Mila's Cookbook

Our Days

Cookbook

Table of Contents Breakfast

- 2 - Overnight French Toast -5-

Bannana Muffins with Whipped Cream

- 7 - Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Lunch

- 11 - Homeade Pasta - 12 - Fettuccine with Pesto - 13 - Orechietti with Broccoli - 15 - Black Rice Bowl with Grilled Chicken

Dessert - 19 - Fruit Salad

- 21 - Rice Pudding - 23 - Strawberry Poke Cake

Breakfast Section: Overnight French Toast Banana Muffins and Whipped Cream Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

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Overnight French Toast From the kitchen of: Erin Fodero

Ingredients:

1 loaf of egg bread (Challah) 6 eggs 1 cup half-and-half ½ cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter ¾ cup packed dark-brown sugar ¾ cup chopped pecans 1 tablespoon confectioner sugar

Directions: 1.

Coat 2 baking dishes, 13x9x2 inches, nonstick cooking spray.

2. Slice bread into 12 equal slices, about 1 inch thick. Arrange slices in prepared dishes.

3. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, half-and-half, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Pour mixture over the 2 baking dishes, dividing equally.

4. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

5. In saucepan, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and pecans until combined. Spoon evenly over all bread slices.

6. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

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Banana Muffins With Whipped Cream From the Kitchen of: Mila Paljusaj

Cream Ingredients 1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Throw all into a mixer and then refrigerate until ready to serve

Muffin Ingredients 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 3 large bananas, mashed ¾ cup white sugar 1 egg ⅓ cup butter, melted Unsalted Butter - 1lb - Good & Gather

Directions 1.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl.

Fold in flour mixture, mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.

3. Bake in a preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

Chefs Note:

Best snack or breakfast on the go!

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Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

From the kitchen of: Melissa Morales

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup ricotta cheese 2 eggs 2/3 cup milk 1 lemon, zested and juiced Butter, for griddle 1 jar prepared lemon curd Fresh raspberries, for garnish Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

Directions 1.

Preheat a nonstick, griddle

2. Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a small bowl.

3. Whisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl.

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4. Whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients.

5. Brush the hot griddle with butter. For each pancake, pour approximately 1/4 cup measure of the batter on the griddle and cook on both sides until light golden brown. Repeat until no batter remains.

6. Empty the contents of the lemon curd into a small saucepan and warm over low heat. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the curd, over the pancakes 7. Top with fresh raspberries

8. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Chefs Note:

Perfect Sunday morning brunch or breakfast!

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Lunch

Section:

Black Rice Bowl with Grilled Chicken Homade Pasta

Fettuccine with Pesto Orecchiette with Brcoli and Sausage

Homemade Pasta

From the kitchen of: Anna Bulfamante

Ingredients:

4 cups all purpose flour 6 large eggs 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions 1.

Place the flour in circle on a clean surface leaving the middle

of the circle clear

2. Crack each egg in center of the flour and use a fork to beat.

3.

Using your hands kneed the flour in an inward position to make a dough out of the flour and eggs

4. Knead the dough until it forms a ball

5. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about an hour in a bowl with plastic wrap over it 6. After letting the dough sit, cut the dough in half then in small, long pieces and run it through the pasta roller about 3 times 7. Run each piece through the pasta cutter to make the dough into a different type of pasta 8. Lay the pasta on a sheet with flour and sprinkle with flour before places all the pieces on top of each other 9.

Repeat this process with the rest of the dough

10. Once you have finished making the pasta, boil a pot of water 11. Put the extra virgin olive oil in the water so the pasta doesn’t stick together 12. Cook Pasta for 8-12 minutes

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Fettuccine with Pesto

From the kitchen of: Maja Tarateta

Ingredients

2 cups of basil leaves

1/4 cup pine nuts 2 plump garlic cloves (peeled and crushed) 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup grated parmigiana 1/2 pound small potatoes (peeled and slice 1/4 inch thick) 1/4 pound green beans (cut into 1 inch lengths) 1 pound fettuccine

Directions 1.

In a food processor add basil, pine nuts, salt, and garlic. Process until the mixture is coarse and grainy

2. With the processor still on slowly add oil and cheese 3. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil then add at least 2 tablespoons of salt and potato slices

4. Cook until potatoes have started to soften but are not cooked through then add green beans 5. Turn the vegetables, and add in the sauce. serve immediately.

Chefs Note:

My mom makes this all of the time, and it is perfect for every summery day. The vegetables all work really well together and this recipe is worth it.

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Orecchiette with Broccoli and Sausage From the Kitchen of: Nicole Lopane

Ingredients:

1lb of broccoli crowns Salt and freshly ground black pepper 12 oz. of orecchiette pasta 4 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2tbsp of minced garlic 1lb of Italian sausage 2/3 cup of freshly shredded Parmesan 1 1/2 cups of pasta water

Directions: 1.

Add four quarts of water to a large pot and bring to boil over medium-heat then season with salt.

