Blue Cheese Stuffed Sliders

Makes 6 small sliders

These are awesome...on the grill, in a pan - just make 'em

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons seasoning salt
• 2 ounces blue cheese crumbles
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• Olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Small buns, like those little Hawaiian rolls

Directions

1. Place the beef in a bowl and add the seasoning salt - mix well
2. Divide the mixture into 6 even sized balls, set aside
3. In a bowl mix cream cheese and blue cheese crumbles well
4. Make a big hole in each ball, and cram some of the cheese mix into each, seal back up
5. Preheat grill to medium high, rub each patty with a little olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper to taste
6. Grill on each side until done
7. Toast or grill buns and place one burger on each
8. Reheat any leftover blue/cream cheese mixture in the microwave and serve on the side to dip

(Tuna) Greek Salad

Makes 4 servings

You've heard about how good the Mediterranean diet is for you? Well - here's my take on it...

Ingredients

• 2 cups tomatoes, cut into a medium dice
• 2 cups cucumber, cut into a medium dice
• 1 cup red onion cut into a medium dice
• 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• Two - 6 ounce cans solid white tuna, in oil, drained
• 1/4 cup Greek or Italian dressing or
• 2 ounces olive oil
• 1 ounce red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• Pinch of Kosher salt

Directions

1. Mix all dresing ingredients (if you are making the dresssing) or use the ready made
2. Put tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and feta in a large bowl and mix well
3. Plate salads and top each with some of the tuna
4. Drizzle each with dressing and serve

PB & Chocolate (Liqueur) Milkshake

Makes about 3 cups

This is very rich and you don't need a lot - so serve it in small amounts. Use milk instead of the liqueur for a non-alcohol version.

Ingredients

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup chocolate liqueur

Directions

1. Put everything into a blender and blend for a couple of minutes, until smooth
2. Serve in small glasses, very small

Strawberry & Peach (Bread) Betty

Serves about 10

Save your old stale bread and blend or food process it into bread crumbs. They are really good and its a great way to recycle the unused bread.

Ingredients

• 4 cups bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 3 cups sliced peaches
• 3 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Juice of one lemon
• 3/4 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Combine the crumbs with the melted butter and set aside
3. Mix the peaches, strawberries, orange juice, lemon juice and sugar
4. In a greased 9 X 9 inch baking dish, alternate layers of bread crumbs and peach mixture
5. Finish with bread crumbs and bake at 325 for about 60 minutes or until brown on top
6. Serve with fresh whipped cream

Potato Shrimp Soup

Serves about 4

You can do this with any soup - not just potato. You want to do it with corn chowder, clam chowder, black bean gumbo...whatever....just do it.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb frozen shrimp, thawed and shelled (31/40's are perfect)
• 2 cans ready to serve canned potato soup
• About 6 slices of ready bacon, cooked in the microwave
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Thaw the shrimp
2. In a small pan heat soup to a simmer over medium low heat
3. After taking the shells off the shrimp add them to the hot soup and continue cooking for 5 minutes or until shrimp turns pink and is cooked
4. Cut the bacon slices into small pieces
5. Spoon the soup with some shrimp into a bowl, sprinkle liberally with bacon bits and give it some freshly ground pepper to taste

Scissored Salad

Serves 1

All you need is a container with a top and a pair of scissors. Really.

Ingredients

• 1 Roma tomato, sliced and then chopped with scissors
• 8 - 10 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped with scissors
• Romaine lettuce, end and tops removed and chopped with scissors
• 15 pieces of pepperoni, chopped with scissors
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Italian dressing
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Chop each item with scissors as you add it into your container
2. Drizzle with Italian dressing
3. Put the top onto the container and shake well
4. Open and add some freshly ground black pepper
5. Enjoy

Simple Pastrami Reuben

Makes one

Everything you like about a Reuben, but with pastrami instead...which makes it better.

Ingredients

• 2 slices Russian Rye bread
• 1 bag cole slaw "kit" with the dressing
• Pastrami
• Swiss cheese
• Thousand Island dressing

Directions

1. Make slaw according to bag directions - refrigerate
2. Put pastrami on one slice of the bread, cover with 2 slices of Swiss cheese, add dressing to the other slice of bread and close up sandwich
3. Butter each side of bread and grill in the pan, like a grilled cheese
4. When both sides are golden brown, remove from pan, carefully open the sandwich and add some cole slaw - close back up
5. Slice and eat

Dr. Pepper Float

Makes 2

Remember root beer floats? This is a little different but is a great afternoon treat for at the office.

