Lasagna

Ingredients:

3-4  Lasagna Sheets

TT  Meat Sauce

TT Ricotta

1 Egg

Salt and Pepper to taste

TT Grated Parmigiana  

TT Mozzarella grated

5 Fresh Basil Leaves

For the Meat Sauce:

TT Onion

TT garlic

3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

40 z  Ground beef

Salt and Pepper to taste

TT Dry Red Wine

 ½ cup Tomato Puree

TT Basil

Procedure:

1) In a large saucepan cook the onion with the olive oil over medium heat, until soft and translucent about 5 minutes.

2) Stir in the sausage and ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is just about cooked through. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute.

3) Add the tomato puree and if the tomato puree is very thick add ½ cup of water. Partially cover the pan, turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 4 hours checking on it every now and then and just giving it a stir.

4) After 4 hours, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the basil leaves partially tearing them as u add them in. Turn heat off and let sit for 10 minutes.

5) Preheat oven to 375 degree   Assembling the Lasagna:

6) Cook the lasagna noodles only for 4 or 5 minutes not cooking them all the way though but just enough so that they are pliable.

7) In a large bowl mix together the ricotta, ½ cup of parmigiana reggiano, the egg and season lightly with salt and pepper

8) Oil a 13 by 9’ deep dish casserole dish. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place a few sheets of lasagna noodles in the pan in a single layer overlapping slightly. Spread evenly with ¼ of the ricotta mixture, add about 1 cup or so of meat sauce and spread evenly. Arrange some slices of mozzarella and sprinkle with parmigiana reggiano.

9) Repeat step 8, 3 more times finishing with the mozzarella and parmigiana reggiano.

10) Bake for 1 hour or until the top is golden brown and the lasagna is bubbly at the bottom. Sprinkle the top with fresh basil.

11) Wait for 20 minutes before cutting otherwise it will fall apart.

Crispy Tilapia Cutlets with Saffron Rice

Crispy Tilapia Cutlets with Saffron Rice

Ingredients:

1 Filet of Tilapia

TT Bread Crumbs

TT All Purpose Flour

1 Egg, beaten

TT Garlic, divided

TT lemon juice

2 Tbsp of Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Procedure:

1) Preheat the olive oil in a large non stick skillet over medium high heat.

2) Season the tilapia with salt and pepper on both sides. Season the egg, flour and bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp of the granulated garlic in the flour and 1 tbsp in the bread crumbs. Add the lemon zest in the seasoned bread crumbs and min until everything is combined.

3) Lightly dredge the tilapia in the seasoned flour, shake off the excess flour and dip it in the seasoned eggs and finally coat it in the bread crumb mixture.

4) Add the breaded tilapia in the hot oil and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Top with crushed red pepper & parsley.

Saffron rice

2 pinches good quality saffron threads (spice)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)

1 cup rice

1.5 cups chicken stock,

1 tsp salt

In a large saucepan or pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions while stirring in the rice to coat with the butter. Pour in the chicken stock, saffron, salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. 

Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork before serving.

FRIED CALAMARI

FRIED CALAMARI  

or as Yiaya would say.....Kalamarakia Tiganita

Goes Great with this!!!

Recipe

• 4-5 oz of small squid sliced in circles
• flour for dredging
• olive oil or vegetable oil for frying
• lemon wedges
• sea salt
• pepper
• 1 teaspoon of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

Procedure:

Preheat a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan over low heat. )

If working with frozen rings, defrost per package instructions. Otherwise, clean and prepare squid for frying, keeping the tentacles in one piece. Season with salt (and pepper if desired).

Pour 1/2 to 3/4 inch of oil into the frying pan

(it should not come up to over

half the depth of the pan) and turn up the heat to high. Dredge the squid in flour and let sit for a few minutes. Gently shake off excess flour and, when the oil is hot, fry without crowding in the pan until crisp and golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. And Marinara Sauce (below)

MARINARA SAUCE

1/4 c. olive oil

2 c. finely chopped onion

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. dry white wine

2 c. chicken stock 1/3 c. minced parsley

2 tbsp. minced fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried, crumbled

2 tbsp. minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried, crumbled

1 cans crushed tomatoes 

1 can diced tomatoes

SALT  &  PEPPER TT

In a medium saucepan heat oil over medium-high heat; add the onions, and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes; do not burn.