2. Add broccoli to the boiling water and cook until tender, for about 4-5 minutes.

3. Move broccoli from water and transfer to a colander, while leaving the water still in the pot.

4. Run broccoli under cold water, drain well, and chop broccoli 13

5. Add pasta into water for boil, about 1 minute shy of al dente.

Then, reserve 1 1/2 cups of water

6. While the pasta is boiling, heat the olive oil into a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

7. Crumble sausage in small chunks into skillet and cook, breaking up and tossing occasionally, until cooked through, 7 minutes.

Then, add garlic in the last two minutes of cooking the sausage.

8. Pour 1 cup of pasta water into the sausage. Let it simmer for a about a minute and reduce slightly. Add the pasta and cook while tossing, until tender, about 2 minutes.

9. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil, then optionally season with red pepper flakes and toss.

10. Sprinkle in Parmesan and toss to melt.

11. Toss in broccoli and season with salt and pepper.

12. Put more pasta water if needed and drizzle servings with more olive oil if desired, 13. Serve with Parmesan.

Chefs Note: My aunt, Nicole

Lopane, made this recipe

and it is delicious! It is my comfort meal and my

favorite food. My grandpa

would also always used to

make it for me. It is a great

and unique pasta dish that

has run in my family and will never get old.

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Black Rice Bowl with Grilled Chicken From the kitchen of: Chris O’Brien

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked black forbidden rice 3/4 cup sautéed mushrooms 3/4 cup frozen edamame (Out of the pod) 3/4 cup julienne Carrots 3/4 cup cooked zucchini 2 8oz pieces of grilled chicken breast For stir fry sauce: 1/2 cup of soy sauce 2 tbsp of sesame oil 1/4 cup of mirin 4 tbsp of honey 1 bunch of chives, fine diced 1/2 a bunch of scallions, fine diced 2 tbsp of fresh ginger 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated Spicy aioli 1/4 cup Kewpie mayo 2 tbsp of siracha

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Toppings:

Toasted sesame seeds Pickled ginger Wanton crisps

Directions: 1.

In large non-stick saute pan, over medium high heat:

2. Saute: Mushrooms, Carrots, Zucchini, Edamame 3. Add cooked rice and half of stir fry mixture.

4. Saute together to sufficiently cook all elements and place in a large bowl.

5. Slice grilled chicken on a bias and layer on top.

6. Drizzle on top spicy aioli.

7. Finish with sesame seeds, pickled ginger, and wanton crisps.

8. Use excess sauce as desired.

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Dessert

Section: Fruit Salad Rice Pudding Strawberry Poke Cake

Fruit Salad From the Kitchen of: Delish

Ingredients 1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice Zest of 1 lemon 1 lb. strawberries, hulled and quartered 6 oz. blueberries 6 oz. raspberries 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced 1 orange, peeled and wedges cut in half 2 apples, peeled and chopped 1 mango, peeled and chopped 2 c. grapes

Directions: 1.

In a small bowl whisk together honey, orange juice, and lemon zest Add fruit to a large bowl and pour over dressing, tossing gently to combine. Chill until ready to serve.

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Chefs Note:

This recipe has been in my family for ages, I love the sweetness of the fruits and creamy pudding!

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Rice Pudding From the Kitchen of: Dianne Gomes

Ingredients: 1 large egg

1/4 cup (52g) white or light brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon 2 cups (480ml) whole milk 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream 1/3 cup (65g) short grain white rice

Directions: 1.

Whisk together egg, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in small bowl.

Set aside.

2. Add milk, cream, rice and salt to medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

3. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Stir frequently to keep rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

4. Slowly add about half a cup of hot rice mixture to egg mixture, whisking quickly, to temper egg mixture.

5. Add egg mixture to saucepan with remaining rice mixture. Stir everything together and continue heating on low heat for about another 5-10 minutes, or until thickened. Don’t boil. It will thicken quickly. Keep in mind that the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools, so you don’t want it to be too thick before you take it off the heat. A touch soupy still is ok.

6. Remove from heat and serve warm.

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Strawberry Poke Cake From the kitchen of: Food Network Kitchen

Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon fine salt 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, well shaken 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 cups sugar 3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten One 3-ounce box strawberry gelatin 2 pounds strawberries 3 tablespoons sugar 2 cups heavy cream, cold 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions 1.

2.

Cake: Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the buttermilk and vanilla in a spouted measuring cup; set aside.

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3.

4.

Beat the sugar and butter in a stand mixer (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer) at medium speed until very light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Slowly add the eggs and beat until fully incorporated.

Reduce the speed to the lowest setting; with the mixer running, alternate beating in the flour mixture in three additions and the buttermilk mixture in two, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the side of the bowl, and beat until the batter is well mixed. Spread into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Using a fork, poke holes in the top and all the way through the cake.

5. Bring 1 cup water to a boil, pour over the gelatin in a small bowl, stir until completely dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup cold water. Pour mixture evenly over the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Put a large bowl (for whipping the cream) in the refrigerator.

6. For the sweetened berries: While the cake chills, hull and quarter the strawberries. Toss with the granulated sugar in a medium bowl, and set aside until soft and juicy, about 1 hour.

7. Topping: Remove cake from the refrigerator. Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla in the chilled bowl until fluffy. Spread it over the cake, slice the cake and serve with the strawberries.

8. Cake tastes best just slightly chilled, let sit out to warm up a bit while whip the cream for the topping.

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