Sun Dried Tomato/Basil Chunky Pesto

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs butter
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped (packed in oil)
1/4 cup basil, fresh chopped
1 Tbs garlic, freshly chopped
1/4 cup grated cheese
1 lemon, juiced and rind
salt and pepper, to taste
scallions or leeks, chopped for garnish

Saute in medium pan in olive oil and butter.  Garnish with scallions or leeks.  Add additional grated cheese, optional.  Serve with favorite pasta.  May also be used for topping on bread.

Tahini Chicken

1 lb thinly slice chicken breasts
(dredge in egg and bread crumb)
Saute in oil until brown on both sides.  Remove chicken from pan, but do "not" discard drippings.

1 tbs crushed garlic
1/2 cup Tahini (creamy puree of roasted sesame seeds)
                         Can be found in local grocery store
1 cup water
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
l lemon, juiced and rind
salt
cilantro

In same pan saute garlic in chicken drippings until lightly brown.  Add Tahini, water, turmeric and lemon, whisk.  Simmer on low for few mins.  Add chicken back to pan coat and simmer for few mins more.  Top with fresh cilantro.  Serve with rice or potatoes.

Buttermilk Fried Calamari

1 lb squid, clean, sliced in rings (pat dry)
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour
fry oil
salt and pepper to taste

Slice squid into 1/2 inch pieces.  Pat dry.  Soak in buttermilk.  Heat oil in small sauce pan or deep fryer.  (3 inches high of oil).  Season flour with salt and pepper, place in bowl.  Drain buttermilk from squid and toss into flour shaking off excess flour from squid.  Fry in hot oil for 1 min.  Do not over cook.  Serve with lemon, tartar or cocktail sauce

Crab Bisque Ravioli

1 lb crab meat
4 tbs olive oil
2 tbs onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, diced
4 tbs tomato paste
1 stick butter
1/4 cup white cooking wine
1 quart whipping cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Use medium/large frying pan.  On medium heat saute onion, garlic, tomato paste in olive oil and butter.  for approx. 3 mins.  Add crab meat, stir.  Add cooking wine, stir and simmer on low heat for 10 mins.
In medium saucepan add cream and heat on low.  Add to crab, stir.  May be served as soup or on top of Ravioli.

Anginetti Cookies

Traditionally, this cookie has Italian tastes to it, like anise.  Other flavors can be used such as lemon, lime, almond, vanilla, orange..etc.  

Ingredients:
3 cups flour (I use my gluten free flour blend)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c sugar
4 TBS melted butter
3 large eggs, beaten
2 TBS lemon juice
3 TBS lemon zest

Directions:

1.  In large bowl, combine flour, bp, bs and salt, mix.
2.   In separate bowl add sugar and melted butter, mix well.   Add beaten eggs, lemon juice and zest, mix. 3.  Add flour mixture to egg bowl, mix.  Form dough into one large ball.  
4.  Grease 2 large cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.  
5.  Pinch pieces of dough (smaller than golf balls size) into little balls, then into 3 inch long rope.  Fold one end to center of rope, then fold other end on top turning into knot like shape.   Place on cookie sheet approx 2 inches away from other cookies.  
6.  Bake in preheat oven 350 degrees for 9-11 mins.  Do not over bake.  Bottom of cookies will start to lightly brown.  Cool and then dip.  Icing recipe below:

Icing:

1 1/2 cups Confectioner's Sugar

1 tsp Lemon juice (or flavor of your cookie choice)

6 Tbs half and half, plus

Mix all ingredients until smooth.  You may need to add extra milk to loosen texture.  Dip and then let dry before serving.  Note:  These cookies can be frozen.  DO NOT ice them before freezing.  Thaw then ice them.

Mexican Turkey Meatballs

Meatball Mixture:
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 egg
2 tbs scallion, chopped
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

Sauce:
12 oz chunky salsa
1/4 c brown sugar


Mix meatball mixture ingredients together in bowl.  Roll into balls and fry on med until brown.  Remove meatballs from frying pan and put aside.  Drain oil from pan.  Add salsa and sugar, simmer on med/low heat until liquid is reduced.  Add meatballs to sauce, stir.  Serve with flour tortilla.  Garnish with sour cream, guacamole and cilantro.

No Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 graham cracker crust or favorite crust recipe.
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 Tbs lemon rind, grated, opt or other flavor (lime, orange...etc) Strawberries, fresh (garnish)

Directions:
With Electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth, gradually beat in sugar.  Add sour cream, ricotta cheese, vanilla and lemon rind, mix (scraping down sides) until smooth.  Pour into crust. Chill until set.  Overnight is best.  Top with favorite fruit.