Banana-Chocolate Chip Cake

Ever go to the store and load up on more produce than you know what to do with? Of course the intent is to mark the start of your picture perfect health...however at the end of the week you are left with a ton of overly ripe fruit and vegetables? Yeah, I know, never happened to me either! Well as they say, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or in this case, when your good intentions turn into overripe bananas, make banana-chocolate chip cake.

This cake is great served with almost anything. It's not too sweet, with just enough salt. Great after spicy food or even a light fish dish. Although, it doesn't have to be just for dinner. When you are looking for that sweet treat to accompany your steaming cup of coffee, go for it, I mean...it is from that huge produce shop you did!
From my table to yours...

Banana-Chocolate Chip Cake
Ingredients:

• 2 C sugar
• 1 C butter, room temp
• 4 large eggs
• 2 C mashed bananas (well-ripened of course)
• 2 1/1 C self-rising flour
• 2 C (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Butter and flour bundt pan (tap out excess flour)
• Beat the sugar and butter together in a large bowl until well mixed.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Reduce speed to low and beat in the bananas.
• Gradually add and beat the dry ingredients, until just blended.
• Mix in the chocolate chips.
• Spread evenly in pan
• Bake about an hour - until brown and starts to pull away from the edges of the pan.
• Place on wire rack for 10-15 min
• Flip onto the rack and cool completely

The aroma coming from your house will make every neighbor wish they were your guest!

Pure Pesto

Something about the smell of basil makes me smile. A simple leaf, with a heavenly aroma, just sparks the creative juices. I can quickly imagine all the dishes that could be created. Mmmmm, basil.

The most basic recipe, that really highlights the essence of this fantastic herb, is pesto. It's simple, pure and perfect. Of course if the olive oil is a diet deal breaker, feel free to cut it to half, add vegetable stock and lemon juice. Little zestier, but still fab.

From my table to yours, happy blending!

Pesto
Ingredients:

• 2 C fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 C pine nuts
• 3 medium sized garlic gloves, minced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

• Combine the basil and pine nuts in your food processor, pulse a few times
• Add garlic, pulse a few times more
• Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on.
• Add grated cheese, pulse.
• Add a pinch of salt and pepper

Makes 1 cup. Pesto does freeze well, but freeze without adding the cheese.

Your Pesto is ready for consumption. Toss with fresh pasta or spread over toasted baguette slices. Pour a nice glass of Italian table wine and let the senses go wild. So few ingredients, but what a perfect blend.

Chipotle Shrimp Wontons

Looking for a new appetizer to spice up your Super Bowl spread? Something that is bite sized, fresh, unique and do-ahead? Well, my friends, you've come to the right place. Years ago, I purchased the Colorado Collage cookbook. It is probably one of the ugliest looking cookbooks on the market...but man do they have good recipes. As they say, you can't judge a book by its cover... How bad was that? I couldn't help myself...

Chipotle Shrimp Wontons

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1-16 ounce package wonton skins
• 1/2 pound cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper roasted, peeled and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper roasted, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, drained and finely chopped
• 8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brush mini-muffin cups with olive oil.
• Press 1 wonton skin into each cup and bake 10 minutes (until tops are golden brown). Remove from oven and cool slightly.
• In large bowl, combine shrimp roasted bell peppers, cilantro, chipotle pepper and cheese.
• Remove coooled skins from muffin pan and place on baking sheet.
• Fill each skin with reserved shrimp mixture and back 7-10 minor until cheese is melted.

Place on large platter and watch these little cups of heaven disappear. To add color to the platter, sprinkle with cilantro sprigs.

Go Saints,

Queen Cuisine

Broiled, breaded, lemoned Shrimp or Scallops

I have this great memory of these amazing white scampi dishes coming out of the oven sizzling, bubbling and smelling of heaven. I don't really have the exact recipe, but to commemorate the golden globes I made homemade Caesar Salad and broiled scallops ...my mouth was experiencing the senses of garlic, lemon, bread, butter, shellfish ...need i say more?

Scallops

Ingredients:

• 24 medium raw scallops (or shrimp)
• 4 T butter (softened)
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/2 C bread crumbs
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 3 gloves garlic, pressed
• 3 T chopped parsley
• 2 T capers
• 1/4 c white wine
• 1/4 c vegetable broth
• S&P
• Sprinkle of paprika

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400
• Mix all of the above in medium bowl
• Separate into 4 scampi dishes (broil proof)
• Sprinkle with paprika
• Bake for 10 min
• Broil for 10 min
• Serve!

Appetizer Dinner

Growing up, we enjoyed the 'appetizer' dinner. Different appetizer food was enjoyed at the island on Friday nights with my Dad and Pam and typically Sunday nights around the coffee table with my Mom and Bryson. Regardless of the food ...or the family... it was always more fun than dinner plated and was the perfect setting for healthy conversation with the family. Of course, now that I do my own appetizer dinners, I realize it's also a great way to clean out the refrigerator and use leftovers! So get the kids involved. Let them have a say in what foods are placed on your lazy susan. Maybe it's even a good activity for them to create their own appetizer plate to add to the mix. No matter what you serve, the arrangement of finger foods, toothpicks, crackers, platters, lazy susan, ramekins and cocktail napkins make for real friend and family fun. So get creative and make it your own. Here are some ideas to get your first appetizer dinner started...

