Roasted Peppers

Roasted Peppers

• peppers
• olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Cut peppers in half. Remove seeds and stems. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Roast for about 30 minutes or until peppers are soft.

Chocolate Pavlova

Chocolate Pavlova

Pavlova

• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Topping

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup shaved dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup melted chocolate for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Add sugar and beat until firm peaks form.
3. Add lemon juice and whisk in.
4. Add cocoa powder and fold in very very slightly. Leave big streaks of cocoa powder.
5. Pour onto parchment lined jelly roll pan. Should be about 3x5 inches and 2 inches high.
6. Bake for 75 minutes. Turn off oven and leave in oven for another hour. Take from oven and let cool.
7. Serve with whipped cream, top with raspberries and shaved chocolate. Drizzle with melted chocolate.

Celery Seed Cucumber Salad

Celery Seed Cucumber Salad

• 2 c. sugar
• 1 c. vinegar
• 1 tbsp. celery seed
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 6 c. cucumber, sliced thin
• 1 c. onion, sliced thin
  

Combine the first four ingredients. Pour over the cucumber and onions. Chill and serve. Will keep up to 2 weeks.

Baked Bacon

Baked Bacon

• 1/2 lb. bacon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place bacon on broiler pan.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
4. Drain on paper towels.
   

I usually need to do this twice for 1 lb of bacon.

HARD CHOCOLATE SAUCE-DAIRY QUEEN STYLE

HARD CHOCOLATE SAUCE-DAIRY QUEEN STYLE

• 6 ounces chocolate chips
• 1/2 stick butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup corn oil or canola oil
  

In a double boiler melt chips and butter together.When melted add oil. Pour over ice cream and it will harden.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Chinese Chicken Salad!!!
This is one of those recipes that doesn't
sound like anything great, UNTIL YOU TRY IT!!
Then it becomes an immediate favorite. The
peanut dressing has absolutely the most delicious
flavor I've ever had on a cold chicken salad.
Don't miss trying this one!!!!!

White Cut Chicken w/ Spicy Peanut Sauce

1 1/2 lbs. Chicken breasts
1 whole green onion cut in half
1 quarter-sized piece of fresh ginger root,
crushed with the side of a cleaver
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 cups water
1 to 3 cups shredded greens - lettuce, cabbage, etc.

Place chicken in a 2 quart pan w/ the onion,
ginger, sherry, salt, sugar and water. Bring
to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand covered until
chicken is cool enough to handle. Strain broth
and save for other recipes (great for soups!).
Remove and discard skin from chicken. Pull meat
from bones, then pull meat into long shreds.
If made ahead, cover and chill.

Spicy Peanut Sauce

3 Tbsp. CREAMY peanut butter
5 Tbsp. peanut oil
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. (or one Tbsp. + one tsp.) plain rice
vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (to taste)
2 Tbsp. finely minced green onion
2 Tbsp. finely minced cilantro

Very important: Stir together peanut butter
and peanut oil until smoothly blended. Do not
add other ingredients until this is done, or
proper consistency will not be accomplished!
THEN, add remaining ingredients and stir well
to blend.

Can be used immediately, but is better if made
a few hours ahead and allowed to stand in the
fridge to meld flavors.

To serve:
On a platter, arrange greens and top with a
mound of cold chicken shreds. Then garnish
chicken with chow mein noodles (the hard ones
sold in cans or bags in the oriental section of
supermarkets. Try to find the smaller finer
noodles, if possible. Sometimes you run across
them in asian markets or well-stocked supermarkets).
Place a bowl of sauce on the side and have guests
drizzle sauce over the salad on their serving
dishes.

Tips:
A little sauce goes a long way, so don't over
load.

Adding fresh bean sprouts, radish sprouts, or
shredded carrots adds color to the greens and
makes for a more interesting presentation.

Whenever I serve this to guests, it always gets
enthusiastic compliments, and many requests
for the recipe.

Enjoy!!!!

Spicy Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing

Spicy Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons chinese hot oil
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  

Makes 8 servings.

You can use less red pepper if you prefer a milder version. But if you like it hotter, do as David does and add more red pepper.

