Vegetable Lover's Chicken Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces chicken tenders, cut into bite-size chunks
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons tiny pasta, such as farfelline
1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add zucchini, shallot, Italian seasoning and salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, wine and tiny pasta increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the pasta is tender, about 8 minutes, or according to package directions. Stir in spinach, the cooked chicken and any accumulated juices from the chicken; cook, stirring, until the chicken is heated through, about 2 minutes

Black Beans, Corn, and Yellow Rice

INGREDIENTS

1 (8 ounce) package yellow rice mix
1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin

DIRECTIONS

Bring the rice, water, and olive oil to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
Mix together the beans, corn, lime juice, and cumin in a large bowl. Stir in the cooked rice and serve.

Spinach and egg pizza recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp mixed dried herbs
400g can plum tomatoes
225g spinach, washed
2 x 150g balls mozzarella, chopped
4 medium eggs
For the dough
350g strong plain flour, plus extra for dusting
3/4 tsp fine salt
3/4 tsp fast-action dried yeast
1 tbsp olive oil

Direction

1. Make the dough. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Stir in the yeast, then gradually mix in 200ml tepid water and the oil, to form a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. Put into an oiled bowl, cover and set aside for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the purée and herbs, cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, breaking them up with the spoon. Simmer for 15 minutes, until thickened. Season and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 230°C/fan210°C/gas 8. Knead the dough, then roll out to a large thin rectangle. Press onto a large, oiled baking sheet and spread with the tomato sauce. Put the spinach in a colander, pour over boiling water and squeeze out the liquid. Scatter over the pizza, top with the cheese and season. Bake for 15 minutes, until pale golden.
4. Crack the eggs on the pizza and bake for 5 minutes, until just set. Serve with a green salad.

Spaghetti puttanesca

Ingredients

olive oil
2 garlic cloves , thinly sliced
400g chopped tomatoes , tin
1 tbsp capers , chopped if large
2 anchovies , drained and chopped
handful pitted green olives , sliced
large pinch dried chilli flakes
200g spaghetti
small bunch flat-leaf parsley , roughly chopped

Direction

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan,

add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Tip in the tomatoes, capers, anchovies, olives and chilli.

Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened slightly.
Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions. Drain, toss with the sauce and the parsley and serve.

Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cake flour

3 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

3 egg yolks

1/2 of lemon rind, grated

5 Tbs. lukewarm milk

3 egg whites, beaten until stiff

1 lemon, sliced thin and in half (used for garnishing)

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups powdered sugar

Frosting:

Beat cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, lemon rind, and vanilla together until smooth and fluffy.Add 3 cups powdered sugar and beat together. Add the additional 2 cups of powdered sugar. Beat until creamy. Add more icing sugar or juice as needed for easy spreading.

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the flour with the baking powder.In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar and add the yolks one at the time mixing very well. Add lemon rind and the milk alternately with the flour.Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites very carefully into the mixture.Pour mixture into a 9" round greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until done. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely.Cut cake into layers and fill with icing. Spread icing over the entire cake until covered. Use thinly sliced lemon pieces cut in half around the bottom of the cake

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan.

Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

Snapper with Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Garlic, and Basil

Ingredients
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
4 (6-ounce) snapper fillets, with skin
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, pepper flakes, and salt, to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the tomatoes get juicy, about 15 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl and toss with the basil.
Dry the fish very well all over. To keep the fish from curling in the pan, lightly slash a cross-hatch pattern into the skin of the fish with a sharp knife. Brush the rounded flesh side of the fish with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the fish, seasoned side down, in the oil, and cook undisturbed over high heat, until the fish turns both opaque along the edges and golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Lightly salt the skin side of the fish. Flip the snapper and turn off the heat and let the fish cook in the residual heat of the pan until the fillets are firm but still juicy, about 1 minute more.
Divide the fish among 4 plates. Top with the tomatoes and serve