Ingredients 1 ½ lbs of boneless & skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch strips 1 TBS vegetable or canola oil ½ cup low sodium soy sauce 1/3 cup white vinegar (white distilled or white wine) ¼ cup water 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, minced finely by chopping or pressed through a garlic press 2 Bay leafs Ground black pepper 1 ½ cups uncooked long grain rice or 1 lb. fingerling potatoes (see Roast Potatoes) Directions Put the rice and 3 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside with the cover on. Heat oil in a large skillet (pref. NOT non-stick ) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season with a few grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until light golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 more minutes. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, water, bay leaf, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, scrape the bottom of pan reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the liquid reduces by about one-quarter, 8 to 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Serve over rice, adding just enough of the liquid. Garnish with a bit of chopped parsley.  Serve with steamed broccoli, green beans, or snap peas. #adobo #Chicken

Black or white truffle cream can be found at most gourmet grocery stores. Or if you have time, easily order online: “Black Truffle Cream” or similar. 4 – 6 servings 3 to 4 med Idaho potatoes, peeled or not – your preference, and cut into cubes 1/2 cup low-fat milk 1 or 2 TBS butter 1/4 tsp fresh ground (if possible) nutmeg 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1 TBS finely chopped parsley 1/2 tsp black or white TRUFFLE CREAM (Not truffle oil. Truffle butter is a little different too, but can add just a bit more to substitute) Directions Put potatoes into a sauce pot. Cover potatoes with water and bring to boil. Low boil the potatoes covered, 7 to 10 minutes, until a fork easily inserts.  Amount of boiling time depends on how big the cut of potatoes. Drain water from potatoes. Put hot potatoes into a bowl.  Mash potatoes with a fork or using a potato masher. Add half of the milk and the butter.  Continue mashing by hand or use a mixer.  Add the rest of the milk, salt, nutmeg, and truffle cream.  Continue blending until smooth.  Add more milk if needed to achieve the consistency desired. Do not over-beat or your potatoes will get gluey.  By hand, stir in the parsley.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Nutrition facts of potatoes #mashed #Thanksgiving #Potatoes #trufflecream #potatos

Serves 4 – 6 Ingredients and prep: 1½ to 2 lbs. small red-skinned potatoes, fingerlings or small Yukon Gold potatoes, washed, cut in half and dried. Larger ones cut again, ¾“ piece extra-virgin olive oil kosher salt freshly ground black pepper Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Foil line (best with non-stick foil) a heavy­ duty rimmed baking sheet. Spread the potatoes on pan. Drizzle enough olive oil to coat potatoes, and sprinkle with about 1 tea­spoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Using your hands, roll and toss potatoes around to evenly coat them with the oil and to distribute the salt and pepper. Place the potatoes in a single layer, with cut side down. Sprinkle a little more salt on top. Roast for approximately 20 to 25 min­utes, until potatoes have a brown rim on edges. A little crispy! Let sit for a few minutes, then loosen the potatoes from the pan with a thin spatula and transfer to a serving dish. Variation suggestions: Instead of using Kosher salt, toss with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt or Montreal Steak Seasoning. Fine chop a few sprigs of rosemary to toss in the potatoes. #Potatoes #RoastedPotatoes

3-4 small to medium size beets 1/4 cup of chopped or sliced red onion 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/8 red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp kosher salt fresh ground pepper Enclose beets in foil. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, depending on how large they are. Remove from oven and check for “al dente” texture, should be slightly tender with a fork. Place beets in a bowl of ice water to cool them. This also allows for easier removal of skin.  With your fingers, rub the skin off of beets. Cut beets into cubes or other desired bite size shape.  Combine beets and chopped red onion in a medium bowl. Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, kosher salt and several grinds of pepper.  Pour over beets and onions and toss together.

VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup chopped seeded tomato 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 lime zested 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 teaspoon ground cumin 1/3 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 – 3 garlic cloves, peeled SALAD: 2 ears of corn – grilled for about 5 minutes on each side 2 cups baby spinach, stems removed and sliced into 1/2 inch strips 2 cups of chopped lettuce, your preference (red leaf, green leaf, ice burg, etc.) 1 1/2 cups roasted or grilled skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts), cut into bite-size pieces 1 cup chopped and seeded tomato 1 cup chopped yellow or orange bell pepper 1 cup finely diced red onion 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed well and drained tortilla chips Prepare vinaigrette by combining ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. To prepare salad, combine spinach, lettuce and remaining ingredients except chips in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette; toss well to coat. Serve with chips crumbled over top. #Chicken #Salad #southwestern

