan bread
• 1 red onion
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat broiler
2. In medium skillet on low heat, add butter, oil and red onions cook for 5 minutes or until sugars release and gets sticky
3. Add brown sugar to onions, cook 3 minutes
4. In small pot on med/low heat, bring balsamic vinegar to simmer, turn down as low as possible, reduce vinegar until consistency of maple syrup
5. In dry skillet heat naan for 1 minute each side, just to soften, put to one side
6. In skillet, high heat, lightly oiled, add waffer thin sliced steak, cook 1 minute
7. Build: naan, generous layer red onions, steak, top with blue cheese
8. Broil on high 1 minute
9. Evenly drizzle over 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction, cut and eat.

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Chinese Corn Chowder

Classic ‘hot & sour’ soup. Though you can certainly add chicken, pork or whatever you like, we’ve made this with only shiitakes & tofu…but you won’t miss the meat, trust me.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup finely diced smoked ham
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• One 15 ounce can creamed corn
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 egg, beaten
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
• 2 green onions, finely diced

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook ham with oil in a small pan until crispy - set a side
2. In medium saucepan bring corn and chicken broth to a low simmer
3. In small bowl mix corn starch & water until smooth, and stir into the broth, let simmer about 5 minutes
4. While stirring corn broth in a circular direction, pour in the egg from several inches above the pot in a very slow stream (while stirring) to create ribbons
5. Stir in soy, sauce and salt & pepper to taste - simmer a couple minutes
6. Serve topped with ham & green onions

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DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

You're thinking... "so, why are these so special?" Well, that's what I said, until I made them for a party and everyone went nuts about them. According to my SIL, this is the ONLY brownie recipe you will ever need. Credit to my SIL Cheryl for the recipe.

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup All Purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons Bourbon Whisky
• 1/3 cup soft butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (I used barrel aged Bourbon Vanilla extract!) 
• 1/2 cup whole walnuts (or pecans or whatever nuts you like, just keep them whole) 
• parchment paper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Grease and line a 8 x 8'' deep oven proof dish with parchment paper
3. In small bowl mix flour, baking soda and Kosher salt
4. In small pan, on low heat, combine butter, sugar, Bourbon and half the chocolate chips (6oz), cook 1 minute, keep stirring - remove from heat when melted
5. Add vanilla extract and beat in one egg at a time to warm chocolate mix
6. Gradually incorporate the dry mix into the chocolate mix
7. Mix in remaining 6oz chocolate chips and whole nuts
8. Pour mix into greased and parchment lined baking dish, cook for 30 minutes – do toothpick test, if it's clean its done. If not, cook upto another 5 minutes maximum.

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HUEVOS HANDCHEROS

Healthy on-the-go breakfast for early starts like school or work – tasty protein and only approx 200 calories. To make it fast, just prep at beginning of the week sautee the veggies and keep them in the fridge. 

Serve 1

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons pre-sauteed chilled veggies: onions, red onion, green onion, fresh green chili, red bell pepper (make a bunch of this and store in the fridge)
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1 tablespoon shredded Monteray Jack cheese
• 1 teaspoon salsa verde
• 1 light flour tortillas
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Cholula

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat skillet medium heat, butter, chilled veggies, cook 30 seconds
2. Remove from heat, crack in the egg mix quickly for 30 seconds, add cheese, salsa verde and mix
3. Warm your tortilla
4. Build: tortilla, Cholula, egg mix, roll it up.... and off you go!

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KALE QUESADILLA

Don't overlook Kale for a quesadilla filling, it stands up well and holds it's texture, I love this. Try it.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 Green Hatch Chile, diced
• 1  1/2 cups Organic red Kale leaves, washed, middle stem and vein removed, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 4 small flour tortilla
• 1/2 cup shredded Monteray Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup Sour cream
• squeeze lemon
• pinch Kosher salt
• pinch cumin

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat large skillet/wok on medium/high heat, add oil, onion, red pepper, chile, cook 4 minutes
2. Turn down heat, add garlic, mix cook 30 seconds
3. Throw in kale, mix and keep it moving in pan cooking for 2 minutes
4. Warm 4 tortillas, evenly sprinkle half the cheese on two of them, then layer kale mixture, sprinkle another layer of the remaining cheese, top with tortilla, flip and cook another minute or 2, until cheese is melted 
5. Mix sour cream, lemon, Kosher salt and cumin
6. Slice quesadillas, dip and eat

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QUICK ROASTED CORN

This is awesome way to have that roasted flavor without laboring 40 minutes over a hot grill....

