"Crab" with Seasonal Veggies and Angel hair

I love working with imitation crab meat. The flavors in this dish are light and simple yet really delicious. I encourage anyone who is sceptical about imitation crab meat to give this dish a try. Last but not least, this dish is very beautiful on the plate. Dig in and enjoy.

Ingredients:
- 3 cups imitation crab meat
- 2 cups mixed veggies
- 1/3 pound angel hair pasta
- olive oil
- 1 lemon
- crushed red pepper
- garlic powder
- oregano
- salt
- pepper

To Make:
In a large pan, saute the crab in olive oil on medium high heat for about 6 minutes until it starts to get a nice sear. Season with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of oregano and garlic powder.

Add in the mixed veggies and some extra olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of oregano and garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.

Note: I recommend seasoning in layers, that way the flavors really come together and you avoid over seasoning or under seasoning at the end.

Boil a pot of salted water and cook the angel hair pasta for 6-7 minutes or until al-dente.

Mix together and cook on medium heat for about 6-8 minutes, just until the veggies are tender. Add the angel hair pasta and mix one last time.

Serve immediately. Sprinkle lemon over each dish before serving.

"Leftover" Sauce

I guess it's an Italian thing because I'm a big believer in not throwing away ANY food (especially food that I've made) so when there are several leftovers around, I just combine them together into delicious creations like this, "leftover" sauce.

Ingredients:
You can either use a sauce that you've already prepared and add to it, or you can start from scratch with:

- 1 can diced tomatos
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 small onion, diced
- 12 garlic cloves, chopped


Use leftovers from the following:
- 1/2 green pepper, diced use leftovers from Stuffed Peppers
- kidney beans use leftovers from Mexican Bean Soup
- pinch of feta cheese use leftovers from Feta, Basil and Lemon Pasta
- Peas/Carrots mix use leftovers from Pan Seared Tuna with Peas & Carrots

Season with:
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- crushed red pepper
- oregano
- sugar
- salt
- pepper

To Make:

If you are starting from scratch, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes on medium high heat or until tender.

In a food processor, pulse the diced tomatoes 3 times, 2 seconds each. Add into a saucepan with tomato paste and add 1.5 cups of water.

Add in the onions and garlic and all other ingredients. Add a teaspoon of the following: crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Mix together.

Add 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and mix together. Cook on the stove for 20-30 minutes on low heat stirring frequently.

Serve with pasta and serve while hot.

ENJOY!

Florence Style - Ribollita Soup

When I lived in Florence, this soup quickly became my favorite thing to eat. It's a very traditional soup in Florence and it's available at almost every restaurant. This soup is tasty and yet still very healthy for you. I was really craving some soup last night and this turned out perfect!

Ingredients:
- 1 bag fresh spinach
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 large carrots, cubed
- 15 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 can canellini beans, washed and drained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 8 cups of water
- 1/4 vegetable bullon cube
- 2 cups rice (minute rice)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- dried oregano
- smoked paprika
- crushed red pepper flakes
- salt
- pepper

To Make:
In a large pot, add 1/4 cup of olive oil and being sauteing the onions, garlic and carrots on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add in the water and bullon cube. Bring to a boil and stir in the tomato paste until dissolved. Next add in the beans and rice. Let this cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes.

Add in the spinach and stir in the parmesan cheese. Season with 1 tablespoon of oregano, paprika and crushed red pepper flakes. Also season with salt and pepper.

Lastly, add in the bag of spinach and mix together. Let cook for another 10 minutes stirring frequently before serving.

Note: I used minute rice in this dish... if I would have used regular rice, it would need to cook for at least 0-30 minutes longer.

Sexy Chef- Breakfast Potatoes

I LOVE making fried potatoes in the morning. Potatoes are great because you can add in anything and it's going to taste good. My favorite way to make them though, is by just adding a few key ingredients and some heat... they are ALWAYS a crowd pleaser...

Ingredients:
- 4 large Idaho potatoes, peeled, washed and diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, minced
- olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
- crushed red pepper flakes
- garlic powder
- paprika
- salt
- pepper

To Make:
In a large skillet, drizzle the bottom liberally with olive oil and heat the pan. Add the potoatoes and onions and let them simmer on medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Do not stir. The potatoes and onions should begin getting caramalized and browned on the bottom.

Season with salt and pepper. Add in 1 teaspoon of the following, garlic powder, paprika and crushed red pepper. Add in the green peppers.

Add in 1/2 cup of water, cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Uncover, stir together and taste... add more salt and pepper if needed. If the potatoes are soft, they are ready. Cook until they are completely soft.

Serve immediatly.

Mexican Bean Soup

Once it starts getting colder outside, I really enjoy making warm, healthy (yet hearty) soups. I don't get crazy with needing "specific" ingredients... I usually just evaluate my fridge and pantry and use what I've got. This soup turned out to be a complete success!

