Ravioli with Drunken Mushroom Alfredo Sauce

The sauce is called Drunken Mushroom Alfredo because the mushrooms are cooked in white wine.












Ravioli with Drunken Mushroom Alfredo Sauce

1 package frozen mini cheese ravioli
3 large cloves of garlic, pushed thru a press
1 package sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup white wine
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup good quality grated Romano cheese
2 pinches crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

Add olive oil to a medium skillet, about 2 turns in the pan. Add the garlic and saute over medium heat until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes then add the wine. Add the crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Continue to cook the mushrooms until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and place in a small bowl. Bring the flame to high and cook the mushroom liquid until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and lower the heat to medium. Add the grated Romano cheese a half cup at a time, stir to combine. Return the mushrooms to the pan, lowering the heat to medium low and cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 6 minutes. Slowly stir in the reserved pasta water.
Meanwhile, cook the ravioli in a large pot of salted boiling water as directed on package. before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Place the ravioli in a serving bowl and top with the Alfredo sauce. Toss gently to combine.

Chipotle Shrimp Soft Tacos

Chipotle Shrimp Soft Tacos

1 - 12 ounce package bacon, cut into small pieces
1/2 onion, diced
2 pounds large cooked shrimp - peeled and deveined
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
12 soft tortillas
1 lime, juiced
salt to taste, optional

In a large, deep skillet fry the bacon over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain the bacon fat. Add the onions to the pan with the bacon and cook 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Stir in the shrimp and chipotle chiles; cook 4 minutes or until heated through. Heat tortillas on an ungreased skillet over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 seconds. Turn and heat for another 5 to 10 seconds. Fill the heated tortillas with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

Footnotes - I do not add the cilantro due to the fact that I just don't like it which is why I say adding it is optional. I serve these topped with fresh guacamole.

Sweet & Spicy Sticky Chicken

Sweet & Spicy Sticky Chicken

2 tablespoon brown sugar
4 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons Sriracha Hot Sauce
2 bunches scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
Salt and pepper to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or boneless, skinless chicken thighs - cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour

Mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, scallions and hot sauce in a small bowl. Dredge chicken strips in flour and lightly salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken strips and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve over white rice.

Footnotes - I buy white rice from a Chinese take-out restaurant. It tastes better and it's one less thing I have to cook!

Baklava Bars

Being half Greek, I grew up eating baklava. Anyone who has ever made baklava knows that it is very time consuming and difficult at times because phyllo dough dries out so fast. I like these bars because they are so easy to make and are a fun little twist on traditional baklava. Enjoy!

Baklava Bars

2 packages refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 box frozen mini phyllo shells, thawed and crumbled
1/3 cup Greek honey
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Press sugar cookie dough evenly in the bottom of the pan using your hands. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven.
In a medium bowl, add walnuts, sugar, softened butter and allspice. Mix with a fork until well blended and crumbly. Sprinkle walnut mixture over the cookie crust. Sprinkle crumbled phyllo shells over the walnut mixture. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
In a small bowl, place honey, 2 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and microwave uncovered for 90 seconds or until bubble. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle honey mixture over the baklava bars. Let cook completely in the pan.

Footnote - Cut the bars into 9 large squares, then cut each square diagonally into 2 triangles.

Baked Feta with Lemon & Herbs

Baked Feta with Lemon & Herbs

2 - 8 oz. blocks feta cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 lemon, sliced, divided
Fresh rosemary sprigs, oregano and parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small over-proof dish, place the blocks of feta and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with half of the lemon slices. Arrange rosemary, oregano and parsley around the cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Top with remaining lemon slices and garnish with additional fresh rosemary, oregano and parsley. Serve with pita chips.

Ridgefield Park 4th of July Parade

So here I am in my Ladies Auxiliary shirt and Walter's uniform hat hamming it up for the camera on the parade route...LOL!!



Photo by - Christopher Torello
http://www.cptfiregroundphotos.smugmug.com/

Italian Mac & Cheese with Ham

Someone once called this a "culinary orgasm"....LOL!







