Taco Ring

Ingredients
  • 2 crescent roll tubes
  • 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
  • 1 packet of taco seasoning
  • 1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • Garnish for toppings
Directions
  • Lay out the two tubes of crescent pastry, thick sides in. Use some of the left over crescent rolls to to make the center a bit thicker.
  • Brown beef and add taco seasoning.
  • Lay beef in a circle inside of the laid out crescent rolls
  • Add cheese to the top
  • Pull over crescent rolls and tuck in under meat and cheese.
  • Add cheese, lettuce, tomato, black olives, sour cream, jalapenos, salsa, etc...

Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients
  • 3/4 pound ground pork
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon minced peeled ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon Thai chile sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Asian fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
  • 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
  • One 8-ounce can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
  • 2-4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 24 lettuce leaves
Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork with the bell pepper, garlic, ginger, chile sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil.
  2. In a large skillet or wok, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of grapeseed oil until shimmering. Add the pork mixture and stir-fry over high heat, breaking it up, until it is cooked through and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the water chestnuts, scallions, oyster sauce and cilantro and remove from the heat.
  3. Spoon the pork into bowls. Stack the lettuce leaves on plates. To eat, spoon the pork onto the lettuce leaves, roll up and eat. 
adapted from Food & Wine 

Italian Seafood Stew

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 1 white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mrs Dash Extra Spicy
  • 1-1/2 pounds cleaned squid—bodies cut into 1/2-inch rings, tentacles halved
  • 2 cups dry white wine
  • One 28-ounce can tomato puree
  • 2 lemons—zest of one peeled in strips with a vegetable peeler, zest of the other finely grated
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, diced
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup bottled clam broth
  • 12 ounces mussels, scrubbed
  • 12 ounces littleneck clams, scrubbed
  • 12 ounces shelled and deveined large shrimp
  • 12 ounces skinless fish fillet, cut into 2-by-1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
  1. In a very large, casserole or Dutch oven, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil. Add the fennel, celery, onion, oregano and Mrs Dash Extra Spicy and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Add the squid and garlic and cook over moderately low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Stir in the wine and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Cook until evaporated, about 20 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree and strips of lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper and cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 40 minutes.
  3. Add the water and clam broth and bring to a boil. Remove and discard the lemon zest. Season the broth with salt and pepper. Add the mussels, clams and shrimp, cover and cook until most of the shells have opened, about 5 minutes. Add the fish and cook until opaque, about 2 minutes longer.
  4. In a small bowl, combine the parsley with the grated lemon zest. Spoon the stew into deep bowls and sprinkle with the gremolata. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.
  5. Make Ahead The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. Reheat before proceeding.
  6. Serve With Garlic toast.
modified from Food & Wine