What to do with leftover Italian bread?

Stuffed French Toast 

After Christmas, I had so much food that nobody ate the loaf of Italian bread.  Day old Italian bread is perfect for French toast but who wants plain French toast; not me.  I whipped up a little cream cheese with powdered sugar to sweeten it a bit.  I cut a slit in each slice of bread that didn't go all the way through to the other side.  I stuffed each piece with cream cheese and a raspberry compote that I had (you can use your favorite jam flavor).  I then soaked each piece in a mixture of almond milk (because I ran out of real milk), egg beaters (because I ran out of eggs), vanilla and some cinnamon.  Spray a grilling pan with cooking spray and cook until golden on each side.  Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and some real maple syrup.

Christmas Cocktail

Christmas Sangria

A great way to start a holiday party and leave people talking about it.  It's festive with red cranberries, red and green apples, and a sprig of fresh rosemary.  It's sparkling and it's wine, a great combination.  It's also light enough to appeal to most wine or cocktail drinkers.  

Sangria Recipe

6 Cupcakes of Christmas

I used to make so many Christmas cookies and every year it seemed that I added a few more kinds.  Last year I started my own tradition with the 12 cupcakes of Christmas.  Twelve different fillings, frostings, cupcakes, and toppings was a little much so this year I tried 6 different kinds.  Each one was chosen with some part of Christmas or the holidays in mind.

#1 Toasted Lemon Meringue

This cupcake was made with the ski slopes and white fluffy snow in mind.  A fresh lemon zest cake, with homemade lemon curd filling, and meringue topping toasted with a pastry chef torch.  They're topped with fondant skis and a skier made out of sugar (I did cheat and buy that part).

#2 Cranberry Orange 

This may not be the most common Christmas treat but someone I associate the two whether it's in my Mom's cranberry orange bread, the oranges my Great Aunt used to give us for Christmas, or the orange ball cookies that my husband loves.  This cupcake is like a muffin with fresh cranberries and orange zest.  The frosting is a cream cheese base with cranberry and orange juice added to the two different colors; the flavor came out bold and delicious.  

#3 Peppermint White Chocolate

This flavor combination reminds me of peppermint white chocolate bark which comes out seasonally and I love.  You have to like peppermint because this cupcake definitely was bursting with that flavor.  The frosting had real Ghirardelli white chocolate melted right into it.  For a garnish, I topped it with a handmade white chocolate snowflake and peppermint Andes candies pieces.

#4 Hot Chocolate Marshmallow

On the bitter cold winter days in Syracuse, not just children like to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows.  These cupcakes are actually infused with dark hot chocolate and topped with a homemade marshmallow frosting.  I garnished them with a piece of a candy cane striped straw and mini dark chocolate chips.

#5 Dark Chocolate Cherries

Candies and truffles are a popular gift during the holidays.  This cupcake will certainly appeal to a sweet tooth and dark chocolate lover.  It's a chocolate porter cupcake filled with cherry pie filling, topped with dark chocolate buttercream and garnished with a dark chocolate dipped long stem cherry.

#6 Red Velvet

The color of a red velvet cupcake just makes me think if Christmas; it's perfect for the season! I filled these with a cream cheese filling, topped with whipped buttercream, and garnished with holly berries made from melting chocolates and m&ms. Simple and sophisticated. 

Deconstructed Cheesecake

Cheesecake in a Glass

I love trying classic recipes but in new ways.  This treat is great for a dinner party, it's quick, and it's pretty.  The base is crushed graham cracker mixed with a little melted butter.  The cheesecake filling consists of 2-8oz cream cheese and one can sweetened condensed milk whipped together.  For the toppings, use your favorite berries.  I used a bag of frozen mixed berries cooked down in the stove with a little lemon juice and cornstarch mixed together.  Cook until the berries turn into a jelly-like consistency.  Assemble in your favorite wine glass or other glassware with graham cracker first, then a few dollops of cheesecake mixture, then berries, and topped with your favorite nuts or slivered almonds (if desired).  So cute and so easy!

Flavorful Minestrone

Chickpea and Sausage Minestrone

I'm not usually a fan of minestrone especially when it's loaded with kidney beans or just vegetables.  This version is healthy but packed with flavor.  I make sure to dice up the veggies really fine since I've never loved cook carrots.  I also used ditalini pasta instead of shells because it's what I had in the house.  Along side the soup, I served Parmesan toasts made by toasting English muffin halves under the broiler for a few minutes.  I topped them with a small amount of mayo, fresh Parmesan, and black pepper and broiled until the cheese melted.  The best part of this meal is that the whole thing take under 30 minutes.

Soup Recipe

Breakfast Anytime!

