½ tsp. each crumbled diced sage, ground cumin, garlic
powder, granulated sugar and salt
¼ tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 to 3 pieces rainbow trout
Coat a nonstick pan with cooking spray and 1 tsp. olive oil. Combine all the ingredients in a large zip lock bag. Add trout and coat the fish. Add the fish to the prepared skillet, skin side down. Cook four to five minutes and flip. Continue cooking another four to five minutes. This fish is a quick, easy, healthy and delicious meal.
2 packages of ramen noodles (oriental and chicken 3 oz. each) DO NOT COOK
1 package slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
In a large bowl mix together one package of spinach (remove the stems) and package of coleslaw mix. Chop up scallions and toss into salad. Open Ramen noodles, but DO NOT COOK. Coarsely crush noodles and put flavor packets aside for the dressing. Toast in a skillet and cool the slivered almonds and sesame seeds.
For the dressing:
¾ cup of oil
1-teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons sugar
6 Tablespoons white vinegar
2 season packets from Ramen noodles
***Just before serving add the coarsely crushed noodles, almonds, sesame seeds and dressing. Toss and enjoy!
1 lb. spinach fettuccini (or fusili), cooked al dente,
drained and cooled
¼ c. chopped red onion
½ c. drained and chopped sundried tomatoes
1 c. Kalamata olives, pitted
3 c. thinly sliced baby spinach
Dressing:
½ c. virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Crumble feta cheese over pasta. Add red onion, sundried tomatoes, olives and spinach; toss. Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour dressing over pasta, toss well. Can be served at this point but best kept marinating overnight in refrigerator. After sitting overnight pasta absorbs much of the dressing. Can add additional dressing before serving. Makes 8 -10 servings.
One container of grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in
half or 3 chopped tomatoes or sliced Roma tomatoes
1 can artichoke hearts – drained very well and sliced
Shredded carrots – handful
3 green onions – diced (optional)
1 c. grated fresh/shredded Parmesan cheese
1 lb. cooked bowtie pasta
1 c. toasted pine nuts (or a whole bag of slivered
almonds – toasted)
Vinaigrette dressing (see below)
Dressing:
1 c. extra virgin olive oil
¼ c. mild white vinegar (rice wine or champagne
vinegars are good)
Half of fresh lemon
1 clove minced garlic (optional)
1 tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. of dry Italian seasoning blend (or tbs. chopped
fresh basil)
Salt and pepper to taste
Blend all ingredients together except the OLIVE OIL. Then, slowly stream olive oil into mixture while whisking it. *Dressing tastes best if you can make a day ahead and refrigerate. Shake well before adding to salad.
Salad directions:
Mix dressing together
Cook pasta al dente and drain
Toast nuts and cool
Put ½ dressing on the warm pasta, so it marinates.
Before serving salad, mix remaining salad ingredients together and add rest of dressing then toss.
Can be made ahead (I’ve even done overnight, covered), but don’t add dressing until just before serving.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
2 small ribs celery from the heart, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups tomato sauce or 1 (14-ounce) can + 1 (8-ounce) can
3 cups chicken stock, available in a box on the soup aisle
1-pound ground beef, pork and veal mix (meatloaf mix)
½ cup grated cheese, Parmesan or Romano, plus more to
pass at the table
½ cup Italian bread crumbs, a few handfuls
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
½ pounds spaghetti, broken in half
1-cup basil leaves, torn or shredded
1 loaf Italian crusty bread, for dunking
Preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and stock and cover the pot. Turn up heat and bring to fast boil.
While soup comes to a boil, mix the ground meat with cheese, breadcrumbs, egg and parsley. Roll into 1 ½ to 2-inch balls.
Remove lid from soup and slide balls into soup. Bring back to boil then stir in spaghetti, reduce the heat and simmer soup 10 minutes more, until pasta is tender and balls have cooked through. Stir in basil and remove “stoup” from the stove. Serve soup with bread and cheese.
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes packed in puree
8 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed well, stemmed and coarsely
chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the olive oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta, garlic and onion; stir frequently, until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth and Italian herbs. Bring to a boil and stir Tortellini. Simmer uncovered until tortellini is cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and simmer another 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the hot soap into bowls and top with a liberal sprinkling of grated Parmesan.
I make this soup all the time; it only takes about 30 minutes. It is from Cold Weather Cooking by Sarah Lee Chase. My picky Italian husband doesn’t like the tortellini to get over cooked, so I leave them on the side and add them as I serve the soup.
16 ounce canned pumpkin (most canned pumpkin comes in
15.5 ounce cans. I usually buy a second can and add
just a drop more.)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (not Aunt Jemima)
2 whole bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
In a 3-quart saucepan cook shallots, onions and ginger in hot walnut oil over medium heat until tender, but not brown. Stir in flour. Add chicken broth and cider all at once.
Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in pumpkin, maple syrup, bay leaves, cinnamon, thyme, pepper and cloves. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaves. Cool slightly. In a food processor or blender, cover and blend mixture in 3 or 4 batches.
Return soup to the saucepan. Stir in half and half and vanilla. Heat through but DO NOT BOIL. Makes 8 cups.
A few notes: You can cook and blend the pumpkin mixture up to 24 hours ahead and chill. To serve, just heat the soup, stir in the half and half and vanilla, and heat through, but DO NOT BOIL.