Ingredients:- 1 can dark red kidney beans
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 10 garlic cloves, chopped
- Your choice of either 2 boca burgers, 1/2 pound ground turkey, beef or chicken)
(I used Boca burger for this dish)
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- olive oil
- water
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- salt
- pepper

To Make:

In a medium pot, saute the onions, garlic and peppers in olive oil until they are just about tender. Add your choice of meat. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 cups of water and the tomato paste. Stir together well. Add a dash of salt and pepper.

Next, drain the top of the kidney beans and add them into the soup. Add another cup of water. Season with oregano and crushed red pepper to taste. Mix together and cover. Cook on medium high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce and continue cooking on medium low heat for another 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Taste the broth for seasoning... season more if needed.

In the meantime, boil 1 cup of rice according to the package. You can use minute rice or the regular kind. I prefer minute rice in this situation since this soup does not take long to cook.

Once the rice is complete, scoop some rice into a large soup bowl and top with soup.

Delicious, hearty, healthy and QUICK!

Sexy Stuffed Mushrooms

Even if your not a huge "mushroom fan" I would say that most people LOVE stuffed mushrooms... who wouldn't, especially when their stuffed with cheese, butter and meat?

I had a few leftover mushrooms so I decided to indulge my husband with these tasty treats. I'm sure you'll also enjoy. Best part is, these are very simple and quick to make.

Ingredients:
- 1 container of mushrooms (washed and patted dry)
- 3/4 cup feta cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons of melted butter
- 4 pieces of bacon (you can use turkey bacon or deli ham)
- handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- crushed red pepper flakes
- salt
- pepper

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove stems of mushrooms and dice the stems into small pieces, place in mixing bowl.

Dice the bacon (or substitute) and add into bowl. Add the feta cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Add one 1/2 tablespoon of butter and the chopped parsley and mix together, seasoning with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.

Next, brush the bottoms of the mushroom tops with butter and begin filling them with the mixture. Align the filled mushrooms on a baking tray.

Lastly, drizzle butter on the tops of each mushroom and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let the mushrooms cool for a few minutes so they set.

Serve shortly after.

Pan Seared Tuna

Tuna is probably my favorite fish... I just really enjoy the flavor, texture and variety that comes with tuna. However, when I'm making tuna for myself, I enjoy keeping it simple and quick. Since it's a little cold to be grilling outside, I took my tuna grilling indoors and prepared it in my "grilling pan." I must say, I really outdid myself this time... this tuna is PERFECT!

Ingredients:
- Tuna steaks, 4 ounces each
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper

To Make:

In a grilling pan, pour some olive oil in the center and heat the pan on the stove on medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes.

In the meantime, dress each tuna steak with a 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, a generous squeeze of half of a lemon and salt and pepper.

Gently place each tuna steak directly into the olive oil and saute on each side on medium high heat for 2.5 minutes each side. On the second flip, turn the stove off after 1.5 minutes and cover the tuna for the remaining minute.

Note: this will cook the tuna to medium rare. If you prefer a more "done" piece, then cook longer on each side.
Top with another squeeze of lemon and serve immediatly.

I served this with peas and carrots sauted in olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.

Stuffed Peppers - Sexy Chef Style

Stuffed peppers may look and sound difficult, but they are really not. You need at least 45 minutes to prepare them, but it's worth it since they taste great and are really not hard to make. You can use any type of bell pepper you wish, but for this dish, I used green peppers. Try them out, you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:
- 4 bell peppers (any variety)
- 1/2 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 can tomato paste
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 cup minute rice
- 15 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- dried oregano
- crushed red pepper flakes
- garlic powder
- paprika
- salt
- pepper


To Make:
Preheat the oven to 360 degrees.

Drizzle olive oil in a small saute pan and saute the onions and garlic on medium heat until they are tender about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a large pan, begin sauteing the pork and turkey. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, garlic powder and crushed red pepper flakes. Move the meat around the break into small crumbles and cook on medium heat for about 12 minutes. Drain any access fat off.

In a small pot, add 2 cups of water to the 1/2 can of tomato paste. Cook together on medium heat and mix together. Add salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the following, oregano, paprika and crushed red pepper flakes.

In another small pot, salt and boil 1.5 cups of water and add the minute rice. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes.

While everything is cooking on the stove, wash the peppers and remove the tops and the all of the insides, taking care to remove all seeds. Slice a small layer off of the bottom to make the peppers flat for baking in the stove.

Using a microwaveable plastic dish, add 1 tablespoon of water and place the peppers inside and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave the peppers for 5 minutes on high heat. It's okay if the peppers are "wilted" they need to be tender.

