Recipes

My Italian Wedding Soup is seriously the best soup on the planet! Watch me make it in just a few minutes!

Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs

• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 6 ounces ground beef
• 6 ounces ground pork
• Freshly ground black pepper

Soup

• 8 cups water
• ¼ cup reduced-sodium chicken base (I like Better than Bouillon brand)
• ½ cup carrot, finely chopped
• 1 ½ cup orzo pasta
• 4 cups baby spinach, chopped small
• 4 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. To a stock pot, add the water, chicken base, and carrot. Bring to a simmer, and let cook while you make the meatballs.
2. To make the meatballs: Combine the onion, garlic, eggs, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well, then add the ground beef and pork. Mix thoroughly. Use a small scooper to make small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Make all of the ball the same size.
3. Carefully lower the meatballs into the simmering stock. Stir gently and then add the orzo pasta. Return to a simmer. Add the chopped spinach and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Ladle into soup bowls and top with additional parmesan cheese.

Watch me prepare this comfort-food classic, with a low-calorie twist!

 

BBQ Turkey Meatloaf

• 3 pounds lean ground turkey (7% fat)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced small
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced small
• ¾ cup barbeque sauce
• 1 ½ cup rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup barbeque sauce, for topping

1. Place the diced onion in a small glass bowl. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cooked onion, red bell pepper, ¾ cup barbeque sauce, oats, chili powder, Worcestershire, salt, and eggs. Stir well. Add the ground turkey and mix again.
3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Divide the meatloaf mixture into two equal sized loaves. You can shape it into smaller loaves if you prefer.
4. Bake uncovered in a 360 degree oven for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread the remaining barbeque sauce over the loaves. Return to the oven and bake 10 more minutes.

Chocolate truffles may sound intimidating, but they’re so easy!! Start with the best chocolate you can find!

Ganache

• 8 ounces 63% dark chocolate, Chocolate Decadence brand, finely chopped
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon real vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Toppings

• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup 63% dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter

1. Make ganache by finely chopping the chocolate. Place in a glass bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it starts to simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for a few minutes.
2. Uncover and whisk the mixture gently. Add the kosher salt and vanilla. Whisk again. Pour ganache into a glass pie plate and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
3. To make the truffles, scoop out ganache using teaspoons, a melon baller, or small scooper. Work quickly, and roll the balls in your hands to make them round.
4. Roll them in cocoa powder and place in small paper cups.
5. Roll some in powdered sugar and place in small paper cups.
6. To make chocolate covered truffles, heat the remaining ½ cup of chocolate and 3 tablespoosn butter in a double boiler. Once chocolate begins to melt, stir well. Use a fork to hold the truffle over the pan, and drizzle the chocolate over the truffles. Place the finished truffle in small paper cups.
7. Refrigerate truffles immediately. Enjoy within 24 hours.

Kick it up with this quick appetizer is easy and elegant! A perfect side dish for Easter brunch, or a dinner party!

Asparagus & Ham Phyllo Bundles

• ½ package Phyllo dough, thawed
• Olive oil spray
• 3 ounces Black Forest ham, cut in half
• 1 pound asparagus, 2 inches trimmed from the bottom
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1. Unroll phyllo dough and cut in half the long way. Lightly mist the sheets of phyllo dough with olive oil spray. Place ½ of one slice of ham near the end of the phyllo. Place two asparagus spears on top of the ham.
2. Dot the asparagus with a bit of Dijon mustard (about ¼ teaspoon per appetizer).
3. Roll the phyllo up around the asparagus. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Repeat steps until you run out of asparagus.
5. Lightly spray the assembled bundles with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Lastly, sprinklewith Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18 minutes.

This appetizer will be inhaled at your next party!! Perfect for tailgating, brunches, and cocktail parties!

Maple Bacon Little Smokies

• 1 pound center cut bacon
• 14 ounces Little Smokies
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• 40 wooden picks or short skewers

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil.
2. Cut bacon into thirds. Arrange bacon on top of the foil. Bake the bacon for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and pour off the bacon grease.
3. Combine Little Smokies with 1 cup brown sugar. Stir well and set aside and marinate for 20 minutes.
4. Place one Little Smokie near the end of one piece of bacon. Roll bacon around the sausage and secure it with a toothpick. Place on a broiling pan and repeat with remaining sausages.
5. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 9 to 10 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve immediately.

This recipe will surely impress your guests!! With apples, cinnamon, butter, caramel, and oats…it can’t get much better!!!

