Pasta Salad with Smoked Mozzarella and Arugula

Everyone needs that one amazing dish to serve or bring to a barbecue and this is it. Not only is it absolutely delicious, it’s quick and easy.

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) package pasta (any pretty shaped pasta - my favorite is Barilla Campanelle)

• 1 bunch arugula washed well or bag of baby arugula

• 4 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

• 1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, cut into strips

• 1/2 cup pittle olives, halved

Dressing Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar

• 2 tablespoons Dijon style mustard with seeds

• 1 clove garlic, pressed

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

 Prepare pasta as directed; drain well. .Tear arugula into bit-size pieces. Add to pasta with cheese, red peppers and olives, mixing well. Whisk together dressing ingredients; pour over pasta mixture and toss. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Caprese Grilled Bread Bowl

Ingredients

• One 1 1/2-pound round loaf crusty bread

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 clove garlic, finely grated 

• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes 

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 

• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cubed

•  2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 

• 1/4 cup lightly packed basil leaves, torn 

• Aged balsamic vinegar, for serving

•  Flaky sea salt or basil flavored finishing salt

Directions

• Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat.

• To make the bread bowl, slice off the top one-quarter of the bread with a serrated knife and set the top aside. Hollow out the loaf by cutting a circle around the inside of the bread, leaving a 1-inch border. Pull the soft bread out with your hands, making sure to leave about 1 inch intact at the bottom of the bowl as well. Reserve the bread pieces and the bowl. 

• Combine the tomato paste, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, several grinds of black pepper and the red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil until well combined. Brush the mixture all over the inside of the bread bowl and its top with a pastry brush. Sprinkle with some grated parmesan cheese. Fill with the cheese and replace the top.  

• Grill the bread bowl until the cheese is completely melted, about 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, grill the reserved bread pieces until golden all over. Transfer everything to a serving platter and remove the top of the bread bowl. Top the cheese with the tomatoes and basil. Drizzle with more olive oil and some balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with flaky salt.  

Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

Ingredients

• 4 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (I buy 3 large breasts boil them, let cool to touch and shred with fork or by hand)

• 3/4 cup roasted red and/or yellow bell peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped into bite size strips

• 1/2 cup paper-thin half moon slices red onion, cut in half to bite size

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

• 2 tablespoons drained capers

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 to 2 heads of butter leaves, rinsed and dried

• Shaved Parmesan cheese

Red Wine Vinaigrette Ingredients

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoons honey

• 1 teaspoons salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually add the oil and blend until emulsified.

Toss the chicken, bell peppers, onion, parsley, almonds, and capers in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Season the chicken salad with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spoon the chicken salad into the lettuce cups. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the salads. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve. I prefer to put bowl of chicken salad on large platter surrounded by lettuce cups and the extra vinaigrette and Parmesan cheese and let everyone serve themselves.

Do-Ahead Tip: The chicken salad can be prepared 4 hours ahead and refrigerated.

Lemon Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 4 medium to large cloves of garlic, pressed

• ⅓ cup dry white wine

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (I use the lemon I just zeste

• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts or 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, or 2 skin-on half chickens, patted dry

• slices Lemon, from remaining lemon after zesting

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.

• In a small sauce pan, warm the oil over low heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown. Remove from heat.

• In a small bowl, stir together the wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, and thyme.

• Whisk the wine mixture into the warm oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• In an oven safe-baking dish, pour in about half of the wine and oil mixture. Place the chicken over the sauce, skin side up. Tuck the lemon slices under the chicken skin. Season the skin with salt and pepper. Pour the remaining wine and oil mixture over the chicken.