Ingredients

• 1 can Dr. Pepper
• Vanilla ice cream

Directions

1. Put a scoop of the ice cream into a glass
2. Pour some of the Dr. Pepper over the ice cream
3. Make one to share with a co-worker
4. Add a straw and enjoy

Antipasto Sandwich

Makes one sandwich

Everyone has had an antipasto salad - right? Well...how about an Antipasto sandwich?

Ingredients

• 1 large crusty Italian roll, cut "hot dog" style leaving a "hinge"
• Genoa salami
• 5 - 6 pieces of marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• 2 Tablespoons ready made olive tapenade
• Mozzarella cheese, sliced
• Jarred roasted red pepper slices
• Fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Preheat broiler
2. Place cheese on both sides of open roll broil until crispy and the cheese is just melted
3. Next spread olive tapenade onto the roll
4. Cover with 6 or so slices of the salami
5. Then the artichoke hearts, red peppers and basil leaves
6. Close the sandwich, cut in half and share

Shrimp Foo Yung

Makes 4

Who doesn't like a good Egg Foo Yung? And this one with shrimp is...stupid good.

Ingredients

• 1 jar chicken gravy
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup green onions, finely chopped (plus a little extra to add as a garnish at the end)
• 3/4 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1 cup cooked baby shrimp
• Vegetable oil

Directions

1. Pour the gravy into a pot, stir in the soy sauce and heat over low heat until bubbly and hot
2. Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat
3. Beat the eggs really well in a bowl
4. Add the green onions, bean sprouts and baby shrimp to the beaten eggs and stir well
5. Add a bit of oil onto the pan and pour the egg mixture onto the hot pan making 4 pancake sized rounds
6. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes and flip to cook the other side
7. Once both sides are cooked put a pancake onto a plate and spoon some gravy over it
8. Garnish with a little chopped green onion and enjoy

Popeye

Makes 2

The kids will love these. Okay - you will too.

Ingredients

• 2 large slices sourdough bread
• Butter
• 2 eggs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat a skillet or griddle on the stove over medium heat
2. Cut a circle out of the center of the bread with a glass or some other round thing (big enough for the egg to go into but leave enough bread to hold it)
3. Butter the bread and both sides of the circles
4. Put the bread and the circles onto the pan to brown
5. Crack an egg into the hole in the bread without breaking the yolk and season with salt and pepper to taste
6. Cook until the bottom is browned and the egg is somewhat solid
7. Flip to the second side but not for too long
8. Don't forget to flip the circles so both sides are brown too
9. Carefully put onto a plate without breaking the yolk
10. Cut and eat the egg and bread together but use pieces of the cut out circle to dip into the yolk

Jo Jo Sandwich

Makes 1

My middle son Jordan loves to cook, and this is easly one of his favorites.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• Butter
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 bagel sliced in half and toasted
• 2 slices Gouda cheese (smoked is really good)
• Deli sliced turkey
• Avocado
• Mayonnaise
• Thinly sliced cucumber

Directions

1. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat
2. Melt some butter and crack in the egg (break the yolk) and season with a little salt and pepper
3. Place slices of turkey breast onto the other side of the pan to heat through
4. Flip the egg to cook second side and top with cheese to melt
5. Spread a little mayo onto the toasted bagel and add everything else in this order - sliced avocado, cucumber slices, grilled turkey and then fried egg and finally top with other bagel half.

Spicy Italian Sausage and Peppers

Serves about 4

This is great served alone or you could serve it with pasta on the side.

Ingredients

• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, cut into thirds on the diagonal
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• Olive oil

Directions

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil
2. Cook and brown the sausage on all sides, about 10 minutes
3. Pour off the fat
4. Add the onions, bell peppers and garlic to the pan and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or until the peppers soften
5. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil if needed
6. Once the peppers are softened and the sausage is cooked through put on a plate and enjoy

Halibut with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Serves 2

So simple but so much flavor. You have to try this!