Ingredients 1½ lbs. ground beef, or any combination of beef, ground pork, ground turkey 1½ TBS butter ¼ cup breadcrumbs 2 TBS canola or vegetable oil 1 small to medium red onion, small dice (about 1 cup) Kosher salt 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced on small grater 1/2 red or orange bell pepper, small dice 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ TBS ground coriander ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp cayenne ½ tsp garam masala ¼ cup water ½ yellow bell pepper, small dice 1/8 cup fresh cilantro chopped 1 large egg ¼ cup ketchup 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano ¼ tsp sweet or hot paprika Preparation Melt BUTTER in an 8-inch skillet (not non-stick) over medium-high heat. Add the BREADCRUMBS and toast, stirring constantly, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool. Wipe the skillet clean to use in next step. In the skillet, combine the ONION, OIL, and 2 tsp SALT. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the onion is soft and just starting to brown, 4 minutes. Stir in the GINGER and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the BELL PEPPER and GARLIC and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the CORIANDER, CUMIN, CRACKED PEPPER, CAYENNE and GARAM MASALA and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet for 1 minute to diffuse the spices. Add ¼ cup WATER to deglaze the pan, stirring and scrapping residue, cook until water evaporates. Turn off the heat, and set aside to cool. Pre-heat oven to 400°F with rack in the center.  In large bowl, combine mixtures from step 1 and 2 with meat, plus the YELLOW BELL PEPPER, CILANTRO, EGG, KETCHUP, PARMEGIAN CHEESE, and PAPRIKA. Knead gently until everything is incorporated.  Using a heavy duty rimmed pan (jelly roll) with rack, cover rack with parchment paper. Place molded loaf on parchment and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Make the glaze below while the meatloaf bakes. After 30 minutes of baking, pull meatloaf out of oven and coat top of loaf with glaze. Return meatloaf to the oven and cook 15 minutes longer. Let the meatloaf cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving Glaze ½ cup ketchup ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp freshly ground pepper ¼ tsp cayenne

Serves 6 3½ pounds boneless lamb shoulder or leg 2 teaspoons kosher salt ¼ cup extra- virgin olive oil 7 plump garlic cloves, crushed and peeled ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (peperoncino flakes) 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, more for garnish 1 cup white wine 2 tablespoons red- wine vinegar 1½ cups green Italian olives (picholine are my very favorite) or oil-cured black Italian olives, crushed and pitted Recommend using a large Dutch oven or deep skillet or braising pan, with a lid. The quality of the meat makes the difference, though it may be hard to find nice lamb shoulder or leg meat cut for stew. I bought a 5 lb. lamb leg boneless roast from Costco to trim and cube.  A good butcher would kindly trim the fat and cube a whole lamb roast for you. Meat prep: Cut the meat into 2 inch cubes, removing fat and bits of cartilage as you find them. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the salt and toss the meat to distribute. Heat the pan with olive oil on medium. Scatter in the crushed garlic cloves and red pepper flakes. When the garlic is just sizzling, place all of the lamb pieces in one layer, place the rosemary sprigs on top, and season with the remaining teaspoon salt. No need to stir yet.  When the meat starts to sizzle, cover the pan. Lower the heat just a little, medium-low to cook gently, and browning slowly releasing the fat and juices. After about 10 minutes, uncover the pan, turn the pieces, and move them around the pan to cook evenly, then replace the cover. Turn again in 10 minutes or so, and continue covered cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the lamb is nicely browned all over and the pan juices have thickened and caramelized. If there is a lot of fat in the bottom of the pan, tilt the skillet and spoon off the fat from one side. Stir the wine and vinegar together, and pour them into skillet, swirling them with the pan juices. Turn up the heat, bring the liquids to a boil, and cook them down quickly to form a syrupy sauce. Drop the olives into the pan, all around the lamb chunks, then cover and adjust the heat to a bubbling simmer. Cook for another 10 minutes or so, again concentrating the juices and marrying the flavors. Finally, cook uncovered for a few minutes, tumbling the meat and olives in the pan, coating them with the sauce. Serve right from the skillet, or mound the meat chunks on a platter or in a shallow serving bowl. Spoon out any sauce and olives left in the pan, and drizzle over the lamb. Suggestion to serve with rice or potatoes and roasted carrots & shallots. #Lamb #LambStew

Makes 4  (2 1/2″)  Crabcakes Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook time: 6 minutes Ingredients 2 TBS best quality mayonnaise (do not use low-fat or nonfat)* 1 1/2 tsp finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 green onions, green tops only, finely minced 1 tsp seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay ) 1 large egg white 1/4 cup Japanese breadcrumbs (panko), divided 8 oz jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through for shells 2 to 3 TBS canola oil Vegetable oil cooking spray, as needed Lemon wedges, for garnish Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise, as an accompaniment Directions It works well to use a heat-proof 2 1/2″ round cutter to mold cakes. Or mold into rounds, flattened a little, using your hands. Though it may break apart a little. Combine the mayonnaise, parsley, green onions, seafood seasoning, egg white and 1 TBS of the breadcrumbs in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in the crabmeat, coating it thoroughly but taking great care not to break up the lumps. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and up to 8 hours. Place a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil and heat through. Lightly spray the inside of the round cutter with cooking spray, or wipe with oil. Place the round cutter in the saute pan, and spoon crabmeat mixture into the cutter, filling about 1″ thick, pressing gently to pack tightly. Sprinkle about 1/2 TBS of the bread crumbs on top of the crab mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere. Carefully lift the round cutter straight up (use tongs). Repeat the process with the remaining crabmeat mixture. Cook the crabcakes until the bottoms are golden brown, about 3 minute, then using a spatula, carefully and gently turn each crabcake over. Sprinkle a little bread crumbs on this side and cook for about 3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Serve on a warmed plate or a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedge, and serve immediately with Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise or your favorite sauce. #crabcakes #seafood

