Yummy Sage Chicken

• Ingredients
  • 4 (4oz.) chicken cutlets
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 12 fresh sage leaves
  • 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto (4 strips)
  • 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil mixed with 1/3 cup fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon cornstarch
  • Lemon wedges
• Directions
  • Evenly distribute salt over chicken
  • Place 4 sage leaves on each cutlet
  • Wrap 2 prosciutto slices on each cutlet. This will secure sage leaves in place
  • Place skillet on medium heat
  • Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan
    • Swirl to evenly distribute
  • Add chicken to pan
    • Cook for 2 – 4 minutes on each side
  • Remove chicken from pan
    • Keep it warm
  • Combine broth, lemon juice and cornstarch in a bowl and wisk until smooth
  • In pan combine mixture and 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • Bring to boil
    • Consistently stirring
    • Cook for 1-2 minutes
      • Watch for sauce to slightly thicken
    • Evenly distribute sauce over chicken
    • Use lemon wedged for garnish

An unexpected twist to a basic oatmeal treat. This is the PERFECT recipe for breakfast, sunday brunch or a mid-day snack!

• Baked Sweet Oatmeal
  • Ingredients
    • 2 cups rolled oats
    • ½ cup toasted walnuts
    • 1/3 cup maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 cups milk
    • 1 large egg
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 3 ripe organic bananas
    • Sliced ½ inch thick
    • 1 ½ cup blueberries
  • Directions
    • Preheat oven 370 degrees
    • Generously butter baking dish
    • Take a bowl
    • Mix : oats, (half) walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt
    • In Another, Larger Bowl
      • Mix and wisk:
      • Maple Syrup, egg, milk, (half the) butter, and pure vanilla extract
    • Arrange banana slices along the bottom of the baking dish
    • Sprinkle some berries across the bananas
    • Cover fruit with the oat mixture
    • Slowly drizzle milk mixture in larger bowl over the oats mixture
    • Slowly tilt disk side to side and ‘thwack’ the side to be sure milk mixture get distributed through the oats
    • Spread remaining berries and walnuts across top
    •  Bake in oven 35-45 minutes
      • Make sure top is golden and oat mixture is set
    • Let cool for a few minutes
    • Drizzle remaining butter across top
    • Drizzle a splash of maple syrup across top to add extra sweetness
    • Serve

• Sweet & Cheesy Bruschetta
  • Ingredients
    • 2 organic apples
      • Whatever is in season and/or personal preference (I prefer Gala or Fuji)
    • 1 Baguette
      • Cut into slices ¼ inch thick
    • 8 ounces Brie (Approximately one pre-packaged triangle)
    • 1 tablespoon Honey
    • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon Brown sugar
    • Olive Oil
  • Directions
    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
    • Slice and core apples
      • Cut into thin, flat slices
    • Combine cinnamon and brown sugar. Set aside
    • Spray and/or brush both sides of sliced baguette pieces with olive oil
      • Place slices on baking sheet and put in oven
      • Bake for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden
    • Remove baguette slices from oven and place a slice of brie on top of each
      • Slice brie about ¼ inch
    • Continue baking baguette in oven for another 2 minutes
    • Remove from oven and cover with apple slices
      • 2-3 thin slices
    • Drizzle honey over the top
    • Sprinkle brown sugar & cinnamon on top
    • Serve immediately

• Semi-Sweet Bruschetta
  • Ingredients
    • 1 French Baguette
      • Cut diagonally in ¼ inch thick slices
      • 24 slices
    • Cooking spray or Olive Oil
    • 1 bag Nestle Semi-Sweet Morsels
      • Finely chopped (I typically use 1 cup)
    • 1/8 teaspoon Finishing Salt (I like to use Fleur De Sel)
    • 1 tablespoon Orange Zest
      • 1 Organic Naval Orange
  • Directions
    • Pre-heat oven to BROIL
    • Grate the rind of the naval orange
      • Set aside 1 tablespoon
    • Chop the Nestle Semi-Sweet Morsels
      • I use a food processor for this – it is much easier and faster than chopping by hand
    • Spray/spread cooking spray/olive oil on both sides of baguette slices
    • Place bread on cookie sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes on each side or until toasted
    • Remove from oven
    • Evenly sprinkle chocolate over bread slices
      • Bake for 4 minutes or until chocolate melts
      • Remove from oven
    • Top with orange zest, then sprinkle evenly with finishing salt
    • Serve warm
  • NOTE: Occasionally the chocolate can be tricky. Instead of melting in the oven, it might burn. IF you want to ensure perfection when melting the chocolate, cook separately and USE A DOUBLE BOILER. If you do hot have one, then after the bread has been toasted on both sides remove from oven and set aside. Then, take Nestle Semi-Sweet Morsels and place in a frying pan on top of the oven (DO NOT add oil or anything else to the pan but DO use caution). Turn the heat on high. Stir continually until the chocolate fully melts (this only take about 30-60 seconds). Immediately remove from stove top. Then simply spread the melted chocolate on top of the baguette slices and follow the rest of the instructions.

