Sumptuous Sunday - Week 3: Low-Fat Pesto

Welcome to Sumptuous Sunday! My weekly recipe sharing series. What is Sumptuous Sunday, you ask?

Here's how it works: Every Sunday I will post a recipe that I enjoy. Not just anything from my cookbook, but a sumptuous kick-ass recipe that I myself have eaten over and over again. If you have a kick-ass recipe you want to share, email it to me at heartofire@tvcconnect.net. I will try a couple recipes a week. If I find yours is incredibly Sumptuous, I will post it here on the blog, giving my reaction and singing your praises. You will also get to display this lovely little icon on your blog, if you wish....


This week I am featuring a recipe that I know I will be using a lot since I have to cut out tomato sauce. It tastes great over spinach or whole wheat pasta!

Low-Fat Pesto Sauce

2/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh basil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Combine stock and garlic and heat in the microwave on high for 5 minutes (or heat on the stove). Allow to cool.

Chop basil in food processor. Add cooled stock, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Whirl until everything is finely chopped and blended.

Meanwhile, cook pasta of your choice. Toss sauce with pasta. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy! See you next week on Sumptuous Sunday!

~Cissa

Sumptuous Sunday - Week 2: Chocolate Delight

Welcome to Sumptuous Sunday! My weekly recipe sharing series. What is Sumptuous Sunday, you ask?

Here's how it works: Every Sunday I will post a recipe that I enjoy. Not just anything from my cookbook, but a sumptuous kick-ass recipe that I myself have eaten over and over again. If you have a kick-ass recipe you want to share, email it to me at heartofire@tvcconnect.net. I will try a couple recipes a week. If I find yours is incredibly Sumptuous, I will post it here on the blog, giving my reaction and singing your praises. I'm working on a little icon you can post and link back to the day you were featured! :)

Week 2 brings us to a dessert. And not just any dessert, but one that I personally only make 2 times a year, because it is so Sumptuous, making it more than that would ruin the mistique and anticipation my family has for this recipe. And it's amazingly simple....

Ladies and Gentlemen, I offer you:

Chocolate Delight

3 dozen Lady Fingers
12 oz. semi-sweet choclate chips
4 T. sugar
4 T. water
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 c. cool whip or equivalent

Line bottom and sides of a DEEP round cake pan (small spring form or 2 qt. casserole works too)with wax paper, then lady fingers. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave. Add sugar, water and egg yolks. Cook over med-low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Cool. Add vanilla and fold in egg whites. Pour 1/2 of mixture over lady fingers in cake pan. top with second layer of lady fingers. Add remaining mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Top with cool whip before serving.

My god, this is a RICH and sumptuous dessert. Seriously, just thinking about it right now in July makes me wish it were Christmas. I am actually considering asking my mother to make this for my birthday this year, since my favorite ice cream place no longer does cakes.

Please do try this recipe and tell me what you think. But I guarantee, you will NOT be disappointed!

And remember, send me your recipe, and it could be featured here!

Until next time,
~Cissa

Sumptuous Sunday - A New Series - Week 1

I decided to start something new on the Blogosphere: Sumptuous Sundays! Dawg Snacks on Sunday & does Cereal Wednesday , Snackie Snacks (albeit words, not food), and dang it, it gets me hungry for life. I love food (obviously), so I am gonna start this bad-boy of a series!

Here's how it will work: Every Sunday I will post a recipe that I enjoy. Not just anything from my cookbook, but a sumptuous kick-ass recipe that I myself have eaten over and over again. If you have a kick-ass recipe you want to share, email it to me at heartofire@tvcconnect.net. I will try a couple recipes a week. If I find yours is incredibly Sumptuous, I will post it here on the blog, giving my reaction and singing your praises. I'm working on a little icon you can post and link back to the day you were featured! :)

This week's inaugural recipe was posted in the New London Day on Wednesday, and it's a recipe from a local restaurant that I have visited quite a few times since I discovered it a few months ago. It's summer, so this is great for any parties and BBQ's you may throw in the next 6 weeks. it truly kicks ass, and believe me, people will be asking you for the recipe ALL THE TIME!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present......

NORTH END DELI'S CREAMY PASTA SALAD

Serves 12-15

1 POUND CAVATAPPI PASTA, COOKED, RINSED AND DRAINED

1 CUP CHOPPED CELERY

1 CUP CHOPPED RED ONION

1 CUP CHOPPED FRESH BROCCOLI (STEAMED OR RAW)

1 CUP CHOPPED CARROT

1 CUP SHREDDED CARROT

1 CUP CHOPPED GREEN PEPPER

1 CUP CHOPPED RED PEPPER

1/2 CUP SLICED BLACK OLIVES

SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

1 CUP MAYONNAISE

1 CUP RANCH DRESSING

2 TABLESPOONS PARSLEY (FRESH OR DRIED)

Combine the vegetables with the cooked pasta, and hand toss until well mixed. Add the mayonnaise and the ranch dressing, combining thoroughly. Sprinkle with parsley, and chill before serving.

Talk about delicious! Absolutely Sumptuous, I tell you!

So that's it for the very first Sumptuous Sunday. Next week, another recipe, and maybe it will be YOURS!

~Cissa