• Bake until the juice from inside the chicken is no longer pink. If the skin has not browned, place the dish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Approximate Cook Time 
Boneless Skin-On Chicken Breasts: 30 – 40 minutes
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: 25 – 35 minutes
Bone-in, Skin-On Chicken Thighs: 40 – 50 minutes
Skin-on half chickens: 45 – 55 minutes

Drunken Clams

Ingredients

• 24 Little Neck clams, cleaned and rinsed

• 3⁄4 cup of water

• 3⁄4 cup Yuengling Traditional Lager

• 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

• 2 teaspoons oregano

• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Set aside the parsley and lemon juice, and place the remaining ingredients in a large 
covered pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, and remove clams to a separate bowl as they 
open. Discard any clams that fail to open 
after 10 minutes.

Stir the parsley and lemon juice into the liquid, and add the clams back to the pot. Remove the pot from heat and mix gently, coating all of the clams in broth. Serve with crusty Italian bread.

Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 1/3 cup ketchup

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/3 cup low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

• 1/4 cup canned pineapple juice

• 4 Tbsp olive oil , divided, plus more for brushing grill

• 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar

• 4 garlic cloves , minced (4 tsp)

• 1 Tbsp minced ginger

• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Kebabs:

• 1 -3/4  pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast , chopped into 1 1/4-inch cubes

• 3 cups (heaping) fresh cubed pineapple (about 3/4 of 3-pound pineapple)

• 1-1/2 large red or orange peppers , diced into 1 1/4-inch pieces

• 1 large red onion , diced into 1-1/4-inch pieces

Directions

In a mixing bowl whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Stir in 3/4 tsp pepper and season with salt if desired.

 Place chicken in a bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade in refrigerator then pour remaining marinade over chicken. Toss with your hands to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Good time to soak your wooden skewers if using so they do not burn on the grill.

Preheat a grill over medium heat to 400°F (200°C). Meanwhile, drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over red onion, bell pepper and pineapple and toss. Season red onion and bell pepper with salt and pepper, then thread red onion, bell pepper, pineapple and chicken onto skewers until all of the chicken has been used. 

Brush grill grates with olive oil then place skewers on grill. Grill 5 minutes then brush along tops with 1/4 cup of remaining marinade. Rotate to opposite side and brush remaining 1/4 cup of marinade on opposite side. 

Allow to grill about 4 minutes longer, or until chicken registers 165°F (75°C) in center on an instant read thermometer. Serve warm over rice.

Steak Tacos with Chipotle-Lime Dressing

Steak Ingredients

• 3 pounds flank steak

• 1/3 cup white vinegar

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 limes, juiced

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon paprika

Dressing Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) container light sour cream

• 1/2 cup adobo sauce from chipotle peppers

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 2 teaspoons lime zest

• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Lay the flank steak in a large glass baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, 4 cloves of garlic, juice of two limes, olive oil, salt, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin and paprika. Whisk until well blended, then pour over the steak in the dish. Turn over once to coat both sides. Cover and marinate for 1 to 8 hours.

Sous Vide Method (my preference - do not need to marinate):

Preheat sous vide water to desired temperature. I do at 130 and then finish on grill to bring to 135 for medium rare.

Lay flank steak flat in a sealable or ziplock bag. Pour marinade over and seal. If not using sealable bag, slowly add to water and zip closed once steak is fully emerged and the air is released. You will no if the steak floats to the top there is still air. Cook for 2 to 4 hours.

Dressing

Combine the sour cream and adobo sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning. Add salt, and pepper in desired amounts. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.

Serve with cojita cheese, Mexican cheese blend, sliced avocado or guacamole, salsa or coleslaw.

Corn, Cherry Tomato, Arugula and Blue Cheese Salad

Ingredients

• 2- 3/4 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed, drained

• 1-pint basket cherry tomatoes, halved

• 4 celery stalks, chopped the same size as the corn kernels

• 1/2 red onion, chopped

• 2 1/2-ounce packages arugula, stems trimmed, leaves chopped

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)

Directions

Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Place vinegar in small bowl; gradually mix in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add 3/4 cup blue cheese. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Coleslaw

• 1 bag shredded cabbage and carrots

• 1/2 red onion, finely sliced

Dressing

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp honey or agave  (or more, depending on sweetness)

• 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp celery seed

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

• Add the shredded cabbage, carrot and onion to a large bowl.

