2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 cup watermelon, cubed
3 tablespoons red onion, diced
6 fresh mint leaves, sliced thin
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 - 2 teaspoons sugar

In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and add salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, add cucumbers and red onion. Pour dressing over and toss to combine. Add the mint, toss again. Gently fold in the watermelon and feta. Season again with salt and pepper, if desired. Allow salad to refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes before serving.

For the Avgolemono -

2 large eggs, at room temperature
Juice from 2 lemons
1 cup broth, chicken or beef
Salt, pepper, parsley, to taste.

Warm the broth in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling; remove from heat. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Slowly pour in the lemon juice, whisking constantly. Pour the hot broth into a measuring cup and begin pouring it into the egg mixture, a little at a time, VERY slowly, again, stirring constantly. Once you have added the broth, pour the mixture into the same small saucepan over very low heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the meatballs in a shallow serving bowl and pour the sauce over. I add fresh chopped parsley, fresh ground pepper ang a bit of lemon zest. You could also add fresh chopped dill in place of the parsley.

For the Meatballs -

1/2-lb. ground beef
1/2-lb. ground veal
1/2-lb. ground pork
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, pushed through a press
Pinch of crushed red pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
Salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup water
Olive oil

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil to coat the pan. Add the onions and season generously with salt. Saute for about 5 to 7 minutes. The onions should be very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the meats, eggs, Parmesan, Romano, parsley, and bread crumbs. Using your hands (wash them first!), combine the mixture until well blended. Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt. Add the water and combine with your hands again. The mixture will be wet (don't get scared).
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Using your hands or an ice cream scoop, shape the meat mixture into balls. You can make them around the size of a golf ball or smaller, whichever you prefer. Again, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil to coat the pan. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Place them on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through.

For the Onion-Cherry Pepper Mixture -

2 large yellow onions, sliced
3 large cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup hot cherry peppers, sliced
1/4 cup sweet cherry peppers, sliced
1/3 cup white wine
Chopped parley

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil to coat the pan. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the onions and saute until almost caramelized and soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chopped cherry peppers and cook for 3 minutes more. Add the white wine and parsley and cook, stirring to combine for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the reserved garlic back to the skillet. Add desired amount of meatballs to the skillet, tossing to coat with the onion mixture. Place on a serving platter, sprinkle with a bit more parsley and serve.

2 large sweet potatoes, washed
1 stick salted butter
3 cloves garlic , pushed through a press
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
Olive oil cooking spray

Cut ends off the ends of the sweet potatoes then cut each into 1-inch slices. Place sweet potato slices in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or until just fork-tender. Drain.
Spray a large baking sheet with the olive oil cooking spray. Place sweet potato slices onto the baking sheet. Using a fork, lightly smash each piece. They may break apart and that's okay. When mine do, I simple push them back together again.
Pre-heat the broiler to high.
Place butter and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-seconds at a time until the butter is melted. Add the parsley. Spoon the mixture over each sweet potato slice. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper. Place baking sheet under the broiler and broil until the sweet potato slices are slightly golden brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet from oven, sprinkle sweet potato slices with the grated Parmesan cheese. Season again with a little more salt and parsley, and enjoy!

1 kielsaba sausage, cut into slices
12 potato pirogies
2 small yellow onions, chopped
16-oz can sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
Paprika
Chopped parsley

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until slightly caramelized. Add the pirogies and cook for 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove pirogies and onions from pan and set aside. Do not wipe the skillet. Heat the oil until shimmering. Add the kielbasa in a single layer and cook until well browned on one side and then flip them over and cook until well browned on the other side. Add the sauerkraut and water, scraping up the browned bits. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more. Add the pirogies and onions back to the skillet. Mix everything to combine. Add the paprika, to taste. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and enjoy!