I serve this with shredded chicken (the sesame chicken from the Poultry section is great to use),
lettuce, a few chow mein noodles, and a few crumbled uncooked ramen noodles.

Sesame Chicken

Sesame Chicken

• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 4 4-ounce skinned, boned chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• Nonstick Cooking Spray
  

1. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add sesame seeds, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until seeds are toasted. Remove seeds, set aside.
   
2. Place chicken breast halves between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to ¼-inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
3. Coat skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken, cook 3 minutes on each side or until chicken is lightly browned.
4. Combine toasted sesame seeds, honey, soy sauce and ginger; pour over chicken, cook 1 additional minute, turning chicken to coat with sauce. Serve sauce over chicken. Yield: 4 servings.

Yemista

Yemista (Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers)

• 5 medium tomatoes
• 5 medium green peppers
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 15 tablespoons rice, 1 1/2 tblsps per tomato or pepper, to be stuffed
• 1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced very fine
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, minced (1 1/2 tblsps dried, crumbled)
• 1/2 cup parsley, minced (or cilantro)
• 1/2 cup slivered almond
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, cut into tiny cubes
• 1/2 cup raisin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• salt and pepper
  

1. Cut off tops of tomatoes (retain tops) and carefully scoop out flesh (retain this as well).
2. Cut off tops of peppers (retain tops) and remove seeds and membrane.
3. Place tomatoes and peppers in a pan large enough to hold them comfortably and give each veg a tiny dash of sugar with the tips of your fingertips (I really think this is important!).
4. Take tomato flesh and process it until pureed.
5. Add olive oil, rice, onion, garlic, mint, parsley/cilantro, nuts, cheese, sultanas, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper (or season to taste).
6. Stuff the vegetables evenly with this mixture.
7. Replace tops of tomatoes and peppers.
8. Combine 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup olive oil with a scant tablespoonful of tomato paste and a little salt and pepper and pour this around the veg.
9. Bake in a preheated 375F oven (180C) for approx 1 3/4 hours (vegetables should pierce easily and be slightly blackened in parts).
10. Turn off oven and leave in for another hour to'mellow' before serving.
11. This is best served slightly warm or at room temperature.
12. It is wonderful eaten along with little bites of feta cheese and a cool glass of white or rose.
13. It will also have yummy juices begging to be mopped up with bits of crusty bread.
14. In my version, I also take 3-4 medium-sized potatoes, cut them into big wedges, toss in a little olive oil with salt and pepper to taste, and 'plant' in the spaces amidst the vegetables.
15. That way you can have a couple of wedges of potato too.

Romano's Macaroni Grill Focaccia

Romano's Macaroni Grill Focaccia

• 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
• 2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees F), divided, use
• 4 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• kosher salt, as needed
• dried rosemary, as needed
  

1. In a small mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the warm water. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour and oil. Mix at low speed. In another bowl, add sugar to the remaining 1 3/4 cups warm water and dissolve (it will not dissolve completely). Add sugar water slowly to flour mixture. Slowly add yeast water and combine.
3. Add sea salt, dried rosemary and balsamic vinegar to flour mixture and continue mixing dough until it becomes smooth and does not stick to the bowl, approximately 10 minutes. Add more flour as needed to prevent stickiness. Remove the dough from the mixer and place on a floured work surface. Cover with plastic wrap and allow dough to rest 20 minutes.
4. With floured hands, shape dough into a ball, place on a greased cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours before using.
5. Remove from refrigerator and flatten dough with your fingers to about 1 inch thickness, spreading dough across the cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F degrees until lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Brush loaf with extra-virgin olive oil; sprinkle with kosher salt and dried rosemary. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until dark golden in color.

Granola

Granola

• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup flax seed
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  
• 6 cups rolled oats
  
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Dash salt
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
  
• 1 cup dried cherries
  

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large baking pan, mix all ingredients but dried cherries. Bake for 1/2 hour, stirring every 10 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and add dried cherries. Stir well.

Other nuts/seeds/fruits can be substituted. Vanilla can be substituted for cinnamon.

Coconut Toast

Coconut Toast

• 1 c. coconut
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. melted butter
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 t. vanilla
• bread
  

Mix first 5 ingredients and spread on bread. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes.