1 store bought or box made angel food cake (I prefer the store bought when I am in a rush and entertaining!)  

1 carton of strawberries  

1 jar of lemon curd  

1 small container of mascarpone  

lemon juice – either concentrate or fresh  

2 Tbsp sugar  

Mix together the jar of lemon curd and mascarpone until creamy.  Set aside in your fridge.  You can also wash and slice the strawberries in advance.  About 5-15 minutes before serving add about 1Tbsp of lemon juice and sugar to release the juices of the berries – this makes a wonderful syrup.   

To serve, slice the angel food cake and top with lemon curd and mascarpone cream, add fresh berries and enjoy!  

**I have also used fresh raspberries or a combination of the two and it also turned out wonderfully!

1/2 medium yellow onion – diced

1/2 red pepper – diced

1 egg

1/3 cup of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1/3 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp of ground white pepper

1 tsp of oregano

1 tsp of thyme

salt to taste & olive oil (for sautéing the onion and pepper)

Sautee onions until slightly translucent, add red peppers and lightly sauté for another 2 minutes. Mix all ingredients together just until combined and shape into 4 individual loaves. Place on greased baking sheet and put into a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Topping:

3 Tbsp of ketchup

1 Tbsp of dark molasses

1 Tbsp or brown sugar

Mix all ingredients together and after the initial 20 minutes of cook time are up – top the 4 loaves and put back into the over for 7-10 minutes – just until bubbly and slightly caramelized.

Enjoy!

1 cup of milk

1/3 cup of oil (vegetable or canola)

1/2 cup of flour

2 TBSP of sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

Blend all ingredients together with a mixer or whisk until smooth.  Heat a skillet and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour 1/3 cup of the crepe batter into the skillet and turn skillet so the batter covers the entire bottom of the pan.  Cook crepe until small bubbles appear on the surface and then flip.  Crepes should be golden brown. 

**If you pre-heat the oven to a warming temperature, you can keep the cooked crepes warm while continue to cook.  The batter should yield 7-8 crepes.

Fill with fruit, berries, whip cream, chocolate, or lemon curd. 

**For savory crepes, omit the sugar and vanilla.

1 can of black beans

1 can of corn (I use the nibblets)

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 cup of spicy salsa (I use Salsa Lisa)

1.5 tsp of chili powder

1 tsp of cumin

2 TBSP of corn starch

Shredded cheese (I love the chipotle cheddar) tortilla chips, sour cream and avocado for garnish!

Pull all the chicken off the bone and shred. In a large stockpot add chicken stock (minus one cup), shredded chicken, rinsed black beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, chili powder and cumin. In the remaining cup of stock wisk in corn starch, add this to your stock pot. Bring everything to a simmer for about 20-30 minutes – just long enough to help it all thicken a bit and incorporate the flavors. Serve hot with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, avocado and sour cream! Enjoy! (Makes about 8 servings)

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao), chopped
3/4 stick (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
3 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon Cognac or other brandy (I used Hennessy)
1 cup very cold whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon salt

Get out one large heatproof, two medium and one small mixing bowl and your electric hand mixer.

In one of the medium bowls, beat the whip cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then set aside or put in the refrigerator.

In the other medium bowl, beat the egg whites and salt with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks, set aside.

Set the large bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and melt the chocolate and butter in it, gently stirring it until smooth. Remove from heat.

In the small bowl, beat yolks with your electric mixer until thick enough to form a ribbon that takes a few seconds to dissolve — this will take about two to four minutes to achieve. Whisk yolks into chocolate mixture along with Cognac, then cool to warm.

Fold the whipped cream and beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, gently but thoroughly. Transfer to 8 (4 ounce) ramekins or one large serving bowl, or go restaurant-style, serving it in stemmed glasses with white or dark chocolate shavings on top or fresh raspberries.

**It can be stored up to two days in the fridge.

3 small vine on tomatoes – diced

2 cloves of garlic – pressed

1/2 small onion

1/2 container of mushrooms

12 leaves of fresh basil

1 and 1/2 tsp of thyme

1 lb of ground beef

1 small jar of any store bought red sauce

1 can of diced tomatoes (I like the ones with basil or garlic)

spices: salt, white ground pepper, fresh black pepper, cayenne pepper

Saute ground beef with onion, mushroom, salt, and peppers (white and black).  This is to taste.  When the meat is almost cooked through, drain the excess liquid and add in diced fresh tomatoes, the can of diced tomatoes and pressed garlic.  Cook for about 3 minutes and then add the other ingredients.  I like to add about 1 tsp of cayenne for spice and julienne the basil leaves for the most flavor incorporation.  Simmer all ingredients for about 10-15 minutes and you’re ready to serve!

If the decor does not sweep you off your feet, then the food will!  Warm rich spices, cool flavors, crisp accompaniments.  It’s an adventure and vacation wrapped up within incredible cocktails with only flavor combinations that a true mixologist could concoct.  My girlfriend and I sipped on a ginger processuco interpretation of a well known cocktail, the mimosa.  I will admit that the spice of ginger combined with the sweet delicate flavor of prosecco was the perfect way to start my girls version of a football Sunday afternoon.

Ali and I both agreed that the yogurt cardamom desserts in a flaky crust could be eaten by the plateful, but were so impressed with the fact that all the dishes were so impeccably paired.  There was no dish that was not balanced.  Spicy heat was paired with cool flavors, crispy complimented creamy.  The lamb is enough reason to make the trip into the warehouse district.  This is not just about curry anymore – come and let your taste buds explore Indian cuisine the way it was meant to be, with an expert guide!

1 package of gnocchi

1 small bag of sugar snap peas

6 slices of prosciutto

3 TBSP of butter

flour

skim milk

2 ounces of mozzarella cheese

1 whole garlic clove

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

black pepper

In a large stock pot boil water and add salt.  Shell the peas and set them aside.  Chop the prosciutto into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside with the peas.  In another sauce pan melt butter and with a whisk, whisk in flour until it forms a paste and is a ball of butter and flour.  Start adding skim milk a little at a time to the roue (butter and flour mixture) constantly whisking until its a thick creamy sauce.  Add the diced mozzarella and continue to stir.  Add the cayenne pepper, about a half of a teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper and the whole garlic clove after you press it through a garlic press.  Cook just until all ingredients are melted and combined thoroughly.  When water boils, add gnocchi and when they float drain.  Add the gnocchi back into the stock pot and add the peas, prosciutto and then the white sauce.  Stir to combine, and serve!