INGREDIENTS
Ripe tomatoes
Cucumber , cut into thick slices or chucks 
Red Onion, sliced thin
Bell peppers 
Kalamata olives
Greek Feta cheese 
Cold press Olive oil 
Dry Oregano
Red wine vinegar or lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
1.   Arrange your tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, olive and cheese in your salad bowl. 
2.  Mix 3 part oil to 1 part red wine vinegar OR Lemon juice well with 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Drizzle over salad and enjoy!
If you like you can just drizzle the oil and vinegar over the salad then sprinkle the oregano on top. 

When I was visiting Greece our salad was served with just olive oil. 

INGREDIENTS
1 pound of jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon Kosher salt  
1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper
4 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Red pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large can of dices or crush tomatoes (28 ounces) (you can also use freshly chopped tomatoes)
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon honey
¼ cup White wine or Ouzo
½ lemon, juiced
6 ounces feta cheese
 
DIRECTIONS
 

1. Season your cleaned shrimp with ½ lemon juiced, 1 tablespoon olive oil, finely chopped garlic, salt and black pepper. Toss well and set aside.  
2. In a cast iron skillet, or a oven proof skillet heat the remaining olive oil on medium heat and sauté the onions for 5 minutes until they start to turn golden brown.  Add garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano and cook for an additional minute or until garlic is soft.
3. Add in white wine and continue to cook for 4 minutes, add in tomatoes, honey and half the parsley. Stir well and allow to continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. One sauce is reduced, and alcohol has evaporated taste sauce and adjust your seasoning. Stir in the shrimp and the remaining parsley. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, shrimp should begin to turn pink, remove the lid and crumble the feta cheese over the top of the shrimp dish.
5. You can continue to cook the dish on the stove top or in the oven:
   1. Stove Top Option -  Cover the skillet with the lid and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until the feta is soft and looks like it has melted.
      
   2. Oven Options – Preheat your oven to Boil (500 °F). With the lid removed from the skillet, place skillet into the oven and boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot with plenty of Crusty bread and garnish with some fresh parsley.

 
 
 
On my recent trip to Greece, I came across this wonderful shrimp appetizer.  It was served with crusty bread to mop up the mouthwatering sauce. Saganaki is named after the pan in which various small appetizer dishes are prepared, similar to a cast iron skillet.   

​INGREDIENTS
 2- 3 very ripe bananas- mashed
1/3 cup coconut oil – melted
2 eggs – beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups gluten-free flour (King Arthur)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
¾  cup brown sugar
¼ cup raisin
¼ cup chopped walnuts
 
 
DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Lightly brush a loaf pan with coconut oil
3. In a mixing bowl, add your peeled ripe banana and mash until smooth.
4. Stir in your oil, vanilla, and eggs to the mashed bananas.
5. Add sugar, salt, nutmeg, and gluten-free flour. Mix batter well with a hand mix
6. Mix in the raisins and walnuts with a spatula or spoon.   
7. Pour batter into the greased loaf pan.
8. Place pan on the center rack in your oven and bake for 1 hour or unit a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   
9. Allow it to cool completely before serving.  

 
TIPs
Pay attention to the banana bead because all oven varies in temperature
Once bread cools store in an airtight container or cover complete so not to allow bread to dry out.  

INGREDIENTS

1 can Pigeon Peas 15.5 oz or  (1 1/2 cup of cooked dry gungo peas (pigeon peas)
¼ cup coconut cream 
2 scallions, chopped
1 -2 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 thyme sprigs
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 Habanero pepper
3 cups long-grain white rice
3 cups water
2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Add water, peas, coconut cream, garlic, scallion, salt, black pepper, thyme and coconut oil to a large sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. 
2. Add rice and whole habanero pepper and return to a boil. Do not cut or break the pepper while it’s cooking in the pot unless you want the dish to be very spicy.  Water level should be about 2 inches above the rice. Stir once or twice during the cooking process and continue to cook on high for 2-3 minutes. 
3. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Lift your rice with a fork and discard the thyme stem before serving 

Tip
A Rice cooker is the best pot to use to make this dish. 

