Baked Brie

Tis the season for cheeses and sweets!

Ingredients: 1 package crescent rolls, triangle of brie, maple syrup, walnuts

Directions: Unwrap the crescent rolls and lie flat on greased pan. Place brie triangle in the middle (I always cut the triangle in half and place them together to make a square). Drizzle desired amount of maple syrup on top of cheese. Sprinkle some walnuts on top. Wrap dough around cheese and press edges together so there are no cracks for the syrup to ooze out of. Bake according to crescent roll directions (usually at 350 for 12 minutes). Serve with sliced baguettes and watch it disappear!

Other Variations: Feel free to change up the syrup for fruit preserves (raspberry and apricot are good ones) and change up the walnuts for almonds, pine nuts, macadamia or your favorite.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Looking for something to do with those brown bananas? This is an excellent breakfast that will hold you over all day. 
Ways to make this recipe healthier: 1. Use whole wheat flour instead of bleached. 2. Add 1 tbsp. crushed flax seeds. 3. Use 1/2 the suggested amount of chocolate chips.

Ingredients: 1/4 c. vegetable oil, 1 1/2 c. flour, 1 c. sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp orange zest, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 lg eggs, 1 c. mashed bananas, 1/2 c. chocolate chips, 1/2 c. walnuts.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour loaf pan. In large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, zest, and salt. Mix in oil, eggs, and bananas. *Variation: Mix in 1-2 tbsp of peanut butter.* Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour in pan. Bake until toothpick comes out clean about 70-80 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes then cool on rack.

Top your slice with cream cheese, butter, or peanut butter!

Oatmeal Toffee Cookies

My favorite cookie recipe!!
Ingredients: 3/4 c. flour, 1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 c. packed brown sugar, 1/4 c. butter softened, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 lg egg, 1/3 c. almond toffee bits (found in the baking section with choc chips).
Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Mix sugar and butter in a separate bowl and beat together until well blended. Add vanilla and egg to sugar/butter mixture and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in toffee bits. Drop tablespoons of cookie mixture onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 11 minutes. Note: These are good chewy so cook a minute or 2 less for chewier cookies.

3 Amazing Prosciutto Appetizers

The best way to cook is being able to use the same ingredients for more than 1 recipe, and with sweet and salty as the consistent theme you can make a party platter with subtle variety that people will die for! My appetizer secrets, like my other recipes, are extremely easy to make but with creative gourmet combinations that will make a party in everyone's mouth.

Prosciutto Wrapped Nectarines
Ingredients: 2 nectarines, 8 slices of prosciutto, maple syrup
Directions: Cut each nectarine into 8 wedges and cut the 8 slices of prosciutto in half lengthwise. Wrap each nectarine wedge with a piece of prosciutto. Grill over med heat turning often, until prosciutto begins to crisp (about 4-6 minutes). Drum roll for the secret ingredient...Brush with 2 tbsp of maple syrup during the last minute of grilling.

Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Dates
Ingredients: 3/4 c. goat cheese, 1 tbsp minced shallots, 1 tbsp chopped thyme, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 24 whole pitted dates, 6 thin slices prosciutto.
Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl stirring with a fork. Slice date lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, the other side. Open dates and place 1 rounded teaspoon of cheese mixture into each date. Cut 1 prosciutto slice in half lengthwise and then crosswise to make 4 pieces. Wrap each date in prosciutto slice, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Serve immediately. Note: If I'm bringing this appetizer to someone's house, I do all the prep at home so I just need to bake it there.

Prosciutto Wrapped Apples and Cheese
This is one of my old recipes so I don't have exact quantities. I usually make as many as I can using 1 package of prosciutto.
Ingredients: granny smith apples, sharp cheddar cheese, prosciutto, maple syrup
Directions: Slice apples into wedges. Slice cheese into small rectangular chunks as wide as apple wedges. Stack the cheese on the apple wedge and squirt a dallop of maple syrup on top. (This is where it gets messy but it's all worth it!) Wrap apple/cheese/syrup amazingness in prosciutto and broil until crispy outside and gooey inside.

You get the idea! Fruit, cheese, maple syrup, prosciutto= UH-Mazing! Get creative with the combos: 
Prosciutto Wrapped Pears and Blue Cheese
Prosciutto Wrapped Apples, Cheese, and Walnuts
Prosciutto Wrapped Asaparagus (with/without a cheese of choice) 

Power Quinoa Breakfast

This is an amazing breakfast that will keep you feeling full and light all day! Feel free to mix n' match any of the nuts or fruits. This is a good recipe to try the red quinoa if you're feeling like changing it up too. Enjoy hot or cold!

Ingredients: 1 c. milk or soy milk, 1 c. quinoa, 1/4c. your favorite nuts (almond slivers, cashews, walnuts), 1/4. c of your favorite dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, apricots, raisins, pomegranates), optional: dark chocolate shavings

Directions: Bring 1 c. water and milk/soy milk to a boil. Add quinoa and simmer for 15 minutes until the liquids are absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes covered. Add nuts (I think they're better toasted first so they don't get soggy but if you're in a rush you can skip toasting them), dried fruit, and chocolate if you're feeling sweet.

Curry Quinoa

If you haven't discovered quinoa yet you are missing out on one of the healthiest grains out there. It's as easy as rice but much more chewier and nuttier. Change up the nut and fruit add-ins for a different dish each time. Great for sides, lunch all by itself, and if prepared before, it's excellent energy for camping/hiking.

Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked quinoa, 3/4 c. each of 2 of the following: dried apricots/cherries/pomegranetes/cranberries/raisins, 1/2 c. walnuts/almond slivers/cashews (toasted), 1/4 c. pumpkin seeds/pine nuts (toasted), 3 green onions sliced, 1/4 c. chopped celery, 1/4 c. fresh cilantro chopped, 1 c. fresh spinach shredded.

