Veal Pizzaiola

Six Veal Steaks
fry oil
2 egss, beaten
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 chopped leeks
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbs capers
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced
Season with fresh basil or oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lemon, juiced, optional

In large fry pan heat oil.  Beat eggs in bowl.  Add crumbs in another bowl.  Season steaks with salt and pepper.  Dip steaks in egg and then in crumbs then into hot oil.  Saute on both sides, remove from pan and place in serving plate.  Cover with Aluminum Foil to keep warm.  In same fry pan, on med-low saute leeks and garlic for 2-3 mins.  Add capers and sun dried tomatoes and any seasoning, if needed.  Pour on top of veal in serving plate.  Garnish with basil or oregano.  Squeeze lemon juice on top, if preferred.

Red Lentil Lemon Cream Soup

2 cups red lentil
1 qt chicken broth
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tbs Herbes de Provence
3 Carrots, peeled and diced
3 Parsnips, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, peeled and diced
1 small onion, chopped
4 ozs Philadelphia Cream Cheese, warm
1 lemon, juiced

Boil in large pot red lentils and broth.  (water may be added during cooking to loosen up soup).  Add garlic, herbes, carrots, parsnips, onion and celery.  Cook until lentils are soft.  Puree soup.  Add warm cream cheese and lemon, mix.  Serve hot.

Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies

1 cup sugar
2 tsp dry lavender, chopped
1 Tbs lemon zest, grated
1 stick butter, room temp
4 ozs Philadelphia Cream Cheese, soften
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt

In large bowl combine sugar, lavender, zest, butter and cream cheese.  Mix with electric mixer until fully combined.  Add flour and salt, mix.  Wrap dough in wax paper and chill for 20 mins.  Remove and roll in 2-3 inch log, evenly across length.  Re-wrap and chill for 45 mins.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice log into 1/4 inch slices and place on cookie sheet.  (line cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Bake for approx. 20 mins or until starts to brown on bottom of cookie.

Lettuce Wraps with Cream Cheese Hummus

4 ozs Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 can Chick Peas, drained
4 strips bacon, fried
1 head Romaine Lettuce, washed
1/3 cup cilantro, fresh
2 Plum Tomatoes, washed and diced
1/4 cucumber, peeled and cubed
3 Tbs Red Onion, diced
Sea Salt, to taste

Cut lettuce in half.  Fry bacon, remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain excess grease.  In same frying pan lightly saute chick peas (with bacon grease), remove and add 3/4 of contents to processor (reserve the other 1/4 can).  Puree chick peas and cream cheese, opt sea salt to taste.  Prepare other toppings.  Arrange lettuce and spoon approx 1-2 Tbs of mixture into center of each piece of lettuce.  Add remaining toppings, including the reserved chick peas.  Sprinkle with cilantro and sea salt....Serve Cold

Fruit Pizza

Fresh Pizza Dough (approx. 20 ozs)
2 (8 oz) (Philadelphia) packages cream cheese
1/3 cup white sugar
1 container fresh strawberries
2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup Nutella, warmed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out pizza dough.  *Note: I purchased dough from my local Pizza Parlor.  Place on grease and lined cookie sheet.  Bake until done (approx 15-20 mins).  Remove from oven and cool.  Start preparing fruit.  In small bowl mix softened cream cheese with sugar.  Spread on cooled dough.  Layer fruit as shown in picture.  Drizzle with warm Nutella.  Slice into quarters and place on serving dish.  Cut with sharp Chef Knife.

Fried Eggplant Parmesan

You will need: To start
1Fresh Eggplant
1 cup Flour
4-5 Eggs, beaten
salt and pepper, to taste
fry oil

Slice eggplant and slice into very thin slices.  In large bowl crack and beat eggs (add little water to thin out).  In another large bowl or dish (I like a dish with a lip on it), add flour.  In large skillet heat fry oil on medium.
Dip slices of eggplant into egg wash, then into flour coating on both sides.  Places into hot oil, repeat.  Season before turning eggplant over to fry opposite side.  When both sides are browned remove from pan and drain onto paper towels to soak up excess oil from eggplant.  Continue frying other slices.

Fried eggplant can be layered into baking dish with cheeses and tomato sauce.  Start with sauce on bottom of baking dish, layer of fried eggplant, season with salt, pepper and grated cheese.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese before adding second layer of eggplant.  I like two layers of eggplant with mozzarella between them before adding more sauce to another layer.
So your layers will be built like this in your baking dish:
Sauce
eggplant
cheeses and seasonings
eggplant
sauce
eggplant
cheeses and seasonings
eggplant
sauce

Pork Chutney (Peach Balsamic/Lambrusco) Sauce

                                                Pictured with a Cauliflower/Parsnip Puree.

