< BACK TO CHEF

Spicy-Sweet Sauce Over Cream Cheese
½ (10 ounces) jar peach preserves
½ (10 ounces) jar apple jelly
3 tablespoons horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 (8 ounces) block cream cheese
Mix first 4 ingredients.  Pour over block of cream cheese.  Serve with favorite crackers.

Zucchini Appetizer
3 cups zucchini (sliced thin; no need to peel)
½ cup oil
4 eggs
½ cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 cup Bisquick
1 clove garlic (crushed)
½ cup onion, chopped fine
2 teaspoon parsley flakes
½ teaspoon salt
Dash of black pepper
Dash of oregano
Beat eggs; mix all ingredients into the eggs. Put in a 9 X 13 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees until set (about 30 minutes). Allow to set; cut into bite size squares. 

Spinach Salad
Salad:
Fresh spinach (cleaned and stems removed)
Sliced, fresh mushrooms (2 per person)
Crumbled bacon (1 slice per person)
Chopped hard-boiled eggs (1 per person)
1 can mandarin oranges* (drained)
*can substitute fresh fruit such as strawberries
Dressing:
2 tablespoon bacon drippings
¼ cup oil
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Place all salad ingredients in a bowl. Mix all dressing ingredients in a pot or microwave safe bowl. Heat dressing until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust (add more vinegar if too sweet; add more sugar if too tart). Pour hot dressing over salad. Serve immediately.

Marinated Shrimp Kabobs
2 pounds raw shrimp 1 cup oil
1 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoon dry Italian salad dressing mix
2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ cup chopped green onion
Mix all ingredients together and marinate shrimp for 2 to 4 hours.  Skewer and grill. Great served over rice (see Apricot Pine Nut Pilaf recipe below).  For a complete meal, add pieces of fresh vegetables (mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, etc.) between the shrimp on the skewers. 

Apricot -  Pine Nut Pilaf
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
¼ cup pine nuts or blanched slivered almonds
1 cup uncooked rice
1 (14 ½ ounces) can chicken broth
½ cup chopped dried apricots
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
Melt margarine in skillet over medium-high heat. Add pine nuts; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove nuts from skillet with slotted spoon; set aside. Add rice; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until rice is golden brown, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.  Add nuts, apricots, and onions; cook covered over low heat for 5 minutes.  Makes 7 (½ cup) servings. 

Inside-Out Ravioli
Meat sauce:
½ pound ground beef or turkey
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large can (29 ounces) tomato sauce
1 small can (6 ounces) tomato paste
½ teaspoon salt
Dash or black pepper
Oregano, basil, parsley flakes to taste
Shell Mixture:
1 package frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
2 eggs
½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup oil
3 cups cooked sea shells (medium size)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Romano cheese

Brown meat with onions and garlic; drain off fat. Combine meat with tomato sauce, tomato paste, and seasonings. Simmer meat sauce for 30 to 45 minutes.  While sauce simmers, cook shells and drain off excess liquid. Combine cooked shells with spinach, eggs, oil, bread crumbs, cheddar and Romano cheeses.  Spread shell mixture in 9 X 13 inch baking dish.  Pour meat sauce over shell mixture. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Check to see if it is heated through and continue baking as needed. Let stand 15 minutes after baking. Cut into squares. Makes 12 servings. 
Note: Great for parties; can be made in advance and frozen; thaw before baking.

Pineapple Cream Cake
Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
½ cup oil
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges (juice and all)
Mix all cake ingredients together and beat for 8 minutes with mixer. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch baking pans. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake at 350º for 25 to 30 minutes. Check center with thin knife or cake tester to be sure batter is completely baked. Allow cakes to completely cool before icing.
Icing:
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple
1 box (3.5 ounces) instant vanilla pudding
1 tub (9 ounces) Cool Whip
Mix crushed pineapple and juice with vanilla pudding mix. Mix well with a spoon. Refrigerate and allow to set until thickened (about 5 minutes).  Gently add the Cool Whip to the pineapple and pudding mixture. Once cakes are completely cooled, spread icing on sides, top, and between layers.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. A delicious summertime dessert!

Mom’s Pizzelle Recipe
6 eggs
3 ½ cups of flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup of margarine, melted
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons anise
Preheat pizzelle iron. Beat eggs, adding sugar gradually. Beat until smooth.  Add cooled melted margarine and anise. Sift flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture. Dough will be sticky enough to be dropped by a spoon.  Drop dough onto the hot pizzelle iron. When asked how long to bake the dough on the iron, my Mom’s advice is “as long as it takes to say a Hail Mary prayer.” You can say the entire rosary while making your cookies!