Directions: Rinse quinoa then boil in 2c. water, cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. This is a good time to toast the nuts on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350 for just a few minutes each side. Water will absorb and white rings will release from quinoa. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Combine cooked quinoa and remaining salad ingredients.

Dressing Ingredients: 1/3c. olive oil, 1/8 c. lemon juice, 1/8c. apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated (I love the ginger taste so I usually add an extra tbsp), pinch of cayenne, pinch of sea salt.

Directions: Whisk together and pour over quinoa mixture. Toss together and refrigerate until you're ready!

Curried Cailiflower with Capers

Tired of the same old, boring sides? You'll love this one! If you want to get a little crazy look for the purple cauliflower...anything that bright has tons of vitamins!

Ingredients: 6c. cauliflower florets (about 1 large head), 1/4c. olive oil divided, 2tsp. grated lemon rind, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. curry powder, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/3c. caperberries thinly sliced (or sliced green olives), 1/4c. chopped fresh parsley, 1/4c. capers drained (or green olives)

Directions: Preheat oven to 450. Combine cauliflower and 1 tbsp olive oil on pan, tossing to coat. Bake at 450 for 30 min or until browned, turning once. Combine remaining 3 tbsp oil, lemon rind, and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl then whisk together. Add roasted cauliflower, caperberries, parsley, and capers to bowl, toss mixture well to combine.

Nantucket Pie

I'm very hesitant to give out this recipe because for years it's been my secret weapon at holiday gatherings. An old family recipe that everyone will now know is this simple to make. Just because I didn't slave in the kitchen for hours rolling out pie crusts doesn't mean it isn't made with just as much love (if not more since it has that New England charm)! A good alternative to the usual pecan pie or pumpkin pie with half the fat!

Mix together and put in buttered pie plate the following ingredients:
 1/2c. sugar, 1/2 c. broken walnuts, 2c. cranberries
Mix together and pour over the cranberry mix the following:
1 c. flour, 1c. sugar, 1/2c. melted butter, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp almond extract
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes and a taste of Cape Cod is all yours!

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

I have a special place in my heart for Thai dishes after having the luxury of the most amazing street food for less than $1 at any time, on any corner, when I lived in Chiang Mai. The coconut dishes represent southern Thailand, which is comparable to the disparity in dishes from Southern US to say New England. While a lot of Thai dishes require rare ingredients that usually require a trip to 3 different grocery stores, this is an easy recipe with nothing that you won't use again. The typical approach to Thai cooking is gradual (adding ingredients) but quick (cook time) so have everything measured and ready to add before you start.

Also good for camping! You just need a skillet (over fire or single burner) and a pot for making the rice/quinoa/couscous/pasta.

Ingredients:
1tsp. canola oil, 1/2c. chopped onion, 1/4 tsp. red curry paste (Thai Kitchen's a good one), 1 tsp sugar, 12 oz. peeled and de-veined large shrimp (feel free to substitute tofu, chicken, or beef), 1/3c. light coconut milk, 2 tsp. fish sauce, 1/4c. chopped green onions, 1 tbsp fresh basil.

Directions:
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and curry paste to pan and saute for 1 min. Add sugar and saute for 15 seconds. Add shrimp and saute for 3 min or until done stirring frequently. Stir in coconut milk and fish sauce and cook 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated. Feel free to add more red curry paste if you want more heat. Remove heat and stir in green onions and basil. Pour over brown rice, couscous, quinoa, whole grain pasta, or whatever you fancy.

Roasted Squash with Sage Soup

Warm up with this soup that also serves as great decoration when entertaining. AND no dishes to clean! It's way easier to make than it looks.
Ingredients: 8 med acorn squash, 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 med yellow onion chopped, 2 tbsp sage, 1 tsp smoke paprika, 1 1/2 tsp sea salt, 2 garlic cloves, 5-6 c. chicken or vegetable broth, 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 375. Cut top 3rd off of each squash. Scoop out seeds from bottom and tops and discard. Trim just enough off each squash bottom so it can sit up straight. Put on baking sheets, drizzle with 2 tbsp oil rubbing it on insides and rims. Bake 45-55 min until flesh is golden brown but before squash starts collapsing. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in large pot, add onion, paprika, salt, sage and cook until golden brown. Add garlic and cook 2 min more. Scoop cooked flesh from squash into pot. Add 5 cup broth, and pepper, bringing to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 min. Puree soup in batches adding more broth if it's too thick. Ladle soup into squash bowls and top with sage.

Almost-Raw Honey Cheesecake Bars with Cranberry Topping

Ingredients: 3 c. raw cashews, 1 c. frozen cranberries, 1/4c. plus 2tbsp. raw honey, 1/4 c. apple juice, 1/4 c. raw coconut oil softened, 1 c. raw walnuts, 1/4 c. raisins, 1 c. raw macadamia nuts, 1/2 c. lemon juice, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp salt.
Directions: Cover 2 c. cashews in water and soak overnight. Simmer cranberries, 2 tbsp honey and apple juice in saucepan 10-12 min (til cranberries pop). Cool 15 min. Pulse in blender until thick and smooth. Grease bottom of 8in sq. baking dish. Process walnuts, raisins and rest of cashews until mixture begins to stick together. Press into dish and chill 30 min or overnight. Drain soaked cashews. Puree cashews, macadamia nuts, lem juice, remaining coconut oil, remaining 1/4 c. honey, vanilla extract, salt, and 3 tbsp water in food processor for 5 min or until smooth and creamy. Spoon cashew mixture over crust. Spread cranberry mixture on top. Swirl with a knife. Freeze 1 hr before serving.
Feel free to use any other berry mixture depending on what's in season!