Pita bread and tuna appetizer

• Pita bread
• Tuna fish
• Parmasean cheese
• Sharp chedder cheese
• Mayo 

Super simple. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  All you got to do is add about 2 tbsp of mayo to one can of tuna and mix it. Cut a pita bread into 4 pieces. Spread the tuna mixture on pita bread. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10+ mins. 

Chicken and Rice Incheladaus

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 1/2 green diced pepper
• 4 green onions
• 1 can (16oz) crushed tomatoes
• 15oz can tomato sauce
• 10oz can enchilada sauce
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 1 can of re fried beans (Mexican style)
• 2 tbsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Sauce after cooked:

• 1 can (8oz) diced black olives
• 3oz cream cheese
• 1/2 c of cooked chopped chicken boil+ vegeta
• 1/2 c cheddar cheese shredded

• 24 medium flour tortillas
• sour cream
• salsa
• 1/4 c rice

Instructions:

1. Fill a pot half way with water, season with salt, pepper and vegeta. Add 2 chicken thighs. Boil it till it's ready. 

2. In another pot, boil 1/4c rise to 3/4 c water. Do it according to instructions on package. 

3. Combine all the sauce ingredients and cook on the stove for 30-60 mins. Mix occasionally so it won't stick. Be careful because it splashes!

4. Turn of the heat and add diced olives, cream cheese, chopped chicken, chedder cheese and rise to sauce mixture. Mix well. 

5. Pour about 5 tbsp of sauce per 1 torilla. Put them on a non stick pan, sprinkle with cheese and cover with foil. Cook in the oven on 350 F for 15-20 mins, or till cheese melt. 

6. Top with sour cream, salsa and even more cheese. Bon appetite! 

Todays' Dinner: Spinach Fettuccine Pork and Broccoli Alfredo

Sauce:

• 1/2 c Romano cheese
• 1/2 c Parmasean cheese( + more for taste and topping
• 6 egg yokes
• 1 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1 tsp mixed flour with 3 tsp water ( for thickening of sauce)
• 1 tsp+ salt, pepper, parsley, italian seasoning 
• 2 cloves crushed garlic

others:

• 6+ oz fettuccine noodles ( i used spinach because I ran out of the regular)
• Some diced pieces of pork ( amount according to taste) 
• 1 head of broccoli

Instructions:

1. Cook fettuccine noodles according to box instructions.  

2. In a large non stick skillet, cook diced pork in, mixing occasionally till it's golden. Make sure to put a few tsp of oil so it won't stick. Add chopped broccoli and let them cook for 5 mins, or till they're soft.

3. Add the heavy cream and bring to simmer. Add romano and parmasean cheese, stirring till it'a a smooth mixture. Mix in flour mixture and egg yokes while stirring. 

4. Add garlic, and the rest of the spices according to taste. Mix in the fettuccine noodles with pork, broccoli and sauce mixture. Sprinkle with parmasean cheese. 

Homemade white chocolate mocha

Pretzels with Cheese dip

Ingredients:
Pretzels:

• 1 1/2 c water, warm
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 package of dry yeast
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 1/2 c flour

• 6 c water
• 1/2 c baking soda

• Egg wash( 1 egg with 1 tbsp water
• Salt for topping

Cheese Dip:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 c milk
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp mustard

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, add warm water, salt, sugar and yeast. Do not mix. Let it stand for 5 minutes until the yeast has bubbled. 

2. Add the flour and butter, and allow it to mix with a hook mixer for 7 minutes. Or you can do it with your hands. 

3. Once the dough is smooth, put it in a large bowl, with vegetable oil on top, cover it with clear wrap and let it rise for an hour in a warm place. 

4. While the dough is rising, make your cheese dip. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir until the mixture is simmering. Pour in the milk, stirring it until the mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese and mustard, until it's smooth and thick.Voila! 

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay some wax paper and spray it with Pam ( or butter or oil). 

6. Get a roasting pan. Add 6 cups of water and baking soda. On the oven, bring it to boil while making the pretzels. 

7. Once the water has boiled, dip each pretzel in it for 30 seconds, remove it, put it on a non stick pan and layer it with egg wash mixture. Sprinkle with salt.

8. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. 

Real Comfort food with real calories

Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl (Comfort food)

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of bacon, cut
• 2 (6.5oz) cans of chopped clams
• 1 1/2 c diced peeled potatoes
• 1/2 c onions (if you like them)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 c milk, divided
• 1 c chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pepper
• 1 tsp butter
• minced fresh parsley
• sour dough bread bowl

Instructions:

1. In a pan, bring to boil the chicken broth with the dripping from clams(watery part, juice). Add the minced potatoes and onions (if used). Cook till the potatoes are ready (soft). 