• In a smaller bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey or agave, olive oil, celery seed, salt and pepper to create the dressing. Taste the dressing and adjust as desired.

• Add about half of the dressing to the cabbage, onions and carrots and gently toss. Slowly add more dressing until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp Marinade

• 1 Tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)

• 1 teaspoon lime juice

Directions

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

In a large bowl, combine shrimp marinade ingredients. Add the shrimp and toss to combine. Let shrimp marinate while grill is heating. Don’t let it sit too long or the lime juice will start to cook the shrimp.

Thread the shrimp on the wooden skewers. Grill 2-3 minutes per side or until shrimp are not opaque. You can also cook these on the stove in the skillet if you don't have a grill.

NOTE: Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so the do not burn on the grill.

Chicken Tacos

Marinade

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

• 3 teaspoons chili powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

• 2 limes, juiced (about 4 tablespoons)

Tacos

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

•  corn tortillas

• topping suggestions: salsa or chopped tomatoes; Mexican cheese blend; sour cream; avocado; sautéed onions & peppers; chipotle mayo

Directions

In a large bowl, add all the ingredients for the marinade. Whisk together..

Add chicken thighs to marinade and toss to coat. Cover chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken to the skillet with tongs and cook 5-7 minutes per side, until fully cooked through. Discard the used marinade.

Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. While chicken is resting, warm up the corn tortillas on a hot griddle or in the microwave.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks and serve in warm tortillas with suggested toppings.

Cuban Mojo Marinated Pork and Cubanos (Cuban Sandwiches)

Ingredients

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon orange zest

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1/4 cup lightly packed mint leaves, finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Kosher salt and pepper

3 and 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, in one piece

Directions

In a large ziplock bag, combine olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lime juice, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, minced garlic, oregano, and cumin. Shake it around a bit to mix it up, then add the pork shoulder.

Place the zipped up bag in a baking dish, and put it in the fridge overnight, or several hours at least.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. You may want to line the baking sheet so the drippings don’t set off the fire alarm.

Place the pork on the rack and discard the marinade. Salt and pepper the pork well.

Roast the pork for 30 minutes. It should be lightly browned.

Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F. Roast for another 1 hour and 20-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160.

Cuban Sandwiches (Cubanos)

Ingredients per sandwich

• rhinly sliced boiled ham, to taste

• Softened or melted butter, for brushing

• 1 six-inch soft baguettes or hero roll, split lengthwise

• Yellow mustard, for brushing

• thinly sliced Cuban Mojo-Marinated Pork, to taste

• thinly sliced Swiss cheese, to taste

• sour dill pickles, thinly sliced

Instructions

Heat a skillet over medium best if you have a grill pan with a press but not necessary.

Layer pork, ham, Swiss, and sliced pickles and mustard. Close sandwich and brush the top and bottom of the sandwich with butter.

Grill the sandwiches using another heavy skillet to press down the sandwich. Add cans or something else heavy if it's not being pressed well. Can also use a George Foreman or a panini press. Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip the sandwich, squish it again, and cook for another 2-3 minutes or so. Keep an eye on it. You want to outside to be crisp and golden and the cheese melted.

Slice in half and eat immediately.

Grilled Sweet Chili Lime Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 Whole Chicken Legs

• ½ cup sweet chili sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• 3 Tablespoons orange marmalade

• 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice

• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a small bowl whisk together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, orange marmalade, lime juice, brown sugar, and minced garlic. Reserve ¼ cup of the sauce to brush on the chicken once finished cooking.

2. Marinade the chicken in the rest of the sauce for at least 30 minutes before grilling. Once the chicken is ready to grill, preheat your grill to medium heat.

