For more tomato sauce recipes, click here.

• 4 links of your choice, sliced in half lengthwise, then sliced into ½ coins
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp. dried basil, or 3 fresh sprigs
• 12 oz. spaghetti
• ½ cup reserved pasta water
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese, as much as you like

In a large non stick pan, lightly coat with olive oil to medium heat.  Add sausage and cook stirring frequently until browned evenly.  Set aside.  To the pan add the ¼ cup olive oil to medium low heat.  Add the onion and cook stirring until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring for a few minutes.  Add the crushed red pepper flakes, cook one minute.  Increase heat to medium and add tomatoes, season to taste with salt, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and add basil.  Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling.  Cook spaghetti to just before it is tender.  Drain reserving ½ cup pasta water.  If you used fresh basil in sauce, remove.  To your sauce stir in the reserved pasta water, bring to a slight boil.  Add sausage then add spaghetti, stirring until spaghetti is al dente.  from heat and add butter and freshly grated parmesan.  Toss until cheese melts.  Serve immediately.

Related posts:

1. Spaghetti with Smoked Turkey Sausage and Artichoke Fennel Sauce
2. Spaghetti and Meatballs Again
3. Sausage and Peppers with a Tomato Cream Sauce over Pappardelle

Thanks Joy for sharing, and happy new year!  Please enjoy!

• 6 medium russet potatoes
• 1 medium onion grated
• 1 egg
• ½ cup flour
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable oil to coat pan generously
• Apple sauce and sour cream (optional)

Peel potatoes and grate in food processor.  Peel and grate onion in food processor.  Place in a large bowl, add egg, flour, and salt.  Stir to combine completely.  Heat oil in electric fry pan to 375 degrees. With slotted spoon, grab spoonful of potatoes and pat gently to remove excess liquid (do not remove all liquid, just a small amount).  Fry potatoes until dark golden brown on first side (do not touch), about 6-8 minutes.  Flip and fry second side for 3-4 minutes, until light golden brown.  Drain on paper towels while you finish cooking the remaining pancakes.  If desired, sprinkle with additional salt.  Serve with apple sauce and sour cream.

Total time: 45 minutes

Makes: 12 medium size pancakes

Related posts:

1. Lemon-Arugula Potato Salad
2. Potato-Leek Gratin
3. Cottage Cheese Pancakes

There are a few different types of Kale, Dinosaur Kale, Red Russian Kale, and Curly Kale.  Kale is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and manganese, click here to learn more about the benefits.  Brussels sprouts are also high in vitamins A, C, and fiber.  So go ahead now and eat your vegies!  Please enjoy!

My source for this recipe was bon appetit.

• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. minced shallot
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 large bunch of Tuscan kale, ribs removed, thinly sliced
• 12 oz. brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup almonds, skin on coarsely chopped
• 1 cup shredded pecorino cheese

Combine lemon juice, mustard, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld.  Mix kale and Brussels sprouts in a large bowl.  Spoon 1 tbsp. oil (from ½ cup), into a small skillet; heat to medium, add almonds stirring frequently until golden brown.  Transfer to a paper towl and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Slowly whisk remaining olive oil into lemon juice mixture.  Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.  Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture.  Garnish with almonds.

Related posts:

1. Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Soup
2. Sauteed Brussells Sprouts with Smoked Ham and Toasted Walnuts
3. Mustardy Kale With Bacon

For more Thai soup recipes, click here.

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 box Swansons chicken broth
• 6 ¼ inch slices ginger
• 2 stalks lemon grass cut into 1-inch slices
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tsp. honey or sugar
• 2 tsp. sirancha or to taste
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce (we like the red boat fish brand)
• ½ cup cilantro

In a large soup pot heat over medium, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil.  Add your chicken and sauté until browned.  Remove and set aside.  To your pot add the coconut milk, chicken broth, ginger, and lemon grass.  Bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes or so.  Strain soup to remove the lemon grass and ginger.  Add mushrooms, lime juice, honey (or sugar), sirancha, fish sauce, and chicken.  Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Add your cilantro and serve immediately.

Related posts:

1. Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Soup
2. Steak and Vegetable Soup
3. North Indian Style Spinach Chicken

I was so excited to make these panko crusted halibut tacos last night, because I new they were going to be really tasty.  And that they were!!  We had dinner with some friends the other night at BJ’s Brewery, when my eyes hit the halibut tacos on the menu, I decided to try them.  I hate to admit this but I’ve never had fish tacos.  They were lightly breaded with panko bread crumbs, and served in warm tortillas with plain shredded cabbage.  On the side was the creamy avocado sauce, and salsa. So I decided I was going to make my own panko crusted halibut tacos, but change it up a bit by combining the raw cabbage with the avocado sauce to create a slaw that could be plopped right on top of the halibut.  I prepared the avocado cabbage slaw first so it could sit in the refrigerator and marinate, while I prepared my halibut.  Halibut is a great source of high quality protein, rich in minerals, vitamins, and the most beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids.  Now this is just a few of the benefits, click here to learn more about the very nutritious halibut fish.  Please enjoy!

