✯✯Manicotti✯✯

Well, hello bloggers! Welcome to Everyday Meals! Today, I felt like making something Italian. I, as stated before, love Italian food. I love food from other cultures. This brought a thought to my mind... I've been posting to Everyday Meals since February. I want to know where you, my readers, are from. Tell me about your culture, or even your state. What are your favorite types of foods? With that, let's head to the kitchen and make something!

✯✯Spinach and Four-Cheese Manicotti✯✯

You will need:

• 3 tablespoons  oil 
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh garlic
• 1.5 cups ricotta cheese 
• 1.5 cups shredded  mozzarella cheese, divided
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 
• 1/3 cup grated  parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 
• salt 
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 (10 ounce) package  frozen chopped spinach, cooked according to package directions, squeezed dry 
• 8  manicotti, cooked and drained
• 6 cups marinara sauce 
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• mozzarella cheese, for topping

1. Set oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
3. In a skillet, saute the onion in oil for about 4 minutes or until softened, adding in the garlic the last 2 minutes.
4. In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta cheese, 1.5 cup mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, then beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and well combined.
5. Season with white salt or seasoned salt and black pepper to taste.
6. Stir in onion mixture and spinach; mix well to combine.
7. Spoon into cooked and cooled manicotti shells.
8. Pour half of the pasta sauce into the prepared baking dish.
9. Arrange shells over sauce.
10. Top with the remaining sauce and use a spoon to spread the sauce over the shells.
11. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over the sauce.
12. Cover and bake for 25 minutes.
13. Uncover and top with mozzeralla cheese.
14. Bake 5 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted.
15. Let stand 10 mins before serving.
16. Enjoy!

When this is all said and done, you will wind up with a beautiful manicotti to enjoy with friends or family. Enjoy your evening and I will see you all tomorrow. Good night amazing bloggers!

Cochinita Pibil

Good afternoon bloggers! In this installment of Everyday Meals, we are going to be making a dish that is indigenent to Mexico. The Yucatan to be exact. This is is a perfect dish for parties and for big families. It's called Cochinita Pibil. It's a braised pork dish that can be accompanied with rice and a good beer of your choice. Let's grab our aprons and/or chefs hats and let's get cooking!

Cochinita Pibil

You will need:

• 4 pounds of pork shoulder
• 1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed if possible
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 3 ounces of red achiote paste
• Pickled red onions, for garnish
• Dry Mexican cheese, for garnish
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for garnish

NOTE: You can find the achiote paste at a Specialty Latin market, or possibly a supercenter.

1. The night before or the morning before you plan to serve this, mix the orange and lime juice with the achiote paste and salt in a blender until combined. 
2. Be sure to rinse the blender soon afterwards, as the achiote stains. 
3. Cut the pork into chunks of about 2 inches square, but don’t trim the fat, as you will need it in the braising to come. You can always pick it out later. Put the pork in a non-reactive (glass, stainless steel or plastic) container, then pour over the marinade mixture. 
4. Mix well, cover and keep in the fridge for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 
6. Line a large casserole with a double layer of heavy-duty foil, or a triple layer of regular foil because you want a good seal (You can also use banana leaves, which is the traditional method for cooking this dish.)
7. Pour in the pork and the marinade and close the foil tightly. 
8. Put the casserole in the oven and bake for at least 3 hours. 
9. At the 3 hour mark, check to make sure the meat is tender and falling apart.
10. When the pork is tender, take it out of the oven and open the foil. 
11. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl, then shred it with two forks.
12. Pour enough sauce over the meat to make it wet.
13. To serve, either use this as taco meat or eat it over rice, garnished with cilantro, lime wedges and queso seco, a Mexican dry cheese a little like Greek feta.
14. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this dish and I will see you all tomorrow. Great job cooking everyone!

Alaskan Lasagna? WHAT?!

Good afternoon bloggers! Before we start, I want to fill you in a little bit about myself. I'm sure that those of you already have figured me out a little, but that doesn't tell you much about my history. I was born in Alaska. It is my pride and joy, my home of all homes. I love the fresh salmon and the smell of the tundra. I love when it rains, but on only half of the road. Okay, as you can guess, I LOVE Alaska. This is all relevant to our meal tonight. We are making... Drum roll please?

