Left Over Frech Toast

Most nights if I don't have pasta we will have french bread with dinner and instead of letting the leftovers go to waste, I use them to make the very best french bread. This is another favorite recipe inspired by my grandmother but modified to my liking.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 loaf french bread, sliced into 1 in thick slices
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp butter
- Maple syrup, jam, berries or fruit to be served with

Directions:

- Mix eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon
- Put bread and mix in bag and let stand overnight in fridge
- Flip bag to ensure all toast is evenly soaked in mix
- Heat pan on med heat, and met 1 tbsp of butter
- Fry toast and flip every 2-3 minuts
- Add additional butter, as needed
- Flip toast 3-4 times, remove from pan and sere with  maple syrup, jam,  berries or fruit

Lobster Bisque Pasta

Aloha!

Last week I went to Costco and decided to to try their Kirkland Signature Lobster Bisque Soup. We had an impromptu dinner with some surprise visitors, nevertheless I had to improvise and make a lot with a little but my Lobster Bisque Pasta it was a hit. I served it with a side of lemon butter asparagus and french bread.

Ingredients:
- 1 package of Pasta (of your choice, I used spirals because it is what I had most of)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 2 Tsp. Salt
- 1 Tsp. Pepper
- 1/2 package of Kirkland Signature Lobster Bisque Soup (pictured above)
- 2 Tbsp. Butter
- 1/4 Cup Dry White Wine
- 1/2 Cup Half-and-Half
- 1 cup Parmesan (we eat a lot of cheese, you may not need as much)  
- Parsley garnish

*Please keep in mind that these are not exact measurements, feel free to manipulate recipe to your liking. Cooking should be fun and creative!  


Directions:
-  Boil a large pot of water add Olive Oil and 1 Tsp. Salt
- While waiting for the water to boil, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan on medium low heat.
- Add the wine and half-and-half (4-5 min), add lobster bisque, 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Stir occasionally. 
- When water is boiling add pasta, cook till al dente (5-7 minuets depending on pasta your using)
- Strain pasta, return pasta to large pot and mix with sauce. Plate pasta and garnish with parsley.
- Dont forget the cheese! Serve with Parmesan.


Or you can do it the lazy way, just cook pasta, heat bisque and mix. 


Enjoy!

Nona's Stuffed Mushrooms

This is my grandmothers recipe and has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. They are just delicious!

Ingredients:

• 20 Button or Cremini mushrooms, scrubbed clean, stems separated from the caps
• 1/2 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs
• 1/3 Cup Olive Oil 
• 3 Cloves of Garlic Pressed (or minced if garlic press is unavailable)
• 3 Tbsp. Minced Parsley 
• 1 Tsp. Garlic Salt
• 1 Tsp. Black Pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
• Mince mushroom stems finely, and mix with breadcrumbs,oliveoil, garlic, parsley, garlic salt and black pepper
• Stuff mushroom caps with mixture
• Place in pan and bake for 30 minuets, till stuffed is nicely browned

Enjoy! 

Any Kine Piccata

This recipe is a coated and battered chicken, it is a great alternative from the plain old chicken fingers. It will be sure to wow your mature and sophisticated dinner crowd, while maintaining the loyalty of the picky children critics. This recipe is great because it lets the chefs personality shine through!

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast or Thighs 6pc. (Can be substituted with fish, Mahi Mahi is a good alternative)
• 2 Egg Lightly Beaten 
• 3/4 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs (Can be substituted with Panko Breadcrumbs or other flavors)
• 1 Tsp. Garlic Salt (Can be substituted for plain salt, and adjusted to taste)
• 1/2 Tsp. Pepper (Can be adjusted to taste) 
• 1/2 Tsp. Oregano (Be creative use your favorite spices, fresh or dried)
• 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil (Can be substituted or used in combination with Butter, or Grapeseed oil)
• 1 Lemon (San be substituted with your favorite sauce or salad dressing, ex. Mae Ploy, sweet Thai chili sauce)

 Directions:

• Rinse and pat dry chicken breast or thighs
• Mix breadcrumbs, garlic salt/salt, pepper, oregano/spices
• Dip chicken into egg mixture and then in breadcrumb mixture
• Heat olive oil in 12" skillet over medium heat
• Brown chicken and when flipping squeeze lemon juice (or your favorite sauce) over browned chicken