Love at First Bite

Love at First Bite Cookbook, something yummy to sink your teeth into. Mushroom Ravioli 10 ounces mushroom ravioli or cheese-filled ravioli 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced 4 ounces button (table) mushrooms, sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup brandy 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg Salt and pepper 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese Directions: Prepare ravioli according to package directions; drain. Next, over medium heat, pour olive oil in a skillet and cook mushrooms until tender. Add garlic and brandy, and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. When cream has thickened, stir in 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Then, stir in cooked ravioli, and gently simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with parmesan, garlic bread, and salad. Makes 2 servings. Bella left Charlie a note on the table explaining again where to find dinner. Stir Fry ala Swan ½ Tablespoon of vegetable oil 1 Tablespoon of sugar 1 pound of lean hamburger 2 teaspoons of minced garlic 1 medium onion, diced 1 medium head of cabbage shredded or cut into slightly larger than bite size pieces. 1 can (10 ¾ ounces) of tomato soup 1 can (8 ounces) of tomato sauce ¼ cup of water 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of salt (optional) Directions: In a skillet, over medium heat, add 1/2 Tablespoon of vegetable oil. Next, add 1 Tablespoon of sugar, the uncooked hamburger meat, diced onion, and minced garlic. With a spatula, break apart hamburger meat and cook uncovered over medium heat until hamburger meat is thoroughly cooked. Once the hamburger meat is browned, take off the stove top and remove the excess fat. Wash the skillet out with lukewarm water and place the cooked meat with garlic and onion back in the skillet and add the cabbage, tomato soup and tomato sauce (optional: may add salt and soy sauce). Cook covered over low heat until cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings and can be complemented with white or brown rice. Helpful Hint: To remove excess oil from hamburger meat, scoop hamburger meat over a plate lined with paper towels, this will absorb the excess fat. “Charlie came home with a large catch.”-Bella Charlie’s Catch of the day Crab Cakes 1 Egg 3 Tablespoons of mayonnaise 4 teaspoons of lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon of dried tarragon 1 Tablespoon of minced green onions 8 ounces of crabmeat 1 Tablespoon of butter Round crackers, broken up into cracker crumbs Directions: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, tarragon, and green onions. Gently stir in the crabmeat, and mix in cracker crumbs, adding as much as desired. Next, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Form crab patties and place in the skillet brown both sides until the patties are golden brown. Depending upon the size of the patties, makes about four crab cakes. Bite at Twilight (Desserts) Time for Tea Cake Cookies (a London pre-vampire Carlisle Cookie) 1/2 cup of margarine 3/4 cup of confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar) 1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups of flour 1/8 teaspoon of salt Food coloring-optional Chocolate pieces, peanut butter chips, nuts, cherries. Mix together: 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar 3 1/2 Tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract Food coloring-optional Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly mix together margarine, vanilla, sugar, and three drops of food coloring (any color). Add flour and salt and work until dough can hold together. Mold dough by Tablespoonfuls around a few chocolate pieces, nuts, or cherries. Place cookie dough on a baking sheet approximately 1 inch apart for 10 minutes or until light brown. Once the cookies are cool, dip tops of cookies into Galaxy Icing. Decorate cookies with colored sugar, sprinkles, candies, or coconut. Yields 25 cookies.