Low Calorie strawberry Cheesecake Bites

1 (8 oz) package of fat free cream cheese, softened
1/3 C powdered sugar ( or more)
2 tsp lemon juice (or more)
35 medium strawberries, whole, washed
1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

Beat together cream cheese, p sugar, and lemon juice. Put mixture in a large ziplock bag and snip the end. Pipe mixture into each strawberry and then dip in graham cracker crumbs. Refrigerate.

Grilled Chicken with Basil Dressing

2/3 c extra virgin olive oil
3 tb plus 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp anise or fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package fresh basil
1 large clove garlic
1 tsp grated lemon zest

Whisk 1/3 c oil, 3 tb lemon juice, fennel seeds, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a baggie. Mix. Add chicken. refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Blend basil, garlic, lemon zest, 1/4 c lemon juice, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a blender until smooth. Gradually blend and then add 1/3 c oil. Add more salt if desired.

Grill chicken until cooked through. Transfer chicken to plates and drizzle with the basil sauce.

Rocky Mountain Salad

1 Tb dried onion

3 TB apple cider vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

3/4 C olive oil

Whisk together in a bowl.

1 head romaine lettuce, torn into pieces

1 head green leaf lettuce, torn into pieces

1 (14 oz) can artichokes hearts, drained and chopped

1 large avocado, chopped

1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 tomatoes, chopped

4 oz fresh grated parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients.  Add dressing to coat and serve immediately.

Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta

Serves 6

* 1 cup milk
* 1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1 pound milk chocolate, finely chopped
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* Sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)
* Edible gold dust, for garnishing (optional)

Directions

1. Place six 8-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet; set aside. Pour the milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the milk, and let soften for 5 minutes.
2. Combine cream and sugar in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add gelatin mixture, whisking to combine. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour through a fine sieve into a large glass measuring cup. Divide mixture evenly between ramekins; chill until set, at least 4 hours.
3. To serve, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with edible gold dust, if desired.
Recipe from Martha Stewart.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

• One box chocolate cake mix (milk chocolate is great) prepared according to package.
• BUT bake it in three layers for 15 minutes @ 350 degrees.
• As you stack the layers, frost the top of each of the three layers with the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese frosting.
• Frost the entire outside with the Chocolate Butter Cream.
• Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar
4 ounces cream cheese
1-teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup peanut butter
¼ cup + 1 tsp milk (added one Tbs at a time)
4 Tbs Butter (softened)

Chocolate Butter cream:
4 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tbs cocoa
5 Tbs butter
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup + 1 tsp milk (added one Tbs at a time)

Roasted Pork Loin

3 Tb chopped garlic
1 TB chopped fresh Rosemary
1 TB chopped fresh sage
1 TB chopped fresh thyme
1 TB chopped fresh Italian Parsley
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 (3 lb) pork loin roast, tied
1 TB olive oil
¼ C Italian Bread Crumbs
½ c white wine (can substitute chicken broth)
1 ¾ C chicken stock
2 TB cornstarch mixed with 2 TB chicken stock

Preheat Oven to 500 degrees

Place the garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper on a chopping board and chop to a paste-like consistency. Make shallow 1 to 2 in long slits randomly around the pork roast. Rub the roast with the olive oil, then fill the slits with the herb past. Rub the remaining herbs on the outer surface. Roll the roast in the breadcrumbs to coat it completely.

Place the roast in a lightly greased roasting pan (don’t use a rack in the pan) and cook for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. At this point the toast will have formed a crust on the outside. Turn the roast over and reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 40-45 minutes, turning it every 15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove the roast from the oven and transfer it to a plate. Cover it with aluminum foil and let rest for 15-20 minutes.

While the roast is resting, put the roasting pan on medium high heat on the stovetop and stir in the win and chicken stock. Cook for 5 minutes scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Strain the juices into a saucepan and reduce on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Return to the heat and cook until the sauce clears and thickens, about 1 minute. Make sure the roast is done! Check with a meat thermometer.


To serve, cut the strings from the roast, slice into thin slices and ladle some of the sauce over the meat.

Marcheschi Sauce with Polenta

This is a great sauce to go over pasta or polenta; we use penne or mostaccioli pasta. I double the recipe and divide it into small containers and freeze it.

¼ C. olive oil
1 lb mild sausage (or Italian)
2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 large carrots chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 bunch of parsley, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can of tomato juice
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
Grated Parmesan cheese

In big saucepan heat oil, add chicken and sausage and brown together. Remove meat, keeping the juice, and gently brown onions, carrots, celery, parsley and garlic. Add meat back in with the vegetables, then add tomatoes chicken broth, tomato juice, and salt to taste. Simmer for at least an hour on low heat covered. Serve sauce over pasta or polenta and sprinkle with cheese.


Polenta

7 C water
1 Tb salt
1 2/3 C coarse-grained yellow cornmeal
7 chicken bouillon cubes

1. Bring the water and bouillon cubes to a boil in a large, heavy pot
2. Add the salt, keep the water boiling at medium-high heat, and add the cornmeal in a very thin stream, letting a fistful of it run through nearly closed fingers. You should be able to see the individual grains spilling into the pot. The entire time you are adding the cornmeal, stir it with a whisk, and make sure the water is always boiling.
3. When you have put in all the mal, begin to stir with a long-handled wooden spoon, stirring continuously and with thoroughness, bringing the mixture up from the bottom, and loosening it from the sides of the pot. Continue to stir for 40 to 45 minutes. The cornmeal becomes polenta when it forms a mass that pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pot.

