1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds

1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 1/2 lemons

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

5 cups loosely packed baby arugula, divided

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup (2 ounces) finely shredded sheep’s milk cheese, such as pecorino Romano or pecorino Toscano

Generous 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sunflower seeds and garlic and pulse to finely chop. Add the lemon zest and juice, and pulse to combine. Add the parsley and 2 cups of the arugula, and pulse to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the machine running, add half of the oil in a slow, steady stream. Add another 2 cups of the arugula and pulse to combine. With the machine running, add the rest of the oil in a slow, steady stream. Add the cheese, salt and pepper and process until smooth. You should have about 1 3/4 cups. If not using right away, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (can substitute fresh tomatoes)
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

Instructions

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the bell peppers, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until bell peppers are tarting to brown, about 5/7 minutes. Add jalapeño, garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add chick peas, tomatoes and their juice, and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on medium low heat for about 20 minutes.

Serve over hot white rice.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic minced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes*
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup sun dried tomato drained and chopped
3 cups baby spinach**
8 oz penne pasta uncooked***
1 jar Alfredo sauce 150z
2 cups boiling water or chicken broth
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
Basil or parsley for garnish optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In an oven proof dutch oven, melt butter then add chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes until done. Next, add the garlic, Italian seasonings, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the spices are fragrant.
Next, add the remaining ingredients except for the mozzarella cheese and mix well. Cover the casserole and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and test the pasta to be sure it is done. Once the past is done to your taste, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts and gets bubbly.

Serve with a side salad. Serves 6.

* you can use any left over chicken. I generally precook the chicken so I have broth to use instead of boiling water. Gives the dish more flavor!
** a box or bag of frozen spinach works well. Before adding to the dish, thaw the spinach and squeeze it until it is dry. Instead of spinach, you can also use a container of mushrooms (fresh, sliced or a can of mushrooms). Or you can add both!
*** Any pasta will be fine here. I have used penne, rotini, cavatappi, and elbows.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons ground cardamom*
2 cups whole milk
3 teaspoons active dry yeast (or instant yeast)
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
6 –7 cups all-purpose flour, more for the counter
1/2 cup soft butter
1 egg (for egg wash)

*If you want to use cardamom pods, you will need about 20 fresh pods to make the appropriate amount of ground cardamom. If you use cardamom seeds you’ve purchased in your favorite grocery store, you’ll need about 2 teaspoons. In either case, you can grind them in your coffee or spice grinder to a powder. Be sure to use a full 2 tsp or the taste of cardamom will be lost.)

Directions

Heat milk to 180 degrees. remove from stove and let it cool to a temperature between 110F-115F degrees. Heating the milk to this temperature is important because milk not heated to this temperature will suppress the yeast rise! Cooling is also critical as temperatures more than 115 will kill the yeast. Pour the milk into a small bowl and add the yeast and a pinch of the sugar and stir. Let the milk/yeast mix sit until the yeast is dissolved and mixture becomes frothy.

In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lemon colored, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and yeast, cardamom and salt and beat until smooth. Mix in 2 cups of flour cup by cup, mixing until smooth and no lumps. Add the softened butter and mix well – the dough will be glossy and sticky. Continue adding the flour, a 1/2 cup at a time, mixing to incorporate, adding flour until stiff enough to knead, yet still soft about 6 cups. Knead using a dough hook adding a little more flour as needed until the dough pulls away from the edges, and is satiny, about 5 minutes. (The key here is to use as little flour as possible.) Alternatively, kneed by hand on a well-floured surface, for 6- 7 minutes, adding a little flour at a time, dough will be slightly tacky but not sticky.

Place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat the top, cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm area (80F) until it doubled in size. (I use my oven on the bread proofing setting, and it normally takes between 1 and 1.5 hours. Be careful not to let it overproof!)

After it has doubled, divide it in half. This will make two extra-large loaves.
To make 2 braided loafs, divide each half into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into long ropes about 1 1/2- 2 inches thick. Braid the 3 ropes and tuck under the ends.