Alaskan Halibut Lasagna

You will need:

• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1.5 pounds halibut steaks, bones removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• Minced fresh parsley, optional

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. 
2. Add the halibut and thyme. 
3. Cook it until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes. 
4. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer, then remove and set aside. 
5. Add the remaining butter to the skillet. 
6. Stir in flour and salt until it's smooth, then cook and stir until golden brown. 
7. Gradually add the broth and cream. 
8. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. 
9. In a greased 13 x 9 baking dish, layer half of the noodles, halibut, white sauce and cheese, then repeat the layers. 
10. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 
11. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes longer or until bubbly. 
12. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. 
13. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.
14. Enjoy!

If you all ever have the chance to google, or even visit Alaska, DO IT. It's a treasure all it's own. You have a great est of the afternoon and evening. I will be back tomorrow!

Bibimbap

Hey, hey, hey bloggers! Welcome to a very Asian inspired Everyday Meals. We are traveling to Korea with this awesome recipe. It is a very modern twist on "bibimbap", a dish loaded with rice, vegetables, sliced meat, an egg, and hot sauce. You can get it served with a beer as well. I am very familar with this type of recipe. There are many local spots where I'm from that serve this meal. So, enough chit-chat. Let's go make some food!

Korean Rice Bowl

You will need:

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel
• 1/2 teaspoon New Mexico chile powder
• 1.5 pounds New York strip steak, trimmed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon sake or dry Sherry
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1.5 pounds slender asparagus spears, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil plus additional for brushing
• 6 large eggs
• 6 cups freshly cooked medium-grain white rice
• Korean hot pepper paste (kochujang)
• Kimchi

NOTE: The specialty items can be found at your local Asian market, specialty stores, or even a super center.

1. Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until golden brown, stirring often, about 3 minutes. 
2. Transfer sesame seeds to a small bowl to cool. 
3. Grind the sesame seeds, fleur de sel, and chile powder in mortar with pestle or in spice mill until about half of sesame seeds are finely ground, then return to the same small bowl.  
4. Place the steak in the freezer for 1 hour to ease slicing. 
5. Cut steak crosswise into 1/8 inch thick slices. 
6. Whisk the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, green onions, sugar, sake, and garlic in a medium bowl, then toss the steak in the soy mixture. 
7. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. 
8. Heat a griddle or 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. 
9. Toss the asparagus with 2 teaspoons vegetable oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. 
10. Sauté the asparagus until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes, then return to rimmed baking sheet. 
11. Sprinkle sesame salt over, and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. 
12. Tent with foil to keep warm. 
13. Brush griddle with vegetable oil. 
14. Working in batches, grill the steak until just browned, about 1 minute per side. 
15. Transfer to a bowl and tent it too with foil to keep warm.
16. Brush griddle with vegetable oil once again. 
17. Crack the eggs onto the hot griddle. 
18. Cook until the whites are set but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. 
19. Divide warm rice among bowls. 
20. Divide asparagus, then beef among bowls, placing it atop the rice. 
21. Top with fried egg. 
22. Serve with Korean hot pepper paste and kimchi.

Voila! This dish will keep you full and happy all night long. There's definitely no shortage of food despite the "bowl" size. I recommend serving ths dish in the largest bowl you have! Actually, nix that... Please eat a proper amount according to your regular food consumption. Have a great night and I will see you all tomorrow!

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!

Good morning everyone! Welcome to another amazing edition of Everyday Meals! I hope that you all have gotten over the shock of 7 recipes yesterday. If not, well, here's just one more to make you jump up and down for joy. I am stepping away fom the grill for a little bit and we are going to dive into something pertaining to pasta, one of my favorite areas of food. Let's grab the shopping list and meet back in the kitchen soon.

