Ravioli Lasagna

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

Marinara Sauce:

4 lbs tomatoes, quartered

1 large onion cut, into wedges all the same size

6 whole cloves garlic, unpeeled

Olive oil

2 Tbls tomato paste

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 Tbls fresh oregano, chopped

2 Tbls fresh basil, chopped

1- 4 lbs bag of frozen ravioli (preferably the kind from Sam’s – you will have extra to use for another use)

2 Cups mozzarella

Directions:

1. Place tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves on a jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until tomatoes pucker and onions look translucent.

2. Allow tomatoes mixture to cool before blending in a blender. Once ready to blend remove the skin from the garlic cloves and place them in the blender. In batches, add tomatoes and onions along with pan juices to the blender and blend until smooth. Place tomato mixture in pot on the stove and add the tomato paste and herbs. Adjust seasoning to taste and heat to warm. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3. Prepare a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of frozen ravioli across the bottom of the pan, spread more sauce over ravioli and sprinkle about 1/3 cup of mozzarella over the sauce covered ravioli. Repeat with 2 more layers and finish the dish with remaining sauce on top and remaining cheese. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 1 hour. Remove foil after 1 hour and cook ravioli for an additional 5-10 min.

Zucchini Squash Medley by Geisel Nye

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 Lbs zucchini and yellow squash, quartered lengthwise

1 large onion, sliced into thin wedges

2 Tbls unsalted butter

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ Cup pecorino romano cheese or parmesan cheese

¼ Cup fresh basil, sliced stacked and rolled in a pinwheel (aka chiffanod )

Directions:

1. In a large non-stick fry pan; melt butter over high heat. Add vegetables and sear them until golden brown, (aka caramelized  I couldn’t resist putting that in there) this will take about 5 minutes.

2. Once vegetables are done to your liking, add basil and pecorino.

Peppermint Brownies by Geisel Nye

Serves 12

Ingredients:

2 boxes of your favorite brownie mix PLUS ingredients to make the brownies (oil, eggs & water)

1 large bag of York peppermint patties, unwrapped

Directions:

1. Spray a 9x13 baker with non-stick baking spray. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl; combine both boxes of brownie mix. Mix up according to package directions on the box.

3. Pour half of the batter into the bottom of the prepared baker. Gently place an even layer of peppermint patties all over the batter. Do not press them into batter.

4. Pour remaining batter over the top of peppermint patties. Make sure they are completely covered with even layer of brownie batter.

5. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until brownies are done. When they pull away from the sides of the pan and look cracked all over the top, this is usually a good sign they are done. Don’t bother using a tooth pick, it will come out gooey because of the peppermint patties.

6. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Garlic Smashed Red Potatoes by Geisel Nye

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

3 lbs baby red skinned potatoes, washed and quartered

4 whole garlic cloves, peeled

1 Tbls salt

1 tsp pepper

¼ Cup unsalted butter

Directions:

1 -2 Cups of milk or chicken broth (depending on thin or thick you like your potatoes)

1. Place potatoes and garlic in a large pot and cover with cold water. Place lid on pot and bring to a boil. If pot begins to boil over on to stove reduce heat to medium high or low boil. Boil until potatoes are tender. This will take about 10 -15 minutes.

2. Drain potatoes and place back in large pot. Add butter and place lid back on pot to melt butter. Mash and add milk to potatoes and continue mashing until you get desired consistency. Add salt and pepper and taste to adjust to your liking. Potatoes always need more seasoning than you think.

Meatloaf by Geisel Nye

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 Lbs. lean ground beef

2 eggs

½ Cup milk

½ Cup beef gravy (from 12 oz jar) reserve rest for top of meat loaf

1 6oz box of Stove Top Stuffing Mix (your favorite flavor)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, process stuffing mix until fine crumbs.

2. Prepare a 10x15 jelly roll pan with a sheet of parchment paper or cover pan with foil. Set aside for later use. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

3. In a large bowl; combine meat, eggs, milk, gravy, crushed stuffing mix, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined.

4. Place meat on prepared jelly roll pan and shape into an even loaf. Pour the rest of the gravy from the jar on top of loaf and place in preheated oven.

5. Cook loaf for 1 hour and allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Fondue by Geisel Nye

Serves 10

Ingredients:

1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate morsels {Ghirardelli is the best}

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

½ Cup heavy cream or half and half

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dippers:

Wooden skewers, strawberries, bananas, pretzels, marshmallows, graham crackers, cookies, ect.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size deep oven safe bowl; combine chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, cream and vanilla.

