STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:

4 strawberries
½ cup milk
1 (6 ounce) container strawberry yogurt
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ice cubes

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

TOMATO SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE AND GREEN OLIVES

INGREDIENTS:

3 sliced tomatoes,
1/2 cup green calamata olives,
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese,
2 tablespoons olive oil,
fresh ground black pepper,
salt to taste,

fresh parsley, dill or basil;

In a serving platter arrange tomato slices; sprinkle salt; add crumbled cheese and olives.

Drizzle olive oil; ground pepper; garnish (optional) with fresh parsley , dill or basil.

Here you have a nice and fresh salad; bread and butter, garlic bread or just right from the oven french baguette from the bakery next door, will be a delightful entry to a dinner for two (or more if you double the quantity)

Enjoy!
Have a nice day!

CHICKEN RICE AND SALAD

HOW TO COOK RICE:
Bring to boil two cups of water with one tablespoon of butter or margarine and one teaspoon of salt. Stir in one cup rice. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
INGREDIENTS FOR RICE PILAF:
2 cups rice,
1 cup chopped onion,
1 cup diced carrots,
1 cup diced celery,
1/4 cup olive oil,
1 teaspoon salt,
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper,
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder;
DIRECTIONS:
Saute onion,carrots and celery in 1/3 cup olive oil ; add salt pepper and garlic powder; add 5 cups of chicken broth (water is fine) ; cover and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.
INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:
2 hand full of lettuce
2 green onions,
4,5 radishes,
1/2 English cucumber,
2 tablespoons olive oil,
1/2 teaspoon salt,
2 tablespoons white vinegar;
Mix and serve !
Thanks to the Supermarket's fresh aromatic rotisserie chicken !!! These beauties really saved my time in the kitchen tonight. All I had to do was the rice pilaf and salad.
For dessert we had chocolate ice cream topped with strawberry syrup and roasted peanuts.

PORK AND BEANS STEW

INGREDIENTS:
1 LB.cooked pork meat,
3 cups cooked red beans,
1 cup chopped celery,
1 cup chopped carrots,
1 cup chopped onion,
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce,
1 spoon Taco Seasoning,
1 teaspoon garlic powder,
1/2 teaspoon red crushed pepper,
1/2 spoon thyme,
2,3 bay leaves,
1/3 cup olive oil,
salt to taste;
DIRECTIONS:
In a large cooking pan, heat the oil on medium high heat; saute onion, celery and carrots for few minutes or until tender; add pork meat, cooked beans and all the remaining ingredients at once. Add broth (or water) enough to cover all, stirring few times. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat, stirring few more times. Taste for salt.
I added a nice and fresh cabbage and carrot salad next to this delicious stew, but any other salad will be just fine and welcomed! Hope you like it!
Enjoy!
Have a nice day!

COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup salted butter - softened,
1 cup sugar,
1-1/2 cups flour,
2 large eggs,
2 teaspoons vanilla extract;
Preheat oven at 375 F...

Combine all the ingredients starting with butter and sugar and adding the rest; Form 1-1/2 inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheet 1 inch apart; bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottom of cookies are slightly golden brown; sprinkle powder sugar while the cookies are still warm.

Have your coffee ready and...

ENJOY!

Have a nice day!

BEAN DIP

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups cooked pinto beans,

2 cups chopped onion,

4 minced garlic cloves,

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese,

1/2 cup sour cream,

1/3 cup tomato sauce,

1/3 cup olive oil,

1/2 teaspoon red crushed pepper,

1 teaspoon salt;

Sautee onion and garlic in 1/3 cup olive oil for 3,4 minutes;

Add tomato sauce, crushed pepper and salt; cook for 2 minutes;

Combine cooked beans, sauteed onion mixture, sour cream and cheddar cheese in a food processor until smooth.

Pour in a serving dish and garnish (optional) with sauteed onion and garlic. Serve with your favourite chips!

Enjoy!

tip- How to cook Pinto Beans:

Sort and wash beans in a colander under cold water. Soak 3 cups of beans over night in 6,7 cups of water.Cover and simmer for 1/2 to 2 hours until tender adding more water if necessary.

NEW AND IMPROVED TEXAS GARLIC BREAD

All you need is:

1 package Texas garlic toast,

1 teaspoon italian dry seasoning,

1 teaspoon red crushed pepper,

Preheat oven at 400 f;

Arrange garlic bread on a baking sheet;

Sprinkle italian seasoning and red crushed pepper on top of each slice; bake for 10 minutes; remove, serve and...

ENJOY!

SESAME PUFF PASTRY STICKS

All you need is:

1 pk. square puff pastry,

1 egg,

1/2 cup black sesame seeds;

Preheat oven at 400 F; in a small bowl beat egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush each square with egg mixture; sprinkle with sesame seeds, cut each square in 8 pieces (strips); bake for 10-12 minutes or until nice and golden, on ungreased baking sheet.

