Sassy Egg Salad

This is what a perfectly cooked hard boiled egg looks like. Notice that the yolk is yellow and just cooked all the way through. The yolk is moist and the white of the egg is tender. An overcooked egg has a green ring around the dry yolk and the white part is tough. I remember asking my Mom why hard boiled eggs looked like that when I was a kid, she said that is what happens when you hard boil them. Needless to say I did not like hard boiled eggs until I had them cooked the right way. Sorry Mom.

Now on to the Sassy Egg Salad. Yummy! It's nice and spicy but not too hot, just right. It's time to revamp the old traditional Egg salad with some pizzazz. Sometimes I just get tired of eating the same old thing. I'll tell you that this is a satisfying sandwich for lunch. I loved mine on a pretzel roll but any nice roll or bread will do. Make those fat cells and taste buds sing with delight. Enjoy!

Sassy Egg Salad

• 6 large eggs, hard boiled
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise 
• 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 2-3 green onion trimmed and sliced thin, green tops too.

This is how to hard boil the perfect egg. Do not use fresh eggs, they are too hard to peel. Get rid of your older eggs with dignity. Not expired ones!  Place eggs in a large pot big enough for a single layer, then add enough cold water and 1 tsp salt to cover eggs and bring to a boil uncovered. As soon as you see big bubbles start to come up lower it to a simmer at just below boiling. Immediately set your timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off take the eggs to your sink and start running cold water over them until cool. Once cooled you may remove them from the cold water bath and chill overnight in the fridge. Or you may speed up the cooling down time by adding some ice to the pot and wait about 30 minutes for them to chill down.

Slightly crackle the eggs shells and gently peel away. I find that it helps to start at the wide end of the egg and peel down while running cold water over egg while peeling. Once all eggs are peeled slice in half. Chop eggs for the salad and you get to choose how chunky you want it. Add eggs to a large bowl and add remaining ingredients, gently mix well with a soft spatula. Chill until ready to eat, but it tastes even better if you chill it overnight for the flavors to meld.

This is a zesty egg salad and it screams for a hearty roll. I had mine on a pretzel roll and it was perfect. Enjoy!

Creamed Corn Muffins

I love corn muffins, but I do not like a dry corn muffin. These babies are nice and moist. I love to serve them with my Gumbo, or with Chili. These are so tasty that you will find many ways to serve them. So let's get out the muffin tin and make these oh so easy to make muffins. Enjoy!

Creamed Corn Muffins

• 1 ¼ cups flour, all purpose sifted
• 1 cup yellow corn meal
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup canola oil*
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 (14 ¾ oz.) can of creamed corn

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Stir in the oil, milk and eggs, incorporating until just wet then stir in the creamed corn until just mixed.

Pour the batter into 12 greased muffin cups, filling to the brim. Bake the muffins for 25 minutes or until puffed and a tester comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in a pan for 10 minutes before turning out. Makes 12 muffins. I always serve these with my Gumbo or Chili recipes.

* My friend Joe shared a cooking tip with me. He accidentally left out the oil and found out that they were still scrumptious without it. I don't know about you but I'm always trying to find a way to cut back on fat, but not on the flavor. Thanks for the tip Joe!

Sweet Variation: Use 1 (8oz) can drained crushed pineapple instead of creamed corn

Dan Pelz, the former owner of The Inn at Buckeystown, was kind enough to let me use his recipe.  Thank You Dan!

Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin

I just love potatoes, and I think they get a bad rap. This fascinating little tuber is actually quite nutritious, containing more potassium than a banana. It's surprisingly high in vitamin C. Boiled, or baked with the skin on will provide a multitude of nutrients, plus healthy dietary fiber (although most of the other vitamins and minerals are in the potato flesh itself). That is why I always leave the skin on. So here you go you can have your potatoes and eat them too. Healthy can taste good!

Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin

• Yukon gold potatoes skins on and sliced thin, about 4 cups
• 1 medium sweet vidalia onion sliced thin
• 2 cups fat free milk
• 4 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 4 Tbsp. Smart Balance margarine
• 2 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, optional
• ½ tsp. garlic powder, optional
• 1 cup reduced fat grated Sargento Cheddar cheese

Wash potatoes well and then slice very thin. I like to use my mandoline slicer for the potatoes and the onion. Then peel and slice the onion too. Set aside and melt margarine in a small pot over medium heat and as soon as margarine is melted whisk in flour then add milk and whisk together well stirring occasionally. Add salt, pepper and optional seasonings at this point. As soon as mixture heats up and thickens slighty remove from heat. Spray a 2 ½ quart Corning bakeware dish with pam spray. Layer potatoes and some onion alternately until all is in the dish making sure that potatoes are on the top layer at the end. Pour milk mixture over top of  potatoes and onion then cover with lid and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Then remove lid and add cheese and bake an additional 30 minutes uncovered, for a total bake time of 1 ½ hours.

The yellow meat potatoes have a more buttery flavor to them and really help make these tasty without a lot of added fat.

Cucumber Dill Dip

I wanted to do a healthy dip this time around and I hit the jackpot on this one. This is fat free but it does not taste like it is. So if you like cucumber, you will love this refreshing dip. Also I wanted to keep it healthy with what I dipped into it as well. The pitas are yummy prepared this way too. So belly up and enjoy, your fat cells will think that they should be singing.

Cucumber & Dill Dip

• 2 large cucumbers
• ½ tsp. salt
• (2) 6 oz. containers of Greek plain non-fat yogurt
• (1) 16 oz. container of Sour Cream fat free
• ½ tsp. garlic powder w/ extra for sprinkling
• ¼ tsp. ground white pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil, extra virgin
• 1 Tbsp. Aged White Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. fresh Dill, finely chopped
• 1 package whole wheat pitas, 6 count
• 1 can of Pam olive oil spray

Peel cucumbers and cut in half lengthwise, then scoop out seeds with a spoon and discard seeds. Cut cucumbers halves into chunks and whirl in a food processor with ½ tsp of salt. Place cucumber mash in wire mesh drain and drain for 1 hour. You need to do this step so that the dip is not to watery and the salt will help pull out the moisture.

When cucumber mash has been drained place in a large bowl and add: greek yogurt, sour cream, ½ tsp garlic powder, white pepper, olive oil, vinegar and fresh dill. Mix well then cover and chill for a few hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a pizza cutter on a cutting board cut pitas in half, then cut each half into thirds. This will give you six triangles per pita. Repeat until all are cut. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil (it makes clean up easier). Spread out pitas single file and spray with Pam olive oil spray then lightly sprinkle garlic powder on pitas. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool, you may serve them immediately with dip or store in a plastic bag for later.

Italian Style Roasted Green Beans

If you like green beans you will love this recipe. I had my neighbors over for dinner and they watched me open up the oven to stir the green beans. They said, "what do you have going on in there?" Well, we all enjoyed our veggies that night. Once you eat these babies roasted you will crave them this way. This is my cold winter-time way of cooking my green beans. They are very easy to make and you can not beat the flavor. So roast them up and warm up your kitchen. Who would have ever thought that green beans cooking would smell so good?

I buy the small french green beans at the wholesale food clubs. You can't beat the price and they are already trimmed and ready to go.

Italian Style Roasted Green Beans

2 ½ lbs. green beans, trimmed

4 Tbsp. olive oil

¾ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. chopped garlic

¼ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. loosely packed fresh oregano leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 450°. In a large roasting pan (17” x 11.5”) toss green beans with 2 Tbsp. oil and ½ tsp. salt and garlic. Roast beans 25 to 30 minutes or until tender and slightly browned, stirring twice. Meanwhile,, in large bowl, with wire whisk mix oil and vinegar, oregano, black pepper, remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil and remaining ¼ tsp. salt until blended. When beans are done add to vinaigrette in bowl with oregano. Toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Eggplant Fans

I love eggplant, and this is another way to try it. You will see that you don't have to be Italian to love eggplant. You may serve this as a side, or stuff it into a pita bread or Italian roll for a sandwich, add some cheese if you wish. This is so yummy and an added bonus, it is a healthy dish too. Oh, and yes, your house will smell delicious while this is baking. Buon appetito!