Italian Mac & Cheese with Ham

12 ounces wide egg noodles
2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated Fontina, packed
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, packed
3/4 cup grated mozzarella, packed
4 ounces cooked ham, diced, optional
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Butter a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Drain well, but do not rinse.
Whisk the cream, milk, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup Fontina, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, ham, if using, and parsley. Add the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Toss the remaining 1 cup Fontina, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Footnotes - If possible, use fresh cheeses and grate them yourself.

Scooby Doo Mystery Cake

This weekend my cousin Gracie's twin boys turned 4 years old. They had a Scooby Doo theme party. My friend Tara and I were asked to make their birthday cake. We had never made a cake using fondant before nor had we ever baked a stacked cake before either. The cake was a yellow cake with vanilla and chocolate filling. I admit...there were a few times that I was ready to cry...but the end result...and the reaction from everyone was so worth it! Thank you so much Gracie and Jason for asking us to make the cake! XOXO

Joey & Danny....

Even though they will be 4 in a few days...this is still my favorite picture of them.

How I do Caramelized Onions.....

I will put caramelized onions on ANYTHING! They will make almost any dish taste wickedly insane. I have read a lot of different methods for making caramelized onions, but this is the way I make them. The trick is to cook them slow and not rush them. They aren't hard to make either. I know when you mention caramelized onions to some people, they break out in a cold sweat. It may take a while ( a good hour or so ) but the end result is so worth it.

Caramelized Onions

5 or 6 small yellow onions, sliced
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring for 15-20 minutes until very soft. Add sugar and salt. Lower heat to low and continue to cook for 40 minutes until golden, stirring ocassionally. Stir in the vinegar and blend well. Yeah....that is pretty much it! Enjoy!!

Is it just me......

........or does everyone get hungry while watching Man vs. Food???

"...and now please welcome.....Mariana!"

Born on June 16, 2010 at 3:40 pm ~ 6 lbs. 12 oz.

My new favorite thing.......

Williams-Sonoma Jalapeno Roaster

Chicken Satay

My mom came to my house this weekend and we took a trip to Riverside Square Mall to Williams-Sonoma...my favorite store. If you have never been to a Williams-Sonoma, they do little cooking demonstrations in store with samples to try. We tried the Chicken Satay. Normally I do not like Chicken Satay because it's usually made with chicken breast and I find chicken breast to be too dry. This was made with chicken thighs and marinated in a mixture of coconut milk, fish sauce and Madras curry powder. This has become my new favorite satay recipe.

Chicken Satay

1 1⁄2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1⁄2 cup coconut milk
1⁄4 cup fish sauce
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoons Madras curry powder
1 tablespoons canola oil
Peanut sauce for serving

Cut the chicken into strips 4 inches long by 1/2 inch wide. In a large bowl, stir together the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, cilantro and curry powder. Add the chicken and stir until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Preheat grill to medium high. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Using 12 to 15 wooden skewers, each 9 inches long, thread 2 to 3 pieces of chicken onto each skewer. Brush the grill with the oil. Arrange the skewers on the grill and cook until the chicken is golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the skewers to a warmed platter. Pour the peanut sauce into a small bowl and serve alongside.

Caramelized Apples

Caramelized Apples

3 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Fuji apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add the apple slices, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix until apples are evenly coated. Cook about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat and stir in vanilla.

Footnotes - Serve these over ice cream, waffles, pancakes or on their own with whipped cream.

Sausage and Mushroom Risotto

If you have never made risotto before, let me tell you...it is a HUGE pain in the neck but the end result is so worth it. Making risotto requires patience, it cannot be rushed. The rice will only absorb so much liquid at a time so patience is the key! You can also try this recipe using a mixture of wild mushrooms.

