Cabbage Roll (stuffed with Garlic Italian Seasoned Rice)

Dad's garden grown Cabbage!

11 lb. Cabbage

An 11 lb Cabbage WOW! That's exactly what I said to my dad the other day when I saw this enormous cabbage sitting on his counter. "Where did you get this?" I asked him. "Take it, it's yours" he said. He told me it was out of his garden. In which he only grew three. One he gave to my brother which happened to have been just slightly bigger, he gave one to me and the last one he was keeping. So I cut  the cabbage and began to think what I could make with this. Of course there's coleslaw or you can throw it in with some chow-mien noodles, steam it with vegetables or just saute it. I was going for the cabbage roll. So I started going through the cupboards and this is the recipe I made. This cabbage roll is stuffed with an Garlic Italian Seasoned Rice and topped with a sweet red pasta sauce.  When I was putting these together it was very hard to keep the rice away from my mouth...you know what I'm talking about.
While the Cabbage Roll is baking, the air is filled with this sweet tomato aroma Mm. It makes you want to grab a piece of garlic bread and stand by! After the Cabbage Roll is baked and sprinkled with a little more cheese, the steamy goodness will rise as you start to plate them. Then you take your first bite and then the next and the next....sorry no words to describe, only goodness! This is light, not over powering in garlic flavor and so you can adjust to your taste. My boys even said they were good and their not much of cabbage eaters( and their 21 and 24)....kids!   I used all items from my cupboard.
Well experiment with it and see what you can come up with.

Cabbage Roll
(plated on salad dish)

Cabbage Rolls


Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage (8 leaves)
3 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasonings
1/2 grated Parmesan
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp crushed garlic
32 oz red pasta sauce (your choice, homemade or canned)
   (I used  1- 24oz can of Hunt's garlic & herb pasta sauce and 1-14.5oz can of diced tomatoes then I add my own seasonings as well)
1 tbsp olive oil

Top Garnish
Parmesan cheese (optional)
shredded mozzarella (optional)

Assembling Cabbage Roll

Garlic Italian Seasoned Rice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large sauce pan bring some water to a boil. In the mean time in a small frying pan saute crushed garlic in olive oil till golden brown. When done set aside until ready to combine in rice.
In a medium bowl combine rice, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, garlic powder, sauteed garlic until mixed well and set aside. Now take your cabbage leaves and place them in the water and boil them till tender 4-5 minutes (you don't want them too stiff or too limber either way might crack or put a break in the leaf). When the the leaves or done remove them( I placed my in a strainer and grabbed as needed for assembly) and prepare for rolling.

Placing Cabbage Rolls
in baking dish

Pour remaining pasta sauce
over top of Cabbage Rolls

Take a 7.5 x11 baking dish,spray with cooking spray and place a layer of sauce on bottom.
Now for assembling, take a cabbage leaf lay it out on a working area then take a tablespoon (or more) of the rice mixture and roll it up in the cabbage leaf. I try to roll it like a burrito (if it rips no worries just keep rolling holding it together firm, use a tooth pick to hold together if you need too after,  I did). Then place in baking dish and continue with the rest of the leaves. This makes 8 Cabbage Rolls.  After all the rolls are complete take remaining sauce and pour over the top of the Cabbage rolls top with a sprinkle of Parmesan and or mozzarella and bake for 20-25 minutes.
You can serve this as a main dish or a side dish(that's what I did). Serve this with a salad and or garlic bread.

Remember, have fun and make it yours.



And that's the "DISH" for today!

Double Chocolate Heath Bar Brownie

Double Chocolate Heath Bar Brownie

Double Chocolate Heath Bar Brownie... Love it! Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate..
Who wouldn't love this! I have been baking quite a bit but recently noticed I haven't made too many
chocolate items. I decided to see what I had on hand and found something. So I took a box mix and
made it into a dessert. This Double Chocolate Heath Bar Brownie turned out to be an elegant chocolaty sweetness. You could take this to a formal or informal dinner party. There are many variations to accent this dish. Some suggestions would be add coconut and pecans(for the German chocolate appeal), marshmallow creme, addition chocolates, peanut butter, snickers bar(or candy of your choice chopped up), nuts even fresh fruit like cherries and the list goes. So if you get invited at the last minute for dinner or lunch and you need to bring something quick keep this in mind. All you have to do is be creative and experiment. I baked mine in a 10 inch tart pan but you could use a 9x13 pan or even a(12) muffin pan.