For more recipes with halibut, click here.

For the halibut:

• Corn tortillas, 8 to 10
• 1 lb. halibut fillets, washed and cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. whipping cream
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp. olive oil

For the creamy avocado slaw:

• 1 avocado
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• ½  cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. green salsa
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. red pepper chili flakes
• ½ lime, juiced
• 2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced

Prepare you creamy avocado cabbage slaw first.  In a large bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly, adding your cabbage last, tossing to coat cabbage evenly.  Place in refrigerator while you prepare you tacos.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place your tortillas in foil and warm in oven while you prepare your halibut.  Wash and trim skin off halibut.  Cut into 2- inch pieces.  Place flour in shallow dish.  In a medium size bowl, beat eggs with whipping cream and water.  Place panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish, add salt and pepper to taste.  Dredge halibut pieces one by one in flour, shaking to remove any excess flour, then dip into egg mixture, lastly coat with the panko bread crumbs.  Heat a nonstick skillet with olive oil until barely smoking.  Sauté halibut pieces to a golden brown turning once, about 5 minutes.  Place halibut pieces in an oven proof pan, to finish cooking.  About 8 minutes.

To serve, place halibut pieces in warmed tortillas, and top with creamy avocado cabbage slaw.

Serves: 6

Total time: 60 minutes

Related posts:

1. Panko Crusted Halibut Tacos with a Creamy Avocado Cabbage Slaw
2. Creamy Coleslaw
3. Halibut With Citrus Butter Sauce

This was a very delicious dish that was effortless to put together.  There are so many versions of chicken and mushrooms, I like mine with a creamy sauce.  You can change this up however you like.  I made this years ago from cook book that I could not longer find, this is purely from memory.  Served over rice or noodles, with custy french bread, definitely a winner!  Please enjoy!    

For more chicken and mushroom recipes, click here.

• 1 lb. Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” chunks
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. Dried Thyme leaves
• Olive oil, generously coating your pan
• 3 large cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 3 large shallots, chopped fine
• 1-lb. sliced cremini mushrooms

Sauce mixture:

• 1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup whipping cream
• 2 tbsp. Tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. Oyster sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. Dried Thyme leaves

Combine chicken, flour, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag and shake until chicken is well coated.  Remove chicken from bag shaking off any excess flour.  To a large non-stick pan over medium heat, add the olive oil.  Add your chicken and cook until nicely browned, about 10 minutes.  Remove chicken to a separate plate.  Add your garlic, and shallots, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.  Add your mushrooms, stirring until the mushrooms release their juices and start to wilt.  Add your sauce mixture, stirring completely to combine.  Bring to a boil, add your chicken and reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer until your sauce thickens, 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve over rice or noodles.  

Related posts:

1. Papparadelle With Chicken and Cremini Mushroom Ragu
2. Mushroom Fantasy Chicken
3. Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Sauce

My husband found this recipe, it was so good that I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t share!  You start by brushing your roast with balsamic vinegar, then a paste of garlic and herbs is spread all over.  The end result, a mouth watering crust that creates an abundance of flavor to this juicy cross rib roast.  Please note that the original recipe is cooked the entire time in the oven.  My husband wanted to barbeque his roast, so for the first 15 mintes it was in the oven.  He then moved  the roast to the barbeque until it reached the internal suggested temperature of 125 degrees, a little over an hour.

We like to make a meal on sunday that will allow for left overs during the week.  With the left overs, I made beef and rice for the second night.  The third night was roast beef and hot pepper cheese sandwiches, simply delicious!

Our source for this fabulous cross rib roast is a cookbook called “The Complete Meat Cookbook” by Bruce Aidells.  Please enjoy!

For more cross rib roast recipes, click here.

• 2 lb. cross rib roast
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  If barbequing, start barbeque.

Brush roast with balsamic vinegar.  In a small bowl make a paste with remaining ingredients.  Brush all over meat.

Place roast in a roasting pan.  If barbequing, place roast in a disposible aluminum pan.

Roast meat in oven for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for another 45 to 60 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees.

If barbequing, place roast indirectly on the grill, cover and cook for 60 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees.  Remove from oven or barbeque; cover loosely with foil for about 20 to 25 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Serves: 4-6

Total time: 1.5 hour

Related posts:

1. Classic Pot Roast
2. Roast Cod with Garlic Butter

For more recipes using pastry shells, click here.

