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.

Sausage Balls and Mussels Fra Diavolo

Sausage Meatballs:
1 lbs Mild Italian Sausage
1 cup chopped day old bread (soaked in milk, then squeezed out)
1 small egg, beaten
2 Tbs chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbs basil, fresh, chopped
2 Tbs parsley, fresh, chopped
3 Tbs grated cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
Remove casings from Chicken Sausage, put aside.  In large bowl mix all other ingredients together.  Add meat, folding.  Roll into balls and place in baking dish.  Bake 350 until crispy.  Can be fried also.
Remove from oven and cool on plate.  Reserve grease in baking dish for use in sauce.

Fra Diavolo Sauce:
1/2 lb mussels
Olive oil
2 tsp garlic
1 can crushed tomatoes
salt and (red crushed pepper, optional)
In large pot, heat oil and saute garlic.  Add mussels, cover and cook until mussels open.  Add can tomatoes, salt and pepper flakes, stir and simmer for 15 -20 mins.  Add meatballs to sauce with reserved grease, toss gently and serve with favorite pasta.  Garnish with fresh Basil and/or Parsley.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Strawberry/Banana Smoothie:

1 blender filled half with ice
9 Frozen Strawberries
1 Ripe Banana
2 Tbs powder milk
8 ozs Tropical juice ( I like Tropical Mango)
or any fruit juice


Coconut Smoothie:

Blender filled half way with ice
9 Frozen Strawberries
1 Ripe Banana
1/2 cup Coconut Soy Milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend in blender until completely smooth.  Pour into large glass with straw and enjoy.

Chocolate "Chocolate Chip" Cookies

12 ounces Milk Chocolate Chips

1 2/3 cup  all purpose flour

1/3 cup (35 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup salted sweet butter, room temperature

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup  white granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour, cocoa, soda and salt in mixing bowl.  In separate bowl, with electric mixer whip together butters and sugars until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla mixing until blended.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, slowly folding with large spoon.  Add chips and nuts, fold.

Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet gently pressing center of each cookie.  Bake for 15-17 mins or until center of cookie is completely done.  Cool on wire rack.  Let cookies sit until cool before removing from sheet.