Marinara Smothered Porterhouse Steak

Yes, I feel guilty...but I'm sharing the recipe anyway, it was delicious, the deep, nutty saltiness of the cheese combined with the marinara sauce that's infused with a little extra meaty flavor...It was like an extra amplified meatball without all the fillers, lol. Enjoy!

• (1) 8oz. thin sliced porterhouse steak
• 3/4 cup good marinara sauce
• good Parmesan Reggiano cheese, a little grated and some thinly sliced
• freshly ground black pepper

Pour the marinara sauce into a heavy bottomed pan that has a tight fitting lid. Place the steak on top of the sauce and cover. Bring to a simmer on high heat. Once it's bubbling away, lower the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, using the 5 minute mark as a guide for a well-done steak. Allow the steak to rest for a few minutes. Place your steak on the plate with a nice amount of sauce on it, placing the extra sauce on the side. (This is especially great to top a pasta or potato side dish.) Sprinkle the cheese and arrange the thinly sliced cheese on top of the steak. The thin slices gives it an extra nutty and salty flavor. Grind a little fresh pepper over the steak and the sauce. Serves 1 or 2 to share, as a light meal.

Cod with Tomatoes, Shallot & Olives

This is my favorite way to make cod. The sweetness of the tomatoes and the salty depth of the olives makes this fish dish extra special and it's on the table in no time. This dish is really simple, so fresh ingredients make a difference in flavor. If you have an olive bar in your supermarket, grab a handful for this dish, it just makes this so much better and grab a few extra so you have something to munch on while you cook. ;) Combine this with a quick brown rice and quinoa pilaf or orzo to complete the meal. You want a side dish that will help you along with enjoying all of the tasty pan juices. Worst case scenario: just get a hunk of bread and really enjoy! Serve with lemon wedges on the side, if you like. Enjoy!

• 1 pound cod, cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup sliced thinly shallot
• 4 Campari tomatoes, halved and sliced
• about 10 oil cured olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• handful of pale celery leaves, chopped
• sea salt (obsessed with pink Himalayan salt right now.)

In a large heavy bottomed pan, combine the olive oil and the shallots and a light sprinkling of salt. Saute on low heat until the shallots are transparent, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the tomatoes and saute for another 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and release some of their juices, stirring occasionally. Toss in the olives midway and give it a good stir. Next, nestle in the cod pieces into the shallot, tomato and olive mixture, placing the thicker pieces in the hottest part of the pan. Cover and saute for about 3 minutes then turn over and saute another 3 minutes, until the fish pieces flake. Top with the celery leaves and cover, let sit for a minute or so and serve. Serves 4.

Potato Gnocchi with a Tomato, Pumpkin & Mushroom Sauce

Potato gnocchi have my heart, always. On a chilly, rainy and foggy autumn night,  potato gnocchi can put a smile the face and warm the belly, like nothing else. I found these dried wood ear mushrooms at a health food store and I couldn't leave without them, I had to give them a try and thought they would look great on a plate during Halloween...on a dark and creepy night...Muuwaaahhaaa...( couldn't resist. lol)

• 1 pound potato gnocchi
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 4 tablespoons good marinara sauce
• 1 tablespoon light cream
• 1 sage leaf
• 1 heaping tablespoon dried wood ear mushrooms *
• fresh ground pepper
• sea salt
• Parmesan cheese *optional

           *You can use any dried mushrooms you like, if they are larger, just chop them down to size.



First begin by rehydrating your mushrooms, according to the package instructions, about 30 minutes in hot water, until the mushrooms get soft. Just add enough water to cover them by about an inch. Cook your gnocchi according to the package instructions, about 2-3 minutes, until they float, drain and set aside. Into the same pot, melt the butter and add the pumpkin puree, marinara sauce, cream and sage. Simmer for about 5 minutes and add the mushrooms, 2 tablespoons of the mushroom liquid and the gnocchi, until heated through. Pass around a wedge of Parmesan cheese, so everyone can help themselves. Serves 2-4. If serving 4, round out the meal with a soup and salad, I don't know about you, but gnochhi are addicting and a nice big bowl makes a rainy and chilly night, all the warmer. Enjoy!

