• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cups (1-inch) bread cubes, slightly stale

• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Pinch sugar (optional)
• ¾ cup Italian olive oil

• ½ head romaine lettuce, cut into small pieces
• ½ head red leaf lettuce, cut into small pieces
• ½ head green leaf lettuce, cut into small pieces
• ½ Boston lettuce (optional)
• 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage (from about ¼ of a small head)
• 1 sliced Vidalia onion
• 2 ounces finely grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Place the oregano, salt, garlic powder and pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine; set aside. Place the bread cubes and oil in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Set aside to soak for a few minutes, then add the oregano mixture and toss to coat.  Spread the croutons onto a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. This ends up making about 3 cups of croutons; you’ll need 1 cup for the salad.

Place the vinegar, cheese, garlic powder, salt, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes and sugar (optional) in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. While whisking, slowly drizzle the oil into the vinegar mixture until emulsified. This makes about 1½ cups of dressing; you’ll need ¼-½ cup for the salad.

Place the romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, red cabbage and sliced Vidalia onion in a large bowl, drizzle with about ¼ cup of the dressing and toss to combine (adding more dressing if needed or to taste). Add 1 cup of the croutons and toss again. Top with more grated cheese and serve immediately, as this salad is best eaten fresh.

Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients:

1   Angel Food cake mix - bake as directed   ( 0R USE)

1  Vanilla cake mix - bake as directed

1  quart fresh strawberries

¼ cup white sugar

1  quart heavy cream

½ cup Confectioners sugar

Directions:

Bake cake as directed. Cool and set aside.

Cut a few strawberries in half  to garnish the top and set aside. Slice the remaining strawberries and toss them in a bowl with the sugar.

In a large bowl, pour in heavy cream and beat on medium speed. Add Confectioners sugar and beat on medium high until peaks form in the whipped cream.

Cut cake in half making two layers. Place one cake layer on a large serving plate; spread with half the whipped cream, spoon the sugar coated strawberries over cream. Put the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining whipped cream on top. Garnish with the cut strawberries. Refrigerate before serving.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional flour as needed, up to 1/4 cup

1/2 cup cake flour (recommended: Soft As Silk)

3 teaspoons sifted powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening (recommended: Crisco)

1/4 cup salted butter

Pinch salt

1 egg

2 teaspoons vinegar

1/4 cup ice cold water

Filling:

2 1/2 cups chopped red rhubarb, fresh

2 1/2 cups de-stemmed, washed and cut strawberries (in larger pieces)

1 1/2 cups sugar (1 1/4 cups for high altitude)

2 tablespoons minute tapioca

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons butter, cubed small

1 egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Large granule sugar

Directions

Crust Preparation:

Using 2 pastry blenders, blend the flours, sugar, shortening, butter and

salt. Whisk the egg, vinegar and water in a 2-cup measure and pour over the

dry ingredients incorporating all the liquid without overworking the dough.

Toss the additional flour over the ball of dough and chill if possible. Divide the

dough into 2 disks. Roll out 1 piece of dough to make a bottom crust. Place

into a pie dish. Put dish in refrigerator to chill.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Filling Preparation:

Mix the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, tapioca, flour, zest and juice of

lemon, dash of cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix well in a large bowl and pour out into

chilled crust. Dot the top of the filling with the butter. Brush edges of pie crust with

egg white wash. Roll out the other piece of dough and place over filling. Crimp to

seal edges. Brush with egg white wash and garnish with large granule sugar. Collar

with foil and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375

degrees F and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling starts

bubbling. Higher altitude will take 450 degrees F and 400 degrees F respectively.

Also, you can use a pie bird for extra decor. Let cool before serving.

Stuffed Red Le Rouge Peppers

Ingredients:

1 box beef Rice a Roni
6 large red le rouge peppers
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, diced
1 pound ground veal or beef
4 tablespoons Romano or Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375ᵒ. Place parchment paper onto a cookie sheet and
brush with olive oil.
Leave pepper whole and cut a hole on top and take out stem and any
seeds inside.
Prepare Rice-a-Roni according to directions and set aside. In a large
skillet, pour in olive oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté until transparent.
Add veal or beef and break into small pieces then cook until browned. Add
salt, pepper and parmesan cheese and stir until well blended.

