Puff Pastry

Puff pastry has so many uses for many baked goods. A few of the many things you can do with this are Beef Wellington, Parmesan Twists, Stuffed Hand Pies, Cinnamon Rolls, Croissants, Pot Pies, and the list goes on. One of the things I do often with it is these Apple Roses, which I also switch up and make Peach Roses It can be a long and tedious process to make but I much prefer to make my own so I know what’s in it, I’m not a fan of preservatives. I used baker’s measures so you’ll need a scale.

Italian Dressing

I don’t like bottled dressings because I see no point in sugar and preservatives in everything we eat. This is a favorite dressing that I make because I can change the oil, change the vinegar, and/or change the spices, and always have something different.

Margarita Pie

I have taken this to countless potlucks and parties over the years, it’s always a hit and there’s almost never any to take home with me. I’ve also used it for Superbowl parties. On occasion, I’d scale it WAY back and have it for my kids as an afterschool snack that’d last em a couple of days.

Italian Sausage

Italian sausage has so many uses and I much prefer to make it at home rather than buy it in the store because then I have complete control over the spices in it, the heat level, everything. I use Italian sausage in spaghetti sauce, I’ll mix it 50/50 with beef for one of the most flavorful burgers you’ve ever sunk your teeth into, I’ll also do the same with meatloaf. It’s great fried up with eggs for a morning omelet. Its uses are pretty much endless. Just think outside the box and figure out where you could put this.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

I think you will enjoy this quick and simple recipe! Homemade tortillas are so tender and chewy, you’ll never want the store bought ones again after making your own! All you’ll need are five ingredients to make these delicious tortillas. You can always double the recipe to make more at one time, trust me you will go through these very quickly! Enjoy!

Jeanie’s Pasta Salad

This came from a cousin of mine. What’s funny is it’s written in my handwriting but I don’t recall doing it so it must’ve been when I was young 🙂 OOPS This is a favorite of mine. I make it often and have it as a meal, it’s filling and super tasty. I play with the ingredients a lot on this one. Make it your own, have fun with it. This is one you can definitely go hog wild with.

Tomato Mushroom Barley Salad

This salad, it is simple yet satisfying. It is also a way to understand barley and how simple it shows a multitude of uses. From risotto to a casserole and everything in between. the grain expands when it absorbs any liquid such as water, chicken broth, etc. This was different but it was satisfying.

Glumpkies

This is a dish similar to dolmas, but the difference is there is rice added to it. I have made dolmas before but never glumkies. This was an interesting dish to make. This is also a known polish dish. There are a variety of ways of making this dish but the concept is the same.

Kale, Beef and Potato Soup

An interesting combination for a nice hearty soup. Something to enjoy on a cold day or to share with family. A hearty flavored soup. This dish is originally a Portuguese dish, but instead of using Linguica (Portuguese sausage), it became a more American dish using beef tips(beef tenderloin chunks). CandiAnne’s note: My Aunt Carrie grew Kale in her yard so she made this all the time. It was a favorite at her house and across the street at ours. LOL being Portuguese, we obviously used the Linguica

Spinach Tarts

These are a cute little appetizer, side dish, or be used for a meal or maybe even a snack.  You can make tarts sweet or savory.  This was really a good dish that I have never had before.  I will certainly be making this again.

Frittata

This frittata is a wonderful little appetizer or it could be served as a snack.  You can also make this into a wonderful dessert.  This could be even made into a breakfast dish.  The possibilities are endless.  You just need to get in there and see what you come up with.  I found it really delicious.

Italian Bacon Burger

Although the title calls this recipe a burger, I have taken the liberty of giving this my take of an open faced BLT. The oregano and parmesan cheese give this an Italian feel and was a big hit with my family. Of course, you can always add a mixture of chicken, pork, or beef patty for a heartier meal.

Fruit with Garlic

The idea of having garlic served with fruit may seem rather odd at first, but Joseph Carcione, aka ” The “greengrocer”, states that garlic brings out the flavors of the fruit or vegetable that it is cooked with. After roasting the garlic, the sugars come through and the harshness of the garlic dissipates and leaves a mellow flavor. This is a recipe that should not be overlooked.

