Makes 16

Ingredients

• 16 large-medium strawberries
• 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Wash and pat dry strawberries.
2. In a small microwave safe dish, microwave chocolate for about 1 1/2-2 minutes, stopping ever 20 seconds to stir until melted.
3. Holding the green top dip each strawberry into the chocolate and place on a sil-pat or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining strawberries.
4. Place dipped strawberries in the fridge for about 5 minutes to harden the chocolate .
5. Place the white chocolate into a small microwave safe dish, microwave chocolate for about 1-1 1/2 minutes stopping ever 20 seconds to stir until melted.
6. Pour white chocolate into the corner of  a small Ziploc bag , twist the bag to add pressure and cut the corner tip to make a small hole to pipe the chocolate.
7. Decorate strawberries with the white chocolate and serve.

This week’s segment is a fun one, I’m doing “Restaurant Remakes”, taking some of my favorite restaurant menu items and making them at home.  A perfect way to save a few bucks and still enjoy a steakhouse quality meal.  I hope you enjoy them!

• The Wedge
• Steamed Asparagus with a Lemon Hollandaise
• Flat Iron Steak with a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce and Balsamic Mushrooms

Makes 20 Mini Pita Pizzas

These Pita Pizza Bites are simple yet delicious and will round out your Superbowl menu perfectly.  These bite size pizzas have prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and a homemade tomato sauce.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 20 mini pitas
• about 4 large fresh mozzarella balls, sliced into 5 slices
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded
• 10 slices of prosciutto
• 5 large basil leaves roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce (see below for recipe)

Directions

1. Place the pitas on a baking sheet.
2. Dollop 1/2 of a Tablespoon of sauce on each pita.
3. Top each pita with a slice of mozzarella and 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese.
4. Broil in your oven on high for 2-4 minutes, watching to make sure they don’t burn.
5. Top each pita with 1/2 a slice of prosciutto and sprinkle with basil.
6. Serve.

Pizza Sauce Ingredients

• 1, 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons ketchup
• 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
• pinch of salt

Pizza Sauce Directions

1. Stir all of the ingredients together in a medium sauté pan.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and smash tomatoes with the back of a spoon.  Allow to simmer and reduce for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Makes 16 Large or 32 Small Potato Skins

Get ready for Kickoff with two varieties of my delicious potato skins, Chilli and Cheese and Bacon and Blue Cheese, two fun twists on the classic appetizer.

Ingredients

• 8 large or 16 small russet potatoes, washed
• 7 slices of bacon
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 cups mascarpone
• 1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 cups chili, canned
• 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup Sour cream
• 1/4 cup Chives

Directions

1. Pre heat your oven to 375°.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork and bake on a baking sheet for 1-1 1/2 hours or until easily pierced with a fork.
3. Remove from the oven and set- aside until cool enough to handle.
4. Lay bacon strips on a baking sheet lined with Sil Pat or parchment paper.
5. Mix together brown sugar and cayenne.
6. Sprinkle brown sugar over bacon.
7. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and set-aside.
8. Once the potatoes have cooled, slice each one in half length-wise.
9. With a spoon scoop out most of the inside, leaving a 1/4inch rim left with the skin, reserve the scooped out potato for later mashed potatoes.
10. Remove from the oven and fill each one with 1 Tablespoon mascarpone (1 1/2 tablespoons for large potatoes).
11. Top half of them evenly with blue cheese and cut up the bacon and crumble the cooked bacon over the blue cheese.
12. Evenly fill the remaining potatoes with the chili and top with cheddar cheese.
13. Place filled potatoes back in the 375° oven and allow the cheese to melt, about 5-7 minutes.
14. Remove from the oven top both with scallions  and the chili ones with sour cream.

Makes 22 Sliders

Sliders are the perfect appetizer for the Big Game, no matter what side your friends are rooting for, these sliders will be a winner!

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 12 oz or 1 cup ground sausage
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, I use Mr. Vinegar’s vinegar
• salt
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups yellow onion, sliced 1/4inch thik
• cheddar or swiss cheese, sliced,1 inch squares
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon ketchup
• 2 teaspoons sweet relish
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar (I prefer Mr. Vinegar’s Red Wine vinegar)
• 22 Hawaiian sweet rolls

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375°.
2. In a mixing bowl mix together beef, sausage, onion, Worcestershire, garlic vinegar and pinch of salt.
3. Scoop into 18-22 large golf ball size balls and pat down into patties.  Keep wrapped in plastic in the fridge until ready to cook.
4. In a medium sauté pan over medium/high heat add olive oil and onions. Allow to caramelize for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. In a medium mixing bowl mix together mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, vinegar and a pinch of salt.  Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
6. When ready, heat a large heavy bottomed skillet over high heat.  Salt and pepper both sides of each burger and when the skillet is  hot spray with cooking spray and a add the burgers.  (Don’t over crowd, work in batches if needed).
7. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side to get a nice crust and place on a baking sheet and top with cheese.
8. Once all of the sliders have been seared, place them in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°.
9. Slice each roll in half and spread the top and bottom with the mayo sauce.
10. Place a patty on each roll and top with caramelized onions.

