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eat well, dined well - good food

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There is no sincerer love than the love of food.

George Bernard Shaw

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Ingredients

·         1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

·         1 teaspoon sugar

·         1-1/4 cups warm water (110° to 115°)

·         1/4 cup canola oil

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·         1/2 pound ground beef

·         1 small onion, chopped

·         1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

·         3 teaspoons dried oregano

·         1 teaspoon dried basil

·         1 medium green pepper, diced

·         2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

·         In large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water; let stand for 5 minutes. Add oil and salt. Stir in flour, a cup at a time, until a soft dough forms.

·         Turn onto floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 2-3 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.

·         Punch down dough; divide in half. Press each into a greased 12-in. pizza pan. Combine the tomato sauce, oregano and basil; spread over each crust. Top with beef mixture, green pepper and cheese.

·         Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.

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Spring Rolls

 Ingredients

2 cups thinly sliced romaine

1-1/2 cups cubed cooked pork

1 cup thinly sliced fresh spinach

3/4 cup julienned carrot

1/3 cup thinly sliced celery

1/3 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon sesame oil

12 round rice paper wrappers (8 inches)

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup wasabi-coated green peas

Sesame ginger salad dressing

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine     the first six ingredients. Drizzle with oil; toss to coat.

2. Fill a large shallow dish     partway with water. Dip a rice paper wrapper into water just until     pliable, about 45 seconds (do not soften completely); allow excess water     to drip off.

3. Place wrapper on a flat     surface. Layer salad mixture, almonds and peas across bottom third of     wrapper. Fold in both ends of wrapper; fold bottom side over filling, then     roll up tightly. Place on a serving plate, seam side down. Repeat with     remaining ingredients. Serve with dressing.

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Carbonara Spaghetti

Ingredients

·         3 oz. bacon 

·         2 cloves garlic 

·         12 oz. spaghetti 

·         3 large eggs 

·         3/4 cup grated Parmesan 

·         Freshly cracked pepper 

·         Salt to taste 

·         Handful fresh parsley

Instructions

1.    Fill a large pot with water for the pasta and season with salt. Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over high heat.

2.    While waiting for the water to boil, cut the bacon into small pieces. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until brown and crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet, then turn the heat down to low. Mince two cloves of garlic, add them to the warm skillet, and sauté for about one minute or until fragrant and softened, then turn off the heat.

3.    In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and a generous dose of freshly cracked pepper.

4.    The water should be boiling at this point, so add the pasta, stir well, and continue to boil the pasta until al dente. Reserve one cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.

5.    Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet that was used to cook the bacon. Stir the warm water in the skillet and dissolve the browned bits from the surface of the skillet. Add the steaming hot drained pasta to the skillet and toss in the bacon liquid in the skillet.

6.    Pour the egg and Parmesan mixture over the hot pasta and immediately begin to stir or toss the pasta. Continue to stir the hot pasta in the egg mixture until a creamy sauce forms. Add the remaining Parmesan, a little more freshly cracked pepper, and the reserved bacon bits, and toss again. If the pasta becomes too thick or dry, add a splash more of the reserved pasta water.

7.    Finally, taste the pasta and adjust the salt, Parmesan, or pepper if needed. Top with a pinch or two of roughly chopped parsley leaves.

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Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 slices Swiss cheese

4 slices cooked ham

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

 Directions

Preheat     oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 7x11 inch baking dish with     nonstick cooking spray.

Pound     chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.

Sprinkle     each piece of chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese     slice and 1 ham slice on top of each breast. Roll up each breast, and     secure with a toothpick. Place in baking dish, and sprinkle chicken evenly     with bread crumbs.

Bake     for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from     oven, and place 1/2 cheese slice on top of each breast. Return to oven for     3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove toothpicks, and serve     immediately.