Pasta with Veal, Sausage, and Porcini Ragu

You will need:

• 1 cup water
• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 ounces sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 8 ounces veal stew meat, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 (14 ounce) cans low-salt chicken broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 pound fresh pappardelle or purchased fettuccine
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

NOTE: You may find porcini mushrooms your specialty food market and many supermarkets

1. Bring 1 cup water and mushrooms to a boil in a small saucepan. 
2. Remove the pan from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. 
3. Strain the liquid through paper-towel-lined sieve into bowl. 
4. Coarsely chop mushrooms and set the liquid and mushrooms aside. 
5. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. 
6. Add the onion, carrot, 1/4 cup parsley and garlic. 
7. Sauté until vegetables are tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. 
8. Push vegetables to side of skillet and add the sausage and cook until brown, breaking up with back of fork, about 4 minutes. 
9. Add veal and sauté until brown, about 5 minutes then add the wine. 
10. Increase the heat to high and boil until wine is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. 
11. Add 1 cup chicken broth and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
12. Pour in the reserved mushroom liquid. 
13. Simmer until the liquid is almost absorbed, about 5 minutes. 
14. Transfer the mixture to a processor. 
15. Process the mixture until coarsely chopped, then return the mixture to the skillet. 
16. Mix in the tomatoes with juices, bay leaves, sage, fennel seeds and porcini mushrooms and reduce the heat to low. 
17. Simmer uncovered until sauce thickens, breaking up the tomatoes with a fork, adding the remaining chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring occasionally for about 1 hour. 
18. Season with salt and pepper.  
19. Cook the pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender Al dente, stirring occasionally, then drain. 
20. Add the sauce to the pasta pot and rewarm over medium heat. 
21. Add pasta and toss to combine. 
22. Transfer to bowl and sprinkle with cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.
23. Enjoy!

Phew! I know that seemed like a lot of steps, but I have confidence that it will be made perfectly. You all are amazing and I will see you tomorrow for another great installment of Everyday Meals. Have an awesome afternoon!

Recipe Overload! 7 New Recipes Just For You

Good morning my lovely bloggers! Due to a recent move, I have been unavailable for the past week. But, fear not my lovelies! I come to you with a weeks worth of recipes that'll knock anyone off of their feet. I bring some breakfast recipes and a whole lot of grilling recipes (just because Summer is so fun!). So, this will be one heck of a blog entry. Let's grab our necessities and get started!

Mexican Shrimp Burgers

You will need:


For the Burgers:

• 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined 
• 1 egg 
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves 
• 1 garlic clove, peeled 
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs, plus more as needed 
• 1 poblano chile, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and diced 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

For the Avocado Aioli: 

• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled 
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 
• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled 
• 1 serrano chile, stemmed, halved and seeded 
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves 
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

• 6 hamburger buns, split in half 
• 3 medium tomatoes, sliced 
• 6 lettuce leaves or a mixture of baby lettuce leaves

1. For the Burgers: In a food processor, combine the shrimp, egg, cilantro, garlic, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, poblano chile, salt, and pepper. 
2. Process until the mixture is a coarse puree. 
3. Form the mixture into 6 patties and set aside (if the mixture is too wet, add additional bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture can be molded easily). 
4. Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the patties with vegetable oil and grill until golden, about 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. 
5. For the Avocado Aioli: Scoop the avocado pulp into the bowl of a food processor. 
6. Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic cloves, serrano chile and cilantro. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
7. Serve the shrimp burgers on buns, topped with a dollop of avocado aioli, sliced tomato, and lettuce.

Sweet Tea Ribs

You will need:

• 6 bags black tea
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 orange
• 2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 pounds)

1. Empty 3 tea bags into a bowl and combine the loose tea with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 
2. Grate in the orange zest. 
3. Pat the ribs dry and trim the membrane from the underside. 
4. Rub the tea mixture over the ribs and place in a roasting pan, meat-side up, and bring to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. 
6. Steep the remaining 3 tea bags in 2 cups boiling water for about 5 minutes. 
7. Discard the bags and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and the juice of half the orange. 
8. Pour the mixture around the ribs in the pan. 
9. Cover with foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
10. Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the temperature to 450. 
11. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 
12. Baste the ribs with some of the liquid, then return to the oven and cook, uncovered, basting a few times, until the ribs are dark and glazed, 20 to 30 minutes.
13. When the remaining liquid in the saucepan is syrupy, add lemon juice to taste. 
14. Brush the ribs with the glaze. 
15. Cut the racks into pieces and serve.