Double Chocolate Heath Bar Brownie


Ingredients:

I box double chocolate muffin/bread mix(I used Betty Crocker)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup heath bar crushed
1/2 cup chopped pecans

caramel sauce (optional)
chocolate sauce or gnache(optional)

Brownie assembled
before baking

Box mix and Crushed Heath Bar baking pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl (or counter top mixer) mix together box mix, water, oil and eggs. Take a 10 inch tart pan (with lift bottom) and line it with a 10 inch round piece of parchment paper. Then spray the pan with cooking spray along sides and atop the parchment paper. Next spoon 3/4 of the batter in the pan evenly. Then sprinkle 3/4 of the heath bar and 3/4 of the pecans evenly over batter. Take remaining batter and spread over top(it will not be enough to cover completely) then sprinkle the remaining heath bar and pecans over that.  It should have this uneven look of batter and nuts but don't worry that's what gives it the texture you will be looking for. If you like you can drizzle caramel over the top before you bake. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.  Bake for 25 minutes.  When done, remove from oven and let cool. You can plate this on your favorite cake stand or platter.  Then drizzle caramel and or chocolate sauce over the top. For individual plating and presentation you can drizzle chocolate on the plate or over top.


Remember, have fun and make it yours.

Double Chocolate Heath Bar Brown
(on cake stand)

And that's the "Dish" for today!

Molasses Cookies

Molasses Cookies
(on a platter)

Normally when you think of molasses you probably think about Christmas time and gingerbread. I love the molasses flavor so I think anytime is a good time. This recipe I am going to share today has light molasses flavor that everyone is sure to love. You can pair this molasses cookie with a glass of milk, coffee, tea and how about some red wine, for a snack or dessert. That sounds good to me! You will find this recipe fairly easy and fast. So be creative and enjoy.  Some suggestions are: add extra molasses, cinnamon, nuts and how about chocolate chips. I even substituted the allspice in my recipe for pumpkin pie spice.
This recipe makes about 28-30 cookies(depending on what size you make them). I used the mini ice cream scoop for my cookies.


Molasses Cookies


Ingredients:


2 cups flour ( I used all purpose)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 tsp of allspice)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 egg

Mini ice cream scoop size
used for small cookies

Molasses Cookie Dough

Molasses cookie scooped on
baking sheet

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl (or counter top mixer) combine egg, molasses, brown sugar and butter. Mix well then add the remaining dry ingredients till well mixed.  Next place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spoon the cookie dough and place onto baking sheet. I used mini a ice cream scoop but you can also take a teaspoon of dough place it the palm of your hand and roll it into ball then place on baking sheet(your preference). Bake in oven for 8 minutes. When done baking, take them out of the oven and let them cool. Just a note these are very delicious warm!
Then  I dust some powdered sugar over the top for presentation not to mention a little extra sweetness.
By the way this puts out an amazing aroma through the house, a warm comfy feeling.
I served these on a platter and put some away in the cookie jar.

Remember, have fun and make it yours.

Molasses Cookie
(close up)

And that's the "DISH" for today!

Strawberry Swirl Coffee Cake

A slice of Strawberry Swirl Coffee Cake

Strawberry Swirl Coffee Cake....Soft cream cheese swirled in strawberry filling and topped with a light cookie crumble..let's not forget the drizzle of sweetness over the top! While baking this strawberry swirl coffee cake the aroma ( to me it's the smell of sweet sugar cookies) fills the house.Today I am going to share that recipe with you.  Normally I bake this Strawberry swirl coffee cake in a 9x13 pan but today I baked it freely on a cookie sheet.
You will find this recipe to be easy and fast. You can bake it in any pan you like(9x13, 2-8 inch pie plates or for a thicker pastry 8x8 pan etc.) just for some ideas. You can top this with many variations. Just to give you a sample, use a different fruit, fruit filling or fruit gel of your choice, chocolate gnache with coconut and nuts (for German chocolate appeal), cinnamon sugar, icing and butter, chocolate spread with marshmallows and sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs (for the smore's appeal). I could go on and on. Just experiment with this and be creative, enjoy!
You will see the way I spread my dough out on the cooking sheet was more like a pizza look with a thin pastry crust about 12 x12 in size. You will get about 10 slices.


