Avocado Dressing

Refreshing and Delicious...

2 Ripe Avocados
1 Small Onion (quartered)
2 Garlic Cloves (peeled)
Salt/Pepper
3 Tablespoons Franks Red Hot (or to taste)
Sour Cream (1 small 8 oz. container)
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit
Scoop the avocado inside out into a blender
Add onion and garlic
Season with salt and pepper
Add Franks Red Hot, sour cream and vegetable oil
Blend till smooth

***Serve as a salad dressing or a a dip

Oven Cooked Roast

Very Delicious...

3 lb. Roast
5 Cloves Garlic (peeled)
1 Medium Onion (sliced)
3 Cups Baby Carrots (halved)
4 Stalks of Celery (sliced)
1 Red Bell Pepper (sliced)
12 Small Red Bliss Potatoes (quartered)
Garlic Powder
Pepper
1 Beef Bullion Cube (dissolved in 1 1/2 cups of hot water)
4 Tablespoons of Butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Make 5 small slits in the various places of the roast and place a clove
of garlic in each slit
Season roast with pepper and set aside
In an oven proof baking dish add potatoes and vegetables
Season with garlic powder and pepper
Toss to coat
Pour beef broth over potatoes and vegetables and toss again
Place roast in the center of dish fat side up
Arrange potatoes and vegetables around roast
***Cook in oven till desired doneness
Remove roast from dish and allow to rest for 5-8 minutes
Add butter to vegetables put back in oven cook for additional 10 minutes

***20 minutes per pound
Rare = Internal Temperature 130 degrees
Medium = Internal Temperature 140 degrees
Well Done = Internal Temperature 160 degrees

Stuffed Eggplant

Something A Little Different...

1 Large Eggplant
Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion (diced)
4 Tomatoes (chopped)
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Salt/Pepper
1 Cup Part Skim Ricotta
1 Cup Mozzarella
1 Egg
Basil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Slice Eggplant lengthwise
Hollow out the eggplant leaving a 1 inch boarder around the skin
Reserve the inside of the eggplant
Over medium heat coat the bottom of a pan with olive oil
Add onions and cook till soft about 4-5 minutes
Add eggplant and season with salt and pepper
Cook eggplant for 5 minutes
Add tomatoes and re-season with salt and pepper
Add Balsamic Vinegar and cook till eggplant is tender
Meanwhile in a bowl combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese,
salt, pepper, basil and egg
Allow eggplant mixture to cool before incorporating into ricotta mixture
Spray a baking dish with Pam Spray and place eggplant halves on dish
Stir all ingredients together and evenly place mixture inside of each half of eggplant
Top with bread crumb
Bake for 30-40 minutes
Let cool for 5 minutes
Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and serve warm

Prosciutto String Bean Bundles

Perfect Side Dish...

String Beans (cleaned with stem removed)
Prosciutto (sliced thin)
Salt/ Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil
Once boiling add salt and string  beans return to a boil
Cook for 8 minutes
Remove from water and rinse under cold water for 3-4 minutes
Pat string beans dry
Take four string beans and wrap with a slice of prosciutto
Place bundle on serving dish
Continue until all string beans are wrapped with prosciutto
Lightly drizzle all bundles with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a few grinds of pepper

***This dish can be made ahead of time.  The bundles can be placed in the refrigerator without the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and pepper - do this step right before serving.

Homemade Bread Crumbs

Delicious in So Many Dishes...

Stale Bread (example...Italian Bread, Rolls, Semolina Bread, Seasoned or Flavored Bread)
Salt/Pepper
Dried Basil
Dried Parsley

Break bread into small pieces
Place into the blender or food processor
***Grind to desired consistency (not too powdery)
Remove crumbs and place in air tight container
Season with salt, pepper, basil and parsley
Cover and place in a cool dry place until ready to use

***If a recipe calls for powdery bread crumbs then re-process the amount needed for the recipe not the whole batch.  Powdery bread crumbs tend to melt away while cooking.

Chicken Cutlets

Much Easier and Healthier...

Boneless / Skinless Chicken Cutlets 

1 Zip Lock Bag 

2 Cups Bread Crumbs (seasoned or unseasoned)

Olive Oil 

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees 

Place chicken cutlets in Zip Lock Bag 

Add Bread Crumbs

Seal zip top and shake till chicken is covered with bread crumbs 

Remove Chicken from bag and place in oven proof dish 

Drizzle with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) and bake for

15 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink inside

Lentil Soup

So Heart Warming...

5 Slices of Bacon
1 Medium Onion (chopped)
3 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
4 Carrots (peeled and chopped)
4 Stalks of Celery (washed and chopped)
1 Bag Lentils (picked over and rinsed)
1 Large Can Diced Tomatoes
1 32 oz. Can of Low Sodium Chicken Broth
Salt/Pepper

In a large pot cook bacon until crisp
Remove bacon and crumble, set aside
Drain off 1/2 of bacon grease and add onion and garlic
Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes
Add in carrots and celery season with salt/pepper
Cook for about 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are softened (stirring frequently)
Add lentils and stir
Add tomatoes and chicken broth
Re-season with salt/pepper
Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer till lentils are tender about 1 to 1 1/2 hours
Serve warm with a sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese

***Lentils tend to absorb liquid - more chicken broth or water may be added to maintain soup consistency during the simmering stage