This is one of my VERY favorite treats! I hope you enjoy them too!
They're so delicious and easy to make...
I personally leave off the white chocolate...but it does make them look prettier.

This recipe is not limited to strawberries, you can use all kinds of fruit. I have used bananas, orange sections and maraschino cherries on toothpicks!
Try your own favorite fruits!


Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Prep Time: 20 min Inactive Prep Time: 30 min

INGREDIENTS

1 pound chocolate covered strawberries
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well

Directions

Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)

Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.

Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

This is one of my favorite sandwiches. It's definately not your same ol' plain sandwich! If you can, enjoy it with a cup of seafood gumbo. You'll think you're in the big easy!

Muffaletta: A Taste of New Orleans


A whole mufaletta is served on round loaf of bread about eight inches in diameter and two inches tall. Good for couples as it is big enough to share.

The key ingredient is the Olive Mix. The recipe is below.
Ideally you want to make the sandwich an hour or two before eating it so the juices from the olive mix can soak into the bread, which makes this a perfect picnic sandwich.



Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
•1 loaf Mufaletta bread (or Italian bread)
•1 cup olive mix
•1/4 lb sliced ham
•1/4 lb sliced mortadella
•1/4 lb sliced Genoa salami
•1/4 lb sliced provolone
•1/4 lb sliced mozzarella

Preparation:
1. Cut bread in half horizontally.

2. Spread half with olive mix then layer on meats and cheeses.

3. Cover with top. (Note: Ideally the sandwich should be made an hour or more in advance and then tightly wrapped in plastic wrap to enable juices to soak bread.)

4. Slice into quarters and serve.



Note: I've made small versions of these on slices of baguette as an appetizer or hors d'oeuvre.
---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- --
This is the Olive Salad you spread onto the bread


Muffaletta Olive Salad: Intense, Outstanding

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

•3/4 cup pimento-stuffed olives
•1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
•1/4 cup giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables)
•2 lg. pepperoncini
•3 - 4 pickled onions (optional as there will be some in the giardiniera)
•2 Tbsp. capers (optional)
•1 md. clove garlic, chopped
•1 tsp. dried oregano
•A couple of grinds of blackpepper
•2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
•2 Tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:

1. Drain all ingredients.

2. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

3. Refrigerate overnight.

MEDITERRANEAN POTATOES

This recipe is both simple and tasty as a side dish


Talk about a hot potato dish. This Greek recipe puts a mouth-watering spin on simple yet scrumptious roasted potatoes. It's a satisfying side when you're short on time... and ingredients.

Ingredients

4-5 medium potatoes, cubed
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1-2 tbsp. Greek seasoning
Dash garlic seasoning


Methods/steps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss potatoes with remaining ingredients. Bake in 9x13 inch casserole dish for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden.

Ready in 40 min

Beer Can Chicken

This easy peasy recipe is one part meal, one part party trick. It calls for a whole bird, a few spices and a half can of beer. You simply mix the spices in with the beer, seat the chicken on the beer can, and pop it on the grill, simultaneously amusing and nourishing your guests.

Ingredients:


1 whole chicken
1 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt
1 ½ tsp of paprika
1 tsp of ground black pepper
½ tsp of onion powder
½ tsp of garlic powder
½ tsp of cayenne pepper
beer can stand/beer can

Directions:

Heat the grill to medium high heat.
In a small bowl, combine sugar, salt, paprika, ground black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

Rub the outside and inside cavity of the chicken with the spices.
Tuck the wing tips under.

Fill a beer can stand with 1/2 a can of beer, or use a 1/2 filled beer can.
Holding the chicken upright, slide it over the stand/can so it fits inside the cavity.

Cook with the grill closed for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Oooh, thanks for all of the recipes! I look forward to making some of these in my kitchen next year.

Buttermilk Baked Chicken


Prep Time: 15 min Inactive
Prep Time: 12 hr
Cook Time: 45 min Level:
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients
2 cups buttermilk
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
5 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, smashed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (3 pound) chicken cut into 8 pieces, rinsed and patted dry
2 cups crushed corn flakes
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme


Directions


Mix together buttermilk, lemon juice, hot sauce, onion, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Add chicken and coat with mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or up 12 hours.


Mix corn flakes, Parmesan cheese, and thyme together. Season with salt and pepper.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fit a sheet tray with a wire rack and spray with non stick cooking spray

Remove chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and dredge through the corn flake-Parmesan mixture, pressing to help it adhere.


Place on the wire rack-fitted sheet tray and bake for 45 minutes until golden and crisp.


Cook's Note: Remove the skin to save calories. Soaking chicken in buttermilk leaves the chicken incredibly moist with a delicious flavor.

Classic Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time: 15 min-- Cook Time: 13 min Level:Easy
Serves: 4 to 6 servings


Ingredients

3 pounds boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Peel the potatoes, cut them into 1-inch cubes and place them in a large pot of boiling salted water. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return them to the pot.


Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter is melted.


Using a hand held mixer, break the potatoes up and at low speed slowly add the hot milk/butter mixture to make the potatoes very creamy. Add the sour cream, 2 teaspoons of salt and the pepper and whisk to combine. Serve hot

Louisiana Dirty Rice

Ingredients
1/2 lb chicken gizzards
1 1/4 cups canned chicken broth
1 cup water
2 slices bacon
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped ( about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup chopped scallions ( green onions, about 5 medium)
2 medium carrots, chopped ( about 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper ( ground red pepper)
1 cup raw rice
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 lb chicken livers

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the gizzards, chicken broth, and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the gizzards are tender, about 45 minutes. Reserving the broth, remove the gizzards, and when they are cool enough to handle, mince them and set them aside.

2. In a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Reserving the fat in the pan, drain the bacon on paper towels; crumble and set aside.

3. In the bacon fat, saute the gizzards over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the green and red bell peppers, the onion, scallions, carrots, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook over medium heat until vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.

5. Add the rice and reserved broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chicken livers and saute until firm, about 5 minutes. Let the livers cool slightly, then coarsely chop them. Toss the chicken livers and bacon with the rice.

7. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.