Sunflower Artichoke Lemon Pesto

Left over pasta, previously mixed with tomato sauce.
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for frying pan.
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup grated cheese
5-6 large fresh basil leaves
2 large garlic cloves
2 artichoke hearts
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper, to taste


1.  Heat oil in large skillet, on low heat.  Add pasta. Saute and stir until heated, season.
2.  In small food processor or blender add olive oil, sunflower seeds, cheese, basil, garlic, artichokes, lemon juice, salt and pepper..blend.  Set aside.
3. When pasta is heated, plate pesto first on serving dish.  Top with pasta and then roasted tomatoes.  Garnish with extra grated cheese.

In a mini food processor blend together all ingredients.  Add extra olive oil if needed.  Toss with pasta.

NOTE:  This recipe is great with left over pasta from a previous day.  Pasta and be sauteed with sun dried tomatoes or roasted tomatoes.

To make Roasted Tomatoes:  Slice cherry tomatoes and place on greased cookie sheet. ( I use my toaster oven since I make only a small batch for this recipe).  Drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt and/or pepper.  Broil or roast for only a few mins until browned.


Roasted Tomatoes are optional
Artichoke Hearts are optional and can be left out of this recipe.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake with Buttermilk Peanut Butter Frosting

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour two 9 inch layer pans or one bundt pan.  In large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients, stir.  Add mayonnaise, water and vanilla.  Mix with electric mixer until well blended (approx 2 mins).  Pour batter in pan(s).  Bake for approx 50-55 mins depending on oven.  Cool and frost with favorite frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Prep Time: 10 minutes

2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2  teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl.  With electric mixer whip until creamy.  Add extra confectioner's sugar or buttermilk to adjust texture.

Roasted Asparagus and Fruit Salad

1/2 lb roasted asparagus
1 lb bacon, fried and crumbled
1 bottle (8 ozs) Wishbone Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 Tbs brown sugar
cantaloupe
pineapple
red grapes
Blue Cheese Crumbles
mixed greens

Clean asparagus, snap off ends.  Place on small baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.  Take 8 ozs bottle of dressing and squeeze oil out from the bottle and use to toss asparagus with.  The oil will rise to the top so it will be easy to pour out.  Take the balsamic left in the bottle and pour into small sauce pan with brown sugar, stir and keep on med/low heat until thickened and caramelized.  Slice and cube cantaloupe and pineapple (can be done ahead of time and refrigerated).  Arrange greens on plate..add asparagus, fruit, bacon, blue cheese then drizzle with dressing.  Serve 4

Bread and Butter Jalapeno Peppers

1 lbs Jalapeno Peppers, sliced into 1/8 inch rings
1 large Spanish Onion, sliced
3/4 cups Rice Vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, diced
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp mustard seed
salt, to taste

In medium pan combine vinegar, sugar, ginger, celery seed, mustard seed and salt.  Heat on med until boils.  Clean and slice peppers and onions.  Make sure to take out seeds from peppers.  Place into hot vinegar mixture and stir.  Continue to cook and stir for approx 10 mins, or until soften.  Cool and reserve in clean glass jar.  Refrigerate

Mediterranean Chicken Vermicelli

olive oil
garlic
lemon
grated cheese
butter
onion
basil
white wine

feta
chicken
panko
egg
salt and pepper

Creamy Date "Night" Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 large Chicken Breasts
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 TBS leeks, chopped
• 2 TBS butter
• 1/2 tsp chicken base
• 2-3 TBS brown sugar
• 6 large Dates
• 1/4 cup white cooking wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 2 TBS flour
• 8 ozs baby bella mushrooms
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4-5 TBS fresh parsley, plus garnish
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

..In large skillet, on medium heat brown chicken on both sides until almost cooked. Remove from pan. To skillet add, garlic, leeks, butter, chicken base, sugar and dates, stir and saute until dates are soft. Add contents of pan to blender or food processor to puree. Add white wine, to deglaze pan then add to blender. Add cream and flour to blender, puree. Add mushrooms, lemon juice and parsley to pan then add contents of blender to pan. Simmer all ingredients until starts to thicken. Add chicken back to sauce flipping to coat both sides. Salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve over rice, pasta noodles, potatoes or just by itself.

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Seafood Fra Diavolo

1 lb Raw Shrimp, cleaned, peeled.
1 lb Scallops
1/2 lb Mussels
Olive Oil
1/2 cup Red Cooking Sherry
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
3 basil leaves, fresh
2 cans crushed tomatoes
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
salt

In large sauce pot heat oil.  In blender add onion, garlic & basil, blend until smooth, add to pot and saute.  Add seafood, saute and stir for a few mins or until mussels open up.  Pour in tomatoes, add crushed red pepper flakes and salt, stir.  Simmer 15-20 mins.  Add water to large pot.  Serve with favorite pasta.

Mushroom Sherry Sauce

5 Tbs olive oil
1/2 stick butter
1/8 cup onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 ozs mushroom, sliced
1/8 cup scallions, chopped
1 tsp chicken base
1/4 cup cooking sherry
2 basil leaves, chopped
lemon rind from 1 lemon
grated cheese

In medium sauce pan, on low heat, heat oil and butter.  Add onion and saute until translucent in color. Add garlic, mushroom, scallions, chicken base, sherry, basil, rind, saute for few mins.  Add to cooking Ravioli or any cooked pasta.  Add grated cheese for topping. Garnish with extra chopped scallions or chopped basil.

Three Bean Horseradish Baked Beans

1 cup each ( navy, red kidney, white kidney) Dry Beans
12 cups water
1 lb bacon, fried and diced
dripping of bacon fat
1 onion, pureed
4 garlic cloves
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbs Dijon Mustard
1 can tomato paste
4 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs molasses
1 tbs chicken base
1-2 tbs horseradish, add to your liking
1/4 ketchup
salt and pepper, to taste

In large baking pot add beans and water.  Puree onion and garlic in blender or food processor, add to beans.  Add rest of ingredients, mix well.  Bake (approx. 4 - 5 hours ) in preheated oven at 350 degrees, stirring every hour.
Recipe can also be cooked in crock pot.  Adjust cooking times.

Krab Salad Stuffed Tomato

1 lb Krab meat, chopped
4 ozs cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup scallions, diced
2 tbs sugar, optional
2 tbs Wishbone Italian Dressing (shake well)
salt, to taste

Mix cream cheese, mayo, sugar, vinegar and salt in mixing bowl.  Add chopped Krab Meat, mix well and chill.
Serve with crackers as appetizer or as a salad.

Old Fashioned Grapefruit Cake

Blend together:

1/4 cup butter

1-1/2 cups white sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup Ricotta cheese (whole)

1/2 cup canola or gegetable oil

3 Tbs grapefruit rind, 3 Tbs for garnish

2/3 cup grapefruit juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

In small bowl mix:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Grease and flour round bundt pan.
3.  In large mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, ricotta, oil, 3 Tbs zest, 2/3 cup juice and vanilla.
4.  In small bowl combine dry ingredients.
5.  Add dry ingredients to wet, blend well.
6.  Add to bundt pan. Bake approx 60 mins or until done.

To make icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbs grapefruit juice
Drizzle on top of cooled cake.  Garnish with remaining grapefruit zest.