Candele Lunghe in a Tomato Beef Sauce

Can also be called, "Worms in Tomato Sauce" for the older boys and girls that delight in a little bit of "ILLLL!" and "YUCK!" and similar squeals of the Halloween season. This is great to make on Halloween, before the kids go out trick or treating. You can make this ahead and just heat it up in the oven, the day of. Or you can even make it over the weekend and freeze it. (Just defrost before baking.) This is great for an adult Halloween party also! If you can't find candele lunghe you can use bucatini in its' place. And you can certainly use ground turkey instead of the ground beef, I actually prefer turkey over beef any day, but found free range, grass fed organic ground beef that I couldn't pass up. You can always make this dish vegetarian also! It's really important, to use a marinara sauce that isn't laden with oil, otherwise the pasta will be swimming in oil and you will get an ill and a yuck, but not the kind you were anticipating, that comes with a giggle, lol. Enjoy and have a happy weekend!

• 1 pound candele lunghe pasta,broken in half, cooked al dente
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 5 small tomatoes, like Campari, roughly chopped equalling a cup
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
• 1 24 oz. jar good marinara sauce (or a little larger)
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
• 1 juniper berry
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• olive oil for drizzling
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Begin by heating up a drizzle of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add the beef, juniper berry, bay leaf, clove, paprika, salt and pepper. Saute the meat until browned, breaking it up as needed and cooked through, set aside. In the same pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and saute the tomatoes and the garlic on low heat for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes and garlic are cooked through. Add the jar of tomato sauce and cook for ten minutes. Discard the juniper berry, bay leaf and clove and add the beef to the sauce.

Use a nice amount of olive oil when cooking your pasta, so they don't stick to each other. Stirring the pasta often. Drain carefully and , use tongs to handle the hot pasta and spread out the noodles on parchment paper, so they don't stick to each other. Spoon 2 cups of the sauce down in a 13x9 pan and top with a layer of tightly packed candele lunghe.

Spoon on 1 cup of ricotta cheese. Follow by 2 more cups of tomato sauce. Top your sauce with another tight layer of the pasta. Spoon on another cup of ricotta cheese, followed by a layer of pasta. Ending with the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake in a 350 degree, preheated oven for 30 minutes. This serves 6-8.

Catfish, Beans & Tomatoes

I love catfish, its' flavor, texture and versatility. I especially like that it doesn't fall apart easily and retains its' shape. The other night, I took catfish out of the fridge and was going season it and simply pan fry it for dinner. But as I began to clean the fish and pat it dry, I looked at the Campari tomatoes, and thought of the half a shallot, sitting in the fridge. "Mmm... cilantro would be great in this too", I thought to myself. I got out a can of beans, and the dinner started taking on its' own flavors. And my current obsession with smoked Spanish paprika, had to be added to the fish! Lately, it's in everything! The end result was delicious and was done in no time! Start with a salad and pair the catfish with rice, pasta or a potato side dish. This serves 2. Enjoy!

• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Vegeta, or any all purpose seasoning
• 3 small good tomatoes, like Campari, chopped
• 8 oz. catfish fillet. cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup canned small white beans, rinsed
• 1 teaspoon minced cilantro, plus additional leaves for garnish

In a heavy bottomed pan, combine the olive oil, butter, shallot, paprika and Vegeta. Saute until the shallot is soft. Add the tomatoes and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the catfish and saute for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and cilantro and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Spanish Style Pork Chops

Smoked Spanish Paprika, what a great spice to have in your cabinet! When I started sauteing the garlic and I added the paprika, it tasted so good, I wanted to just eat it, alone, lol, maybe on crusty bread. And my head started spinning with possible ways to use this spice. This is a new addition to my spice cabinet, that I am really excited about! Once you open the tin, you get a burst of earthy smokiness and a subtle unexpected sweet aroma. This recipe is a little time consuming, so make it when you don't have to rush or when you have a pair of helping hands in the kitchen. Enjoy with Manchego mashed potatoes to get a little taste of Spain in your kitchen tonight. Enjoy!