2. Bake 10 minutes and remove from oven and stir until smooth and no lumps remain. If chocolate is not completely melted place bake in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

3. Place hot chocolate fondue bowl in the center of a large platter and arrange dippers around bowl.

Pineapple & Vanilla Fruit Salad by Geisel Nye

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

1 large pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

4-6 kiwi, peeled and quartered

1 small carton of fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained

1 small carton of fresh strawberries, rinsed and drained, hulled and sliced

1 small carton of fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained

½ Cup sugar

½ Cup water

1 vanilla bean

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Slit vanilla bean in have and scrap out seeds and place in sugar mixture along with whole bean and allow to steep for 10-15 minutes.

2. Combine all fruit together in a large bowl. Remove bean pod from sugar syrup and lightly pour over fruit. Toss gently as not to break apart delicate berries. Chill and serve.

Monkey Bread by Geisel Nye

Serve 10-12

Ingredients:

1 bag of 12 frozen Rhodes rolls

1 Cup unsalted butter, or smart balance, melted

1 Cup sugar

2 Tbls cinnamon

1 large Tube pan

Non stick baking spray

Directions:

1. At least 12 hours before baking, place frozen rolls on a wax paper coated jelly-roll pan (10x15). Cover the rolls loosely with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2. 1-2 hours before baking, remove rolls from fridge. Using kitchen shears, snip rolls in half. Turn light on in your oven.

3. In microwave safe bowl, melt butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Spray the inside of tube pan with non stick baking spray.

4. One at a time, dip cut rolls into melted butter then into cinnamon sugar and place all around tube pan evenly.

5. Once all rolls are complete sprinkle remaining butter and cinnamons sugar over rolls in tube pan.

6. Cover tube pan with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in size in oven turned off with light on. This may take up to an hour.

7. Once rolls have doubled in size. Remove from oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tube pans can sometimes leak, so wrap outside neatly with aluminum foil before baking.

8. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until rolls are brown and bubbly around the sides. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before flipping onto a platter to serve.

German Baked Oatmeal by Geisel Nye

Serves 12

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

2 Cups milk

1 Cup applesauce

1 ½ Cup brown sugar, packed

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

6 Cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

3 tsp cinnamon

1 Cup pecans, toasted and chopped

1 Cup sweetened flaked coconut

½ Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl; combine eggs, milk, applesauce, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. Add the oatmeal, cinnamon, pecans and coconut to the egg mixture. Stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non stick baking spray. Pour oatmeal mixture into prepared pan and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips if so desired.

Note:

This recipe can be assembled the night before and refrigerated overnight. Increase cooking time to 45 minutes. You may substitute peeled chopped apples for the coconut and raisins and craisins may be added in place of chocolate chips.

Omelet Roll by Geisel Nye

Serves 8

Ingredients:

4 oz of cream cheese, softened

¾ Cup milk, room temp

2 Tbls all-purpose flour

¼ tsp salt

12 large eggs

Filling:

2 Tbls Dijon mustard

1 ½ Cups meat or vegetable of your choice {chopped ham, cooked crumble sausage or bacon, cooked hash browns, cooked onion, cooked and drained spinach, green onions, tomatoes}

1 ½ Cups cheese of your choice {cheddar, swiss, havarti, monterey, colby, pepperjack}

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and milk; whisk until smooth. Add flour and salt and continue whisking until smooth.

2. In a larger bowl, crack eggs and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add cream cheese mixture to egg mixture and mix well.

3. Cut an 18” piece of parchment paper. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a jelly-roll pan(10x15). To prevent egg mixture from running under parchment paper pinch corners. Spray paper with a little vegetable spray then pour egg mixture on top of parchment paper prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until omelet is puffy and golden.

4. Meanwhile, prepare your choice of meat and vegetables to go inside omelet.

5. Remove omelet from the oven; immediately spread with Dijon mustard. Sprinkle ½ the cheese, meat and or vegetable, and a little more cheese. Starting at short side, roll up, removing parchment paper as you roll. Garnish top with additional cheese and sprinkle a little of the meat and or vegetable too.

6. Allow roll to rest for 5 minutes to melt cheese. Slice diagonally and serve.

Flank Steak with Texas Dry Rub by Geisel Nye

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 Whole Flank Steak

Olive oil

Dry Rub:

2 Tbls chili powder
2 Tbls salt

1 Tbls garlic powder

1 Tbls onion powder

1 Tbls ground black pepper

1 Tbls sugar

2 tsp ground mustard

Directions:

1. Combine dry rub ingredients in small container and mix thoroughly.

2. Pat flank steak dry with paper towels and rub with a little olive oil. Pour dry rub all over both sides and rub into meat.