Sausage and Mushroom Risotto

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 table spoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup frozen chopped onions
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1 cup white or portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup white wine
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons each of the olive oil and butter. Add the onions, sausage and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up the sausage into little pieces until the sausage is brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large heavy pot, heat the remaining butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the rice and mix so that the rice is coated in the oil-butter mixture. Add the sausage mixture to the rice and stir. Slowly add the white wine and continue to stir. Cook, stirring constantly until the all wine is absorbed. Add the chicken broth 1/2 a cup at a time as you stir, making sure that all of the broth is absorbed before you add each additional 1/2 cup. Cook stirring constantly for about 40 to 50 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed and the risotto is tender and creamy.

Footnote - I serve this topped with grated Romano cheese. Serves about 4.

Olive Tapanade Bruschetta

I know I have been in grilling mood for the last few days but this recipe is so good that I don't want to wait to post it. This is a very quick and easy appetizer that uses olives for a tasty zip. I actually liked this recipe so much that I adapted it to go on pasta as well. If you like olives, you will like this.

Olive Tapanade Bruschetta

1 onion cut, sliced thin and cut in half
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 - 14.5 ounce cans Garlic and Olive Oil Petite Diced Tomatoes, one drained and one with the liquid
1 – 3.8 ounce can sliced black olives, drained
1 jar pitted Spanish olives, drained and chopped
2 cloves garlic, pushed thru a press
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 loaf crusty Italian bread, sliced or toast points
Shaved Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet over medium, heat oil and sauté onions and garlic until transparent but not brown, about 7 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, black olives, Spanish olives, cheese, pepper and garlic powder. Mix well and cook until liquid is reduced, about 20 minutes. You want the tapenade to be thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Arrange Italian bread on a platter. Place 1 tablespoon tapenade on each piece and top with one piece of the shaved Parmesan.

Frozen Spiked Lemonade

Frozen Spiked Lemonade

4 cups fresh lemon juice
4 cups simple syrup (recipe follows)
Lemon flavored vodka
2 lemons, cut into half wheels

Combine the lemon juice and simple syrup in a large container and stir well. Place container in the freezer and freeze for several hours, stirring every hour. Just before serving, pour vodka into individual glasses and top with lemonade mixture. Garnish with lemon slices.

Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup hot water

In a glass bottle or small bowl, combine the sugar and hot water and shake or stir until completely dissolved. Let cool completely before using.

Footnotes - Try adding strawberry puree to the lemonade mixture before freezing. You can also make this non-frozen by just chilling the lemonade mixture in the fridge instead of freezing.

Tutti Frutti Punch

This one is my favorite party drinks to make. The sorbet balls make it fun to drink and it is very colorful. You can also make this a kid friendly punch by omitting the vodka. Also try using a small ice cream scoop instead of the melon baller. It makes the sorbet balls a little bigger.

Tutti Frutti Punch

1 - 6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup pineapple juice
1 oz. grenadine
2 pints lemon sorbet
3 cups ginger ale
1 cup citrus or orange vodka
2 pints fresh strawberries, cut in half
2 lemons, cut into half slices
Mint sprigs for garnish

Combine orange juice concentrate, lemon juice, pineapple juice and grenadine in a large container and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Pour into a punch bowl. Add the ginger ale and vodka. Mix. Add the strawberries and lemons.
Using a melon baller, ball the sorbet and add it to the punch bowl.

Margaritas baby!!!

I realized the other day that I am always posting recipes for food but not for drinks. Summer just screams MARGARITAS!! They are the perfect drink to get a summer party going. The secret to making a good margarita is starting with good tequila. It can make a big difference in how your margarita will taste. Try experimenting with different flavored juices and purees. Another cool idea is making your own flavored salts and sugars for rimming the glasses.

Classic Margarita

2 oz. gold tequila
scant oz. triple sec
1 oz. fresh lime juice
lime wedge to garnish
Salt to rim the glass

Add tequila, triple sec and lime juice to a shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour into a frosted margarita glass rimmed with salt and garnish with a lime wedge.

For the frozen version, add tequila, triple sec and lime juice to a blender. Add 1 scoop of crushed ice and blend for 20 to 30 seconds. Pour into a margarita glass.

Mangorita

2 oz. gold tequila
scant oz. triple sec
scant oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. mango puree

Add all the ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour into a frosted margarita glass.