Spinach Soup

This recipe was inspired by an article from a newsletter from a local power company in the 1970’s. I aimed to lighten and brighten the recipe as it seemed very heavy and over shadowed the spinach. I love using fresh produce when possible and this vibrant green soup was well received by the pickiest of family members. There are several ways to make substitutions to any lifestyle whether vegetarian or vegan. This savory soup may be served warm or chilled. Here’s the original from that newsletter

Mexican Meatballs

I really enjoyed this recipe as it allowed me to explore other ingredients using meatballs.  Traditionally, I have only used them for a typical Italian dish, so this recipe definitely takes me a little out of my comfort zone.  Nevertheless, a wonderful surprise.

Zucchini Fried Cakes

This kind of recipe was challenging have never done something like this with vegetables, and i had fun with it! And it was actually pretty good my son liked it and he is a picky child.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups

This recipe is great because you can adjust it to any dietary need. You can replace the chicken with tofu or a good hearty mushroom. You can use liquid aminos instead of soy sauce to cut back on your sodium and it doesn’t contain gluten. The lettuce cups make for a fun hands on eating experience and aesthetically look great on a plate. If lettuce cups aren’t your thing, try chopping the lettuce up and make it into a salad. This recipe is a good balance of salt and savory with a touch of sweet and crunch.

Sausage Stuffed Peppers

This recipe is a wonderful comfort food with a fun twist on classic sausage and peppers. Any ground meat or tofu can be used in place of the sausage meat which allows you to fit the recipe into your dietary needs. Traditional stuffed peppers use rice but for this I wanted to tie in the idea of a classic fair sausage and peppers on a roll by using the stuffing. This recipe can be adjusted to using mini peppers sliced vertically and filled to be used as an appetizer option or stick to full sized peppers for an entree.

Seared Scallops with Maple Cream Sauce

Who doesn’t love a bacon-wrapped scallop? This dish was created to bring the saltiness of the bacon with the sweetness of the maple syrup to elevate the scallops. It’s a protein that pairs easily with any side dish to make a full meal and it’s rich enough to enjoy by itself. It is a balanced dish of textures and flavors that the whole family will enjoy.     CandiAnne’s Note: We were stationed at Fort Drum, NY for 4 1/2 years and maple weekend is a huge thing there. You can visit numerous producers, taste their wares, and grab some …

Southern Chow Chow

Chow chow is a relish made from green tomatoes, onions, cabbage, and bell peppers. It was started as a way to utilize those unripened tomatoes after frost started. Chow chow is sometimes confused with piccalilli which is another style of relish but with more of a variety of vegetables. It is suggested chow-chow originates from the French word Chou for cabbage. This relish is great on anything savory such as burgers, hot dogs, mixed into fried rice for a southern twist, or topped onto a southern corn salad.    

Buffalo Wings

My family LOVES wings, and these buffalo wings are no exception. Whether you’re enjoying them on gameday or just making them for family dinner, these wings are sure to please the crowd. Dipping them in blue cheese or ranch is wonderful way to cool the heat and add some extra flavor. I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did!

Maple Italian Bread Pudding

What started out in 11th & 12th century England as a way to use up stale bread has become quite the trendy dessert and this recipe gives it a maple twist. CandiAnne’s Note: We were stationed at Fort Drum, NY for 4 1/2 years and maple weekend is a huge thing there. You can visit numerous producers, taste their wares, and grab some syrup or other goodies on your way out. In 2007 while visiting the various producers I picked up a bunch of recipe pages on all sorts of categories that were put out by Eat Smart New York …

Beans

I am not a pinto bean fan but I really enjoyed this recipe. It reminds me of my mom’s chili, so I served it with saltines. You could also top with cheese or serve with some type of bread.

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

This recipe is easy to make and it’s delicious. This was my first try at making cream cheese bars, I’m not a big fan of cheese cake, but it had pumpkin and I love pumpkin, so I thought I would give it a go and it was really good to my surprise. You can make this for any occasion and it takes no time to make it.       CandiAnne’s Note: We were stationed at Fort Drum, NY for 4 1/2 years and maple weekend is a huge thing there. You can visit numerous producers, taste their wares, and …

Vermont Maple Cream

I have never made Vermont Maple Cream before. It turned out great and reminded me of a mountain family vacation we took. I made toast to put the Vermont maple cream on. This would be perfect on pancakes as well.     CandiAnne’s Note: We were stationed at Fort Drum, NY for 4 1/2 years and maple weekend is a huge thing there. You can visit numerous producers, taste their wares, and grab some syrup or other goodies on your way out. In 2007 while visiting the various producers I picked up a bunch of recipe pages on all sorts …

Seafood casserole

I had a lot of fun with this one. I am from the south and never heard of shrimp in a can. I went and got fresh shrimp. I used imitation  crab meat but you could use fresh if desired. I used the tuna to make a tuna dip. Which turned out great. Add a hand full of cheese to milk mixture.

