- For the Broth:
- 1/2 cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion (12 ounces; 340g), diced
- 1 large leek (1 pound; 450g), washed of any grit and diced
- 1 medium fennel bulb (8 ounces; 225g), cored and diced
- 5 medium cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
- 2 large pinches saffron threads
- One (2-inch) strip zest from 1 orange
- Large pinch cayenne pepper or other red chili powder
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) tomato paste
- 6 plum tomatoes (1 1/4 pounds; 565g), cored, seeded, and diced
- 2 pounds (900g) whole fish or fish bones and heads (see note)
- 2 cups (475ml) dry white wine
- 1/4 cup (60ml) Pernod or pastis (optional)
- 2 quarts (1.9L) boiling water, or more as needed
- 2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Rouille:
- 2 medium cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup crumbled stale bread or panko bread crumbs (1/2 ounce; 15g)
- Large pinch cayenne pepper or other red chili powder
- Pinch saffron threads
- 1 large egg yolk
- Kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- To Finish:
- 3 to 5 pounds (1.3 to 2.25kg) mixed whole and/or filleted fish (see note)
- 1 pound (450g) mussels and/or crabs (optional; see note)
- Kosher or sea salt
- Baguette toasts, for serving
How to Make It
Making bouillabaisse is somewhat similar to making a fish stock, like fumet, in that we cook the fish with aromatics to make a flavorful broth. But the similarities with fumet end there, since the idea with bouillabaisse is to make a creamy, cloudy, dare I say murky broth, not a clean and clear one. This means that unlike with a fumet, for which we cook the fish at the barest simmer to produce a clear stock, bouillabaisse is intentionally boiled hard. We want to emulsify the fish fats into the broth, for a creamier, more complex texture and flavor.
And speaking of those fats, that's another area where bouillabaisse differs from a fish stock. In a classic fish stock, we tend to use lean, white-fleshed fish for their delicate, pristine flavor. In bouillabaisse, we use a variety of fish, including oilier ones, because we want their darker, richer flavor.
The broth in a bouillabaisse isn't meant to be refined. It should be a little rough around the edges, with a texture that isn't perfectly smooth and a flavor that is all depth and complexity, not lightness and clarity.
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 medium banana
- 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
How to Make It
- Place all ingredients in a blender or Magic Bullet and blend until smooth! Let sit for a few minutes so that the chia seeds can do their magic (expand and get slimy). Enjoy!
- 3 ripe, fresh peaches, pitted and skinned
- 2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into 1” chunks (or canned, if fresh is not available)
- ½ cup non-fat Greek plain yogurt
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup agave nectar (or honey)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups crushed ice
How to Make It
Mis together in a large bowl and marinate the hen or chicken wings. I usually cut the hen in half, cooks and marinates better. At least an hour.
Bake in 400 degree oven for 60 minutes.
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbs ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup butter cold and cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 9 oz milk yes, 9 oz
- 1 egg
For the Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tsp molasses
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
How to Make It
- Preheat oven to 350° and butter a 9 x 5 baking pan. Line with parchment paper after buttering.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice together. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat milk and brown sugar together just until sugar is melted and is lukewarm.
- With another small saucepan, heat molasses and corn syrup until lukewarm as well.
- While both pans are cooling down a bit, cut cold butter into small pieces, add to flour mixture, and use pasty blender until mixture is fine crumbles.
- Once both pans have cooled to luke warm, add milk mixture to flour mixture, stir until blended then add molasses mixture. Stir.
- Add egg and whisk until well Incorporated.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely in baking pan.
- Once cooled, remove from pan and wrap in foil for one day so the top will get sticky.
- Store in an airtight container.
For the Frosting
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy.
- Add vanilla and cinnamon, mix well.
- Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until creamy.
- Mix molasses into mixture and blend well.
- Refrigerate frosting until chilled then frost cake once cake has sat overnight.