Eggplant Fans

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced thin
• 3 Roma or plum tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1 12 oz. jar marniated artichoke hearts in oil, drained
• 1 can whole black olives, only using ½ cup drained
• 2 bay leaves, broken into small pieces
• ½ tsp. oregano
• ½ tsp. thyme
• 4 cloves garlic crushed in garlic press, or ½ tsp. garlic powder
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large glass pyrex dish
• foil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash eggplant and slice in half length wise, then slice into fans, but not cutting all the way through to the top. Drizzle about 2 Tbsp. olive oil on bottom of pyrex dish. Add about half of the onion, then season with half of the oregano, thyme and garlic. Place eggplant fans on top of onion mixture, then stuff between fans: tomato slices, artichoke hearts and olives. Scatter about broken pieces of bay leaves around and top with the rest of the onion. Then season with the rest with oregano, garlic and thyme. Drizzle about 2 more Tbsp. of olive oil over top. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then lower heat to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

This is a slight variation of one of my favorites, the original is from my Time/Life cookbook for vegetables.

Asiago Bread

There is no reason to heat up your oven for some hot, cheesy bread this summer. I sometimes like to serve bread on the side in the summer, but who wants to heat up the kitchen. With a quick broil you can have your bread and eat it, too.

I love to serve this as a side with a chilled Greek Salad. Or with a Maryland crab feasty or steamed shrimpies. What ever you decide to pair this bread up with, you will be pleased. Everyone loves this simple to make bread and you will get compliments. Enjoy!!!

Asiago Bread

• 1 multigrain loaf, sliced
• Smart Balance margarine
• garlic powder
• Asiago cheese, grated

Ask the store to slice the loaf of bread if it isn't already sliced, this will be a time saver for you later. Spread a thin layer of margarine on one side of bread slices. Place slices on a very large cookie sheet, margarine side up, do not overlap bread or it will not broil evenly. Generously sprinkle garlic powder on top of bread slices. Then put about a tablespoon or so of Asiago cheese to cover the top of the bread. Place under broil on high and broil for 3-5 minutes. Remove as soon a cheese is melted and you may lighty brown it if you wish. Also you will probably have to do this twice since all of the bread will not fit across the sheet.

Macaroni Salad

There are so many variations on this and everyone has a favorite version and I want to share one of my favorites with you. This is one that you must prepare 24 hours in advance to let the flavors meld. I like the crunch of the carrot and crispness of the pepper, together with the creaminess of the elbow macaroni. I always thought elbow was an odd name for a pasta. I look at it and it does not make me think of an elbow. Food for thought. Enjoy!

Macaroni Salad

• 1 (14.5 oz.) box Ronzoni Smart Taste elbow macaroni
• 1 cup finely diced green bell pepper or sweet banana pepper
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. celery seed
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ½ cups Hellman's light mayonnaise

Cook macaroni according to package directions, but extend cooking time to 12 minutes. Meanwhile prepare carrots and pepper. Drain macaroni into colander when macaroni is cooked and rinse with cold water to cool down macaroni, drain well. In a very large bowl mix together macaroni and remaining ingredients. Place in an airtight container and chill overnight to serve the next day. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad

This recipe is a very popular one, it's unique and refreshing. I have made these little sandwich treasures for a rehearsal dinner, weddings, birthdays, funerals and anniversaries. Yesterday was the best reason of all. I made them for my daughter-in-law Katie's baby shower. Now how about that, I will soon be a first time Grandma. Baby James is due on June 9th. I have not met the little guy yet

and I can hardly wait. I am already in love with my grandson--Nonna is waiting. You don't need a special occasion for these treasures. Chicken Salad is great for the hot spring and summer days ahead. Enjoy!

• 2/3 cup petite frozen peas, thawed
• 2 (12.5 oz.) can chicken breast packed in water, drained
• 1 cup mayonnaise, I use Hellman's light or Aldi's Fit & Active
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp. ground white pepper
• 2/3 cup sliced spring onion, tops and root trimmed, sliced thin
• 2/3 cup diced celery

Thaw peas in cold water. Meanwhile, open and drain chicken. Place chicken in a large bowl and break up chunks with fingers. Add mayonnaise, mustard and white pepper, mix together well. Chop celery and onion, drain peas well and mix all 3 into chicken salad. Cover and chill overnight.

