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Pesto Tortellini

Serves 2

1 12 oz package of meat tortellini

6-7 mushrooms

3/4 cup frozen peas

Handful of grape tomatoes

3 tablespoons of pesto

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Cook homemade pesto if desired. Refrigerate. In pot, make meat tortellini as directed. Add salt. Drain over colander. In small saucepan, heat olive oil. Add chopped mushrooms and peas. Add water. Saute mushrooms and peas for approximately 5 minutes. In bowl, toss tortellini. Add in pesto and toss. Add sauteed mushrooms and pease. Add sugar. Toss in tomatoes, and serve warm.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 8-10

7 ounces (1-3/4 cups) uncooked macaroni
1 pound sharp cheese, grated
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper
Paprika

Cook macaroni until tender, place in a strainer, and rinse with cold water.  In a 2-quart casserole, alternate layers of macaroni and cheese, ending with cheese.  Bring milk to a boil.  Stir in butter, egg, salt and pepper.  Pour over the macaroni and cheese.  Sprinkle paprika on top.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Irish Soda Bread
Makes 2 loaves

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 cup raisins
1 3/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter and flour a large baking sheet, knocking off excess flour.
Sift together 4 cups flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and stir in sugar, caraway, and raisins. Add buttermilk and stir just until dough is evenly moistened but still lumpy.

Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and gently knead with floured hands about 8 times to form a soft but slightly less sticky dough. Halve dough and form into 2 balls. Pat out each ball into a domed 6-inch round on baking sheet. Cut a 1/2-inch-deep X on top of each loaf with a sharp knife, then brush loaves with butter.

Bake in middle of oven until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer loaves to racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

4 to 6 croissants, preferably 1 or 2 days old
2 cups half-and- half
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch salt
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
Vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

Cut the croissants into 1-inch cubes. You should have about 3 1/2 cups. Place the cubes in an ovenproof baking dish. In a saucepan, heat the half-and-half, cream, and salt over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. When the cream mixture reaches a fast simmer (do not let it boil), turn off the heat. Add the chocolate and whisk until melted.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Whisking constantly, gradually add the hot chocolate-cream mixture. Strain the mixture over the croissant pieces and toss lightly. Let sit while the mixture is absorbed, at least 15 minutes. As it soaks, fold the mixture a few times to ensure even soaking. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a roasting pan that's 2 inches deep and larger than the baking dish with paper towels. Fill the pan with very hot water and place the dish of bread pudding inside. Bake until set, about 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on each serving.

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

Prep: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

2 boxes (3 oz each) cook & serve vanilla pudding and pie filling
1 qt (4 cups) whole milk
4 chocolate croissants (about 4 oz each)

Heat oven to 350 F. Have a 3-qt shallow baking dish ready. Whisk pudding mix and milk in a large bowl for 2 minutes, or until thoroughly blended.

Cut croissants in 1-in. pieces. Arrange in prepared baking dish. Pour pudding mixture over croissants, pushing pieces into the liquid. Bake 50 minutes, or until bubbly around edges and a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving. If desired, dust top with confectioners sugar.

Vineyard Chicken
Serves 4

1 3-pound chicken, quartered
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup minced parsley

Place chicken, skin side down, in large casserole.  Blend all other ingredients together and pour over the chicken.  Cover with foil and bake 1 hour in 325 degree oven.  Remove the foil.  Turn chicken skin side up; increase temperature to 375 degrees and bake 30 minutes, basting two or three times.  Increase temperature to 425 degrees for the last 30 minutes of baking time.  Baste frequently (total cooking time is 2 hours).

Kahlua Brownies with Buttercream Frosting and Chocolate Glaze
Yields 36 brownies

INGREDIENTS FOR CRUST:
1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
5-1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING:
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup Kahlua
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

INGREDIENTS FOR BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon Kahlua
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

INGREDIENTS FOR GLAZE:
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 teaspoons solid vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.  Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Slowly add flour and continue to mix until blended.  Add pecans.  When completely combined, press crust into bottom of prepared pan.  Set aside.
    
