Yummy Crunchwrap Supremes.

Ingredients:

Large (burrito size) tortilla shells

Small tostada shells

Queso sauce

Pre-cooked taco meat

Shredded lettuce

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

Other options could include, but are certainly not limited to:

Taco Sauce

Jalapenos

Bell or banana peppers

Black or refried beans

Olives

Tomatoes

And whatever else you think might appeal to you!

Directions:

Warm your tortilla in the microwave to make it soft enough to bend

Put a dollop of queso sauce in the center of your tortilla, but be sure to leave a wide edge so you can wrap it around later

Spoon some taco meat on the cheese (this is where your beans would go, too, if you wanted to add them)

Place the tostada shell, corn tortilla, or a couple tortilla chips on top of the meat (depending on the size of the shell you may have to break it to make the center of your crunchwrap a little smaller so it will close)

Spoon a dollop of sour cream and spread over the shell

Sprinkle some shredded lettuce and shredded cheese on top (this would also be the place for any peppers, tomatoes, etc.)

Wrap the edges up toward the center until they close around your filling (if it won’t cover it all, tear a piece off another tortilla to cover the top and wrap the edges around it)

With some ninja quickness flip the crunchwrap into a warm non-stick pan, fold side down. Lightly pressed down with your spatula to seal the folds and brown. It won’t take long

Carefully flip it over once the edges are sealed and lightly brown the bottom side. This won’t take long either because really, you’re just warming that yummy, gooey queso on the bottom

Roast Lemon Chicken with Garlic and Herbs.

Roast Lemon Chicken with Garlic and Herbs is a crispy-skinned, extra juicy, oven-roasted chicken with the clean, classic, bright, and fresh flavors of lemon, fresh herbs, and garlic.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsps butter, softened
• 1 bunch fresh thyme, 1 tbsp of it minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 2 heads of garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 1 3-4 lb whole chicken
• 2 large lemons, cut into quarters lengthwise
• 1 large onion, cut into 6 wedges
• 4 small potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in half lengthwise
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions
1)Preheat your oven to 375°.  Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil into a large roasting pan.
2)Break off 1 clove of garlic, peel, and mince.  In a small bowl, mix together the minced garlic, butter, and minced herbs.
3)Generously salt and pepper the inside cavity of the chicken.  Stuff the chicken with the bunch of thyme, some lemon slices (2 or 3, whatever you can fit), and one of the halves of garlic.  Gently separate the skin from the breast of the chicken with your finger. (See this in pictures here.)  Fill the area under the skin with half of the butter mixture.  Spread the rest of the butter mixture over the outside of the chicken.  Tie the legs together with kitchen twine (dental floss works, too).  Place the chicken into the center of the roasting pan.
4)Place the butternut squash face down in the pan on either side of the chicken.  Fill in the rest of the space in the pan with the potatoes, onion slices, garlic, and cut lemons.  Generously drizzle the vegetables and chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Squeeze one or two of the slices of lemon over everything in the pan.
5)Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes  (internal temperature should read 165°), flipping the vegetables about two-thirds of the way through the cooking time.  Tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Baileys, White Chocolate and Pistachio Fudge.

Baileys, White Chocolate and Piatachio Fudge is a sweet, rich, delicious white chocolate fudge with the flavors of irish cream and pistachios.

Ingredients

• 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup Baileys Irish Cream
• 36oz white chocolate chips
• ½ cup raw pistachios, chopped

Instructions 
1)Line a 9x9 baking dish with nonstick foil.  Or, if you don't have nonstick foil, lightly grease.
2)In a saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate, condensed milk and Bailey's.  Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted.  Remove from the heat and stir in the pistachios.  
3)Pour into the pan and let cool until set.  Once set, peel off the foil and cut into one inch squares.

Baked Red Lentil Falafel Salad

Makes 20 falafels and 2 salad servings.
For the falafels:
1 cup dry red lentils
2 cups loosely-packed Italian parsley leaves, stems removed
2 cups loosely-packed cilantro leaves, stems removed
5 garlic cloves
1 red onion
1-2 serrano peppers, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons whole sesame seed tahini paste
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-3 tablespoons chickpea flour (or whole spelt/whole wheat/all-purpose)

Olive oil spray

For the tahini dressing:

1/3 cup whole sesame seed tahini paste

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons water

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1/4 cup minced Italian parsley

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the salad:

3 cups shredded lacinato (tuscan) kale

3 carrots, shaved into ribbons

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Soak the lentils in fresh water overnight. When ready to make the falafels, strain and rinse the soaked lentils. Make sure to pick through the batch and discard any stones or debris.

