Mango and Red Onion Salsa

This is great on pork, chicken, burgers, grilled fish or whatever.

Ingredients

• 2 mangos, peeled pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh peeled ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and toss to blend.
2. Season with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
3. Let stand 20 minutes
4. You can make this up to a couple of hours in advance.
5. If you do, cover and refrigerate.

"Whatever" Spring Rolls

Makes 10

Once you know how easy it is to use the supermarket readily available spring roll wrappers, you can make them with whatever you want - chicken, crab, lobster or just more vegetables. You're totally in the driver's seat.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whatever - cooked chicken that's been shredded, crab meat, chili - it's up to you (ok, maybe not chili)
• 4 ounces bag-ready mixed coleslaw, the tri-colored kind without the dressing
• 4 tablespoons 'your favorite' spicy Asian stir fry sauce
• 10 large spring roll wrappers
• White and Black sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

Directions

1. Heat wok until almost smoking, then add 1 tablespoon oil
2. Add coleslaw & 'whatever' and stir fry until coleslaw is slightly wilted - about 1 minute
3. Stir in sauce and remove from heat - let cool slightly
4. Place one wrapper on the counter, with a corner pointing at you
5. Put approximately 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper
6. Fold the nearest corner of the wrapper up covering the filling
7. Fold in the two sides and finish by rolling away from you and moisten the very end with a dab of water to help stick
8. Brush tops very lightly with oil, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and bake at 375 until lightly brown
9. Cut on diagonal and serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Cucumber, Mint & Yogurt Soup

Serves 4

Every so often a little cold soup is a beautiful thing - especially this one.

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers, peeled & seeded
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Olive oil, optional

Directions

1. Add cucumber, mint, milk and garlic to blender
2. Blend until smooth then pour into large bowl
3. Stir in yogurt, lemon juice and season with salt & pepper
4. Drizzle lightly with a really good extra virgin olive oil before serving

Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms

Serves 4

This is a piece of cake to make, so to speak. In a hurry you may want to just have the asparagus by themselves-they're so great.

Ingredients

• 1 lb medium asparagus with tough ends cut off
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 lb shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
• 2 tablespoons dry vermouth
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450
2. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil, season well with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and place on baking sheet
3. Roast until just tender, about 10 minutes
4. While that's cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or heavy saute pan over medium high heat, stir in the garlic
5. Saute until just fragrant, about a minute and add mushrooms
6. Saute shrooms until soft about 5 minutes
7. Add the vermouth (off the heat - you don't want a flare up) stir until evaporated then add soy
8. Add in butter at the last minute and serve the whole mushroom mixture on top of the asparagus

White & Green Roasted Asparagus

Serves 6

Roasting them in the oven brings out the flavor - compared with boiling them which washes away the flavor and makes them taste like %$#@. If you can't find white asparagus, use the blue ones. Kidding...use only green.

Ingredients

• 1 lb medium green asparagus with tough ends cut off
• 1 lb medium white asparagus with tough ends cut off
• Approximately 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 Lemon

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425
2. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil, season well with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and place on baking sheet
3. Roast until crisp tender, about 10-15 minutes
4. Lightly squeeze lemon over the top before serving

Simple Roasted Asparagus

Serves 2

What goes better with a great rack of lamb...or anything else for that matter?

Ingredients

• One pound asparagus, not too thick, not too thin - just right
• 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, depending on the size of the
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 (You will have already done this if you are making this with the Rack of Lamb.)
2. Rinse the asparagus and cut off the tough ends
3. Put on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with Kosher salt and pepper
4. Put in hot oven (hopefully with the rack of lamb) for about 10-ish minutes. They will get a little darkened but stay crisp and taste wonderful
5. Put on something that looks cool and serve

White Pizza with Spinach & Garlic

Makes One 12 inch pizza

This is not your usual pizza. There's no red saucey stuff, there's three kinds of cheese and all kinds of flavor. And isn't flavor what it's all about?