Pinarita

2 oz. gold tequila
scant oz. triple sec
scant oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. pineapple juice
Sliced pineapple wedges to garnish

Add tequila, triple sec and lime juice to a blender. Add 2 scoops of crushed ice and blend for 20 seconds. Pour into a margarita glass and garnish with pineapple wedge.

Raspberry Margarita

2 oz. gold tequila
scant oz. Cointreau
scant oz. fresh lime juice
2 oz. raspberry puree

Blend the first 3 ingredients in a blender with 2 scoops of crushed ice for 20 seconds. Pour half of the mixture into a margarita glass. Gently layer the raspberry puree on top of the margarita mixture to create a layered look. Add remaining margarita mixture over the raspberry puree.

Easy Margaritas for a Crowd

1 - 6 oz. can frozen limeade concentrate
6 oz. tequila
2 oz. triple sec

Fill blender with crushed ice. Pour in limeade concentrate, tequila and triple sec. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Footnotes - A scant oz. is a measure slightly under a whole oz.

Key Lime Pie...my favorite thing!

I LOVE KEY LIME PIE! I have 2 recipes which are my absolute favorites. One is baked and the other is a no bake. The no bake I got from my good friend Carol. Both are very good. You can use regular lime juice for Key Lime Pie but if you can, use Key limes. Key limes are more difficult to find outside of Florida and California markets, and may be available only seasonally or in gourmet markets. You may be able to find bottled Key lime juice in the supermarket.

Key Lime Pie

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup melted margarine
3 cups sweetened condensed milk
2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup Key lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted margarine together until well blended. Press crumb mixture into 9 inch pie plate.
In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream and lime juice. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream if desired.

No Bake Key Lime Pie

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup lime juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 - 8oz. carton Cool Whip

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted margarine together until well blended. Press crumb mixture into 9 inch pie plate. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup lime juice with one can of sweetened condensed milk. Beat until slightly thickened. Fold in a 8 oz. carton of whipped topping. Put the mixture into pie shell and refrigerate.

Twinkle twinkle little star.....

My girlfriend Tara threw a baby shower for her friend Marjorie. It was a Star & Moon theme. We made these cupcakes instead of a cake and had them on display set up to look like a sky.

Grilling Rubs

Summer is here! Time to get out of the kitchen and get grilling. Now..I am all for barbecue sauce but rubs are definitely the way to go if you want to get awesome flavor and juicy meats.

Kansas City Rib Rub -
This also works well on chicken

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne

Memphis Style Rib Rub -
Finish off with a good barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne

Carolina BBQ Rub -
For beef, chicken, lamb and pork

2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
tablespoons brown sugar
tablespoons ground cumin
tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup paprika

Three Pepper Rub
For flank or flat-iron steak

1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin

Cocoa Rub
For chicken, steaks and ribs

1/4 cup sea salt
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground black pepper

You don't have to run out and spend a massive amount of money on spices. You can find great rubs at the supermarket. A few that we love are -

Williams-Sonoma Buttermilk Ranch Rub. We use this on chicken but it is also great on pork, potatoes, popcorn and mixed in sour cream for dips. You can also find Chili-Lime Rub, Smokehouse Rub and Spicy Chipotle. The rubs go for about $10.00 each for a 3oz bag.

Char-Crust Spicy Smoky Southwest Rub. I love the flavor of this rub. It is smoky, sweet and spicy all in one. The great thing about these rubs is that they can be used on any meat and come in a great assortment of flavors - Original Hickory Grilled, Roasted Garlic Peppercorn, All-American Barbecue, Ginger Teriyaki, Amazin' Cajun, Sun-Dried Tomato & Garlic, Hickory & Molasses and Roto Roast. They all go for about $5.00 - $6.00 for a 4oz. bag.

Seafood Salad

I love making this as a light dinner in the summertime when it is too hot in the kitchen to do anything more than boil the water for the seafood! I serve this with crusty Italian bread and an ice cold glass of white wine. Yummy!