Country Style Roasted Potatoes

These potatoes take a bit of time, but they are so good. They remind me of the potatoes that you get at Michelangelo’s in SLC. They go well with the roasted pork loin. This is Nick Stellino’s recipe. Serves 4.

3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, cut into cubes
1 ½ large heads of garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 TB chopped fresh rosemary
1 TB chopped fresh thyme
1 TB chopped fresh sage
6 ½ TB olive oil
1 small white onion, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the potatoes and garlic in a large pot, cover with water and boil 10-15 minutes. Drain. Transfer the garlic cloves to a glass of cold water. When they are cool enough to handle, peel them by squeezing them out of their skins.

Place the potatoes and garlic puree in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the herbs, salt and pepper and 4 ½ TB of olive oil and mix until well coated.

Grease the bottom of a large baking tray with remaining 2 TB of oil. Place the potatoes on the greased baking tray and roast for about 20 minutes, turning once. Spread the sliced onions on top of the potatoes and roast until the potatoes are well browned, about 20 minutes or more.

Risotto con Pomodoro e Basilico (Tomato and Basil)

3- 31/2 C Chicken broth
4 TB unsalted butter
2 large garlic cloves, bruised
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ C fresh or canned drained tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 ½ C Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone nano rice
4 TB freshly grated Parmesan
10 large fresh basil leaves, torn into very small pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh mozzarella, diced (optional)


1. Gently heat the broth and keep it warm over a low heat.
2. Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a saucepan; add the garlic and onion, and sauté gently until softened, 4-5 minutes. Discard the garlic.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce is thickened and aromatic about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the remaining butter and add the rice. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the grains.
5. Heat the tomato sauce through and stir it into the rice. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce is absorbed, stirring constantly.
6. Add a ladleful of the hot broth and stir frequently. When it has been almost completely absorbed, add another ladleful of hot broth and stir well. Continue adding the broth, a ladleful at a time, until the rice s tender but still slightly chewy, 20-25 minutes. It should be creamy but not mushy.
7. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan and the basil. Taste for salt and add pepper. Mix in the mozzarella. Serve the finished risotto piping hot, passing additional Parmesan at the table.



Tips: Use San Marzano tomatoes
Buy Arborio rice, basil, san marzanno tomatoes and fresh Mozzarella at Pirate o’s in Draper

Pistachio Gelato

Pistachio gelato is the benchmark by which many gelaterie are judged. You can tell at a glance f an artificial base has been used, just by the color. If the gelato maker is using real pistachio nuts, the color will be an almost drab green. If the bin flashes a neon green, keep walking! Monica Marcheschi
1 C (6 oz) shelled pistachios (12 0z in the shell)
3 C whole milk
¾ C sugar
In a food processor or coffee grinder, grind the pistachio to a fine powder, reserving a few whole ones for garnish.
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat, add the pistachios, cool, cover, and refrigerated overnight.
Strain the milk mixture through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing on the nuts with the back of a large spoon to get as much liquid from the nuts as possible. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Makes 1 quart; serves 4

Tortilla soup

2 (14 ½) oz cans of chicken broth or 1 quart homemade chicken broth
1-2 cups diced, cooked, chicken. (I usually boil 3 breasts of chicken for 20 minutes)
1 small onion, diced, finely
½ to 1(4-oz) can diced green chilies
½ to 1 Tablespoon chili powder
A pinch of ground red pepper (cayenne)
Tortilla chips
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2-3 tomatoes chopped
Avocadoes diced (optional)
1 lime (optional)


Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan, stir together the chicken broth, chicken, onion, green chilies, chili powder, and ground red pepper.
2. Bring the soup to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer the soup, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until the onion is tender.
3. Ladle the soup into individual bowls or a soup tureen. Add broken up chips, sprinkle with cheese, tomatoes, avocado and finish with a squeeze of lime. Note: The chilies and chili powder can be altered depending of how hot you want the flavor to be.

Serves 2-4 people

Chicken mug pie

1 tube jumbo bake-off butter biscuits, from the dairy aisle of market (recommended: Grands by Pillsbury)
Sweet paprika, for sprinkling
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast pieces, diced
3 tablespoons butter
2 ribs celery and greens from the heart, chopped
1 medium yellow onion,
chopped 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded potatoes, ready to cook hash browns, available in sacks on dairy aisle
1 pint half-and-half or cream
1 quart chicken stock, available in boxes on soup aisle
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, a healthy grating
1 cup frozen green peas


Preheat oven according to package directions and arrange biscuits on cookie sheet. You will have 4 extra biscuits. Save them for ham and cheese or egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches the next morning. Sprinkle biscuits with a little paprika and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
In a medium pot over medium to medium high heat, cook chicken in butter 2 minutes then add veggies and season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 minutes more, add flour cook another minute. Add potatoes, then whisk in half-and-half or cream and chicken stock. Add nutmeg. Bring soup to a boil by raising heat, then turn heat back to simmer and cook soup another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Add peas. Stir in to warm them through a minute.
Serve mugs of soup with biscuits on top to cap the mug: chicken mug pies!