Parmesan Oregano Crostini

Great little crostini you can garnish over soups, salad, and pasta. A nice flaky, crunchy, bold crostini that is exploding with flavor! You can make this with a variety of different herbs and seasonings.

What ya need:
French baguette, or similar
fresh oregano
1 clove garlic
fresh parmesan
2 1/2 tbls butter

Heres what ya do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Slice the baguette on an angle and lay out on a baking sheet.

3. Chop the oregano and mince the garlic, mix with the butter and spread on top each slice of baguette. Sprinkle each with fresh grated parmesan.

4. Bake until parmesan is melted and the crostini are a nice golden brown.

Cheers

Homemade Garlic and Rosemary Croutons

Please don't ever buy a bag of croutons, they are stale, loaded with preservatives, and are horribly over-seasoned. Croutons are so easy to make and this is a killer recipe that you can really take in your own direction and really build the flavors in the crouton around your whole dish. This work great on my Classic Caesar Salad but you can also make a little oregano and parmesan to top off a Bouillabaisse or tomato soup or with Cayenne Pepper and a dash of Paprika to dip into my delicious Hummus. The possibilities are endless.

What ya need:

1 loaf of your favorite bread, I prefer a french loaf

2 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 sprigs rosemary, chopped

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt+pepper

Heres what ya do:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Cut your loaf of bread into 3/4" cubes and place in large bowl.

3. Whisk together your garlic rosemary, and olive oil and pour over the diced bread. Give them a good toss and make sure all the pieces are lightly coated.

4. Toss in the oven until crispy and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Throw em on your salad, soup, or dip. 

Cheers!

Classic Caesar Salad

By far my favorite salad, its tangy, salty, savory, and creamy. Add a nice sliced breast of chicken, some fresh cut tomatoes and my homemade garlic croutons. Top it all with some shaved parmesan and fresh cracked black you got yourself the best homemade caesar salad you've ever had.

What ya need:

for the dressing:

2 cloves garlic, smashed
Dijon mustard
1 egg white (or substitute tablespoon mayo)
fresh grated parmesan
juice of lemon
red wine vinegar
worchestire sauce
chopped anchovies
extra virgin
fresh cracked pepper

for the salad:

head of romaine
cherry tomatoes, halved
my Homemade Garlic and Rosemary Croutons
shaved parmesan
lemon wedge
fresh cracked pepper

Heres what ya do:

1. Combine vinegar, worchestire, dijon, egg white, and lemon juice in bowl and whisk. Add in anchovies, parmesan, black pepper and whisk again.

2. Slowly drizzle the olive oil while whisking to emulsify the oil into the dressing. It is important to whisk fast and drizzle the oil slowly or else the oil and vinegar in your dressing will separate. Whish until the dressing is a nice light and creamy consistency, I find its about a 1/4 cup oil oil in all.

3. Clean and chop your romaine leaves and place on plate top with cherry tomatoes and Homemade Garlic Croutons (you can also add a Grilled Chicken Breast or some fresh avocado slices).
 Drizzle your dressing over nicely.

4. Garnish with lemon wedge, shaved parmesan and some fresh cracked pepper.

All hail the Caesar!

Classic Hummus

This is a favorite of mine, there is nothing I love more that a delicious fresh hummus with pita, vegetables, and some Mediterranean olives. This is a very classic recipe but it has a lot of room for invention and a little personal touch. Sometimes I'll add some cilantro and jalepeno for a southwestern flair or some olives and red pepper for somewhat of a tapenade.

Heres what ya need:
Simple Roasted Garlic
2 lbs cooked chickpeas or garbanzo beans
parsley
tahini paste
juice of lemon+zest
cumin
red pepper flakes
extra virgin
salt+pepper

Heres what ya do:

1. If you are using canned beans make sure they are well rinsed.

2. Combine all ingredients minus extra virgin olive oil in a blender or food processor.



3. Blend until chunky then slowly drizzle in olive oil through the top until hummus is has a creamy consistency.

4. Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with paprika, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Garnish with pita.

Simple Roasted Garlic

So this is a nice and simple roasted garlic recipe. I love roasted garlic because it has a wide variety of uses and can be consumed as is without having that heavy bitter garlic flavor. I like it as a spread on a sandwich, mixed in with mashed potatoes, or in a variety of dips and sauces to give them a deep sweet and aromatic flavor.

Heres what ya need:
1 head garlic
extra virgin olive oil
salt+pepper

Heres what ya do:

1. Slice garlic clove in half and  place in a square of foil.

2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a nice drizzle of olive oil.

3. Seal up the package and throw into a 375 degree F oven for 40-45 minutes.

4. Squeeze garlic out from bottom like a tube of toothpaste! It's good enough to brush your teeth with.

Bruschetta with pancetta, goat cheese, and arugula

There is nothing I love more than a nice big and fresh bruschetta. Salty, crunchy, and creamy a bruschetta makes a great meal for yourself or a killer appy that your friends will love. In this one I use fresh roma tomatoes, shallots, basil, and crispy pancetta on top of a crispy loaf of bread with goat cheese, arugula, and a nice drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin, good crack of pepper at your good to go like a prom date.

Heres what you need:

1 loaf firm french baguette
4 oz arugula
2-3 oz fine goat cheese
few basil leaves, chopped
5 fresh roma tomatoes, diced
3 shallots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz pancetta
butter
balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
cracked black pepper

What ya gotta do:

1. Slice up the pancetta and fry in a pan with olive oil until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Mix 1 clove minced garlic with a few tablespoons butter and spread it on the sliced baguette. Throw that in a 375 degree oven until crispy and the top begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

3. Combine the tomatoes, shallots, crispy pancetta, garlic, and basil in a bowl. Add a little pepper (but be careful when adding salt because the pancetta is already very salty) with a little bit of olive oil and balsamic. Give this a good toss and stick in the fridge to let the flavors meddle.

4. Spread some of the goat cheese on the baguette slices (you can mix the goat cheese with a little milk to make it spread easier and even add little bit of chopped oregano to pack some extra flavor) and top with the tomato mixture. Add a good handful of arugula, some crumbled goat cheese, and a nice drizzle of olive oil and balsamic.

5. Dig In!

Blueberry Oat Bars

This wonderful recipe will bring all of the flavor and punch of Mom's blueberry pie but packed into a square of goodness. A relatively simple recipe that uses fresh delicious blueberries, buttery flaky crust, and a amazingly sweet crumbly top. They can be made ahead of time and cooled or served warm with a scoop of ice cream for a decadent desert. 

Heres what you need:

For the crust:

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

For the filling:
Zest and juice of one lemon
5 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup raw sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup rolled oats

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F) and grease a 9X13 in pan.

2. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix together before adding egg and butter. Mix with your hands but be sure not to break the butter apart too much. The chunks of butter will make for a more flaky crust.

3. In another bowl mixed the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice+zest. Very gently fold all this together being careful not to squish the blueberries.

4. Pat half of the dough down in the bottom of the pan, cover with the blueberry mixture and sprinkle rolled oats over. Crumble the remaining dough on top and sprinkle the top with brown sugar

5. Bake for 1 hour or until the top gets a nice caramelized brown color. Cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.