This chicken salad tastes best on potato rolls. I make them on Martin’s potato party rolls (24 pk). They make a nice small sandwich. Or you can use the burger buns too. I use reduced fat mayonnaise and it is still delicious. Also I can not stress the importance enough to use petite frozen peas, they have a sweetness to them that the larger peas do not.

My recipe is an awesome twist on chicken salad. This is a very requested recipe. I buy large cans of chicken from the wholesale food clubs. Don't let the fact that the chicken is canned fool you, it tastes better then one you would cook up fresh and does not get that flavor change that whole cooked chicken does.

 If making a lot of sandwiches this tip is a time saver. Refrigerate the 24 count packs of Martin's party potato rolls, this makes slicing easier. Pull out 12 attached rolls at a time, do not separate them, slice in half horizontally all the way through. Then remove all 12 bun tops leaving them still connected. Using a small cookie dough scoop up chicken salad and place a dollop on top of each of the 12 roll halves. Top with bun tops and cut with a long knife to separate into 12 mini sandwiches. Repeat until done. This is a great assembly line technique to prepare them.

This is a pic of my expecting daughter-in-law Katie. We just had these chicken salad sandwiches at her baby shower over the weekend and they were a hit.

Deviled Eggs

Well, I must say Easter dinner would not be the same without the lamb shaped butter and my deviled eggs. As a matter of fact, I'm supposed to make these every time we have a crab feasty too. Funny how certain foods get connected to special meals. There is something special about the sweetness of the egg and the saltiness of the olive. It makes my mouth water to just think about them. You can save time by buying the eggs that are already hard boiled and peeled. If you do not, please remember the fresher the egg the harder it is to peel. This is another favorite of my Stud Muffin's. Happy Easter!

• 10 whole hard boiled eggs, peeled
• 3 Tbsp. yellow mustard
• 5 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 ½ Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. white vinegar
• ½ tsp. salt
• green olives stuffed with pimentos (large)
• paprika

Hard boil and peel 10 eggs or purchase a bag of eggs already hard boiled and peeled (10 count). Slice eggs in half and gently remove egg yolks and place into food processor, set aside egg whites.

Then add mustard, mayo, sugar, vinegar and salt to food processor. Whirl ingredients in food processor until smooth. Scrape out egg mixture into a gallon size bag. Remove excess air from bag and seal off. Snip a small corner of bag and squeeze a little into each egg white dividing evenly until gone. Then sprinkle tops of egg lightly with paprika.

Slice olives into 3 pieces and place one slice on top of each deviled egg. Refrigerate overnight. Serve the next day. The saltiness of the olives compliments the sweetness of the deviled eggs. These are a favorite in the summertime. Also I am not allowed to have a crab feast or serve Easter dinner without them. Do yourself favor and buy the precooked and peeled eggs that are available.

Chicken Enchilada Dip

Super Bowl XLV is coming up next Sunday, and it promises to be an exciting game, pitting the Green Bay Packers, winners of the first two Super Bowls under the legendary Vince Lombardi, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with already six super bowl wins under their belts. And if you're gonna watch the game, you're gonna need some snacks, and Chicken Enchilada Dip is just what the doctor ordered for Super Bowl XLV.

I love Chicken Enchiladas, so I made this dip recipe for a nice twist for the big game. I'll bet you can't eat just one bite.

• 8 oz. cream cheese, ⅓ less fat, softened
• 1 (10 ¾ oz.) can Campbell's cream of chicken soup, 98% fat free
• ½ cup plus 1/3 cup reduced fat grated cheddar cheese (made with 2% milk)
• 1 (4 oz.) can mild green chilies
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1-2 fresh jalapenos diced fine
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• 2 spring onions, sliced thin, green tops too
• 1 (12.5 oz) can chicken breast packed in water
• Pam spray
• tortilla chips

In a large bowl mix together cream cheese and soup. Mix together well with a wire whisk. Then add green chilies, cilantro, jalapenos, spring onions, garlic powder, and ½ cup of the cheese and mix well.