In a food processor, pulse the lentils until they are coarsely ground, 3 to 5 times. Add the parsley, cilantro, garlic, onion, and serrano pepper to the bowl, and pulse another few times. Drizzle in the tahini paste, olive oil, spices, salt and pepper, and blend until almost smooth. Make sure not to over blend the mixture; you still want some crumb. Taste the mixture, and adjust the seasoning according to your liking. Add the baking soda and the chickpea flour. Start by adding 1 tablespoon of chickpea flour at a time. If the mixture is still too liquidy add another. The mixture should be fairly moist, and if you add too much flour, the falafels will become too dry and hard when baked. I wouldn't add more than 3 tablespoons.

Refrigerate mixture for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375° F.

To make the tahini dressing, whisk the tahini paste, lemon juice, water together until creamy. Mix in the grated garlic clove, minced parsley, paprika, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss the salad ingredients together.

Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out 2 tablespoons of the refrigerated falafel mixture into the palm of your hand. Roll into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. Generously coat the falafels with olive oil spray and bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Make sure not to over cook these — you don't want them to dry out.

To serve, plate the falafels over a bed of kale-carrot salad with a heaping dollop (or two) of tahini dressing.

Recipe Notes

To keep the recipe gluten free, I chose chickpea flour to bind the ingredients together, but any flour would work well here.

AMARENA TINI

Ingredients

7 cl gin

0.5 cl the Syrup of the cocktail cherries

Method

Chill the ingredients in a mixing glass and then strain into a martini glass. Decorate with 2 dripping cocktail cherries on a pick

Amarena Fabbri: Syrup, Fruit

Drink Size: Short Drink

Taste: Dry

Glass: Martini

Mixability: Alcoholic Cocktail, Cold Drink, Amarena Coocktails

Serving Time: Pre Dinner

Tecnics to Prepare: Stir&Strain

Wine and Spirits: Gin

Floradora

This tall, sweet and spicy gin drink is straight from the Lone Star State.

Ingredients :

2 oz Beefeater Gin
.5 oz Raspberry Syrup*
.5 oz Ginger syrup (5 parts ginger juice, 6 parts sugar)
.5 oz Fresh lime juice
club soda
Garnish: Raspberry
Glass: Highball

Add all the ingredients except the club soda to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a higball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a fresh raspberry.
*Raspberry Syrup
INGREDIENTS:
1 (12-oz) package Frozen raspberries
25 oz Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
PREPARATION:
In a bowl or other large container, muddle both ingredients. Let stand for 12 hours at room temperature. Strain and refrigerate before using.

Pesto Pasta with Lemon, Spinach, Edamame & Toasted Almonds 

Serves 4 to 6
8 ounces spaghetti
1/2 cup pesto
8 ounces spinach
2 cups edamame (shelled and shucked, the peas, not entire pods)
juice from 2 lemons (plus fresh lemon wedges for serving)

3/4 cup almonds, crushed and lightly toasted

Procedure :

Heat a large pot of water to boiling, cook pasta until al dente. Remove from water, strain and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, stir pasta, pesto and spinach until combined (some spinach will wilt, some will stay firm — this is a nice contrast of textures). Finally, stir in the edamame and squirt the lemon all over the finished dish. Reserve a few lemon slices for people to add more if they like. On a low heat, toast crushed almonds until just fragrant. Garnish pasta with the toasted almonds.

Neptune

2 oz. Bacardi 8

¾ oz. passionfruit puree

¾ oz. lime juice

1 ¼ oz. honey syrup

10 mint leaves

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass. Top with crushed ice. 

Sweet Potato Hash with Onions and Feta

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes


Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

Butter for pan

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

3 yellow onions, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon oregano

1/2-cup to 1-cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450.

Butter a large baking pan or dish and set aside.

Add the chopped sweet potatoes, onions, and olive oil in a bowl and mix.

Season with salt, pepper, and oregano; mix together and place the sweet potatoes on prepared baking dish in a single layer.

Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking, and cook until potatoes are fork tender.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Serve.

Spinach, Feta, and Potato Gratin

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 00 minute

Ingredients

butter, room temperature, for baking dish

5-6 medium-sized red potatoes, washed, peeled, and sliced 1/8-inch thick, divided

3 cans (13.5 ounce-Cans) Spinach, washed and drained, pat dry with paper towel

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

3 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rub a 13x9 baking dish with butter.

