Ingredients

• 2 cups Fingerling potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or chunks
• 1 1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage (may use chicken or turkey sausage if you prefer)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 1 large bunch of greens (I used collards, but you can use spinach, kale, escarole, or mustard/turnip greens)
• 1 can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for garnish
• Crusty bread or garlic bread, for dipping

Instructions

1. Rinse and drain potatoes, cut into quarters or chunks, depending on the size.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook potatoes for about 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
3. At the same time, add 1/2 inch of water to a large saute pan over medium heat. Add sausages to and cover with a lid, simmering for 10 minutes (without turning). Remove the lid, turn sausages over, and cook for another 5 minutes until almost cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, measure out your liquids and dry seasonings and set aside.
5. Chop the garlic.
6. Wash the greens well and drain. Remove and discard the veins and stems, cutting leafy green parts off on either side into 1-inch strips.
7. Remove sausages from pan and cut into coin-sized chunks. Drain fat from pan and wipe down.
8. Add 1 tablespoon of oil into the same pan and return to medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute while stirring often, for about 1 minute being careful not to burn garlic.
9. Add additional 3 tablespoons of oil and start sauteing greens by the handful until they are just starting to wilt.
10. Add cannellini beans, sausage, potatoes, broth, water and minced onion; bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer on low for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
11. Remove lid, add 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and let simmer for another 5 minutes or so until the liquid reduces a little (you can simmer it down longer if you like a thicker stew or add more broth/water if you like a thinner stew).
12. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
13. Serve the Greens and Beans in large bowls topped with shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and crusty bread for dipping in the broth.
14. Delicioso!

Notes

Ingredients

• 1 bag of medium-large shell pasta (fresh or dried)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 large zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thin and halved
• 1 bag of fresh spinach (leaves), chopped
• 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1 cup of cooked Virginia ham, diced (can sub cooked prosciutto or bacon)
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• PARMESAN GARLIC SAUCE:
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons flour
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons neufchatel or cream cheese
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
• 1 green onion, sliced for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta shells and cook according to package directions until al dente (about 8 minutes dried, 3 minutes fresh). Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water and set aside.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium-large saute pan and add zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste and cook for about 8-10 minutes until zucchini is soft. Add 1 tablespoon of garlic and saute for another minute or so until garlic starts to brown. Remove zucchini-garlic mixture from saute pan and set aside in a medium-large mixing bowl.
3. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the saute pan and heat for a minute or so. Add the fresh chopped spinach, salt and pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes, stirring through. Saute spinach about 3-5 minutes until wilted. Add the cooked diced ham and saute another few minutes until browned. Remove spinach and ham from saute pan and add to cooked zucchini in mixing bowl.
4. To make the Parmesan Garlic Sauce:
5. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
6. Add the garlic and cook until soft and lightly browned, about 1 minute.
7. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, another minute.
8. Whisk in the milk, a sprinkle of sea salt and cook, whisking constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes.
9. Add the Neufchatel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute.
10. Combine the cooked pasta shells, 1/2 cup cooking water from pasta, sauteed zucchini, spinach and ham to the alfredo garlic sauce, stir thoroughly to mix ingredients for another minute or so.
11. Sprinkle additional salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste into the pasta mixture. Remove from saute pan and place in a large serving bowl. Top pasta with chopped fresh parsley and green onions, and top with more parmesan cheese to taste.
12. Serve the pasta with some crusty bread, a green salad and glass of wine.

Notes

Ingredients

• 6 avocados
• Juice from 2 limes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 purple onion, minced
• 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, minced fine, stems and seeds removed
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Kosher Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• Dash of hot sauce