- 1 8oz of philly cream cheese
- 1 regular size jar of your favorite Peanut Butter
- 1 Bag of melting Chocolate/chocolate bark
- 1/2 Cup of Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 1/4 cup of powdered sugar
- Nuts (optional)
How to Make It
Take your cream cheese, powdered sugar and peanut butter in your mixer and whip together using your paddle attachment. (you can hand mix if you would prefer) until fully incorporated.
Once combined, use your hands to create little balls, about an inch/inch and a half each
Roll each ball in the Graham Cracker Crumbs, then press them into each ball with your fingers (you dont want loose crumbs) .
Place each of the balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Freeze for 1-2 hours (or until solid, if you can wait that long).
Place the melting chocolate or bark in a bowl and microwave for 90 seconds. Stir and, if needed, heat an additional 15 seconds until it’s smooth and creamy. watch it closely, keep stopping to stir , it burns easily if you use this way! I recommend using a double boiler, easier and you always get perfect melting chocolate.
Using a fork, dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Tap your fork on the side of your bowl to remove the excess.
Place back on your parchment lined sheet
Refrigerate until it’s time to serve.
For chimichangas:
- 6 (8-inch) soft flour tortillas
- 8 oz cream cheese ( room temperature)
- 2 Tablespoon sour cream
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cups sliced strawberries
- Vegetable oil-for frying
For coating:
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup sugar
- For serving:
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
How to Make It
Beat cream cheese , sour cream, 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla extract .
Fold in 3/4 cup of sliced fresh strawberries.
Divide the mixture evenly between 6 tortillas. Slather the filling in the lower third of each tortilla, fold the two sides of each tortilla toward the center and then roll the tortilla up like a burrito (secure it with a toothpicks!) .
Combine 1/3 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set aside.
Line a large plate with paper towels.
In about 5 inch deep saucepan place about 2 -2 1/2 inch vegetable oil for frying and heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 360ºF.
Fry the chimichangas until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes and flip them as needed (work in batches)
Transfer the chimichangas to the paper towel on a plate to drain for a minute, then roll them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 lbs. chicken wings & drumettes
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together soy sauce, honey, jam, oil, vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower heat and let gently simmer for 10 mins, stirring frequently.
How to Make It
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place chicken wings, split, into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken wings and toss gently until all of the wings are coated.
Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the skin on the wings begins to darken, turning the wings occasionally, about 1 hour. Serve.
- 2 cans of biscuits
- 1 lb pork sausage
- 7 lg eggs
- 1 cup of cheese (your choice )
- (as needed) salt and pepper
How to Make It
- Pour egg mixture over biscuits and gentle combine until all biscuits are covered with egg mixture. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.
- Cook sausage and crumble. While cooking sausage set oven to 400°
- Mix sausage and cheese in biscuits mixture. Bake in 400° oven for 22 minutes.
- 1 lb medium shrimp, deveined and tails removed
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles (more or less, depending on family size)
- 6 -8 garlic cloves, according to personal taste, minced
- 1/4 cup butter
- olive oil (3 drizzles)
- italian seasoning
- fresh ground pepper
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- herbs (according to taste)
How to Make It
- 1 Boil pasta in water till tender, save 1 cup of pasta water for use later. I always put some oil, salt, and fresh herbs in with my pasta when I boil it. Drain and set aside when done.
- 2 While pasta is boiling, wash shrimp.
- 3 Melt butter over medium heat. Add shrimp.
- 4 Let cook till a little pink and starting to curl. Then add garlic.
- 5 Cook 5-7 min., add oil. Continue to stir till shrimp is pink and curled.
- 6 Add pasta to skillet. Add seasonings. Add just enough saved pasta water till it is not dry but not swimming in liquid either. Depending on amount of pasta this requires 1/2 the cup or all of it. Start with adding 1/4 of it then work up from there.
- 7 Keep tossing all ingredients around in skillet till all is incorporated and hot. Enjoy!