Combine chocolate, shortening, and butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  Cool.  Combine eggs, sugars, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Mix until blended.  Stir into cooled chocolate mixture.  Add Kahlua.  Slowly add flour and salt, mixing until batter is smooth.  Stir in pecans.  Pour filling into prepared crust.  Bake 25 minutes, or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Be careful not to overbake.  Let cool.

Buttercream Frosting:  Cream butter, sugar, Kahlua, and cream in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.  Spread over cooled filling mixture and refrigerate 30 minutes.  More Kahlua may be added to make spreading easier.  For a less sweet brownie, use half of Buttercream Frosting.

Glaze: Melt chocolates and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly.  Cool and spread over Buttercream Frosting.

White Chocolate and Pecan Brownies
Yields 30 brownies

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into small pieces
3/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup flour
6 ounces white chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Butter and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.  Line the bottom with foil; butter and flour the foil, shaking off the excess. Melt the unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth.  Set aside. Cream the butter in a mixer bowl until light.  Add the sugar and brown sugar, beating until fluffy.  Add the melted chocolate, mixing at low speed. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing just until moistened after each addition.  Blend in the flour.  Fold in the white chocolate and pecans.  Spoon into the prepared pan. Bake on the center rack at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack. Invert onto a work surface; remove the foil.  Invert onto a serving plate; sprinkle with the confectioner's sugar.  Cut into bars.

Grilled Seafood Ceviche

½ pound large peeled shrimp
½ pound bay scallops
½ pound baby octopus
Olive oil
3/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus several lime slices for garnish
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
3/4 cup ketchup (or half each ketchup and chili sauce)
1 to 2 tablespoons bottled hot sauce
2-3 tablespoons olive oil (optional, but recommended to smooth out sharpness)
¾ cup diced peeled cucumber
¾ cup diced jicama
2 small ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon

Marinate the seafood in olive oil and 2 cloves minced garlic for 30 minutes or longer. Grill the shrimp, scallops and octopus on a gas or charcoal grill. Do not overcook.

Cut the cooked shrimp and baby octopus into 1” pieces and quarter the cooked scallops. Place the seafood in a gallon size plastic storage bag. Toss with the lime juice and refrigerate to chill.

In a strainer, rinse the onion under cold water and then shake off the excess liquid.

Add the seafood to a ceramic or non-aluminum bowl, along with the cilantro, ketchup, hot sauce, olive oil, cucumber, jícama and avocado. Taste and season with salt. Cover and refrigerate, but if not serving immediately, prepare and add the avocado shortly before serving.

Spoon the ceviche into margarita glasses or small bowls; garnish with sprigs of cilantro and slices of lime. Serve with tostadas or tortilla chips.

Caramel Apple French Toast
Yields 6 servings

1 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons clear Karo syrup
6 Tablespoons butter
whole pecans
3 Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon corn starch
12 slices Texas Toast or 1" thick cut French bread
12 oz. cream cheese
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream or half and half cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1 teaspoon nutmeg)

Grease generously 13"x9" glass pan. Combine sugar, syrup, butter and boil in pan for one minute. Pour and spread over bottom of greased pan. Sprinkle with pecans. Combine apples, water, cinnamon, sugar, lemon juice and cook, stirring constantly, in pan over medium heat just until apples begin to soften. Add cornstarch and continue to stir until thickened. Remove from heat.

Thickly spread cream cheese over 6 slices of bread and place in single layer to
cover caramel mixture in pan (cream cheese side up). Distribute apple mixture
over bread/cream cheese layer. Cover with remaining 6 slices of bread.Blend together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and gently pour over bread layers in pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight (not more than 24 hours). Remove cover and bake at 350F., 60 minutes or until brown and slightly puffy. Immediately invert each serving on plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar, top with sweetened whipped cream and garnish with pecans, cinnamon, or nutmeg.

NOTE: Fresh pears or peaches may be substituted for apples with cinnamon/nutmeg
seasoning. Fresh raspberries or strawberries may also be sprinkled over apple
mixture stuffing for additional color and flavor.