Defrost 4 chicken breasts (but keep slightly frozen because it makes it easier to cut into small strips). Sauté strips of the chicken in either our Garlic or Tuscan Olive Oil with onions & peppers. Keep your broth & add in a cup chicken stock. Add in a little cracked pepper, basil, oregano and sea salt until done.

Boil your rice or couscous & set to the side while crisping up your bacon and two types of shredded cheese ( I use a strong cheddar and Asiago). Place half a cup of your pasta on a plate and layer with the chicken, cheddar and bacon.

Place in microwave for 35 sec. to melt the cheese or you can do an entire casserole in the oven. Bake for about 25 min. on 360.

While keeping dish warm, you can sauté your vegetables in our same oils, but keep them some what under cooked so they don’t get mushy.

ENJOY!!  40 MIN.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound (de-bearded) mussels
• ½ pound of baby octopus (already de-beaked/frozen is best)
• 1 whole sweet onion
• 1 whole garlic bud sliced and smashed
• 2 cups of Clamato Juice
• 2 cups of Spicy V-8 Juice
• 1 tsp. Basil, oregano, thyme & smoked paprika, cracked pepper, & a dash of sea salt
• 2 tbl. of dried seaweed
• 1-2 tbl. of chili paste
• 1 tomato diced
• 1 cup of your favorite red wine
• 2 shakes of our Tuscan Olive Oil and our jalapeno balsamic vinegar.

Saute all of your spices together in a stock pot (onion, garlic, chili paste, salt, pepper, basil, etc.). When onions are opaque and carmelized, add in the juices above and wine. Bring to a boil. Add in octopus and reduce heat to a simmer for about 30 min. Add in clams, seaweed, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Let simmer & keep warm for another 20 min. while you work on your pasta.

Boil any pasta (usually linguine or angel hair to grab and hold the sauce). Top with fresh Asiago, or Parmesan Cheese and cracked pepper, Drizzle seafood and sauce over noodles and serve.

A LITTLE HISTORY:
Though it originated in Galicia or the neighboring region of Leon, pulpo a feira, as it is known in Galician, or pulpo a la gallega, as it is called in Spanish, is now popular throughout Spain. It is usually served on wooden plates with cachelos, potatoes that have been boiled or roasted in embers with their skins on. Frozen octopus works particularly well, since the freezing tenderizes the otherwise quite tough meat.

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ c flour (I use combo of regular and white whole wheat)
• 1 ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¾ extra virgin olive oil. I have also used a buttery flavored (vegan) EVOO from the olive oil store.
• 1 ½ c sugar
• 2 Tbs. Orange Juice
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 c milk (I have used coconut milk to make it pareve)
• I also added a little cinnamon and some sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Oven-325 degrees
2. Combine flour, salt and baking powder;
3. Place olive oil in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, slowly beat in sugar, juice, and vanilla;
4. Add eggs, beating well after each one. Add milk and beat for 2 min.
5. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients.
6. Pour batter into the loaf pan. I found that you can make the 9X5 an a mini one from the batter.
7. Bake for 1-1 ½ hrs., until cake tester comes out clean. Cake should be golden on top.
8. Cool in pan 10 min. and then turn out to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1⁄2 cup Espresso Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tbsp. worcestershire
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1⁄2 cup Harrisa (hot) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (2-lb.) flank steak
• Kosher or Hickory Sea salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Add Balsamic, worcestershire, garlic, rosemary, and olive oil; whisk to combine. Poke flank steak all over with a fork and place in marinade; spoon some marinade over top. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 12 to 24 hours.
2. An hour before grilling, transfer steak to a plate; set aside at room temperature. Transfer marinade to a small pot and bring just to a boil; set aside.
3. Build a medium-hot charcoal fire in your grill or prepare hickory chips in water first, then foil up. Grill steak, turning once and, using a brush, basting with reserved marinade occasionally, until browned and medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve steak into thin slices serve with any accumulated juices.

What makes it Brazilian? rice and beans are the base of Brazilian cooking, and the preferred accompaniment to everyday meals, as opposed to, say, mashed potatoes in the U.S.

Prepare your stock Pot: Fill half way with water. Add in 2 cups of Vegetable Broth and 4 smoked Turkey necks.

Bring to a rapid boil for about 25 min and then reduce heat to a simmer.

Add in ½ cup each of black beans, chickpeas, edamame (either in the shell or shelled), & Kidney beans (white or dark).

You now have a pot of pure protein.

Add into your stock pot, after sautéing, half of an onion and 4 cloves of garlic, peppers (sweet red, yellow & orange), a teaspoon of red pepper flakes, hickory sea salt, cracked black pepper and 4 smoked Turkey sausages diced up into small coin sections.

I sautéd all the veggies in our Tuscan Olive Oil. (Have fun. Splash in some of your favorite hot sauce).

Let simmer for another 20 min on low to med.

Reduce heat and add in 1 cup of rice (white or wild).

Simmer another 15 min and turn off the heat.

Ready in 45-60 min. Enjoy. Warms you from the inside. Comfort food, but HEALTHY!!

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
• 10 ounces dried chanterelle mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups nondairy milk
• 1/2 pound fettuccine
• 1/8 cup parmesan
• 2-3 tablespoons vegan butter olive oil
• 2 tablespoons our porcini Olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Soak the mushrooms in the milk for 30 minutes. Strain the mushrooms and reserve the milk. Slice the mushrooms thinly.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions, until slightly underdone, and drain. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. In a food processor, blend all.
3. In a medium pan on medium heat, Saute mushrooms and garlic until tender. Add the spinach and basil to the pan until they are wilted.
4. Next, add the pasta water to the pan. Cook low until it starts to thicken. Toss with fettuccine noodles, parmesan, and layer with our porcini olive oil.
5. Serve with cheezy garlic bread.

40 min. ENJOY GUYS!!