Strawberry Swirl Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
 Pastry Dough:

1 cup flour(I used all purpose)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Toppings: (your choice)
1 1/2 cups Strawberry gel filling (or amount to your liking)
5 tsp soft cream cheese ( or amount to your liking, I stirred mine up to make it more applicable)

Sugar Cookie Crumble ingredients
(flour, sugar and butter)

1 cup sugar cookie crumble or your favorite recipe( I used 3/4 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 stick of butter     cubed mixed together, though I only use a portion of it not all)
1 can of premade vanilla frosting (I heat it up till it has a drizzle consistency, only a portioned used, not all)

Pastry Dough

 Assembling the layers of
Strawberry Swirl Coffee Cake
(before baking)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl (or counter top mixer) place eggs, butter and vanilla mix well. Then add remaining dry ingredients and mix well. Next line a cooking sheet with parchment paper(I also spray cooking spray on the parchment paper). Scrape the dough from the mixing bowl into the center of the sheet. Spread the dough around in a circular shape(it's a sticky dough but it will spread). Once you have your dough shaped, add the filling and spread it around on top of dough(to your liking how ever you choose). Now take the cream cheese and drop by teaspoon around the top. Then with a small spoon swirl the cream cheese in with the strawberry filling. Finally top with cookie crumble and bake for 25 minutes.
If you like the pastry dough softer try cooking for less time. If you like your pastry dough crispier than bake for 5 minutes more. After the coffee cake has cooled slight drizzle frosting over the coffee cake. Now you can plate it.  Plate it as a whole coffee cake on a platter or you can slice it and plate it individually.
 For presentation you could even slice it and place it all on a platter with some fresh fruit beside it(same with individual).

Strawberry Swirl Coffee Cake

Remember, have fun and make it yours.


And that's the "DISH" for today!

Dessert Pizza on Flat Bread

Dessert Pizza on Flat Bread
(with Nutella, grated white chocolate and fresh strawberries)

Dessert Pizza ....think about it, hot off the grill warm bread coated in rich melted butter.
 As you spread the Nutella(I prefer) over the grilled golden brown ridges it starts to melt. Then you add a sprinkle of grated white chocolate for the looks of cheese and fresh sliced strawberries for that meaty texture look of pepperoni. Well, you get the idea anyway right! Today I am going to share a recipe for my Dessert Pizza on flat bread. I actually use this recipe to make my Italian flat bread but I omit the sugar. When it's
grilled I use olive oil, garlic salt and Parmesan cheese over it. Then I cut into strips and serve. I didn't mean to get off track (laughing) sorry!
So this recipe can be used for both dishes. You will find it has little crispy texture on the out side, so you get that crunch when you first bite into it. Then the middle is soft, so by the time you reach that, with the topping flavors combined together...all I can say is Mm. It's just so delightful. You can use various toppings for this dessert pizza, cinnamon sugar, a chocolate nut spread, white chocolate or chocolate gnache, jams, jellies and fruit spreads etc. You can also top with your favorite nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, coconut, grated chocolates, chocolate chips(or any flavor of baking chips) and candy bars I could go on and on. So be creative and use your imagination.


Dessert Pizza on Flat Bread 


Ingredients:


3 cups flour ( I used all purpose)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 packets rapid rise yeast
1 1/4 cup milk (hot but not scolded)
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)optional

Toppings:
Your favorite choices ( I prefer Nutella , fresh strawberries, grated white chocolate and cinnamon sugar)


In a large bowl (or I use my counter top mixer with dough hook) mix flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Then slowly add the milk it should start to pull from sides a little.Then add oil and continue until the dough is mixed well and has pulled away from the sides (after about 3-5 minutes on hook). Then I remove the dough off the hook and let it rest in the same bowl for about 10-15 minutes (I cover it with plastic wrap while it rest). In the mean time I get my toppings, the grill, and the work area ready. Heat your grill or pan of your choice on low heat ( I used my stove top grill, it covers two burners).

