Mini Caprese Pizzas

Makes about 18

Like a big caprese pizza? Well you really like these little ones...

Ingredients

• 6 Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/8 inch slices1 tube refrigerator pizza dough, spread out and cut into 18 2 inch circles
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 6 small fresh mozzarella balls - the golf ball size, sliced into 1/8 inch slices halved
• about a dozen basil leaves, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Place dough circles on baking sheet
3. Top with a little pesto, then a tomato slice and a cheese slice
4. Bake about 20-25 minutes or until dough is crisp and cheese has started to melt
5. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped basil and serve

Baked Feta

Serve about 8 as an appetizer

Warm, soft and delicious...(that's what she said).

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) block feta cheese1 big (or 2 small) cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat to oven 350
2. Place feta in an ovenproof baking dish
3. Top with crushed garlic, oregano and red pepper - drizzle liberally with olive oil
4. Bake uncovered until the feta is soft, 15-20 minutes
5. Remove carefully and serve with something crunchy

Mashed Potato & Stuffing Tacos

Makes 4

The only word for what started out as a simple Mashed Potato Taco is legendary...

And if it's not Thanksgiving, a box of Stove Top works beautifully...no really.

Ingredients

• 4 corn tortillas
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 3/4 cup leftover mashed potatoes
• 1/3 cup leftover stuffing
• Hot sauce, about 4 teaspoons
• 6 pieces of bacon, cooked until crispy and then crumbled
• 4 handfuls of potato chips - preferably the extra crispy kettle kind

Directions

1. Heat the tortillas in a non-stick skillet on both sides until just beginning to get a little color in spots
2. Warm up potatoes & stuffing - small pot on the stove...microwave...in your pocket - it's up to you
3. Spread some sour cream onto each tortilla
4. Add some of the mashed potato then stuffing
5. Drizzle with the hot sauce, add crumbled bacon and then take a handful of the potato chips and crunch them over the top of each taco
6. Fold in half and eat...you can thank me later

Tomato Egg Stir Fry

Serves 4

Eggs and tomatoes never tasted so good.

Ingredients

• 5 eggs, beaten
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• Olive oil, peanut oil, whatever oil
• 4 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Green onions, chopped fine for garnish

Directions

1. Heat a wok or large non-stick pan well over medium heat
2. Add enough oil to coat the bottom and sides, and add eggs, and season with salt & pepper
3. Roll pan around to spread eggs into sort of a large pancake
4. Cook on both sides until done - but not too try and remove to a cutting board
5. When it cools slightly, roll it up like a cigar and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons
6. Put wok or pan back on the heat, add more oil and then tomatoes and sugar
7. Cook tomatoes until they start to break down a bit, then add back in the eggs
8. Stir everything until well combined and heated through - about 2 more minutes then serve
9. Top with green onions

Potato/Leek Flatbread

Makes one 7"x12" flatbread

Flatbread pretty much just means very thin crust pizza - and this is a delicious one. Many supermarkets now sell balls of raw pizza dough - or you can make your own. Either way you'll like this.

Ingredients

• 1 large leek
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 ball store bought pizza dough
• Soft garlic & herb cheese, like Alouette
• 3 or 4 small red potatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Cut off root end and bright green tops of leek
3. Slice what's left (the white & light green middle) in half lengthwise, rinse under cold water to remove any dirt and dry
4. Slice each half lengthwise into thin match sticks and saute in a non stick pan with a little olive, salt & pepper until softened (about 3 minutes), remove from heat
5. Lightly oil baking sheet and spread out dough into about a 7x12 oval
6. Spread with garlic & herb cheese, potato slices, sauteed leeks and finally the Parmesan
7. Bake until crispy & golden brown, 10-12 minutes

Chimichurri

Makes about 1 cup

Thank you Argentina! This is so delicious on any kind of grilled meat, poultry, vegetables whatever. Even just to use for dipping grilled, crusty bread into would be insane

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon each Kosher salt, cumin and crushed red pepper

3/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

• Either put everything into a food processor and process until fairly smooth, or

• Hand chop everything, pout into a bowl and mix

• Either way it’ll be delicious - so use it on everything

Spinach & Ricotta Won Tons

Makes about 2 dozen won tons

Won ton wrappers are essentially a blank canvas for whatever you put in them. And in this case it's ricotta, cream cheese and spinach - simple and delicious. To make life easier, you can mix the filling up to the day before then just fill & bake them before eating.

