Recipes
From time to time, there are recipes I come across that I like to share – sometimes from a renowned chef, sometimes from a friend, sometimes my own modification or creation. Try one out and let me know what you think! And share your modification ideas with me too!
Bacon-wrapped Blue Cheese-stuffed Dates
(fantastic party appetizer)
Ingredients
- 4 oz. Blue Cheese crumbles
- 2 packages bacon (pork works best)
- 8 0z. bag pitted dates
- toothpicks
Directions
Preheat oven to 400º. Cut the bacon strips in half, making each strip into two shorter strips. Cut each pitted date in half lengthwise. Stuff half of a date with blue cheese crumbles, closing the other half of the date over to form a stuffed date. Wrap the stuffed date with a short strip of bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Place in baking dish or jelly roll pan, and bake for 40 min., turning the dates over after 20 min. Remove from oven when bacon is crisp, place on a platter, and serve!
Turkey Lettuce Wrap Tacos
(South Beach friendly recipe!)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbl Olive Oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1-2 Tbl diced green chiles
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground chiptole powder (I substituted Southwest Chipotle Mrs. Dash for both this and the salt)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 large bunch cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 Tbl fresh lime juice
- head of romaine or iceberg lettuce (or lettuce of your choice to use as “shell”)
Directions
Saute garlic and green chiles in olive oil for about a minute, adding cumin and pinch of chipotle powder. Add ground turkey and salt, and saute until turkey is well-browned. Add green onions and stir into cooked turkey, then remove pan from heat. Stir in cilantro and lime juice.
Fill lettuce cup with turkey mixture, top with salsa and serve! For a great salsa pairing, see below.
Avocado Salsa
- 2 medium avocados, diced
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 Tbl fresh lime juice
- sea salt to taste
Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Corn Muffins
(recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis)
Ingredients
- 2 (8 1/2-ounce) packages corn muffin mix (recommend: Jiffy)
- 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes (from an 8-ounce jar)
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 2 muffin tins.
In a large bowl combine the muffin mix, corn, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to combine. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs until well blended. Add the buttermilk mixture to the muffin mix. Stir to combine. Spoon the mix into the muffin tins, filling up the cups about halfway. Bake until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes.