Stove top grill

 Flat bread dough
(formed round to cut into quarters)

Take take the dough and place on floured work area (it will not be doubled in size). Need the dough about 4-5 times. Then roll in a round form and cut into quarters. Take a quarter and fold the sides in if you want them round shaped. Then I take a rolling pin an roll the dough out about 7-8 inch wide (or your preference).
They do not all come out perfectly round by the time you transfer them from the board to the grill they get a little misshaped. It gives the flat bread that rustic appeal.

Flat bread bubbling
(ready to flip)

Flat bread
(flipped over and buttered)

Spray your pan with cooking spray and turn the heat up to Medium. Then lay the dough on the grill and brush top of dough with melted butter, cook for 2-3 minutes(it varies on the thickness of the dough). Once you start to see the dough getting the bubble look you can flip it over with a large spatula. Then brush the grilled side(that is now on top) with melted butter and cook until done 2-3 minutes. If your not sure the dough is done you can take a knife and cut a slit in the middle to check the texture. Everybody has different taste on how they like their dough. I like mine doughy. When cooked, take off the grill an place on a plate, till your ready to dress up your dessert pizza.

Dessert Pizza on flat bread
(cinnamon sugar/ cut into slices)

Dessert Pizza on Flat bread

You can plate this Dessert Pizza individually on your favorite plates then top your pizza or you can make them on a work area and top them, then slice and plate with a garnish.
There are so many possibilities!
My family really enjoys these breads. They are fairly easy and fast to make.

Remember, have fun and make it yours.


And that's the "DISH" for today!

Zucchini Coconut Cake

Kids eat your vegetables! This might be the sure way to get kids to eat their vegetables.
What child doesn't like something sweet. I found this Zucchini Coconut Cake recipe not too overly sweet so you can add that drizzle of frosting and not feel guilty. You might be surprised when your child asked if they can have a second piece (lets be positive now..laughing)! You can bake this recipe like a muffin (12 standard), mini muffins(24) or a cake ( your choice).

I chose the bundt cake for the reason I wanted to drizzle the frosting over the cake. I thought it would make a great presentation. Unfortunately, I ended up going to see family shorty after it came out of the oven. So I plated the cake while it was still warm. I brought the cake and the frosting with me so that when it cooled I could drizzle the frosting over it. Being in a hurry to get going, I forgot the toasted coconut for garnish. Let's just say I ended up bringing home about 4 slices. There are no pictures for this recipe except for one. One piece of cake plated, but I wanted to try and show you the inside of the cake. The color and look of  the texture.

It is a more dense cake but just right, not to heavy and not so overly light that you feel like your eating nothing but air. You can adjust this recipe an add more or less zucchini, carrots, your favorite nuts or how about even fruit or dried fruit. Raisins or dried cranberries. That burgundy color from the cranberries and green from zucchini would look and taste great together.  For the frosting I used a vanilla premade store bought( I heat it up in microwave for about 20 seconds or for your the right drizzle consistency) but you could make your own glaze as well (oh, what about chocolate drizzle!). These are just a few suggestions be creative and enjoy!

Zucchini Coconut Cake
(A slice plated)

Zucchini Coconut Cake


Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup oil ( I prefer canola)
3/4 cup brown sugar ( I used light)
1 tsp ground ginger
2 cups flour (I used all purpose)
1 tsp salt (I used Kosher)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (unpeeled, about 2 medium size zucchini)
1/2 cup shredded coconut (or flaked)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease the pan (I used cooking spray, for muffins you can also use liners instead).

In a large mixing bowl (or counter top mixer) beat together eggs, oil, honey and sugar until smooth.
Next add all the dry ingredients until mixed well. Then add zucchini and coconut. Place batter in your prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until done ( I always use the cake tester about 25 minutes into baking to see if I need to adjust the time). When the cake is done remove from oven and let cool.

Once cooled, you can plate this on your favorite cake plate or cake stand. Then frost your cake and garnish with some toasted coconut. For presentation you could even place a couple of slices of zucchini on the side leaning against the cake. Just use your imagination.


Remember have fun and make it yours.

