Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger

Recipe courtesy of Jeff O'Neill
From the show Oprah's Top Picks for Summer
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

* 1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
* 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
* 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
* 1/8 cup canola oil
* 4 pounds ground turkey breast
* 2 Tbsp. salt
* 1 Tbsp. black pepper
* 2 tsp. chipotle Tabasco™
* 1 lemon, juice and grated zest
* 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney, pureed


Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.

Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with a side of Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney and your favorite toasted bread, pita or hamburger roll.

Pasta Salad with Peppers, Cheese, and Pepperoni

Oh my gosh....so good!

Ingredients:
For the Pasta:
Any short cut pasta (I've used tricolor rotini before, it looks really pretty with that too, farfalle, or celletani)
Hot pepperoni
Assorted bell peppers
Provolone cheese (I get it sliced thick at the deli)
(You can also add shrimp, I've done that too)

For the Dressing:
8 heaping spoonfuls of dijon mustard (grey poupon)
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Olive Oil (enough for consistency)
Dry thyme, chopped
Garlic, minced (1 clove is about enough)
Lots of black pepper

Directions:
Throw it all together, and serve cold! Enjoy!

Salsa Mexicana

Ingredients:

• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1/2 small roasted onions (I prefer red)
• 1 small roasted garlic clove
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 1 or 2 canned jalepeno or serrano peppers
• 2 spoons of the jalepeno juice
• 2 spoons of EVOO
• salt to taste

Directions:

• Roast onion and garlic over an open (stove) fire by sticking them on a fork and turning them continuously.
• Chop the onions, garlic, and peppers with some juice in the food processor, but not too finely.
• Add the tomatoes, cilantro, salt, and EVOO.
• Chop all of the ingredients very little to make it chunky.
• Enjoy with chips!

Spinach-Cheese Swirls

Thaw: 40 minutes
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes
Serves: 20

Ingredients:
1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
1 cup shredded Muenster cheese OR Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion, chopped
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 pkg. (about 10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

Directions:
Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it's easy to handle.
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
Stir the egg and water in a small bowl.
Stir the Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion and garlic powder in a medium bowl.
Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.
Brush with the egg mixture.
Top with the cheese mixture and spinach.
Starting at the short side closest to you, roll up like a jelly roll.
Cut into 20 (1/2-inch) slices.
Place the slices cut-side down on the baking sheets.
Brush with the egg mixture.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cherry Cookies

I'm not kidding...these are delicious!
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 cups quick-cooking or old fashioned oats, uncooked
1 1/2 cups dried tart cherries
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• Put margarine, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, or until creamy.
• Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt (optional); add to egg mixture.
• Stir in oats, cherries, and chocolate chips; mix well.
• Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
  
• Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Let cool one minute...if you can wait that long! :)
  

Herbed Chicken with Spring Vegetables

1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts OR 3 bone-in, skin-on thighs OR both!
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 cipollini onions, trimmed and peeled
8 ounces baby carrots, peeled and trimmed, but leaving on a bit of green tip
1 cup chicken broth
6 ounces snap peas, trimmed
4 ounces morel mushrooms

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl combine the thyme, parsley, garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the chicken pieces on a work surface. Gently loosen the skin of the chicken and push the herb mixture under the skin. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
3. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, when the oil is hot. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook the same way on the other side. Turn the heat off the pan and reserve. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish, skin side up again, and finish cooking in the oven, about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile return the same pan to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the butter has melted add the cipollini onions and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and golden in places, about 7 minutes. Add the chicken broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the snap peasand mushrooms. Simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon the vegetables onto a serving platter along with the chicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.
   

Stuffed Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Artichokes

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

½ c. finely grated fontina cheese

1 tbsp. basil

½ c. sun dried tomatoes

12 oz. jar marinated artichokes, drained and chopped

EVOO

Directions:

Slice sides of chicken breasts, about two inches long to prepare for stuffing.

Salt and pepper chicken.

Combine basil, cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and artichokes in small bowl.

When mixed well, stuff chicken with mixture.

Preheat oven to 375.

Oil bottom of skillet pan, and brown chicken until almost completely cooked.

Transfer chicken to baking dish and cook chicken for 8-10 minutes, or until completely cooked.

Serve with rice pilaf and a veggie. This is delicious!