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  Photo credit: Kazys Motekaitis

  1 pie crust (homemade or purchased, recipe for homemade below)

• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese (or substitue a combination of mozzarella and Parmesan)
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Fresh basil, equivalent of 2 large leavesPress piecrust on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie or tart pan. Prick with fork a few times to vent. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until piecrust is lightly browned; set aside. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper, and place on folded paper towels. Let stand 10 minutes (this will draw out some of the moisture). Add half of cheese and garlic to pan. Arrange tomato slices over shredded cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and decorate with torn pieces of basil. Bake at 350° for 30 – 35 minutes or until tart is lightly browned.

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Ingredients

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Ingredients

• 2 dozen Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (these are great for their sweet and buttery taste, but other slider-sized buns or even hot dog buns cut in thirds work)
• 1-1/2 ponds ground beef
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water with ice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 slices American cheese
• 24 pickle slices
• ketchup

Season ground beef with salt and pepper and place loosely in a, 11 x 17″ baking dish. Add ice water and combine, pressing flat. Bake at 350 F for about 12 minutes until no longer pink (will shrink into one large patty). Cut beef into 24 squares. Meanwhile, sautee onions in butter on stove until softened.

It’s best to set up a little assembly line for putting the burgers together: Slice the rolls and on each, place a teaspoon of onions, a pickle, a burger square, one fourth a slice of cheese, and a squirt of ketchup. Stack on a platter if serving immediately, or wrap individually in tin foil if bringing to an event, or to save for later.

Additional Toppings:

None are needed, but some of our favorites include

Fried Onion Strings

Buffalo Mayo

In a pan on stove, combine 1 tablespoon butter with 2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce. Cook until hot, and then cool. Add this to 1 cup mayo, or a combination of 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup Greek yogurt.

Chipotle Mayo

Add 1/2 can Chipotle chiles (diced up) with their sauce to 1 cup mayonnaise, or a combination of 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup Greek yogurt.

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Ingredients

• 1 onion, sliced very thin
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (can substitute paprika, or a very small amount of cayenne)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups oil

Heat oil in heavy bottomed pan. In one bowl, whisk eggs. In another, combine flour and seaonings. Using tongs, dredge onions in eggs and then flour mixture. Place in hot oil and fry for two minutes, or until golden brown.

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While I am not a huge fan of making deep fried food for my family, I could not deny that this is one that I can’t wait to make again. It was absolutely delicious! And did the great trick of using up the 8 leftover lasagna noodles I always seem to have after making lasagna in a 9×13″pan. I think it is just as good without the Alfredo sauce, though the Alfredo sauce is true to the Olive Garden copycat, and does make for a richer taste.

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

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Ingredients

• 1 large baguette
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 cup gorgonzola cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 apples, peeled and sliced thin (granny smith or your favorite variety)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice baguette about 1/2 inch thick. Brush toasts with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic salt. Toast for two minutes until slightly firm. Meanwhile, blend cheese and butter. Spread cheese mixture on toasts, top with apples and optional walnuts, and return to oven for 6 minutes until cheese bubbles.

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We use this sauce for our crab cakes, hush puppies, and — with some fresh dill — as our favorite vegetable dipping sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Greek yogurt, such as Fage, OR 1/2 cup Mayonnaise + 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons dijon or honey mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Juice of one half lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced (optional)

Combine ingredients and chill.

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1⁄4 cup onion, diced
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons parsley
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (12 oz.) bottle chili sauce
• 1 (14 oz.) can of whole berry cranberry sauce

Mix all ingredients except chili and cranberry sauces together and form into small meatballs. Place in a single layer in a baking tray and bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 35 minutes.

Add meatballs to crock pot, and cover with chili and cranberry sauces. Cook for 3 hours in crock pot before serving.

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These tasty baked crab cakes can be made for an elegant appetizer, or served as a main course. Use leftover crab legs for cook once, eat twice success, or use packaged or fresh crab. Serve with lemon dill mustard sauce.

Ingredients

• Approximately 3/4 pound crab meat
• 15 Ritz or other puffy crackers, smashed
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise or Greek Yogurt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup diced green onions
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, break apart crab meat with fork. Add remaining ingredients, and mix well. Form into patties: 1-1/2 inch diameter for appetizer size, and 2-1/2 inch diameter for entree size. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes for appetizer size, and 20 minutes for entree size, until edges are browned. Serve with rice, or on rolls with mustard sauce.

Dill Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dill
• 1 teaspoon white wine or white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

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Looking for a great copycat recipe for your favorite P.F. Chang’s or California Pizza Kitchen Lettuce Wraps? Look no further. Here’s one that’s delicious and easy to make at home!

Ingredients

Cook sausage and szechwan seasoning in hot oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat until well browned, stirring to break meat into small pieces.
Add water chestnuts, carrots, green onions, walnuts and soy sauce; cook, stirring until heated through.
To serve, spoon about 1/2 cup sausage mixture into center of each lettuce leaf. Roll and eat.

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