Lentil Turkey Meatballs and Sauerkraut

Olive oil for  sautéing
1 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp lavender, dry
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1 egg
2 TBS parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup season bread crumbs
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup lentils, cooked
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken broth

Directions:

1.  Add about 4 TBS oil to large skillet.  Heat on medium heat until hot
2.  Add onion and garlic, cook until onions become translucent.  Add lavender and parsley, stir.
3.  Deglaze with wine
4.  In large mixing bowl add egg, cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, lentils, ground turkey and half of onion mixture.  (reserve other half in small bowl, for later use).  Mix well.  Roll into meatballs.
5.  In same skillet add addition oil for frying (approx. 1/4 cup).  Fry all meatballs until completely brown.  Add additional oil if needed.
6.  To skillet add reserved onion mixture, sauerkraut and broth.  Cover and simmer 10 mins.

Red Lentil Butternut Squash Soup

Olive oil for sautéing
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup parsnips, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 Tbs butter
1 cup red lentil, raw
1/4 cup white cooking wine
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups butternut squash, cooked
32 ozs chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1.  Drizzle oil in large skillet, heat on medium until hot.
2.  Add onion, parsnips, celery and garlic.  Sautee until soft (approx. 10 mins) stirring.
3.  Add butter and lentils, stir and sautee for 10-15 mins.
4.  Add white cooking wine to deglaze pan.  Season with salt and pepper
5.  Add squash (reserving 1/4 cup for garnish) and broth, stir.  Cover and simmer on low/med heat until lentils become soft.
6.  Add contents of skillet to blender or food processor, puree.  Add some chicken broth to blender to loosen puree.  Add additional broth to blender to get excess mixture from sides.  Add back to skillet with any left over broth.
7.  To skillet,  add parsley and cheese, stir.  Simmer for additional 10 mins.  Serve in bowls.  Garnish with butternut squash and parsley.

Wild Pork Chops and Sauerkraut

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil, for frying
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
4 boneless pork chops
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbs butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 white cooking wine
1/4 cup bbq sauce
2 cups wild rice, cooked
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
12 oz Green Giant frozen corn, warm
1 can sauerkraut, drained
1 cup Sargento Pepper Jack cheese, shredded


Directions:
1.  In large skillet, heat fry oil
2.  Beat eggs in small bowl.
3.  Add bread crumbs to separate bowl.
4.  Dip chops in egg and then coat both sides with bread crumbs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Fry on both sides until done.  (Does not need to be fully cooked.  Chops will continue to cook, later) Remove from pan, cover to keep warm.
5.  Add butter, onion and garlic to skillet, stir and cooked 5 mins. 
6.  Deglaze pan with cooking wine, stir.
7.  Add bbq sauce, stir. 
8.  Add rice, parsley, corn and sauerkraut, toss.  Add remaining leftover bread crumbs to top of mixture.  Then add leftover egg to top of bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper, toss.
9.  Make four wells in mixture.  Place chops back into skillet into each well.  Sprinkle with pepper jack cheese.  Cover and simmer for 10 mins on low heat

Makes 4 servings.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Blue Cheese Pesto

4 cooked Tyson chicken breasts
1/2 cup buffalo sauce, warm
4 ozs blue cheese crumbles
4 large basil leaves, chopped
2 Tbs red onion, chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
4 slices lettuce
4 sandwich rolls

Directions:
1.  Heat chicken breast according to directions on package.
2.  Pour buffalo sauce in small bowl.  Dip chicken and cover both sides.
3.  In small mixing bowl add blue cheese, basil, onion, olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.
4.  Add chicken to roll. Add lettuce and top with pesto.

Italian Sweet Potato Salad

3 lbs cooked fresh sweet potatoes
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced

Dressing:
1 1/2 cups mayo
4 oz mascarpone cheese, soft
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbs cider vinegar
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp fresh ginger root
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb bacon, fried and crumbled


Directions:
1.  Cut potatoes into approx. 3/4 inch cubes.  Cook until soft, but not over cooked.  (you will know they are done when you can easily stab knife through center.  Drain and put aside.
2.  Cook eggs for approx. 15-20 mins, peel and then dice.
3.  Cook bacon, drain on paper towels, dice.  (This step can wait a bit while salad is chilling)
4.  In large mixing bowl, add mayo, softened mascarpone cheese, brown sugar, vinegar, onion, zest, allspice, ginger, parsley and salt and pepper.  Mix well.
5.  Add potatoes in mayonnaise mixture, fold dressing into potatoes. 
6.  Chill for few hours before serving. 
7.  When salad is chilled, stir.  Then add bacon crumbles to top.