What a magnificent quick snack!!!

Enjoy!

PUFF PASTRY CHEESE SNACK

This is all you need:
1 pk.puff pastry,
2 cups shredded mixed cheddar and mozzarella cheese,
1 egg;

Directions:
Preheat oven at 400 F; in a small bowl beat egg with one tablespoon water; brush each square with egg mixture and sprinkle with cheese.
Cut each square in 4 pieces; place them in a ungreased baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until nice and golden...


and here they are...

Serve warm or cold. What a delicious movie snack next to a cold refreshing Bud!

ENJOY!

MORE CREPES

The ingredients for these crepes are the same as in the previous post, but the filling is just jam, no more Philly Cheese here. As long as the crepes have no sugar added, you can use this batter to make a nice appetizer too. You can try a filling of chicken and cheese, beef an cheese, just cheese (mozzarella, cheddar...) baked for 15 to 20 minutes, topped with a creamy sauce such as mushroom sauce, garlic tomato sauce, parmesan sauce...!

One of these appetizers will be my next project.

Hope you like this simple jam ones. Sure we did!

Have a nice day!

VANILLA PHILLY CREAM CHEESE CREPES (clatite)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups milk,

1 cup flour,

2 eggs,

1/4 teaspoon salt,

1 pk. Philadelphia cream cheese 8 oz.-softened,

2 cups cool whip,

1 teaspoon vanilla extract,

1/2 cup powder sugar;

Combine milk, flour, salt and eggs in a mixing bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. For each crepe, pour 1/4 cup batter into hot, lightly greased 8-inch skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until

browned on both sides, turning once.

Combine cheese, powder sugar and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Add cool whip and mix until smooth. Spread one spoon of cheese mixture over each crepe; roll it up. Sprinkle with powder sugar or (and) strawberry jam (or your favourite jam) topping.

Enjoy!

TUNA SALAD APPETIZER

LEMON CHOCOLATE COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pk.lemon flavor cake mix,
1/2 pk. chocolate flavor cake mix,
2 eggs,
1/3 cup veg.oil;
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven at 375F;
Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl; form 1-1/2 inch balls and place on ungrased baking sheet.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. It's that easy !!!

Have your coffee ready and...
ENJOY !
Have a nice day!

RASPBERRY DESSERT

All you need is:

1 pk. (6 pc.) dessert shells,

2 cups cool whip,

1 container fresh raspberries,
It took me more time to take the pictures , download and post it,
than it took time to make this delicious and no time at all dessert, with these fresh cold and juicy raspberries purchased this morning.

I hope you will enjoy making it and of course eating it!
Have a nice day!

CARROT SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:
2 carrots, peeled and cut in small pieces,
1 apple, peeled , seeds removed and cut in small pieces,
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream,
1/3 cup vanilla creamer,
1/3 cup pineapple juice;
In blender container combine all the ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Fill your glass and drink it up! It's good for you!
Enjoy!

FRESH SPRING SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

1 head green lettuce,

4 chopped green onion,

1 sliced English cucumber,

6,7 radishes,

3 sliced hard-boiled eggs,

1/4 cup olive oil,

1/4 cup white vinegar,

1/3 cup water,

1/2 teaspoon salt;

In a large salad bowl mix oil, vinegar, water and salt.

Add the lettuce, onions,cucumber and radishes; gently mix them up.

Top with sliced eggs and serve.

Enjoy!

CARROT SALAD - APPETIZER -

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup diced cooked carrots,
1/2 cup capers,
1/2 cup mayonnaise,
5-6 chopped black olives,
1 minced clove garlic,
fresh parsley chopped;

fresh ground black pepper;

(no salt needed)
In a salad mixing bowl combine all the ingredients until well coated.

Serve on sliced bread or crackers.
Enjoy!

LAMB SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

- 6,8 lamb chops ,

- 1 cup chopped onion,

- 10 chopped green onions,

- 1 chopped carrot,

- 1 cup chopped celery,

- 1 chopped red bell pepper, (or green)

- 1 cup chopped fresh dill,

- 1 cup fresh chopped parsley,

- 1/2 cup chopped lovage,( some greens associated with parsley and celery)

- 1/2 cup rice,

- 3 tablespoons vegetables bullion,

- 1 cup sour cream;

- 2 eggs;

- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (or white vinegar),

- salt to taste;

Remove meat from bones (set aside for stew)

Bring to boil 6,8 lamb chops bones until almost cooked.

Add all the ingredients, minus eggs, sour cream and vinegar.

Add more water to the pot and continue cooking until all meat and vegetables are fully cooked. In a blender beat the egg yolks with lemon juice (or white vinegar) ; add sour cream and 1/2 cup water; blend until smooth; pour over the soup, stirring few times. With a fork beat the egg whites and drop over the soup stirring in the same time. Taste for salt.

You can add more sour cream in the serving bowl.

Enjoy!