I made Karin's Chocolate Truffle Pie

Great Recipe Karin, it was delicious

JO JO'S HOMEMADE CREPE'S

1 C FLOUR ( CAN USE WHEAT IF SO MIX 1/2 C WHITE & 1/2 C WHEAT)
1 EGG
1 C 2% OR 1% MILK
1 t. SUGAR ( CAN USE SPLENDA)
1 t. VANILLA OPT.
1 t. SALT
OIL OR PAM W/BUTTER
POWERED SUGAR OPT.
JAMS OR JELLIES OF ANY KINDS
MIX IN LARGE BOWL ALL INGREDIENTS EXCEPT FOR OIL JAMS POWERED SUGAR
BEAT WITH WHISK WELL TILL LUMPS ARE GONE
IF TOO THICK ADD WATER TILL LIKE A SOUP
USE A 7" FRYING PAN SPRAY OR USE VERY LITTLE OIL EVERY TIME
WHEN HOT ON MED TO MED HIGH HEAT SCOOP ONE LADLE TO COVERS PAN AND IS THIN LOOKING , WATCH TILL IT STARTS TO LIFT FROM SIDES , THEN FLIP OVER WITH SPATULA AND COOK OTHER SIDE ,
PUT ON PLATE TILL COOLED AND FILL WITH JAMS OR JELLIES AND ROLL UP AND SPRINKLE WITH POWERED SUGAR IF DESIRED
I FILL ONE AT A TIME WHEN ANOTHER ONE IS COOKING
RECIPE CAN BE DOUBLED**
DONT GET DISCOURAGED IF THEY WONT FLIP OR STICK ,OIL OR PAM IS NOT HOT ENOUGH OR PRACTICE UR FLIPPING METHODS ,AFTER YOU GET THE HANG OF IT YOU WILL WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER BATCH ***

BY : JOANN GIUGLIANO

Chocolate Truffle Pie

This recipe is INCREDIBLY easy & will satisfy ANYone's craving for chocolate. For the best result, use a GOOD quality chocolate (like Ghirardelli).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees - 325 degrees if you're using a glass pie plate. Spray a pie pan lightly with nonstick spray.

Melt (and cool slightly) a 12 oz. package of semisweet chocolate chips. Instead of smearing up a bowl, I spread the chips out on a large, heavy paper plate and microwave it until it's just barely melted.

In a mixing bowl, combine and mix well, using a wire whisk:
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teasp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

Stir in the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pie dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the OUTER half of the pie is a bit puffy, but center is still slightly soft. Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.

Serve with whipped cream. Garnish with raspberries or other berries, if you like. Keep refrigerated.

(Chopped, toasted nuts can also be added when you add the chocolate to the batter before baking.)

Carrot Pineapple Cake

3 C Sifted Cake flour
2 C sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 8oz can crushed pineapple
3 eggs beaten
3/4 c cooking oil (veg)
3/4 c buttermilk
2 tsps vanilla
1 1/2 c chopped walnuts
2 c grated carrots..
3 1/2 oz shredded coconut

Mix together all dry ingredients. Drain pineapple..reserve syrup ..add syrup to dry mixture..add eggs , cooking oil , buttermilk & vanilla ...beat 3 minutes...mix in pineapple..nuts..carrots and coconut..Bake in greased and floured bundt pan...325 for about an hour to hour and a half..depending on oven ...do done test to know for sure..

Cream Cheese Frosting
3oz cream cheese
1 3/4 c sifted powder sugar
1/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla... Mix until smooth..

