Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Breast

• 4 medium chicken breasts with skin and bone in
• 3 medium sized lemons
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 tbs olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Debone the chicken breast but leave the skin on. Wash and dry. Rub the breasts with one table spoon of olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 400. Place iron skillet on stove and heat to med to high heat. Add tbs olive oil and drizzle the chicken with the juice of two lemons. Place chicken breast skin side down and cook until just browned (3 to 4 min). Turn chicken and brown for 2 min. Drizzle chicken with juice from the last lemon and place the lemons halfs in the pan. Finish in the oven (15 to 20 mins). Let chicken rest in pan for 5 min.

Sage Green Beans

Adapted from “Epicurious” November 2010

• 2 lbs green beans, trimmed
• 1 tbs olive oil
• ½ cup chopped fresh sage
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup toasted Almonds, chopped

Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add oil and cook sage until it begins to blacken (approx. 3 min). Add garlic and cook until golden (approx. 2 min). Add beans and salt: toss to coat. Carefully add 1 cup water. Steam until beans are fork-tender and most of the water has evaporated (4 to 5 min). Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle Almonds and serve.

To toast Almonds:

Place almonds in a small skillet over med heat and toast for 2 min.

Spanikopita

I thought I had posted this before, but it seems as if it is one I have forgotten.

Spankopita

1 package of Puff Pastry dough thawed and cut in to 2x2 squares. (makes about 22, if you like larger it works)
1 10oz package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
1 4oz container of Feta Cheese crumbled
1 egg
1 tbs chopped parsley
1 tbs chopped basil
2 cloves garlic
1 whole yellow onion
1 tbs olive oil
2 oz of Romano or Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Dice onion and mince garlic. In a small skillet heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic together until golden brown. Allow to cool. In a bowl mix spinach, feta, parsley, basil, and Romano/Parmesan cheese. Add in onion and garlic mixture. Mix well. Beat egg and toss with spinach filling. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss.

Place a small spoon full of the mixture in each pastry square. Fold and pinch sides together making small spinach filled pockets until all dough is used.

Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 25 min or until golden brown.

Spicy Pork Stir fry

• 1 pork tenderloin sliced into bite size strips (roughly about 2 lbs)
• 1 tbs cornstarch
  
• 1 green pepper
• 1 tbs minced fresh ginger (or more to taste)
• 2 tbs sesame oil
• 2 tangerines cut into small slices and seeds removed
• 3 heads of bok choy clean and cut into bite sized pieces
• 7 or 8 small mushrooms cut into quarters
• 1/4 tsp Chinese five spice
• 1/4 cup sweet Asian Chili sauce
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• salt & pepper to taste

Toss pork with salt and pepper and cornstarch. In a large skillet place 1 tbs of sesame oil and the ginger and set on med heat. Add in pork and brown until almost completely cooked through (approx. 4 min). Add green pepper and tangerines and cook for another 4 min. Mix soy sauce, chili sauce and Chinese five spice then add to pork and simmer until sauce has thickened, approx. 5 min. Toss in Bok Choy and mushroom and toss. Cook until Bok Choy is wilted about 4 min. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Homemade Poptarts

Pie Crust

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (you may also use Smart Balance or Margarine)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  
• 6 to 8 Tbsp ice water

In a food processor: combine dry ingredients and pulse to mix. Add in butter in small cubes and pulse until the dough is a curd consistency. Add in water a little at a time until the dough forms.

By hand: mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Using a fork or your hands mix in butter until its a curd consistency. Add in water a little at a time until the dough forms.

Chill in the fridge for 10 mins.

Roll out to 1/8 inch thick sheet and cut into even rectangles. You may cut shapes into one side if you like.

Spread Pumpkin Butter, Apple Butter, or Jam onto the middle of one side of the pie rectangle. Place the other pie sheet on top and seal by pressing the sides with a fork. Bake in oven @ 350 for 20 min.

if adding sprinkles (like in the photo above) wipe tarts with an egg wash and then sprinkle.

Pumpkin Waffles

You can use either fresh baked pumpkin or pumpkin in a can. I like short cuts as well :)
Ingredients:

• • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs/ or 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 1 cup whole milk/ can sub soy or skim
  • 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin/ or fresh if you are feeling frisky
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm
• **if you want to use pumpkin spice omit cloves nutmeg and cinnamon and add 1 tbs pumpkin spice****
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly oil the waffle iron with vegetable oil.

2. Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Make sure there aren't any clumps.

3. Separate eggs: yolks go in a medium sized bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl. if using egg substitute omit this step.

4. Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk to blend and set aside.

5. Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form – about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Set aside.

6. Pour melted butter into the yolk/milk/pumpkin mixture. As you pour, whisk to combine.

7. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix them together until just combined. A little lumpiness is fine.

8. Slide the whipped egg whites out of the bowl and onto the mixture you just prepared. Gently fold them in until no white bits are obvious. (if not omitted)

9. Once the waffle iron is heated, you’re ready to pour the batter!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Roll Dough:
1/4 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm milk
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned
1 tbs melted butter
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Filling:
1 stick butter
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
walnuts or pecans (opitional)

cream cheese frosting:
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 stick of butter (or smart balance 1/4 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Directions - Bread Maker

Add dough ingredients in this order:
1/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup warm milk
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned
1 tbs melted butter
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 package active dry yeast

close and set on dough setting. Let dough rise in bread maker for 1 hr (NO MORE)
Roll out dough and spread on filling.
cut with pizza cutter or knife into strips and roll into pinwheels. Place on greased cookie sheet and back at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until the tops are browned.
Cover with frosting and enjoy.