INGREDIENTS
 2- 3 pounds of chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 lime, juiced
2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoon Curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed – optional
1 teaspoon ginger, grated or chopped fine (optional)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 scallions
1 medium potato, peeled and diced into 1-inch and 2-inch pieces 
1 habanero or chili pepper
1 cup water 
2 tablespoon oil 
 
 
DIRECTIONS
1. Add chicken and lime juice to a large bowl, rub well, then rinse with cold water. Drain well, then add salt and black pepper. 
2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add cumin seed and heat until brown. Add curry, stir for about 30 seconds, add half onion, 1scallion, ginger and garlic, and continue to cook for an additional two minutes. Add chicken and stir for a minute, then add potatoes and water. Stir well and bring to a boil and continue to cook on high heat for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes. Add additional water if needed. Stir occasionally and taste and adjust your seasoning as needed. Add more water if required. during the last 10 minutes add the remaining onion, and scallion. 
5. Once the chicken is tender, remove it from heat and serve with Roti and or rice. 
 
Additional Options to expand on your curry dish 

1. Blend a hand full of cilantro leaves with a small amount of water and add to your curry before adding the chicken.  During the last 10 minutes of cooking add an addition sprinkle of fresh cilantro leaves. 
2. Add 1 cup of coconut milk to your curry instead of water. with 1/4 cup of water. 
3. Add 1/2 cup of chickpeas after you add the chicken and potatoes to the pot. 
4. Jamaican-style curry -  add thyme, scallion, and pimento seed after you add your chicken to the pot.  You can also add some carrots along with your potato.  

​INGREDIENTS
Cookie Cracker Pie Crust   or try my Pecan Pie crust recipe
1 ½ cups Biscoff cookie or graham cracker crumbs  
¼ cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder
 
Filling
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened (room temperature)
1 ½ cup packed brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 can (15 ounces) solid-packed Pumpkin
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice mix
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
 
Topping
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoon sugar
 
 
 
DIRECTIONS
Crust: Preheat Oven to 350°F.  

1. Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, cinnamon and ¼ cup sugar in a medium bowl. Transfer the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan and use a large spoon to press the crumbs into the bottom of your pan and up the sides of the pan. Place into the oven and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

Filling: Preheat Oven to 350°F.  

1. In a medium bowl, add pumpkin, eggs, sour cream, flour, pumpkin pie spice mix, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix well with a whisk until well combined.
2. In a large bowl, add cream cheese and brown sugar. Use an electric hand mix on medium speed and beat the ingredients together until light and fluffy for about 5 minutes. Use a rubber spatula and scrape down the sides and make sure you have no lumps.
3. Add your pumpkin mixture to the cheesecake filling and continue to mix on low speed until well combined, while scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.
4. Transfer filling into the pre-baked crust. Place baking pan on to a baking sheet. Bakes on the middle rack at 350°F for 1 hour or until the center is almost set.  Open oven slightly and allow cheesecake to cool in the oven for about 30-45 minutes before removing from the oven. Once cool, add sour cream topping and bake for 5 minutes.

Topping:  

1. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Spread over cool pumpkin cheesecake filling. Bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature before covering it with a plastic wrap and transferring it to the refrigerator for at least 4-5 hour or overnight.
2. Before serving and removing it from the pan, carefully run a knife along the sides of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan. Add your favorite topping and enjoy!

 
Tips: 
Place a pan with water on the lower rack in the oven. This can help reduce your cheesecake from cracking. 
To make mini pumpkin cheesecake, place filling in a muffin pan and bake for 15 minutes. 

INGREDIENTS
2 cups pecan, grounded
4 tablespoons of butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of brown sugar
 
DIRECTIONS

1. Stir together ground pecan, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix in melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and side of your pie dish.
2. Chill until you are ready to use. 

​INGREDIENTS
1 cup of light brown sugar, packed
​1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons of salted butter
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon 100% real vanilla extract
 
DIRECTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, add all the ingredients and simmer over low heat.
2. Whisk constantly until thicken and no longer watery (about 6 - 8 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool. The sauce will thicken more as it starts to cool down.
3. Store your left-over caramel in an airtight glass jar.

 
Your homemade caramel sauce can be stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I enjoy warming my caramel sauce and drizzle it over stuff French toast, bread pudding of vanilla ice-cream. 

 
INGREDIENTS
1 package of store-bought pizza dough
6 tablespoons of salted butter
2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
 
DIRECTIONS

1. Remove pizza dough from refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 40 to 60 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Melt butter with garlic in the microwave or on a stove top and set it aside.
4. Uncover the dough, punch it down a few times, and transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 8 equal sections and roll each section into a 6-inch long rope. Grab the end of each dough rope and tie into a knot, and tuck in the ends. Arrange the knots on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart from each other. Brush with garlic butter.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. After the knots are baked, immediately drizzle with basil oil and Parmesan cheese.