2. Microwave the chopped bacon for 4-5mins.

3. Stir in the flour into 1/4 c of milk and add to the potato mixture. Add salt, pepper and the remaining of the milk.

4. Cover and cook for 6 mins. Cool for a few mins and add the clams, butter, bacon and parsley.

5. You know what to do next. Pour your soup into the bread bowl and enjoy! 

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb your fave pasta
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper
• 2 c whole milk, warmed
• 1 c extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 c mozzarella
• 1/2 c parmiggiano reggiano (or parmasean cheese) 
• 1/4 c bread crumbs
• 4 oz of pancetta, sliced ( or bacon)
• 1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to instructions.
2. In a scoverda, cook the bacon or pancetta till it's light brown.
3. In a sauce pan, put in butter and flour. Cook for a minute. Add the milk, stirring, for about 4-5mins. Remember to heat the milk first. 
4. Turn of the stove and stir in all the cheeses, except half of the parmiggianos (parmasean). Turn the stove back on, and stir the mixture until its smooth. 
5. Combine the cheese mixture, pasta and bacon and put it in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining parmasean cheese and some olive oil.

1. Cook in the oven for 20-25 mins, till its golden and bubbly. Enjoy! 

Raspberry/Vanilla cupcakes with frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 c sugar
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/3 c flour
• 1/3 c milk

Frosting:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c raspberry preserves
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 16oz powder sugar
• pinch of salt
• fresh raspberries for decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the cup cake batter with cupcake cups.
2. Mix together sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix on low slowly adding milk. DON'T OVER MIX! 
3. Fill the cups with the dough 2/3 of the way. very important. 
4. Bake for 20 mins and allow to completely cool after. 
5. For the frosting, mix together all the ingredients and swirl it on the cupcakes. Add decoration according to taste. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 4oz of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 4 cups powder sugar

Directions:

Really, all you gotta do is mix all these together and Voila! Make sure you mix slowly or you will get a facial mask from the powder sugar.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup of Sugar
1 cup of All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup of Vegetable Oil
2 Eggs
½ tsp of Vanilla Extract
¾ cup of Pure Pumpkin Puree
1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice½ tsp of Baking Soda
1 tsp of Baking Powder
¼ tsp of Salt


Directions:



1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, line a 12 piece muffin tin with liners and set aside.


2) In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla, eggs and pumpkin puree. Add the dry ingredients and mix.

3) Fill the liners about 2/3 of the way full with the batter.Make sure you don't over fill, these are cupcakes not muffins. 

4) Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Tonight's Dinner. YUM.

Orange chicken with rise (seasoned with soy sauce and hot sauce) and a strawberry, banana, plumb milkshake. 

Pumpkin Pie

Btw, this is not my pic, by the time I remembered to take one, the pie was gone

Ingredients: 

• 1( 10 in) unbaked pie crust
• 1/2 c white sugar
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1( 15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1( 12 oz) evaporated milk

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients, and pour into the pie shell. 
2. Bake for about an hour, or until you can poke the pie with a tooth pick and nothing comes out.
3. Let it cool for 2 hrs. 
4. Eat. 

Simple Banana Bread

Ingredients: 

• 1 stick of butter( 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 c white sugar, 1/2 brown
• 2 eggs
• 4 bananas
• 2 c flour
• 1 tsp+ cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• optional: 1 tsp vanilla, raisins

Directions:

1. Mush the bananas with a fork in a bowl until there is little chunks. 
2. Really, all you got to do is combine everything, starting with the solids first, then the liquids.Mix it. Spray down a pan. Pour.
3. Bake for about 40 mins on 350 F, or until it's a browned color. You can poke the bread with a toothpick, if no dough is on it when you take it out, it's ready.
4. Make sure to cool it, don't eat hot or warm because you'll get indigestion! Enjoy.

Bacon Pizza

Ingredients:

• bacon
• mozzarella cheese
• string cheese (optional)

Dough:

• 1 tsp yeast
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 1/2 c warm water
• 3 1/2 c flour
• 1/3 c olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sesame oil 

Sauce:

• 1 (16oz) can tomato paste
• 1 c water
• 1/4 c olive oil
• garlic glove
• salt+ pepper
• 1/2 tsp
• oregano
• basil
• sugar
• parsley

Directions:

1. Combine all the dough ingredients, in order. Let the dough sit and rise for about an hour.
2. Combine all sauce ingredients and let it sit for about 20 mins, so the spices absorb.
3. Cook the bacon on a skillet till it's lightly browned.
4. Once the dough has risen, roll it out ( make sure you put flour on the table, roller and your hands when you pick it up) and put it on a greased pan. Let some dough hang out of the pan, so you can stuff the crust with string cheese, and roll it up.
5. Put the sauce on dough, pile on the cheese, according to taste.