Eggs and Bacon "Breakfast" Pizza

I put quotations on breakfast because this is the perfect pizza for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Normally breakfast pizzas have a scrambled egg topping, but this one has the ooey gooey goodness of sunny side up eggs minus the work it usually takes to make them. This pizza is quick and easy to assemble, and even I used a pre-made crust for once.  It would be perfect for a protein boost at the start of your day or after a vigorous workout.  Give it a try!

Eggs and Bacon Pizza Recipe

Perfectly Fresh Chicken Parm

Chicken Parmesan with Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce 

I've never liked chicken Parmesan because its usually just breaded chicken in canned sauce with some "fake" mozzarella cheese in top.  This is so different and so amazingly good!  The big difference is fresh ingredients.  You roast your own tomatoes for the sauce and use fresh mozzarella and basil for toppings.  There's no reason to ever use anything but fresh again and the little bit of extra time it takes is so worth it.  The panko breading is light and adds a nice crispness to the outside of the chicken.  An Italian perfection made by an imperfect Irish girl.

Chicken Recipe

A Sheep Cake

Sheep Cupcake Cake

I'd never made a cupcake cake before but I decided to take on the order.  I needed to turn 50 cupcakes into a sheep.  What I ended up finding was that 50 cupcakes= 2 sheep or one extremely fat one (I went with 2).  For a cupcake cake, I found it was easiest to line the cupcakes up in the correct shape first and then frost them like one big cake; filling any holes between cupcakes with frosting.  I used the leftover batter to make a few mini cupcakes for the feet.  The only trouble I ran into was getting black frosting.  The black food coloring just doesn't work in a whole bowl if buttercream frosting.  If you make a paste out of a little cocoa powder and water as well as add black food coloring to the frosting it will darken it rather than just turning it gray.

Light Pumpkin Dessert

Pumpkin Protein Cheesecake Mousse

I'll never be a girl that gives up sweets so I needed to find healthy alternatives.  This is a great low calorie dessert that even has some protein in it after a good workout.  The cottage cheese may seem like an odd choice but once blended it will have a smooth texture and taste great!  Definitely worth a try! Check out fitsugar.com for more great dessert/snack ideas.

Pumpkin Mousse Recipe

Squash Fritters

Spaghetti Squash Fritters with Sriracha Mayo

They sound weird but they have a great taste.  Normally, when you hear fritter it's greasy and fried but these a light and healthy.  I recently found how great spaghetti squash can be especially when you use it as a substitute for carbs.  A few years ago, I would've heard squash and turned up my nose because I can't stand a mushy texture but this is so different.  The Sriracha mayo is a must, buy a bottle, it'll last you forever and you'll find yourself adding it to all kinds of dishes.

Fritter Recipe

Spinach and Artichoke on a Pizza

Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

I usually love this combination but I have to be honest this pizza wasn't my favorite.  I think if I made it again it needs a better sauce.  I would use a recipe for a typical spinach and artichoke dip which involves mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese.  Spread this over the pizza, sprinkle with a little shredded mozzarella and bake it.  Skipping the blue cheese too might make it better.  The combination is a good idea just really needs a creamier base.

Pizza Recipe

A New Thanksgiving Turkey

Lemon Garlic and Herb Turkey

Unlike most people, I'm odd, and I don't love thanksgiving dinner.  If I'm going to go through the work if cooking a whole turkey dinner then it better be good. I tried something a little different this year from a plain sausage stuffing and brown gravy.  Many people are opposed to stuffing the turkey, so this recipe stuffs the bird and has extra on the side.  I believe that if you don't stuff your bird you loose lots if flavor.  For my bird I decided to do an herb and butter rub.  Take extremely soft butter and rub it all over the inside and out of the turkey.  Carefully loosen the skin in the breast if the turkey, breaking the membrane so that you can rub butter all underneath the skin as well.  I put together and herb rub consisting if fresh rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Rub this all over the bird as well.  I used a goat cheese, wild rice, and chorizo stuffing recipe by Bobby Flay.  By far the best stuffing I've ever had!!!  For the pan, I cut 6 whole bulbs in half as well as 4 lemons and some thyme and placed them around the turkey.  I also added a low sodium chicken stock to the pan in order to bast the turkey frequently and keep it from drying out. While the turkey is cooking, as gross as it sounds, be sure to save the giblets and boil them in water to add to the gravy.  I've never done mushroom gravy with my turkey before but it was so delicious!!  Of course, you have to have potatoes and a veggie; a nice garlic mashed and roasted Brussels sprouts work great to finish out an amazing meal.

