Fresh, simple, affordable and Off the Hook recipes!

Franco/American recipes.



The variety of recipes are from my Artisan back ground cooking to my fresh catch of the day!



Using the freshest ingredients available to create healthy, simple and delicious recipes at affordable prices that are off the hook!



Thursday, June 12, 2014

French Onion Soup

I love Vidalia onions they are so versatile and perfect in my French Onion soup!
This is a traditional French soup I grew up with that I love so much. With today's busy life I made it into a simple anytime of the week dinner served with a salad. Even though it's done in 30 minutes or less you still smell that wonderful long cooked French onion soup that we all love so much! Bon Appetit! 1 onion recipe soup & dip mix 3 cups water 1 cup dry red wine 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 large Vidalia onions sliced julienne 2 garlic cloves minced 1 ½ teaspoon fresh Parsley finely chopped 1 cups cheddar cheese flavor croutons 2 cup shredded mozzarella On stove top on medium high add to a medium pot onion soup mix, water and dry red wine. Simmer for 10 minutes. While soup is simmering on medium heat in a non stick frying pan add oil, butter, 1 teaspoon oregano, onions and garlic sauté until they become translucent. Add to broth and simmer additional 10 minutes. In 4 small crock separate the soup equally top each with equal amount crouton and mozzarella cheese sprinkle with remaining oregano. Place soup under the broiler just until cheese is melted and started to golden.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Beer Maple Glazed Ham! Just in time for Easter!!

Happy Easter everyone! To celebrate Easter we gather with Family and Fabulous foods some traditional and some not. The good old ham always a favorite but why not make it a little easier for you by buying a precooked ham there is nothing wrong with that. Three simple ingredients and you will have a fabulous and super delicious ham. What you will need.
Roasting pan, Precooked ham, 1/3 cup Pure maple syrup, 1 beer(any) and 30 cloves. with a sharp knife cut through the outside fat of the ham and push cloves into ham like you see below.
Place ham on a rack in a roasted pan and pour 1 beer into the pan.
Brush the ham all over with maple syrup and repeat this step a few time while ham is cooking I did this twice while the ham was cooking.
Preheat oven at 325 and bake 15 minutes per pound mine was 9 pounds so 1 hour and 30 minutes.
I love serving the main course all on one huge plate to pass around the table for everyone to serve themselves family Style! Bon Appetit!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Decadent Baklava Pudding Bites

I created this recipe to enter in the Athen's mini fillo shells recipe contest for a Baklava theme and oh my these are delicious, decadent but super easy to make you are not going to believe it!
1.9oz. Athens mini fillo shells 1 cup prepared vanilla pudding ¼ cup chopped pecans ¼ cup sliced almonds ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons honey ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 tablespoon cream In a small bowl add pecans, almonds, cinnamon and honey mix well and set aside. In a microwave oven proof bowl add chocolate chips and cream microwave 30 seconds. Mix heated chocolate and cream well until all of the chocolate has melted into a ganache let cool. To assemble the mini bites add equal amount of pudding in each fillo shells. Top with equal amount of honey nut mixture. In a small zip lock bag add cooled chocolate twist back and clip corner to create a piping bag. Pipe equal amounts of ganache on top of bites. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Easy French Onion Soup!

Easy French Onion Soup This is a traditional French soup I grew up with that I love so much. With today's busy life I made it into a simple anytime of the week dinner served with a salad. Even though it's done in 30 minutes or less you still smell that wonderful long cooked French onion soup that we all love so much! Bon Appetit!
1 onion recipe soup & dip mix 3 cups water 1 cup dry red wine 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 large Vidalia onions sliced julienne 2 garlic cloves minced 1 ½ teaspoon fresh Parsley finely chopped 1 cups cheddar cheese flavor croutons 2 cup shredded mozzarella On stove top on medium high add to a medium pot onion soup mix, water and dry red wine. Simmer for 10 minutes. While soup is simmering on medium heat in a non stick frying pan add oil, butter, 1 teaspoon oregano, onions and garlic sauté until they become translucent. Add to broth and simmer additional 10 minutes. In 4 small crock separate the soup equally top each with equal amount crouton and mozzarella cheese sprinkle with additional chopped parsley. Place soup under the broiler just until cheese is melted and started to golden.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Meatballs in Sauce au Gratin These meatballs melt in your mouth everyone want the recipe you are going to fall in love with these I guarantee it!! Sauce- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 8 garlic cloves peeled and smashed (not chopped) 28 oz. can crushed tomato with basil Meatballs 1 pound ground beef 80/20 ¼ cup onion diced small 2 garlic cloves minced ¼ cup ricotta cheese ¼ cup parmesan cheese ½ cup panko bread crumbs 1 egg Pinch salt & pepper 1 ½ cup mozzarella shredded cheese In a deep pan with a lid on medium high heat add oil and 8 garlic cloves brown garlic on both sides until a light golden color. Add crushed tomatoes mix well and cover. Lower to medium heat and let it simmer while you make the meatballs. To a large mixing bowl add all remaining ingredients except for the mozzarella cheese. Mix until well incorporated and form into 9 meatballs. Place meatballs directly into the sauce, cover and let them cook 8 minutes. After meatballs have been cooking for 8 minutes turn the meatballs cover and cook an additional 8 minutes. Top each meatball with mozzarella cheese cover until cheese has melted. Serve with pasta.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Bison Filet Spaghetti with Cognac Whipped Cream

Next time you invite your friends and you want to impress they make them my newest creation you can substitute with beef filet mignon if you do not have bison in your area you are sure to impress them or just cut the recipe in half and make it for date night with your honey!! Trust me on this one and it is super easy I promise!! Bon appétit!
½ pound multigrain spaghetti 1/3 cup olive oil 1/3 cup butter 4 cloves garlic minced 1/3 cup Italian parsley finely chopped ½ cup fried onions 4 bison filets 1 tablespoon paprika ¼ teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 sprigs rosemary 2 tablespoon butter 1 cup heavy cream 1 ½ oz cognac 3 tablespoons ketchup Mix paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Rub seasoning on both side of filets let sit 10 minutes. In a sauté pan on medium high heat add olive oil when hot add filets cook 2 minutes turn and cook additional 2 minutes. To filets add rosemary and 2 tablespoons butter place filets in oven and bake 2 minutes. Remove filets from oven coat filets with brown butter cover with foil and let filets sit 5 minutes. Cook spaghetti according to package. In a deep sauté pan add 1/3 cup olive oil and 1/3 cup butter and sauté garlic for 3 to 4 minutes add parsley, cooked spaghetti and fried onions mix to coat spaghetti well. In a medium bowl add cream and with a hand held mixer, mix until cream becomes whipped cream. In a separate bowl mix ketchup and cognac together and slowly incorporate cognac ketchup mixture into whipped cream. To plate place spaghetti on plate top with a filet and a doll up cognac whipped cream also pipe 4 small doll up cognac whipped cream on the side of the plate it melts into a succulent sauce. Bon Appétit!