For the pork chops you will need:

• 4 center cut pork chops, about 1 1/4 pounds
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Spanish Paprika, divided
• 1 teaspoon Vegeta or any all purpose seasoning you like, divided
• fresh ground black pepper
• flour for dredging
• 1-2 eggs
• canola oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 teaspoon capers
• 1 heaping tablespoon halved Manzanilla olives

For the Manchego mashed potatoes you will need:

• 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, roughly chopped, skin left on, cooked until soft
• 1/4 cup grated Manchego cheese
• 2 oz. light cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt
• handful of raw sliced almonds, toasted *optional

Start off my setting up your breading station, having the flour, eggs and bread crumbs on separate plates, with an extra for the breaded chops. To the bread crumbs add 1/4 teaspoon of the paprika, 1/2 teaspoon Vegeta and fresh ground pepper. Adjust the seasoning of the breadcrumbs as needed. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat up the canola oil. Put enough oil in the pan, to fry the pork chops. You want to fry the pork chops on medium heat, until light golden brown on both sides. They will finish cooking in the oven. Once done frying your pork chops, drain on paper towels and set aside. In a heavy bottomed pan, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon paprika and a few saffron threads. Let the garlic cook on low heat until soft, add in the can of tomatoes, with the juice, 1/2 teaspoon of Vegeta, the capers and the olives. Crush your tomato mixture with a potato masher to break down the tomatoes a little bit. Let this cook for 10 minutes. Place your pork chops down in a single layer, in a 13x9 baking pan. Spoon your tomato mixture over the pork chops and around them evenly. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top. Place in a 350 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes. If making the Manchego mashed potatoes to go with your pork chops, you want to put them on the stove the about same time that you start sauteing your garlic. To your cooked potatoes, add the butter, cream, cheese and salt. Mash until combined and creamy and adjust the seasonings as needed. Top with the toasted almond slices and enjoy!

King Oyster Mushroom Parmesan

I love chicken and eggplant Parmesan! And I think it's the one dish that almost everyone enjoys. The other day, I grilled up some king oyster mushrooms and they were so delicious, I immediately thought, "This needs to be Parmesan-ed." Juicy breaded meaty mushrooms, swimming in a good marinara sauce topped with bubbling hot cheeses placed on top of a oh-so-perfect mound of spaghetti. What's not to love? Such soul satisfying comfort food, on a chilly, almost autumn night. The only thing needed to complete the meal is a green salad tossed with an olive vinaigrette and a nice glass of wine. There is something bad about this meal, I gotta admit, you just want more of it, lol. It's just that good! Serves 6.

• 10 oz. king oyster mushroom, about 3, bottoms trimmed
• 1 25 oz. jar good marinara sauce, warmed through
• 4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• canola oil, for frying
• 3/4 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente

Wipe your mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. Next, trim the mushroom caps, lengthwise, so they are even with the stems, so it's easier to fry. You can reserve the trimmings for another use. You can toss them into a broth, soup or stew, to give it a little extra flavor. Cut your mushrooms lengthwise, so they are about 1/4 inch thick.

Dip your mushroom slices into the egg, followed by the bread crumbs. Have everything breaded and ready to go into the oil. Heat up your canola oil on low to medium heat. Fry the mushroom slices for about a minute to two minutes per each side. Drain on paper towels and move them onto a paper bag. Fry in batches, until all of them are done. Next, take half of the sauce and pour it into a heavy weight 13x9 inch baking pan. Arrange the mushroom slices so they all fit in one layer.

Top with the remaining half of the tomato sauce and the grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Place in the oven, about 6 inches away from the broiler, which is set on high. Broil for 8 minutes, until bubbly and browned on top. Every oven is different, so keep that oven light on and keep an eye on it, so it doesn't burn. Enjoy!