Instructions

1. Cut avocados in half and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl and squeeze lime juice on immediately (to prevent the avocado from oxidation and browning). Mash avocado well with a fork until slightly smooth but still a little bit chunky.
2. Add garlic, onion, tomatoes, jalapenos, cumin, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste.
3. Cover with plastic wrap tightly and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or more to let the flavors meld.
4. Serve with tortillas, chips, veggies or crackers with fresh made salsa (tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, salt and pepper) and plenty of margaritas to go around.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup tequila, divided in half
• Juice from 2 fresh limes (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 jalapeno pepper, deveined and seeded, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil for marinade, plus 1 tablespoon for cooking
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Wash and drain shrimp, and place in a medium bowl.
2. Mix together 1/2 cup of tequila, lime juice, cayenne pepper, chile flakes, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, and olive oil in a separate bowl and pour over the shrimp. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain and discard marinade off shrimp in a colander or with a slotted spoon and set shrimp aside.
3. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat for a minute or so. Add additional 1/2 cup of tequila to the saute pan (with pan removed off the burner to avoid flames!).
4. Add 1/2 of the marinated shrimp to the heated saute pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add the rest of the shrimp to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes until pink.
5. Add two tablespoons of butter to the saute pan and return first batch of shrimp, adding it to the shrimp in the pan and saute while tossing the pan for another 2 minutes or so. Sprinkle salt and pepper into the shrimp to taste and mix through for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
6. Serve the shrimp on a platter with the tequila-lime-butter sauce on top with a side of tortillas and all the dressings: guacamole, cilantro, hot sauce, sour cream, rice to make tacos or burritos.

Notes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), poached and shredded
• 1 32-ounce container of chicken stock (for poaching chicken)
• 2 cans of red enchilada sauce
• 9 flour tortillas (large burrito size)
• 2 cups of shredded Mexican-blend cheese
• 1 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
• Sour cream, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, cayenne, salt and pepper and hot sauce. Saute for about 5 minutes until onion is soft and golden. Add minced garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Remove onion-garlic mixture from heat and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
3. To poach chicken breasts, heat chicken stock in a large Dutch oven or high-sided saute pan and cook chicken breasts in the stock, covered, for approximately 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let chicken sit in the pot (still covered) for another 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove chicken breasts from the stock on to a platter and let cool for a few minutes. Shred the chicken with 2 forks and add to the onion-garlic mixture in to the mixing bowl.
5. Spread 1/2 of the enchilada sauce from one can on the bottom of a rectangular glass casserole dish. Place three tortillas over the sauce, overlapping.
6. Top the layer of tortillas with 1/4 of the chicken-onion mixture, spreading evenly over the casserole dish. Top with 1/4 of the crushed tomatoes and 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.
7. Repeat 3 times until you have four layers and have used up all the enchilada sauce, tortillas, chicken-onion mixture, crushed tomatoes and shredded cheese. (Like making a Mexican Lasagna!)
8. Place casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5-10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with chopped cilantro and sour cream.

Notes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, deveined and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups of long grain rice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute jalapenos, garlic and onion about 5 minutes in a large saute pan.
2. Add the rice to the saute pan and cook, stirring often, until rice is browned slightly another 5 minutes.
3. Pour water, chicken stock and crushed tomatoes into the pan and season with salt and pepper.
4. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes until rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked through.
5. Remove rice from heat, uncover and fluff with a fork. Add rice to a large serving bowl and garnish with fresh cilantro for serving.

Notes

Ingredients

• 12 lasagna noodles
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped fine
• 1 cup zucchini, chopped fine
• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped fine
• 1 cup carrots, chopped fine
• 3 cups marinara sauce (homemade or prepared)
• 1 cup Ricotta cheese
• 1 cup low-fat Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 cup low-fat or 2% Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil leaves or parsley, torn for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Boil salted water in a large pot. Add lasagna noodles and cook according to package directions, drain, separate and set aside.
3. Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil on low heat in a large skillet. Cook onion and garlic for three or four minutes and place into a separate bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil to skillet and cook mushrooms, zucchini, spinach and carrots about 5-10 minutes until tender and add to onion and garlic mixture. Add one cup of the marinara sauce to the vegetables and heat through.
4. Spread one cup of the remaining marinara sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 glass greased baking dish and layer with half of the noodles, vegetables and ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with another layer of marinara sauce, noodles, vegetables and ricotta cheese, sprinkling with remaining cheeses, salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
5. Let cool for 10-15 minutes, cut lasagna into squares and top with fresh basil or parsley. Serve with a green salad and glass of light red wine.

Notes