3. Allow meat to marinate overnight in the fridge or allow meat to rest on counter for 1 hour before grilling. Preheat grill to high heat 15 minutes before grilling.

4. Place on grill for 10 minutes per side. Allow meat to rest 10 minutes uncovered on cutting board before slicing thin against the grain.

Purple Potatoes Au Gratin by Geisel Nye

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 pounds of purple potatoes

4 cloves of garlic, smashed

2 cups of heavy cream

1 Tbls salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 8 oz block cream cheese, cubed

4-6 green onions, sliced

Directions:

1. Rinse and drain potatoes and slice ¼” thick.

2. Bring potatoes, heavy cream, salt and garlic to a simmer in a large pot over medium high heat for approximately 8 minutes.

3. Butter a 3 qt baking dish and preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

4. Once potatoes have simmered, add cream cheese and stir to combine. Pour potato mixture into butter dish and bake covered for 30 minutes.

5. Immediately sprinkle with green onions and return cover.

Peas & Mushrooms by Geisel Nye

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 16 oz bag of frozen sweet peas

1 8 oz container baby Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 Tbls unsalted butter

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp dried sage

Directions:

1. In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt butter and add mushrooms over medium heat. Cook until mushrooms are tender.

2. Add frozen peas, salt, pepper, thyme and sage and stir to coat peas. Continue to stir until peas are cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Red Velvet Cake Remix by Geisel Nye

Yield: 1- 8”- 3 layer cake tier or 24-30 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake mix (Do not substitute with another cake mix)

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1 Cup Sugar

1 Tbls Cocoa powder

2 Cups buttermilk

4 large eggs

1 Tbls vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine cake mix, flour, sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Whisk dry ingredients until thoroughly combined.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment add: buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. On low to medium speed, whisk ingredients until smooth.

3. Add dry ingredients by 1/3 and mix just to combine. Repeat until all dry ingredients are incorporated and batter is smooth. Do not over mix.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake pans with parchment paper rounds and small amount of Bakers Joy spray. Fill 3 – 8” cake pans evenly with batter and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and invert onto card board cake circles. Peel off parchment and flip again until the top side is up. Allow to cool and assemble with Cream Cheese Buttercream.

Cream Cheese Buttercream:

2 Cups unsalted butter = 1 lbs

1 8 oz block of cream cheese, cubed

8 Cups of powdered sugar = 2 lbs

2 Tbls milk or heavy cream

1 Tbls vanilla

½ tsp salt (optional)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine butter and vanilla. Mix until fluffy.

2. Add powdered sugar a few cups at time and mix until smooth each time. When mixture becomes too thick, add milk and beat on high speed for a minute.

3. While mixer is running on medium speed add cream cheese a few cubes at a time and beat until light and fluffy.

4. Taste and adjust to your liking. Add salt if desired or more powdered sugar or more milk.

Strawberry Shortcake by Geisel Nye

Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 25oz bag frozen 12 Buttermilk Biscuits (Grands)

1 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted

½ Cup plus 2 Tbls Sugar

4 Cups Strawberries, hulled and sliced (Substitute frozen sliced strawberries)

2 Cups Heavy Cream, whipped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine sliced strawberries and sugar.

3. Line a jelly-roll (10x15) pan with parchment paper. Dip frozen biscuits in melted butter and sugar then place 1” apart on prepared pan.

4. Bake biscuits according to package directions.

5. Place heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Whip cream to stiff peaks.

To assemble:

Split biscuits in half, spoon on strawberries and top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Here's the refrigerated Grands biscuits version of the strawberry shortcake dish:
(FYI, Suprisingly the frozen biscuits taste MUCH better.)

Brown Butter Steamed Green Beans by Geisel Nye

Serve 4-6

Ingredients:

1 16 oz pkg of frozen whole Green Beans

¼ Cup Unsalted Butter

Salt & Pepper

¼ Cup toasted walnut, pecans or almonds (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat butter in small pan over medium heat. Once butter is melted the foamy milk solids will begin to toast. The melted butter will darken and look like the color of maple syrup. This takes about 7 minutes.

2. Place frozen green beans in a microwave safe casserole dish with a lid. Sprinkle with salt & pepper and cover with lid. Steam green beans in microwave on high for 5 minutes.

3. Add brown butter to green beans tossing to coat. Place lid on casserole and microwave for another 2 minutes on high or until green beans are done to your liking.

Here's a great video on youtube I found that reminds you how to brown the butter:

Sweet Potato Casserole

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 large 40 oz can Sweet Potatoes, drained and mashed

¼ Cup Sugar

½ tsp Vanilla

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

¼ tsp Salt

2 Eggs, beaten

¼ Cup Milk

Topping:

½ Cup All-Purpose

2 Tbls Brown Sugar

2 Tbls Unsalted Butter, melted

¼ Cup Pecans (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients until well blended.