Seafood Salad

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound sea scallops, halved
1 pound calamari sliced into ½ inch rings and tentacles halved
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons parsley
2 small garlic cloves, pushed through a press
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil. Stir in shrimp and cook until pink, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a large bowl. Return water to a boil and add scallops. Cook just until opaque, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer scallops to the bowl with the shrimp. Repeat with calamari, cooking until just white, about 30 seconds. Do not overcook. Drain calamari in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
In a small bowl combine lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, garlic and red pepper flakes. Whisk in oil and season with salt and pepper.
Add dressing and squid to the bowl with the scallops and shrimp. Toss to combine.
Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight, tossing occasionally, for best flavor.

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Spicy Lime Butter

Once you have corn on the cob with this lime butter, you will never eat regular butter on your corn again.

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Spicy Lime Butter

1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon lime zest
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
8 ears corn, shucked

Coat cold grill with cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium.
In a small bowl combine butter, zest, juice, salt and ground red pepper. Place corn on grill rack and cook for 10 minutes turning frequently. Remove from heat and brush with butter mixture and serve hot.

What happiness looks like....

The "Hose"...LOL!!!

Tequila Lime Shrimp

This recipe was originally made with chicken. I did not have chicken on hand and wanted to make this on the grill one weekend when we were in Pennsylvania. It turned out so good. The marinade makes the shrimp very tender.

Tequila Lime Shrimp

¼ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ ounces tequila
1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Juice from ½ a lime
2 pounds raw jumbo or extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ stick butter
Pre-soaked wooden or metal skewers

In a large bowl, combine oil, tequila, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne and lime juice. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
After shrimp has marinated, skewer shrimp avoiding over crowding. Discard marinade.
Preheat grill until you can hold your hand over it for 5 seconds. Place shrimp skewers on the grill and cook until pink, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from grill and top with small pat of butter. Serve with lime wedges.

Chicken Version - Follow marinating directions and cook the chicken on the grill until no longer pink in center. Place each breast on top of crushed tortilla chips and top the breasts with Colby Jack cheese and serve with sour cream and salsa.

Grilled Garlic Bread Skewers

If you are like me, I don't want to even go near my oven in the summertime. This is a fun version of garlic bread which is usually baked. Grilling gives these a great smoky flavor.

Grilled Garlic Bread Skewers

1 baguette
2/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons dried parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
6 to 8 wooden skewers soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, or metal skewers

Cut the bread into 1 inch slices, then cut the slices crosswise to make half-moons.
Place the olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper into a large bowl, add the bread and toss until well coated with the parsley and oil.
Preheat the grill. Oil the grates slightly to prevent sticking. Thread the garlic bread onto the skewers and cook until each side is toasted, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Footnote - You can also thread cherry tomatoes between the bread cubes and grill as directed above. Try serving with fresh mozzarella cheese. I like to shred the cheese and sprinkle it on top of the bread and tomatoes so it melts slightly.

Besides cooking....

My brother and his girlfriend are expecting a baby girl in August. I had told my friend Lita about the shower and she said that I needed to make a diaper cake..something I had never done before. She gave me a list of things I needed to buy..diapers, ribbon, tape...and off to the firehouse I went, with my girls in tow, to start our creation. Here is what the end product looked like -





So....the following week, I had yet another baby shower to go to. This one was for my friend Elizabeth. Again, my girls and I got together, this time in my kitchen, to make what was to become the most beautiful diaper cake that I had seen.





I have been blessed with some of the greatest friends one could ever hope for. We are always there for each other to talk, listen, help, laugh, cry or when you just need a hug. I love you girls! XOXO

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

Marinating the chicken makes the meat very flavorful as well as moist and tender. You can skip the kabob part and just use the marinade on whole chicken breasts. Just a suggestion - I am very picky about my ranch dressing. My personal favorite is Trader Joe's.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

Footnote - Before adding the chicken to the marinade, reserve a few tablespoons and add to a small bowl of extra ranch dressing for dipping. Also, I substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts and use fresh whole rosemary sprigs. After adding the marinade to the chicken, I lay the sprigs right on top.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

I was looking through an old binder that I had recipes in last night and came across this forgotten recipe. Great salad for summer!!