3. Put the chicken on the grill until cooked throughout.

4. Brush the tops of the chicken with remaining marinade and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 chopped yellow onion, medium

• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped

• 1 jalapeño, seeded and small diced

• 1 1/2 cups diced white sweet potatoes

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 1/2 cups diced zucchini

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

• 1 cup salsa

• 1/2 cup raw cashew butter

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions

In a large pot heat oil over medium heat,  Sauté the onions and garlic until fragrant.  Add peppers, sweet potatoes, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and sauté until vegetables begin to soften.  Add the zucchini and wine and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the chicken stock, chicken, salsa, cashew butter & lime.  Cover and cook about 10 minutes until vegetables are soft and chicken is warmed through. 

Grilled Chicken w/Fresh Tomato, Basil, Garlic Angel Hair Pasta

Grilled Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts

• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon of ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika

• ½ teaspoon of sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoon of olive oil

Direcrions

1. Preheat grill to medium high heat.

2. In a small bowl, mix garlic powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, sea salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix until combined.

3. Rub mixture over both sides of the chicken.

4. Place chicken on grill and grill each side for 4-6 minutes depending on thickness until cooked through.

Fresh Tomato, Basil & Garlic over Angel Hair

• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, pressed or thinly sliced (I preferred pressed)

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 oregano sprig

• Pinch chili flakes

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 pound dried angel hair pasta

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

• 1/4 cup chiffonade basil

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice water bath. Cut a small "x" on the bottom of each tomato. In batches, place the tomatoes in the boiling water and blanch them for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the skins are easy to peel away. Remove and immediately plunge into the ice bath. Peel the tomatoes and halve horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds, using your fingers to get them all. Roughly chop the peeled and seeded tomatoes. Set aside.

Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the thyme leaves, oregano sprig, and chili flakes and saute until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. Add the tomatoes and the sugar and stir well. Lower the heat and cook slowly until the mixture is fairly dry, about 15 minutes.

Cook the angel hair pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Add the Parmesan and basil and toss well. Place in a large pasta bowl to serve.

Worth all the Effort Chili

Chili Powder Ingredients

• 3 medium dried chili pods, stems and seeds removed, spread flat (or don’t make your own skip step 1 and use 3 tablespoons chipotle chili powder)

• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

• ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Chili ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds

• 8 ounces bacon

• 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

• 2 medium white onions, chopped

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 4 large garlic cloves, minced

• 1 ¾ cups beef broth

• 1 28-ounce can puréed tomatoes

• 2 poblano chiles, stems and seeds removed

Directions

For the Chile Powder

• Place the chiles flat in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and cook, turning as needed, until lightly toasted. Transfer to a plate to cool. Put the cumin seeds in the hot pan and stir until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Using scissors, cut the chiles into small strips. Using a spice grinder or a clean coffee grinder, grind in batches into a powder. Pour into a bowl.

Grind the cumin seeds into a powder and add to the chili powder bowl. Add the oregano and garlic powder. If the mixture is still coarse, grind again until fine. Reserve 3 1/2 tablespoons for the chili; save the rest in a jar.

For the Chile

• In a Dutch oven over medium heat, stir the cumin seeds until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour onto a work surface and using a small, heavy skillet, crush them coarsely. Set aside.

• Return the pot to medium-high heat, add the bacon and fry until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

• Increase the heat to high. Working in small batches, add the beef cubes to the pot and cook, stirring, until well browned on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl.

• Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions to the remaining bacon drippings and sauté until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

• Add the crushed cumin, reserved chili powder, paprika, oregano, black pepper, thyme, salt and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Crumble in the bacon and add the broth, tomatoes, 1 cup water, poblanos and the browned beef. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to low, cover partly and simmer for 2 hours, until the meat is very tender. Add water as needed to maintain a good chili consistency.

• Remove the poblanos, purée them in a food processor or blender and return the purée to the pot. Stir well, simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors and serve.

• Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and slice of sourdough bread