Clementine Cosmos

3 clementines, plus 1 very thinly sliced for garnish
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2/3 cup cranberry juice
1/3 cup lime juice
1 ½ cups vanilla flavored vodka (Grey Goose)

Cut clementines into quarters and squeeze their juice into a saucepan. Add the sugar, water and clementine flesh and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Pour into a strainer set over a measuring cup, pressing on the solids to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids, cool the liquid to room temperature and pour into a pitcher. Add the cranberry juice, lime juice and vodka and stir well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, pour the mixture into an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake until very cold. Pour into the chilled martini glasses and garnish with a clementine slice.

Spicy Feta Dip

½ # feta cheese (about 1- 1 1/2 cups)
4 Tbls. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. chopped pepperoncini chile peppers
2 Tbls. lemon juice
2 Tbls. chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1-2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

Using a fork or potato masher, mash together the feta and olive oil until smooth and creamy.

Add pepperoncini, lemon juice, oregano, pepper flakes, garlic and thyme. Mash to combine. Serve dip with pita toasts or fresh vegetables.

Easy French Dip (Slow Cooker)

4 lbs. beef roast (rump, bottom round, chuck)
1 (10.5 oz.) can beef broth
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed French Onion soup
1 (12 fluid oz) can or bottle beer
6 French or Hoagie buns
Butter
Provolone or Swiss cheese

Trim excess fat from roast and place in a slow cooker. Add beef broth, onion soup and beer. Cook on low setting for 7 hours.

Remove beef from crock pot and slice or shred beef and return to cooker with broth. Serve by lifting meat onto buns with tongs and adding cheese if desired. Use a ramekin to place au jus (broth) in for dipping.

Buns can be spread with butter and toasted in 350° oven for 10 minutes.

Chicken Paprikash

1 tablespoon butter
4 skinless, chicken breast (1 lb.) (cut in half and pounded into cutlet size)
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
4 cups hot noodles
1/3 cup sour cream or yogurt (or more to make additional sauce)

Brown chicken cutlets in butter 10 minutes or until brown. Remove and set aside.

In same skillet, combine soup, paprika and red pepper. Heat to boiling. Return chicken to skillet and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 5 mins. more or until chicken is cooked through. Arrange chicken over noodles and keep warm.

Stir sour cream into mixture in skillet. Heat through, stirring constantly; spoon over chicken.

Serve with broccoli or steamed zucchini and carrots. Sprinkle with parsley.

Avocado Black Bean Salsa

1 avocado- cut into bite size pieces
1 can black beans – drained and rinsed
1 can corn – drained
1-2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes- cut in half
Green Goddess dressing

Combine all ingredients and add just enough dressing to cover. Fold together gently.

Chill until ready to serve.
Serve with tortilla chips or use as a dressing for turkey wrap sandwiches

Diana's Tomato Basil Soup

4 tomatoes--peeled, seeded and diced
4 cups tomato juice
14 leaves fresh basil
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup real butter
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Grated Parmesan Cheese to Taste (¼ cup “ish”)

Place tomatoes and juice in a stock pot over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree the tomato mixture, along with the basil leaves, and return the puree to the stock pot.

Place the pot over medium heat, and stir in the heavy cream, sugar and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Do NOT boil. Add parmesan to taste.

I sometimes add a bit more sugar to taste--it depends on how sweet the tomatoes are. ENJOY!!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups (19oz. can) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 eggs or 1 cup substitute
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1Tb. powdered sugar

In a small bowl, melt chocolate in microwave, 2 minutes on medium power. In food processor, combine beans and eggs. Add sugar, baking powder and chocolate; process until smooth. Pour batter into non-stick 9-inch round pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted come out clean. Cool and plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut in 10 wedges. Serve with raspberry sauce.

Quick Microwave Raspberry Sauce:
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tsps. fresh lemon juice
1 pint fresh raspberries

In a bowl, microwave jam until melted, 1 minute. Stir in juice and berries.

Per wedge with sauce:
318 calories, 10g fat(4.8g saturated), 56g carbohydrates, 2.8g fiber, 5.8g protein,116mg sodium