Crepes: In large mixing bowl combine flour, salt, milk, eggs and butter, mix well. Refrigerate for minimum of 1 hour.
Melt the pat of butter, and brush a 6-8 inch non-stick skillet lightly over medium heat. Ladle enough crepe batter to barely cover bottom of skillet, while tilting pan to coat it evenly. Once the crepe looks “dry” flip it, and cook the other side for 2 seconds. Stack done crepes on a plate and set aside.
Filling: In a large mixing bowl combine ricotta, Romano cheese, eggs, mozzarella, salt and pepper, mix well.
Place a 1-2 heaping tablespoon(s) of filling in the center of the crepe and roll it up, and place in a baking pan, which has a layer of sauce on bottom. Drizzle some additional sauce on top of each crepe.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until edges of crepe are crisp and golden. Serve hot…
*TIPS* The first crepe is usually a test, so don’t worry if it's not perfect. These Manicotti freeze nicely, so don’t panic if this recipe yields more than you need, freeze them so you have them on hand for next time!
1 ½ Pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
3 Cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Teaspoons fresh ginger root, finely minced
3 Green onions, both green and white parts, finely chopped
2 Celery stalks, finely minced
½ Large red bell pepper, finely minced
1 8oz Can water chestnuts
¼ Cup cashew nuts, finely minced
5-6 Tablespoons oil, for stir-frying
Directions
Mix all marinade/sauce ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Slice your chicken into 1 inch wide strips; this will make it easier to stir-fry and later to dice. Place your chicken into marinade mixture and coat each piece well. Place chicken in refrigerator for 30mins.
Remove chicken from refrigerator, in a wok or heavy fry pan, place oil and heat on medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the sauce (shaking any additional sauce off the chicken & reserving the sauce for later use) put chicken into the hot oil and stir-fry, until chicken has a golden color (approximately 15mins). Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, set aside.
To the pan add garlic and ginger, moving them around constantly for approximately 10mins. To this add the vegetables and water chestnuts; cook until celery has softened a little (approx. 10-15mins).
On a cutting board, chop the cooled chicken into “pea sized” pieces, and add to the pan. Add the reserved sauce and stir-fry an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with lettuce leaves, iceberg, Bibb lettuce or your favorite lettuce.
*Tip* Ginger root is one of those ingredients that you may not use every day, so cut it into 2 inch chunks (leaving peel on) and place them into a zip top bag and freeze. This way you will never be without ginger.
In medium saucepan on low heat, melt butter. Add crushed red pepper and Shallots (or onions) until translucent, add vodka and bring to a simmer.
Continue to simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 15-20 minutes, add heavy cream, stir over low heat for 2-4 minutes. Boil pasta according to directions on the package, and strain.
Add a 1-2 laddles of the vodka sauce to coat the pasta, add cheese (to taste) and parsley.
2 Cups Milk chocolate chips (don’t use the chocolate wafers used in making lollipops)
2 Tablespoons Vegetable shortening
½ Cup butter
½ Cup Crunchy peanut butter
¼ Cup Smooth peanut butter
1 Cup Confectioners' sugar
2/3 Cup Nilla wafers crumbs
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Paper cupcake cups
Directions
In a double boiler (Heat proof bowl over a saucepan filled to about 1” of simmering water) combine chocolate chips and shortening. Allow to melt over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth (approximately 5 - 10 minutes).
Leave cupcake cups in a stack, this will give you greater stability while coating them with chocolate. With a small basting brush, coat the sides and bottom of the cup evenly with about 1 teaspoon melted chocolate. Repeat process until you have approximately 15-20 coated, place coated cups on a tray or baking sheet and place in the refrigerator.
In a small saucepan combine butter and peanut butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Take saucepan off the heat and stir in the sugar and cookie crumbs. Stir until mixture becomes thick enough to be rolled up into balls, you may need to add more cookie crumbs to thicken the mixture. Take tablespoon portions of the mixture and roll into balls, place on a sheet of waxed paper until you have rolled all the mixture up.
