Apples Baked in the Microwave

This is one of my Dad's favorite desserts.
Baked apples with butter and brown sugar.
Cooked in a few minutes in the microwave.

Ingredients:
For each baked apple:
1 apple, peeled
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon butter
a sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions:
Remove core from apple but not
all the way through to the bottom.
Stuff apple with brown sugar, butter
and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
Place stuffed apples in a glass dish
an microwave on high setting 4 minutes.
Let cool a few minutes before serving.

Cream of Ramen Noodle Soup

This is a money saver recipe that tastes great.
You can feed four people for under four dollars.
Use any cream of soup you desire to make this.
Open up the package of Ramen noodles and reach
in and throw the 'seasoning' packet away.
There's plenty of salt in the can of soup,
and you can add in fresh flavors in it's place.

Ingredients:
1 package Ramen noodles
2 cups water
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 cup light cream
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
grated parmesan cheese
oyster crackers

Directions:
Bring two cups water to a boil in a soup pot.
Add in the carrot, celery and onion, cook for
about five minutes or until almost tender.
Break up the Ramen noodles and add to pot, lower heat
to a simmer for about 6 minutes, add pepper to taste.
Add tomato, chives and remove soup pot from heat.
Add in can of cream of soup and 1 cup of cream.
Stir to combine and let sit ten minutes off heat.
If needed heat this up more but do not let boil.
Serve with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
This soup is good served with some oyster crackers.

Memphis Style Dry Rub

I use this spice rub on pork ribs.
It has a balance of spice and sweet
that taste great on the spare ribs.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons salt
4 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoons garlic powder
3 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayene pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl,
place in a jar to use as a spice rub on pork.
Tightly seal jar and store in the refrigerator.

French Fry Sauce 'Salchi Papa'

This sauce tastes great on top of fries.
It can be made in a sauce pan or micrwave.
You serve this sauce warm along with slices
of beef hot dogs right with the french fries.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 cup spicy mustard
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

Directions:
Combine ketchup, mustard, vinegar and mayonaise
in a glass mixing bowl and cover.
Heat in a microwave for 2 minutes.
Remove and stir before serving over a bowl of
cooked french fries with sliced hot dogs.

Potato & Penne Pasta Salad

For over forty years I've tried to combine the
freshness of vegetable flavors into a pasta and
potato salad. In this potato and pasta recipe
I think that I've done just that.
It's a little invovled to make but if you
improvise it's a snap to put together.

Ingredients:
3 Red Potatoes washed and cubed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts, toasted
1 red bell pepper sliced 2" length wise
1/2 lb. green beans cut 2" lengths
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 lb. dried penne pasta
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Drizzle cubed potatoes with 1⁄2 cup olive oil,
sprinkle with salt and roast for 30 minutes
or until tender and crisp or until done.
Place fresh basil, oil, vinegar, parmesan cheese,
pine nuts, and garlic in food processor or blender.
Blanch green beans in boiling salt water about 3 minutes.
Transfer green beans using a slotted spoon into a large bowl.
Boil pasta in the same pot of boiling water for 20 minutes.
Drain pasta and reserve 1⁄2 cup of the water used for boiling.
Whisk the reserved water into the pesto sauce.
Pour the pasta into the bowl with the green beans,
mix the sweet red peppers, left over nuts,
the roasted red potatoes, and pesto sauce
on top of the pasta and toss carefully until
well mixed and coated with pesto.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Chicken Thighs in White Wine

These chicken thighs are tender and juicy,
sauteed in a little olive oil to brown,
then simmered in a wine sauce in the oven.
Easy to make and everyone raves about it.
You can adjust the seasonings to your liking,
this could be a fine Tandoori chicken dish.
Or turned into a Hawiian Huli-Huli chicken.