Dry Rubbed BBQ Chicken

You will need:

• 8 cups water, plus 2 tablespoons
• 3/4 cup kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dry BBQ seasoning, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves

1. In a large plastic container with a lid add 8 cups water, 3/4 cup salt, 3/4 cup brown sugar, vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the BBQ seasoning. 
2. Stir until well mixed. 
3. Add the chicken to the brine and refrigerate at least 2 hours and no longer than 4 hours
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Remove chicken from the brine and pat dry. 
6. In a small bowl combine 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons dry BBQ seasoning. 
7. Rub the outside of the chicken with spice mix and transfer to a roasting pan. 
8. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the pan and put in the oven. Roast for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat reaches 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. 
9. Remove the chicken from the oven to a cutting board. 
10. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, loosely covered with foil, before carving and arranging on a serving platter. 
11. Enjoy!

French Toast Panini

You will need:

• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cognac (optional)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt
• 8 slices Texas toast or other thick white bread
• 3 large ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
• Pure maple syrup, for garnish

1. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, orange juice, vanilla, cognac, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
2. Place the bread in 2 shallow baking dishes in a single layer. 
3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and let soak for 10 minutes.
4. While the bread is soaking, preheat a grill to medium. 
5. Place a flat cast-iron skillet on the grill. 
6. Brush the bananas with the melted butter and cook in the skillet until they are browned on all sides and beginning to release their juices, about 3 minutes. 
7. Use a spatula to transfer the bananas to a plate, then wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. 
8. When the bananas are cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
9. Remove a piece of bread from the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off. 
10. Place on a cutting board, top with four or five banana slices, then cover with another piece of bread. 
11. Brush the skillet on the grill lightly with vegetable oil. 
12. Add the sandwich to the pan and place a grill press or heavy pan over the sandwich to weigh it down. 
13. Cook until the bread is nicely toasted and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. 
14. Flip, press and cook on the other side until golden. 
15. Keep warm and repeat with the remaining bread and bananas, adding more oil as needed. 
16. Transfer the panini to plates and slice in half diagonally, then top with confectioners' sugar and plenty of maple syrup.

Corned Beef Hash

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 ounces cooked corned beef, diced
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and shredded
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 slices cheddar cheese

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat. 
2. Add the corned beef and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it releases some fat and browns slightly, about 3 minutes. 
3. Stir in the onion, bell pepper and potatoes and cook, undisturbed, until brown and crisp on the bottom, about 6 minutes. 
4. Continue cooking, turning the hash as it browns evenly, about 15 more minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the eggs sunny-side up or over easy and season with salt and pepper.
6. Place the cheese slices on top of the hash, reduce the heat and let sit until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. 
7. To serve, top each portion of hash with a fried egg.

Open Face Lasagna

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound Mexican chorizo sausage, removed from casing 
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons smoked paprika, divided
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 8 lasagna noodles
• 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup grated manchego cheese

1. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat.
2. Once hot, add the chorizo, ground beef onion, and garlic. 
3. Using a spatula, break up the meat as small as you can as it browns. 
4. Saute until dark brown, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the red wine and simmer until the wine is reduced by half, about 1 minute.
6. Stir in the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, panko, heavy cream, and salt. 
7. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to very low, and cook for 15 minutes. 
8. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.
9. Add the lasagna noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. 
10. Put 1 lasagna noodle on each of 4 plates. 
11. Spoon the meat mixture over the pasta and spread it out evenly. 
12. Sprinkle on about 1/8 of the parsley and grated manchego. 
13. Lay another lasagna noodle on top. 
14. Sprinkle with more parsley and manchego over the second noodle and dust with remaining 1 tablespoon smoked paprika. 
15. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

Glazed Double-Cut Pork Chops

You will need:


For the Pork:

• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 4 double-cut bone-in pork loin chops
• Vegetable oil, for the grill

For the Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1.5 cups ketchup
• 1.25 cups apple juice
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1/2 cup prunes
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground
• black pepper

