Polenta Cakes with Smoky Mozzarella

This recipe can be served room temperature or heated up if you want the cheese to be ooey gooey.  I prefer it room temperature so the cheese slices easily with every bite! This recipe is both Gluten Free and Vegan, but obviously contains dairy.

• 2 large tubes of polenta
• 8 tablespoons olive oil (more if needed)
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves soaked in olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vodka Sauce
• 1 jar of chopped sun-dried tomato bruschetta (or make homemade) 

Trim the ends from the polenta tubes and then slice the tube into equal rounds - you will have around 24-26 rounds total.

Heat a heavy pan or skillet to high heat and add the olive oil.

Working in batches add 6 rounds at a time and fry them in the hot oil until the polenta has a crispy skin on it. Oil needs to be really hot to prevent sticking.

Sprinkle the rounds with kosher salt.

Meanwhile spread half of the Vodka Sauce on the bottom of two 9x13 pans.

When the polenta is crisp, add the polenta rounds to the pan. Drizzle with more sauce over the top of the polenta rounds.

Top with a slice of smoked mozzarella, a teaspoon of chopped sundried tomato bruschetta and finish off with a basil leaf. 

Serve individually or on a festive tray - enjoy!

Eggplant Caponata

Great appetizer for the holidays. Serve with your favorite cracker, top some fresh mozzarella or even mix it into pasta!

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2-pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut small cubes (almost diced)
• 1 medium onion, diced
•  2 stalks celery, diced
•  4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• tomato paste as needed
• 4 tablespoons drained capers
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
• salt to taste
•  3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives
•  3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted black olives

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add eggplant, onion, and garlic cloves. sauté until eggplant is soft and brown, about 15 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and drained capers. Cover and simmer until eggplant and onion are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Add some tomato paste to thicken and continue to cook. Season caponata to taste with salt and lemon pepper. Mix in fresh basil. At this point you can add the chopped olives. Transfer caponata to serving bowl. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. (Caponata can be made ahead of time and canned/jarred. 

Note: Drizzle some fresh good olive oil on it before you serve it!

Gluten Free No Bake Pumpkin Pie

Of course you can make this pie with a regular graham cracker pie shell, but this is a great Gluten Free alternative for your guests on a restricted diet. 

• 1 Gluten Free Graham Cracker Pie Shell
• 1-Cup Pumpkin
• 1-Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 Package of Instant Pudding (Butterscotch or Caramel)
• 1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Spice

3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream or Half and Half (optional)

Mix together the pumpkin, yogurt, pudding and spice mix.

The mix will be thick so be careful not to crack the pie shell when filling.

You can add 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or half and half for a fluffier version, but do not over dilute.

Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

Serve with Whipped Cream.

NOTE - Although Jell-O brand pudding may not have gluten listed in the ingredients, the product is not labelled gluten free and may have come into contact with gluten during the manufacturing process. 

Crab Corn and Bacon Chowder

Very easy and very delicious. Make sure you season with salt and pepper at the end because crab can be salty sometimes.

• 4 slices thick cut bacon, diced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1mediu m  onion, chopped
• 1 cup half & half (use heavy cream if prefer thicker)
• 2 cups fresh cooked crabmeat
• 1 can corn corn kernels, drained
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 medium russet potato cooked and diced (optional)
• 8 cups fish stock ( can use chicken or vegetable stock)

Cook bacon in a medium pot until just crisp. Remove from pot and drain on a paper towel. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pot. Add butter. Sauté onion until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in cream and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened. Remove bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped bacon and parsley.

Carrot Leek Zucchini Soup

Super easy and super delicious!

• 1 bag of baby carrots
• 3 zucchini peeled and seeded
• 1/2 of one large leek
• 2 tabl butter
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Food process all of the vegetables in the food processor until chopped. Saute them in 2 tabl butter in the actual pot you will make the soup in- about 10 minutes. 

Add the chicken broth, pepper and nutmeg, bring to a boil and then simmer for about 25 minutes until veggies are tender. 

Then process only the veggies into a puree and add them back to the pot with the broth, heat again until just to a boil and then add the heavy cream, its that easy and boy is it delish!

MEATBALL LEEK SOUP

Love the fall because I love soup! Here is a new recipe that I recently reworked from an old one I clipped years ago. It's been revamped and now even more delicious!

• 1 lb. each ground pork and beef mixed together
• 1cup fresh breadcrumbs
• ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan, divided, plus more for garnish
• 8 garlic cloves minced
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh green onion
• 2 large egg, whisked to blend
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, sliced into 1/4" rounds
• 10 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup 1/2" rounds peeled carrots
• 1 cup diced green squash
• 1-cup dice yellow squash
• Celery chopped (optional)
• Chopped fresh basil

Mix meat, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic, green onion, egg, 3/4-teaspoon salt, and 1/4-teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Form into 1/2"-diameter meatballs.

Heat oil in a small pot over medium heat. Cook meatballs until golden all over, about 3 minutes (they will finish cooking in soup). Transfer to a plate; set aside.

Add leek to pot and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir carrots and squash; simmer until veggies are tender. Add rice and meatballs. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped basil and Parmesan.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cooking with my niece Marissa has become a regular get-together for the past 2+ years. She is a young adult with a passion for cooking and loves to learn new things. This soup recipe was adapted from an old recipe I saved, and of course I have added my own twist to it. This is a great soup to serve with quesadillas on a rainy day.

• 4+ cups chicken broth
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• red and green pepper strips
• 1 cup slices or diced carrots
• 1 cup of roasted corn
• 1/2 cup diced ham
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1/2 rotisserie chicken meat, chopped
• 1 container of heavy cream
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cilantro
• salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot, combine all ingredients.  Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Serve with sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, croutons and Monterey Jack cheese.