Open-Faced Tomato & Sorrel Sandwich

Finally a red tomato! (Surrounded by seven green ones, but that's okay. Who's counting? lol) I am looking at this, with a glass-full-type-of-attitude and relishing my sweet success, by enjoying every bite of this tomato, on a ciabatta roll with good unsalted butter. As I looked out the window, I saw this red jewel, revealling its' beauty, as she stood out among the green of the leaves and the unripe tomatoes. I knew I had to pick my first and probably last red tomato quickly, before a squirrel came along and swiped my prized treasure. And I didn't want to have to break out the karate moves and wrestle my victorious tomato away from a squirrel. ;) Happy weekend everyone!

• 1 good tomato
• 1 ciabatta roll, whole wheat or white
• 2 tablespoons good unsalted butter, like Plugra
• crunchy sea salt, like Maldon
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 sorrel leaf, cut into strips *optional

Cut your roll in half and butter both sides with unsalted butter. Cut your tomato into thin slices and overlap them on the buttered roll halves. Salt your tomatoes and top with the sorrel strips. Top with fresh ground pepper and enjoy! (I caught the squirrel peeking into the window, while I was eating my sandwich, all I had to do was a karate chop motion in the air, and he was gone.)

Egg Pappadelle with Beef Ragu

It's been a little chilly on the east coast. And as the chill comes in, the sweatpants come out. It's not a pretty picture, lol and I just want carbs, carbs and more carbs! And the best carb, welcome cooler weather dish to make, is a hearty beef ragu, that simmers on the stove for a couple hours and is tossed with pappadelle. It's comforting-soothing-the-soul type of dinner fare, it's just satisfying. This is great to make on a lazy Saturday or Sunday, where you have a little more time. Use good Parmesan cheese to top your pappadelle with and you will be in love with this dish. This beef ragu recipe makes 8 servings. So you can enjoy half today, and freeze the rest for another day. Serves 4. Enjoy!

• 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck short ribs, on the lean side
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-2 porcini mushroom bouillon cubes
• 4 cups water
• 2 pounds fresh garden tomatoes
• 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream *optional
• a pinch of Vegeta or any all purpose seasoning that you like
• a few basil leaves, minced
• fresh ground black pepper
• sea salt
• 8 oz. egg pappadelle, cooked al dente

Lightly salt your beef ribs. In a Dutch oven heat up the olive oil on low to medium heat, once sizzling add in the beef ribs meat side down. Let your meat get a nice brown crust and turn over to brown the other sides. Keep an eye on your meat as it can burn easily. Brown the side with the meat closest to the bone last. Once your beef is browned, add in four cups of water and bring to a boil. Add in a porcini mushroom cube and taste to see if you need to add another. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for one hour. In the mean time, bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the tomatoes. Gently drain them and let them cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel your tomatoes and roughly chop them. To your tomatoes, add your garlic and with a hand immersion blender, blend until smooth. In a small Dutch oven, melt your tablespoon of butter. Once your butter is sizzling, add in the tomato puree. Let it simmer for 30 minutes on its' own. When your hour is up simmering the beef broth, carefully remove the beef and add to the tomato sauce along with 1 cup of the porcini beef broth. The remaining beef broth can be frozen for future use or served before the pasta with freshly made garlic croutons. Bring your tomato and beef to a boil. Once you have a boil going, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Once the hour is up, remove the beef and the bones, by this time, the meat is so tender that its' fallen off its' bone. Let the tomato sauce continue simmering. With a knife, carefully remove the chewy tissue that is closest to the bone. It's a little tough and you don't want that up against a perfectly tender pappadelle noodle. Cut the meat up and naturally with a fork, you will be able to break up the meat almost shredding it. Once broken up, put it back into the pot, until it is simmering again. Once simmering again, add in the heavy cream, Vegeta, basil and the fresh ground pepper and stir. Gently toss in the pappadelle so they are all coated with the beef ragu. Put on those comfy sweat pants, sit in a comfy chair and enjoy. ;)

Green Tomato Salad with Chicken Fried Steak

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade and when given green tomatoes, you make green tomato salad! I'm not giving up on my green tomatoes, there are still sunny warm days left. But now and then, I snatch one off the vine and I'm disappointed as its' slightly citrusy bitter taste overwhelms my tongue and the back of my throat feels slightly tingly. But I've found the solution to enjoying green tomatoes by lightly pickling them. In the mean time, I thought why not make chicken fried steak with an Italian Japanese flair? (I used Italian seasoned panko crumbs.) It was delicious, especially when topped with a basil cream and enjoyed with the salad! The steak is great served warm and the salad, room temperature!

