Cauliflower Gratin

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets
• 1/2 stick butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups hot milk
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• Sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375º. Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of salted water for 5 minutes then drain.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring constantly. Add the hot milk and stir until it comes to a boil. Add salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese, stir about 1 minute or until mixture thickens.
3. Pour half of the sauce in a baking dish then add the cauliflower. Pour remaining sauce over the califlower. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is browned. Serve and enjoy hot.

Rose Garden Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Wild Atlantic Salmon
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper together.
2. Place salmon in a baking dish then coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish and let the salmon marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Turn once after 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400º.
3. Bake salmon for 15 minutes and serve hot.

Salami Biscuits from Italy

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup salami, diced
• (Optional) 2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and cold butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.
3. Add buttermilk, salami, and Gorgonzola to the flour mixture. Stir until mixture forms a ball then turn mixture out on a floured surface. Roll dough to 1/2 inch thick.
4. Cut out biscuits by using a 1-inch diameter cookie cutter and place on baking sheets. Bake until golden which is approximately 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Veronique Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 split chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 cup small-diced celery
• 1 cup green grapes, cut in halves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, use generous amount. Roast for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool.
3. After the chicken is cool, cut the chicken into 3/4 inch dice or bite-size. In a bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise, tarragon leaves, celery, grapes, salt and pepper. Toss well and serve.

Italian Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
• 1 (14 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 (14 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
• 2 small zucchini, cubed
• 2 cups spinach, torned
• Sea salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a stockpot, saute the sausage and garlic until brown. Add broth, tomatoes, and carrots. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Add in beans, zucchini, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the zucchini is tender which is about 20 minutes. Add in spinach and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Chocolate Cluster Candy

Ingredients:

• 1 cup walnuts or almonds or pecans, coarsely chopped and toasted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 6 ounces chocolate or chocolate chip
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Toast nuts at 350º for 12 minutes. Let cool and chop coarsely with the dried cranberries then toss in a bowl. Line a baking pan with waxed paper.
2. In a small pot, melt the chocolate and add in sugar. Stir til sugar is well blended by using the lowest heat level. Pour the nuts mixture into the chocolate syrup mixture. Stir and spoon out immediately heaping tablespoon sized clusters of the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet. Set each chocolate candy cluster about 1 inch apart.
3. Put the cluster candy in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Serve the beautiful and delicious candy!

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325º.
2. In a large bowl, combine shredded coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla. In an electric mixer, whip egg whites and salt on high speed until you see foam peaks. Add the egg whites to the coconut mixture.
3. Drop batter on to baking sheet using an ice cream scoop. Bake until golden brown which is about 30 minutes.

Raisin Nuts Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In a mixture, combine yellow cake mix, sugar, and butter. Blend for 2 minutes and add in eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla extract and cream until smooth which is about 4 minutes. Sprinkle in walnuts and raisins. Put mixer on medium power and blend until walnuts are folded in.
3. Line paper cups in cupcake pan. Scope dough mixture into each cupcake pan. Fill each cupcake pan only half full as it will rise when baked. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Hearty Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 package dry Italian salad dressing mix
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 can condensed mushroom soup
• 4 ounces cream cheese with chives
• 1 pound angel hair pasta
• 1 package diced mushroom
• 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325º.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter then add in red bell pepper and mushrooms. Add in dry salad dressing mixture and stir. Add in white wine and mushroom soup. Blend for 2 minutes and mix in cream cheese. Stir until smooth. Heat through but do not let boil.
3. Arrange chicken breasts in a baking dish. Pour sauce mixture over the chicken. Bake for 1 hour.
4. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water about 5 minutes until it is al dente. Drain pasta and serve sauce over pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 ounces pancetta slices, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup chicken broth

Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook brussels sprouts about 3 minutes then drain.
2. Heat a large skillet with butter. Add pancetta and saute until crisp which is about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until golden. Add brussels sprouts and saute until it begins to brown which is about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and simmer until the broth reduces til it's just enough to cover the brussels sprouts. Serve immediately.

Ritzy Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cup Ritz cracker crumbs

Directions:

1. Slice chicken breasts into 7 slices or nugget sized pieces.
2. Pour buttermilk and chicken slices into a zip-lock bag. Leave in the refrigerator to marinade for 1 hour or up to 1 day.
3. Preheat oven to 425º.
4. Place cracker crumbs into a large bowl. Remove chicken nuggets from the bag and shake off excess buttermilk then dip them in the cracker crumbs. Coat well and place chicken nuggets on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf French or Italian bread
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 5 cloves garlic

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Slice bread in an angle and place in a baking pan. Drizzle melted butter on each bread slice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 5-10 minutes.
3. Remove bread from oven and immediately rub garlic on the toasty bread. Bon Appetit!