Spinach and Strawberry Salad

2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Footnotes - Add candied almond slivers for added flavor and crunch.

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

I love picnics and this chicken is the perfect picnic food. It is fantastic hot or cold. The buttermilk really makes the chicken nice and moist. I like to brine the chicken up to one day for best flavor. You can also grill up to one day before serving.

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

1 quart buttermilk
½ cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
6 chicken thighs
6 chicken legs

In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, shallots, garlic, salt, sugar, cumin and pepper.
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Trim off excess fat. Submerge chicken in buttermilk brine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 1 day. Lift chicken from brine and discard brine. Wipe excess buttermilk from chicken with paper towels.
Preheat grill to medium and place chicken on grill. Close lid. Cook, turning frequently until brown on both sides and no longer pink at the bone, 20 to 30 minutes.

Garlic Soy Chicken

The sauce for this chicken is to die for! I used boneless skinless chicken thighs but feel free to use legs or breasts. I also double the sauce and use one for basting and the other I mixed with the pan drippings then poured over the cooked chicken before serving.

Garlic Soy Chicken

1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
dried parsley, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking pan.
In a microwave safe bowl, mix the butter, garlic, soy sauce, pepper, and parsley. Cook 2 minutes on High in the microwave, or until butter is melted.
Arrange chicken on the baking pan, and coat with the butter mixture, reserving some of the mixture for basting.
Bake chicken for 30 minutes, or until juices run clear, turning occasionally and basting with remaining butter mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Fried Chicken with Creamy Pan Gravy

This is the best fried chicken recipe I have tried. You can also made it with chicken tenderloins, like chicken fingers. The gravy is AWESOME! I double the gravy to serve over mashed potatoes. The trick to good friend chicken is the oil temperature. The oil must be heated to 365 degrees otherwise you get soggy, oily tasting chicken.

Fried Chicken with Creamy Pan Gravy

1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
4 pounds chicken parts, legs and thighs
3 cups vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk

In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup milk and egg. In a resealable plastic bag, mix together the flour, garlic salt, paprika, pepper and poultry seasoning. Place chicken in bag, seal, and shake to coat. Dip chicken in milk and egg mixture, then once more in flour mixture. Reserve any remaining flour mixture.
In a large skillet, heat oil to 365 degrees F. Place coated chicken in the hot oil, and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking chicken until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet, and drain on paper towels.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the frying oil. Over low heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of the reserved flour mixture. Stirring constantly, cook about 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock, scraping browned bits off bottom of skillet. Stir in 1 cup milk, and bring all to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with the chicken.

Spicy Shrimp Alfredo with Red Peppers and Mushrooms

I never thought of adding cayenne pepper to alfredo sauce but it gives it such a great kick! I love spicy food so I always add more cayenne. Just a hint...add the cayenne a little at a time in case 1 teaspoon is too spicy for you.

Spicy Shrimp Alfredo with Red Peppers and Mushrooms

1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 pound Portobello mushrooms, diced
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 - 15 ounce jar Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, melt butter together with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper, and mushroom; cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 2 minutes more. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until firm and pink, then pour in Alfredo sauce, Romano cheese, and cream; bring to a simmer stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir drained pasta into the sauce, and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Herb Roasted Potatoes with Feta Cheese

I love these as a side dish with grilled chicken or steak. Topping the potatoes with the feta cheese when they come out of the oven makes the feta melt onto the potatoes a little...YUMMY!



Herb Roasted Potatoes with Feta Cheese

5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into wedges
6 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup crumbled good-quality feta cheese

Pre-heat an oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly oil a large baking dish.
Stir the potatoes, garlic, olive oil, water, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a bowl until the potatoes are evenly coated; pour into the prepared baking dish.
Roast in the preheated oven until the potatoes begin to brown, about 40 minutes. Season the potatoes with the oregano. If the dish appears dry, pour another 1/2 cup water into the dish. Return to the oven and bake about 40 minutes more. If you like the potatoes a little more crispy, you can put them under the broiler for 5 to 10 minutes. Top with the crumbled feta cheese to serve.

