Ingredients ( Serves 6)

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 cups lemon curd or lemon pie filling
• 1  9in refrigerator  pie crust
• 1 tart pan
•  Assorted mixed berries

Directions (Preheat oven to 425)

Press pie crust into your tart pan. with a fork press small holes into the bottom of the pie crust (this will help the crust from bubbling up). Put into your preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. The crust should be lightly browned. Remove and let cool.

While the crust cools place one cup of heavy whipping cream, and 2 tablespoons sugar into a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Mixed on high till your cream forms soft peaks. Add your lemon curd and slowly whisk till incorporated. Spoon this mixture into your cooled pie crust. Top with assorted fresh fruit, and chill till serving time.

Ingredients ( Serves 2)

• 2lbs of frozen muscles
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot diced
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
•  3/4 cup of white wine
• 1/4 cup of half and half
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions

Heat a large stock pot of water to a rolling boil. Add frozen muscles in the bag and cook for 10 minutes or until your shells open. While the muscles cook, saute the shallot and garlic in butter and olive oil for 5 minutes until ingredients have softened. Add the white wine and reduce for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and transfer your cook muscles and their released juices to your wine sauce. Stir in the half and half and transfer cooked muscles into a large serving bowl. Top with parsley and serve warm with a large loaf of bread that you can use for dunking. Just thinking about this meals makes my mouth water

Well with all this work nonsense going on, and the fact that I pretty much never have the opportunity to eat anymore, I decided to make something comforting for when I get home from work at midnight. I know shouldn’t complain since I have lost at least 5 lbs without even trying, but dammit people I’m freaking hungry!!

I know some of you might not think quiche + midnight = comfort food, but in my mind it is the perfect late night dinner. First off you can make it ahead of time, and then just cut yourself a slice whenever the mood. Second there is cured meat and cheese in there need I say more!

Ingredients (preheat oven to 350) Makes 4 serving

• 7 large eggs
• 2 table spoons heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4oz pancetta diced
• 1 + 1/2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 a box of defrosted chopped spinach drained
• 1 frozen pie crust defrosted

Directions

Start by pan frying the pancetta over medium heat until crispy, drain and let cool on a paper towel. In a mixing bowl crack eggs, add cream, water, salt and  pepper. Mix to combine with a whisk. Next, add 1 cup of cheddar cheese, green onions, drained spinach, and cooled pancetta stir to combine.  Transfer egg mixture to your defrosted pie crust, top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and cook for 40-45 minutes at 350. The center should not wiggle and the cheese should be lightly browned.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• 4 hot dog buns
• 4 hot dogs (brand of your choice)
• 2 cobs of fresh corn
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 green onions sliced whites and greens
• Half a lime juiced
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Queso fresco
• Chopped cilantro
• Chili powder

Place hot dog buns in a 200 degree oven to get them warmed. Next cut corn kernels off the cob and place into a frying pan warmed to medium high heat. Cook till corn begins to brown. Add vegetable oil, the white part of your green onions, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook until green onions have softened. Turn heat off and add mayo and lime juice, stir to combine, and set to the side. Cook hot dogs on a grill pan till warmed. Place each hot dog into a warmed bun, and top with your corn mixture. Finish by adding queso fresco, chopped cilantro, green onion, and a dusting of chili powder.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food by Martha Stewart

I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my day than baking for friends  Also now that I think about it my friends had a large tree take a “dump” on their garage within 4 days of moving in last year so I think these cookies are very fitting! You can read more about that here on their blog

Ingredients ( Make 3 dozen cookies) Preheat oven to 350

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

• Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended.
• Combine flour, soda, oats, and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. Drop  tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 350° for 8 to 14 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

To make some of the cookies extra special for my friends I sprinkled shredded coconut on them just before popping them in the oven! Alex isn’t a big coconut fan so I left the rest of the cookies coconut free, but either way they will be delicious!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, 2005

Ingredients( Serves 4)

• 1lb fresh pizza dough ( I used Trader Joe’s fresh pizza Dough)
• 2 table spoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 11/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup button mushrooms thinly sliced
• 4 canned artichoke hearts diced
• 3 slices prosciutto torn into pieces
• 1 tablespoon parsley finely minced

With all the great food that was shared last night, I was inspired to get into the kitchen. While this recipe is far from ethnic I felt it was perfect for my day off.  And with a slight chill in the air I knew I needed to get my oven fired up. I also had 3 bananas that are about to go bad, so that was really the driving factor

Ingredients (Makes 8 servings)

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour  a 9in pie dish.

Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

Pour batter into your prepared pan and top with brown sugar and cinnamon topping.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Slice and top with a slab of butter and enjoy

Recipe was adapted from foodnetwork.com

Since moving on from the restaurant I still love to make homemade pizzas any chance I get.  The pizza I’m sharing today has become popular in the last few years, but I think it is just perfect for a weeknight dinner with the boyfriend

Ingredients ( Serves 4) Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees

1 lb Fresh pizza dough

Flour for dusting

6 oz of Chicken Cooked and Diced

1/2-3/4 Cup BBQ Sauce

1 Cup Provolone Cheese

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 Cup Diced Red Onion

1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Directions

Dust a clean surface with flour and roll fresh dough out into a 12 inch round. Transfer to a pizza stone. Top with BBQ sauce, chicken, provolone and mozzarella cheese, red onion, and cilantro. Bake in your 400 degree preheated oven for 15-17 minutes. Slice and serve!

I would recommend serving with an ice cold pint of beer or a big glass of white wine, but hey that’s just me

For those of you who have not tried Paella before don’t be scared off by the name.  This recipe is very easy and flavorful, and you can mix up the ingredients if you aren’t a seafood eater.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 ounces chicken sausage, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds ( I used 2 Cajun Johnsonville Chicken Sausages)
• 1/2  medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cups long-grain rice
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Directions

• In a heavy 12-inch saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp until just pink on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes (do not overcook). Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil and sausage to pan; cook over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and rice; cook, stirring to coat, until rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in paprika, turmeric, tomatoes, and broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed almost all liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in cooked shrimp; serve immediately.

For those of you who don’t care for the seafood I would recommend either doubling the sausage. or you could sub pork sausage for the chicken sausage, and sub cubed chicken for the shrimp. Most importantly  be creative, because this is a must try dish!

Since we were going to be up in Door County all weekend  I wanted to bring some snacks along to share with my fellow runners. In addition to the healthy snacks, I also made something sweet that could work for breakfast, or an after dinner treat. This recipe is so easy that even the baking challenged can make this!

Ingredients

• 4 Cups Mini Marshmallows
• 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
• 4 1/2 Cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Directions

Start by spraying a 9×9 pan, and a large mixing bowl with with cooking spray. Melt the butter over low heat in a medium sauce pan. Add the marshmallows and cook till you have a smooth mixture. Combine the marshmallow mixture with the cinnamon toast crunch in the large bowl. Transfer to your prepared pan and allow to cool. Slice and serve.

These little treats totally hit the spot, and with only 3 ingredients they will be a making an appearance in my house time and time again! I hope everyone had a great weekend