Layer half of the potato slices in dish, overlapping slightly.

Spread the spinach on top of the potato slices

Add the crumbled feta cheese over the spinach

Layer the rest of the potato slices on top.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, and salt and pepper.

Pour the cream mixture into dish to cover potatoes; cover with foil.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Remove foil and continue to bake until top of gratin is golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

Let rest 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Blackberry and Meyer Lemon Pavlovas

Meringue ingredients:

6 large egg whites, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups of caster sugar

1 tablespoon of cornstarch, sifted

1 teaspoon of white vinegar

1 pinch of salt

Blackberry-Meyer lemon topping ingredients:

12 ounces of blackberries

1 pint of heavy whipping cream, cold

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of water

1 Meyer lemon, zested and 1 tablespoon of its juice

a small handful of chopped lightly toasted unsalted pistachios

Start by beating the egg whites in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed until the whites become bubbly frothy. Add vinegar and salt. Turn to medium speed until soft peaks form. Soft peaks form when the egg whites look like white foam and the whisk starts to form a trail (like the picture below on the left). Turn to medium high speed and slowly add the caster sugar in a little at a time, allowing the sugar to incorporate before each addition. When all sugar is added, turn the speed on high and whip until the egg whites form hard peaks (like the picture below on the right) and the sugar is dissolved, about 3-4 minutes. You can check this by rubbing a bit of the meringue between your fingers– you should not be able to feel any grit. Add the sifted cornstarch and whisk on high speed for a couple more minutes until it is fully incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Spoon large disks of the meringues evenly onto the baking sheet. There should be enough meringue for 6. Bake for 1 hour with the rack positioned in the middle. Turn off the heat and crack the oven open a few inches. Allow to cool to room temperature.

To make the blackberry sauce, heat 1/3 of the blackberries, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a small pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes until syrupy. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. You can also mash with a potato masher for a chunkier sauce.

To make the whip cream, pour a pint of chilled heavy cream in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Whisk on medium high speed just until medium peaks form. Be careful not to overwhisk!

Carefully remove the meringues off the parchment paper. Lay one meringue on the bottom, spoon whip cream over it and place another meringue over it and dollop more whip cream on top.

Drizzle the blackberry sauce over the pavlovas and top with fresh blackberries.

Sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Dig in with a spoon . . .And enjoy!

Mango tequila shooters with chili-lime shrimp

Ingredients

For the mango shooters

6 ounces frozen mango cubes, defrosted

6 ounces from pineapple cubes, defrosted

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 5 medium limes)

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons red bell pepper, diced

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup tequila (optional)

For the shrimp

1 bunch scallions, coarsely chopped

1-2 Serrano chillies, seeded and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus zest of 1 lime (about medium 5 limes)

2 tablespoons olive oil (plus 2 tablespoons for sautéing)

20 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed.

Instructions

In a food processor, puree mangoes, pineapples, lime juice, cilantro, bell pepper and salt, puree until smooth.

Refrigerate covered for 2 to 3 hours.

In a food processor, puree scallions, chillies, cilantro, sea salt, lime juice, lime zest and olive oil, puree until smooth.

Refrigerate until ready to cook shrimp.

When mango is chilled, add the shrimp to the marinade and marinade for no more than 10 minutes or the lime with start to 'cook' the shrimp.

Remove mango puree from the fridge and stir in tequila is using.

Divide between 10 shot glasses.

In a saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Saute the shrimp for 2 minutes each side, transfer to a plate.

Skewer each shrimp with a toothpick and place 1 on each shot glass. Serve.

How much food and drinks to serve at a party

Black Velvet Cocktail

Serves 1

4 ounces Brut champagne, chilled
4 ounces Guinness stout, chilled

In a tall glass, pour the chilled Champagne. Slowly top with the chilled Guinness. Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

If you are using a pint glass, you will need to up your amounts to 6 ounces of each the Guinness and Champagne. If you choose to serve this in a Champagne flute you will need to decrease the amounts to 3 ounces of each to fit your drinking vessel.

Breakfast Pizza

serves as many as you'd like

1 recipe either Best Pizza Dough Ever or Thin Crust Pizza Dough 

Pizza sauce - recipes here

1 16-ounce tub whole milk ricotta

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Several handfuls of fresh herbs 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Any other toppings you would like 

2 to 3 large eggs per pizza

Make the dough and separate into individual balls. Mist with spray oil, cover, and leave overnight. If you're going to cook it the next morning there is no need to refrigerate.

