#3931 - Fresh Tomato Salad Dressing

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 medium ripe tomatoes (chopped)
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 TBSP honey
6 TBSP red wine vinegar
3/4 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic (minced)
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

In a blender add chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, honey, vinegar, olive oil, chopped parsley, minced garlic, salt, paprika and pepper--put the lid on and blend for 1 minute or until dressing is smooth. Pour mixture into a glass container with a lid. Refrigerate until cold before using.

#3930 - Garlic Steak Marinade

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh sqeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 TBSP garlic powder
3 TBSP dried basil
1 1/2 TBSP parsley flakes

In a blender add soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, dried basil and parsley flakes--blend for 1 minute. Place steaks in a glass dish, drizzle with the marinade, cover the dish and refrigerate for a few hours before cooking/grilling the steaks. Discard leftover marinade.

#3914 - Vinegar Tuna Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 6oz. pouch/can albacore tuna (drained and flaked)
1 - 7oz. can light tuna in water (well drained, then flaked)
1 TBSP olive oil
4 TBSP balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar if you wish)
a dash of salt (if needed)
fresh ground black pepper (optional; your choice of amount)
1 celery rib (chopped)
1 hard boiled egg (chopped)

Refrigerate both types of tuna in their original packaging overnight. The next day, into a bowl flake the albacore tuna and light tuna. Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, chopped celery and chopped eggs--stir to mix. Note: if you're not a vinegar fan, you won't like this recipe at all.

#3912 - Grilled Marinated Shrimp Skewers

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 minced garlic cloves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
2 TBSP chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2lbs. fresh shrimp
bamboo skewers
Old Bay seasoning (optional)

Wash, peel and devein the shrimp. In a large bowl add minced garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, chopped basil, salt, and cayenne pepper--mix well. Add the shrimp to the bowl--toss to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Carefully thread the shrimp on the skewers and place them on a pre-heated outdoor grill. DISCARD the marinade left in the bowl. Cook the skewers 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the shrimp are done. Optional: when you place the shrimp skewers on the grill, lightly sprinkle Old Bay on the tops of the shrimp, then repeat after you turn the shrimp.

#3911 - Fresh Parmesan Green Beans

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. fresh green beans
2 TBSP chopped onions (more if you wish)
2 TBSP chopped garlic
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Place the green beans in a pot--cover them with water and add the salt. Cook/stir over medium heat until boiling. Once boiling, turn heat back to low and simmer them for 10 minutes. Drain the green beans and immediately rinse them with cold water. In a bowl add chopped onions, chopped garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil--stir to mix. Place the cooled green beans in a serving dish and drizzle the vinegar mixture over the green beans--carefully toss to coat. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Remove the cover and sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan cheese to serve.

#3910 - Watermelon Tomato Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

5 large tomatoes (cut into bite sized cubes)
1 small seedless watermelon (cut into bite sized cubes)
1 tsp. salt + extra
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBSP cider vinegar
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
dried basil (for sprinkling)

In a large plastic bowl add the cubed tomatoes and cubed watermelon--toss carefully to combine. Sprinkle 1 tsp. salt over the top. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. In a small bowl add the olive oil and cider vinegar--whisk to mix. Add salt, pepper and dried basil to your taste--mix well. Drain off all of the liquid from the watermelon mixture and discard the liquid. Add the feta cheese to the watermelon mixture--toss to combine. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the whole thing--toss to coat. Serve immediately.

#3909 - Greek Salad Dressing

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

In a blender add olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, dried basil, pepper, salt, onion powder and Dijon mustard--beat well. Pour the mixture into a glass bottle with a lid and add the red wine vinegar--screw on the lid and shake well before using.

#3836 - Dill Weed Fried Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 large yukon gold potatoes
1 large onion (sliced thin and rings separated)
4 TBSP butter
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Peel and wash potatoes, then slice them about 1/8" thick. In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat add butter and olive oil--stir until melted. Add sliced potatoes and separated onions--toss to coat. Use a spatula and keep turning/frying the mixture until onions start to brown. Sprinkle with the dill weed, salt and pepper--toss to coat. Cook/stir until potatoes are nice and brown, and onions are caramelized. Serve hot.