Remove your chocolate cups from the refrigerator, now take the peanut butter balls and flatten slightly into a disk shape and place in the bottom of each cup. Making sure to pack the peanut butter filling down with your fingers or spoon.
Place a ½ - 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate on top of filling, spread and smooth to cover. Return to refrigerator until ready to serve. Before serving remove the peanut butter cups from the paper wrapper and with a knife smooth the edges.
In a large saucepan combine oil, butter, garlic, shallots,
mustard seeds, basil & parsley sauté until shallots and garlic are translucent. Add cleaned mussels, wine, sour cream, salt and pepper. Allow to simmer until all the mussels open.
Before serving place lid on pot, cover with a kitchen towel, and shake pot well. Transfer mussels into a large bowl and serve hot. Serve with crusty French/Italian bread since there will be plenty of sauce to dip your bread in…
2 Medium Eggplants (sliced ¼ - ½ inch thick, length wise)
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
2-3 Large eggs
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 Jar Basil Pesto (Home made is best)
10-12 Slices Prosciutto, sliced thin (optional)
1 lb Ricotta Cheese
4-6 Tablespoons Parmigiano or Romano cheese, grated
1 lb Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Vegetable or Canola Oil for frying
Your favorite Marinara sauce
Peel and cut eggplant into ¼ - ½ inch thick slices length wise, place slices into a colander and sprinkle with salt and a little sugar, this step is to make the eggplant more pliable. Once done (40-60 minutes), rinse and pat slices dry.
Set up a dredging station, beat eggs and place the flour in a dish (season with salt and pepper). At this point you can double dredge if you like but I usually don't. Dip the eggplant slices first into the eggs and then dredge in flour, making sure to shake off excess flour.
Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, and fry the eggplant until golden brown, remember the eggplant will continue to cook in the oven. Set the eggplant aside on paper towels until ready to use.
Cover one side of eggplant with a thin layer of pesto then add a slice of prosciutto. Add a heaping spoon full of ricotta mixture and spread out. Carefully roll up the eggplant, starting with the narrow side first and secure the roll with toothpicks. Repeat the process with the remaining eggplant. Cover bottom of a casserole dish with a thin layer of marinara sauce and fix eggplant rolls in pan, cover rolls with an additional thin layer of marinara sauce and bake at 375 for 25-30 or until cheese begins to bubble... REMEMBER TO REMOVE TOOTHPICKS BEFORE SERVING!!
Cooking a pork shoulder can be intimidating but don’t be, like everything else in life practice makes perfect. A pork shoulder is composed of four elements, which are:
skin, fat, meat and finally bone. With this knowledge, be sure to purchase one that is slightly heavier in weight than you think you may need for the amount of people you will be serving. So if your grocer offers a pork should that has already been de-boned and de-skinned that that would be a smarter purchase, but if that isn’t an option…..
Getting started (24 hours before):
Remove the pork shoulder from the packaging and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and set it on your cutting board.
This may be the most difficult part of this recipe, removing the skin. Turn your pork shoulder over so that the main part of the shoulder (larger skin portion) is resting on your cutting board. You will see a narrower section of the shoulder and this is where you will begin. With a very sharp knife (craving or peering knife) slice through the middle of the narrow part length wise, being sure not to cut through to the meat portion. Remember directly under the skin is a thick layer of fat so don’t be worried if you cut a little deeper. Now using the curve of the skin, cut along that edge (turning the shoulder as needed), you are trying to remove the skin in one piece. Now the fun begins, start making small cuts under the edge of skin you have loosened already, your goal is to keep making small cuts until you reach the other end of the pork shoulder working all the way back to the underside and the narrow edge. Now the skin is free, it’s up to you if you’d like to toss it or keep it and roast it. Some people enjoy roasted pig skin, but I don’t so I usually throw it away or use it on the bottom of my roasting pan to add flavor to the pan juices as the pork cooks.
Next step is the removal of SOME of the fat. Yes I know in this weight conscience day and age that Fat is the “enemy” but you must remember you will be cooking this pork for a fairly long period of time and the fat will assist in keeping the meat moist and juicy, and let’s be honest… it tastes so damn good!!