Ingredients:
8 fresh chicken thighs
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups white wine
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tabespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Dry the thighs with paper towels.
Using an oven proof pot,
brown the thighs, remove and set aside.
Add the onion and garlic to the pot to brown.
Use a slotted spoon to remove onions and garlic.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon oil from pot.
De-glaze pot with wine, soy sauce, syrup and honey.
Season sauce with cinnamon and black pepper.
Cook down to reduce sauce in half.
Place chicken back in pot in a single layer.
Top chicken with onions and garlic.
Bake un-covered for 1 hour or until done.

Best Tasting Meatballs

I think these meatballs are better tasting
than any home made meatloaf I've ever eaten.
They have all of the great meatloaf ingredients
and are tasty crispy from the browning in oil.
Make a meatball grinder with these really soon.
I think I just drooled on my keyboard, again!

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef 85/15
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground Italian sausage
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 Ritz Crackers, crumbed

Directions:
Combine all ingredients exept tomato sauce
and using your hands form into balls.
Saute in olive oil until browned.
Place meatballs in a sauce pot
of tomato sauce, cook until done.

Roasted Garlic Cheese Burgers

I like the toasty taste of roasted garlic
and buy a jar of it in the grocery store
to have on hand to use in recipes.
This is a simple to make burger,
very tasty good if you like garlic.
I use gogonzola cheese to top them,
did you just drool on your keyboard?

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
4 tablespoons roasted garlic paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Form mixture into four 1/4 pound burgers.
Saute, fry or grill the burgers for about
2 minutes on first side, turn over and place
some gorgonzola cheese on top as it cooks.
Remove to serve on soft hambuger buns.
No toppimgs needed but if you must,
a slice of fresh tomato is good.

Perfect Pan Fried Hot Dogs

I make these sauteed hot dogs
usually around the Fourth of July
when I need to get my hot dog fix.
The cooking concept is really simple.
You heat the hot dogs in water and
then saute the hot dogs in oil.
Please don't get those chicken dogs.

Ingredients:
Hot dogs,(buy a good brand)
Hot dog buns
Water
Butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
Mustard
Ketchup
Onions,peeled,chopped
Hot dog relish


Directions:
Remove hot dogs if in package, wash under cold water.
Place hot dogs in a sautee or fry pan,
put enough water in pan to cover hot dogs
almost half way up the sides of the dogs.
Bring to a boil, lower heat, simmer 5 minutes.
The water should evaporate, that's o.k.
Add oil to pan shaking the hot dogs a bit.
Saute until brown marks appear on hot dogs.
Remove from pan, serve hot dogs on buttered,
toasted buns along with your favorite toppings.

Asparagus Pizza

This pizza looks like it could be a picture
hanging on the wall of an Italian Restaurant.
It tastes really good with bacon and cheese.
I like the red white and green colors.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons corn meal.
1 pizza crust
2 cups ricotta cheese
8 slices deli provelone cheese
12 asparagus spears
12 thin slices roasted red pepper
3 slices smoked bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Sprinkle corn meal on a baking sheet.
Place crust on corn meal and spread
the ricotta cheese on top leaving
1/2 inch away from the edge of crust.
Layer with slices of provelone cheese.
Arrange asparagus, red pepper and bacon.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until done.
Remove and brush around crust with butter.
Let cool a bit, slice and serve.

Best Tasting Beef Burgers

Using pita pockets instead of the
traditional hamburger rolls and
a horseradish sauce for the mayo.
This burger tastes like a meatloaf
and when cheese is added, OMG good.
Served with a dill pickle and chips.

Ingredients:
For each burger:
1/4 pound ground beef 85/15
2 tablespoons beef gravy
1 tablespoon chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon chopped yellow onion
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash of garlic powder
2 tablespoons greek yogurt
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
cheese slices if desired

Directions:
In a mixing bowl combine beef,
salt, black pepper, chopped onion,
bell pepper, garlic powder and beef gravy.
Heat a grill or frypan to high heat.
Shape beef mixture into burgers and
cook burgers to your desired doneness.
Place in pita pockets with your fixins.

