Super Bowl Party Dip

I am an avid NFL fan. As most of you could have guessed I am gearing up for what will be a very exciting game, and sharing the festivities with friends. For this, we need food....lots of it! So, here is an idea for a great nacho platter:

Ingredients

Nacho chips

1 can re fried beans

1 jar salsa

1 can adobo or smoked chilies

1 jar pitted black olives, sliced

1 avocado, chopped and sprinkled with lemon

shredded tex mex cheese

1 tomato chopped

lettuce, shredded

jalapeno peppers, sliced (if you like them, otherwise, leave out)

1 container sour cream

In a pan, over low-med heat, empty the contents of the jar of re-friend beans, and mix with a little water (1 cup or so), until it makes a dip-like consistency. Stir in the jar of smoked chillies (or adobo). Set it aside.

In an oven proof casserole dish place layer the following: Nacho chips, the bean mixture, salsa, and cheese. Place in a 350 degree F. oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is all melted. Take out of oven and sprinkle with tomato, lettuce, olives, and jalapeno pepper and avocado. Serve with sour cream. You can make as little or as much as you want! Easy and good - a real crowd pleaser!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone!

Cheater Home Made Ravioli

Yup, Cheater! You an make ravioli with won ton wrappers!!! It is so easy, and so delicious!

So, today, spinach and ricotta ravioli! They will be your favourite!

Ingredients:

1 container (500g) ricotta cheese

1 package frozen spinach (small boxed package you can find in your grocery store freezer)

Defrosted, and squeezed of all access water and chopped finely

1 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (good parm - parmiggiano reggiano or grana padano)

1/4 cup romato cheese

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

unsalted butter - about a half cup

2 Tblsp or so of good extra virgin olive oil

1/2 onion

pancetta - as much of as little as you'd like, chopped finely

salt and pepper

1 package of either square or round won ton wrappers

1 egg

fresh parsley

Method:

Filling:

In a bowl, mix the ricotta, spinach, nut meg, parmesan, romano, garlic, salt and pepper. (no, you don't need an egg to keep it together - it'll stay together in the raviolo). Make sure it is all incorporated and set aside.

Ravioli:

In a small bowl, crack the egg and add a tsp of water, and beat it with a fork. This is your "egg wash". Take the won ton wrappers out, four at a time, and lay out on a board. Cover the rest with a moist towel. Take about a Tsp. of the filling and put it in the middle of the wrapper. With a pastry brush, brush all the sides of the wrapper with the egg wash. This acts like a "glue" to keep the raviolo together when cooking. Close the ravioli and make sure you squeeze out all of the air when you are pressing the sides together. It should look like a little stuffed triangle if using square wrappers, or a half moon if you are using round wrappers. Continue with the rest of the wrappers. Set them aside on a floured cookie sheet. Boil water in a large pot. Salt the water. Drop the ravioli in and when they start to come to the top and float, leave them to boil an extra 2-3 minutes, and drain very carefully! Be ginger with the ravioli!

Make the sauce - very simple sauce!

Sauce:

In a hot pan, melt the butter and olive oil. Add the pancetta and onion and saute until the pancetta is crispy, and the onions are just shy of browning. Add salt and pepper and a touch of nutmeg. Drop the ravioli into the sauce, and toss VERY gently. chop the parsley and sprinkle on top along with some parmesan cheese.

Please note that I looove feed back! Let me know if you try the recipe and tell me what you think!

Cheers!

Easy Chili

Happy Monday to all! I hope you all had a great New Year's and that your 2011 is a happy, healthy one full of love, and fun! I was inspired by a friend of mine to make chili this week. I wrote a recipe for a very easy chili that can be frozen for a fast week night dinner for her as she told me she has never cooked chili before. Well, Val, this one is for you...have fun with it, my friend:)

Easy Chili

2 Tblsp olive oil

1 lb ground beef (I use lean or extra lean)

1 sweet or Spanish onion, chopped

2 Cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 Green pepper, chopped

1 large (or two small) stalks of celery

1 small jalapeno pepper (this is optional, depending on how hot you want your chili) seeded and chopped

Splash red wine

2 cans of tomatoes, chopped, with liquid

Tomato paste (1 o 2 Tblsp)

