Lemon Yogurt Pancakes

¼ cup plain or lemon yogurt
½ tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
½ tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus more for serving
¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
1⁄8 cup milk, or more as needed (same note as yogurt)
½ cup self-rising flour (you can substitute ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon baking powder, mixed together)
1 tablespoon sugar
Vegetable oil for greasing the pan
Confectioner’s sugar for serving


In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, melted butter, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk and beat well with a whisk or electric mixer. Add the flour and sugar. Stir carefully until incorporated, but don’t overmix. (Add more milk if the batter is too thick. It should have the consistency of a loose milkshake.)

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or butter. To see if the griddle or pan is hot enough, throw in a little batter. You should hear a light sizzle but shouldn’t smell or see smoke.

When the griddle or pan is ready, pour in silver-dollar-size pancakes. Watch for little bubbles to form on the surface, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Keep the pancakes in the oven until you’re ready to serve.

Serve warm. Garnish with confectioner’s sugar and grated lemon zest to taste.

Asparagus Mushroom Ham Strata

2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 lb. asparagus, ends snapped off, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
salt and pepper
3 1/2 oz white mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 green onions, chopped
9 eggs, beaten
2 3/4 c. milk
1 lb. ciabatta bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 lb. thinly sliced deli ham, cut into 1-inch strips
3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spears start to brown and soften, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and green onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and cook through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for a couple of minutes.

Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Whisk the eggs with the milk and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Spread the bread in a single layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the egg mixture and then cover with half of the ham, cheese and asparagus mixture. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture, ham, cheese, and asparagus mixture. Cover with plastic, pressing down so the bread is completely submerged in the egg mixture, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days before baking.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350. Let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Bake until the custard sets and the top browns, about 30 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and bake for another 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Manicotti Shells

1 - 1 lb. box of large pasta shells or manicotti noodles

2 - jars or spaghetti sauce

2 - eggs

1 - 16oz container of cottage cheese

4 - cups shredded mozzarella

1 1/2 cups grated parmesan

2 - cups spinach (loosely packed)

1 - lb. sausage (ground beef or ground turkey)

Cook noodles for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Cook sausage. Add spaghetti sauce. Let simmer. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, add cottage cheese or ricotta, 3 cups mozzeralla, 1 cup parmesan and finely chopped spinach. Mix well.

Stuff shells with a heaping tablespoon full of cheese mixture. Cover with sauce, remaining mozzarella and parmesan.

Cover with foil and bak at 350 for 60 minutes. Uncover and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Not your average Baked Ziti

1 lb. ziti noodles

1 28 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes (remove and discard 1/4 cup juice)

2-3 cups red bell pepper finely sliced

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz. shredded jack cheese

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 cup half n' half

Boil noodles and rinse with cold water. Add bell peppers, cheddar cheese and jack cheese. Remove 1/4 cup of juice from the tomatoes and discard. Add the can of tomatoes and salt and pepper. Stir well.

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Add ziti. Pour half n' half evenly over ziti. Cover with foil and bake for 20 -25 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with seasoned breadcrumbs in the last few minutes if desired.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

6 chicken breasts

1 onion sliced

1 package of cream cheese

1 large can diced green chiles

1 lb. shredded jack cheese

16 flour tortillas (the width of your casserole pan - I use soft taco size)

1 (28 oz) can green chile enchilada sauce

1 1/2 cups sour cream

Cook chicken and onion in slow cooker, on the stove over low heat or in a pressure cooker. Remove chicken from heat, let cool slightly and shred or chop into bite size pieces. Add cream cheese and diced green chiles and stir.

Mix enchilada sauce and sourcream. Pour just enough sauce mixture to cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spoon a heaping spoonful of the chicken, cream cheese and chile mixture into the middle of a tortilla. Top with shredded jack cheese. Roll up the tortilla. Continue until you have used all of your chicken mixture. Top enchiladas with enchilada sauce and sour cream mixture. Garnish with remaining jack cheese. Cover with foil

Bake at 35o for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 20-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Serve with spanish rice and garnish with shredded lettuce, tomatoes and guacamole.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 (15oz) can whole kernel corn
1 (150z) can black beans
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 (28oz) can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 chopped onion
1 packet taco seasoning

Brown meat. Drain. Add other ingredients. Simmer for 30-60 minutes.

Defrost. Reheat. Top with shredded cheese and sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips.

Slow cooked beef and mashed potatoes

6 lbs. of Chuck Roast

3 Yellow or White Onions

5 lbs. of Carrots

8 oz. package of Mushrooms

1 26 oz. can and 1 10.75 oz can of Cream of mushroom soup

2 10.75 oz. cans of Golden mushroom soup

36 oz of Water

8 T. Worstershire

Salt and fresh ground Pepper

Cut roast in to 1-2 inch cubes discarding big ribbons of fat. Lightly salt and generously pepper the cubed meat. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a heavy pan and brown all sides of the meat. Remove meat and repeat step until all meat is browned. Place browned meat in crock pot. Chop onion and place over meat. In a separate bowl, mix soups, water and worcestershire. Pour over meat and onions. Slice mushrooms thinly and chop carrots into large bite sized pieces as consistently as possible. Place over sauce.

Cook on high for 3 hours and then on low (2-3 hours) until meat is tender and carrots are not too soft.

Stir gently. Serve over mashed potatoes.

-or-

Cool. Divide. Freeze.

Makes at least 24 generous servings.