Kidney Beans and Spinach

This is one great side dish.
Tastes as good as it looks.
The beans are creamy and go well
with the green fresh spinach.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup chopped red onion
1 bag fresh spinach
1 (15.5 ounce)can red kidney beans
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Bring water to a boil in a large soup pot.
Add in sugar, salt and red onions.
Cook until onions get tender, about 5 minutes.
De-glaze pot with can of beans, juice and all.
Add more water if needed to create a sauce.
Add in the fresh spinach and stir until the
spinach wilts and gets coated with sauce.
Season with salt to taste, serve warm.

Fresh Spinach Mac & Cheese

This is so easy to make and so good.
Get your kids to eat fresh spinach.
I like to add some red onions to this
along with a can of beans and this is a
one pot meal full of flavor and protein.

Ingredients:
1 package Mac & Cheese
1/2 red onion
1 can red beans
milk
butter
fresh spinach

Directions:
Cook Mac & Cheese per package directions.
Add in chopped red onion, spinach and
a drained can of red beans, serve warm.

Fresh Fig Oatmeal Cookies

Our fig tree produced an abundant supply
of ripe fresh figs this year so I decided
to make some cookies using some of them.
They are like lace cookies around the edge.
This recipe makes soft and chewy cookies.

Ingredients:
12 fresh figs
1/2 cup granulated/white sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Was fresh figs and de-stem.
Cut them into quarters.
Placing them in a mixing bowl
along with the sugar, shake to coat well.
Mix in the egg, butter and shortening and
set aside, then in a seperate bowl combine
flour, oatmeal, salt, ground cloves,
baking powder and baking soda.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixture.
Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls onto a
greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes,
until the edges turn brown,
remove to cool.

Cabbage, Apple & Fish Stew

I wanted to make some cabbage and apples
but didn't stop there, adding some other
ingredients and even some shrimp and fish.
This cooked up in one pot which I liked.
Try not to boil as the fish might break,
and be careful serving the delicate fish.
Tilapia is a tender sweet white, mild fish
that really is good tasting in this dish.
A white wine goes great with this.

Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teasoon black pepper
1/4 head cabbage, chopped
2 apples, peeled and cored
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
2 frozen tilapia fillets
4 red ripe tomatoes, whole
12 frozen shrimp, tail on

Directions:
Place water in a soup pot,
add vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, pepper,
and bring to a boil.
Add in cabbage, apples and onions.
Reduce temperature to a simmer.
Place in tilapia filets and tomatoes.
Simmer for 1 hour or until cabbage
is tender crisp and cooked through.
Add in the shrimp and cook until they
turn red, about 5 minutes, serve warm.

Deep Fried Onion Strings

When I first tasted these onion strings
I was in county fair onion ring heaven.
Wondering what was the secret ingredient?
These onions are so simple to prepare and
always get first place blue prize ribbons.
The secret is in the simple ingredients.
Sweet onions, flour and salt, thats it!
Deep fried in peanut oil to a light brown
to a crispy perfection then lightly salted.
I think I just drooled on my keyboard...

Ingredients:
Onions
Flour
peanut oil
salt

Directions:
In a deep fryer or kettle
preheat oil to 365 degrees F.
Peel, slice and cut onions into strings.
Toss onion strings in a bowl of flour.
Shake to remove excess flour from onions.
Place onion strings in hot oil to fry.
Remove when just browned, about 3 minutes
to a paper towel lined plate, salt to taste.

A-1 Green Pepper Meatloaf

When I came upon this recipe using
A-1 sauce as an ingredient I paused,
thinking it to be to spicy using it.
This came out really good tasting.
Topped with bacon and green peppers
this meatloaf is good enough to serve
to company at an elegent dinner.

