Spicy Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions

Ingredients:

• 6 Spicy Italian Sausage Links --Cut into thirds
• 1 medium onion --cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 1 medium red bell pepper --cut into strips
• 1 medium green or yellow pepper--cut into strips
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine (...if you love it, use more! I use $2 Charles Shaw from TJs...)
• Chili Powder--to taste!
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Combine olive oil, minced garlic, white wine and sausage pieces in a large pan and cook until sausages are done. (Approx 10-12 mins)
2. Add onions and peppers to the mix and cook until vegetables are limp. Add chili powder, salt & pepper to taste.

Eat by itself, on a french roll from the bakery or over pasta with marinara sauce! Yum yum! It makes great leftovers as well.

Easy Tex-Mex Chicken Posole

...Perfect for dinner on a rainy evening...absolutely tasty & FAST!! :)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I add more because I like it SPICY!)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 medium onion--finely chopped
• 3 stalks of celery--finely chopped
• 2 (14.5) oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 small can green chilies
• 3 (14 oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (I didn't use all of the 3rd can)
• 1 (15 oz) can white hominy, rinsed and drained
• 2.5 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
• Fresh cilantro to taste
• Salt & Pepper to taste (I added some garlic salt too)
• Avocado and lime wedges for garnish.

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oregano and next 4 ingredients (through onion and celery)--Saute for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in tomatoes and green chilies--cook for 1 minute.
3. Add broth and hominy--cover and bring to boil.
4. Uncover and cook for 8 minutes.
5. Stir in chicken and fresh cilantro--cook for 1 minute.
6. Stir in lime juice, salt and pepper--cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

Top with avocado and garnish with a fresh lime wedge! Serve with a corn tortilla quesadilla! <3 <3

**Freeze leftovers and bring them to work for lunch!

Jill's PHENOMENAL Rum Cake

...One of our patients is famous for her delicious rum cake recipe. Every time that she brings it in to our office, it is gone before the day is over! Enjoy! :)

**Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients: 

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (small package)
• 1/2 cup rum (light)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs

Sift the first 2 mixes together. Add remaining ingredients and beat for 4 minutes. Grease bundt pan with 1 tablespoon of hard butter. Pour ingredients into bundt pan, bake for 45 minutes.

Glaze: 

• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup rum
• 1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients together. After cake is removed from oven, poke holes throughout the cake to the bottom of the pan. Pour the glaze on the cake, allowing it to go down the sides of the pan. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, remove from pan.

...Serve with fresh raspberries or strawberries on top! <3 <3

Balsamic Grilled Chicken Salad: Inspired by Sammy's Pizza.

...Do you LOVE the Balsamic Grilled Chicken Salad from Sammy's Woodfired Pizza but dread paying $12 for such a simple creation? ....Well, today is your lucky day because here is the secret! :)

The secret lies within the dressing!

Balsamic Basil Dressing: 

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups canola oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped Basil 

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender and this recipe will make 3 cups of the famous dressing!

The Salad

• 10 ounces mixed field lettuce (or any other type of lettuce...)
• 3/4 cup gorgonzola (I always substitute Feta because I am not a huge gorgonzola fan!)
• 3/4 cup walnuts (...toasted if you have time!)
• 1/4 cup basil, chopped
• 1 full chicken breast, grilled (Or if you're a college student and do not have access to a grill: Combine a cubed  chicken breast, sprinkle of garlic salt and a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on the stove and cook thoroughly! ...It will still taste delish!) 

Enjoy!! <3

Chicken Parmigiana with Panko Crumbs & Easy Tomato Sauce!

 

Ingredients:

nocoupons

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup canola oil
• Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
• 1 package sliced Mozzarella (1 slice per chicken breast or you can buy shredded Mozzarella and sprinkle over the top, whatever you prefer!)
• Garlic salt
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Fresh basil or parsley leaves, for garnish --optional!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

3. (Use 3 separate containers for flour, egg & Panko crumbs) Cover each breast in the flour and tap off excess, then dip in the egg and let excess drip off, then cover both sides in the Panko crumbs.

4. Divide the oil between 2 large saute pans (or cook 2 chicken breasts at a time in 1 pan so that you have less dishes!) and heat over high heat until almost smoking.

5. Add 2 chicken breasts to the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
6. Transfer to a baking sheet and top each breast with some tomato sauce, a slice of the mozzarella, garlic salt, and a tablespoon of Parmesan.

7. Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with basil or parsley leaves.

Tomato Sauce:

nocoupons

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed with some salt to make a paste --or minced garlic in a jar!
• 2 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes--pureed in blender
• 1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (w/Italian Herbs works perfect!)
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasonings --or more, to taste.
• 2 teaspoons chili powder or chili pepper flakes --for a little kick!
• Salt and pepper to taste!

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add pureed tomatoes with their juices, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 cup water, Italian seasonings, Chili powder or flakes, and bring to a boil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.

**Serve with Spaghetti and Salad-- yum!

Orecchiette with Mushrooms, Arugula, Tomatoes, and Brie --Delicious Vegetarian Pasta dish!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups orecchiette or small pasta shells (about 1/2 pound) --Penne works too!
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
• 6 ounces portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 pound plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine --I am a little generous with the wine... ;)
• 2 bunches arugula, stems trimmed
• 1/4 pound Brie, rind trimmed, cheese cut into 1/2-inch pieces (DO NOT buy reduced fat Brie, I have made that mistake before and it doesn't melt!) 
• Salt & Pepper, to taste. 

1. Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving cup cooking liquid.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. 

3. Add tomatoes and stir until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add wine; bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tomatoes soften and release their juices, about 5 minutes. 

4. Add arugula, cheese and pasta to sauce. Toss until arugula wilts, cheese begins to melt and pasta is heated through, adding reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if mixture is dry. Season with salt and pepper.
--> If you love cheese like me, I sprinkle a small amount of freshly grated Parmesan on top as well! 

This is one of my top 5 favorite pasta recipes! Enjoy! :)

If you want to serve your sweetie breakfast in bed on V-Day...this will do the trick!

Ice Cream Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

**This is what the package looks like in the freezer section at the grocery store.

Ingredients: 

• 1 bag of 12 Rhode's Cinnamon Rolls
• 1 cup vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1 stick salted butter 

Preparation:
**Follow package instructions to allow rolls to rise. I used a 9" x 13" pan for 12 rolls and let them rise overnight on the counter.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a saucepan on the stove, combine ice cream, brown sugar and butter. Stir constantly and bring to a boil. Let boil while stirring for 1-2 minutes, until it is a nice caramel color.
3. Pour the caramel mixture over the rolls. Bake according to package directions. You may need to bake them for an additional 5-10 minutes more to allow the middle to bake thoroughly. OR NOT, if you like them slightly under-baked, like me! :)

**I don't recommend using the frosting that comes with the rolls, but it is up to you! 

Forget Cinnabon, you can make your own mouth-watering cinnamon rolls at home! <3 <3 Tastes great with a fresh fruit salad!