Ingredients

• 1 ready made pizza crust
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 2 - 3 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 - 8 ounce bag of fresh spinach leaves
• 1 package sliced Provolone cheese
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Lightly rub or brush the crust with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil
2. Heat a pan on the stove and cook garlic in the olive oil about 30 seconds
3. Add the spinach to the garlic and stir until wilted - this won't take more than about a minute
4. Sprinkle Feta over the crust, it's ok if there's gaps
5. Spread the garlic and spinach over the Feta and top with slices of Provolone (it's still ok if there's gaps between the slices)
6. Top with the Mozzarella
7. Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes, or until the crust starts to brown and the cheese gets all melty

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Serves 2

Simple yes but we like it at my house. You will too.

Ingredients

• One boneless, skinless chiken breast
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lime
• 1 bag chopped romaine
• Caesar dressing, see recipe
• Shredded Parmesan

Directions

1. Put the chicken breast in a ziploc bag, add a little oil to each side, seal and flatten by pounding on it until its an even thickness (I like to use a bottle for the added weight)
2. Heat a grill, grill pan or skillet really well then season the chicken with salt, pepper & juice from 1/2 of a lime
3. Put the chicken in the pan and DON'T TOUCH - cook 3-4 minutes
4. In a bowl toss the romaine with some of the dressing - mix well
5. Flip the chicken and cook on the second side for an additional 2 minutes or so (not too long so it stays juicy)
6. Put the salad on a plate, slice the chicken breast on a diagonal and place it on top of the salad
7. Give it all a fresh ground pepper and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan

Mashed Potato Tacos

Makes 4

You know those left-over mashed potatoes you don't know what to do with? Well here's the answer...

Ingredients

• 4 corn tortillas

• 2 tablespoons sour cream

• 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes

• Hot sauce - I like Cholula, about 4 teaspoons

• 1/3 cup green onions, chopped fine

• 4 handfuls of potato chips - preferably the extra crispy kettle kind

Directions

1. Heat the tortillas in a non-stick skillet until just beginning to get a little color in spots

2. Heat potatoes in a small pot of in the microwave

3. Spread some sour cream onto each tortilla

4. Add about 1/4 cup mashed potato to each tortilla

5. Drizzle with the hot sauce and then sprinkle with the green onions

6. Take a handful of the potato chips and crunch them over the top of each taco

7. Fold in half and eat

WATCH ME MAKE THIS, AND A BUNCH MORE

Spinach and Goat Cheese Omelette

Makes 1

There's just something so right about this it's crazy. And while an omelette with say, bacon and mushrooms is excellent for breakfast - this combo seems to cross all mealtime boundaries. It's not just good for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but especially late night - as in just the 2 of you...a couple glasses of a crisp white wine...on the roof under a big blanket. What? A guy can dream can't he?

Ingredients

• A handful of frozen spinach (however much you would like in your omelette)
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Butter
• Goat cheese crumbles

Directions

1. Heat a non-stick skillet on the stove, add in the frozen spinach and cook until there isn't anymore liquid (but not until it starts sticking)
2. In a small bowl beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper
3. Add about a teaspoon of butter to the spinach and melt it, spreading it evenly over the pan
4. Pour the eggs over the spinach and cook, pulling the edges away from the pan with a spatula and letting the egg run behind
5. When the eggs are set but still a bit moist on top put goat cheese crumbles on one half and fold the other half over to cover the crumbles and let cook about 1 minute
6. Flip the entire omelette to the second side and cook for another minute then slide it onto a plate
7. Sprinkle with a little more fresh ground pepper, grab 2 forks, a blanket and head up to the roof.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

Works for pasta, fish or pretty much anything. I put this on a fried egg that's on top of a grilled piece of whole wheat bread - then I drizzle the whole thing with a little really good extra virgin olive oil. Then I eat it. Then I make another one - ok, I'll stop now.

Ingredients

• 1-12 ounce jar roasted red peppers with garlic (if you can find them), drained
• 1 large clove garlic (if you don't have garlic in the peppers)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Approximately 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth, or more if desired

Directions

1. Put everything in a blender except broth and blend - pretty easy so far huh?
2. Add broth until you get the thickness you like
3. Heat before using

Mixed Mushroom and Blue Cheese Pizza

Makes one 12 inch pizza

Make it and slice it into thin pieces for an appetizer. It's so good...