Ingredients

• Preheat oven to 400
• 12oz bag frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
• 4oz cream cheese,softened
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Round Won Ton Papers
• Small bowl of water

Directions

1. Put spinach in the center of kitchen towel, fold up sides and squeeze like a crazy person until all liquid is squeezed out of spinach
2. Put spinach in a bowl and add cream cheese, ricotta, salt, pepper and red pepper - mix well
3. Put about 2 teaspoons of the mix in the center of each wrapper
4. Dip your finger into a little water, then lightly moisten the edges of each wrapper, fold in half
5. Seal tightly trying to remove as much air as possible and place won tons on baking sheet
6. Bake until they start to brown, about 20 minutes and and remove from oven
7. Serve

Tofu & Edamame Fried Rice

Serves 4

I could eat this all day long...and if you’re not a tofu fan, this is the time to become one.

Ingredients

• 1 pack Extra Firm Tofu
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, white & light green parts, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup frozen edamame beans
• 2 cups pre-cooked cold rice - fresh rice will make it mushy and gross, and you don't want that do you?
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame chili oil

Directions

1. Slice tofu horizontally into 2 pieces (so you now have 2 square blocks)
2. Place tofu blocks side by side on a triple layer of paper towels, with a triple layer on top
3. Place something heavy like a pot or pan on top and leave about 10 minutes to drain, then cut tofu into 1 inch cubes
4. Heat wok on high until almost smoking and add 1 tablespoon oil then tofu
5. Cook until browned evenly all around - about 5 minutes and remove
6. Add a little more oil and the garlic, ginger, green onions, red pepper and edamame
7. Cook, stirring often about 5 minutes until everything has softened
8. Add the rice, breaking it up with your fingers as it goes in
9. Add soy and sesame chili oil - mix well
10. Add tofu back in and mix gently so you don't bust up the tofu
11. Serve

Posole with Kale

Serves 4ish

Think vegetable soup - but better I think. Hominy is just giant softened kernels of corn. And don't forget the lime juice at the end - it makes it.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bacon, sliced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• One 29 ounce can hominy, drained
• 15 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 7 ounce can diced green chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon each Mexican oregano & cumin
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups chopped kale
• Limes for garnish

Directions

1. Cook bacon until about 1/2 way done, remove most of the grease (leaving about 1 tablespoon) and add onion
2. Cook until softened, add garlic and cook another minute
3. Add everything else except salt, pepper & the lime and simmer over medium heat about 20 minutes
4. Season to taste with salt & pepper, ladle into a bowl and serve with lime squeezed on top

Polenta with Wild Mushrooms

Serves 4 people

Rich and creamy, but importantly this is so much easier than you think, and way worth it.

Ingredients

• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 cup polenta
• 8 shiitake mushrooms, sliced (stalks removed)
• 15 Oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 6 crimini mushrooms, sliced (stalks removed)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 tablespoons butter
• kosher salt and pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary (keep a pinch separate to garnish)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons Mascarpone

Directions

1. Bring water and pinch of salt in medium pan to a boil
2. Gradually whisk in the polenta, whisk for a minute and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes
3. In the meantime, in a large skillet on medium heat add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter, throw in the mushrooms and a good pinch of kosher salt, stir well so all coated, cook uncovered for 5 minutes
4. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the rosemary and chicken stock, season with kosher salt and pepper, and cook for further 4-5 minutes
5. When polenta is cooked, take off the heat and thoroughly stir in the Parmesan and Mascarpone.
6. Plate up, with a layer of creamy polenta and top with generous helping of the mushrooms and garnish with rosemary.

