Hello Friday!! What is cooking tonight everyone??

If you are looking for a fantastic menu to cook for this weekend then this Friday Menu is for you. 🙂

~Friday Menu~

Appetizer: Lemon Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup of quinoa
• 1 cup of red bell pepper- sliced
• 1/4 cup of raisins
• 1/4 cup of red onion- diced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of honey or agave nectar
• 1 avocado- diced
• 1 1/2 cups of mixed European greens

Directions:

1. Place the lemons in a saucepan and cover with water. 
2. Bring water to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. ( Simmer for about 30 minutes.)
3. Drain the water, and cool the lemons. 
4. Cook the quinoa according to packaged directions. 
5. Remove the quinoa from the heat, and add in the bell peppers, and raisins over the top of the quinoa. 
6. Cover the top of the lid, and let sit for about 4 minutes. 
7. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and set aside.
8. Cut the lemons in half, and scoop out the pulp and any other segments.
9. Cut the lemon skins into strips, and slice into little diamonds. 
10. Add the lemon to to the onion, oil, honey, and 1 tablespoon of water.
11. Stir the lemon mixture and avocados into the quinoa mixture.
12. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
13. Add in the European greens. 

Main:Pasta With Chickpeas Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion- chopped
• 1 bunch of basil- chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic- minced
• 3 Roma tomatoes- seeded and chopped
• 1 can of chickpeas- rinsed and drained
• 4 cups of vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup of tubetti
• 1/4 teaspoon of white wine
• sea salt & ground pepper
• 1/4 cup of fresh Parmesan cheese
• parsley for the topping

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. 
2. Add in the onion, basil, and saute for about 7 minutes until softened.
3. Add in the garlic, and saute for about 30 seconds or so.
4. Add in the tomatoes, and season with sea salt. 
5. Saute the tomatoes for about 5 minutes.
6. Add in chickpeas and mash with a potato masher to thicken the soup. 
7. Add in the broth and bring to a boil. 
8. Add the pasta and cook for about 1 minute.
9. Season with ground pepper and salt.
10. Garnish each soup with Parmesan cheese.

Dessert: Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well

Directions:

1. Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls.
2. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
3. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth.
4. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)
5. Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper.
6. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper.
7. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.
8. Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Kali Orexi!