Serves 2​

INGREDIENTS

• 2 fresh corn cobs (husk and silk threads removed)
• cling film
• 2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Wrap and seal corn in cling film
2. Microwave for 7 minutes (maybe 10, if you have an old microwave)
3. Remove with towel, beware the steam!
4. Brush butter all over
5. Turn gas up high, place cob directly on the burner, turn every 5 seconds allowing to roast a little on the surface (if you dont have gas, place in hot dry skillet).

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CANNELLINI BEANS AND MUSTARD GREENS

Side dish – yes. On its own for lunch – yes. Cold outta the fridge late night after some cocktails – oh hell yes!

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 5oz Mustard Greens, roughly chopped
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper (I used smoked black pepper)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet on medium heat 1 tablespoon oil cook onions 5 minutes 
2. Add rest of oil and garlic, cook 30 seconds
3. Add beans, cook 1 minute
4. Add greens mix until wilted and season with black pepper

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CANNELLINI AND BACON FLATBREAD

Super quick (10-15 minutes), healthy and protein rich pizza-type-flatbread-thing. It's super delicious. #lovethebean

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 bacon strips, chopped
• 2 tablespoons bacon grease
• big handful chopped kale
• 1 garlic clove, crushed (I cheated and used frozen)
• 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven 450
2. Cook bacon, remove, but leave most grease in pan
3. Add kale cook 2 minutes
4. Add cooked bacon, garlic and cook 30 seconds, add beans – smash a few up
5. On baking sheet baste naan with a teaspoon of bacon grease, spread out mixture evenly
6. Top with cheese, bake for 7 minutes, slice, eat.

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Cannellini Bean & Tuna Salad Panini

Make a mash up (literally & figuratively) of two delicious and high protein ingredients - and then grill for maximum flavor. Get eating!

Makes 2 grilled sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

• 8oz canned Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can tuna in water, drained
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced
• 4 tablespoons Kewpie (Japanese) or normal mayo
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• pinch Kosher salt
• 4 grinds fresh black pepper
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 slices Munster cheese
• salted butter
• 4 slices ripe tomatoes
• 4 slices Sourdough bread

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat griddle pan, or a skillet on medium heat
2. In medium bowl smash up tuna and beans roughly, not smooth
3. Mix in garlic, mayo, red onion, red pepper flakes, Kosher salt and pepper
4. Get layering: Bread, cheese, mixture, tomato, cheese, bread, butter the top
5. Place butter side down on griddle/skillet, press down, cook 1 minute, turn same side 90 degrees cook 1 minute (to make it pretty), butter top then flip and repeat.

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Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Make this and make it often, I'm in love.

Makes about 2 cups

1 pound tomatillos, 5 or 6

3 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper

1 Serrano pepper

1 small white onion, cut in half

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Kosher salt

1. Heat broiler to high

2. Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse well to get off the sticky stuff

3. Put tomatillos, garlic, peppers and 1/2 the onion on a baking sheet, drizzle lightly with oil and broil about 6 inches away from heat coils until beginning to start to blacken a bit - about 3 minutes

4. Flip over and repeat, let cool slightly

5. Put in a processor and whiz until nicely chunky, put in a bowl and add salt to taste, the other half of the onion finely diced and cilantro

6. Stir and serve

Crispy Panko Shrimp Tacos

I never really deep fried much because I thought it was a pain in the ass. Well not only are these simple, but they are so damn good - Kelly has asked for them again - and that's saying a lot.

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2lb  31/40 raw shrimp, deveined and tails removed
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle or reg chili powder
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup non-fat greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chipotle adobo sauce
• 2 cups napa cabbage, shredded
• pack small wheat tortillas

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oil in wide deep pot to 350 degrees
2. Mix yogurt and chipotle adobo sauce
3. Bread your shrimp individually: dusting of flour, dip in egg, coat with panko 
4. Warm tortillas
5. Gently place shrimp in oil, cook in batches of approx 8 (the temperature goes down the more shrimp goes in. For each batch bring heat back up to 350) cook 1 minute
6. Build taco: tortilla, yogurt sauce, cabbage, shrimp, eat.

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