And that's the "DISH" for today!

Taco Salad in Tortilla Shell Bowls

Taco Salad in Tortilla Shell Bowl
(Close up)

Tortilla shell bowls.... the perfect way to compliment a taco salad.

I had plans on just making burritos for dinner one night. Then I got to thinking, you know I'm going to change it up and turn this into a taco salad night. Then I started searching on how I was going to shape my tortilla shells. In the past I had fried the shells in the deep fryer, with the empty can method but this time I wanted to bake them.
So I took my smallest glass bowls I had (which were Pyrex brand, two new ones and one older style) in my cupboard. From rim to rim they measured 7 inches. The older one was about 6 inches. They were perfect for the tortilla shells( I used medium soft taco size). I made some Spanish rice to serve on the side and dinner was done! Of course you can use this with your favorite beans like, black beans, re-fried beans, chili beans even kidney beans. Serve this with  chips & salsa or guacamole on the side. Maybe a dessert dish can be made with this???? Use your imagination and enjoy. This is a festive little bowl.

Taco Salad in Tortilla Shell Bowls

Ingredients:
4  tortilla shells ( medium soft taco size is what I used)
1 lb. ground beef ( I used 85/15, or your choice)
1 taco seasoning mix packet (or your choice, I use the Enchilada seasoning packet, it's milder)
3/4 cup water
1 can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
1 bag lettuce (your choice, I used pre-washed  romaine)
1 cup shredded cheese (your choice, I used mozzarella)
1 cup diced tomatoes
3/4 cup diced onions (your choice, I used yellow onion)
Sour cream (optional)
Salsa (optional)

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Glass Bowl
(to bake tortilla shells in)

Take your bowls and spray them with cooking spray. Place bowls on cooking sheet(I fit all three on one cooking sheet). Take the tortilla a gently press into the middle of the bowl (if it's easier for you, you can also heat the shell up first to slightly soften in the microwave for about 20 seconds or so). You will have creases in the shell. Then spray the tortilla shell in the inside lightly with cooking spray(this will make it a little more crispy in my opinion). Then place cooking sheet in oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes (depends on how crispy you like your tortilla shells to be). When baked to your liking remove from oven and let sit until ready to serve.
Cook ground beef in a large skillet. When done, add water and seasoning mix. Cook until most of water is absorbed and ground beef is seasoned.
For assembly you can use your favorite serving platter or individual plate. Then I usually take a dash of sour cream and place it in the middle of the plate to hold the shell in place. I take a tortilla bowl and place it on the plate, next add the ground beef mixer, then some beans, then the lettuce, tomatoes, onions, dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of shredded cheese on top of that. There you have your taco salad!
I usually place a little more beans around the top of lettuce for presentation. I think it looks as good as it tastes!  This will make  about 4 tortilla shell bowls.

Remember have fun and make it yours.

Taco Salad in Tortilla Shell
(Plated)

And that's the "DISH" for today!

Edible Strawberry Arrangement

Edible Strawberry Arrangement

I have a great and simple gift you could give someone for Mother's Day! When it comes to gifts what could be better than making something yourself. Gifts that are homemade come from the heart. When the recipient sees the gift they know it took your time and thought to prepare this for them. No matter how it turns out, I believe they have more appreciation for the gift. I have made these edible arrangements before for my mom and she loved it.
 I took a trip to the local dollar store and bought the majority of the items I needed there (flowers, leaves, ribbon, flower pot and flora styrofoam). The rest of the ingredients I either had on hand or picked up at the local grocery store. If I didn't have a local dollar store in the area then I would prefer to go to the closest Super Walmart Store. They will have a craft area and grocery area which are less expensive then the other local grocery stores. If your budget is tight this is an excellent gift. All the items I bought cost less then $12.00. The price could be different depending on what type of fruit(s) you are using. I used just strawberries. Some other suggestions would be add grapes(4-5 to a skewer), pineapple chunks(4-5 to skewer), chunks of watermelon, chunks of cantaloupe or honeydew melon. You can even dip some of the fruit in chocolate. You can use your imagination, be creative.