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, sliced thin
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 16 ounces mixed mushrooms, sliced - white, shitake, cremini, oyster - mix it up
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• One 12" pizza crust
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. In a medium pan cook onions in a little buttter until really softened
3. At the same time cook mushrooms in a non-stick pan until softened
4. Stir brown sugar into onions, mix well
5. Put onion & mushrooms on crust, and top with blue cheese and then walnuts
6. Bake 12-15 minutes

Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Makes about 2 cups

Does this really need a description?

Ingredients

• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Combine potatoes with blue cheese (start with 1/4 cup) in a small pot
2. Heat slowly until mixed through and stir in olive oil and season with salt & pepper
3. Taste - if you want add more of the cheese
4. If they're perfect, go eat

Warm Butternut Squash & Crispy Bacon Salad

Serves 4

The title kinda says it all doesn't it?

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into a 3/4 inch dice
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• One 4-5 ounce bag salad greens

Directions

1. Combine syrup, vinegar and oil - whisk well, season with salt and pepper and set aside
2. Put squash in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of water, cover with plastic wrap (making a couple small knife slits in the plastic) and microwave until softened but not mushy, approximately 4 minutes
3. Cook bacon in a non-stick pan until just getting crispy, remove excess oil and add squash -  cook until squash just begins to brown, remove from heat
4. Put greens in a bowl, add squash & bacon and toss with some of the dressing - plate

Spicy Hoisin Tofu with Eggplant

Serves 4

Ok, I know what you're thinking..."Tofu Sam, really? No...really.

Ingredients

• One 14 ounce block firm Tofu
• 2 Asian Egg Plants, the long thin kind
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1/4 cup Hoisin
• 1 tablespoon Chili Paste
• 2 tablespoons green onion light green and white parts only, chopped

Directions

1. Remove Tofu from package, wrap in a double layer of paper towel and let dry about 15 minutes
2. Cut off ends of eggplant, slice lengthwise and cut into even 3/4 inch slices
3. Add peanut oil and eggplant to hot pan or wok and cook for 5 minutes, stir often
4. Remove eggplant from pan and set aside
5. Cut Tofu into even medium size cubes, about the same size as eggplant and put in hot pan or wok with a little oil and stir fry about 5 minutes
6. Add eggplant back to pan with tofu and add Hoisin and Chili paste, stir well until well mixed - but don't be too rough or you'll bust up the tofu
7. Garnish with green onion and serve

Mexican Street Corn

Serves 4

Stupid good.

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn, husks & silk removed
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 pairs wooden chopsticks
• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup crumbled Queso Fresco or grated Parmesan cheese - on put on a plate
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbs Chili Powder

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium high
2. Rub olive oil on each ear and grill until they soften and get grill marks - about 15 minutes
3. Remove from grill, insert a single chopstick into the end of each ear as a handle
4. Brush with mayonnaise, roll in cheese, then sprinkle with a little chili powder & finish with a squeeze of lime juice

PB & J Stuffed French Toast

Serves 2

Just like the version that has cream cheese, but more kid friendly, adult friendly and everyone friendly.

Ingredients

• Four 2 1/2 inch thick slices of Challah Bread
• 1/2 cup peanut butter - chunky would be great
• 4 tablespoons jelly (I like grape)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Butter
• Powdered sugar

Directions

1. Slice an opening in one side of the bread to make a pocket, but don't cut all the way through
2. Spread peanut butter inside each piece of bread first and and then the jelly
3. In a shallow medium sized bowl beat the eggs with the milk
4. Preheat a nonstick skillet until butter melts and starts to sizzle
5. Dip each stuffed sandwich into the egg mixture (be sure cover both sides AND the ends) and place in the skillet
6. Cook until golden brown (about 3 - 4 minutes before turning) on each side and be sure to cook the ends too
7. Put on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve

Curry Pumpkin Soup

Makes 4 servings

Tis the season...the Fall season that is.

Ingredients

• 15 ounces canned pumpkin (just pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 4 teaspoons pumpkin seeds, dried
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt & pepper

Directions

1. Put pumpkin, curry paste, coconut milk and water in a pot
2. Stir to mix well and heat until simmering
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper
4. Meanwhile, heat pumpkin seeds and oil in a non-stick pan until slightly brown and season with salt
5. Serve soup topped with some of the seeds on top

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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