Zucchini & Potato Pancakes (Fritters)

i have been completely backed up with my recipes
....my small catering business has finally picked up
& between running around filling orders & still trying
to get in the kitchen and experiment..i am a tad bit
unorganized..anywhoo..i had some leftover mashed
potatoes that i wanted to make pancakes with and
decided to add a few extra ingredients that turned
into these zucchini potato pancakes or fritters..easy
and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 c. shredded/grated zucchini
• 1 c. pre-made & chilled mashed potatoes
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. chopped green onion/chives/scallions
• 2 cloves grated/crushed/minced garlic
• ¼ c. shredded cheese of choice (optional)
• ½ tsp. dried parsley
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 3-4 tbsp. olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. place shredded/grated zucchini in a sieve,
clean cloth or 3-4 DURABLE paper towels to
squeeze & extract as much of the fluid from
the zucchini as possible, then place in a bowl
2. add in the cold mashed potatoes, egg, flour,
garlic, onion & seasonings, then mix thoroughly

3. add oil to a pan on medium-high heat then
using 3 tablespoons of the zucchini mixture for
each pancake, place them in the pan and gently
flatten out to about ¼" thick, cooking for 1½-2
minutes on each side until crispy & golden
4. place cooked pancakes on a paper towel to
drain the excess oil if necessary
5. serve, while still warm, with Greek yogurt,
sour cream, by themselves or as a side dish

Blueberry Muffins

i've been away for a minute..in the
kitchen still learning....trying new
things..new recipes..a few trials &
some errors to get them right..but
..this recipe turned out perfect on
the 1st try....YAAAAAAY MEEEE!!!

INGREDIENTS:
• 1½ c. bread flour (or all-purpose)
• ¾ c. brown sugar
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ c. (1 stick) softened butter/margarine
• ½ c. coconut milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• 1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
• ¼ c. old-fashioned oats

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400℉
1. sift the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking
powder into a large mixing bowl
2. in a separate bowl, cream together the
butter, egg, sugar, milk and extract
3. add the wet ingredients to the dry and
mix thoroughly
4. fold in the fresh or frozen berries
5. line a regular 12 count muffin tin or a 6
count jumbo muffin tin with paper cupcake
liners and fill each ¾ of the way full
6. sprinkle the tops of the batter with the
oats and bake for 25-30 minutes

Bourbon & Brown Butter Peach Cupcakes

this was a completely experimental recipe
that i must say i am very proud of..especially
considering the fact that i tend not to write
down the ingredients & process as i go along
..took almost 2 months to organize my notes
and finally got it to make some sense..i hope

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 c. cake flour (or all-purpose)
• 1 tbsp. all-purpose
• 4 c. fresh/frozen (thawed) sliced peaches
• 2 eggs
• 8 oz. softened cream cheese
• ¼ c. heavy cream
• ½ c. + ½ c. + ¼ c. (2½ sticks) softened butter
• ¼ c. + 2 tbsp. bourbon
• 1 c. + ¼ c. light/dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. white sugar
• 5-6 c. confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp. + 1 tsp. + ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. + ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325℉
1. place 1 stick of butter  & ¼ cup of
bourbon into a sauce pan on medium
heat to slowly brown the butter, stirring
occasionally until dark caramel in color
with a nutty scent then set aside to cool

2. in a blender or food processor, puree
2 cups of peaches with ¼ cup of heavy
cream & 2 tablespoons of white sugar
3. in a large mixing bowl, beat together
1 cup of brown sugar, eggs & bourbon
butter mixture, then add in the vanilla
extract & pureed peaches
4. sift 2 cups of flour, the baking soda
and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon into the
creamed mixture and mix well
5. line a muffin tin with paper cups & fill
each ¾ of the way full then bake 20-25
minutes and transfer to a rack to cool

6. in a sauce pan on low-medium heat,
simmer ¼ cup of butter, 2 tablespoons
of bourbon, 2 cups of chopped peaches,
¼ cup of brown sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla,
¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon flour,
a pinch of salt & ½ cup of water until the
peaches are soft & the juice has thickened
then set aside to cool

7. while cupcakes & peach topping continue
to cool, prepare the buttercream frosting
8. cream together 1 stick of softened butter
and cream cheese with a teaspoon of vanilla
9. add in 1 cup of confectioner's sugar at
a time, 5-6 cups total until the desired
consistency is reached for spreading or
stiff enough for piping using a pastry bag

10. after the cupcakes have completely
cooled, decorate with the buttercream and
caramelized bourbon peaches

Fried Eggplant Lasagna

after a few trials..i believe i've finally perfected
my eggplant lasagna..it can also be modified
for the vegetarian lifestyle!

INGREDIENTS:
~ Fried Eggplant ~
• 2 eggplant (enough for 24 - ¼ in. thick slices)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 2 c. garlic herb bread crumbs (or Italian)
• olive oil (for pan frying)

~ Sauce ~
• 1 lb. ground chicken (can be substituted
with small cubed mixed squash & carrots)
• 3 c. chopped spinach
• 2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
• ¼ c. water
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• ½ tsp. dried basil
• ½ tsp. ground fennel seed
• ½ tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

~ Sauté ~
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 c. thinly sliced onions
• 2 cloves grated garlic
• tbsp. butter

• 7.6 oz. package Sargento ultra thin provolone
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella
• dried parsley
• olive oil


INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350℉
1. pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom
of a large pan on medium-high heat
2. in 2 shallow containers, whisk together eggs
& milk in one and put bread crumbs in the other

3. lightly dip eggplant slices into the egg wash
and dredge in the breadcrumbs then pan fry on
each side to a golden brown, drain off excess
oil & set aside (may have to be done in batches
depending on the size of the pan being used)

4. brown ground chicken in 2 tablespoons of
olive oil, add chopped spinach and stir in with
the cooked ground chicken to wilt
5. mix in the tomato paste, water, seasonings
& butter then simmer on low heat

6. in a separate pan saute mushrooms, onion
and garlic in melted butter then set aside

7. layer ¼ of the meat sauce into the bottom
of a large baking dish, then a layer of 8 fried
eggplant slices on top

8. place half of the slices of provolone on top
of the eggplant then layer with half of the
sauteed vegetables

9. top with another ¼ of the sauce, 8 slices of
eggplant, provolone & the remaining sauteed
veggies
10. layer half of the remaining sauce, the last
8 slices of fried eggplant and then the rest of

 the meat sauce and the shredded mozzarella

11. bake 20 min. covered with a foil tent & then
uncovered under the broiler until the cheese is
bubbly & lightly golden

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)