Jo's Sesame Shrimp W/ Fried Rice

1 c. uncooked white rice
4 T. sesame oil ,divided in 2
1 LB Large shrimp peeled and devined
2 T. teriyaki w/pineapple marinade sauce
2 t. fresg Lemon juice
2 T. kikoman soy sauce
1 Large egg
1 T. sesame seeds
opt . pea pods

1. cook rice according to directions put aside to cool.
2. In large skillet or wok heat 2 T. of sesame oil over med heat
add shrimp teriyaki sauce, lemon juice &salt and pepper to taste.
cook till shrimp are pink and not rubbery ,remove shrimp & sauce, put aside.
3. add remaining sesame oil to skillet ,add cooked cooled rice,soy sauce,& seeds.
cook and stir around a bit ,take egg scramble it up & drip it all around rice mixture,till cooked. cook rice until browned on bottom stir occasionally when sticks on bottom loosen with spatula.
4.spoon shrimp & sauce over fried rice ,sprinkle more seeds if desired & more soy sauce ( I do) if needed.
5. can add pea pods for different flavor or added color
Takes approx prep time 20-25 min & cook time 25-30 min
Serve as main dish or use as a side dish
By Joann Giugliano

Tortilla Soup

Keep in mind that there isn't a standard recipe for this and amounts are approximate. Add more (or less) vegetables/seasonings, depending on your taste! In an 8 qt. stockpot, add a couple tsps. olive oil and saute 2 cups sliced celery, 2 cups chopped onion & a few cloves crushed/chopped garlic - until soft & wilted, NOT browned. To that, add 1- 15 oz. can of chopped tomatoes with juice (or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes. Add 1-1/2-2 cups sliced carrots. Add 4 qts. chicken stock/broth, home made or canned/boxed. Bring to a boil - add 2 large pcs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Simmer (covered) for 1/2 hour, until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken & dice up meat - return meat to stock. Simmer another 1/2 hour. Season stock with salt & pepper to taste. Add 1 teasp. ground cumin, 2 teasp. chili powder and 2 tblsp. chopped fresh parsley. You can add some fresh, chopped cilantro now OR before serving, if you'd like - I'm not crazy about fresh cilantro so I don't use it. If you like a super-spicy soup (say THAT 3 times quickly!!), add some hot chili peppers or cayenne - to taste. Continue to simmer the stock for another 15 minutes. Add 2 cups (canned or fresh/cooked) black beans and 2 cups (canned, frozen or fresh off the cob) corn. Taste and add more salt/pepper, if needed. Simmer for another half hour. Spoon the soup into bowls - add grated chihuahua cheese (or co-jack) and garnish with tortilla strips.

Pasta from Scratch

Basic Pasta Recipe

2 C All purpose flour
4 Eggs
Chilled Water

Mound flour on a work suface or in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center
Break eggs into well and whisk with fork incorporating flour as you whisk
You may need to add chilled water a few drops at a time to make a loosely massed dough
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, It should be soft pliable and dry to touch
Knead dough for 5 to 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Cover with towel and let sit for 30 minutes

Roll out dough
Divide into 4 managable portions
Working one portion at a time. and keeping the rest covered
Flatten dough on floured surface
roll out from center toward edges till 1/4 inch thick then fold in half and roll out again
Do this 5 or six times to achieve a smooth circle of pasta then roll to about 1/8 inch thick sheet.
if pasta is to be filled keep it covered with a lightly floured dish towel and don't let it dry out.
If sheets are to be cut to lengths or shapes, leave uncovered while you work the other portions of the dough,
If using pasta maching work dough through rollers making the setting smaller till desired thickness is reached

Orzo with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta

We have Dierberg's Grocer's here in St. Louis which has a kitchen and homemade food items. They also have a cooking school and one location has a real snazzy set-up with glass windows so people can watch. Dierberg puts out a little magazine called Everybody Cooks. They now have a local TV show that instructs how to make the recipes in the magazine. This edition had some recipes that remind me of Karin, one's she'd make or eat!! So this one's for you Karin!