1. Prepare the pork: Mix 2 tablespoons salt, the black pepper, brown sugar and paprika in a bowl, then rub all over the chops. 
2. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. 
4. Stir in the vinegar and brown sugar until dissolved. 
5. Add the ketchup, apple juice, syrup, bourbon, prunes, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, 1 tablespoon salt and 1.5 teaspoons black pepper and bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 30 minutes. 
7. Puree with an immersion blender or in a regular blender.
8. Preheat a grill to medium. 
9. Brush the grates with vegetable oil, then place the chops directly over the flame and grill until marked and cooked halfway through, about 15 minutes. 
10. Turn the chops and place on a cooler area of the grill (such as the edges), then cover and cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140 degrees to 145 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes. 
11. Uncover and brush the chops on all sides with the prepared sauce, then cover and cook until glazed, about 5 more minutes. 
12. Transfer to a cutting board and brush with more sauce. 
13. Tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes. 
14. Serve with more sauce.

Voila! I hope you all thouroughly enjoyed yourselves. If not, clearly, I am not doing my job right. I will see you all tomorrow. That is a promise (now that I have an awesome internet provider...) Have a great day and most of all, have a blast cooking!

Pie and Bulgar

Good evening bloggers. I want to apologize for my disappearance. There was a recent environmental disaster in Massachusetts yesterday. I would have had a blog entry for you, however, with worrying for friends and family I was unable to provide that for you. Everyone is doing fine though. There were a few reported deaths and many injured. Downtown Springfield suffered a lot of destruction and the National Guard is to be called in for relief efforts. I'm 100 percent positive that they will bounce back, but in the mean time, all we can do is pray and stay updated. For now, we will occupy ourselves with a nice and hearty entry! Let's gather out aprons and meet back in the kitchen.

Spanakopita Pie

You will need:

• 1 lb lean ground beef 
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with Italian-style herbs, undrained 
• 12 sheets frozen phyllo (filo), thawed 
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 
• 1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs 
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.
3. In a 10 inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, then drain. 
4. Stir in spinach, parsley, salt, pepper, and all but 1/2 cup of the tomatoes. 
5. Cook and stir until hot and set aside.
6. Cover phyllo sheets with damp paper towel. 
7. Arrange the sheets, layering 3 at a time, in an "X" shape and then in a "plus" shape to create a spoke pattern on your work surface, brushing each with butter and sprinkling with 1 teaspoon of the bread crumbs as it is added. 
8. Transfer all the layers of the phyllo to a pie plate, gently easing dough down the sides of the pie plate and allowing excess dough to hang over edge. 
9. Place beef mixture in the pie plate and top with feta cheese. 
10. Fold overhanging phyllo up and over the filling, leaving 2 to 3 inches of the center of the filling uncovered. 
11. Spoon the remaining 1/2 cup of tomatoes in the center. 
12. Brush the phyllo with butter. 
13. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. 
14. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Mediterranean Shrimp with Bulgar

You will need:

• 2 cups water 
• 1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat 
• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or nonalcoholic wine 
• 2 cans diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic, undrained 
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
• 1 pound uncooked small (30 to 40 count) shrimp, peeled, deveined 
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. In a 2 quart saucepan, heat water to boiling. 
2. Add bulgur, then reduce heat to low. 
3. Cover and simmer about 12 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
4. Meanwhile, in a 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. 
5. Add the onion and cook about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. 
6. Stir in the wine and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
7. Stir tomatoes, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the parsley, the capers, black pepper and red pepper flakes into onion and cook 3 minutes. 
8. Stir in shrimp. 
9. Cover and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until the shrimp are pink.
10. Stir the cooked bulgur into shrimp mixture and sprinkle with cheese. 
11. Cover and cook for 2 more minutes. 
12. Sprinkle with remaining 1 and 1/2 tablespoons parsley.
13. Serve!

 Pictured Above: Mediterranean Shrimp

Pictured Above: Spanakopita Pie

Enjoy both of these recipes and I will see you all soon. I will keep you updated with the bounce back of Massachusetts. For now, have a great evening and I will see you as soon as I can. Good night!