Antipasto Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: 2/5 (1=easiest/5=hardest)
Ready in: 1Hr. 35Mn.
Ingredients:
-455 g seashell pasta
-115 g Genoa salami, chopped
-115 g pepperoni sausage, chopped
-225 g Asiago cheese, diced
-19.9 g dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
-180 ml extra virgin olive oil
-9 g dried oregano
-1 g dried parsley
-5 g grated Parmesan cheese
-salt and ground black pepper to taste
-60 ml balsamic vinegar
-1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1 green bell pepper, chopped
-3 tomatoes, chopped

Directions:
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and cool under cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, Asiago cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir in the envelope of dressing mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad, and mix well.
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Cinnamon Buns Recipe

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 6 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: 4/5 (1=easiest/5=hardest)
Yield: 12 buns
Dough:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/4 ounce package)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the bowl
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (13 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon fine salt (1/8 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Filling:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft, plus more for coating the pan

Glaze:
2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Combine the water and milk in a medium saucepan and warm over low heat until it is about 100 degrees F (but no more than 110 degrees). Remove from heat and sprinkle the yeast over the surface over the liquid. Sprinkle a pinch of the sugar over the top and set aside without stirring, until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Whisk the butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture.

Whisk the flour, the sugar, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and stir in the yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.

Brush the inside of a large bowl with butter. Put dough in the buttered bowl, turning to coat lightly with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, trace a circle the size of the dough on the plastic, and note the time. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Turn dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; reform into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it on the dough. Cover the entire bowl tightly with plastic and proof in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

To fill and form the rolls: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Whisk the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Turn prepared dough onto a floured work surface and press, then roll into 10-by-18-inch rectangle, with a long edge facing you. Spread the softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving about an inch border on the side opposite you. Evenly scatter the cinnamon-sugar over the butter. Starting from the long side facing you, roll the dough up into a tight cylinder. Lightly brush the clean edge of the dough with water. Press the open long edge to the dough to seal the cylinder.

Slip a long taut piece of string or dental floss under the roll, about 1 1/2 inches from the end. Lift and cross the string ends over the roll, then pull the ends tightly in opposite directions to cut a single roll. Repeat, cutting every 1 1/2 inches, to make 12 rolls. Place the rolls cut-side-down in the prepared pan, leaving 1 inch of space between them. Cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise until rolls double in size, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Bake buns until golden brown and the tops of the buns spring back when pressed lightly, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

To make the glaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the condensed milk, butter, and lemon juice to make a smooth, slightly loose icing. Add the vanilla and cinnamon. Drizzle the icing over warm buns. Serve.

*Cook's Note: These may be refrigerated or frozen after forming. If refrigerated overnight, allow buns to come to room temperature for about 1/2 hour, then proof fully (until doubled in size) before baking, about 2 hours. If frozen, allow buns to come to room temperature, about 1 hour, and then proof fully (until doubled in size) before baking, about 2 hours.

Storage: Though the buns are best eaten on the day they are baked, they will keep, covered, for a day. They freeze well.
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Spaghetti Puttanesca Recipe

Ready in: 40 minutes
Difficulty: 2/5 (1=easiest/5=hardest)
For 4 persons

Ingredients:
225 g pasta
120 ml olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
360 g chopped tomatoes, pushed through a sieve
4 anchovy filets, rinsed and chopped
30 g tomato paste
25 g capers
20 Greek olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 g crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Heat oil in a skillet over low heat; cook garlic in oil until golden. Add sieved tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in anchovies, tomato paste, capers, olives, and red pepper flakes. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Toss pasta with sauce, and serve.
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Miso Soup with Tofu and Spring Onion Recipe

Ready in: 5-10 minutes
Difficulty: 2/5 (1=easiest/5=hardest)
For 4 persons

Ingredients:
140g soft tofu (1/2 standard size block)
1 spring onion
30g miso
800ml dashi (soup stock)

Directions:
Cut the tofu into 1.5cm cubes. Slice the spring onion diagonally, 5mm. wide.
Heat the soup stock for 3-4 minutes then gently dissolve the miso in the soup.
Add the tofu and continue to heat gently.
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Chocolate Mousse Recipe

Ready in: 30-60 minutes
Difficulty: 2/5 (1=easiest/5=hardest)
For 4 persons

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Boiling Water
8 Packets Hot Chocolate Mix (or to taste)
1 large Tub Cool Whip

Directions:
Mix hot chocolate and boiling water till completely disolved. Let cool bout 3-5 minutes then quickly fold in whip cream chill till set about 30 minutes but can be sereved right away.
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Chicken Fajitas Recipe

Ready in: 30 minutes
Difficulty: 2/5 (1=easiest/5=hardest)
For 4 persons

Ingredients:
4 flour tortillas
1/2 teaspoon oil
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in thin strips
1/2 large onion, cut in slivers from pole to pole
1/2 green bell pepper, cut in slivers pole to pole
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in slivers pole to pole
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
ground red pepper (to taste)
salt (to taste)

Directions:
In a large wok, warm the oil. Cook the chicken slices until done, stir regularly. Add everything except tortillas. Mix well. Cook covered. Stir every few minutes. It's done when the peppers are tender and the vegetables are starting to get browned in spots. Serve with warmed flour tortillas.
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