Orzo with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta

3 tbs. EVOO
2 tbs. minced garlic
2 medium tomatoes, halved, seeded, and chopped about 2 cups, or 1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup pitted whole kalamata olives
1 tbs. grated lemon peel
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cup tri-colored orzo pasta, cooked and drained
4 oz. (1 cup) feta cheese
2 tbs. snipped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup pin nuts, toasted

In a large skillet, heat EVOO over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives, and lemon peel and juice; stir until well mixed. Add cooked orzo; cook stirring occasionally until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Place in large serving bowl. Sprinkle feta and basil over top; lightly toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle pine nuts over top. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Pumpkin and Basil Ravioli with Sage Butter

Pumkin and Basil Ravioli

Filling
4 c Fresh pumkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed
6 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 c Finely chopped red onion
1/2 c Ricotta cheese
1 Beaten egg yolk
1/4 c Grated Parmesan
1 tsp Grated nutmeg
2 Tbsp Chopped Basil (or 1 tbsp dry basil)

Pasta
1 quantity fresh pasta dough
Rolled out to 1/8 inch thick sheets, keep moist

Sage Butter
2 sticks butter
1/2 C sage leaves

Make the Filling
put pumkin in shallow roasting pan with 3 Tbsp oil
season well with salt and pepper and bake in oven @ 375f for 40 minutes or until soft

In a small skillet gently cook onion in remaining olive oil only till tender, Drain.

In a bowl mash pumpkin with onion. Leave to cool

When cool, crumble in ricotta, mix in egg yolk, Parmesan, nutmeg and basil, whisk with fork or wire whisk till well mixed. Season to taste and set aside.

Make pasta and roll into long sheets about 6 inchs wide.

Fill Ravioli
If you have a ravioli form and wish to use it fill each well with about 1 teaspoon of filling.
I prefer to form ravioli individually
To form ravioli lay out pasta sheet and starting at about one inch from end of sheet place a well rounded tsp about 1 inch from one side of pasta sheet at with about 1 1/2 inch space between each spoonful continue till you get to opposite edge once more leaving at least an inch of pasta sheet.
Gently fold opposite side of sheet over filling and gently press down between mounds with fingers.
Cut raviolis with pastry wheel of knife.
On a floured surface using a fork, press edges of around fillling to seal ravioli.
Place on cookie sheet and store in freezer till ready to cook

Cook Ravioli in boiling salted water for about five minutes, remove to serving platter with slotted spoon.

Make Sage Butter

Melt butter slowly with sage leaves and leave to infuse for at least 5 minutes. Pour over ravioli, serve.

Serves 6

Pasta Pot Pie

Pasta Pot Pie
2 Prepared pie crust circles
1/2 lb Cooked pasta (ziti or mostacolli)
Sauce
1/2 lb Ground beef
1 clove Garlic, crushed
1/4 c Onion, chopped
1 14 oz can. diced tomatoes
2 Basil leaves (or 1 tsp dried basil)
salt and pepper to taste Cheese filling
1 c Ricotta cheese
1 Egg
1 Tbsp Parsley flakes
1 Tbsp Parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese Layers
1/4 c Parmesan, shredded or grated
1/2 c Mozzarella, shredded

Prepare Sauce
Brown ground beef with onion and garlic,
Drain fat and add tomatoes and basil
salt and pepper to taste, add a pinch of crushed red pepper is desired
Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer 15 minutes

Prepare Cheese filling
In a small bowl whisk with fork, ricotta, egg, parsley, pinch of salt, pinch of black pepper and 1 Tbsp grated parmesan till well mixed
Cook pasta in salted water to aldente according to directions on pkg
Drain pasta and mix with sauce and set aside

Assemble Pie
Grease a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray
Lay 1 prepared pie crust circle in pie pan and form to bottom of pan letting it overlap evenly all around the top of the pan.
Spoon in about 1/2 - 3/4 inch of prepared pasta
Spread entire ricotta mixture over bottom layer of pasta
Sprinkle layer of Parmesan over ricotta
Spoon another layer of pasta over Parmesan all the way to top of pan. Use enough pasta so that top center is higher than edges, like a mound Spread a layer of mozzarella evenly over top pasta layer
Lay top pie crust loosely over entire pie pinching two crusts together all around.
Make a few punctures with a fork in top of crust.
Bake in preheated 450f oven for 30 to 40 minutes till medium brown
Let stand 10 minutes before cutting
Serve
Makes six generous servings