Smashed Pea Bruschetta 

o   Ingredients

• 2 cups Organic Sweet Peas
  • Peeled
• 1 ½ tablespoon “prepared” Horseradish
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 teaspoon flake salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground Pepper
• 6 pieces Prosciutto (thinly sliced)

• 1 tablespoon fresh mint
• 1 ball mozzarella cheese
  • Sliced
• 1 Baguette
  • Cut into slices ¼ inch thick

o   Directions

• Spray and/or brush both sides of sliced baguette pieces with olive oil
  • Place slices on baking sheet and put in oven
  • Bake for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side
• Remove baguette slices from oven and set aside
• Take a skillet and sear Prosciutto on both sides
  • Two minutes on each side
• Then remove from pan, set aside to let cool
  • Once cooled, slice into small pieces
  • Take a small saucepan and pour in 2 ½ cups water and add ½ teaspoon salt to water and bring to boil

• Add Peas

o   Let cook for approximately 2 minutes (remaining al dente)

• Drain Peas and set in processor
• Add Extra Virgin Olive Oil, remaining Salt, Pepper, Horseradish and Mint
• Process food for approximately 30 seconds
• Put in serving bowl and mix in prosciutto
• Spread mixture over each piece of sliced baguette and place mozzarella slices on top
• Serve

Christmas cookies are traditionally gingerbread or sugar cookies, but this is most definitely a Santa-worthy cookie. Snowdrops are easy to make, sinfully delicious and just right for the holiday season.

Snowdrops

• Ingredients
  • ¾ cup Confectioners Sugar
    • Divided
  • 2 sticks organic, unsalted Butter
  • 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
  • ½ cup Pecans
    • Diced
    • Toasted
  • 2 cup gluten free All-purpose Flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt
• Directions
  • In bowl combine: Pecans, Flour and Salt
    • Set aside
  • In separate bowl combine:  ½ cup Confectioners Sugar, Butter and Vanilla
  • Mix ingredients until creamed
  • Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees
  • Combine two bowls
  • Mix well
  • Roll into balls
  • Place on ungreased cookie sheet
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes
  • Put remaining 1/3 cup Confectioners sugar in bowl
    • Set aside
  • Remove cookies from oven and IMMEDIATELY roll in remaining Confectioners Sugar
  • Allow to cool
  • Serve

• Mashed Sweet Potato Brûlée
  • Ingredients
    • 1 pound Sweet Potatoes
      • Peeled then cut into equal sized pieces then broiled until soft
    • 4 tablespoons organic, unsalted Butter
      • Softened
    • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
    • ½ cup organic 2% Milk
    • ¼ teaspoon ground Cinnamon
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
    • ¾ organic, unpacked Light Brown Sugar
    • ¼ cup fine, White Sugar
    • 5-6 Ramekins
  • Directions
    • Mix ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar and ¼ cup White Sugar together in mixing bowl
    • Set dish aside
    • Once Potatoes are cooked and soft combine with Butter, Salt, Cinnamon and Nutmeg
    • Mash the sweet potato mixture until smooth
    • Slowly stir in ½ cup unpacked Light Brown Sugar
    • Evenly distribute sweet potato mixture into Ramekins
      • This way it can be served individually
    • Sprinkle ½ cup Sugar Mixture evenly over the top of sweet potato mixture in each ramekin
    • Heat tops of each individual dish with Kitchen Torch
      • Do this until sugar melts (approximately 1 minute per dish)
      • Be careful not to burn!!!
    • Let dishes stand until sugar hardens (about 2-3 minutes)
    • Serve

Cake in a box… It’s so bad it’s good! If you want a bakery cake, go out and buy one. But, don’t be afraid to have cake just because it looks homemade. As far as I’m concerned, when it comes to cake it is all about taste.

I do tend to love making everything from scratch, and typically I would say you should toss boxed mixes to the side and conquer your fear of homemade recipes; but honestly, I LOVE Duncan Hines. This is my guilty pleasure and sometimes I just can’t help myself!

Everyone has their own techniques when it comes to baking. I love to customize. Here are a few of my favorite places that create edible decorations that will satisfy any bakers wants and desires for holiday and personal trimmings.

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Ghostly’Nanners & Orange Pumpkins

• Cucuberry Salad
  • Ingredients
    • 2 Organic Cucumbers
      • Skinned and sliced
        • Halved or quartered
          • Use personal preference
    • 12 Organic, Long Stem Strawberries
      • Quartered
    • 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
    • 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 1 Teaspoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce
    • 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seed Oil
    • 1 Tablespoon copped Mint

• Directions
  • Peel and slice the cucumber place in a mixing bowl
  • Remove stems and centers of strawberries, slice and add to mixing bowl with cucumbers
  • Sprinkle Mint on top
  • Set bowl aside
  • Dressing
    • In a small bowl and combine Brown Sugar, Low Sodium Soy Sauce and Apple Cider Vinegar
    • Wisk until smooth
    • Slowly add in Sesame Seed Oil
  • Pour dressing over cucumbers and strawberries
  • Mix
  • Serve
    • Best served chilled

• Zesty Couscous Salad
  • Ingredients
    • 1 ¼ cups Pearl Couscous
    • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
    • 1 tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes
      • Crushed
    • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 2 cups Baby Arugula
    • 1 ½ Lemons
      • For zest and juice
  • Directions
    • Bring 2 ½ cups of water to a boil with ½ sea salt mixed in. Add couscous and cook until tender
    • Approximately 9 minutes
    • Drain water and quickly run couscous under cool water to cool and stop it cooking
    • Set couscous aside in serving/mixing bowl to cool
    • Take 1 ½ lemons – grate zest and juice to get 2 ½ tablespoons of both
    • In small bowl mix together:
      • Zest
      • Lemon Juice
      • Olive Oil
      • Remaining ½ teaspoon salt
      • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • Pour the mixture into the serving/mixing bowl and gently fold in the Baby Arugula and Red Pepper Flakes
    • Serve