3. Butter and 9X9 baking dish or 1 Qt casserole dish. Pour sweet potato mixture into prepared dish.

4. In a medium size bowl add topping ingredients and mix with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly on top of sweet potatoes and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and sides of the pan are bubbly.

Here's a different version of sweet potato casserole:
(You can adjust your sweet potato casserole to your family needs...
gluten-free, sugar free, low calorie, etc.)

Roast Chicken Gravy by Geisel Nye

Ingredients:

Roast Chicken pan drippings

2-4 Tbls All-Purpose Flour

2 Cups Chicken Broth, heated to warm

½ tsp Thyme or whatever herbs you like (rosemary, tarragon, flat leaf parsley, sage) or a combination of all.

1 Tbls Lemon juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Carefully lift foil from jelly roll pan and add drippings to medium size sauce pan.

2. Turn heat to medium and add 2 Tbls of flour and cook about 1 minute. Depending amount of pan drippings, you may need to adjust and add more flour 1 Tbls at a time. You want it to look like a dry paste before adding warm chicken broth.

3. Add warmed chicken broth slowly whisking to combine until smooth. Turn heat to high, boil and thicken.
Note: adding warm broth it ensures a lump free gravy.

4. Add thyme or whatever herbs you like and lemon juice. Season gravy to taste with salt and pepper.

In this Youtube video I found it reminds you about the basics to use pan drippings to make delicious gravy:

Roast Chicken Breast by Geisel Nye

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

4 whole bone-in, skin on, Chicken breasts

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees

2. Rinse chicken breast and trim off excess fat but make sure you keep enough to cover breasts as they roast. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.

3. Line a jelly roll (10x15) pan with heavy duty foil. Place chicken breasts skin side up on pan making sure no pieces are touching. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper all over the top of chicken.

4. Roast chicken uncovered in 425 degree oven for 45 minutes or until chicken registers to 165 degrees internal temp. Depending on the size of the chicken breasts you may need to increase your cooking time 5 minutes. The chicken should look golden brown and internal juices should be clear. The skin acts as a baster to ensure a nice juicy piece of chicken. The skin may be peeled off and discarded before serving to your guests.

5. Allow chicken to rest, covered for 10 minutes before serving.

6. Chicken may be served with gravy, bbq sauce, honey mustard sauce or cooled and served as chicken salad.

EASY Strawberry Lemonade by Geisel Nye

Yield: 1 Gallon

Ingredients:

Countrytime Lemonade (or pink lemonade)

2 Cups frozen or fresh Strawberries

½ Cup Sugar

Directions:

1. In a blender combine strawberries and sugar and puree until smooth. Make sure the strawberries are thawed before blending.

2. Mix lemonade according to package directions in a gallon size pitcher. Add strawberry puree and stir to combine.

Note: Strawberry puree can be made in advance and kept refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 1 month.

Snickerdoodles

Yield: 60 cookies

Ingredients:

3 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour

½ tsp Baking Soda

½ tsp Cream of Tartar

1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened

2 Cups Sugar

2 Eggs

¼ Cup Milk

1 Tbls Vanilla

Topping

3 Tbls Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (Substitute a bowl and heavy duty electric hand mixer), cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and light in color. 

3. Add eggs, milk and vanilla and combine until creamy and no streaks remain.

4. Gently add dry ingredients and thoroughly combine dough.  Be careful not to OVERMIX.

5. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 1-2 hours.  Dough can also be placed in a plastic tub and refrigerated for 2 weeks or frozen for 2 months.

6. When ready to bake preheat oven to 375 and line pans with parchment paper.  Combine cinnamon and sugar in small bowl.  Scoop cookies out with a medium size scoop to ensure cookies will all be the same size. Roll cookies to coat in sugar mixture and place on parchment lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

7. Gently press down cookies to flatten slightly and bake for 8-12 minutes or until cookies are cooked through.  Test one cookie first and adjust baking time as needed.

Mexican Rice (recipe by Geisel Nye)

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

2 Cups Long Grain or Basmati Rice

½ Cup or 1 stick of Unsalted Butter

2 pks Sazon Goya Seasoning Coriander & Annatto

4 Cups of Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1 Cup of Pico De Gallo

Directions:

1. In a medium size pot with a lid, melt butter over medium high heat. Add rice and seasoning packets. 

2. Toast rice for about 5 minutes until golden brown and nutty smelling.

3. Turn heat up to high and add 4 cups of chicken broth.  Place lid on pot and let rice come to a full boil.  DO NOT LIFT LID. DO NOT NEED TO STIR.