Ground cumin

Chili powder

Cocoa

Salt and pepper

1 Can kidney beans, drained

Heat 1 Tblsp of the oil in a large pot. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink and the meat is just beginning to brown. Drain the meat, but, do not rinse it – it has a ton of flavour and once it is rinsed the flavour goes bye bye! Take the meat out of the pan and keep warm. Add the other Tblsp of oil to the pan and heat up. Add the onion, pepper, celery and jalapeno pepper– cook until transluscent and soft. Add the garlic and stir until the garlic is fragrant. Put the meat back into the pot and give it a good stir. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, then, add a palm full of cumin and two palm fulls of chili powder. Add salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes, the tomato paste, and a tsp of the cocoa. Leave this to cook at med heat, so, it is just simmering for an hour or so, stirring occasionally. After an hour, add the kidney beans and let simmer for another half hour to an hour. Enjoy with a dollop of sour cream and freshly grated tex mex cheese! yum!

This recipe freezes wonderfully!

Happy January everyone!

Happy New Year!

Hi all! I hope you are all enjoying a great Holiday Season and looking forward to the New Year.

I have been away from my blog for a while, but, have decided to come back in the New Year with new recipes and tips to make your 2011 cooking experiences as enjoyable as ever! Can't wait to get re-acquainted! Please look for the first post of 2011 during the first week of January...until then, I wish you all a very happy New Year!

Cheers!

Paula

Hot Greek Sandwiches

Hello everyone - this is one of the easiest, yet, tastiest recipes I have made.

Try them and you'll see.

Hot Greek lamb sandwiches

Patties

Ground lamb

Cumin (1 Tblsp or so)

Yogurt

All spice

Parsley

Garlic

Form patties and bar be cue until cooked through – 7 min or so per side.

“Bun”

Pizza dough, rolled thin into a square

Put it on the grill on top of an oiled piece of tin foil

When it is done, put some mozzarella on top to melt,

And sprinkle with rosemary and oregano

When cheese is melted cut into squares so you have two per sandwich (top and bottom)

Sauce (whir in food processor)

Tatziki

Roasted red pepper (for a different flavour you may use sun dried tomatoes)

Feta cheese

Garnishes

Red onions, soaked in water for a half hour

Feta cheese

Put patty on top of “Bun” bottom, then, spread with sauce, and top with red onions and some crumbled feta cheese. Top with bun top, and serve. REALLY GOOD!

Hi everyone! it has been a while - busy summer! I hope you are all having a blast this summer and that your days are filled with great friends, family and food! I have a recipe to share with you which is so easy, but, sooo good - and it is all based around the zucchini! My son does not eat them, unless I cook them this way - so try it, even if you think you don't like zucchini!

You will need:

1 large zucchini (go to your local market and buy one or two - they are in season, and taste fantastic!)

2 cups or so of Italian style bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper

vegetable oil

In a bowl, beat the eggs and set aside. In a separate flat bottomed container, sprinkle the bread crumbs. On the stove, over med heat, place a non stick pan and fill the bottom with oil.

Slice the zucchini to about 1/4 " thickness. Dip the zucchini in the egg, then the bread crumbs, and then, dip into the oil and shallow fry for a few minutes on each side (they should be a golden brown in colour) sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve!

They also make a great appetizer - cut them a little thinker, and cook a little longer and top with your favourite toppping such as ricotta mixed with a little parmesan, salt and pepper, or a slice of tomato topped with a little mozzarella and basil.

You may also use them to decorate your favourite salad by putting them on top of a salad plate - they also add a little crunch!

Try them - you will love them!

Cheers!

Lemon Caprese Salad

Here is a twist on an Italian favourite - Caprese Salad with a twist of lemon!

Ingredients:

1 tomato, sliced

1 ball of fresh mozzarella, drained and sliced (the one that comes in a bag with lots of water in it!)

1 bunch of fresh basil

1 lemon

Olive oil (really good extra virgin olive oil)

Arrange your tomato and mozzarella slices like a fan, alternating tomato with mozzarella. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place leaves of fresh basil on top for the salad, and a big splash of olive oil so each slice is coated. Grate lemon rind with a micro plainer on top of the salad so each slice has a bit of lemon peel on it. Next, cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice on top of the salad.

YUM!

Cheers!