LEMON LIME CHICKEN TENDERS

3 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breast tenders 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil Lemon Juice Mixture: 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/3 cup lime juice 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt 1/2 teaspoons rosemary 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon olive oil dash of black pepper Preheat grill to medium heat. In a mixing bowl, combine thoroughly the Romano cheese and basil. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine thoroughly the lemon juice, lime juice, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, olive oil and black pepper until well blended. Place the chicken tenders on the preheated grill grids and cook, uncovered, basting occasionally with the lemon lime mixture for about 18 to 20 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 170F. Sprinkle with the Romano cheese and basil mix before serving. Makes 6 servings. NOTE: Do not baste during the last 5 minutes of grilling. Discard lemon lime basting mixture.

ITALIAN STYLE DELMONICO STEAKS

4 Delmonico steaks dash of salt, optional 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Seasoning Mixture: 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme 3 teaspoons garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon rosemary 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning 1/2 teaspoon olive oil Preheat grill to medium heat. In a mixing bowl, combine thoroughly the thyme, garlic, black pepper oregano, rosemary, Italian seasoning and olive oil until well blended. Rub the seasoning mixture onto both sides of each steak, pressing evenly. Place steaks on heated grill grid and grill, covered, 10 to 14 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning once. During last 2 minutes of grilling, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, as desired. Makes 4 servings.

SPICY HOT STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS

6 poblano peppers 1 1/2 cups diced chorizo 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup diced onions 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 tomatoes, diced 4 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, diced 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1 cup each of cooked rice, salsa and chicken broth 1/3 cup grated Asiago cheese Cut a thin lid off top of peppers and remove the core and seeds. In a skillet, saute chorizo in olive oil. Add onions and garlic, cooking another few minutes. Next, add tomatoes, chipotle chiles, cumin oregano and rice and cook for an additional few minutes. Place peppers in an 8 by 10 inch baking dish and fill each pepper with mixture. Combine salsa and chicken broth and spoon around the peppers. Cover and bake in a preheated 400F oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and baste, then sprinkle each pepper with cheese. Continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is golden and melted.

DEEP DISH TURKEY PIE

6 medium potatoes, diced
3 cups turkey, cooked and chopped
6 medium carrots, diced
1 1/2 cups flour
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk

In a saucepan, cover the potatoes and carrots with water and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the liquid. In a skillet saute the onion and green pepper in 2 tablespoons of butter until tender. Blend the soup and reserve liquid in a bowl. Then place the soup mixture, turkey and cooked vegetables in a 2 quart casserole and bake at 425F for 15 minutes. Biscuits: Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, cut in the butter until crumbly, add the milk and mix well. Knead lightly on a floured surface. Roll and cut with a 2 inch biscuit cutter and arrange over turkey mixture. Brush biscuits with additional milk and bake for 15 minutes longer.

SPAGHETTI AND CHORIZO PANCAKES

2 chunky chorizo sausages, diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 chilli, finely chopped
1 pound cooked spaghetti
6 to 8 leaves sage, finely chopped or 2 teaspoon dried
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil for pan frying
chopped fresh or sliced sundried tomatoes, olives, capers, sage leaves for garnish

Cook the chorizo sausage in a hot frying pan with the onion, garlic and chilli in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the sausage and onion are well cooked but not burnt. Toss together the chorizo mix, cooked spaghetti, sage leaves, Parmesan cheese with a good seasoning of salt and pepper, Just coat the base of a frying pan with oil. Add 1/4 of the pasta mix and cook for around 3 to 4 minutes until the base is brown and beginning to crispen. Turn or more flamboyantly flip the spaghetti pancake over and cook a further minute or two. Serve hot topped with a mix of the suggested garnishes. Serves 2 to 3.