- 1 lb medium shrimp, deveined and tails removed
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles (more or less, depending on family size)
- 6 -8 garlic cloves, according to personal taste, minced
- 1/4 cup butter
- olive oil (3 drizzles)
- italian seasoning
- fresh ground pepper
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- herbs (according to taste)
How to Make It
- 1 Boil pasta in water till tender, save 1 cup of pasta water for use later. I always put some oil, salt, and fresh herbs in with my pasta when I boil it. Drain and set aside when done.
- 2 While pasta is boiling, wash shrimp.
- 3 Melt butter over medium heat. Add shrimp.
- 4 Let cook till a little pink and starting to curl. Then add garlic.
- 5 Cook 5-7 min., add oil. Continue to stir till shrimp is pink and curled.
- 6 Add pasta to skillet. Add seasonings. Add just enough saved pasta water till it is not dry but not swimming in liquid either. Depending on amount of pasta this requires 1/2 the cup or all of it. Start with adding 1/4 of it then work up from there.
- 7 Keep tossing all ingredients around in skillet till all is incorporated and hot. Enjoy!
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 cup panko or bread crumbs
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
How to Make It
- Mix all ingredients with hands.
- Form into golfball sized meatballs.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- 3-4 large russet potatoes, sliced into wedges
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- optional: fresh parsley (or cilantro), ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping
How to Make It
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set aside.
Place potato wedges in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. In a small bowl whisk together salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle potato wedges with the shredded cheese, tossing to coat, then sprinkle with the seasoning mixture.
Place potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in a single layer with skin-sides-down. Bake for 25-35 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and dressing for dipping.
- 4 boneless Pork chops
- 4 thinly sliced medium potatoes
- 1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
- 1 can cream of mushroom
- 1/4 cup milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to Make It
Brown pork chops in 1/4 cup oil then drain. Slice potatoes into a medium casserole dish in even layer. Place pork chops over potatoes, combine onion soup mix and cream of mushroom and milk, pour over top of pork chops. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
- 1(10.5) ounce can of cream of chicken soup (or use cream of mushroom soup, it’s less salty)
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 1 (6 oz.) box stuffing mix* (Stove Top & Pepperidge Farm are a few of my favs)
- ¾ cup water
- 1 (16 oz.) bag frozen green beans
- 3-4 large chicken breasts, salted and peppered if desired.
How to Make It
- Place the chicken on the bottom of the crock pot.
- Mix together the soup, sour cream, stuffing, half of the water, and place over the chicken.
- Place the string beans either on one side of the crock pot or over the stuffing. You'll want to mix the stuffing periodically if possible- I don't mind mixing the string beans in with the stuffing but if you'd prefer that they remain separate, place the string beans more to the side.
- Add the remaining water during the cooking process as needed. I always use all of the water but crock pots cook slightly differently, so adding as needed is safer. If you're leaving for the day, add the remaining water when you return if you feel you need it.
- Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-7
- *No need to cook the stuffing mix prior to adding to crock pot
- Notes
- I like to try to mix the stuffing periodically if I can, just to keep it blended and to mix the moisture around. If the stuffing seems too moist for your liking, leave the lid off the crock pot for the last 30-40 minutes of cooking, or until your desired consistency is achieved.
- I love adding diced sausage, onions, and celery to my stuffing- even dried cranberries are delicious! You can also add onion tops toward the end of the cooking process- (YUM.)
- This meal is delicious with some whipped potatoes prepared on the stovetop!
- 1 12 pack King's Hawaiian Original Rolls
- 1 package sliced deli ham
- 1 package sliced Swiss cheese
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
How to Make It
- Melt butter and mix in mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for several minutes.
- Cut the entire pack of rolls in half, horizontally (keeping all top and bottom halves intact).
- In a greased 9x13 pan, place bottom half of rolls and put 1/3 of the butter mixture over the bottom of the rolls. Layer the ham and cheese on top.
