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, September 15, 2011

Tasty Strawberry Chocolate Petit Cookies




Prep: 18min Cook: 14min Serves 24
14oz refrigerated vanilla sugar cookie dough (bakes 24)
6 oz Philadelphia regular strawberry cream cheese
1 ½ tablespoon strawberry preserves
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350. Bake cookies according to package 12 to 14 minutes. Cool cookies completely about 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
While cookies are cooling in a mixing bowl add cream cheese and preserves and mix well. Place cream cheese mixture in the fridge while cookies cool. In the meantime place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave 1 minute. Remove chocolate chips from microwave and mix well until all melted and is a smooth consistency.
To assemble the cookies take a butter knife and spread a thin layer of cream cheese mixture all over the top of each cookies and place the cookies back on the cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes remove cookies and spread a thin layer of chocolate on top of cream cheese layer. The cool cookie will set the chocolate immediately repeat for all 24 cookies.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Fishing the Florida Gulf waters

You all know that my second passion is fishing. And you all know that I love bringing home fresh fish and create a brand new recipe or a new way to prepare it. Well last weekend I went out fishing and caught tons of Gag Groupers but they were still out of season so we couldn't keep any. So we kept the white grunts and brought home enough for a few dinners :) Fishing is fun and relaxing and the perfect time to enjoy family! I strongly suggest you try it if you do not already fish and if you catch good eating fish then that is icing on the cake!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Mini White Chocolate Raspberry Tartlets! Perfect for parties!!

The combination of white chocolate, raspberries, cream cheese with a hint of blackberry liqueur & brandy in a delicate mini fillo shell is most definitely the perfect decadent mouthful!



Prep Time: 20 minutes cook: 1 min Total Time: 21 minutes
Serve: 15
Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup white chocolate morsels
• 1 teaspoons canola oil
• 4-ounce Philadelphia original cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon blackberry liqueur & brandy
• 1/3 cup cool whip
• 15 frozen mini fillo shells, thawed 10 minutes
• 25 raspberries
Preparation:
In small microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and oil for 1 minute, let cool 15 minutes. While the chocolate is cooling in medium bowl, beat cream cheese and blackberry liqueur & brandy until smooth gradually beat in melted chocolate mixture.
Mash with a fork 10 raspberries and add to the cream cheese mixture. Fold in cool whip. Pipe into mini fillo shells and top each with a raspberry. Serve immediately or chill up to 4 hours.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Planning on Grilling this weekend? Try this new way to marinade your chicken! Tasteful Chicken Kabob and Rice Dinner

With the Italian Cheese & Herbs Philadelphia cooking crème there is endless possibilities rather than using my good old marinade I used the Italian Cheese & Herbs cooking crème to take my easy chicken Kabob dinner to a whole new level of taste and without any sweats, I had this dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes and let’s just say my Kabob dinner is now better than ever. Enjoy!
Prep: 10 cook: 12min: serves: 4
1 cup quick cooking rice (Uncle Ben’s 10 min)
1 lb Boneless chicken breast (cubed in 12 pieces)
5 oz Kraft Philadelphia Italian cheese & herbs cooking crème
8 cherry tomatoes
1 medium bell pepper (core and seed removed and cubed in 8 pieces)



Place in a shallow pan of water four medium wooden skewers to let them soak up water to prevent burning while grilling later. While your skewers are soaking, on stove top add rice and water to a pot omitting any butter or oils and cook according to package.
In a mixing bowl add cubed chicken and cooking crème and toss to coat the chicken well and set aside. Next spray with non stick cooking spray a grilled pan or your outdoor grill and put heat on medium high heat and let it get nice and hot.
To assemble your kabob start by sliding a chicken cube onto the wet wooden skewer follow with pepper, then tomato and repeat one more time and finish with a chicken cube repeat with remaining three Kabob. Place kabobs on grill pan or outdoor gas grill and cook for approximately 10 to 12 minutes turning them a few times to get the kabob to cook evenly.
Place cook rice on a plate and top with a kabob. Bon Appétit!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Petite Creamy Spinach Stuffed Artichoke Hearts!! Perfect for a labor day cookout side dish!!

Petite Creamy Spinach Stuffed Artichoke Hearts
These will have you and your kids think about artichokes in a whole new level! The creamy spinach & artichoke filing with a hit of fresh lemon and the smoke taste of the bacon bits will have your pallet dancing. Perfect side to accompany any meats grilled, baked or even fried. Made in no time and perfect for any night of the week or an outdoor picnics or cookouts as they can be made in advance and be served either warm or cold. Artichokes never had it so good!






Prep: 15 min cook 8 minutes serve 4
1 14oz can artichoke hearts (8 to 10 ) count
2 1 teaspoon extra virgin oil
3 2 tablespoons onion chopped small
4 2 ½ cup fresh spinach
5 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
7 2 tablespoons grated Kraft parmesan cheese
8 4 oz Kraft Philadelphia regular spinach & artichoke cream cheese
Drain artichoke and cut the bottom of each so you end up with a flat bottom so they can stand on their own. Place artichoke on paper towel to drain. Next take the tip of your knife and place in center of artichoke and rotate back and forth a few times to help open up the artichoke to create a well in the center gently spread open with the tip of your thumbs and set aside.
On medium heat in a frying pan add olive oil and onions and sauté for about 4 minutes until onion are translucent and not over cooked. Add spinach, bacon bits and cook an additional 2 minutes until spinach is welted add lemon juice, parmesan cheese and spinach & artichoke cream cheese. Stir until all well incorporated remove from heat.
Take a tablespoon of filing and fill all artichokes hearts. Serve right away warm or can also be serve cold at a picnic. Recipe can easily be doubled. Serves 4 to 5