2 banana peppers, use 1 if you prefer it less spicy
1/3 lb. Ipirou feta cheese, if you can't find Ipirou, use any good quality Greek feta
1/3 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil, you may need more or less, depending on your desired consistency
Salt and pepper, to taste

Place the banana peppers under a broiler, turning often, until blackened spots appear on all sides. Place in a bowl and cover with a clean towel until cooled completely. Using gloves, peel, seed, and remove the stems from the peppers; then, chop. Add the chopped peppers, feta, Greek yogurt, and cider vinegar to a food processor and processes until fairly smooth. Slowly stream in the oil, while continuing to pulse. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

4 boneless pork chops (rib or sirloin)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon creole seasoning
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Green onions, garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together creole seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder.
Sprinkle desired amount of seasoning mix on to pork chops, season with pepper, then heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Once hot, add pork chops and cook, without moving (other than to flip), until browned on both sides. 6-7 minutes per side.
Remove pork from heat and transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm.
Return skillet to heat and pour in wine, lemon juice and zest, minced garlic, and thyme, then season again with salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to medium and stir everything together, making sure to scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Return pork chops to pan, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until pork chops are cooked through.
Remove pork chops to a plate (or to an oven preheated to 200º F), then add remaining butter to sauce in skillet. Whisk in heavy cream and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low again and simmer until thickened.
Once desired thickness is reached, drizzle over pork chops and serve hot.

4 boneless pork chops
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup seasoning mix (I used Rib Rack Original)

Brush pork chops with olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle both sides with seasoning mix pressing the mix into the chops. Place in air-fryer at 400 degrees for 7 minutes, flip chops and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from air-fryer and let rest 5 minutes before serving.


1/2 of a red cabbage, shredded
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
Ground white pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the red cabbage, tossing to coat. Saute until the cabbage starts to wilt slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper then sprinkle with the sugar, tossing to coat. Add the balsamic vinegar and allow to boil slightly, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and allow to cook until the cabbage is tender, stirring often, about 30 minutes.

2 to 3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter a 4 x 8-inch loaf pan. In a mixing bowl, add the mashed bananas and stir in the melted butter. Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then remove the banana bread from the pan and let cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

1 to 2 packages of cauliflower tots
2 cups shredded cheddar or cheddar jack
8 to 10 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
2 scallions, sliced thin
Sour cream or ranch

Cook cauliflower tots according to package. Once done, add shredded cheese, cooked crumbled bacon, sliced scallions. You could even do chili and chopped jalapeños. Place back in oven until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream or ranch.

2 packages butternut squash noodles or rice
1 lb. hot Italian sausage
9 tablespoons salted butter
6 to 8 sage leaves
Ground white pepper
1/2 to 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (use more or less according to your taste)

Place the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup of water to the skillet. After 10 minutes, flip the sausages over and simmer for an additional 5 minutes adding more water to the skillet as the water evaporates. Remove the sausages and slice them into 1/2-inch thick slices.
Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. After a minute, add the sausage slices in an even layer and let them cook until deeply browned. Flip and brown them on the other side. When the sausage slices browned, remove them from the pan and place them on a paper towel-lined plate and return the pan to the burner.
Salt a large pot of water and place it on high heat; bring to a boil. Add the butternut squash noodles to the water and cook about 3 to 5 minutes. The butternut squash noodles cook really fast.
Turn the heat to medium-high and add the sage leaves, the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter, and season with white pepper. As the butter melts, scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook until the foam subsides, about 5 minutes. Cook the butter until it’s deeply browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes more.
Drain the butternut squash noodles. Add the to the browned butter sauce and toss to combine. Add the sausage to the skillet and stir. Add the Romano cheese and stir again. Adjust with salt, if necessary.
Place into serving bowls and garnish with additional Romano cheese and sprinkle with additional chopped sage 💕

Footnotes - I started out with noodles but they broke apart while cooking so I ended up with rice 🤷🏻‍♀️ and ran with it LOL!

You can substitute cauliflower gnocchi for the
butternut squash.

You can use sweet Italian sauce instead of hot. I’m not sure how it tastes because I’ve only used hot ♥️

6 portobello mushroom caps, gills gently scraped out
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375.

Sprinkle portobello caps with salt. Place gill-side down on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until they just start to give off liquid. Remove from oven and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sausage and brown, breaking it up into smaller pieces until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chopped oregano and crushed red pepper and continue to cook a few minutes more.

Spoon the sausage mixture into each portobello cap. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and place back into oven for 5 more minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
Fresh chopped dill
Crumbled feta

Place the cucumbers in a shallow bowl. Whisk the next 4 ingredients together and drizzle over cucumbers. Sprinkle with dill and feta.