• Have leftover pizza? Cut into bite-sized square pieces and broil leftover ...use toothpicks to eat


• How about leftover steak? Cut into bite-sized squares, make some horseradish sauce and use toothpicks to eat


• Leftover chicken? Cut into strips and serve with BBQ sauce for dippn'


• Steam an Artichoke and melt some butter


• Shrimp cocktail


• Yummy cheeses and crackers


• Using a melon baller, serve small bowls of cantaloupe and honeydew


• Carrots and sliced red peppers served with ranch (great way to get the kids to eat veggies)


• Pepperoni and olives


• Bread sticks

So gather your favorites, place on many different platters, take off your shoes, sit around the coffee table and enjoy your family.

Happy Sunday Eating!

Artichoke Parmesan Stuffing, Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeno Cream

Nothing like posting the perfect Christmas Menu ... on Christmas Eve day! Well, these days it's better late then never. I had the distinct culinary pleasure of enjoying these side dishes on Thanksgiving...thanks to good, new friends Terri and Michael (and Sunset Magazine). Let's just say these updated side dishes really woke up the traditional Thanksgiving buffet and the leftovers were fantastic.

From my table to yours...

Menu:

• Turkey
• Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing (recipe below)
• Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeno Cream (recipe below)
• Chilled Green Bean Salad with Feta and Dill
• Need more carbs? Add smashed potatoes with apples and brie

Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing (serves 10)
Ingredients:

• 1# mushrooms, rinsed , ends trimmed and sliced
• 1t butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1C chopped celery
• 2t minced garlic
• 2C chicken broth
• 1 loaf sourdough bread cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cans quartered artichoke hearts drained and chopped (24 oz)
• 1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 t poultry seasoning
• 1 1/2 T minced fresh rosemary leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• In a frying pan over high heat, cook mushrooms butter, onions, celery and garlic.
• Cook about 15 min, until vegetables are lightly browned.
• Pour into a large bowl.
• Add a bit of the broth to the pan and stir to scrape up browned bits. Add bits to bowl.
• Pour 2 C broth into bowl and add bread, artichoke hearts, parmesan, poultry seasoning and Rosemary. Mix well.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Make a well in stuffing.
• Add egg and beat with a fork to blend; mix egg with stuffing.
• Spoon stuffing into shallow casserole.
• Bake until hot and lightly browned about 50 min.

Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeno Cream (serves 8)
Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash (about 3#)
• 2 C milk
• 3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 2T butter
• 3T flour
• 1t salt
• 1C shredded jack cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Cut squash in half legnthwise and use a spoon or melon-baller to remove seeds surrounding fiber.
• Put squash, cut side down on a lightly buttered baking sheet and back until tender (30-40 min)
• In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, warm milk and jalepeno until bubbles are along the edge of the pan
• Remove mixture from heat and let sit 15 min
• Strain and discard jalapenos
• When squash is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scrape the strands out of the skin and into a large bowl.
• In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat, melt 2 T butter.
• Whisk in flour and salt and cook, whisking until flour smells like a pie crust (about 3 min)
• Slowly pour the jalapeno infused milk while whisking.
  Reduce heat to medium and continue whisking until mixture thickens slightly (about 3 min)
• Pour mixture over squash and stir to combine
• Transfer mixture to buttered baking dish and sprinkle with jack cheese.
• Bake until bubbling and brown on top (about 30 min)

Grilled Portobellos Filled with Wild Rice-Almond Pilaf and Piquillo Pepper Vinaigrette

Tons of snow outside, back in bed with my third cup of coffee and inspiration from Mr. Bobby Flay is in full play. For those you you who are being asked to bring a side dish or if you are looking to freshen up your Thanksgiving menu, this is a creativity, taste, visual winner. Also, who doesn't want to give the guys a job on the BBQ? Of course make sure grilling duties hit at half-time and after Madden has shared his 6-legged turkey!

Grilled Portobellos Filled with Wild Rice-Almond Pilaf and Piquillo Pepper Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 8 medium-sized portobello caps
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Wild rice pilaf (recipe follows)
• Piquillo Pepper Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  

Directions

• Heat grill to high.
• Brush both sides of mushrooms with oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill caps until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Fill the caps with the wild rice pilaf, drizzle the piquillo vinaigrette and sprinkle tops with the toasted almonds.
  

Wild Rice Pilaf:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups wild rice
• 3 cups chicken stock, plus 1/2 cup
• 2 cups water
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  

Instructions:

• Place wild rice in a colander and rinse well with cold water.
• Combine 3 cups of the stock and the water in a large saucepan with a tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil.
• Add the rice and cook until the grains open and are very soft, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain well.
• Heat oil in a large saute pan over high heat.
• Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the wine and cook until reduced by half.
• Add the cooked wild rice, thyme, rosemary and remaining 1/2 cup of stock and season with salt and pepper and cook until heated through and flavors combine, 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and fold in the parsley.
  

Piquillo Pepper Vinaigrette:

Ingredients:

• 5 piquillo peppers, chopped (these are really just jarred, roasted red peppers in olive oil
• 1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
• 8 cloves roasted garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup canola oil (you can use less)

Instructions:

• Combine peppers, onion, garlic, vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.
• With the motor running, slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified.