Ever wonder what you could do with some frozen lobster tails?  You know - the ones that come up in "twofer" sales... Frozen means that gives me time to decide if I want to broil the tails and add to a pasta dish or lobster chowder...In the Summer the hands down way to go is to grill them. 

       The easiest way to grill lobster tails:
     Grab some steel skewers (if you use wooden ones, they'll need soaked ahead of time in water so they don't burn on the grill.) 
        I thaw my tails by sealing them in a bag and submerging in cold water - changing out the water *to keep it cold until the tails are defrosted - you do not want to thaw your lobsters too far ahead of cook time - I aim for 30 minutes before we start our grill. 
        Take your thawed tail, using kitchen shears - cut down the top middle to the main tail section; open the shell a bit and the "meat" should pull up and out of the shell and rests on top of the shell.  Using your skewers; thread the body lengthwise. Using the skewers will keep the tails from curling when grilled.  
        Grill over direct medium heat.  Grill meat side down for 5-7 minutes. Flip over and finish grilling, this is the time where you'll brush your lobster with any herbed butter r plain butter sauce.  You want the lobster to be white and not opaque. The internal temperature should read 135F.                

   No need to explain this one!  A simple soup recipe that comes together fast and has ALL the flavors of a fresh baked lasagna. Enjoy! Diane 

Ingredients:
1 pound Italian sausage, mild or hot 
1 small onion, diced 
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce can) crushed tomatoes
1 (10 ounce bag) fresh spinach 
4 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
8-10 uncooked lasagna noodles broken into smaller pieces
1 teaspoon dried basil 
Salt & pepper to taste

Toppings: ricotta, shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses; to taste.

Directions:

1. Add the onion and sausage to a large soup pot (remove sausage casings if using whole sausages). Brown the sausage and onion for 5 minutes, over medium-high heat, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along.  Drain off excess fat.
2. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Stirring so garlic doesn't scorch. Shake in some salt & pepper.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, water, Italian seasoning, basil and spinach - let that cook 2 minutes before adding in the lasagna noodles. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium (covered, with the lid slightly askew) for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir soup a few times just to ensure the pasta isn't sticking.

   To Serve:

• Top each bowl with a dollop of ricotta and a small handful of mozzarella and parmesan.  Reheating Leftovers; you may need to add some beef broth or water to help thin out the soup, since the noodles soak up the liquid. 

     This simple dish is a great main or side dish.  Choose the vegetables you like but, keep in mind that the tougher vegetables will have to cook longer before finishing off with adding in the couscous.  I use golden couscous for this recipe.  Couscous cooks up like instant rice.  Has a 1:1 liquid to product ratio and overall is healthier for you and lower in carbohydrates then rice.  I prefer cooking my couscous in a stock - be it vegetable stock or chicken stock in this case.  I first saw this quick recipe made by Chef Jacques Pepin.  Chef Pepin used mushrooms with the onions which I had to swap out due to allergies.  I hope you try this easy dish - its tasty and versatile!  This is great served with my Baked Salmon.  Enjoy! Diane 

Ingredients:
 1 Tablespoon butter
 1 Tablespoon olive oil 
 1 small onion (1/2 cup), diced.
 1/2 cup zucchini, diced
 1 Cup tomatoes, cubed or 1 Cup sliced cherry tomatoes
 1 Cup chicken broth or stock, divided 
 2 Cups loose packed fresh spinach, washed
 1 Cup Golden Couscous 
 salt & pepper, to taste 
 *optional sprinkle of fresh grated parmesan

Directions: 
   Place butter and olive oil in a small dutch oven.  Add in diced onion and zucchini. 
Let these vegetables cook down a good 5-7 minutes (this is the only time the vegetables will have a chance to truly cook down so, before proceeding on, make sure any vegetables you've added into this mixture are cooked.)  Next add in your fresh spinach and cut tomatoes along with 1/4 cup of your broth or stock. Let this cook 3-4 minutes at a simmer. Season with salt & pepper. Stir in your couscous. Add in the remaining stock and bring to a boil, turn off heat Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork once your time is up and serve sprinkled with some grated Parmesan.

Recipe adapted from: Jacques Pepin

       If you're going to fry up some cream cheese wontons - why not add in some cowboy candy into the filling!  It's a great little surprise!  These are fun and easy to make.  My most important recommendation is to not overstuff the wontons with filling or they can open up while frying.  Always use egg wash along all sides of the wonton which helps seal all the edges. The fillings are endless - you can make these without the cowboy candy - just add a touch more cream cheese filling.  Enjoy! Diane 

Homemade Cream Cheese Wonton
*with cowboy candy 

Ingredients: 

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 cup Cowboy Candy 
• 24 wonton wrappers 
• 1 egg beaten for sealing wontons
• canola oil for frying wontons

Directions:

• Combine the room temperature/softened cream cheese, sugar and onion powder.  Stir until well mixed.
• Place a wonton wrapper on a flat surface and place a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center along with a ring or two of candied jalapeño.
  
• Brush all of the edges of the wonton wrapper with the egg wash.  
• Bring 2 opposite corners together in the middle of the wonton and pinch. Repeat with the other 2 corners and pinch to form a square package shape.
• Repeat - keeping folded wontons on a saran wrap covered tray so they don't dry out.
• Heat 4 inches of oil in a deep pan or fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Fry 4-6 wontons at a time, turning them as needed to make sure they brown evenly. This process takes about 3-5 minutes. Do not overcrowd the fryer as the oil temperature will drop greatly.  
• Drain the cooked wontons on paper towels and repeat the frying process with remaining wontons. 
• Let the wontons cool down a good 5 minutes or more as filling will be very hot. 
  
• Serve with dipping sauce of choice if preferred.