Use caution when removing the peppers and the plastic wrap as these will be very hot. Let the peppers rest while preparing the filling.

In a large mixing bowl, add the meat, sauce, rice, onions and garlic and mix together. Add in the feta cheese and Parmesan cheese. Season with extra salt, pepper, paprika garlic powder, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes. Note: The meat will probably not be fully cooked and this is OKAY because they will be baked.

Mix everything thoroughly together and using a large spoon, gently spoon the mixture into each pepper allowing the tops to "overflow." Arrange neatly together in a baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese. I suggest to arrange tightly in the center so the peppers support each other.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove and let cool for 3-5 minutes. Serve shortly after and enjoy :-)

Lemon, Basil and Feta Pasta

I am very pleased with this new creation. This pasta is simple, yet super delicious. These three flavors are all very distinct and they work extremely well together. You can literally taste the flavors bursting in your mouth. This is a winner every time.





Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs pasta (any variety)
- 12 oz. container of feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 lemon
- fresh basil, 15 leaves, chopped
- olive oil
- crushed red pepper flakes
- salt
- pepper

To Make:
Boil a pot of salted water and cook the pasta about 8-9 minutes until al-dente.

Drain the pasta and place into a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil and toss together. Add the container of feta cheese and the chopped basil. Zest one teaspoon of lemon zest and add into the mix. Then sqeeze out 1/2 of the lemon, avoiding the seeds.

Toss pasta together and coat everything evenly. Add salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste.

Serve immediatly.

Sexy Salmon with Onion, Garlic and Pepper Relish

I typically buy salmon in bulk, then divide it up and freeze it for later use. Then, when I'm ready to use it, I just take it out of the freezer about 30 minutes before I'm ready to use it and it's ready to cook! This recipe is simple and quick and can be served with anything.

Ingredients:

- 2 salmon fillets
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 garlic cloves, diced
- olive oil
- oregano
- crushed red pepper flakes
- salt
- pepper

To Make:

Drizzle olive oil in a medium saute pan and saute the onions, garlic and bell peppers for about 8-10 minutes on medium high heat until they are semi-tender. (I think they work well semi-crunchy but you can cook them longer if you want them softer)

In another medium saute pan, drizzle olive oil in the bottom and turn on stove to medium high heat.

Season the salmon fillets with salt, pepper, oregano and crushed red pepper (to taste) then add then into the pan.

Cook the salmon about 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes. Turn off stove and let the salmon sit for another minute.

To Plate:
Place salmon into serving dish and top with onion and pepper mixture. Top with crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Delicious Crab Stir-fry

Stir-fry has become my "go to" meal for something quick and delicious. As long as you have soy sauce and veggies you can make an amazing stir-fry! In this recipe, I'm using imitation crab meat... I REALLY love it and it makes this dish come alive. You can try the same with chicken, steak, tofu or shrimp.






Ingredients:
- 3 cups of stir-fry veggies (frozen is easy)
- 1 cup pasta, any variety
- 2 cups imitation crab meat, (or any other meat)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup stir-fry sauce
- 1 tablespoon spicy stir-fry sauce
- olive oil
- crushed red pepper flakes
- salt
- pepper

To Make:
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8-9 minutes or until al-dente.

In a large saute pan, drizzle olive oil to coat the bottom and saute the onions and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add in the crab meat, breaking up into smaller pieces. Add a teaspoon of soy sauce. Let this cook about 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.

Add in the veggies. Mix together. Add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and pepper. Add in the stir-fry sauce, spicy sauce and the rest of the soy sauce. Mix together and allow to cook until the veggies are tender, not overdone. About 6 minutes. The best way to tell if they are done is to test a piece of broccoli (that takes the longest to cook.) Add more salt if needed.

Add in the pasta and mix together. Add in more stir-fry sauce if needed.

Serve immediately and ENJOY!

Liz's ULTIMATE Sauce :

If you haven't noticed by now, sauce is my FAVORITE thing to eat and make. I just think that with the perfect sauce, your eating options are ENDLESS, not only does sauce go over top of pasta, but it can be turned into soup, dip, salsa, pizza... or put it on top of chicken or fish! Really the possibilities you have when you make a pot of sauce are ENDLESS.
I'm going to share my DELICIOUS sauce recipe that you will always be craving, trust me... try it out and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:
- 2 cans PLAIN tomato sauce
- 2 cans DICED tomatoes
- 20 fresh basil leaves
- 2 medium red bell peppers, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 20 garlic cloves, diced
- Parmesan cheese
- salt
- pepper
- sugar
- oregano
- crushed red pepper
- olive oil
- *secret ingredient*
- *secret ingredient*

* I can't share the 2 secret ingredients because once this sauce becomes famous, EVERYONE will want to know why it tastes SO GOOD! However, the sauce will be delicious without these, but with them it's just OUTRAGEOUS!

