Seafood Pasta

I purchased Jake some fancy noodles when I was in Seattle visiting some friends. I got them at the Pike Place Market, they were roasted red pepper flavor. I made a nice pasta dish last night using them.








Seafood Pasta
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Pasta
Shrimp- peeled
Scallops
Cherry Tomatoes
Spinach
Garlic
Onion
pine nuts
chavrie cheese

Boil the pasta until tender. Meanwhile, chop the onion and brown it with some olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper. Throw in the tomatoes (I like to chop them in half first) and the spinach. Just as the spinach starts to wilt put in the shrimp and scallops, when they are close to cooked (shrimp turn pink) throw in the pine nuts, the pasta and the chavrie cheese. Toss it all over low heat until the cheese is warm and coats the dish.

Fall Pheasant

Second year in a row I made this recipe with the birds that the Neil guys came home with. Easy and yummy! Served well with risotto and green beans and maybe some yummy bread.

Fall Pheasant
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Pheasant Breasts (Cleaned)
Variety of apples Chopped (probably 2)
Onion sliced
Bacon in bit sized pieces
Apple Cider (the real kind that you find in the fall)
White Wine
Salt and pepper

Put it all in the crock pot on high for the good part of a day. Pull the meat out, use a slotted spoon to get the apples, bacon and onion out. Serve it all together on a platter.

Optional: Take some of the liquid out and reduce it in a small pot over high heat to serve as a sauce over the top. You can also use some corn starch to thicken it.

Blue and Gold Popcorn Balls

Made Blue and Gold ones for the game last weekend. Perfect Tailgating food!! GO CATS!

Popcorn Balls
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1 Bag of marshmallows
2 tbs butter spread or margarine
8 cups popped popcorn

put the margarine and marshmallows in a big microwave safe dish. Mic one minute at a time, stirring in between until all melten (usually just about 2 minutes). Mix in 10 drops of food coloring, more of less until desired color. Put the popcorn in and stir it up. Butter your hands and make balls of desired size. Cool them on wax paper. Wrap.

Fall Green Beans

Fall Green Beans
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Fresh green beans
craisins
onion
S/P

Clean the green beans and put them in a microwave safe dish a couple table spoons of water with plastic wrap over the top. Cook the beans in the mic for a few minutes in order to "steam" them. Meanwhile, dice the onions and brown them in a bit of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the beans and craisins. Toss until hot.

Chocolate Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes

I got these at a restaurant for breakfast a few weeks ago with my friend Lindsey before we headed off to an adventure to the DMV. I tried to re-create them and they turned out awesome!!





Chocolate Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes
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Crepes:
1 C Flour
1 C Milk
1 egg
2 TBS melted butter
Splash of Vanilla

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Use a griddle or non-stick skilled to make crepes. You can make them as big or small as you want. Use the back edge of a spoon to spread out the batter if you prefer them more thin. Flip them like a pancake half way through.

Chocolate Filling:
1 small container mascarpone cheese (found with the fancy cheeses)
3 TBS cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar (use more or less for sweeter filling)
Splash of Vanilla
Splashes of milk until desired consistancy (depending on if you want it more fluffy or more runny)

Whip it all together using a mixer.

Put the filling in the crepes once they are cooked and use Strawberries or banana to fill and on the outside. Use whipped cream as desired. I used chocolate sauce to garnish the plate. These are SOOOO yummy!!

Spinach Chicken Pasta

Nothing like a last minute meal!!

Spinach Chicken Pasta
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Chicken
onion
garlic
fresh herbs (from the herb garden or the store: basil, parsley, chives, oragano....whatever you have)
butter
S/P
Spinach (frozen, thawed and squeezed)
Cheese (parm or asiago)

Pasta Cooked

Boil the pasta until desired consistancy. Brown the chicken with onion and garlic and S/P in a wok. Throw the herbs, butter and spinach in the wok. Put the cooked pasta in the wok and mix it all up until hot. Serve with the cheese on top!

Berry Ice Cream Topping :)

I love making this dessert in the summer..........reasons:

1. You don't have to turn the oven on.....its too stinkin hot!
2. Berries are cheap in summer, sometimes I can get the "on the way out" ones for cheaper.
3. Ice cream is so yummy when it's hot out
4. Not too much added sugar
5. Jake would pay $4.50 for it but Doug would pay $7.00 :)

Berry Ice Cream Topping
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Berries
Vanilla
Some liquid (orange juice, lemonade, or booze)
Vanilla Ice cream
Peaches or nectarines?

Start with any Combination of fresh berries (Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries) but a combination of a at least a couple is best. Put them in a small sauce pan and use a wisk to mash them a bit. Add about 1/4 cup of some sort of juice (orange, lemonade, or even grand marnier or rum) and a dash of vanilla extract. Simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Set aside and let cool to room temp or serve it warm if you prefer. Serve over vanilla icecream, I love to also have it with fresh peaches or nectarines.