For the chicken fried steak & basil cream you will need:

• 1 pound top round steak, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 eggs beaten
• flour for dredging
• Italian seasoned panko crumbs
• canola oil
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• a few basil leaves, minced
• sea salt
• fresh ground pepper

For the salad you will need:

• 6 small good tomatoes, (small plum size)
• 12 cherry size green tomatoes
• 1 to 2 radishes
• a tablespoon sliced shallot
• 1/4 cup pear infused white balsamic vinegar plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• juice of one lemon, 1/2 for shallots the other half for the vinaigrette
• 1 1/2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
• pinch Vegeta or any all purpose seasoning you like
• fresh ground pepper
• sea salt
• a few green or purple basil leaves cut in half lengthwise and then cut thin

To made the salad, you want to cut the tomatoes, radishes and shallots thin. (Save the rounded edges of the tomato for egg omelettes or another use.) Get a little pickling liquid going by combining the 1/4 cup vinegar, sugar and a little sea salt. Let the green tomatoes sit in the liquid for 1 hour. Squeeze 1/2 of the lemon juice on the shallots and let that also sit for 1 hour. They can both sit at room temperature. I used what I had on hand but if you are using big tomatoes, I would use 1 green to every 2 red tomatoes. Begin by placing the red tomatoes down in one layer, on a big platter. Spread the radishes around, followed by the drained shallots and drained green tomatoes. Spread the basil on top. Make the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, juice of half the lemon, 2 tablespoons vinegar, Vegeta and the ground pepper. Adjust the seasonings as needed. Spoon over your salad. For the chicken fried steak, pound the pieces of meat very thin, until about three to four times its' original size, using the spiky side of the meat mallet. Dredge in flour followed by coating the steaks in the beaten eggs and then into the panko crumbs. Have all of them done and ready to go into the oil. Heat up your canola oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat until sizzling hot. (Enough to coat the bottom of the pan.) Place one by one in the pan and turn over after about one minute, once browned flip over the fry on the other side for about a minute.They fry up pretty quickly. Repeat with the other steaks, allowing to dry on a paper bag or paper towels. To make the basil cream combine the heavy cream, basil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Pass the basil cream around so everyone can spoon it over their steaks. Serve with the green tomato salad and enjoy! Serves 4

Checkerboard Tomato, Mozzarella & Ricotta Cheese Salad

One of the best things about summer are ripe juicy thin skinned tomatoes. Mmm...so end-of-the-summer-delicious when combined with mozzarella, ricotta cheese, basil and topped with a good extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground pepper and a good crunchy salt like Maldon. I like to serve this with a nice bread, extra olive oil, salt and pepper on the side. And if you want a little extra kick, you can serve a nice balsamic vinegar on the side also. I think this is a nice spin on a traditional Caprese salad and doesn't take much more effort. If you want, you can always omit the ricotta cheese and throw in more Ciliegine. This serves 2, so double and triple as needed. Enjoy and have a great weekend! :)

• 9 cherry size tomatoes, halved
• about 6oz. ricotta cheese
• about 1/2 a 8oz. container Ciliegine mozzarella, left whole
• a few basil leaves, minced
• extra virgin olive oil
• fresh ground pepper
• sea salt

This recipe is for the amount pictured so it can give you an idea of how much this makes. This is would be great for a party! I used a 1&1/4 inch cookie dough scoop to form the ricotta cheese balls. Once you are ready to scoop, alternate the rows between tomato and Ciliegine and tomato and ricotta cheese. Sprinkle the basil over the mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and ground pepper. Serve at room temperature.

