Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients

Sauce:

4 heaping tablespoons hoisin sauce

4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Lo Mein:

1 pound whole wheat linguine

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs, beaten

3 chicken breasts, thinly sliced

S&P

2 teaspoons coriander

2'' fresh ginger, grated

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

5 green onions, chopped on bias

1 (14 oz) can baby corn, drained

1/2 yellow and 1/2 orange bell pepper, seeded & sliced

Directions

Mix together sauce ingredients and reserve.

Bring pasta water to a boil, add EVOO and cook linguine to 1 minute past box directions. I find that the whole wheat pastas tend to need to be cooked a bit more. At the same time put veggies in a steamer.

While pasta cooks, heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large wok over high heat. Cook the beaten egg and scramble till brown, remove and reserve.

Season chicken with S&P and coriander. Add the chicken and veggies from the steamer to the wok. Add the ginger, garlic and hoisin/soy sauce mixture. Cook for 1 minute and then drain the pasta and add. Mix to combine.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce (no salt added)

2 small zucchini, grated

1/4 cup mint, finely chopped

1/2 cup asiago cheese, grated, plus more to top

2 cloves garlic, minced

S&P

1 tablespoon EVOO

3 oz pancetta, diced and browned

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup rice

6 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add rice, turn heat down to medium low. Cook for 20 minutes (stir half way through).

At the same time, add the tomato sauce, zucchini, cheese, (use the grater attachment on a food processor) mint, garlic and S&P to a large bowl and stir to combine.

Cut the tops of the peppers and deseed and rib them. If the peppers do not stand upright on their own carefully slice some of the bottoms to make level. Then after the rice is done, add it to the zucchini mixture, Then spoon into the peppers.

Cover with aluminium foil and cook for 45 minutes. Then take out and grate more asiago onto the tops of the peppers and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.

Weird Dream

I died in a slaughter house. I can't come up with a meaning behind that, but that's what happened last night while dreaming. Once I died I went to what I was told (by whom I couldn't say) was hell. It was all very confusing and chaotic at first. I was in a rush to go lower and lower. Then I started to notice for every stairwell I descended the more unpleasant things became.

I landed outside in a huge jungle like courtyard in the dead of night. Well, for all I know, if this was hell, maybe it's the dead of night all the time? That's when I decided to start going back the way I came. When I got to the first stairwell there was someone blocking my way. I couldn't get a good look at him as he was wearing a black cloak. However, that said, he was giving off a powerful sexual energy.

He told me I could pass if I convinced someone else to come with me. Then I told him I couldn't see anyone else out in the dark courtyard. He said they are there....look carefully, but he thought I may have a hard time getting anyone to leave.

Well, as you know, dreams jump around. They aren't always perfectly linear. The next thing I remember is going up that stairwell and I felt a presence behind me. I was proud of myself as I got someone to follow. We entered a somewhat narrow circular room with a ceiling so high I wasn't sure I could see it. It was all grey stones...like that of a castle turret with no windows. Every few feet was an alcove. Some were empty, but more were occupied. These occupants had their eyes shut and held a look of rapture.

I noticed that I was alone. Whoever was with me from the jungle courtyard was gone. I assumed he stepped into one of the alcoves. So, I did as well. Upon stepping into it I got the sensation of a carnival spinning ride. The ride that you stick to the wall...it could be called the gravitron or something like that. Along with that sensation came a sense of euphoria. I stayed in that alcove until I woke up this morning.

Shrimp & Orzo Salad

Ingredients

3/4 lb shrimp, shelled and deviened

3 tablespoons EVOO, plus 1/3 cup more

1 garlic clove, minced, plus one more

S&P to taste

1 lb tri color orzo pasta

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced on a bias

1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade

3 oz crumbled feta cheese

S&P to taste

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Season the shrimp with 3 tablespoons of EVOO, 1 garlic clove, minced and S&P. Place on a sheet in a single layer and cook for 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

At the same time cook orzo to package directions.

Whisk together 1/3 cup EVOO, red wine vinegar, minced garlic and S&P to taste. Then add the red onion, tomatoes, feta cheese, cooled orzo and shrimp.

Pork & Asparagus Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus 1/4 cup juice

1/4 cup low salt soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 boneless pork chops, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 8 oz water chestnuts

6 button mushrooms, sliced

1 bunch of fresh asparagus

Directions

In a medium bowl combine orange zest, juice, soy sauce, vinegar and cornstarch. Set aside.

In a large skillet heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Put the pork in the skillet and brown 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate.

Then add the water chestnuts and garlic and cook for 2 minutes (careful...it's going to spit at you a bit). Add the asparagus and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover, add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the water evaporates.

Add the pork and the orange mixture. Cook for 3 minutes until pork is cooked through and the orange mixture thickens. Serve over rice.

Ham & Veggie Frittata

Ingredients

10 eggs

S&P

3 tablespoons EVOO

1/2 red onion, diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 cup button mushrooms, chopped

2 pound ham steak, cubed

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl beat the eggs and season with S&P to taste.

Heat EVOO in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the veggies and cook for 7 minutes. Add the ham and cook for another two.

Grease 3 ramikens and fill each half way up with the ham and veggies. Pour in the eggs to fill the remainder of the ramikens (leaving 1/4''). Bake for 45 minutes.

You can serve them in the ramikens with a warning not to touch them as they will be hot, or you can flip the ramiken over on a plate and the frittata should pop right out onto the plate.

Pumpkin Penne & Sausage

Ingredients

2 tablespoons EVOO

1 pound sweet turkey sausage

4 large garlic cloves finely chopped

1 red onion finely chopped

1 bay leaf cracked
12 fresh sage leaves chiffonade

1 cup white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

S&P

1 pound penne rigate, cooked al dente

Parmegiano Reggiano, grated

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the EVOO. Squeeze the sausage out of its casings and break apart. Keep breaking it apart as you brown it, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the onion and garlic and sautee for 5 minutes.

Add bay leaf, sage and wine and reduce for 2 minutes. Then you can add the pumpkin and the chicken stock and cook until bubbling. Return the sausage to the pan along with the heavy cream. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and S&P....stir to combine. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and add the pasta. Toss together and heat through for 1 minute. Garnish with the grated cheese and sage leaves.

Beef Brisket

Ingredients

1 (2 pound) beef brisket

3 tablespoons EVOO + more to coat brisket

S&P

3 carrots cut into chunks

1 onion chopped cut into chunks

2 large celery stalks cut into chunks

6 cloves garlic peeled and rough chopped

1 (28 oz) can of whole san marzano tomatoes

1/2 bottle red wine

1 bay leaf cracked

1 teaspoon fresh thyme finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped

Directions

Drizzle EVOO all over the brisket on both sides. Also season both sides with S&P.

In a large dutch oven heat the 3 tablespoons of EVOO and add the seasoned beef. Brown 5 minutes on each side on medium high. Remove the brisket and add the veggies. Brown them for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Then add the garlic, tomatoes (crush the whole tomatoes when you add them with a potato masher), red wine and all the herbs.

Preheat the oven at 325 degrees. Bring to a simmer and then add the brisket back into the pot. Be sure to get the brisket almost submerged at the bottom of the pot with the veggies surrounding it.

Transfer the dutch oven to the oven and cook for 3 hours. After that remove brisket to a cutting board and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.