Grilled Cherry Tomato Skewers

I do not particularly like raw tomatoes. Cooked tomatoes are a different story. These little skewers are so delicious on the grill. They make a great light side dish for grilled steak or chicken.

Grilled Cherry Tomato Skewers

40 cherry tomatoes
32 large fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Soak 8 skewers in water for about 15 minutes. You can also use metal skewers.
Pre-heat grill to medium-high.
Thread 5 tomatoes onto each skewer placing a basil leaf folding in half between each tomato. Brush generously with olive oil.
Oil grill grate. Place the skewers directly over the flame turning once until light grill marks appear, about 30 seconds per side. Move skewers to cooler part of the grill, away from direct flame, cover and cook until tomatoes are hot but the skin hasn't blistered, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Footnote - This also makes a great grilled tomato salad. After the tomatoes are cooked, remove from skewers and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add chopped fresh mozzarella and toss.

Bruschetta Salad

I am not a salad eater at all but this is my favorite salad. When we were younger, my mom always made a salad with dinner. I would love to soak up the oil and vinegar with Italian bread and eat it. To me, nothing tasted better. This salad is the same concept. The bread soaks up the oil and vinegar and the flavors of the onion and tomato. It is delicious!

Bruschetta Salad

3 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes
1 loaf French baguette or Italian bread, cut into cubes
1 cup thinly sliced red onions
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
¼ red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Mix tomatoes, onion and bread cubes in a large bowl.
Pour olive oil and vinegar over salad and toss gently. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately.

Footnotes - Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving. You may also add cucumber slices and or fresh mozzarella. You can substitute shaved Parmesan cheese for the shredded.

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

These are so easy and SO good! I made them for my FD Ladies Auxiliary bake sale in May and they were gone in no time. Everyone asks for the recipe when I bring these to a party or get-together. I use prepared cream cheese frosting when I am in a hurry.

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

For Cookies -
1 box red velvet cake mix
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla

For Filling -
1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups confectioners' sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix together cake mix, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake in the oven until the tops start to crack, about 8 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
In a large bowl combine cream cheese, butter, evaporated milk and vanilla. Add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well with each addition. If consistency is too stiff, add more milk.
Dollop a generous amount of icing on the bottom of a cookie, sandwich it with another cookie, pressing firmly so that the icing comes all the way out to the edge. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

Last week I entered 2 recipes into recipes contests. One was Linguine with Fresh Mozzarella and Onion Quartet and the other was Sausage and Mozzarella Stuffed Mushrooms. If you have tried either one of these...let me know how you liked it.

Wish me luck!!!

Old Bay Shrimp Boil

This is from the Old Bay website. I make it for summer parties because it is so easy and everyone loves it. The recipe as written makes 8 large servings.

Old Bay Shrimp Boil

4 quarts water, 16 cups
1 can (12 ounces) beer, I use Sam Adams
1/2 cup Old Bay Seasoning
2 tablespoons salt
8 medium red potatoes, quartered
2 large onions, cut into wedges
2 pounds smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 ears fresh corn, shucked and halved crosswise
4 pounds unpeeled jumbo shrimp, 21 to 25 count
1 stick unsalted butter, sliced

Bring water, beer, Old Bay seasoning and salt to boil in 12-quart stockpot on high heat. Add potatoes and onions. Cook 8 minutes. Add smoked sausage. Cook 5 minutes. Add corn. Cook 7 minutes.
Stir in shrimp. Cook 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.
Drain cooking liquid. Place butter slices into a large serving bowl. Pour contents of pot into bowl. Sprinkle with additional Old Bay, if desired.

Polenta with Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce

I first made this when my husband and I moved in together. It was a Sunday and I was making it for lunch. He had gone to a drill they were having at the firehouse. I had heard this beeping noise coming from the laundry room in our complex and called it in to the fire department. They came to check it out and I had gone downstairs to meet them. I told my husband that I had made the polenta for lunch. I went back upstairs to check on it and I heard one of the guys say over the radio that Billy’s girlfriend made lunch. It was really cute.