Heat the oven as high as it will go — hopefully at least 550° and put a pizza stone or baking sheet, upside down, on the top rack.

Shake out each ball of dough and lay it on a sheet of parchment. Top with sauce, and a smear of ricotta, as well as Parmesan, herbs, and any other toppings, except the eggs. Crack each egg into an individual ramekin.

Slide the topped pizza into the oven. Carefully slip each egg out of its cup and onto the pizza. Shake on a little salt and pepper. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until the whites and yolk are just set and golden.

Take out of the oven and sprinkle a little more Parmesan on top. Let cool for five minutes then eat!

Vegan Oat & Apple Crumble-Top Muffins

Serves: 12
Ingredients
1 + ¾ cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour (or use 1 cup all-purpose flour + ¾ cup whole wheat flour)
¾ cup (175 mL) quick-cooking rolled oats
1-3/4 tsp (9 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
¾ tsp (4 mL) baking soda
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
¾ cup (175 mL) soy milk
¾ cup (175 mL) vegetabIe oil (or half oil, half applesauce)
1 vegan egg (such as Ener-G Egg Replacer)
? cup (150 mL) packed brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced
Topping
? cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar
? cup (75 mL) chopped pecans
¼ cup (50 mL) whole wheat flour
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegan margarine, melted
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
Instructions
Topping: In bowl, stir sugar, pecans, flour, margarine and cinnamon; set aside.
In large bowl, whisk all-purpose and whole wheat flours, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, whisk soy milk, oil, vegan egg, sugar and vanilla; pour over dry ingredients. Sprinkle with apple; stir just to blend. (Don’t over-mix – that leads to dense muffins!)
Fill paper-lined or greased muffin cups three-quarters full. Sprinkle with topping. Bake in centre of 375°F (190°C) oven for 25 minutes or until tops are firm to the touch. Let cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes. Remove to rack to let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 2 days or wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

The Anatomy of Sangria

Fresh Peach Shake

Serves: 1

Ingredients

2 fresh peaches, peeled

½ banana

1 cup vegan milk (coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk)

1 cup ice

1 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup

Instructions

Using a blender or immersion blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately.

Notes

Makes 1 large shake

Bean Chilaquiles with Avocado & Queso Fresco

Serves 1, but can easily be expanded for any number of people

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 small corn tortillas, cut into triangles

1/2 cup salsa

1/4 cup pinto beans, black beans, or other leftover beans

1 large egg

1/4 avocado, cut into slices

2 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco (or substitute your favorite cheese)

Hot sauce, optional

Roughly chopped cilantro

Pour the oil into a cast iron or stainless steel skillet and warm over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add tortilla triangles and fry, stirring and flipping constantly, until browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour the salsa over the tortillas, and cook, stirring, until the tortillas soak up most of the salsa, about 1 minute. Add the beans and stir to heat.

Push the chilaquiles to one side of the pan and lower the heat to medium. Crack the egg toward the middle of the pan. Partially cover the pan and cook until the egg whites are set and the yolk is as done as you like it. Alternatively, whisk the egg in a bowl before adding it to the pan and make scrambled eggs instead.

Use a thin spatula to carefully scoop the fried egg and the chilaquiles onto a plate. Garnish with the avocado slices, queso fresco, hot sauce, and cilantro. Eat immediately.

Recipe Notes:

• Chilaquiles are a great way to use up any little leftover bits in your fridge, like shredded chicken or pork, crumbled bacon, roasted vegetables, and tofu.

Creamy Beet and Tahini Dip

Makes about 1 1/4 cups
3 medium beets (3/4 pound), washed and trimmed
2 small garlic cloves, quartered
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup sour cream (see Recipe Note)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly-ground pepper
olive oil, to serve (optional)
pita or crackers, to serve

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the beets on top of a large sheet of aluminum foil and fold the edges over to create a pouch (the beets should be completely enclosed in foil). Lay pouch on top of a baking sheet to avoid any dripping onto the bottom of the oven and roast until tender, about 1 hour.  Let cool.
Once cool, slough away the beet skins with your fingers (or a paper towel) and discard. Cut beets into wedges and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, tahini, sour cream, lemon juice, salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper and process until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Scoop into a small serving bowl. Drizzle a spoonful or two of olive oil over the top of the dip if desired. Serve with pita, crackers or wedges of crusty bread. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes
I've tried making this dip with both sour cream and yogurt, and it's great either way. So if you're looking to make it lower in fat, try your favorite low or non-fat plain yogurt instead of the sour cream.