Kale Chips

Makes one bunch

Yum. Not enough? Ok...yum and healthy.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275
2. Wash and pat dry kale
3. Remove any thick stems
4. Tear the leaves into 2 inch piece and place on a baking sheet
5. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and spread out evenly
6. Bake 20 minutes or until crisp - you don't want them brown
7. Remove, cool slightly and serve

Grilled Halloumi Cheese Salad

Serves 2-4

Halloumi is a hearty Greek cheese you can pan fry, grill or broil. And it’s great in a salad, just watch.

Ingredients

• 2 hearts of Romaine lettuce, ends removed and roughly chopped

• 1 medium English cucumber, peeled and diced

• 2 tomatoes, diced

• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

• 1/2 cup red onion, diced

• Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus a little extra for the halloumi

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons oregano

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 block Halloumi Cheese, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

Directions

1. Combine romaine, cucmber, tomatoes, olives and red onion in a bowl - toss to mix

2. Mix dressing ingredients and add to salad

3. Heat a skillet or cast iron pan on medium/high heat, lightly drizzle halloumi with a little olive oil and grill halloumi slices for 30-45 seconds on each side or just until brown

4. Lay the cheese on top of the salad and serve.

Scallops with Shiitake & Snow Peas

Serves 4

The title says it all so any more of a description would just make me sound like a pompous restaurant chef trying to showboat. Oh what the hell, let’s try it:

‘Hand caught local alabaster sea scallops served on a bed of forest shiitake mushrooms and Okinawan snow peas that have been delicately sautéed with fresh ginger, garlic and just a soupçon of aged tamari’

Damn I’m good.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 big handfuls snow peas
• 10 shiitake mushroom, sliced (stems removed)
• fresh scallops
• 1 inch piece ginger, very finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Soy sauce or aged tamari
• 1 teaspoon chili sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Sesame seeds
• 1 green onion, chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. You need 2 large skillets or woks, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in each
2. Sauté the snow peas in one and mushrooms in the other, stir regularly
3. After they have cooked for 6-8 minutes, add the snow peas to the mushroom pan, add the ginger and the garlic and stir for 1 minute
4. Throw in the soy sauce, cook for 2 minutes
5. Sit the scallops on paper towel to remove moisture, then coat them in 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides
6. Heat the empty pan, until smoking hot, add the scallops cook for 2 minutes to sear on one side, then flip, brush on the chili sesame oil, cook for 2 minutes
7. Then serve the peas and mushroom and top with one scallop, and garnish with a sprinkle of green onion and sesame seeds

Kale Chips

Serves 2

Super healthy for you, not to mention super easy and quick to make.

Ingredients

• 15 kale leaves, stalks removed
• 1/4 teaspoon Chipotle Chili powder
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• big pinch Kosher Salt

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350
2. Wash the kale and remove any moisture with paper towels
3. Tear into roughly 4'' inch pieces (it doesn't matter up to you)
4. Throw everything in a bowl and toss leaves thoroughly coat everything
5. Spread them out over two greased baking sheets, arrange so no leaves are overlapping (otherwise they will not get crunchy)
6. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until edges are slightly brown
7. Serve and enjoy

Cool Asian Tots

Serves 4

Not sure what it is about tots, but they're one of the best things ever – and at times maybe THE best thing ever. And these ones are ridiculous.

Ingredients

• 1 bag tater tots
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy)
• 2 green onions, diced fine

Directions

1. Cook tots according to package directions
2. Top with sour cream and drizzle with sweet chili sauce
3. Garnish with green onions

Asparagus and Pea Pasta

Serves 4

Quick, fresh, light and delicious - make it, so easy.