Once braided, the bread can be baked either on a baking sheet or in a loaf pan. Baking it on a loaf pan will allow the bread so rise and spread so the finished loaf is flatter. When baked in a loaf pan, the bread will finished bread will be taller. In either case, line the baking sheet or loaf pan with parchment which has been sprayed with vegetable spray. (Note: I have also used a 12x4x4 long pan I use to make sandwich bread. All the dough will fit into this pan but it will be very full. It takes longer to bake in the long, deep pan.)

Beat the egg with tablespoon water. Brush the loaves with the egg wash. Sprinkle with pearl sugar over the top and sliced almonds if you like.

Let rise again until doubled. Place in a preheated 375-degree oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until skewer or toothpick pulls out clear (or internal temp is 200F) and the top is nicely golden.
If baking in a loaf pan, bake at 350F for 40-45 mins.
Pull it out of the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

Serve warmed or toasted with butter or at room temperature!

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Kosher Salt
1/3 Cup Paprika
1/4 Cup Granulated Garlic
4 Tbsp Onion Powder
1/3 Cup Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Tbsp White Pepper
2 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper
2 Tbsp Dried Thyme
2 Tbsp Dried Basil
1 Tbsp Dried Oregano

Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

• 4-6  cups bread cubes, about ½” thick.  (Day-old French or Italian bread is best, but the important quality is that the bread be a tad stale.)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 to ½ tablespoons of your favorite Italian/Greek spice blend

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the bread cubes, spices and oil into a plastic bag and shale until the cubes are coated with the oil/spice mix.

Put the cubes onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally .

Cool before storing.

These are perfect to use with Caesar salad.  If you plan to use them with Caesar salad, you may want to make the cubes a little larger.

1 12 oz. package of cranberries, washed and culled
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 6 ox. can frozen orange juice, undiluted
3/4 C sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 T whole cloves
1 C raisins
1 C pecans, chopped and lightly toasted

Method

Rinse and sort cranberries. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Combine juice, orange juice and enough water to make 2 cups of liquid. In a large pot, mix the liquid with the sugar and spices. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Add cranberries and boil until the cranberries pop, about 5 minutes. Remove cloves. Add the raisins and pineapple and boil for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add the chopped toasted pecans. Cool completely. Makes 6-7 cups @ 20 calories x tablespoon.

• ¾ cup vinegar
• 1½ cup water
• 1½ teaspoon pepper
• 1½ Tablespoon salt
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoon prepared mustard
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• 3 thin slices of lemon
• 3 onions, sliced
• 1½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients except ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Add the ketchup and worcester sauce and bring back to a boil.

Note:  for 5 lbs of pork, you will need to double or triple this recipe to have sufficient sauce for the meat.  The sauce stores well in the refrigerator for several months.

• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 large pinch saffron
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, 1/3 thinly sliced, remaining finely chopped
• 1 lb. italian sausage made with turkey, bulk or casings removed
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 handful fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound tubular pasta (elbows, penne, cavatappi)
• Freshly grated Parmesan
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Heat the vegetable stock in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the saffron, and keep warm.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Saute the onions until soft. Add the sausages; stirring and sauteing while breaking the meat into small pieces.
3. When the meat starts to brown, add the rosemary and sage, and cook on medium-high heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Then add the white wine and stir well until the sharp smell of wine is cooked off, but the pan is not dry.
4. Add the saffron-infused vegetable stock. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes; make sure you do not over-cook or allow all the liquid to evaporate.
5. Remove the rosemary sprigs. Set aside.
6. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain it about 1 minute before what is indicated on the box. Saute in the pan with the sauce over high heat for about a minute or so.
7. Serve with some freshly grated Parmesan. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients

• 1¼ lb. ground beef
• ½ large onion, chopped
• oregano
• chili powder
• 6 cloves garlic
• large can (29 oz.) Hunt’s tomato sauce
• regular can of tomato soup

Preparation

1. Brown ground beef in skillet
2. Mix in onions and stir
3. Lightly cover beef and onion mix with oregano and chili powder
4. Chop garlic cloves and add to mix
5. Add tomato sauce and tomato soup, and stir
6. Simmer for as long as desired… at least an hour!