Sweet Potato Souffle

Ingredients

- Four sweet potatoes
- One cup of sugar
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- Quarter cup of flour
- Half a cup of brown sugar
- Four eggs
- One can of evaporated milk (12 fl oz)
- One tablespoon of vanilla extract
- A third of a teaspoon of nutmeg
- One and a half teaspoons of cinnamon
- Two and a half sticks of unsalted butter (about 1 cup and a quarter, or about 250 grams)
- Three fourths of a cup of walnuts


Preparation:

•   Cover the sweet potatoes in aluminum foil, and bake in the oven until they are soft (it takes about an hour). When done, remove the skins, and mash with a fork or with a hand mixer. Let the oven stay heated at 400F.
• Separately, whisk the eggs, then add the vanilla extract, the cup of sugar, salt, and the evaporated milk. Add over the mashed sweet potatoes.
• Melt two of the butter sticks in a pan, then combine with the sweet potatoes. Add the nutmeg and the cinnamon, and mix till uniform.
•   Take the baking pan where you will cook the dish. You still have half a stick of butter - use a bit of it to coat the pan. Following, add two-three spoons of flour to the pan, and distribute them uniformly (they'll stick to the butter). This will prevent the dessert from sticking to the pan.
• Melt the remaining butter (after the coating is finished), and mix with the chopped walnuts, the flour, and the brown sugar.
• Carefully place the sweet potato mixture in the pan, then top it with the walnuts crumbles as prepared at the previous step. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes.
•   Remove from the oven, let cool overnight, then store in the fridge. Serve cold. 

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Spaghetti a la Maria

Ingredients:

- One pound of smoked bacon chunk (about two cups when chopped)
- One onion
- One red bell pepper
- Two yellow squashes
- 1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream or sour cream
- Spices: salt, pepper, chili pepper
- Cooking oil




Preparation:

•   Chop the bacon. Dice the bell pepper. Finely dice the onion and yellow squashes (we want them to melt and provide good flavor without being easily identifiable in the sauce).
•   Cook the bacon and onions in two tablespoons of cooking oil on medium/low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently to make sure that it does not stick to the bottom or burn.
• Add the bell pepper and yellow squashes, cover, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, particularly in the first few minutes.
•   Add a cup and a half of water, spices (salt, pepper, and chili pepper, to taste), remove the cover, and continue cooking for another half an hour.
•   Add the heavy whipping cream or sour cream, mix until the sauce is uniform, and continue cooking until it simmers.
•   Serve hot over pasta.

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Spaghetti a la Maria

Ingredients:

- One pound of smoked bacon chunk (about two cups when chopped)
- One onion
- One red bell pepper
- Two yellow squashes
- 1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream or sour cream
- Spices: salt, pepper, chili pepper
- Cooking oil




Preparation:

•   Chop the bacon. Dice the bell pepper. Finely dice the onion and yellow squashes (we want them to melt and provide good flavor without being easily identifiable in the sauce).
•   Cook the bacon and onions in two tablespoons of cooking oil on medium/low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently to make sure that it does not stick to the bottom or burn.
• Add the bell pepper and yellow squashes, cover, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, particularly in the first few minutes.
•   Add a cup and a half of water, spices (salt, pepper, and chili pepper, to taste), remove the cover, and continue cooking for another half an hour.
•   Add the heavy whipping cream or sour cream, mix until the sauce is uniform, and continue cooking until it simmers.
•   Serve hot over pasta.

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Creamy Tropical Dessert

Ingredients

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained and 1 cup juice reserved
1 1/2 cups whipping (heavy) cream
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup kiwifruit slices or strawberries, quartered






Directions

• Prepare Almond Pastry.
• Mix cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup pineapple. Stir remaining pineapple into cream cheese mixture. Beat whipping cream in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer or high spreed until stiff. Fold whipped cream and marshmallows into cream cheese mixture. Spread over crust. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, but no longer than 48 hours.
  Gradually stir reserved 1 cup pineapple juice into cornstarch in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute; cool. Fold in reserved pineapple and the kiwifruit. Cut dessert into about 2 1/2-inch squares. Serve with fruit mixture. Immediately refrigerate any remaining dessert after serving

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Avocado Hummus Sandwich

Ingredients

• ½ cup canned white beans
• ¼ avocado
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 2 slices whole-grain bread
• 2 slices tomato
• ¼ cup baby spinach

Direction
Mash beans with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
Mash in avocado and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Make sandwich with avocado spread, tomato slices and spinach.


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Greek Salad with Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 cups romaine lettuce
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 2 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
• 3 oz. grilled chicken breast, chopped (to save time, use skinless rotisserie chicken)
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Direction

• Toss all ingredients and serve.

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Grilled Chicken and Cheese Sandwich with Artichoke Spread

Ingredients

• ½ cup frozen artichokes hearts, thawed (or canned in water, drained and rinsed)
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 2 slices whole-grain bread
• 3 oz. grilled chicken breast (can use skinless rotisserie to save time)
• ½ cup baby spinach
• 1 slice part-skim mozzarella

Directions

• Puree artichokes with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Spread on bread and make sandwich with chicken, spinach and cheese.

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