*If you have any ricotta left over, June 25ths' post, "String Beans & Pennoni" is a great way to use it up. ;)
You can check it out here at: http://blisshousehappiness.blogspot.com/2012/06/string-beans-with-pennoni.html

Tomato & Butter Gigli with Ricotta Salata Crumbs

Julia Child would have celebrated her 100th birthday today and I have a feeling, if she can see all of us celebrating her life, she would be a happy lady. I should have made a coq au vin or a French onion soup today in her honor but I used enough butter that I think it would have made her smile. ;) I loved watching her cook on Sunday afternoons, I think she was on at 3pm. I got lost as I watched her cook and fell in love with her passion, charm and humor. And she loved butter as much as I did, lol. This dish celebrates that love, combining butter with garden ripe tomatoes and gigli pasta. Enjoy!

• 1/2 pound gigli pasta or any pasta with ridges, cooked al dente
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes, smashed and halved
• 1 shallot, cut in half lengthwise, sliced thin and divided
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 ciabatta roll, broken up into crumbs
• a few purple & green basil leaves, ripped up
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• a handful ricotta salata cheese, crumbled, (about a half a cup)
• sea salt 
• fresh ground pepper

In a pan, combine 2 tablespoons of the butter and half of the shallot slices. Let this cook for about three to four minutes until the shallot is softened and begins to brown. Once it begins to brown, add in the ciabatta crumbs, a little salt and a little basil. Let the crumbs get crisp and brown a little bit. Once they are almost done, add in the crumbled ricotta salada until warmed through, stirring often. Into a dutch oven, combine 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter, olive oil, the remaining shallot and the garlic on low heat. Let it cook until the shallot and garlic are softened, about five minutes. Add in the tomatoes and let them cook on low heat for about ten minutes. If there is still alot of liquid in your pan, increase the heat to high until the liquids have reduced, add in the basil leaves, sea salt and ground pepper. Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve with the ricotta salata crumbs. This serves 3-4.

Portabella Mushroom & Goat Cheese Pennoni Dish

Mushrooms, how do I love thee, let me count the ways...and this is one of them. This is going to sound a little strange but I was really in the mood for a cheese steak sandwich but didn't have the steak or the rolls. lol So I tried to translate those flavors into a pasta dish using portabella mushrooms for the meatiness and goat cheese for the cheese factor. And I'm not going to say I hit the nail on the head, lol but I will say this dish was decadent and delicious and if you are a mushroom lover and are celebrating goat cheese month ;), you will enjoy this dish!

• 1/2 pound pennoni pasta, Ziti, farfalle or rotini would be a great substitute
• 1/2 pound portabella mushrooms, cut in half then cut into strips about the length of the pasta, cooked al dente
• 1 cubanelle pepper, seeded, quartered and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
• 1 good small tomato, diced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• 5 tablespoons heavy cream
• sea salt
• fresh ground pepper

In a Dutch oven, combine the butter, olive oil and the garlic. Let it saute over low heat until the garlic is soft. Add in the mushrooms, pepper, tomato and season with a little salt, saute on low heat for half an hour on low heat. The liquids will release so increase the heat on high for about five minutes until the liquid reduces. Keep an eye on it and stir if needed because it can easily burn. After it reduces stir in the goat cheese and the heavy cream. Stir until the goat cheese has melted into the sauce and is warmed through. Season with sea salt if needed and fresh ground pepper and stir in the cooked pasta. Serve this right away, nice and hot! Serves four.

Onion Fritters with Cilantro & Tomato Mayo

These onion fritters will make any onion ring lover happy. The only thing missing with these fritters when compared to an onion ring is when you bite into that ring and the onion slips out and you are left with the crisp hollowed out batter in your hand, lol. Still so delicious! These are best served nice and hot, so have whoever you are sharing them with close by. ;) 

• 1 onion, thinly sliced, I sliced them into half moon slices
• 1 slice of prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup seltzer
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning *optional, add if you want a little kick in your fritters 
• 1/4 teaspoon Vegeta, or any other all purpose seasoning
• canola oil
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• a squeeze of 1/4 of a lime
• 1 small good tomato, finely chopped
• 1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 3 Kalamata olives, minced
• a little Sriracha sauce

Combine the flour, cornstarch, Old Bay Seasoning and your all purpose seasoning. Slowly whisk in your seltzer. Once combined add in your sliced onions and prosciutto strips. Heat up your canola oil on low to medium heat until nice and hot. Once your oil is ready, take a tablespoonful of the onion mixture and place it into the hot oil. Flatten it out quickly, so it cooks evenly. Fry for 5 minutes per each side and drain on paper towels or paper bags. Work in batches and make your sauce in between. To make your sauce combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, tomato, cilantro. olives and Sriracha sauce. Serve with the cilantro and tomato mayo although these are great by themseleves! This makes about a dozen fritters. Enjoy!

