Spanakopita Bites

Spanakopita Bites recipe yields 60-72 mini muffin sized bites 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 1 small onion, chopped 3 green onions, chopped 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach. thawed and squeezed dry 4 to 6 ounces domestic feta cheese, crumbled 1 cup cottage cheese OR ricotta cheese OR cream cheese 1 egg Salt and pepper to taste 1 pound phyllo, thawed 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), melted 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Preheat oven to 375 degrees Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add white and green chopped onions; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, mix spinach, feta, cottage cheese and egg in medium bowl. Add cooked onions and season with salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Combine the remaining butter and oil and set aside until ready to use. Remove the phyllo dough from the package and stack up. Carefully cut the phyllo dough into 2 inch by 2 inch squares; set aside. Prepare your mini muffin pan by brushing butter in each well. Place 1-2 squares of phyllo dough into each well, pushing down to create a cup or crust. Brush the top phyllo filled wells with more melted butter and repeat by placing 1-2 squares of phyllo dough into each well and pushing down to create a cup or crust again. Repeat with another layer of 1-2 squares of phyllo dough and brush with more melted butter. Place a heaping teaspoon into each well, filling the phyllo cup. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. TO FREEZE - These can be made in advance, baked, cooled and frozen... and will stay good up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen state {do not defrost} on a cookie sheet or mini muffin pan in a 375 oven for 10-12 minutes or until middles are warmed through.

Low Carb Meat Loaf

Tomato Topping: 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste 1/4 cup sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda) 2 teaspoons white vinegar or water 2 pounds ground chuck (may use meat loaf mix with ground pork) 2 eggs 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1/4 cup red onion, diced small 1/4 cup roasted or fresh red bell peppers, diced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 pound prosciutto, or any type of ham, thinly sliced 1/4 pound provolone cheese, sliced Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix together the tomato topping ingredients. Set aside. You may add a few drops of water to thin to a ketchup consistency. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, eggs, Parmesan, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings. Working on a waxed paper lined sheet pan or counter, form meatloaf mix into a 10 by 8-inch flat rectangle on the waxed paper. Place a layer of prosciutto slices on top, followed by a layer of provolone slices. Roll up the stuffed meatloaf mix like a burrito and seal the edges all around by pinching the meat. Place the roll, seam side down, into a 5 by 9-inch loaf pan. Spread a heavy coat of the tomato topping to completely cover the top of the meatloaf. Place in oven and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the temperature on a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Drain fat and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Roasted Carrots

6 medium carrots 2 1/2 tsp olive oil 2 tbsp fresh dill weed (or fresh basil) 1 pinch salt , to taste (optional) Can also sprinkle with cinnamon instead of dill and salt. Directions 1 Preheat oven to 475°F. 2 Peel carrots and cut into 3" strips about 1/2" wide. 3 In large bowl, combine olive oil and snipped dill. Add carrots and toss to coat. 4 Roast, uncovered for 10 minutes or until carrots are just tender, stirring once. 5 Sprinkle with salt.

Strawberry Coconut Cake

Summer Strawberry Coconut Cake 1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix 4 T. strawberry gelatin powder 2 T. all-purpose flour 1 t. baking powder 2 T. granulated sugar 3/4 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 1/4 c. water 1/2 c. pureed strawberries 1 t. vanilla 1/2 t. coconut extract 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced 1 c. coconut, finely shredded in food processor several strawberries to fill cake and garnish Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients in mixer bowl and stir together. Beat in oil, eggs, water, strawberry puree, vanilla, and coconut extract. Mix well. Stir in diced strawberries and coconut. Pour into two 8- or 9-inch round pans, greased and floured. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean and the cakes are pulling away from the sides of the pans. Put pans on wire racks and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and leave on racks to cool completely. While cooling, make icing. Spread some icing on first layer, then top with sliced strawberries. Place second layer on top and ice the rest of the cake. Cover entire cake in shredded coconut and garnish with fresh strawberries. I don't tint my coconut pink like in the original recipe, because I think it's so pretty to cut into the white cake and have the surprise of bright pink inside. I like the contrast of the white icing/coconut and pink cake. The first time I made this, I did cupcakes. They're really pretty with a small strawberry on each one. Cream Cheese Frosting 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened 2 16-oz. boxes powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla. Slowly beat in powdered sugar until desired consistency. Add a tablespoon or so of milk if icing is too thick.

Grilled Pineapple Upside Down Cake Sandwich 1/2 cup Butter 1/2 cup Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Unsweetened Pineapple Juice 1 cup Mascarpone Cheese Combine butter, brown sugar and pineapple juice in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes. Reserve half for brushing on fresh pineapple. Mix the other half into mascarpone cheese. 1 fresh Pineapple (peeled and cored and sliced) 10 slices Pound Cake or Challah Bread Heat grill to medium heat. Place pineapple rings on grill. Grill both sides for 1 minute each or until warmed through, then brush with brown sugar mixture. Grill quickly on each side. Clean grill, then quickly grill cake. Brush each piece with sweetened mascarpone and place grilled pineapple in the middle.

Eggs - good advice

1. before make omelet...put your eggs in hot tap water for 5 minutes. you won't find this in french recipes because they don't refrigerate eggs. It will make your omelet more tender. If egg is cold it takes longer to cook and makes it tougher.
2. If you want to hard boil an eggs, 12 hours before you cook them, put a rubber band around your carton and put them sideways in the fridge. This way the yolk will be in the center of the egg.
3. cant remember if the egg is boiled or not...spin it on the counter, stop it and let it go...if it stays stopped, its hard boiled, if it keeps spinning, it's raw.
4. Scrambled eggs, don't over beat them, put butter in pan, heat on low. start scrambled eggs on low heat, when begins to curd, then cook on high...dont stir, but gently fold them. Under cook in the pan...they keep cooking on your plate. If cooked through in the pan, they will be over cooked on the plate.
5. Hard boil eggs - start eggs in cold water, add 1 tsp salt, bring to boil uncovered, remove from heat, cover 15 minutes, bang them around a little in the pot to start cracking them, put them in a bowl of ice water (prevents black around yolk), peel promptly.