PARTY PITA WEDGES

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2 regular sized pita pockets (6 inch)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
16 slices pepperoni
4 round slices provolone cheese
1/3 cup medium chunky salsa

In a heatproof cup or bowl heat olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper in microwave on high for 40 seconds. Remove and add butter. Stir and set aside.

Using kitchen scissors, cut pita pockets into 4 pizza slice shaped wedges (slice in half, then slice each half again to make the wedges). Cut again along curved outer edge to separate into 2. Brush both sides of the pita wedges with warm olive oil mixture, coating well.

Place wedges crust side down on a baking sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon of salsa to top each wedge. Cut provolone slices into 4 wedge shapes and place one on top of each. Top with a slice of pepperoni, if desired. Drizzle with any remaining olive oil and sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Serve while still warm.

Makes 16 wedges.

Variation: Cut pita into 4 wedge shaped pockets. Fill the same way as above (but only half as much cheese wedges and pepperoni slices will be needed if making pockets instead of crusts)

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Brownies


* 1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine (2 sticks)
* 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
* 4 eggs
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter in a saucepan on very low heat, and stir, until melted, being careful not to scorch. Allow melted chocolate to cool to room temperature. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread walnuts (optional) on a baking sheet (if not already toasted), and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes; remove pan from oven and allow nuts to cool before chopping. Mix together eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl; stir in vanilla and salt. Sift flour, and add in small portions to egg, mixing well after each addition, until thoroughly blended. Stir in cooled chocolate and mix well; then fold in chopped nuts (if using). Add remainder of chocolate chips (about 1 1/4 cups) to the batter and stir well. Pour batter into a greased 9x11-inch pan and spread evenly. Bake at 325 degrees for approx 25-30 minutes, then allow brownies to cool in the pan on a wire rack. Makes approx 15 brownies, depending on size preference.

Panko Crusted Tilapia Nuggets With Fancy Dipping Sauce (Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Coarse salt and pepper

2 cups panko (see notes above about where to locate that ingredient)

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning or Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 lbs tilapia fillets, cut into wide strips (see note, above)

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving


To make fish nuggets, cut tilapia fillets in half and then chunk into nugget size pieces. Preheat oven to 475, with racks in top and bottom third. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil; set aside. Place egg in a wide shallow bowl; season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine panko, cajun seasoning, and oil. Dip tilapia into egg, shaking off excess, then into panko mixture, pressing to adhere. Place on prepared baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve fish sticks with sauce and lemon wedges on the side.

Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

* 7 1/2 cups all purpose flour
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 2 pkgs quick-rising yeast
* 2 tsp. salt
* 1 cup skim milk
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/2 stick butter, cut up
* 2 eggs, at room temperature
* Filling:
* Approximately 1/2 stick butter, melted
* 1 cup sugar mixed with 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
* Brown Sugar Icing:
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
* 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla
* 4 or 5 tsp. skim milk


Method

Reserve 1 cup of the flour. In a large bowl, mix remaining flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In microwave oven, heat milk, water and butter until mixture reaches 120 to 130 degrees; mix into dry ingredients. Stir in eggs and enough of the reserved flour to make a moderately soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. Cover and let rest 15 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to form a 14x20 inch rectangle. For Filling, brush with approximately 1/2 stick melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up from the long side. Moisten and pinch the seam closed, forming a tube. Using a sharp knife, cut into fifteen, 1 1/4" slices. Arrange on a greased cookie sheet with sides or a jelly roll pan, in five rows of three, placing cut sides of rolls up. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 60 minutes or until doubled in size. Bake at 375 degrees about 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. While still warm, spread with Brown Sugar Icing: Combine powdered sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and enough milk to make of spreading consistency.

Strawberry Cupcakes


1 dozen cupcakes
Ingredients

* 10 tablespoons butter, room temperature
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
* 1 3/4 cups self-rising flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries, drained

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease 12 cupcake pan cups or line with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the strawberry extract. Combine the self-rising flour and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Fold in strawberries last. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with desired frosting.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 218 | Total Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 78mg

Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

makes 24 cupcakes

For the Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
lemon zest from two lemons
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake tins by using liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray

To Make The Cake: Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean.
Cool on wire rack.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 (8) ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 lbs. confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
juice of one lemon

Using a mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese together until well combined. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. Finally mix in vanilla and lemon juice.

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes Recipe


Ingredients

* 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) chocolate cake mix
* 1-1/3 cups water
* 1/2 cup canola oil
* 3 eggs
* 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
* 1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting

Directions

* In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes.
* Spoon batter by 1/4 cupfuls into paper-lined muffin cups. Spoon a rounded teaspoon of pie filling onto the center of each cupcake. Set remaining pie filling aside.
* Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted on an angle toward the center comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
* Frost cupcakes; top with one cherry from pie filling. Serve additional pie filling with cupcakes or refrigerate for another use. Yield: 2 dozen.


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 252 calories, 11 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 27 mg cholesterol, 187 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.