Cremini Mushroom Gravy Recipe
Chorizo Stuffing Recipe

Turkey Cupcakes, Almost Too Pretty to Eat

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cupcakes

If you're looking for a cute dessert that's easy and inexpensive, this isn't it.  They take a lot of little ingredients; soft caramel squares, candy coated sunflower seeds, sixlets etc.  They also take about a half a day to make since each little turkey and piece is individually molded.

Breaking it down...

-Start by baking your favorite cupcake, since it was fall I went for pumpkin.  You can fill them if you choose but I'm not sure if you really need to.

- Soften a few caramels at a time in the microwave (10 seconds or less, they won't work if they're too hot).  Mold one over a half of a Pringles honey pretzel stick and make it look like a drumsticks.  Continue until you have enough legs for all of your turkeys.

- Next make the turkey skins, soften a few caramels at a time, roll two caramels out and cut a 3 inch circle.  Cut a small square out of one side which will be where the stuffing goes.

- Pipe a large dollop of frosting (I used a stiff vanilla buttercream) on each cupcake and cover with the skin to look like a turkey body.  Be sure to press the sides down into the frosting and leave a hole in the back where the stuffing will go.

-Cut a pound cake into tiny cubes and stuff a few into the end of each turkey.

-Attach the legs by lightly brushing the inside of each with a touch if water and pressing both onto the sides of the turkey (hold for 15 seconds or until they are set)

-For the decorations, I used the buttercream and added green coloring to look like lettuce.  I used a leaf tip to pipe the leaves on.  Then I added sixlet oranges and candy coated sunflower seeds as a bunch of grapes.

-Sprinkle with a touch of cinnamon to make the turkey skin look like it's cooked.

Egg Rolls

Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls

I love Asian food but I don't love Chinese takeout restaurants.  We haven't been able to find a good Chinese takeout restaurant and I don't think we'll ever find a healthy one.  I love egg rolls but the fried shell doesn't like me.  These egg rolls are loaded with fresh veggies and baked.  For a little bit more filling roll I think that adding a little cooked chicken or ground pork would be great.  I made these on a weeknight and as always, I don't have a lot of time.  I found pre-shredded carrots and cabbage at the grocery store which saved a bit of time.  I made two quick dipping sauces; a sweet chili and a soy dipping sauce.  The chili sauce is easy, mix up orange marmalade with sweet Thai chili sauce (add the chili sauce for you desired taste). For the soy dipping sauce:

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1 scallion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger root
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Egg Roll Recipe

Bacon in a Casserole, can't be light can it?

Mushroom and Bacon Casserole

I've never had barley before, it always sounded like something a horse might eat; oats and barley.  I love wild mushrooms and a nice melty gruyere cheese which make a great combo in this dish.  I didn't have Madeira wine so a dry cooking sherry works well.  This dish does take a little bit of time because you don't want the barley to be undercooked.  Be sure to let the barley absorb the liquid fully before removing from heat.  Also, I'm big on using turkey bacon but it just won't do in this dish, go for a thick center cut bacon. Mmmm bacon!!!

Casserole Recipe

A new kind of fish and chips

Oven Fried Tilapia with Cheesy Polenta

Fish and chips are great but everything is fried and unhealthy.  Why turn fish into something that's unhealthy?  This dish is quick and light.  The tilapia is lightly breaded, baked in the oven, but still gets a crispy exterior.  Squeezing the lemon wedge over the top before eating will be sure to eliminated any bit of fishy taste that may be left (there really isn't any because its a mild fish).  Fish is light so the creamy polenta adds to make the meal more filling but still less calories.  I use a quick cooking polenta because I'm not very patient.

Tilapia Recipe

Fall Soup

White Bean and Pumpkin Bisque with Sage Pesto

A great soup for when the weather begins to get brisk.  Easy enough for a weeknight but fancy enough as a starter for guests.  To make it easier I use an immersion blender rather than transferring the soup to a stand alone blender.  The pesto is a must so don't skip it!  Serve with a nice garlic toast or fresh bread.

Soup Recipe

Sausage Mushroom Pizza, like you've never had before...

Spicy Sausage and Mushroom Pizza

I'm not usually a fan of a greasy sausage pizza but when you cook one at home with the right kind of sausage it adds lots of flavor.  This pizza is far from greasy and takes a trip to flavor town.  I tried the recipe to take to a friend once and it looked and smelled so good I almost didn't want to give it away. I used a homemade thin crust and a good Gianelli hot turkey sausage.  I love this pizza because it hides all the goodness of the peppers, onions, and sausage underneath the cheese.

Pizza Recipe

Pretzels for Dinner?