Blooming Caramel Apples

• 4 large Fuji apples
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 8 pieces caramel candies, unwrapped
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• 2 cups Tillamook Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• ½ cup caramel sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. To get the blooming apple look, you need to cut the apples in a special way. Slice off the top ¼ of the apples. Scoop out the core using a teaspoon. Then, use a thin knife to make two, deep circular cuts around the center of the apple. Next, turn the apple over and make narrow cuts all the way around the apple. Flip it back over and you can see all of the cuts.
3. Place the apples in an oven safe dish and put two caramels into the center of each apple.
4. Heat butter and brown sugar in the microwave for 30 second, stir and continue heating for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir in flour and cinnamon. Divide the mixture over the top of the two sliced apples.
5. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and use a large spoon to move the apples into bowls.
7. Place a scoop of ice cream next to the hot apple, drizzle with caramel sauce. Serve immediately.

My Pimento Cheese recipe will knock your socks off! Rich, creamy, spicy goodness….it’s the perfect thing to have on hand for the holidays when guests stop by!

Pimento Cheese

• ½ pound Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, finely grated
• ½ pound Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, finely grated
• 8 ounces pimentos, jarred, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 to 4 pinches cayenne pepper
• ¾ cup Best Foods mayonnaise
• 8 ounces Ritz Crackers

1. Finely grate cheeses into a large bowl. Stir in pimentos, black pepper, cayenne, and salt to taste with an electric mixer. Add mayonnaise and stir again until relatively smooth.
2. Store in the refrigerator.
3. Serve with Ritz crackers.

Slather this garlic butter on bread, pasta, fish, and hot veggies…it rocks!!!

The World’s Best Garlic Bread

This is a recipe I make year round! It pairs perfectly with BBQ, lasagna, salads, pasta, fish, and just about everything else!

• 15 garlic cloves
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• Rustic bread, sliced ½ inch thick
• 1 cup Flat Italian parsley, washed and minced
• Kosher salt

1. Finely mince the garlic. Place in a medium skillet with two sticks of butter. Melt butter and stir well. Cook on low for 30 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes. Butter should not get over heated, or it will burn. Low and slow, with tiny bubbles, is key to getting the butter and garlic cooked perfectly.
2. While butter is cooking, pick the leaves off of the parsley. Rinse well. Dry thoroughly. Chop finely.
3. Once the 30 minutes are up, move the pan off the heat. Let cool for a few minutes, then add the chopped parsley to the garlic butter.
4. Use a silicone brush, and brush the garlic butter onto the slices of bread. Lay the bread onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
5. You can freeze the bread at this point if you wish.
6. Bread can be baked or grilled (recommended).
7. To grill, preheat grill to medium to medium-high. Once grill is hot, place bread, sliced side down on the grates. Bread burns VERY easily, so you must stay close to the grill. Do not leave it unattended. Grill bread for 1 minute or so, and then turn over. Repeat on the other side.
8. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reassemble slices to form a loaf. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bread is hot and crisped.

Try this amazing fresh summer salad recipe!!!

Summer Corn Salad

• 6 large ears of corn
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• ½ cup yellow onion, chopped fine
• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped small
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoons black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook corn in boiling water for 10 minutes, or until desired tenderness. Drain, cool, and cut kernels off the cob with a sharp knife.
2. In a small glass dish, combine the sugar and the rice vinegar. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to dissolve the sugar. Add the mayonnaise and olive oil. Whisk well.
3. In a large bowl, toss together the corn, tomatoes, onion, and basil. Pour the dressing over it and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and refrigerate until serving.

Tasty tri-tip is on the menu!! Watch me grill this popular cut, to everyone’s delight!

Santa Maria Tri-tip

• 1 tri-tip roast (2 to 2 ½ pounds)
• Oak wood chips, large piece of heavy duty foil

Dry Rub

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced

Basting Sauce

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1. Start this recipe the night before you plan on grilling the tri-tip for the best flavor.
2. Prepare the dry rub by combining kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and rosemary in a small bowl. Pat spices all over the tri-tip and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes. Drain wood chips. Prepare a large piece of heavy-duty foil. Fold in half to double the thickness. Place wood chips in the center and fold foil over the ends to create a foil packet. Pierce the foil several times with the tines of a fork.
4. Make the basting sauce by combining the red wine vinegar, canola oil, garlic cloves, and Dijon mustard in a bowl.
5. Preheat grill to high. Place the foil smoker packet under the grates, right on top one of the burners. When you start seeing smoke, turn the heat down to medium-high.
6. Oil the grates with an oil soaked paper towel.
7. Place the tri-tip on the grill, and brush with basting sauce. Close lid and set timer for 4 minutes.
8. Turn tri-tip over, brush with basting sauce, and close lid. Set timer for 4 minutes.
9. Repeat these steps one or two more times, depending on the thickness of your steak. Use a meat thermometer and check. The temperature should read 130 degrees.