Baked Salami

Ingredients:

1 soft salami (Hebrew National makes a great one)

1 cup apricot preserves

1/2 cup honey Dijon mustard (you can also use a spicey honey mustard)

1 TBSP brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1.  In a bowl mix apricot preserves, mustard, and brown sugar until well combined. (You may not use all of the mixture and any extra you can serve as dipping sauce)

2.  Cut slices in salami but make sure not to slice all the way through.  Leave it intact enought so that it holds together at the bottom. Place salami on a baking tray lined with foil. Spread apricot and honey mixture over salami.  Using your hands, make sure to spread the mixture in between the slices. Once the salami is well coated place it in oven and bake for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes spread more of the apricot and mustard mixture over salami and return to oven for another 30 minutes.  (The salami will bake for a total of 1 hour or until salami starts to carmalize and turns browned or blackened.)

3.  Let cool for about 5 minutes and then cut the slices off.  Serve along side any remaining apricot and mustard mixture or with just mustard. 

Butter Croissant Bread Pudding with Vanilla Cream Sauce

A great way to end a family meal or a romantic dinner for two.  This bread pudding has all the great aromas and flavors to make you smile as it cooks and while you and your loved ones enjoy it.  A simple and great dessert for winter.

6-8 small butter (plain) croissants, preferably 1-2 days old
2 cups milk
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup super fine sugar
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Roughly shred/chop the croissants and place in 8x8 inch pan or one of similar size.  Poor the melted butter over the croissants and mix in raisins and nuts, leaving majority on top.

In mixing bowl beat eggs.  Add milk, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar and stir well.  Poor over croissants and press down to saturate the bread.  Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

For the Vanilla Sauce:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 egg
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 1/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream (depending on how rich you want the sauce)
1 pinch salt (1/8 tsp)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract (or more to taste)

Whisk 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, the flour, a pinch of cinnamon, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 1/4 cups of whole milk, and salt together in a heavy saucepan until smooth. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour sauce over warm bread pudding, or serve on the side in a bowl.

Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry

                          

Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry is a quick and low calorie dish.  It will take about 30 minutes from start to finish.  But even though it is quick on time, it does not sacrifice on flavor.  The chicken comes out so tender and the bright vegetables and pineapple make for a delicious dinner.  The great aspect about a stir fry is that it can lend itself to variations.  If you are looking for a dish with more vegetables, feel free to add other vegetables to the dish.  We use red peppers but you can add yellow or orange peppers as well.  Green beans, sugar snap peas, broccoli, or water chestnuts would make a nice addition to the dish.  

Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 chicken breasts), cut into 1 inch pieces

1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice (drained but reserve 1/2 cup juice for sauce)

1 red bell pepper, cut into either strips or about 1 inch pieces

1 onion, cut into strips or about 1 inch pieces

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP rice wine vinegar

2 tsp. mirin (sweetened Asian wine)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp grated ginger root 

2 TBSP sugar

1 1/2 TBSP corn starch

2 TBSP canola oil

1.  In a small bowl combine reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, mirin, garlic, ginger root, sugar and corn starch.  Set sauce aside.

2.  Salt and pepper chicken breast pieces.  Using a wok (if you don't have a wok you can use a large skillet) heat 2 TBSP of canola oil over high heat.  Once oil is hot add chicken (to test if oil is hot enough gently lay the end of one chicken piece in the oil.  If it starts to sizzle then you are good to go).  Toss chicken in oil for about 5 minutes, until the chicken starts to brown.  Remove chicken from wok.  Add red peppers and onions to the wok.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then add pineapple.  Cook for another 5-8 minutes or until vegetables and pineapple are heated all the way through.  Pour sauce in and stir until thickened (should take about 1-2 minutes).  Return chicken to wok and toss all ingredients together.  Cook another 5-8 minutes or until everything is heated through.

3. Sever over steamed rice. 

Yields about 4-6 servings

Texas Chili

"Everything is bigger in Texas" as the old saying goes and with this chili it lives up to the name.  The meat and veggies are cut into larger size chunks and the flavors are big and bold giving the dish a nice hearty feel.

2 lbs fillet of beef, cut into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces (you can substitute another cut of beef if you prefer but if it is more marbled cut then up the quantity to 2 1/2-3 lbs)

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or Canola Oil)
2 medium onions, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
28oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 heaping Tbsp dried oregano
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 orange bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1-2 ears of corn (if fresh corn is unavailable you can use one small bag of frozen)

Optional garnish:
sour cream
grated cheddar cheese
chopped green onion
red pepper (hot)
tabasco or other chili sauce
corn bread

In a dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the beef and saute until well browned.  Add onions and garlic and cook 3-5 minutes until softened.  Add tomatoes, cumin, and oregano.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally.   Add in bell pepper an corn and continue to cook another 30 minutes. 

Serve warm with desired toppings and cornbread on the side if desired.