Sweet Potato Fries with Basil-Salt and a Garlic Mayonnaise Aioli 4 to 6 servings 5 sweet potatoes, cut into about ½ to 1 inch thick, french fry cuts extra virgin olive oil 2 TBS chopped fresh basil leaves 2 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper Aioli Dipping Sauce ¾ cup mayonnaise 1 medium/large clove garlic, minced 1 tbs fresh lemon juice Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potato fries on foil or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over them and toss to lightly coat all fries.  Bake until golden and fork-tender, about 35 to 45 minutes, depending on how thick the cuts are. Meanwhile combine the basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. Make aioli sauce in a small bowl by combining the mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice. When the sweet potato fries come out of the oven, sprinkle with the basil salt, and toss around to distribute well. Serve with aioli sauce for dipping. #fries #sweetpotato #sweetpotatofries

Working my blurb… Off-the-cuff… I have a passion for cooking because I’ve learned to eat well, developing a more sophisticated palate because of where I’ve lived and my Italian husband Emilio and his family. My epiphany in cooking came from having the pleasure to live in Seattle where you can buy easily any ingredient you’re looking for, and always the very best seasonal fruits, vegetables and fresh fish/seafood. Then we moved to Rochester, NY. Interesting enough place, not the best food generally speaking (sorry Rochester friends)! The best thing they have going there in upstate NY is Wegman’s grocery store, it’s one-stop grocery shopping. You can find obscure ingredients, like black truffle cream, and great fresh organic foods. A big bonus and I really miss it where we are now. Now we are in Nashville, TN since the summer of 2005. I should be thankful I have these grocery stores at all, but I do have to shop multiple places for quality ingredients. It’s Publix for staples, Whole Foods for organics, and Trader Joe’s for organics, great deals and bonus groceries (regret here in TN that we cannot buy wine in grocery stores so that BIG Trader Joe’s benefit does not exist here, but does in Seattle). My younger 22 year old sister Hannah is in culinary school, so envious of that. She’s about to graduate, and I’m extremely proud of her. My husband is a foodie, a critic, and a fantastic cook. I’m also a Group Fitness Instructor certified by ACE and SPIN, Johnny G. I create personalized recipe organizers to offer to people an easy way of keeping all of their culinary information in a well thought out easy to use system that is their own.  Potentially an heirloom piece! Right now the business is a labor of love, and that’s ok! I have two young beautiful happy boys, Gianluca (6) and Steffen (4).  They keep me busy, along with everything else and are cutely enthusiastic about this business I’ve started, Recipes For Keeps. ~Kellie #Kellie

This is the best oven-roasted broccoli recipe! This easy roasted broccoli is made with 6 ingredients in 15 minutes! It's crispy, tender and perfectly seasoned! Baked broccoli is a healthy side dish that pairs well with everything! Oven Roasted Broccoli Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 2 - 4 broccoli stalk tops cut into halves (The thick broccoli stalks can be trimmed, peeled and sliced into thick pieces and added to the florets.) 3 TBS apprx. extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 fresh lemon (optional) DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 450° with rack position in the center. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, drizzle olive oil over broccoli and toss.  Oil should lightly coat. Place the broccoli on baking sheet with cut side down, evenly spaced, and sprinkle lightly with salt . Roast until you see just a little browning, about 8 to 10 minutes. Being careful to not over salt, season to taste with salt, pepper .  If desired, squeeze a little lemon juice and serve.

Serves 4 – 6; Prep time 20 to 30 mins.; Cook time for grilling chicken about 10 mins. Ingredients for Salad 1 bag baby spinach or a bundle of fresh spinach washed and dried – stems removed 4 chicken breasts, grilled (marinate chicken in favorite marinade or spice rub, or simply brushed with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle just a little salt and pepper) ¾ cup Orzo pasta 2 TBS capers 4 TBS pine nuts, toasted 6 to 8 Julienne cut style sundried tomatoes in olive oil, cut into pieces 4 medium tomatoes, seeds removed and cut for salad ½ cup of black olives chopped or whole (good olives preferably from olive bar, not from can) Ingredients for Dressing ½ cup olive oil ¼ cup white wine vinegar lemon zest of 1 lemon 1 TBS fresh lemon juice 1 garlic clove, minced ½ tsp kosher salt ground pepper Parmesan cheese for garnish, preferably shaved Directions Cook orzo pasta as directed. Strain orzo and put in a large bowl for salad.  Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on orzo to coat to keep from clumping. Cut grilled chicken into strips or chunks. Remove large stems from spinach. Stack the spinach then slice into strips. In a large bowl, mix spinach, grilled chicken, cooked Orzo and remaining ingredients. Whisk dressing ingredients. When ready to serve, pour desired amount of dressing over salad, just enough to lightly coat and mix well. Placed in serving bowls or plates, sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese, and a little kosher salt and pepper to taste.