Quick Ginger Tips
Ginger root is used in many Asian dishes and adds a nice spice to any marinade.

When purchasing ginger, look for a thick root with no dried spots.
All you need is a spoon and a Mircoplane to have freshly grated ginger.
With a spoon scrape off the rough skin.  You can peel only part of the ginger and save the rest for later.
To grate or mince ginger, use a Microplane and grate the area of the ginger you’ve just peeled.
Now you ginger is ready to add to marinades, sauces or a Stir Fry dish.  Enjoy!

Welcome Fox Q13 viewers and thanks for visiting TheLakeKitchen.com! If you’re here for the first time, please take a minute to explore the website, you’ll find many of Jill’s delicious recipes and cooking tips including today’s Thanksgiving Side Dish recipes.  We encourage you to ask questions, participate in discussions, and share with us your cooking experiences!

Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and Jill has put together some great recipes that will sure to be a hit at your Thanksgiving dinner table.  Many of these recipes can be prepared ahead of time, frozen, and then thrown in the oven on Thanksgiving day to help save you save time in the kitchen and spend more time with your friends and family!

• Parmesan and Bacon Twice Baked Potatoes

• Cranberry Orange Ginger Sauce

• Sauteed Green Beans with Leeks and Bacon

• Sausage Sage and Cranberry Stuffing

• Baked Sweet Potatoes with Candied Pecans and Blue Cheese

We hope you enjoy these recipes and have a Happy Thanksgiving!  Be sure to bookmark TheLakeKitchen.com and come back soon!

Welcome everyone from Q13 Fox News!  Below are the links to the recipes from this morning’s segment and the Fall Foods segment which has been posted to YouTube.  Enjoy and Sweet Dishes!

• Pork Tenderloin Wrapped in Fall Apples and Maple Bacon

• Roasted beet salad tossed with blue cheese and balsamic

• Goat cheese and Bartlett crostini with honey and walnuts

Welcome everyone from Q13 Fox News!  Below are the links to the recipes from this morning’s segment and a “behind the scenes” look at the segment with Mark Wright.  Enjoy and Sweet Dishes!

• Chicken and Cheddar Casserole
• Chardonnay Salmon with a Soy Butter Sauce
• Linda’s Chicken Taco Soup

3 Point Dunkers
Serves 1

• 1/2 Cup each carrot sticks, celery and whole wheat pretzels.

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons each whipped light cream cheese, honey and almond butter.

Place veggies and pretzels in cups and the dips in 3 separate bowls.  Dunk veggies and pretzels in dips.

Apple Cup Crunch
Serves 1

• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce.
• 1/4 cup golden grams, smashed.

Top applesauce with smashed golden grams.

Turkey Pinwheels
Serves 1

• 1 whole wheat tortilla
• 2 Tablespoons light cream cheese
• 2 slices turkey
• 3 small dill pickles

Spread  cream cheese over tortilla, lay the turkey over the cream cheese and make a line of pickles in the center.  Roll from one end to the other, slice into 8 pinwheels and secure with a toothpick.

Peach Gingersnap
Serves 1

• 1 peach, sliced in half and pit removed
• 1/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 cup gingersnaps, crushed

Spoon yogurt into the cavity of  each half of peach, top with gingersnaps.

Baked Steak Fries
Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Johnny’s Seasoning salt

Pre-heat your oven to 400°.  Slice potatoes in half length wise.  Place on a Silpat (healthier alternative) or greased cookie sheet and sprinkle evenly with olive oil and seasoning. Bake on the top rack for 25-30 minutes.

Honey mustard sauce: mix together 1/4 cup honey Dijon mustard, 1/2 tablespoon honey and a pinch of salt.

‘Smiley’ Pita Pizza
Serves 1

• 1 whole wheat pita
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup low-fat mozzarella
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 3 slices turkey-roni
• 2 tablespoons pineapple chunks

Spread tomato sauce over the pita, sprinkle cheese over it evenly, make eyes and nose with the turkey-roni and a mouth with the pineapple chunks.   Bake in a toaster oven at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.