Cabbage Rolls

Pot roast has always been a favorite dish of mine. I thought of baked cabbage and wanted to put something delicious inside of it. So I decided to put the pot roast inside of the cabbage and made rolls. Thought it would look better and taste better with a sauce to go on top. Which I thought turned out great.

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

Wow, what an appetizer!! I can eat a million of these!! The chewiness of thinly sliced ribeye with the crunchy savoy cabbage leaves is such a total taste bud twist!  The small savoy leaves makes this the perfect bite size, healthy snack.  Make, enjoy, love!

Barley Casserole

Delicious earthy casserole for a warming experience. This casserole makes a great side for different dinner combinations or could even be a nice appetizer before dinner.

Creamy Maple Mousse

This recipe was a lot of fun to make. The thought of making anything with maple syrup as the flavor profile was something that I’ve never thought to make before. I used real maple syrup for the first time and I noticed that it is much sweeter than your typical store-bought syrup such as Aunt Jemima! This is a really nice and creamy mousse. I was afraid the maple syrup may be too overwhelming for my taste, but the final product was pretty tasty!

Blueberry Maple Mousse Parfait

Once I discovered maple mousse I knew I had to try this with other flavor profiles! First thing that came to mind were blueberry pancakes. So why not a blueberry maple mousse parfait? This turned out so much tastier than I imagined! The mousse was nice and creamy, the pancakes were fluffy and the bacon gave the whole thing a nice crunchy texture. In every bite you received that nice blueberry pancake with maple syrup and bacon flavor. The mousse made it seem like a sweet treat but this parfait would be good for a meal or snack.   CandiAnne’s …

Raspberry Fanfare

This recipe can be a little tricky because you have to let the gelatin set enough to where you can layer it, but make sure that it hasn’t set too much as well. If you’re not quite sure how to go about that you can test a little in a small dish til your happy with it. This one is definitely worth the hassle though! This is nice and creamy with the perfect amount of raspberry and lemon flavors.

Cranberry Fruit Bread

You’ll love this bread for the smell alone! My whole house smells like citrus after baking this. This came out of the oven looking so pretty I couldn’t wait to slice it open and give it a try. I have never been too big on cranberries but this bread was really good! I just know it will be a hit at this year’s family holiday gatherings!

Frozen Maple Mousse

I’ve been trying to come up with different ways to garnish a maple mousse and I think this would be a great one to pair with fresh berries and granola, a little chocolate. I love how creative you can get with this mousse or it’s great as a standalone!

Maple and Bacon Semifreddo

Semifreddo is a lot like ice cream, but much easier to make. This is a nice sweet treat that my kids love helping me whip up when we have a sweet tooth and the flavor options are endless! This recipe was inspired by a maple mousse recipe I was given and decided to spruce up a bit. Adding some semi-sweet chocolate bits or even dipping pieces of bacon in chocolate before adding them would be a great way to change this particular one up!

Maple Walnut Cream Pudding

I’ve never thought of having a maple pudding before, but this recipe did not disappoint. The end result is a lightly flavored maple pudding that is very creamy and has a perfectly smooth consistency. The walnuts and whipped cream are just an added bonus that makes it that much better!

Individual Lemon Meringue Pies

Don’t want the hassle of cutting a piece of pie? Just make individual servings, and enjoy! These portions of pie are travel-friendly, and they taste better just because no one can tell how many pieces you’ve had. No more guilt!

Pagan-Wiiagiminan (Maple Nuts)

Nuts are healthy and filling.  They are versatile and can be eaten as a snack, appetizer, or mixed into a main or side dish.  Personally, I love nuts, I haven’t tasted one I don’t like.  Here is a simple way to lightly sweeten nuts with maple sugar.  The results are lightly sweetened walnuts and hazelnuts that are hard to stop eating.  The leftover syrup tastes great over pancakes or can be used anywhere else you would use maple syrup.