Ingredients

• 1 pack Penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 10 asparagus spears, 1'' pieces
• 2 leeks, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 cup fresh or defrosted frozen peas
• 1/4 cup cream
• zest 1/2 a lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon finely crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and pepper to season

Directions

1. Boil salted water in medium pan, add pasta cook for 7-9 minutes
2. Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat, throw in the leeks and asparagus, cook for 4 minutes
3. Add the peas and garlic cook for 2 minutes
4. Add the cream, parmesan, zest and stir
5. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and coat with the sauce
6. Season with Kosher salt and pepper, eat!

Buffalo Tots

Serves 4-6

Mental, ridiculous, so good...I'm almost speechless - though I can still eat.

Ingredients

• 28 ounce bag of tater tots
• 1 cup cup Franks Red Hot Wings Sauce or the regular - both are great
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup Ken's Chunky blue cheese dressing
• 1 cup pre-cooked deli chicken, shredded
• celery leaves, chopped for garnish

Directions

1. Cook tots according to package directions - but get 'em extra crispy
2. While they cook, combine hot sauce, honey and butter over low heat - stir to combine
3. Toss tots a portion at a time in some of the sauce (don't over sauce though), plate, add some chicken, drizzle with blue cheese dressing and top with celery leaves

Pickled Cauliflower

Make 12 pint jars

This can be made with green beans, asparagus or the cauliflower. And not only are they delicious, but they make a great gift. No really...

Ingredients

• 12 pint canning jars with lids, sterilized according to package directions
• 10 cups water
• 5 cups white vinegar
• 1/2 cup pickling salt
• 3 heads cauliflower
• 3/4 cup pickling spice
• Approximately 1.5 cups fresh dill - still on the stalk
• 12 dried red chilies
• 24 cloves garlic

Directions

1. Make the brine by bringing water & vinegar to a boil - once it does add salt
2. When the salt is fully dissolved - turn off the heat
3. Cut cauliflower in small florets
4. In the bottom of each jar put1 tablespoon pickling spice, about 1 tablespoon dill, 1 red chili and 2 garlic cloves
5. Fill jars with cauliflower florets - pack it tightly
6. Add another tablespoon of dill on top of the cauliflower, then fill jar to the very top with brine
7. Put on lid and seal tight
8. Store in a dark, cool place about 2 weeks then put in the fridge

Dill Pickles

Makes 12 pint jars

Whether in a Cuban sandwich, in tuna salad, a bloody mary or just out of the jar standing in front of the fridge late at night - dill pickles are one of my favorite things.

Ingredients

• 12 pint canning jars with lids, sterilized according to package directions

• 20 cups water

• 1/4 cup white vinegar

• 1 cup pickling salt

• Pickling Cukes, cut in half lengthwise

• 3/4 cup pickling spice

• Approximately 1.5 cups fresh dill - still on the stalk

• 12 dried red chilies

• 24 cloves garlic

Directions

1. Make the brine by bringing water & vinegar to a boil - once it does add salt

2. When the salt is fully dissolved - turn off the heat and let cool till it's manageable

3. In the bottom of each jar put1 tablespoon pickling spice, about 1 tablespoon dill, 1 red chili and 2 garlic cloves

4. Fill jars with pickles florets - pack it tightly

5. Add another tablespoon of dill on top of the the pickles, then fill jar to the very top with brine

6. Put on lid and seal tight

7. Store in a dark, cool place about 2 weeks – I like to give them a shake every day to mix up the spices etc, and also tun them upside down for a couple days in the middle. The longer they stay out of the fridge, the more dill flavor they will take on. So after about a week and a half, try one – if it’s how you like it you’re good and can refrigerate them all to slow the process. If not, give it a few more days

8. Refrigerate any jars once opened.

White Bean Crostini

Serves 8

Perfect super fast appetizer to feed everyone at a moments notice.

Ingredients

• 1 french stick, sliced
• 1 can white beans, strained and rinsed
• 3 spring onions
• 1/2 red pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• generous pinch salt
• pinch of chili flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

Directions

1. Pre-heat your broiler to high, grill the baguette slices, on both sides
2. Throw everything else in the processor, and blend until smooth
3. Generously spread on the bread and drizzle with olive oil and garnish with green onions.