Edible Strawberry Arrangement


Ingredients / Supplies:

1 spool of ribbon(your choice of color, I used wired ribbon)
1 5 inch flower pot (or size of your choice and type)
1 4 inch floral styrofoam circle (or your choice of size and type of styrofoam)
1 8 bamboo skewers (or a package in case of errors)
1 bunch of artificial flowers( your choice, I used a small white)
1-2 bunches of artificial leaves(your choice, I used Ivy leaves)
8 fresh strawberries (or a package for size variation)

Ingredients/Supplies

Arranging leaves

First I place the styrofoam inside the flower pot. Then I start arranging the leaves in the foam( I cut them off the wire stems and push them in the foam), I place some low next to rim of pot to hide the foam. Then I place some sitting higher(when I cut them I leave a longer stem).  Next you can arrange the flowers in between the leaves. Then you cut the skewers(some taller than others) and push the pointed end through the strawberry(stem side and not all the way through).

Arranging Strawberries on skewers

 Now you can arrange them in between the flower arrangement. Fill in any empty or open spots with just some leaves(even if they just sit inside between the skewers). Then I take some ribbon (enough to wrap around and make a bough)wrap around the rim of the pot and make a bow. I bend the wire in ribbon to make a ripple look on the bow. If the bow starts to slip of the rim use a little scotch tape and place it under the ribbon in a couple of areas. This should hold it up or you can use hot glue if you prefer. Look at your arrangement and make any adjustments needed. I believe you will enjoy this, not to mention it's great to get the kids involved to make this a project. This makes 1 arrangement .



Remember have fun and make it yours.

And that's the "DISH" for today!

Potato Gnocchi

Potato Gnocchi

I am a typical Italian. I love pasta! I have to limit myself from cooking it too often. You know they say too much of a good thing isn't good for us (joking!). I say if it tastes good and makes you feel good, then go for it. So, lately I have been wanting to make a pasta dish. I thought to myself, ravioli or gnocchi sounds real good. I remember my mom making potato gnocchi and ricotta gnocchi. I had both ingredients on hand but I decided to make the potato gnocchi. I know you see most recipes make potato gnocchi with fresh potatoes but if you follow me you know I'm about what's on hand, what's in the cupboard and what's convenient. Today was about convenience. I used instant mashed potatoes for this recipe and you know what? It was great!
I love the way the gnocchi has a doughy soft texture. Your mouth starts to water as you watch the gnocchi dredged in sauce move towards your mouth to tantalize your taste buds. As you pull the fork away from your mouth, your eyes are shut and your mouth mutters Mm slowly. Savoring the flavor until the next gnocchi arrives. How else could I explain this but by sharing how I felt while eating them (laughing).
 I just made a regular pasta sauce no meat to cover my gnocchi. Some suggestions would be to use  pesto with Parmesan, Alfredo sauce (white sauce) or just drizzle olive oil and Parmesan over the top. You could serve this as a side dish or a meal. You can adjust the seasoning in the gnocchi dough as well, to your liking.  Be creative and "GODERE"( Enjoy in Italian).

Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups instant mashed potato
3 eggs
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cups flour (some additional for rolling and storing)

In a large bowl (or counter top mixer) place instant mashed potatoes, nutmeg, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cheese. Next add warm milk and mix well. Then add eggs and mix, then add the flour slowly.  After the flour is mixed well, if the dough seems to sticky to to handle you can add additional flour if needed. The dough will be slightly sticky though. Remove dough and place on floured work area. You can knead the dough slightly adding that additional flour till firm. Then I form a the dough into a ball and cut it into quarters.

Dough rolled into rope
Cut then rolled on fork

Roll each quarter of dough, like the form of a rope about 1/2 inch wide. The length will vary. They will seem to be quite long once you start rolling them. Don't worry you will use every bit, for your servings. Once you have them rolled out, next cut pieces by 1/2 inch size down the whole rope.  Keeping them on flour as you cut them (that way they don't start sticking together).

Dough cut into quarters
(This gives you an idea of the texture)

Rolling dough on grater

 Next take the piece of dough and roll it down the side of a cheese grater or a fork to make indention in the gnocchi (the indention holds the sauce on the gnocchi). Once you are done forming the gnocchi you can refrigerate them. Just make sure you place flour on the bottom of the container or pan you are using and in between each layer of gnocchi so they don't stick. I used mine right away. I also refrigerated some and cooked them later in the evening.