Apricot Coconut Balls

No-bake snacks and desserts are great to keep on hand for busy days and hungry kids (or husbands).  This one is great because it is quick and simple, with only 3 ingredients.  The dried apricots are just tart enough to balance out the sweetness of the coconut and condensed milk. Have fun and dress them up with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate.  YUM!

Pierogi

I’ve never had the pleasure to have pierogi before. They are soft and tender dumpling-like envelopes filled with your choice of savory or sweet, pan-fried in butter to perfection. Here I’ve given you a few different fillings to think about, get creative and have fun making these. *This recipe is for a small batch*

Stuffed Zucchini

I think I have had zucchini just about any way possible I will have to say next to zucchini bread this is my next favorite, the flavors of this dish are off the chart umami or every flavor-packed in every bite.

Old-Time Maple Gingerbread

When fall gets close you start hearing of all things pumpkin spice.  One of those warming spices included in pumpkin spice is ginger.  Ginger is versatile and can be used in savory and sweet cuisine, it has many health benefits, including aiding digestion.  Traditionally in the fall and around the holidays, gingerbread cookies are a mainstay.  This maple gingerbread is a wonderful way to get your gingerbread fix.  It’s simple and easy and bakes up in less than an hour.  Drizzle the warmed maple hard sauce over it and you have a great finish to any meal.

Apricot-Coconut Cookie Bars

These Apricot-Coconut Cookie Bars are a scrumptious, ooey-gooey, delicious treat. They have a shortbread-type crust, and the delicious chewy apricot and coconut just explode flavor in your mouth.  This recipe would be great for potlucks, holidays, picnics, or just a guilty pleasure snack. They don’t take long to whip up a batch, but taste like you have worked hours in the kitchen. There are many different flavors you could use if apricot and coconut are not for you. Try cranberry and orange, or cranberry with dark or white chocolate, also try using figs or raisins and any type of nuts. …

Crab Cakes

If you are a seafood lover, you must try these crab cakes! They are delightful, with a tender center and a crisp outer layer. The flavors are mild and the texture is somewhat soft and chewy. These amazing cakes serve hungry customers and family members as an appetizer or even as an entre. Perhaps along side a steak for a nice surf and turf dinner. Crab cakes are very popular and there are great reasons for that. Enjoy!

Deviled Crab

Deviled crabs are the perfect appetizer or a pleasant addition to any seafood feast with other fresh items from your local market. Deviled crabs have a great punch of flavor while maintaining a remarkable balance. Surprisingly, this dish is not spicy as the ingredients might elude. Similar to the crab cake the center is very tender and the outer layer forms a slight crispy layer. Give this a try and experience the pleasure.

Clam Poulette

A poulette is a velouté sauce with added egg yolk. This particular poulette incorporates clams and their liquid. It is a lovely sauce to pour over vegetables or a buttered pasta.

Cubano Snack Spread (Next Level Ham and Cheese Spread)

For this recipe, I was making Cubano sandwiches. I always smoke my ham just because you can do so much with it. Once smoked, I cut a portion off and grated it up for this recipe. I also did the same with a roasted Mojo Pork shoulder. Ham and cheese elevated to an entirely different level! This is for the most committed appetizer lover. If you bring this to the party, no one will know the dedication that it took to make tastebuds jump like this however everyone will want to know what party you’re cooking for next. The nice …

Chilies and Cheese Rice

Mix some California green chilies, fluffy rice, gooey Monterey, and what do you get? An easy cheesy peasy rice dinner. I tweaked the recipe and turned this chili and cheese rice dish into rice cakes with an ingenious hack, baking it in a jumbo-sized cupcake pan.  A comforting dish made simple for any mealtime, whether on a relaxing rainy Sunday afternoon or getting in the door late from a progressive day of work or school.  This recipe is an explosion of flavors that pops with a well-elevated amount of heat on the palette, between the gooey grated Monterey cheese and …

Bombastic Bean Dip

Yes, it’s that good. I’m also sharing a version of my guacamole recipe, for those that understand the addiction. (NOT sorry, just so you know.) This is a dip, yes…but no one is looking right now… Easiest thing in the world to make, and it takes no time at all. Blah-blah-blah, let’s do this!!!