String Beans & Pennoni

There was about a month that my mom went through a string bean phase. She made them every possible way that she could with tomatoes. Sometimes she put extra onions and garlic, other times lots of dill or parsley. She left them whole, other times she trimmed them short. Sometimes fresh tomatoes were used instead of jarred marinara sauce. I would barely finished the first batch and there was already a call that the next batch was ready. And she always said they were better than the last. lol. I ate alot of string beans, lol. And would remix the recipe sometimes, including a not so tasty string bean salad but mixing it with pasta was the best. And I found myself craving it the other day, and I think once you try it, you may too!

• 1 pound string beans, trimmed to the size of the pennoni, cut at an angle
• 1/2 pound pennoni, if you can't find pennoni, ziti is a great substitute
• 1/2 a small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, smashed and minced
• 1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups good jarred marinara sauce
• 1 cup of part-skim ricotta cheese *optional
• chopped fresh dill, parsley or basil to garnish, whatever you are in the mood for. *optional

Bring enough water to a boil for the pasta and string beans. This is great to make if you are busy and want a quick home cooked meal. Once your water comes to a boil, add your pasta, string beans, a little olive oil and salt. What's great is they cook at the same time. In a separate pan, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil on low heat. Once they are transparent, add the mariana sauce and bring to a boil and simmer for ten minutes. Once your pasta is al dente, drain and toss with your marinara sauce. Divide among your plates. This makes about 4 generous servings. Top with about 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese and some fresh chopped herb. I used parsley because I found a beautiful bunch at the farmers' market that I couldn't resist. ;) Enjoy!

Avocado Egg Breakfast

Ohhh...this is great if you want a hearty breakfast and you love avocados. It's really good together. The yolk of the egg swimming in the hollow of the avocado. Perfect combined with little bites of breakfast sausage and mushrooms covered in a thick tomato sauce. And I don't know about you but English muffins make me happy, lol. The nooks and crannies filled with eggy avocado goodness is a good start to the day. I know it's only Monday, lol but this is great on an easy Sunday morning. Something really yummy to look forward to. :)

• 1 avocado, halved with the pit removed
• 2 eggs
• 6 breakfast sausages, casings removed
• 4 small tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 button mushrooms, sliced thin
• 2 English muffins, toasted
• 2 pats of unsalted butter
• fresh ground pepper

Add your sausages to your pan, breaking them up. Once they cooked through for the most part, add in your mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms until they are lightly browned. Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook on low heat until the liquids of the tomato release. Once they do, increase the heat to medium and let the liquids evaporate and thicken. Once it's thickened, you can set it aside. Next, remove your avocado half in one piece, gently run a big spoon in between the skin and the avocado. Once it's loose you can scoop it out in one piece and place your avocado halves on your plates. Heat up your pat of unsalted butter until it's sizzling. Break your egg into the butter until it's set. I always salt it. Maybe it's my imagination but the yolk always breaks when I try to flip it, without salting the egg yolk. Then flip your egg until it's set on the other side and it's done over easy. Take a spatula and remove the egg and place it over the avocado half, with the yolk part sitting in the hollow of the avocado. Repeat with your second egg. Toast your English muffins and place them on your plate, add the sausage and mushroom saute and top with fresh ground pepper. This makes 2 servings. Enjoy!

Cauliflower & Poppy Seed Ravioli with Roasted Asparagus

The first time I made this, was years ago, thinking the cauliflower would be a good filler for the ricotta cheese. I was trying to save some calories and it was pretty good! But it looked like it needed something and I threw in the poppy seeds and it really made this dish fun. This is great for a hearty vegetarian main course. Serve with crusty bread and fresh butter and a garden salad, and I think everyone will be happy.