Strainer to place dough
in and take out of pan

To cook, place a large sauce pan filled with water on high to boil.  Once water is boiling you can add the gnocchi (I place the gnocchi in a hand strainer to shake off excess flour then I drop in water) and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes(the gnocchi will float to the top when done). Drain the gnocchi and plate.
This recipes serves 4.

You can plate this on your favorite pasta platter or individually plate the servings. You can top with your favorite sauce and cheese. Garnish with some fresh basil or olives.


Remember have fun and make it yours.

Potato Gnocchi
(Close up)

And that's the "DISH" for today!

Low Sugar Blueberry Muffins

Low Sugar Blueberry Muffin
(Standard size close up)

Recently I have been trying recipes using Chick Pea Flour( also called Cici Flour or Garbanzo Bean Flour and other names as well). This flour has a distinctive taste. It has a nutty flavor. After it's baked, the looks and texture reminds me of corn meal but that's just my opinion. So I put together this recipe that is fairly easy and I think you  will enjoy it. As pretty much all my recipes, you can substitute some ingredients and make it your own. I make this recipe with Stevia zero calorie sweetener which makes this recipe very low in sugar. Using the chick pea flour also gives you more vitamins than the all purpose flour. Though I find the calories between the two flours are not that big of a difference.
This is a great muffin for breakfast, luncheon, tea and or a snack.
Some suggestions for you, use your favorite fruit in place of the blueberries, add nuts and top with a glaze or a dust of powdered sugar. Serve with tea or coffee.

Mother's Day is coming up and this is a great addition to your menu!

Low Sugar Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups chick pea flour (garbanzo bean flour , I used Red Mill)
5 tsp  baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups frozen blueberries
6 oz. nonfat Greek yogurt (I used Fage, 1 individual container is 6 oz)
2 eggs
3/4 cup Stevia Sugar(natural zero calorie granulated sweetener)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl (or counter top mixer)mix together eggs, yogurt, oil, sugar, salt and almond extract. Then add flour, baking powder and mix well. Next add the blueberries and fold in with large spoon by hand ( Just a note:I do this by hand so the batter doesn't grab too much of the blueberry coloring and if there is some ice build up around my blueberries I place them in a strainer and rinse them first. Then I pat them dry so again the batter doesn't grab all that color after you combine them.). The batter should be a thick consistency.
Take a standard cupcake tray and line it with 11-12 cupcake liners. Now with a standard ice cream scoop or tablespoon, fill the liners to the top(I filled mine to the top, at times it looked a little over too, but that's alright.). Filling mine to the top I was able to get 11 standard muffins. For smaller muffins use a mini cupcake or muffin pan.
Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 15-16 minutes until done.

 Low Sugar Blueberry Muffins
(Displayed stacked on a cake plate)

For plating you can place them on a cake stand, on your favorite platter or individually plate them. You can dust them with powdered sugar or while they are warm place a drizzle of icing over them for a glaze. Be creative and  use your imagination.


Remember, have fun and make it yours.



And that's the "DISH" for today!

Asian Chicken Rice Plate (Bowl)

Today I have a easy chicken and rice dish recipe for you. I am sure we have all seen the restaurants (and
some of the fast food chains) that serve teriyaki chicken bowls. I know in our town we have them and that's what made me think of making this recipe for dinner last night. This recipe doesn't take too long to make about 40 minutes. Though I did cheat a little and used a rice steamer, it saved me time. You can make your rice on the stove top, it's up too you. The reason this recipe is called Asian Chicken is due to the fact I use a fat free Asian salad dressing for the sauce. There are different variations for this dish as well. You can substitute the vegetables for a favorite of your own, add water chestnuts, use beef or pork strips
instead of chicken, use teriyaki sauce or your favorite sauce to put over chicken. You just have to use
your imagination and enjoy. This recipe serves 2.