2 large boneless Pork Chops
1 peach, peeled and cubed
1/2 onion
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup Lambrusco Red Wine
1 garlic clove
3 Tbs brown sugar
salt, to taste

Puree all ingredients (peaches may be left out and used as chunks).  Saute meat until almost done, remove.  Pour puree in pan, with juices from meat.  Simmer until liquid reduces.  Add meat back to pan and simmer until liquid reduces more, stirring.  Serve with rice or potatoes.

Zuppa di Pesce (Fish Soup)

1 lb muscles
2 large pieces of Swai, Grouper, Cod or Tilapia
1 lb Calamari
1 lb Shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 can tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup red wine
2 cans tomatoes, crushed
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste  (crushed red pepper, opt)
fresh basil, chopped

Saute white fish in frying pan, season and lightly brown on both sides, remove from pan.  In large pot add cooking oil and saute garlic and tomato paste.  Add red wine. Add all other seafood and saute until muscles open and all seafood is cooked.  Add tomatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 20 mins.  Serve with linguine, spaghetti or favorite pasta.  Sprinkle with fresh basil.

Mango Lime Jam

7 cups cubed mango
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp salt

In large pot add mango and water.  Cook on medium heat for 30 mins, stirring.  Add sugar, lime and salt, stir.  Let simmer for additional 30 mins stirring and making sure mango does not stick to bottom of pot.  Ladle hot mango into hot sterilized jars, cover.  Let sit until cool.  Store in pantry until ready to use.  Refrigerate any opened jars.

Mango Cake w/Cream Cheese, Greek Yogurt

       This is picture without the mango topping

     This is pictured with the mango topping


Please note:  You will need a total of 2 cups of chopped Mango.  1 cup for each section of this recipe.

Mango Topping for bottom of cake:  Blend in small bowl, put aside.
1 cup chopped mango
1/2 cup sugar
dash salt

Blend together:

1 cup pureed mango
1/2 cup canola oil

1-1/2 cups white sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 small lime, zest and juiced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

In small bowl mix:

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour bundt pan.  Add mango topping to bottom of pan.

In food processor combine  mango, butter, sugar, eggs, water, vanilla, lime, cinnamon and salt.  In a bowl combine baking soda and flour.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients in bowl and mix with electric mixer until fully mixed.  Bake for approx. 35-45 mins, depending on baking pan.

Cream Cheese/Greek Yogurt Glaze:

4 ozs Cream Cheese

4 ozs Greek Yogurt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup white sugar 

Fried Eggplant Parmesan

You will need: To start
1Fresh Eggplant
1 cup Flour
4-5 Eggs, beaten
salt and pepper, to taste
fry oil

Slice eggplant and slice into very thin slices.  In large bowl crack and beat eggs (add little water to thin out).  In another large bowl or dish (I like a dish with a lip on it), add flour.  In large skillet heat fry oil on medium.
Dip slices of eggplant into egg wash, then into flour coating on both sides.  Places into hot oil, repeat.  Season before turning eggplant over to fry opposite side.  When both sides are browned remove from pan and drain onto paper towels to soak up excess oil from eggplant.  Continue frying other slices.

Fried eggplant can be layered into baking dish with cheeses and tomato sauce.  Start with sauce on bottom of baking dish, layer of fried eggplant, season with salt, pepper and grated cheese.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese before adding second layer of eggplant.  I like two layers of eggplant with mozzarella between them before adding more sauce to another layer.
So your layers will be built like this in your baking dish:
Sauce
eggplant
cheeses and seasonings
eggplant
sauce
eggplant
cheeses and seasonings
eggplant
sauce

Salmon Patty Burger w(caper, horseradish, cream cheese) Sauce.

1 lb Salmon Steaks, fresh (cubed)
2 cups seasoned stuffing mix
1 small onion
2 large garlic cloves
2 celery stalks, diced thin
1 egg
2 tsp capers
3 Tbs green pepper, diced
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus extra for garnish)

In large bowl add stuffing mix.  In blender, blend onion and garlic.  Add to stuffing mix and let soak in, tossing.  Let sit until moist.  Add celery, egg, capers, green peppers, lemon juice, salt and pepper and cilantro, folding.  Add Salmon and continue folding.  Mold into patties and saute in frying pan on medium heat (canola oil & butter).  Flip when brown and saute on opposite side.  Reserve on paper towels and continue sauteing remaining patties.  Squeeze remaining lemon juice on top of patties before serving.

Can be served with a mango/pineapple, red onion and cilantro salsa.  Garnish with lemon juice and top with cilantro for color.  Can also be served with dollop of sour cream.