• 1 small head cauliflower, trimmed so you only use the florets, boiled until soft, drained well and mashed
• 1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
• 1 package wonton wrappers
• 5 roasted garlic cloves (minced), from an olive bar, (only if you have on hand, I was craving olives the other day and threw these guys in the mix and they were left over, ate the good stuff first, lol)
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Vegeta seasoning
• 1 big bunch young and tender asparagus drizzled with olive oil and salt, roasted at 450 for 20 minutes
• some unsalted butter, for sauteing the ravioli
• 1 jar good Vodka sauce
• some mint leaves, (optional)

Combine the cauliflower, ricotta cheese, garlic cloves, Vegeta seasoning (if none on hand, that's okay just use a good all-purpose seasoning that you like) and the poppy seeds. Stir well incorporating everything. Start making your raviolis! Take a won ton wrapper, add a tablespoon of filling in the center, dip your finger in water and draw a line around the edges and top with another won ton wrapper and seal closed.

Set up your ravioli station with a few large plates, one for the just made ravioli, one for the cooked ravioli. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Throw in about 2 at a time into the boiling water. They cook very quickly, they are done when they rise to the top. Scoop them out with a drainer spoon. Make sure they don't touch each other, because they do stick. On medium heat, melt your butter and saute your raviolis, a few at a time. Top with asparagus, vodka sauce and some chopped mint leaves. I loved it with the mint, a fun little surprise! This serves 6 with about 4 raviolis each. Enjoy & Happy Weekend! :)

Gemelli with Wilted Spring Greens

With effort to eat more salads, I have one of those great big tubs of salad greens in the fridge, and I had a salad or two, but it still felt like a bottomless bowl of greens, that I would never finish. I even tried to reward Daisy with lettuce leaves instead of her usual biscuits, but she gave me a look of disgust as if she was thinking, "What's next? The shelter?" So...I still had them in my fridge, still edible, but too limp and tired for a fresh salad but when combined with pasta, beans and Parmesan cheese, it became a really nice meal.

• 1 pound box of gemelli pasta
• 1 can small white beans, rinsed
• 8 oz. of 50/50 spring mix salad greens
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 small good tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pat unsalted butter
• good Parmesan cheese

Cook your pasta till al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. In a large saute pan, heat your olive oil and garlic, and saute until soft. Add your tomatoes and beans and heat through, until the tomatoes are soft. Now add your salad greens, a little at a time, stirring until they are wilted, adding more and repeating the process, they wilt quickly. Season the greens with a little salt and freshly ground pepper. Add your cooked pasta and butter and stir. Add the reserved pasta water, if needed. Pass around the Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Savory Steel Cut Oats with Calamari in Tomato Sauce

I wanted something quick  for dinner one night and I found myself reaching for the steel cut oats tin??? And I know what you're thinking, "Oatmeal for dinner?" I thought the same thing, until the one night I found myself cooking it ...and adding salt and ground pepper (I've graduated to adding saffron threads, really yummy). And then I topped it with calamari in tomato sauce! And what happened that night was an oatmeal-for-dinner-lover was born! And I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

• 1 pound of calamari, however you like it, I use a mix of tubes (cut into rings) and tentacles. 
• about a half a cup, or more of good marinara sauce, if I don't have any homemade on hand, I use Victoria's
•  fresh garlic or garlic powder, ground pepper, fresh basil, if you have any on hand 
• steel cut oats, (1 cup of water to 1/4 cup of oats will make a 1/2 cup cooked)

Use whatever you like to coat your pot, a little butter and olive oil is nice. Add your tomato sauce and spices, cover and bring it to a simmer. Add your calamari and cook until opaque. It doesn't take long, sometimes I cover the pot, to speed up the cooking process. Stir it a few times to make sure the heat is distributed evenly. I usually start cooking the steel cut oats, while I add the calamari, to the tomato sauce. When your oats are done, spoon them into a nice roomy bowl and top with your garlicy calamari in tomato sauce. Top with any additional freshly ground pepper or fresh basil. This can nicely serve 6 people.