Dark Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

11 ounce package of dark chocolate morsels

7 Tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Heat oven to 400.  Grease four 8 ounce ramekins, or 6 smaller ones completely.  Over low heat melt the butter and chocolate together in a saucepan or double boiler.  Do not let it get too hot or it will clump up.  Mix in the sugar with a spoon until it is fully incorporated, then add vanilla.  Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl.  Add a little of the chocolate to the eggs to bring them to a warmer temperature without cooking them, and then add the egg mixture to the chocolate and continue mixing with the spoon.  Add the flour and combine until it completely mixed in.  Pour the batter into the ramekins, place them on a baking sheet, and bake them for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and from any heat source.  Invert the ramekin on a plate let it sit for 2 minutes before removing.  Use a shaker to sprinkle powdered sugar over the top.  Serve warm with whipped or fruit topping, or both.  And remember one thing... There is no such thing as too chocolaty. 

Traditional Panna Cotta with a Raspberry Sauce

Try this delicious recipe for a simple yet fulfilling dessert.

4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 packets of powdered gelatin
zest of 1 lemon
6 tablespoons cold water
6 ounce package fresh raspberries

Simmer cream, lemon zest, and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan and heat until all of the sugar is completely mixed in.  Turn off heat and mix in vanilla.  Meanwhile, add gelatin to the 6 tablespoons of water in a mixing bowl and let set for 5-10 minutes.  Strain cream mixture into the bowl (to remove zest) and mix thoroughly.  Pour into small cups and refrigerate for 4 hours.  For the sauce: Slowly heat the raspberries with 2 tablespoons sugar, mashing as they heat up.  Heat until raspberries are broken down into a thick liquid.  You can also puree them in a blender to speed the process.  Strain out the seeds and put into a bowl.  Put in the refrigerator.  When serving, you can put a couple tablespoons of raspberry into the serving cup, or you can place the panna cotta on a plate and put the raspberry sauce on top or on the side.  Makes between 6-8 servings.

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Greek Chicken Orzo

This can make your kitchen a mess, but the flavor is real nice, and it makes for awesome leftovers.  You can also add a fish like tilapia If you want.

2 to 3 lbs. chicken cutlet
1 box orzo pasta
1 16 ounce jar of green olives (no pits)
5 garlic cloves (minced or pressed)
1 teaspoon capers
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cucumber
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
¼ cup pine nuts
1 red onion
1 tomato
Juice from 2 lemons
1 cup feta cheese
Salt and pepper
·         Cut the cucumber into slices (1/4 inch or less).  Dice the tomato and red onion
·         Make an olive tapenade marinade by adding 1/3 of the olives, all of the capers into a food processor with olive oil, and blend until it is smooth.  Add to a bowl with the garlic, rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes, and the juice from ½ lemon.
·         Butterfly and cut the chicken cutlet into 2 inch pieces.  If the chicken is not butterflied, then cut into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces.  Salt and pepper the chicken at this time.
·         Dredge in the marinade and the fry in a skillet until fully cooked.
·         Cook orzo past al dente.  Drain and put in a large bowl
·         Add the remaining lemon juice, along with the remaining olives, the cucumber, red onion, and pine nuts and mix well.
·         Add the chicken and parsley, and serve with feta cheese sprinkled on top

Clams in a Chorizo Jalapeno Tequila Sauce

You can add more or less of any these ingredients depending on whether or not you are eating this as an appetizer, by itself, or serving it over linguini.  Either way, the flavor of the broth is pretty intense.  Enjoy.

2 dozen little neck clams (scrubbed)

1 cup chorizo diced
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced green or red pepper
3 garlic cloves mashed
¼ cup tequila
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon diced jalapeno
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder (or red chili flakes)
½ cup chopped cilantro
Small loaf of sourdough bread (and butter if desired)

In a large pot brown the chorizo in the oil.  Add the peppers, onions, and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and clear, about 3 minutes.  Add the jalapeno, salt, and chipotle, cook for 2 minutes.  Add the tequila and broth and bring to a boil.  Add the clams and cilantro and mix.  Cover the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes (clams will open), stirring once in the process.  Lightly toast slices of the sourdough bread with a little butter.  Serve clams in a shallow bowl with sauce, use the bread for dipping.

Peach & Blueberry Crumb Pie

Thank you to Giada De Laurentiis for this... 

1 - store bought pie crust
1 - egg white

Filling, add to a bowl and mix:
1 pound peaches, sliced
1 pound blueberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup tapioca pearls, ground a little finer (make the filling more full)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
zest of 1 lemon and the juice of 1/2 lemon

Crumb crust, add to a processor and mix well:
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 stick butter out of the refrigerator cut into small cubes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Brush the inside of the pie crust with the egg white to seal it and help prevent the filling from making the crust soggy.  Add the filling and spread evenly throughout.  Place the crumbs from the crust all over the top of the pie until it is fully covered.  Place the pie crust pan on a rimmed baking sheet to keep any overflow from spilling into the oven.  Bake pie for 50-55 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Fiery Korean Satays

½ cup gochujang paste (Korean red chili paste)

¼ cup sriracha sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
¼ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
¼ cup lite soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
½ cup pineapple juice (chicken only)
½ cup chopped pineapple (chicken only)
2-3 pounds of pork or chicken
Salt

1.      Combine all of the non-meat ingredients in a large bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
2.      For grilled meat set the wooden skewers in water and let them soak
3.      Using a very sharp knife, slice the meat into thin long pieces (1/4 thick).  Salt the meat and put it into the marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature
4.      If grilling, thread the meat onto the skewers and reserve the remaining marinade for brushing the meat while it grills.
5.      If grilling cooked the meat on a hot grill and turn every minute, and brush the marinade on each turn.  Should take no more the 3-4 minutes total.
6.      If sautéing the meat then removed the meat from the marinade and put into a hot skillet and provide a good sear on each side.  Add enough marinade (and pineapple if chicken) to cover ½ the meat and sauté for 15-20 on a med-low heat until cooked.
7.      Serve