Fried Spaghetti-and-Meetballs

Directions:

Mix 1 cup cooked spaghetti, 1 beaten egg and 1/4 cup grated parmesan.

Wrap the spaghetti mixture around 12 cooked mini meatballs.

Fry in 2 inches of 350 degrees F vegetable oil until golden, 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve on skewers with marinara sauce.

Torellini Antipasto Salad

Ingredients:

1 envelope Italian Dressing Mix, prepared using less-oil directions
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 Tbsp. water
2 pkg. (9 oz. each) refrigerated cheese tortellini, cooked, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 pkg. (8 oz.) mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (2.25 oz.) sliced black olives, drained

Directions:

Prepare dressing mix with oil, vinegar and water as directed on package; set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Cover.
Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Basil Hummus

Ingredients:

1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cups basil leaves, packed
3 cloves garlic, smashed then minced
2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt
Several dashes Tabasco
1 teaspoon tomato paste

Directions:

Heat the pine nuts in a small skillet on medium high heat. Stir them when they start to brown. When most of them have lightly browned, remove them from the pan into a bowl to cool. (Reserve a few pine nuts for garnish.)

In the bowl of a food processor, place the basil leaves and the garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the rinsed and drained garbanzo beans, olive oil, water, lemon juice, salt, tomato paste, and a few dashes of Tabasco. Pulse several times, for several seconds each time, until the hummus is smooth. Add more Tabasco and salt or lemon juice to taste.

To serve, place in a bowl and drizzle a little olive oil over it. Sprinkle with a few toasted pine nuts. Serve with pita wedges, crackers, or rustic bread.

Fried Spaghetti Pizza

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound leftover spaghetti {leftover meaning it has been coated in the sauce of your choice}
4 ounces mozzarella cheese – sliced
2 roma tomatoes – sliced
•4-6 fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Into an oven proof frying pan add 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti and press down with a spatula. Allow spaghetti to cook until golden brown.

Carefully place a plate over the top of the spaghetti and with an oven mitt or kitchen towel invert the plate {there could be remaining oil and you don’t want to burn yourself or ruin your clothes }. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and return spaghetti to pan. Press down with spatula and allow to cook until golden brown.

Preheat oven broiler to high. Arrange sliced mozzarella onto spaghetti “pizza”. Add tomatoes and place under broiler.  Cook until cheese is bubbly.  Remove from oven and garnish with basil leaves.

Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Sticks with Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bread crumbs (panko)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano grated
1 teaspoon oregano
1 pound zucchini/courgettes (sliced into sticks and pat dry)
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg (lightly beaten)

Directions:

Mix the bread crumbs, parmigiano reggiano and oregano in a bowl.

Season the zucchini with salt and pepper.

Dip the zucchini in the egg and then dredge in the bread crumb mixture.

Place the zucchini on a baking sheet in a single layer with the skin side down.

Bake in a preheated 425F oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Tomato Cobbler

Filling:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2.5-3 pounds cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Biscuit topping:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Coarse salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (2 1/4 ounces), plus 1 tablespoon, for sprinkling
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing

Directions:

Make the filling -- Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool.

Toss onion mixture, tomatoes, flour, and red-pepper flakes with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and some pepper.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Make the biscuit topping: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small clumps form. Stir in cheese, then add cream, stirring with a fork to combine until dough forms. (Dough will be sticky.)

Transfer tomato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish (2 inches deep). Spoon 7 clumps of biscuit dough (about 1/2 cup each) over top in a circle, leaving center open. Brush dough with cream, and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon cheese. Bake until tomatoes are bubbling in the center and biscuits are golden brown, about 50-60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for 20 minutes.

Turkey Burger

Ingredients:

Non-stick olive oil spray
1 medium sweet potato, sliced thinly (1/8" thick slices)
Sea salt, to taste (optional)
8 oz lean ground turkey
¼ cup salsa, divided
4 slices tomato
2 Romaine lettuce leaves
2 whole-grain, thin burger buns, toasted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray. Spread sweet potato slices on baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through, stirring once halfway through.

Meanwhile, lightly spray a large sauté pan with olive oil spray. Mix ground turkey with 2 tablespoons of salsa, divide in half and form each half into a patty. Cook patties over medium-high heat until lightly browned on one side (approximately 4 minutes). Flip burgers over and continue cooking until done, approximately 3 more minutes.

On half of each bun, place a lettuce leaf and 2 tomato slices; place burgers on the opposite bun and top with remaining salsa (1 tablespoon each). Place lettuce and tomato side on top of burger and salsa and serve immediately with the sweet potato chips.

Cheese Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
dash cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
7 tablespoons butter, cold
2 scallions, finely chopped
3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk
Kosher, Maldon, or Black salt for topping (optional; not table/iodized salt)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cayenne, black pepper, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Dice the butter into small pieces. If they get too warm then place them in a bowl and put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before continuing. Toss the diced butter with the flour mixture until well coated. (Again, if into tossing the butter gets hot in your hands place the whole mixture in the freezer for a few minutes.) Add the scallions and cheese and toss until well coated.

Add the buttermilk and mix with your hands until it just comes together. You may find you need an extra dribble of buttermilk, is so then go right ahead but do so judiciously. Do not over-knead.

Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead once or twice; no more. Form into an 8x8-inch square and cut into 2x2-inch squares and top with a bit of high-quality salt if using. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until golden.

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:

2 cups milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
30 mini paper candy cups
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

Directions:

In small saucepan combine chocolate chips and shortening. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth -- about 3 to 5 minutes.

With small brush, coat inside of paper cup evenly with about 1 teaspoon melted chocolate to about 1/8-inch thickness, bringing coating almost to top of cup, but not over edge. Repeat until 30 cups are coated; refrigerate cups.

In medium saucepan combine butter and peanut butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until melted -- about 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in confectioners' sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Press about 1/2 tablespoon filling into each chocolate cup.

Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon melted chocolate on top of filling; spread to cover. Freeze until firm -- about 2 hours. Carefully peel off paper cups. Store refrigerated.