Low Carb Jalapeño Popper Taquitos with Bacon -

4 ounces whipped cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped jalapeno (I used jarred)
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1/8 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese
Pinch of black pepper
6 slices thin sliced cheddar cheese

Combine the cream cheese, jalapeños, bacon, shredded cheddar jack and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cheese slices on baking sheet.
Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until the outside edges are browned and crisp.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool 1 to 2 minutes.
Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the mixture on one side of the cheese slice and roll, seam side down. Enjoy!

3 ripe avocados, diced
1 to 2 tablespoons seeded, chopped jalapenos (depending on how spicy you want it...I leave some seeds in)
3 tablespoons diced tomatoes, seeded (you have to remove the seeds and the slime in the middle. I also dab the insides with a paper towel)
4 tablespoons diced red onion, divided
Salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional....I don't put it in because I don't like it..LOL)
1 lb. bacon, each slice cut in half and cooked very crispy

Place the diced jalapeno, 2 tablespoons of diced red onion, salt and cilantro inside a molecajete. If you do not have one, a wooden bowl will work fine. Using the pestle (use a fork and the back of a wooden spoon if you don't have a pestle), mash until well blended and the ingredients start to form a paste. Add the diced avocados and gently fold into the jalapeno paste. Add the diced tomatoes and the last 2 tablespoons of the red onion and some additional salt. Gently mix again. I like my guacamole chunky so I don't really mash them up...but you can if you prefer smother guacamole. Serve with chips!

Parmesan Caesar Brussels Sprouts

1 lb. shaved Brussels Sprouts
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Grated Parmesan cheese
Parsley
Caesar Dressing (I used Garlic Caesar from Wegmans)

Preheat oven to 350.

Place Brussels Sprouts in a shallow baking dish, toss with olive oil and chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the Brussels Sprouts turn golden brown.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with more Parmesan and parsley. Top with a drizzle of Caesar dressing.

I mixed in about a 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese when I took it out of the oven

Grilled Zucchini with Ricotta and Lemon Zest

3 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
Ricotta cheese
Parsley

Preheat the grill to 300.
Brush both sides of the zucchini with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Place on the grill and cook until tender but still a bit firm and lightly charred, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from grill and cut into chunks.
Place on a serving platter. Season again with salt and pepper, if desired. Add small dollops of ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with lemon zest and parsley and drizzle with a bit more olive oil.

Can be eaten warm or cold

Shrimp in Pesto Alfredo with Garlic and Chili Flake

1lb. shrimp, deveined and shells/tails off
1 pint heavy cream
1 cup good quality grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons pesto
Splash of white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine, cook for another minute.
Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook until pink, about 5 minutes.
Remove the shrimp and set aside.
Add the pesto, cook for 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, a couple of tablespoons at a time, stirring frequently. Lower heat to allow the sauce to thicken. Season again with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Once the sauce starts to bubble slightly, add the shrimp back in.
Heat for about 1 minute, then serve 💕

You can enjoy this on it’s own, over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles, veggie/chickpea/edamame pasta, over steak or grilled chicken, cauliflower rice....even on pizza!

Cut ultra thin sliced sharp cheddar cheese into quarters. Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Bake in a 250 degree oven for 35 minutes.

I sprinkled mine with some salt and did half with paprika and the other half with smoked paprika.

I liked the sharp cheddar better than the pepper jack.

Mine were not greasy and really crispy....and they did taste just like Cheez It’s!! ♥️

Hassleback Smoked Sausage with Pepperoncini and Cheddar Cheese

1 smoked sausage
1 block cheddar cheese
Pepperoncini slices
Barbecue sauce (you can use mustard if you’d like)

Cut 1/4" slices around the entire sausage, without cutting through the bottom. You want the sausage to stay in tact.
Stuff a couple of pepperoncini slices in between the slices. Place on a preheated grill for 7 minutes or until the sausage browns, do not flip.
Remove the sausage from the grill.
Cut your cheese slices into 1" chunks and stuff them into the crevices of your cuts, intermingling them with slices of pepperoncini.
Brush the top of the sausage liberally with the barbecue sauce.
Place back on the grill and cook until all the cheese has melted. It can be finished under the broiler as well if needed.

I used metal skewers to hold the sausage together as it cooked. It was a little tricky but tasted delicious Experiment with different sauces and cheeses