4. Once rice has come to a full boil reduce heat to low and set a timer for 20 minutes. 

5. Once timer goes off, fluff the rice with a fork and serve as is or add 1 cup of chopped fresh green onions, cilantro, or pico de gallo.

Guacamole (recipe by Geisel Nye)

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

5 Ripe Avocados

2 Limes, juiced

2-3 Cups of Pico de Gallo

Directions:

1. Slice avocados in half around the pit and separate. Remove seed and discard.  Cut slits in avocado in cross hatch sections.  Turn avocado skin inside out and scrape off chunks of cubed avocado into mixing bowl.

2. Squeeze fresh lime juice on avocados and roughly mash the ripe avocados.  Fold in Pico de Gallo until thoroughly combined.

3. Taste and season as desired with salt and pepper.  Cover with plastic wrap directly over the top of guacamole and refrigerate an hour before serving.

Pico de Gallo (recipe by Geisel Nye)

Yield: 2 Cups

Ingredients:

4 Ripe Tomatoes, chopped (Substitute 1 large carton of grape tomatoes)

¼ of 1 large Red Onion, chopped

1 Jalapeno, minced

¼ of one bunch of cilantro, chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 Lime, juiced

½ tsp salt, adjust to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients together. Toss thoroughly.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Fajitas (recipe by Geisel Nye)

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

Marinade (Mojo)

1 Orange, juiced or ¾ of a cup of orange juice from a bottle

2 Limes, juiced or ½ Cup of lime juice from a bottle

4 Tbls of Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1-3 Chipotle Chilies in adobo sauce (depending on how hot you want it)

3 Tbls Cilantro, roughly chopped

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Salt

1 Whole Flank Steak, cut into thirds (Can Substitute with Chicken)

2 Red Bell Peppers

2 Green Peppers

1 Large Purple Onion, or whatever onions you like

12 Flour Tortillas

Directions:

1. In a blender combine all marinade ingredients, puree until smooth. 

2. Place Flank Steak (or Chicken) in a large gallon size zip lock plastic bag.  Pour marinade over meat and seal bag shut. 

3. Massage bag gently to make sure meat is well coated.  Place bag on a dish incase it leaks, and refrigerate for 2-4 hours for steak (refrigerate for 15 minutes for chicken)

4. In a large, lightly oiled fry pan, preheat on high.  Drain meat and season with salt and pepper,  grill meat for 7 minutes on each side or until done to your liking.  Depending on the size of your pan you may need to do this in batches. (Can also be grilled on an outdoor grill over high heat)

5. Transfer meat to a cutting board and allow to rest 10 minutes.  A MUST or you will be mopping up all that yummy juice off your counter.

6. While meat is resting, slice peppers and onions and toss to coat with olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.

7. In same grill pan, grill onions and peppers until just barely limp about 7 minutes.

8. While peppers and onions are cooking, heat up flour tortillas in a microwave 1 minute, covered with damp tea towel.

9. Once meat has fully rested slice ACROSS THE GRAIN in thin long slices.

10. Enjoy eating these with: Pico de Gallo, cilantro, cooked peppers, cheese, sour cream and guacamole.

Filipino Fruit Salad

The Filipino Fruit Salad is a staple dessert to most Filipino parties. The usual ingredients are canned fruit cocktail, condensed milk and Nestle cream. However, I don't suggest using Nestle cream. It curdles and the liquid separates. I use the refrigerated Heavy Cream (the same one used in making whipped cream). To cut the sweetness of the condensed milk and to give it a thick and creamy consistency, use cream cheese. The fresh apples provides texture to the soft fruit and gives it a necessary crunch.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 6 pound can or 10 cups Tropical Fruit Cocktail
• 2 cans mandarin oranges
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cubed
• 1/2 cup plain cream cheese
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, cubed
• 1/4 cup Maraschino Cherry Halves (optional)
• Shredded Coconut/Macapuno (optional)

1 Drain the Fruit Cocktail thoroughly.

2  Whip the condensed milk, heavy cream and cream cheese together. Make sure it's well blended. (You may omit the cream cheese and just add more cheddar cheese to cut the sweetness of the condensed milk if desired.)

3 Add in the drained fruit cocktail and cheddar cheese.

4 Peel and cube the apples one at a time, putting the apples directly into the salad as they are cut. (To prevent browning of the cut apples, immediately integrate it in the cream mixture or soak in a lemon ice water solution ‘til mixed.

5 Garnish with cherries. (You can add some Macapuno or soft shredded coconut meat, if desired.)

6 Refrigerate and serve cold.