MESQUITE CHIPOTLE MARINATED CORNISH HENS

1 7 ounce can chipotle peppers with adobo sauce
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
juice of one lime
2 tablespoons cumin seed
1 teaspoon oregano or marjoram
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 cup tequila
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons mesquite liquid smoke
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 to 8 Cornish hens

In a small pan toast the cumin seed, then grind to a powder in a spice mill. Mix with the oregano, black pepper, salt and sugar. In a blender or food processor, add 1/2 a can of chipotles for medium hot or the full can for hot. Add garlic cloves, tequila, liquid smoke, and the spice mixture drizzle oil in till the mixture emulsifies and is thick and smooth; then blend in the cilantro leaves. If the mixture is too thick, it may be thinned out with the addition of a little water. Marinate hens in mixture for 12 hours. Grill over hot coals until meat is no longer pink and outside is crispy. Serves 6 to 8.

CHINESE STYLE SESAME CHICKEN

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
2 3/4 teaspoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon peanut oil
4 leaves red lettuce, for garnish
1 large tomato, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut chicken into about 1 inch X 2 inch pieces. In a large nonporous glass dish or bowl, combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, sherry, ginger and five spice powder. Mix together. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover dish and refrigerate for 20 minutes, turning once, to marinate. After 20 minutes, drain chicken, reserving marinade. Boil reserved marinade in a small saucepan for 5 minutes to remove risk of bacteria. Meanwhile, spread sesame seeds out evenly on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven, to toast, for 10 minutes or until slightly browned. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. In a shallow dish or bowl combine flour and salt and pepper to taste. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Brown chicken pieces in oil for about 1 minute each side. Spoon boiled marinade over chicken, reduce heat and saute all together for 1 more minute or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Serves 2.

ZUCCHINI WITH BLUE CHEESE AND SOUR CREAM

2 pounds small zucchini
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
butter for greasing dish
salt and pepper
5 ounces bleu cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
2 large eggs
6 ounces sour cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375F. Cut the zucchini into 1/4 inch thick round slices. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Lightly fry the zucchini, a few at a time. Place the fried zucchini on paper towels to drain. Put the zucchini into a lightly greased baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. In a small mixing bowl, mash the bleu cheese with a fork, add the finely chopped parsley, eggs, sour cream, Parmesan cheese and a small amount of salt and pepper. Mix together and pour over the zucchini. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 8.

PULLED PORK BBQ

4 pound pork roast
2 onions, sliced
1 onion, chopped
5 or 6 cloves
2 cups water
16 oz bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
salt and pepper

Place one sliced onion at the bottom of crock pot. Stud pork roast with cloves and season with salt and pepper. Place roast in crock pot on top of the sliced onion. Cover with the second sliced onion and add enough water to fill crock pot two thirds of the way. Cover and cook on low 8 to 12 hours or overnight. Remove roast. Remove and discard cloves, bone and fat as well as any water, onions and grease remaining in pot. When meat is cool enough to handle, use a fork or your fingers to pull it apart until the entire roast is shredded. Return the pulled pork to the crock pot. Mix in the chopped onion and BBQ sauce and cover. Heat on high for 1 to 3 hours or until the onions are soft. Serve on large, crusty buns with a mustard based Carolina style BBQ sauce. Garnish with dill pickle spears, thinly sliced raw onion and pickled pepperoncini; Italian banana peppers. Serve with crisp, homemade slaw.

BOW TIES WITH ASIAN CHICKEN

1 pound bow ties, mostaccioli or other medium pasta shape, uncooked
4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard with seeds
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup chicken broth or pasta cooking liquid *
2 small red bell peppers, cored, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Stir the soy sauce, honey, lime juice and mustard in a small bowl until the honey is dissolved. Add the chicken pieces and turn until coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken and marinade to a large, nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour in the chicken broth. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain thoroughly in a colander. Return the pasta to the pot, add the contents of the skillet, the red peppers and the scallions. Heat to simmering over low heat. Toss the pasta once or twice, add the pepper to taste and divide among serving bowls. Sprinkle each serving with chopped fresh parsley.

* If you do not have chicken broth, ladle off and reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid just before draining the pasta. Serves 6.

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS AND PORCINI MUSHROOMS

Serve with Italian bread, green salad a good bottle of wine.