#3819 - Italian Eggs

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup sliced pepperoni
1 large onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 TBSP oregano
1 - 28oz. can diced tomatoes
4 eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 loaf baguette bread

In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil and pepperoni slices--cook/stir until pepperoni is cripsy. Place pepperoni on paper towels. In the same skillet add the chopped onions--cook/stir over medium heat until onions are tender. Add minced garlic and oregano--stir. Add the diced tomatoes--cook/stir until simmering. Use the back of a spoon to make 4 "nests" in the tomato mixture, then crack one egg into each of the nests. Cover the skillet and cook until egg whites are done but yolks are still runny (about 5 minutes). Sprinkle the pepperoni and shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top and let in on the stove for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Serve mixture over crispy baguette bread. It's messy but it's good!

#3813 - Chicken Bacon Spaghetti

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. raw spaghetti
1 TBSP olive oil
1lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
6-8 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cups diced tomatoes
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti in salted water according to box directions--drain but DO NOT RINSE and save 1 cup of the pasta water. In a Dutch oven over medium heat add the olive oil--add the bacon and cook until bacon is crispy. Place the bacon on paper towels but leave the drippings in the Dutch oven. Salt/pepper both sides of the chicken--place it in the bacon drippings and cook chicken on both sides until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken, place it on a cutting board and cut it into bite sized pieces. Add the minced garlic, diced tomatoes and baby spinach to the Dutch oven (and add salt/pepper to your taste). Add the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese and the reserved 1 cup pasta water--stir to mix and turn heat back to simmer and let the mixture simmer until mixture thickens (while stirring). Turn heat back to medium and add the drained pasta to the sauce mixture--toss to coat/stir until hot. Crumble the bacon. Add the crumbled bacon and chicken pieces to the spaghetti mixture--toss to coat/stir until hot enough to serve.

#3806 - Chopped Tomato Sauce

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion (diced)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
salt (to your taste)
2 TBSP Hunt's tomato paste
2 - 28oz. cans whole plum tomatoes (chopped and put back in the juice)

In a pot over medium heat add olive oil--stir until hot. Add diced onions, the bay leaf, dried oregano, chopped garlic and salt--cook/stir until onions are tender. Add tomato paste--cook/stir for 5 minutes. Add chopped plum tomatoes and their juice--cook/stir until mixture just starts to boil. Turn heat back to low--simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes. Taste--adjust seasonings to your taste and remove the bay leaf.

#3802 - Eggs on a Cloud

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 egg whites
2 egg yolks
a pinch of salt
a pinch of pepper
1 3/4 TBSP of grated Parmesan cheese (or substitute any grated cheese you wish)
a slice of bread
olive oil

In a mixer add egg whites--beat until stiff. Add salt, pepper and grated cheese to the egg whites--beat until stiff. Place a slice of bread on to a baking sheet. Heap all of the egg white mixture on to the bread slice and use the back of a spoon to make a deep indentation ("nest") in the center of the egg whites. Fill the nest with the egg yolks. Bake at 325 degrees for 5 minutes or until egg whites are lightly browned. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and serve immediately. Optional: you can toast the bread lightly before adding the egg white mixture.