Ingredients

• 1 jar roasted red peppers with garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 pound halibut fillet without the skin
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Pour the red peppers (not drained) into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth
2. Pour the puree into a pan and cook over low heat until hot
3. Add the whipping cream to the sauce and stir well
4. Preheat a skillet over medium heat
5. Rub the halibut fillets with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste
6. Place fish in the heated skillet and cook for 2 - 3 minutes per side - don't over cook the fish
7. Spoon some sauce onto a plate and place the fish fillet on top
8. Garnish with chopped basil, a drizzle of olive oil and another sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper

Olive Foccacia Bread

Makes 10 - 12 pieces

Yes - it starts out as pre-made pizza dough but it is so good.

Ingredients

• 1 package pre-made pizza dough, uncooked
• Flour
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• Pinch of Kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Flour your board and shape the dough into about a 1/2 inch rectangle (irregular is great - it doesn't have to be perfect)
3. Place the parchment paper over a baking sheet and put the dough onto the parchment
4. Drizzle the dough liberally with olive oil
5. Scatter the olives over the top and sprinkle -first with the rosemary, then with the parmesan cheese and finally the pinch of salt
6. Bake for about 20 minutes until the dough is cooked through but not too browned

Limoncello Cosmo

Makes one

We've all heard of a Cosmopolitan - right? Well...this is a lemony different version.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces Limoncello

• 1 ounce vodka

• 1 ounce cranberry juice

• 1 wedge fresh lemon

• Ice

• A few fresh cranberries for garnish, optional

Directions

• Place ice in the shaker

• Add the limoncello, vodka and cranberry juice

• Put on the top, and shake like you mean it

• Pour into a martini glass for straight up or over ice if you like on the rocks

• Squeeze in the lemon and drop the wedge in

• Add cranberries if using

• Enjoy

Honey Soy Marinated Lamb Chops

Makes 6 appetizer servings

The honey makes this marinade into a kind of glaze once it's grilled.  They are really good!

Ingredients

• 1 "Frenched" rack of lamb, rinsed and patted dry
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 large (or 3 small) garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped fine

Directions

1. Cut the rack of lamb into individual lamb chops
2. Mix the soy with the honey, garlic and cayenne
3. Marinate the lamb chops (if you only have 10 minutes - cool or if you have more time...that's better)
4. Preheat grill to medium hot
5. Grill the chops for about 4 minutes on one side and flip over
6. Continue cooking the second side for about 3 more minutes
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve

Pina Colada Pancakes

Makes about 10 - 12 small ones

I love flaked coconut. These can be a great dessert or breakfast treat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pancake mix (from a box)
• 3/4 cup coconut milk, canned
• 1/4 cup white rum
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• Butter
• Fresh pineapple, skinned and diced very small
• Maple syrup (optional - but don't leave it out)

Directions

1. Preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium high heat
2. Combine the pancake mix with the coconut milk, rum and coconut flakes and mix well
3. Melt some butter in the pan and spoon the batter onto the butter to make small pancakes
4. While those cook cut your pineapple
5. Cook the pancakes until they are browned on one side, flip and brown the other
6. Place a nice scoop of diced pineapple onto a plate and add a small stack of the pancakes next to it
7. Drizzle the pancakes with the syrup (or you can eat them with the fruit alone if you want)

Coconut Macaroons

Makes 15 small macaroons

Mrs Cooking Guy loves these - and with only three ingredients they're so easy...and soooo good.

Ingredients

• 7 ounces coconut flakes
• 7 ounces (1/2 can) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Lightly grease a baking sheet or cover with parchment paper
3. In a bowl, mix coconut, condensed milk and almond extract just well enough to bind together
4. Shape into small mounds or pyramids
5. Place on the baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown
6. Try to let cool (if you can) before eating

Poutine

Serves 3 - 4

If there was a dish that could be called "Canadian" this would be it.

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen french fries

• One 12 ounce jar beef gravy

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon Maggi, soy or Worcestershire sauce

• 1 cup cheese curds, broken up or fresh mozzarella, diced fairly small

Directions

1. Preheat oven per french fry package instructions

2. Spread the fries evenly onto a baking sheet and bake as package instructs - until browned and crunchy

3. In a small pot mix the gravy with some freshly ground black pepper to taste and the Maggi/soy/Worcestershire sauce and heat over low heat until hot and bubbly

4. Break up the cheese curds or dice the mozzarella

5. On a plate layer as follows: french fries, cheese, gravy/sauce mix

6. Add a little more freshly ground black pepper to taste

7. Be sure to get a little of everything in each bite

8. Oh Canada!