Broccoli and Cauliflower Stuffed Shells

getting more veggies in the kids' bellies..eventhough
my two will eat anything..a cheesy sauce never hurts
to sweeten the deal....there were no leftovers!

 INGREDIENTS:
• 1 c. chopped frozen/fresh broccoli florets
• 1 c. chopped frozen/fresh cauliflower florets
• ¼ c. finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 20 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 c. shredded swiss cheese
• 1 c. shredded white cheddar
• ½ c. cream cheese
• ½ c. sour cream
• 1 c. milk
• 1 tbsp. butter
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. nutmeg (trust me)
• parsley (for garnish)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350℉
1. in a large pot of salted boiling water, prepare
jumbo shells per package directions then drain
& set aside to cool (easier to handle for stuffing)
2. in a saucepan, on medium heat, combine the
swiss, white cheddar, cream cheese, sour cream,
milk, butter, salt, pepper & nutmeg then stir until
melted, smooth & creamy
3. in a pan, heat olive oil on medium-high and
saute the broccoli, cauliflower, onion and garlic
until tender

4. mix a third of the cheese sauce with the
sauteed vegetables
5. pour another third of the sauce in the bottom
of a baking dish large enough to accommodate
the shells

6. divide the broccoli cheese filling, making
sure all the shells are evenly stuffed
7. place stuffed shells in the baking dish & pour
the remaining sauce on top

8. cover & bake the dish for about 20 minutes
9. remove cover then bake for an additional
10-15 minutes until sauce has thickened and
is bubbly & slightly golden on top
10. remove the dish from the oven & let it set
for 15-20 minutes before serving

Cheesy Veggie Pizza

when you FINALLY achieve the right crust..the
pizza possibilities are endless!..i chose to do a
nice and cheesy sauteed veggie pizza

INGREDIENTS:
---Crust
• 1 (¼ oz.) packet active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. white sugar
• 1 c.  warm water
• 2½ c. bread flour
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. granulated garlic
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. salt
---Sauce
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. fresh/dried herbs
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• pinch of salt
---Toppings
• 2 c. sliced multicoloured sweet peppers
• ½ thinly sliced onion
• 4-5 thinly sliced mushrooms
• 2 thinly sliced jalapeños
• 1 clove grated garlic
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1 (8 oz.) block cheese (i used Monterey Jack)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450℉
1. dissolve yeast & sugar in warm water then let
it sit for about 10 minutes
2. add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan on
medium high heat then lightly saute the garlic,
peppers, onions, mushrooms & jalapeños with
salt/pepper to taste then set aside

3. after the yeast has activated & become foamy,
stir in flour, salt, granulated garlic, onion powder
& oil then form into a ball
4. lay dough out onto a lightly floured surface and
pat or roll into desired shape & thickness (i tried to
be fancy & tossed it in the air a few times..yeah..it
ripped a little....don't try that unless you're a pro)

IT'S NOT PERFECT..THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN IMPLEMENT THE WORD "RUSTIC"

5. carefully transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza
pan dusted with cornmeal (gives the crust that extra
crisp sound when you cut it)

6. mix together paste, olive oil, herbs, salt and
pepper then spread evenly on the crust

8. shred a generous amount of cheese over the
sauced crust (i used the whole block) then add
toppings

9. bake pizza for 15 to 20 minutes or until
golden brown

Red Sockeye Salmon Stuffed Baked Potato

i've stated before that most of these recipes
are experiments..combinations, concoctions
of foods & flavors some may find weird...but
may also find them to be quite tasty like i did
..so i'll continue to share in hopes that some
of you will be brave enough to try them out..

INGREDIENTS:
• 7-8 oz. can Red Sockeye Salmon
• 2 medium potatoes (russett, red, yukon)
• 4 oz. super sharp cheddar
• tbsp. olive oil (+ extra for oven baking)
• tbsp. butter
• tbsp. fresh/dried herbs of choice
• 1 grated garlic clove
•¼ tsp. black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450℉
1. clean & pat potatoes dry then rub with a
little olive oil, place on a cookie sheet/baking
dish and bake for 45-50 min. OR without oil,
place on a microwave safe dish and cook in
the microwave for 8-9 minutes, turning them
over midway through the process
2. while the potatoes are baking, add butter
& oil to a small pan on medium high heat
3. drain as much liquid as possible from the
salmon then add it to the oil with the grated
garlic, herbs & pepper and saute just enough
for the salmon to heat through & absorb the
flavors
4. once the potatoes are done, carefully plate
them & cut a diamond shaped opening in the
top of each, using a fork gently loosen up the
potato inside the skin
5. while still hot, top the potatoes with cheese
and the salmon filling