- Replace the tops of the rolls and put the remaining butter mixture over top.
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Separate for serving.
- broccoli chicken
- 1/2 bag Tyson frozen boneless, skinless chicken thigh strips, thawed (2.7 pound bag)
- 2 bunches broccoli, separated into florets (I think my store separates whole heads)
sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
How to Make It
- Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until cooked through. Add broccoli and sauce. Stir fry until broccoli is bright green. Serve with rice. We like Trader Joe's frozen vegetable fried rice if we need something quick
- 1- 3oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 1 stick of margarine or butter, softened
- 1 C. flour
- Dash of salt
- Blend together cream cheese, margarine, flour and salt. Shape into 24 balls; press each ball into 1 3/4? muffin tins (press dough in bottom and sides with fingers, do not leave any holes).
Filling:
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 C. brown sugar
- 2 T. margarine or butter, melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Dash of salt
- 1 C. pecans, chopped
How to Make It
- Combine eggs, brown sugar, margarine, vanilla, and salt. Mix well (do not beat with beater, or tops will be crusty instead of a nutty one). Divide pecans evenly in pastry shells. Pour filling in shells, filling 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from pans. Cool on wire rack. Makes 24. “Nutty” rich–a real favorite.
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 3 teaspoons butter (divided)
- 4 slices whole wheat bread
- 4 slices Colby-jack cheese
- 4 slices crispy cooked bacon
How to Make It
- In a medium bowl beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper until blended. Heat 1 teaspoon of butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture. As the eggs begin to set, gently pull them across the pan with a spatula, forming large curds. Continue cooking while pulling and folding the eggs until thickened no and visible liquid egg remains. Remove from the pan, set aside. Clean out the skillet.
- Heat the skillet to medium heat. Spread the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter evenly on one side of each slice of bread. Place 2 slices in the skillet butter side down. Top each with 1 slice of cheese, scrambled eggs, bacon, and an additional slice of cheese. Cover with the remaining bread slices, butter side up.
- Cook sandwiches over medium heat, until browned on the bottom. Once they are browned on the bottom flip them over and cook until browned on the other side and the cheese has melted.
- Note: I made it simpler and lower in fat.
- 2 pounds hot chicken Italian sausage (see image below)
- 1/2 cup onion, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar (I used 1 Tbsp sugar substitute)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 10 no-bake whole wheat lasagna noodles (see image below)
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese (I used fat free)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- handfuls of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
How to Make It
- In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, paste, sauce and water. Season with sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and half the parsley. Simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours.
- Combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- To assemble, spread 1 1/2-2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 5 noodles over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a couple handfuls of mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1 1/2-2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil. To prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
- 1 box Red Velvet Cake mix
- 1 can Diet Pepsi (or diet coke)
- 2 pkg. Sugar-Free Fat Free Cheesecake pudding
- 4 cups milk
- 1 tub Cool-Whip (I used Sugar-Free), thawed
- 10 oreos or 2-3 packs of Oreo 100 Calorie Packs (I used double stuff, cuz that’s how I roll baby!)
How to Make It
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your baking dish using cooking spray made for baking.
- Combine red velvet cake and diet pepsi using a mixer.
- Cook the cake per the box instructions, testing it with a cake tester upon removing it from the oven. Remove the cake to a wire cooling rack for a few minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix the pudding and milk with a whisk. Mix until it begins to thicken, but do not allow it to completely set.
- After removing the cake from the oven, find a wooden spoon to use to create holes in the cake.
- Pour the pudding mixture over the cake and fill in all the holes. Put the cake in the refrigerator to cool completely and for the pudding to set. Allow it to cool at least 2 hours.
- Shortly before you are ready to serve the cake, remove it from the fridge and add the cool whip on top of the pudding mixture.
- Place the oreos into a plastic bag and crush the cookies. Sprinkle on top of the cake.
- Cover and return to the fridge until you are ready to serve the cake. Enjoy!