Honey Mustard Pretzel Crusted Chicken

Great for a weeknight, seemingly simple but extremely flavorful.  Who doesn't love Tully's tenders with their special honey mustard dressing?  If you ate them every day, you may not feel so great about it with all the breading and frying.  These tenders are only lightly breaded, baked and smothered in that honey mustard as well as dipped.  I skipped training the panko bread crumbs to save time but I'm sure it would make the tenders a bit more crispy.

Chicken Recipe

Thanksgiving Stuffed into a Burger

Thanksgiving Burger

I got the idea from watching a Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives episode for what they called the Christmas burger but I think of these flavors as more Thanksgiving related.  I couldn't find a recipe so I put a few ideas together.  Thanksgiving makes me think of turkey, stuffing, and always the cranberry sauce that you have to have but that nobody really likes.  This burger starts with the typical base for a stuffing, sautéed onions and celery.  Form two very thin burger patties for each burger.  I cheated and used stovetop for the sake of time and rolled it into large meatball-like shapes.  To form each burger patty, seal the ball of stuffing between two of the thin turkey burger patties.  I grilled my burgers on a nonstick grilling pan, if you don't live where it snows for 7 months out of the year then grill it on low heat outdoors.  For the topping, ketchup and mustard just won't do, mix together cream cheese and cranberry sauce.  I didn't serve them on buns because there's a whole ball of stuffing inside; thought it would be a few too many carbs.  If you're really looking for the full Thanksgiving effect then whip up a batch of your favorite mashed potatoes.  If you're using leftovers this is a great way to get rid of stuffing, cranberry sauce, and turn mashed potatoes into potato pancakes.

Turkey Burger Recipe

Goats Make Cheese Too

Mushroom, Basil, & Goat Cheese Lasagna

Lasagna roll ups are much easier than making a whole pan of lasagna and they cook faster.  The flavors in this recipe are great but I felt like it was a little dry.  I like mine saucy so I heated up a little marinara sauce to dip it in.  A brown butter sauce drizzled over the top might be a nice addition or even a little truffle oil to add the finishing touch.

Lasagna Roll Recipe

Amy's Pizza

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

Our friend Amy came over for dinner one night and I asked her what she liked; caramelized onions and goat cheese.  Well these happen to be the perfect combination (thanks Amy).  I love a good flatbread pizza with a homemade thin crust.  This one takes a little bit of love and time but well worth it.  When caramelizing onions, be sure to cook them down until nice and browned (but not burned).  This pizza would be fine without the balsamic reduction but it is definitely the part that will spark your taste buds and leave you wanting more.  To make the reduction place 3/4 cup of balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan and cook until reduced by half while stirring constantly.  Do not let the liquid boil, you will know it's done when you get a syrup consistency.  Don't overcook it, like I did my first time, or you'll get a tacky mess.

Pizza Recipe

Pumpkin, pumpkin and more pumpkin!

Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce

Another fall pumpkin recipe that will surprise you.  I fell in love with caramelized sage in a recipe at Bonefish Grill, ever since then I've been looking up recipes that feature it.  This combination of the creamy pumpkin sauce, unique sage flavor, and the 3 cheese stuffing is a gourmet version of comfort food.  Perfect weeknight winner and not just for fall!

Shells Recipe

The best pancakes!

Pumpkin Pancakes

When September comes and the leaves begin to fall, all I want is pumpkin everything; coffee, muffins, bagels, pasta, etc.  I saw a sign for pumpkin pancakes on a local diner and thought, I can do that!  These pancakes are perfectly light, fluffy, and full of that pumpkin spice flavor I love.  Add a few toasted walnuts and some real maple syrup and enjoy one sweet dish.

Pancake Recipe

Pork and Apples

Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Maple-Glazed Apples

One of these years I'm going to learn not to pick so many apples.  Every year, when the weather becomes crisp, my husband and I make the trip north to the apple orchard.  I never remember how many apples I picked the year before and always end up with at least 20 pounds (for just the two of us).  This recipe was a last stitch effort to try to use them up.  Be sure to use real maple syrup and slice the pork relatively thin.

Maple Pork Recipe

Veggie Friendly

Chickpea Burger & Tahini Sauce

I'm not a vegetarian and I certainly love meat but these burgers are delicious.  I'm constantly trying veggie burgers, turkey burgers, and vegetarian dishes at restaurants only to find that I can do better at home.  Believe it or not the mashed chickpeas make a very filling and delicious burger patty, even my husband agrees.  To lighten it up only use a half or low carb pita.  Also, if you're not sure what tahini is I wasn't either.  You can find it in the international aisle at the grocery store but it's pretty expensive and comes in a rather large quantities; a low sugar peanut butter works great as a substitute.

Chickpea Burger Recipe