YIELDS 1-2 SERVINGS (depending on how hungry one may be)

Makeshift Granola Bars

kinda healthy..but NOT kinda healthy..is the
only way i can explain these..more like crisp
rice treats with semi-healthy junk for adults
that could be enjoyed by kids as well....only
 if you're willing to share

INGREDIENTS:
• 3 c. crisp rice
• 3 c. old fashioned oats
• 1 c. toasted coconut flakes
• ½ c. chopped toasted macadamia nuts
• ½ c. chopped pecans
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½  tsp. almond extract
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 10 oz. marshmallows
• 4 oz. white chocolate morsels for drizzling (optional)

INGREDIENTS:

1. melt butter in a large pot over low heat

2. stir in marshmallows & almond extract
3. add dry ingredients & stir well
4. press firmly into a greased shallow baking pan
5. cover with plastic wrap then let the granola set or refrigerate
6. once it's set & cooled drizzle with melted chocolate, cut & serve

YIELDS ABOUT 20 BARS

Simple Black Bean Burger

another recipe i've wanted to try is the Black
Bean Burger..i searched a few recipes to get
an idea of what the main ingredients were....
of course one being black beans..but other
key components for the base..then i could
take it from there....this is my 1st trial run &
i definitely will be coming back to tweak it a
bit....practice makes progress!

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 (14-16 oz.) can black beans
• 4 slices (lightly toasted) whole grain wheat
• ¼ a medium onion
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 3 mushrooms (of choice)
• ½ tsp. smoked paprika
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire (or soy as a substitute)
• ¼ c. liquid egg whites or egg substitute
• 3 tbsp. olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. drain & rinse the black beans then transfer
to a large bowl
2. smash beans with a fork until a mushy
consistency is reached, leaving a few chunks
if desired
3. in a food processor, pulse torn slices of
bread until they form crumbs then add to the
mushed black beans
4. also in the processor, pulse the garlic, onion
& mushrooms until finely chopped

5. add the chopped garlic, onion, & mushroom,
salt, pepper, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and
egg whites to the black beans & bread crumbs
then mix thoroughly
6. at this point, the patties are ready to be made
or can be covered & refrigerated for a few hours
so the ingredients can hang out & get to know
one another

7. heat the oil on low-medium heat in a pan to
cook the patties on each side for 4-5 minutes so
they cook through, preventing mushy centers
(recipe yields 3-4 depending on one's appetite)
8. serve with OR without a bun and favorite
toppings

Junk Cookies - Everything & the Kitchen Sink

i enjoy baking so much because it reminds me
of my mom..everything she created was news
article, magazine cover & cookbook worthy....
the 1st recipe she ever taught me was a plain
cookie base..which was essentially a chocolate
chip cookie recipe..minus the chocolate chips..
she told me that with this recipe i could add just
about anything..i called them Junk Cookies....
pretty much whatever was left in the cabinets
for a quick fix to calm the cookie cravings..i
have kinda revised the recipe..but it still works
and can be modified to fit your taste buds

INGREDIENTS:
• ½ c. softened butter
• ½ c. butter flavored shortening
• ¾ c. brown sugar
• ½ c. honey
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1½ all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 3½ c. old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ c. finely ground toasted coconut
• ½ c. chopped almonds
• 1 c. raisins (soaking in water for plumpness)
• 1 c. chocolate chunks

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350℉
1. in a large bowl, cream together the butter,
sugar & honey (SIDE NOTE: lightly coating the
measuring cup with cooking spray releases the
honey without it sticking) then add the eggs &
vanilla
2. sift the flour, salt & baking soda into the
bowl and mix with the butter/sugar mixture
3. fold in the old-fashioned oats
4. drain the raisins, removing as much excess
water as possible and lightly pat dry then add
with the coconut, almonds & chocolate chunks
5. place tablespoon sized scoops of the cookie
dough onto an ungreased or parchment paper
lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart and bake at
350℉ for 8 minutes (9½ minutes for ¼ cup
of dough for jumbo cookies)
6. after baking, carefully transfer cookies to
a cooling rack (as they will be soft..but will
become slightly crunchy on the outside and
chewy gooey on the inside once they cool)

Banana Bread

my 1st time EVER!!! making banana bread..i'm sssooo
happy & excited about how it turned out..rich & moist..
still warm with a little peanut butter & honey..ooooooh