Polenta with Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce

1-16 oz. tube refrigerated polenta, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1- 8 oz. package sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jar sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce
¼ cup dried basil
4 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray
Arrange polenta slices in baking dish allowing them to over-lap; set aside.
Spray a medium non-stick skillet with cooking spray and place it over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes.
Stir in Alfredo sauce and basil; heat for about 8 minutes.
Spoon the mushroom mixture evenly over the polenta. Top with grated cheese. Bake for 7 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Footnote - Serve this with a simple spinach salad and focaccia.

How cold do we look? LOL!!

Little Ferry Fire Department

This photo was taken on Sunday, January 17. They had just finished battling a huge fire at Heaven is a Spa on Route 46. The building was ready to collapse. This is them sitting on the flatbed that the wrecking crane came on.

Good job Leo!

Superbowl Party Menu

Like most people..we are huge football fans and with the Superbowl right around the corner, here is a great collection of recipes perfect for your party. Most of these recipes can be found in our cookbook - In the Kitchen with the Auxiliary. I also add Janice's Famous Artichoke Dip and Stromboli Bread to my own party menu. Both recipes can be found on here.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 package chicken tenderloins, cooked and chopped
2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing
3/4 cup pepper sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces
1 - 8 oz. box chicken-flavored crackers

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on LOW setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

Brown Sugar Smokies

1 - 16 oz. package little smokie sausages
1 pound bacon
1 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a little sausage. Place the wrapped sausages on wooden skewers, several to a skewer. Arrange the skewers on a baking sheet and sprinkle them liberally with brown sugar.
Bake until bacon is crisp and the brown sugar melted.

Footnote - You can make these little smokies on skewers or toothpick them to secure.

Best Ever Buffalo Chicken Wings

Oil for deep frying
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce
1 dash ground black pepper
1 dash garlic powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 chicken wings

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees. The oil should be just enough to cover wings entirely, an inch or so deep. Combine the butter, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving.
In a small bowl mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Place chicken wings in a large nonporous glass dish or bowl and sprinkle flour mixture over them until they are evenly coated. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.
Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until parts of wings begin to turn brown. Remove from heat, place wings in serving bowl, add hot sauce mixture and stir together. Serve with bleu cheese dipping sauce.

Sweet and Spicy Wings

6 pounds chicken wings, separated at joints, tips discarded
1 1/2 cups Louisiana-style hot sauce
3/4 cup butter
1 cup honey
1 pinch garlic salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill the chicken 8 to 12 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear. (You can deep fry or bake the chicken instead if you want to, but it is best when grilled.) Remove chicken to a large roasting pan.
In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the hot sauce, butter, honey, garlic salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer about 10 minutes, until blended and heated through. Pour the sauce over the grilled chicken wings and stir to coat.

Footnote - You can make two batches of the sauce, use one as a marinade before grilling the chicken, and pour the second batch over the chicken after it is grilled.

Jalapeno Snacks

1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 - 1 oz. package dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
20 large jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
1 pound sliced bacon, cut in half

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees.
Stir together the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, and garlic powder in a mixing bowl until evenly blended. Spoon some of the cheese mixture into each jalapeno half, wrap with half a bacon strip, and secure with a toothpick. Arrange the wrapped jalapeno halves onto a broiler pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is no longer pink and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms

1 lb. fresh mushrooms
1 stick of melted butter
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove crushed garlic
½ cup grated Romano cheese
½ cup white wine
1 cup frozen chopped onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove mushroom stems from mushrooms and chop. Place caps on a buttered baking sheet and set aside. In a saucepan melt butter and white wine over low heat. In a skillet sauté chopped stems, chopped onions and crushed garlic in olive oil. In a bowl mix together bread crumbs, parsley and cheese then add them to the melted butter and white wine, then add the sauté of mushroom stems, minced onions and crushed garlic, stir everything together. Mold a small amount on the cap of each mushroom. Bake for 30 minutes.