Goat Cheese Crepe Ravioli with Mango Date Sauce

picture shown with grilled scallop

Ingredients for crepes:

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1 egg

salt and pepper, to taste

cooking spray

Ingredients for filling:

1/2 cup goat cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 tsp chives, chopped

1/2 tsp rosemary, chopped

1/2 tsp parsley, chopped

Ingredients for sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbs butter

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 Tbs chives, chopped (reserve about 1 Tbs for garnish)

1 Tbs Rosemary

2 Tbs parsley, chopped

1 cup dates, (reserve about 4 dates for garnish)

1 cup mango(reserve about 8 pieces for garnish)

2 Tbs flour

1/2 cup marsala wine

3 cups beef broth

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  In large bowl whisk 1 cup flour, water and egg, season with salt and pepper. (Batter should be runny (thiner than pancake batter)  Extra water might be needed

2.  Heat small (6 inch) non stick pan on medium heat.  Spray with cooking spray.  Ladle approx. 1/4 cup of batter into grease pan, tilting to stretch out batter evenly across bottom of pan, creating a thin crepe.  It will be done when edges start to come away from pan.  Flip onto wax paper.  Repeat process to make additional crepes.  Makes approx 9 crepes.

3.  In another large bowl mix together goat cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 tsp chives, 1/2 tsp rosemary and 1/2 tsp parsley.  Put aside

4.  To make sauce:  In large skillet add oil, butter, garlic, chives, rosemary, parsley and dates.  Simmer until dates are soft.  Add mango and flour, heat for 2 mins.  Deglaze pan with wine, scrapping pan to loosen any bits on bottom of pan.  Add 2 cups of broth, stir.

5.  Puree contents of skillet to blender or food processor.  Puree, then add back to skillet.

6.  Add remaining 1 cup of broth to blender, mix to help loosen sauce from blender. Add to skillet, stir.  Simmer on low heat.

7.  Spoon about 1 Tbs cheese filling in center of each crepe.  Fold on all ends creating a folded ravioli.  Place creased side down into sauce in skillet.  Simmer for few mins.  Season with salt and pepper, if needed

8.  Chop reserved mango and dates.  Garnish on top of ravioli with chives.

Tiramisu Chicken

 

When creating dishes, I like to hold on to my heritage roots.  One of my favorite desserts is Tiramisu (made with mascarpone cheese, sugar and espresso coffee, or a very strong brewed coffee).

We all know how well versatile chicken can be.  That is why this recipe was so much fun to play with.  Now, it was time to get those taste buds rolling.  "Hey, lets combine the sweet and creamy taste of Italian Tiramisu with a comfort aromatic blend", I thought.  Well, it worked.  My family loved it.  Give it a try!!!  This recipe is certainly fit for a King.

Family tested and highly approved.

 

 

3 Tbs olive oil
8 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
salt and pepper, to taste
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 stalks scallions, chopped (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish)
3/4 cup coffee liqueur
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 basil leaves
1 cup chicken broth
8 ozs mascarpone cheese, warm
8 ozs fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 bag fresh spinach leaves
Favorite prepared rice

1.  In large skillet, on med heat add oil.  When oil is hot add seasoned chicken and brown on both sides.  Remove from pan, cover and reserve for later
2.  In same skillet add garlic and scallions.  Sautee until soft.
3.  Add coffee liqueur, to deglaze.  Add brown sugar and basil, stir.  Simmer for 2 mins.
4.  Add contents of skillet to blender or food processor, puree. 
5.  Add mascarpone cheese to skillet and stir quickly.  Add contents of blender back to skillet. Stir.
6.  Add fresh mushrooms and spinach.  Add chicken back to pan.  Simmer for additional 15 mins.
Add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
7.  Serve with rice, garnished with additional scallions.