#3772 - Toaster Oven Hot Dogs

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 TBSP olive oil
1 large yellow onion
4 good quality hot dogs
4 hot dog buns
6 TBSP mayo
2 TBSP spicy brown mustard
4 TBSP BBQ sauce
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon (fried and crumbled)

If hot dogs are frozen, place them in water for 15 minutes or until thawed. Cover your toaster oven tray with foil and spray it with Pam. Place the thawed hot dogs on the foil (not touching each other) and spray the hot dogs with Pam. Set toaster oven to "BAKE" and a temperature of 400 degrees. Bake the hot dogs 15-20 minutes or until plump and browned. While the hot dogs are baking, peel and quarter the onion, then separate the rings. In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil and onions--cook/stir until brown and caramelized. In a bowl add mayo, spicy brown mustard and BBQ sauce--stir well. Slather the BBQ mixture evenly over both halves of each opened hot dog bun. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon evenly over the buns. Place one hot dog in each bun. Top each hot dog with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and caramelized onions. Note: hot dogs come out GREAT in the toaster oven. You can top/dress them any way you wish instead of using the ingredients in this recipe.

#3760 - Easy Tomato Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 fresh tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 of a red onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 TBSP Italian seasoning

In a bowl add chopped tomatoes, chopped red onions, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and Italian seasoning--mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir before serving. Serve with bread or good quality crackers. Optional: if you want the dip to be more tangy, add more balsamic vinegar.

#3667 - Ham and Onion Sprouts

(by Shirley McNevich)

6oz. country ham (cubed)
5 TBSP olive oil
2 lbs. fresh Brussels sprouts (washed, trimmed and halved)
2 tsp. salt
2 lbs. yellow onions (sliced)
1/4 cup honey (optional)
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
shredded mozzarella cheese

In a skillet over medium heat add 3 TBSP olive oil and the cubed ham--cook/stir until crispy. Remove ham cubes to paper towels to drain but leave the drippings in the skillet. Add halved Brussels sprouts and 1 tsp. salt to the drippings--cook/stir over medium heat until Brussels sprouts are almost tender, then remove from heat. In a separate skillet add 2 TBSP olive oil and the sliced onions--cook/stir over medium heat until onions are brown and soft. Add honey, black pepper, red pepper and 1 tsp. salt to the onions--stir to mix. Add Brussels sprouts and ham--cook/stir until the whole thing is hot and mixed. Pour the whole mixture into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese melts and mixture is hot.

#3658 - Easy Basic Hummus

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15oz. can garbanzo beans (drained but save the liquid)
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP olive oil
1-3 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt

In a blender or a food processor add drained beans, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and salt--mix well (it will be dry). Add a little of the reserved bean liquid at a time and blend again until you get the thickness that you like. Taste--adjust and add seasonings to your taste.

#3643 - Bagel Croutons

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - day old (or stale) bagels
1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Slice each bagel in half. Cut each bagel half into large crouton sized pieces. In a bowl add olive oil, salt (your choice of amount) and Italian seasoning--stir to mix. Add the bagel pieces to the olive oil mixture--toss to coat. Spread the coated bagel pieces on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

#3639 - Onion Sauce Skirt Steaks

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 - 6oz. skirt steaks
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 TBSP olive oil
1 onion (sliced)
salt and pepper (to your taste)

Salt and pepper both sides of each skirt steak. In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil, then place the steaks in the skillet. Cook steaks on both sides until done to your taste. Place steaks on a serving plate to rest. To the drippings in the skillet add onions--cook/stir until softened. Add red wine vinegar--cook/stir until onion mixture is tender and hot. Serve the onion sauce over the steaks.

#3634 - Italian Gravy (Red Sauce)

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion (minced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
4 cups water
2 - 32oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 - 16oz. can Hunt's tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. white sugar (more if necessary)
salt, pepper and oregano (to your taste)

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add olive oil, minced onions and minced garlic--cook/stir until onions are see-through. Turn heat back to medium low. Add water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped basil, baking soda, white sugar, salt, pepper and oregano--cook/stir until mixture is simmering. Tilt the lid on the Dutch oven and simmer for 2 hours or until sauce is thick. Taste--adjust seasonings as necessary.

#3628 - Dijon Mustard Dressing

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 heaping TBSP Dijon mustard
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
5 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper (to your taste)

In a bowl add Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil--stir well. Add salt and pepper to your taste--stir well. Use on a salad or on a fully cooked steak. Double, triple recipe as necessary.