To Make:

In a large pot, drizzle about 1/2 cup of olive oil and saute the onions, garlic and red bell peppers for about 10 -12 minutes on medium low heat until they are very tender, lightly salt and stir every few minutes.

In the meantime, in a food processor, combine the diced tomatoes and basil leaves and pulse 6 times for 2 seconds each until the basil is chopped up.

Empty the diced tomatoes and basil into the sauce pot and stir together. Add the other two cans of PLAIN tomato sauce into the pot and stir together. Add 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add 1 tsp. of sugar and 1 tablespoon of the following, salt, pepper, oregano and as much crushed red pepper as preferred.

Mix all ingredients together and let this sauce simmer for at least 30 minutes before serving. The longer the sauce can cook, the better it will be... cook on medium LOW heat and check frequently and stir every 5 minutes.

DELICIOUS... this sauce CAN'T be beat...

Delicious Fall Stew: Made in the Crock Pot

I love the fall, the colors are beautiful and I love making hearty meals that keep you warm and cozy. I made this stew in the crock pot, which I love because since when your cooking in the crock pot, your meal needs to sit for hours until it's ready. What I do when I'm making a crock pot meal, I make it on an evening where I'm going to be eating dinner out somewhere... so before I leave, I take 20 minutes to prep and prepare and then when I get home, I have a meal for the next day. It's the perfect idea and it saves LOTS of time. Check it out...

Ingredients:
- 1 can dark kidney beans
- 1 can plain tomato sauce
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1/2 large white onion, diced
- 3 large potatoes, diced (medium pieces)
- Either 2 chicken breast OR boca burger
- 3/4 cup White Rice
- Water
- Salt
- Pepper
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Garlic Powder
- Olive Oil

To Make:
Drizzle olive oil into the bottom of the crock pot, about 2-3 tablespoons. Place all diced veggies into the crock pot. Add in chicken breasts or boca burger, add in tomato sauce, drained kidney beans and rice. Add 1 tablespoon of all spices except the crushed red pepper, that is "to taste" so you be the judge.

Next fill the crock pot up almost to the top with water, leaving some "expansion room" and gently mix together just to break up the spices. Set on high heat. This can cook on high heat for about 3-5 hours, depending on your crock pot. Make sure you do not leave this on over night. If you are planning to leave over night, set on LOW HEAT and wake up EARLY so you can shut it off.

This is easy, delicious and HEALTHY!!!!! No more weight gain for the cold months... with this recipe, there is no need so you can stay FULL and SEXY!

Easy Garlic Bread

To go along with any fabulous dish, especially lasagna, garlic bread is amazing. Not only that, it's SO easy you almost have to make it. Again, I have to give props to Kelli's Catering in Largo, FL. Kelli was also the one to show me this quick and easy method to making the best tasting garlic bread EVER!

Ingredients:
- 1 Loaf of Italian, French or any other bread you like... as long as it's soft and in a loaf style
- Melted butter
- fresh parsley
- Dried Garlic Flakes
- Salt
- Pepper

To Make:
Slice the bread down the middle so that it is in two loafs. Smear the melted butter onto the loafs. Next top with a generous helping of the garlic flakes. Then lightly season with salt and pepper.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Lastly, top with fresh parsley. Slice accordingly and ENJOY!

The Easiest-Lasagna-Ever Recipe:

My wonderful cousin Kelli, owner of Kelli's Catering in Largo, FL. shared with me her simple and delicious lasagna techniques that I am going to "borrow" from her now and forever. I'm delighted to share them and I'm sure she won't mind that I am giving her catering business some "props."

Ingredients:
- Delicious Sauce (See here the Sauce Ingredients and Directions)
- Ricotta Cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese, grated
- Flat, no boil lasagna noodles
- Fresh Basil
- Parmesan Cheese
- Salt
- Pepper

To Make:
Follow the instructions above for the sauce.

In a large mixing bowl, add the entire 1 quart container of ricotta cheese and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Add in 5 handfuls of mozzarella cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of fresh basil.

To assemble:
In a lasagna pan, spoon several ladles of sauce. Taking the UNCOOKED noodles, begin spreading the ricotta cheese onto the noodles and laying the noodles on top of the sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese and then another layer of sauce and repeat until your lasagna pan is filled up.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 45min. Remove from oven, remove foil, top with fresh mozzarella and broil for another 3-5 min to get the top brown.

Garnish with fresh basil on top.

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW TO MAKE THE AMAZING GARLIC BREAD!

This is SO MUCH easier than boiling noodles and then burning yourself and trying to spread ricotta cheese onto soft noodles... it's almost impossible. Check this out, you won't regret it!