Once you have removed most of the fat, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in refrigerator for later use. Taking your knife, you now need to pierce the entire shoulder; making ½ inch cuts all over (this will help the brine mixture and the rub to be absorbed into the meat). Now time to make a brine solution to soak your pork shoulder in over night. In a small sauce pan (1-2 quarts) place the following:
2 Cups Water
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
Bring the water to a simmer, allowing the salt and sugar to fully dissolve. Take the pan off the heat and allow cooling. Once the brine solution has cooled down pour it into a large enough container (or zip top bag) to hold the pork shoulder and add
¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1-2 Cups Ice Cold water (depending on the size of the container you’re using)
Place the pork shoulder into the brine solution and keep in the refrigerator over night. If your friendly butcher has done all the work for you, then just follow the brining directions.
Now making the rub:
Ingredients:
¼ Cup Brown Sugar (Light or Dark)
¼ Cup Paprika (Sweet)
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
3 Tablespoons Onion Powder
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Ground Mustard Powder
Directions
Remove the pork from the refrigerator 1-2 hours before you are ready to begin cooking (Total cooking time is between 2-3 hours, depending on your oven).
Mix all the dry rub ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl. This recipe makes a large quantity, which can be stored in an air tight container so you will always have it on hand when needed. It can be used on everything from steaks to ribs.
Preheat oven to 400°F
Remove the pork shoulder from the brine solution and pat dry, once the shoulder is completely dry (Remember Wet meat = Badly roasted meat) apply the dry rub generously all over the pork, making sure to rub and massage the meat well, so all the flavors can work their way into the meat.
Place the fat you removed the day before into the bottom of a roasting pan (one with a wire rack for the meat) and add ¼ - ½ cup water. Place the pork shoulder on to the rack and into the oven uncovered (oven rack should be in the middle position). Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes or until the outside of the pork shoulder has a nicely charred. Check the liquid level in the bottom of the pan, you may need to add more water or beef broth. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and cover the pork with a sheet of aluminum foil and cook until the internal temperature reaches 120-130°F. Remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 400-450°F until internal temperature reaches 150°F, remove from oven and place the pork shoulder on to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Allow to sit for approximately 10-20 minutes, this will allow all the juices to be absorbed into the meat and not run all over your cutting board while you shred up the pork.
Now it’s time to take 2 forks and begin to shred the meat off of the bone. To can mix some of the pan juices into the shredded meat or you can add your favorite BBQ sauce to it. I usually mix the pan juices in and make my Sweet Asian BBQ sauce for dipping. Can be served as is or you can serve it as they do down south, on a roll with fresh cole slaw… either way it’s YumM’Tastic!! Enjoy!!!
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Ingredients
5 pork chops
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers (processed into crumbs)
2 cups plain dried bread crumbs
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 sprigs thyme
Lemon wedges
Directions
Begin by adding the salt and sugar to the warm water until they dissolve, let sit until room temperature and add the cold water and the pork chops. Allow to sit from 1 hour or as long as over night in the fridge. This process will help make the chops moist and juicy.
Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs and milk in another shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Put the crackers & bread crumbs in a third dish and again season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece of pork in flour, then in the egg and finally into the bread crumbs, pressing the bread crumbs onto the pork gently so they have a nice even coating. Placing the breaded pork chops on a sheet of waxed paper and place in the fridge until ready to fry 10-20mins.
Heat oil and butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thyme sprigs and let it fry for about 1 minute to infuse the oil. Remove the thyme sprig and reserve. Gently place the pork chops into the pan and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and transfer to a serving platter while still hot. Garnish with lemon wedges and the fried thyme sprigs.
I would like to take this time to WELCOME you to my blog!
Cooking is something I feel very passionate about, I've been cooking since I was a young child and have learned many things. You should be fore warned that I do not always enjoy simple dishes, I much rather a dish that is able to awaken each one of my senses. Something that is visually alluring, whose aromas trigger thoughts and feelings of bliss as well as incredible taste combinations you may not have thought of before.
If you are the type of person who avoids the kitchen, stick with me and I promise you’ll find yourself asking “What was I afraid of?”.