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
36 fresh clams, cleaned
2 cups dry white wine
4 tomatoes, cubed
3 8 ounce jars clam juice
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh parsley
1 16 ounce package linguine pasta

Soak mushrooms 20 to 30 minutes in cold water to rehydrate. Dry, and coarsely chop. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in mushrooms, garlic, and red pepper. Cook until browned. Stir in clams and white wine. As clams open, remove to a medium bowl, discarding those that remain closed. Mix tomatoes, clam juice, and parsley into the mushroom mixture. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Return clams to the broth mixture and cook until heated through. Thoroughly mix in cooked linguine just before serving. Serves 6.

CUBE STEAK PARMIGIANA

3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup saltine crackers, finely crushed
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano, divided
3 slices mozzarella cheese, halved
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 4 ounce cube steaks

In three shallow bowls, combine flour, salt and pepper; beat egg and water; and combine parmesan, saltines and basil. Dip steaks in flour mixture and egg mixture, then roll in cheese mixture. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Brown three steaks on both sides. Remove to a greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Repeat with the remaining steaks, adding additional oil as needed. Bake, uncovered , at 375F for 25 minutes. Drain any pan juices. Combine the tomato sauce, sugar, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the oregano. Pour over steaks. Bake 20 minutes longer. Place mozzarella cheese on steaks. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining oregano. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

MEAT LOAF WELLINGTON

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 pound ground veal
1 package dry onion soup mix
1/2 pound ground pork
4 bacon strips
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 packages crescent roll dough
2 eggs
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups cracker crumbs with 1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup ketchup
flour

Heat oven to 350F. Mix meats together by hand in a large bowl. Add Worcestershire sauce, eggs, cracker crumbs, ketchup, water and soup mix. Mix by hand and shape into a loaf in a shallow baking dish. For cleanup ease, use non stick cooking spray. Drape the loaf with bacon strips. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until done. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Separate 2 packages of crescent roll dough into 6 rectangles. Reserve the remaining 2 for decorating. Overlap the triangles on a large floured surface to make a large rectangle. Gently press together the seams and perforations. Place over meat loaf and mold to fit. Trim off excess dough. Use remaining rectangles to make a design for the top; cookie cutters may be used. Brush dough with egg white and return loaf to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

CAJUN POT ROAST

3 pound beef bottom round roast
1 tablespoon salad oil
2 large stalks celery
2 medium onions
1 medium green pepper
16 ounce can tomatoes
2 10 ounce packages frozen whole baby okra
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, minced

Seasoning Mix:
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Prepare seasoning mix; rub 2 1/2 teaspoons of seasoning mix over meat. Brown in hot oil in Dutch oven. Remove to plate. Cut onions into wedges. Slice celery diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces and cut green peppers into 1 inch pieces. Cook, covered in drippings till tender. Stir in tomatoes, with their liquid, bay leaf, garlic and remaining seasoning mix. Return roast to pan and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until roast is fork tender, stirring occasionally. About 10 minutes before roast is done, add frozen okra to mixture in Dutch oven; heat through. To serve, arrange meat and vegetables on warm, deep platter; discard bay leaf. Skim fat from liquid. Serve liquid with meat and vegetables. Makes 12 servings.

SHRIMP AND MUSHROOMS IN SPICY BLACK BEAN OYSTER SAUCE

12 medium size dried Chinese black mushrooms or dried shiitake mushrooms
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 tablespoon dry Sherry or dry white wine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons salted black beans
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil
freshly cooked rice

Soak mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups hot water in medium bowl until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms, reserving 1 cup soaking liquid. Squeeze out excess moisture. Cut off stems and discard. Cut caps in half. Toss mushrooms, shrimp, Sherry and 1 tablespoons cornstarch together in medium bowl to coat evenly. Let stand 15 minutes. Whisk 1 cup reserved mushroom soaking liquid, oyster sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and sugar in small bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Cover black beans with hot water and soak 1 minute. Drain beans and chop finely. Combine beans in small bowl with garlic, ginger, chili and half of green onions. Heat 1/4 cup oil in wok or heavy large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp mixture and stir fry until shrimp curl and turn pink, about 2 minutes. Pour content of wok into sieve to drain shrimp. Line platter with cooked rice. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil in same wok over high heat. stir fry black bean mixture until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return shrimp mixture to wok. Stir mushroom liquid mixture and add to wok. Cook until sauce thickens and begins to boil, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Spoon contents of wok over rice on platter. Garnish with remaining green onions and serve. Serves 4.