Take a spoon and stuff each pepper with filling and place onto baking
sheet.
Place peppers in preheated oven, and turn peppers in between baking,
and bake for 30 minutes or until fork tender.
 

Ingredients:

18–24 asparagus spears
6 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
Pinch of tarragon
2 cups bread crumbs

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gently place asparagus spears into a skillet of boiling water and blanch. Drain the asparagus and place it in a buttered shallow baking pan. In a skillet, melt the butter and sauté the onion, garlic, parsley, and tarragon. Add the bread crumbs and mix well. Spoon the bread crumb mixture over the asparagus, cover the pan with foil, and bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake at 400 degrees for an additional 5 minutes to achieve a crusty top. Enjoy!

 PETER Jr.’s Guacamole Dip

3 Avocados, peeled & mashed

Juice of 1 lime

½ - red onion, peeled & diced

2 teaspoons – fresh Cilantro, minced

1 Plum tomato, seeded & diced

Pinch of garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Pinch of Cumin, (optional)

In a large bowl, add all of the above ingredients and mix together.  If you are not serving it right away, you can put into the refrigerator.
Please Note:To keep the avocado dip from turning brown, before you put it into the refrigerator, take the pit from the avocado and put it on top of the dip and press down until part of the pit is in view. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound broccoli rabe 
• 1 small onion, diced 
• 3 garlic clove, diced 
• 1/2  pound sausage, no casing 
• 3/4  pound ricotta cheese (whole milk) 
• 1/2  cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3  tablespoons grated cheese 
• 1 egg
• 2 pie crusts for bottom and top
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tsp olive oil 
• 
  

Sauté garlic and oil until lightly browned and add broccoli rabe; sauté until tender. Strain the broccoli rabe and garlic mixture to remove the excess liquid. Chop the mixture finely, and set aside for later use. Cook the sausage meat and the diced onions until the mixture is fully cooked.  Drain the sausage mixture of any excess liquid.  Make sure the sausage and onion mixture is chopped, without any large pieces of meat. Add sausage mixture to the broccoli rabe mixture.  Blend well.  Next, add the ricotta, mozzarella, grated cheese and egg.   Stir until mixed well.  Add broccoli rabe and sausage mixture to the pie crust, and distribute evenly.  Add pie crust over the top.  Cut a vent hole in the center of the pie. Pinch the edges of the two crusts together. Brush the top of the pie and the edges with a beaten egg yolk.    Place pie on a cookie sheet, and bake at 375° for 45 minutes to an hour, or until golden brown. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving  

Broccoli & Cheese

Ingredients

2 heads broccoli

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 pound Velveeta cheese, melted

 1/2 cup milk

 1 1/2 cups Ritz crackers, crumbled

 2 tablespoons chopped onions

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

Preparing

In a large saucepan, steam broccoli until fork tender. In small saucepan, melt the

Velveeta cheese on low head and add milk and onions. Stir until well blended.

Preheat oven to 375°. Layer the ingredients in a large casserole, beginning with

the melted cheese, then adding the broccoli and sprinkling with the cracker

crumbs. Dot the crumb layer with butter and repeat. Sprinkle the final layer with

additional cracker crumbs. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and let stand

in oven for an additional 5 minute

Makes  6 to 8 servings

6  Large Apples  ( A mix of different apples is great)

3  Tablespoons sugar

3  Teaspoons ground cinnamon

2  Teaspoons instant tapioca

1  Baked  9-inch pie shell

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

CRUMB TOPPING

1 1/2 cups flour

1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup ( 1 1/2 sticks) butter

Preheat the oven to 375*F

Peel, core, and slice the apples and place in a large bowl. Add the sugar,

cinnamon, and tapioca and stir together until the apples are well coated.

Spoon the apple mixture into the pie shell. Dot with butter or margarine

and set aside.

For the crumb topping, place the flour, cinnamon, and sugar in a large

bowl and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the

mixture has the texture of course cornmeal. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the apples.

Bake the pie for 40 to 45 minutes

.

Enjoy the Taste of Fall