Asian Chicken Rice Plate (Bowl)

Ingredients:

6 chicken tender strips (boneless skinless, fresh or frozen)
2 cups asparagus (cleaned and cut, fresh or frozen)
2 cups broccoli cauliflower mix (I used frozen)
3/4 cup sliced yellow onion ( then cut into quarters)
3-4 tbsp oil
1 cup fat free Asian salad dressing ( I used Sunny Select)
3 cups cooked white rice
2 tsp garlic salt (I use the one with parsley in it)

In a large fry pan place oil and turn on medium heat. When the oil is hot add the chicken. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the garlic salt over the chicken. Cook the chicken till slightly brown on both sides(it will continue to cook when the vegetables are added also). Next add all the vegetables on top of the chicken, sprinkle 1 tsp garlic salt over the vegetables cover the pan and cook on high for about 7-10 minutes. Then stir the vegetables around and cook for another 5 minutes. When vegetables are cooked remove them from the pan and place them in a bowl and set aside. In the frying pan add the Asian dressing to the chicken and cook on low for 1-2 minutes so the chicken can get coated in the dressing. Then remove chicken to cutting board and cut into pieces.
For plating I used a plate for a larger serving but you can serve this in a bowl. I first place the 1 1/2 cups of rice on the plate and spread it out just a little. Next I place 1 cup of vegetables over the rice and then 1 cup of chicken over the vegetables. For extra flavor I drizzle some more Asian dressing over the chicken.
For garnish you can serve it with a cup of Asian dressing on the side and with some chow mein noodles or some fried wontons. You could even try serving it with soup. These are just some suggestions.

Just a fun note, I do not serve bread with this dish myself. When I served it to my husband (who happens to love bread and potatoes) he said "Where's the bread?" I kind of laughed and said "You don't get bread with this." Then he grabbed a lemon cupcake(which I had made earlier) from the counter and said "Now I have to have this!"with a smile on his face. What an excuse to get dessert, huh!

Remember have fun and make it yours.


And that's the "Dish" for today!

Polenta Appetizer with Seasoned Ground Beef

Earlier this morning I was thinking of making a new dish like always. Lately polenta has been on my mind. I started to look through my cupboards and found, instant masa harina. I  didn't have any regular corn meal  so  I thought I would try to make it anyway. I have a basic recipe that you can adjust to make it your own. I added some crushed red pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and Parmesan shredded cheese. This masa is what the tamales are made out of and to me its creamier and is lighter in color. The corn meal is more coarse and yellow.. After I added my seasoning it looked like a very pale sage green. It really wasn't even as dark as I thought, after it cooled.
 I served this like an appetizer or you could plate it as a meal. After I sliced it, I heated it up and placed it on top of a bed of lettuce.Then I topped it with my seasoned ground beef and sprinkle of shredded cheese. Some serving suggestions are place a dollop of sour cream on top or on the side and side of salsa. Instead of ground beef over the top some suggestions would be, sauteed mushrooms & onions, seasoned shredded chicken or pork, Italian sausage sliced with bell peppers and onions, sun dried roasted tomatoes.
The list goes on.
You just have to experiment with it and make it yours.

Polenta Appetizer with Seasoned Ground Beef

Ingredients:

6 cups water
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups instant masa harina (or corn meal)
4 tsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 crushed red peppers flakes
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil

Place water in large saucepan. Then add butter, salt, garlic powder, red pepper, and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil then gradually add the masa harina (corn meal) whisking constantly. Then place on low to cook until masa thickens. Stir often, it could take about 5-10 minutes depending on what masa your using. When cooked turn off the heat and add cheese and a dash of olive oil and stir. Let sit to cool. After it has cooled down I place 3 scoops of the masa in the middle of a piece of saran wrap. Then I wrap it and twist the ends in a circular motion to tighten the wrap. That forms the chub like setting. This recipe will make about three chubs. Then refrigerate for 1 hour till the masa is firm.

For Serving I have made some suggestions above. For a dinner plate I would plate it like the appetizer but place more of the ingredients on the dish. Using 6 -8 slices of the polenta over the lettuce. On the appetizer I used 3 slices of the polenta(the slices were around 2 inches). You can make more than one meal out of this recipe. Place polenta in a pie dish or layer it in a casserole dish like lasagna. There are just so many ideas. As long as you keep this in the refrigerator it should last at least 3 days.

Remember have fun and make it yours.


And that's the "DISH" for today!