FAJITA BURGERS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
guacamole

Prepare a hot fire in a grill. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion and red pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until vegetables are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. In medium bowl, combine cooked vegetables, ground beef, lime juice, chili powder and salt. Using wet hands, form into 4 ovals about 2 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches long. Place patties in center of oiled grill set 4 to 6 inches from coals. Cook, turning once, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer burgers to outside edge of grill and continue grilling, turning once, until burgers are cooked through and meat springs back when pressed lightly with a finger, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place on sides of grill to heat through. Place warm tortillas and bowls of salsa and guacamole on table. Let each guest place a burger on a tortilla, top with salsa and guacamole, roll up and enjoy.

JALAPENO POTATO SOUP

1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup margarine
5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup jalapeno chiles, coarsely chopped
1 pinch baking soda
4 cups evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream
green onions, chopped

In a large stockpot, saute onion in butter or margarine until just tender. Add potatoes, chicken broth and cumin, then cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 or 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add jalapenos with liquid, baking soda and evaporated milk. Coarsely mash potatoes in the pot with a potato masher. Stir well, then season with salt and pepper, Return to heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Garnish individual servings with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped green onions. Serves 16 to 18.

THAI STIR FRIED RICE AND PINEAPPLE

1 pineapple
2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped shallots
1 to 2 tablespoons grated ginger
4 to 5 jalapeno peppers
2 spring onions, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped coriander or cilantro
2 tablespoons dried shrimp
2 to 3 tablespoons garlic, coarsely chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups of cold, steamed Thai jasmine rice and coriander leaves as garnish

Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and scoop out the fruit, then chop it into bite sized chunks. Put the fruit in a bowl and add the shallots, jalapeno, ginger, scallion and coriander, mix and set aside. Add a pinch of salt to bring out the juice. In a wok, heat about a tablespoon of oil and stir fry the shrimp until crispy and the oil is aromatic. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and drain, then set aside. Add a further tablespoon of oil and stir fry the garlic until golden brown. Add the rice and stir thoroughly. Add the fish sauce and sugar and continue stirring. When the rice is heated through, add the pineapple mixture and cooked shrimp and stir until thoroughly heated through. Pour the mixture into the pineapple shells, garnish and serve. If you prefer fried rice to be darkish brown in color, then replace half the fish sauce with dark sweet soy sauce.

Variation: do not cook the fruit mixture. Instead put the fruit mixture and the stir fried rice in the fridge separately and chill all the ingredients. Just before serving mix them and put them in the pineapple skins. If you are serving cold then you can also add a few maraschino cherries as garnish. This cold variant makes an excellent counterpoint to hot curries and spicy chilli dishes on a hot day.

JALAPENO TERIYAKI GRILLED FLANK STEAK

1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 cloves garlic; minced
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper
2 1 pound flank steaks
nonstick cooking spray

Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a large ziploc plastic bag; seal bag and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight. Remove steak from bag, reserving marinade. Prepare grill or broiler. Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray and cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness, basting frequently with reserved marinade. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. 8 servings.

AVOCADO FILLED WITH MANGO CRAB

100gm can crab meat
1 small mango, peeled and sliced
100ml sour cream
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons brandy
good pinch paprika
salt and pepper to taste
8 lettuce leave
2 avocados halved and seeded
dill sprigs and cherry tomatoes to garnish

Mash crab meat and mango together. Add the sour cream, shallot, lemon juice, brandy, paprika, salt and pepper and blend well together. Make a bed of lettuce leaves on a flat serving dish. Place an avocado half on the leaves and fill with the crab mixture. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with dill sprigs and cherry tomatoes.