Add the white wine and chicken broth, stir, blend in the parsley, basil, oregano, sage, bay leaf, tomatoes and pepper. Simmer on low heat for 15MINS until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

ALSO GOES GREAT WITH.....
Tzatziki Sauce
Yogurt Cucumber Sauce

1 Small Cucumber, Peeled, Seeded & grated 1  cup Yogurt 1 Tbls Olive oil Juice of 1/2 lemon 2 Garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbls Fresh dill, chopped (or dried) White pepper Salt

1) Combine yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. 2) Blend yogurt mixture with a whip until smooth. 3) Dry cucumbers by patting with paper towels. 4) Add Cucumbers and dill to yogurt mixture. 4) Salt and pepper to taste. 5) Serve as a dipping sauce

Barbecue Beef Slyders

Barbecue Beef Slyders

Easy Biscuits

MAKE FIRST SO THEY ARE READY TO FILL!

Ingredients

Original recipe makes ½  dozen

 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour    (1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour     1/2 teaspoon  salt      1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder)

1/3 cup shortening         1/2 cup milk

Directions

Combine and mix ingredients together. Pour out on floured waxed paper. Pat the dough out with your hands until dough is not sticky (add a little flour if necessary). Fold double. Cut biscuits with a biscuit cutter.

Bake on a cookie sheet at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.

4 oz sliced steak

TT pepper strips

TT onions

TT corn

TT diced tomatoes

Tt garlic

TT Barbecue Sauce

TT biscuits

TT   Cheddar Jack Cheese

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

BROWN meat  Remove from pan.  Saute  all veggies - Stir in meat & BBQ sauce.

SEPARATE biscuits. Press 1 biscuit onto bottom and up side of each of 8 muffin pan cups.

SPOON meat mixture into biscuit cups; press gently into cups with back of spoon.

BAKE 10 min. or until biscuits are lightly browned. Top with cheese; bake 3 to 4 min. or until melted.

Traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie

Traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie

1 tablespoon olive oil       1 teaspoon black pepper

4 oz ground beef

TT onion, finely diced

TT carrots, finely diced

1/2 cup frozen peas

TT Thyme

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon butter

1 glass red wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 cup chicken stock

TT Mash Potatoes 

1 egg, beaten

grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 200C/400°F.

Saute carrots in the olive oil until starting to get tender.

Add in the onions and saute for a minute or two then add the meat.

Season with black pepper and thyme.

Cook until browned then drain fat.

Add the butter and peas.

Sprinkle with flour and stir through.

Add tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire sauce.

Let this reduce slightly then add the chicken stock. Allow to reduce down until you have a thick meaty gravy. Season to your taste.

Remove from heat. Grease an oven proof dish** (9x13 works for me, as does an oval baker) with butter and add the sauce.

Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes over top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if using.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the potato is nice and browned on top

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:

Chix breast pounded thin 4-6 oz per portion

All Purpose Flour, for dredging

1 cup Marsala Wine

1 cup Chicken Broth

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

TT onion, thinly sliced

3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil

8 oz Cremini Mushrooms, halved

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter Dredged in Flour

3 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Procedure:

If you can’t find already thinly pounded chicken cutlets here is how you can do it at home.

1) Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick.

2) Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

3) Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlet into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once.

4) Lower the heat to medium and sauté the onions and garlic until tender and translucent,about 1 minute. Now add the mushrooms and sauté; until they are nicely browned and tender, about 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper. and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

MAPLE APPLE CRISP

MAPLE APPLE CRISP

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2 apples green, pared & peeled
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. rolled oats
2 tsp. apple pie spice
1/2 c. butter

Slice apples and place in lightly greased 8 inch square baking dish. Pour syrup over apples and toss lightly. In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats and apple pie spice. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over apples. Bake in 375 degree oven 25-30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is lightly browned. Makes 6-8 servings. Topped with Whip Cream, Greek Yogurt, or Ice Cream always a viable option! 

Seared Steak with Garlic Balsamic Glaze

Seared Steak with Garlic Balsamic Glaze

Ingredients:

1 pc Beef Flank Steak

4 Cloves of Garlic, Sliced

2 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar

¾ cup of Beef Stock

1 Tbsp of Unsalted Butter

Steak Seasoning to taste

1 Tbsp of Vegetable Oil

Procedure:

1) Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat for about 5 minutes or until it’s smoking hot.

2) Season the steaks on both sides with the salt, pepper and steak seasoning.

3) Add the oil and let that get hot (it will take a few seconds) add in the steaks and cook them for about 2 minutes on each side for medium temperature.

4) Remove the steaks to a plate, cover them with foil and set aside.

5) Add a tiny bit more oil in the pan and add in the garlic, let it cook for about a minute, pour in the beef stock and let it cook for a couple minutes or until the beef stock reduces by half.

6) Add in the balsamic and butter and let that cook for another minute as well.

7) Pour over the cooked steaks and serve with your choice, rice, pasta or potatoes