• 2 tbsp. Olive oil
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 lb. ground italian sausage
• 1 sweet onion, chopped 
• 1/2 lb. sliced fresh cremini mushroooms
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. each pepper and ground sage
• 1-17 oz. package Pepperidge farm pastry sheets, thawed 
• 1 egg, beaten

Lightly coat a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil.  Add beef, sausage, and onions, stirring to break up meat.  When pinkness is almost gone add mushrooms, stirring until meat is fully cooked, onions and mushrooms are soft.  Spoon out any additional liquid if necessary.  Remove pan from heat to cool.  In a separate dish mix sour cream, flour, pepper, and sage.  Add to beef and sausage mixture, mixing completely. 

On a lightly floured surface spread out thawed dough.  (I use one sheet for two turnovers, if your prefer a smaller serving adjust accordingly).  Using a sharp knife cut pastry sheets into squares.  Divide beef and sausage mixture into proportionate servings.  Spoon each serving into middle of pastry square.  Carefully fold corners up pinching sides and top to seal.  Brush with beaten egg.  Place turnovers on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until nicely browned.

Total time: 1.5 hours
Servings: 4

Related posts:

1. Beef-Wheat Balls
2. Turkey Turnovers With Fresh Mushrooms
3. Italian Sausage and Artichoke Soup

In purchasing the shrimp I made sure that it was deveined so the preparation was effortless.  After you pinch the tail off, grab the shell from the back, and it peels off very easily.  The hot italian sausage gave it a nice, spicy kick.  Feel free to change it up with a milder or leaner sausage, there are so many varieties out there now, I love it!  And please if you do change it up, share in the comments section.  Enjoy!

• 1 16-oz. package fettucine or pasta of your choice
• 6 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 3 hot italian sausage links, casings removed, broken into chunks
• 1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, with tail off
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped italian parsley
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Start boiling a large pot of water for your pasta while you prepare the sausage and shrimp sauce.

In a large non-stick pan add 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat.  Add your sausage and saute while stirring until brown and slightly crispy.  Set aside. Add the shrimp and saute stirring quickly until almost cooked through, 3-5 minutes.  Set aside with the sausage.  To your pan add 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium  heat. Add onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, bay leaf, and garlic.  Saute for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender.  Set aside with sausage and shrimp.

In the same pan add the remaining olive oil and 1 tsp. butter over medium heat. Whisk in milk slowly.  Whisk in wine slowly.  Continue cooking, add cayenne, nutmeg, parsley, salt and pepper to taste.  Reduce heat to low and continue cooking to your desired consistency.  Drain pasta and return to pot.  To your pasta add the sausage, shrimp, vegetables, and sauce.  Stir completely.  Serve in large pasta bowls with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped italian parsley.

Serves: 4

Total time: 90 minutes

Related posts:

1. Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo
2. Shrimp Quesadillas with Tarragon Aioli
3. Sausage and Peppers with a Tomato Cream Sauce over Pappardelle

My neighbor Betty shared her recipe for clam chowder with me.  I love clam chowder but have never attempted to make it.  It was fun, easy and really creamy, yummy good!  Chowder is just a generic name for many different varieties of seafood or non-seafood stews that are usually thickened with milk and or cream, potatoes etc.  In the past chowder was considered to be a poor mans stew, with it’s history dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.  Click here to learn more about chowder and it’s history.  

Nothing like a nice big bowl of clam chowder and popovers!  Please enjoy!

Check out this link here for a website dedicated to chowder recipes.

• 6 slices thick cut bacon
• 2 medium yellow potatoes, cut into 1- inch cubes
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 4 tbsp. Butter
• 6 tbsp. Flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1-10 oz. Can whole baby clams, with liquid
• 1-6.5 oz. Can minced clams, with liquid
• 1 tsp. Fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boiling and cook potatoes until tender.  Cook your bacon until crisp in a large non-stick pan.  Set bacon aside.  Wipe out excess bacon drippings from pan.  Add onions and cook until translucent.  Set aside.  When potatoes are tender, drain and set aside.  To your large pot add the butter over medium heat until bubbly.  Gradually whisk in flour and continue cooking until slightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.  Add your onion and stir completely.  Add your potatoes and stir completely.  Add your milk slowly while stirring.  Add your clams, thyme and cayenne.  Break your bacon into bits over your chowder and bring to a slight boil while stirring.  Bring heat to low and cover for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally until desired thickness.

 Serves: 4

Total time: 1.5 hours

Related posts:

1. Roasted Chicken And Corn Summer Chowder
2. Hake San Sebastian Style
3. Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Soup