Inredients:
2 lbs. ground beef, 85/15
6 slices smoked bacon slices
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup Italian dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup A-1 Original Steak Sauce
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup tomato sauce or ketchup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl mix 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
or ketchup, ground beef, onion,
bread crumbs, A-1 sauce, eggs,
and black pepper to taste.
Press meat mixture into 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Top with tomato sauce, bacon and green peppers.
Bake for about 1 hour or until done.
Let sit 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Foil Packet Grilled Fish

A combination of Cod fish and
Salmon are best in this recipe,
flavored with citrus and herbs.
This is one of my go to recipes in
the heat of the dog days of summer.
But I also fire up the grill in the
cold days of winter to make this.
It's easy, tasty and oh so good!

Ingredients:
Aluminum foil as needed
unsalted butter
2 fish steaks or fillets
1 cod and 1 salmon
1 fresh lemon, sliced
1 fresh lime, sliced
1 fresh orange, sliced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried chives

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium.
Place foil on a work surface.
Spread with a shmear of butter.
Place fish on butter and cover with
lemon, lime, and orange slices.
Sprinkle with brown sugar and chives.
Seal foil packets and grill until
ready to serve, about 12 minutes.
I like to serve this on white rice.

Dirty Pasta

I use regular spaghetti pasta here but
you can use any pasta you have on hand.
This is even good with homemade pasta.
It's simple to make and really good.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound pasta
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup flavored dry breadcrumbs
olive oil to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven or broiler to toast breadcrumbs.
Place breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and toast.
Watch them closely as they might burn some.
Cook pasta, toss with sauce and breadcrumbs.
Drizzle olive oil to taste and serve warm.

Plate Finishing Flavored Oil

This is the essence olive oil that I use to
dress and finish a big beefy grilled steak
and also the simply green garden salad.
You might be surprised the amount of lemon.

Ingredients:
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinager
the juice of 4 lemons, with zest
1 teaspon worshestisher sauce
1 teaspoon prepared brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teasspoon salt

Directions:
Mix all ingredients and use as a plate sauce,
refrigerate between use.

Roasted Sugar Pumpkin Slices

Everybody loves this dish!
Sweet from brown sugar and
spiced with ground cinnamon,
then roasted to perfection.
I first tried to bake a whole pumpkin
and decided that although whole makes
for a very good presentation these
slices have much more carmalization.
A whole pumkin is moist and these
slices have yummy crispy butter flavor.
You must use sugar pumpkins which are
smaller and sweeter than the big ones.

Ingredients:
1 sugar pumpkin, washed clean
1 cup light brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
After cleaning outside of pumpkin,
cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
Cut pumpkin into 2 inch slices.
Place slices in a glass baking dish.
Season with salt to taste.
In a mixing bowl combine melted butter,
brown sugar, vanilla, flour, and cinnamon.
Pour liquid over pumpkin slices and bake
for 45 minutes and then remove to baste
the pumkin slices with the butter mixter.
Bake until pumpkin is tender and the
sugar mixture has carmalized right good.

Peachy Pineapple Dessert Pizza

I entered this in a Shwan's recipe contest,
they have these good starter crusts #671.
I hope it's a winning recipe because it's
a really good tasting dessert pizza.
Fresh grilled peaches and pineapple slices
swimming in a sea of melted provelone cheese,
with the added suprise saltness of capers.
The fresh mint puts this dessert pizza over the top.

Ingredients:
2 Shwan's ready pizza crusts
16 slices deli provelone cheese
1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
4 fresh peaches, sliced
8 slices fresh pineapple
1 teasponn capers or to taste
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon brown sugar
black pepper to taste

Directions:
Defrost pizza crusts.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Arrange half of the provelone cheese slices over
pizza crusts and then sprinkle with gorgonzola.
Arrange grilled peaches and pineapple over crusts.
Sprinkle with lemon zest, brown sugar, capers
and freshly ground black pepper.
Top with another layer of provelone cheese slices.
Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
Let cool a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Slice and serve with fresh mint leaves for garnish.