     6. Finally, add the toppings of choice, in this case bacon. ( if your bacon is too cooked, you can add it

         before removing the pizza from the oven.

     7. Cook for 20-30 mins on 350. 

THE lasagna.

  

Ingredients:

• 1lb sweet Italian sausage 
• 3/4 lb group beef
• 1/2 cup minced onion( which I did not use due to my hate for this vegetable) 
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes ( or diced or whatever)
• 2 ( 6oz) cans tomato paste
• 2 (6.5 oz) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp basil
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning 
• 1 tsp salt
• some pepper
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 16oz ricotta cheese (+ if you're like me)
• 1 egg (2 if you like more ricotta cheese mixture)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 lb mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup parmasean cheese 
• oil

Directions: ( I split mine in 2, made one half for today and froze the other, since my family is tiny)

1. In a large pot, stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp salt, pepper, 2 tbsp parsley and a bit oil so it won't stick. Simmer ( COVERED, because it will splash) for 1 1/2 house, stirring. ( but if you don't have that much time, just don't add that much water and simmer away!

    2.   In a large skillet, cook Italian sausage till it's golden. In another skillet, cook ground beef, onions and

          garlic, mixing occasionally. Once both are complete, slice the italian sausage and cook it a little bit more

          with the ground beef mixture. Set aside.

    3.   Bring a pot of salted ( 1 tsp) water to boil. Cook lasagna noodles 8-10 mins, or till ready. Drain and

          rinse with water. 

     4.  In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, 2 tbsp parsley and 1/2 tsp salt.

     5.  Once all have been cooked, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

     6.  Layer the lasagna: 

• layer 1: meat sauce, noodles, 1/2 mozzarella cheese 
• layer 2: meat sauce, noodles, ricotta cheese mixture, and parmasean cheese
• layer 3: meat sauce, noodles, other 1/2 of mozzarella cheese

( I like alot of cheese, so I just pile on till it looks good to me)

    7. Bake for 25mins with sprayed (pam or some butter or oil, so it won't stick) foil. Then remove foil and bake for another 15-20 mins, till it's golden, but not black. Cool and enjoy. 

Banana Crumb muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda( and 1/2 tsp vinegar poured on the soda to neutralize it)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted (or canola oil)
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
•  ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1  tsp cinnamon to batter

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

2.     In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, white sugar and 1/3 c brown sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

3.   In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

4.     Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean or slightly golden.

5.   Decorate according to taste. Makes 10 muffins. 

My Passion tea strawberry lemonade

Baby Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 15 graham crackers, crushed
• 1 stick butter, melted 
• 4 (8 oz) cream cheese
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 3/4 c milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 c sour cream
• 1 tbso vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup flour

• strawberries
• blackbarries 
• hershey chocolate
• 
  

Directions:

1. Mix crushed graham crackers and melted butter, and layer it up on the bottom of your mini pans (mine are just glass, make sure you are allowed to put them in the oven. Press it down so it's firm. Put it in a water bath( large pan filled with 2/3 cold water) then in oven on 350 degrees for 10mins. 
2. Mix in all the filling ingredients , and beat them. Make sure to add eggs last, one at a time. 
3. Pour the filling mixture into the pans with crust, cook it in the oven for about 45 mins or until the top starts getting golden.

     4.  Once complete, let the pans cool in the oven. Take them out carefully and let cool completely before refrigerating. Allow to sit in the fridge for about an hour before decorating.   

My version of Shrimp Phad Thai

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp tamarind sauce
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• some butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz phad thai noodles
• 2 eggs
• salt, pepper, hot sauce
• 1 pound shrimp
• 2 garlic gloves
• some ginger
• jalapeno
• peanuts and cilantro to taste

Directions:

1. Combine Fish Sauce, Rice Vinegar, Sugar, Oil, and Tamarind sauce. Mix till sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

2. Soak the Noodles in hot water X20 mins( or till they're soft, but not mushy).Set aside. 

3. Beat Eggs with some salt and pepper. Set aside.  

4. In a wok, heat 1tbsp of butter. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp, tossing and turning till they turn a little pink, approximately 2-3 mins. Set aside.

5. Add some butter to a skillet ( or use the same wok), minced garlic, jalapeno, and ginger. Cook for a minute and beat in the egg mixture. Right away add the noodles, mix a bit and pour in the fish/tamarind/vinegar mixture.

6. Now it's up to you if you like your noodles well cooked, crispy or just smooth. If the phad thai is too watery, drain it and continue cooking on the wok.

7. Once complete, add peanuts or cilantro + hot sauce according to your own taste!