Summer Pasta with Ricotta

This recipe calls for roasted garlic which is very easy to do. Simply take a bulb of fresh garlic, slice off the very top of the bulb with a knife so the cloves are slightly exposed. Place the bulb of garlic in a small baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, cover with a lid or foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let the garlic cool then from the bottom of the bulb use your fingers to squeeze out the cloves from the skin, place in a small bowl and mash. Very easy and great flavor!

Have your garlic roasted and ready to use. To the mashed garlic add 6 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 4 teaspoons of grated lemon peel, 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. You will need 2 cups of corn. I use 3-4 fresh ears of corn that I have boiled in water for 5 minutes then cut of the cob or you can use frozen corn that has been microwaved. Meanwhile, cook 8 ounces of your favorite pasta, drain and place back in the pot that you cooked it in. To the cooked pasta, add the garlic-lemon mixture, corn, 1-2 cups ricotta cheese (depending on how much cheese you like),  1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley. Toss together and heat on low for 3-4 minutes to warm the cheese. If the pasta mixture seems too dry add a little extra olive oil. Remove from heat and add 2 cups of radicchio that has been torn slightly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Things I Enjoy!

You know I love cooking and experimenting with new recipes but I also have some other hobbies and things that I enjoy doing.





If given a choice of a trip to take, I would always choose a beach. My husband proposed to me on Siesta Key Beach and we went to Grand Cayman Island for our honeymoon. The beach and the ocean are very relaxing to me.












I enjoy going to antique malls and stores to see what treasures I can find. I have several antique pieces that belonged to my mother, grandmothers, and great grandmothers that I cherish. I even have a covered dish that belonged to my great, great grandmother and is from the late 1800's. I love the retro and vintage china that I have found.

Wheat Pattern by Viking

Rhododendron Plate from the Greenbrier Resort

Lotus Bowl

FireKing Snack Plates

Cameoware

I also enjoy reading and watching movies with my husband. He is a huge Marvel Comics fan so we see all of the Marvel movies!!

Hoisin Salmon Burgers with Pickled Cucumber

In a small saucepan combine 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 clove garlic cut in half, 2 thin slices of fresh ginger that has been peeled, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and add 24 thin English seedless cucumber slices. Continue to boil for 2 or 3 minutes, remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and remove from the saucepan.

For the burgers, you will need:

1 pound of skinless fresh or frozen salmon fillet, finely chopped (I use my kitchen scissors)
1/2 cup panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce to brush on top of  patties

Make into 4 patties. Heat a large skillet on medium-high and add 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil. Add the patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Brush tops of patties evenly with hoisin sauce; cook for 30 seconds.

Place each patty on the bottom half of a whole grain sandwich thin bun; top each patty with 6 cucumber slices and top half of bun.




Recipe by Cooking Light;adapted by Lesley Stansfield

Tilapia With Balsamic Orange Sauce and Spiced Rice

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup basmati or jasmine rice
3 small cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon Garam Marsala spice
1/4 cup golden raisins
2-4 pieces of tilapia
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, to finish sauce

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan, add the next 5 ingredients. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Let cook, stirring a couple of times, 12-15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat.

While the rice is cooking, heat a non-stick skillet and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the pan is hot, pan sear the tilapia on medium high for 4 minutes on each side. Remove tilapia from the pan, place on a plate and keep warm. In the same pan as you pan seared the fish, add the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, and the marmalade. Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter, stir until melted.

Place some rice on each plate, lay a piece of tilapia on the rice, drizzle some of the sauce on top of the fish. Serve with a vegetable or salad.
Recipe by SchnucksCooks;adapted by Lesley Stansfield

Baked Parmesan Chicken Breasts

4 tablespoons of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white white
Mix together in a shallow dish

3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Mix together in a shallow dish

Coat 4 chicken breasts on both sides first in the mustard mixture then in the bread crumb mixture.

Place in a baking dish and drizzle with 3 tablespoons melted butter.

Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

**Serve with rice, a salad or a vegtable

Salmon With Orange-Fennel Sauce

Prepare  1/2 cup of farro or quinoa to 1 cup of water. Bring water to a boil in a sauce pan, add the farro or quinoa, reduce to medium low heat, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until water is absorbed, remove from heat.

While the farro or quinoa is cooking, start the fennel sauce:

4 cloves garlic,  finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin and roughly chopped

Saute in olive oil in a 10" saute pan until slightly tender. Then add zest and juice from one lime and one lemon. Add 1/3 cup of orange juice, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon, 1 teaspoon aleppo pepper (optional) , salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and cook another 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Serve over salmon.

While the sauce is cooking, saute 3-4 small salmon filets in olive oil for 3- 4 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the filets). Place each piece of salmon on some of the farro or
quinoa, top with the fennel sauce.

**Serve with a vegetable or salad.