Drain water from chicken and break meat up with your fingers so it is not in big chunks. Add meat to dip mixture and mix well. Spray a glass baking dish with Pam spray. Then add dip sprinkling ¼ cup of grated cheese on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes, it will be very hot. This dip thickens up as it cools down. This dip is so good you can't stop eating it. Enjoy!

Sherried Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This recipe is a really nice twist on mashed sweet potatoes. The sherry adds a rich flavor to the dish. You may want to make these for Thanksgiving. Being able to prepare this in advance is a big plus. Enjoy!

• 3 lbs. sweet potatoes
• 5 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1⁄3 cup milk, microwaved until warm
• 2 Tbsp. sweet sherry
• cooking spray

Dice sweet potatoes into chunks, leaving skins on and place into a large boiling pot of water. Boil for about 20 minutes or until a fork inserted into potato is tender. Drain potatoes into a colander.

At this point I use rubber kitchen gloves to protect my hands from the heat and peel off potato skins. If you do not want to wear gloves you will need to wait until they are cool enough to handle. You may need to use a paring knife on some spots, but they peel off very easily. When all potatoes are peeled place them in a large mixer bowl.

Then add next 4 ingredients. Mix well on slow speed with an electric mixer until blended, then raise to medium speed. Mix until free of lumps, stopping and stirring occasionally. Then I like to place them in a crockpot sprayed with cooking oil on high for about 3 hours. You may then lower crockpot to the low setting after that until ready to serve.

I make this every Thanksgiving. It is the sherry that makes these sweet potatoes taste so rich. Of course they are so good you will want to make them anytime.

Teriyaki Wings

Now that football season is here, try some Teriyaki Wings for a nice change of flavor. Wings and football go together like peanut butter and jelly.

• 2 cups Teriyaki sauce
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tsp. freshly grated ginger root
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 4 to 5 lbs. wing sections
• cooking spray

Mix first four ingredients together and set aside. In a large roasting pan sprayed with cooking oil layer wings over bottom of pan in a single layer. Stir marinade well, then pour over top of wings in pan. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days in pan (no need to thaw out frozen wings), turning wings over every 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 °. Place roasting pan in oven and bake uncovered for 45 minutes, then remove pan from oven. Using tongs turn wings over and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve wings. You will want them to caramelize and they will be dark.

These are so delicious it is hard to stop eating them. Make sure your refrigerator is large enough for the roasting pan. If not you will need to marinate in another container making sure wings are coated well and turned every 12 hours.

My favorite brand teriyaki sauce is Kikkoman marinade and sauce. Other brands are higher in sugar and will burn. You can buy fresh ginger root in the produce department. Keep it in the freezer as it will grate much easier and last longer. Just peel skin away on a small portion and grate. I also like to use frozen wing sections. You can buy them in bulk at wholesale food clubs. Also you do not need to cut and separate them this way.

Only use a wine that is good enough to drink. If you can't drink it, don't cook with it. Enjoy!
These will make your fat cells sing!

Grilled Stuffed Peppers

• 1 loaf of crusty Italian bread
• 3 Tbsp. plus 1 Tbsp. of garlic flavored olive oil
• 3 yellow sweet bell peppers
• 1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese cut into cubes
• 1 ½ tsp. dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Slice bread, remove crust and cut into 1 inch croutons until you have 1 ½ cups. Saute bread in a nonstick skillet with 3 Tsbp. olive oil over medium heat until browned. Set aside.

Cut tops off of peppers and reserve for caps, remove seeds and membranes. In a bowl mix together croutons, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, cheese, basil, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Mix well. Stuff peppers with mixture dividing evenly between peppers. Place pepper caps on top of pepper. If peppers will not stand up, roll up a long strip of aluminum foil and wrap around base to hold them in place.

Over indirect medium heat on your grill cook peppers for 15 minutes or until tender, you do not want the pepper to lose it's shape. When peppers are cooked remove to platter and cut in half lengthwise.

You may serve this way or you may also sprinkle on some Asiago or Parmesan cheese and broil for 2-3 minutes. I like to use a hearty grain bread.