INGREDIENTS:
• ½ c. softened margarine or
unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. bread flour or all purpose
• tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325℉
1. grease & flour loaf pan(s) or use
cooking spray specifically for baking
that includes the flour in it
2. cream together margarine & sugar
or mix applesauce & sugar until the
sugar is mostly dissolved
3. add in the eggs & mix together with
the mashed bananas, nutmeg & vanilla
4. sift in the flour, salt & baking soda,
then combine
5. pour the batter into the greased loaf
pan(s) & bake for 30 min. then check to
see if the top and sides of the loaf have
browned, if so, loosely cover the top with
foil & continue baking for another 30 min.
until the middle of the loaf is completely
baked through
6. carefully remove the bread loaf from
the pan(s) *slathering the top(s) as soon
as it comes out of the oven is optional but
highly recommended* then allow it to cool

(SIDE NOTE:  using smaller/mini loaf, glass
or metal pans may vary the baking time)

Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies

can't ever go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie
....especially when it's JUMBO....GINORMOUS!!!

 INGREDIENTS:
• ¾ c. granulated sugar
• ½ c. brown sugar
• 1 c. softened margarine
• tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 ¼ c. all-purpose
• tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 3 c. chocolate chips/chunks
• 1 c. nuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°F
1. cream together sugars, butter/
margarine, vanilla & egg
2. mix in flour, baking soda & salt
3. add chocolate chips or chunks
and choice of nuts (optional)
4. drop tablespoons of dough 2 inches
apart OR ¼ cup for jumbo cookies at
least 3 inches apart
5. bake at 350℉ for 8-10 min depending
on size or until golden brown

(SIDE NOTE:  this recipe yields 10 jumbo cookies
& 3 dozen regular sized....take care when transferring
the larger cookies to a rack for cooling)

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

i've made the Buffalo Cauliflower Bites before and

they were DELICIOUS! even the kids thought they

were actually chicken..so i wondered if they would

be just as delicious with BBQ sauce.....YUP!!!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 medium cauliflower crown
1 large egg
2 tbsp. water/buttermilk/or milk
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ paprika
½ salt
½ black pepper
all-purpose flour
cooking spray
1 c. favorite BBQ sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425℉
1. wash cauliflower crown, pat dry & cut
into florets then place in a large bowl
(SIDE NOTE: placing the crown upside down
makes stems more visable and easier to cut)

2. in a small bowl, lightly beat the egg then mix
in the water, buttermilk or milk with the garlic &
onion powder, paprika, salt, & black pepper
3. add mixture to the florets & gently toss
together to coat

4. put enough all-purpose flour in a separate

bowl or bag to dip/shake to coat the florets

5. single layer coated cauliflower on a

greased baking sheet then spray the tops

with additional cooking oil

6. bake at 425℉ for 20-25 min. until golden brown

7. once the florets are cooked, cover them in the

BBQ sauce & put them back in the oven to cook

for another 10 minutes then serve

Honey Sriracha Chicken & Cheddar Scallion Waffles

i've always wanted to try Chicken & Waffles....

so i went for it..putting my own little spin on it,

experimenting with flavors and once again my

twisted mind takes me off to a far away place

INGREDIENTS:
Waffles
• c. all-purpose flour
• c. milk
• 1 egg
• tsp. sugar
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. salt & pepper
• tbsp. olive oil
• ¼ c. chopped scallions/green onion/chives
• ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
--
• leftover/freshly fried chicken tenders
HERE'S THE LINK TO MY CHICKEN TENDER RECIPE (just omit the lemon garlic butter sauce)
--
Sauce
• sriracha
• honey
--
• fried egg (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. sift flour into a bowl with the sugar, garlic
powder, salt & pepper
2. in a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg
and olive oil, then add to flour mixture & combine
3. add the scallions & cheese and mix well
4. prepare waffles per instructions of the
waffle maker (this recipe will yield 4 square
waffles or 1 large round quartered waffle)
5. in a small bowl, mix together as much
sriracha honey sauce as needed, adding
desired amounts of the sriracha & honey
according to your desired balance of heat
and sweet
6. coat the fully cooked chicken tenders in
the sauce, leaving a few tablespoons for
garnish over the entire dish, then place the
sauced tenders in an oven safe dish and
bake at 300℉ for 10-15 minutes just to glaze
the meat and thicken the sauce
7. prepare the egg(s) fried/scrambled/etc.
8. assemble your dish as desired & enjoy!