Official Delicious & Simple Cookbook

The official, unabridged version of Heidi Licata's cookbook and blog. Here, you will find recipes from Heidi's own kitchen, submitted recipes by you, the viewer and even creations by professional chefs that are simple enough to try for yourself!

Penne Alla Vodka

Featured in the 2017 Winter Edition of 'Shakers Magazine>inspiring spirits

My Penne Alla Vodka is made with a tomato cream sauce and a hint of vodka flavor, beautifully garnished with fresh basil leaves, topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Delicious yet simple recipe will have your palettes dance and want more, it screams “Romantic”. This dish can be made within 45 minutes, a very tasty and impressive main course. My wine recommendation: Chilled bottle of sauvignon blanc or for a red a Chianti. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 Tablespoon butter

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped

  • 1 cup vodka, a shot to sip from while cooking

  • 1 cup chicken stock

  • 1 can 28 ounce crushed tomatoes

  • Fresh cracked black pepper and Sea salt, to taste

  • 16 ounce penne pasta

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream

  • 20 leaves fresh basil, torn

  • Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved

  • Optional: red chili pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:

Heat large pan on medium heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and onions, sauté until slightly soft. Add vodka to pan. Cook until vodka reduces down to half then add chicken stock and tomatoes. When sauce starts to bubble reduce heat to simmer. Add pepper and salt, optional add red pepper chili flakes. Start your pasta, making sure not to overcook. Cook pasta al dente. Drain pasta, add pasta to ingredients (do not add earlier then 10 minutes before serving), add pasta to sauce. Stir in heavy cream and add basil leaves stirring all the ingredients together. Top with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. 

Serve with crusty bread.

Serving: 4-6 people

Pickled Hot Chili Pepper Rings

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Chili peppers, washed, dried, cut and seeded; always wear gloves when working with peppers. (Makes 4 cups prepared)
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 cups Distilled white vinegar
  • 4 tablespoon Coarse sea salt 
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Peppercorns, whole
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • Fresh Bay leaves 
  • Fresh Thyme sprigs

Directions:

  • In a enameled pot over medium-high heat, combine water, vinegar, salt, garlic, cumin, peppercorns and sugar, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer.
  • In a sterilized jar, fill with prepared sliced pepper rings, then add a bay leaf and two sprigs of thyme.
  • Fill jar with brine mixture to the top, making sure it is full. Clean edges and seal tightly with lid
  • Prepare hot water bath: Fill large pot with water and heat until boiling.
  • Set filled jars in water bath for 15 minutes (If pot is bubbling over, lower heat).
  • Remove and let cool. Enjoy!

Fish Gaucho's Ahi Quinoa Salad

Ahi Quinoa Salad by Executive Chef Chris Beckett

" There are only two rules for being successful; one, figure out exactly what you want to do, and two, do it."-Mario Cuomo

1244 Park St, Paso Robles, California

805-239-3333

Ingredients:

  • One half avocado, cubed
  • 2 Tablespoons pickled Fresno peppers
  • 2 Tablespoons roasted bell peppers, seeded, skinned and diced
  • 2 Tablespoon thinly sliced red onion
  • 1 Tablespoon pomegranate seeds
  • 7 Tablespoon quinoa, pre cooked
  • 4 ounces sashimi grade Ahi, thinly sliced
  • Pickled carrots and micro greens to garnish
  • Artisanal olive oil to finish
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 Tablespoon blood orange vinaigrette

Directions:

  • Combine all ingredients, loosely toss together
  • Use chilled plate
  • Layer in center using a large spoon
  • Garnish with Carrots and micro greens
  • Swirl on olive oil to finish

Serving size 2

Ingredients: Blood Orange Vinaigrette

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 jalapenos, seeded, finely chopped 
  • 3/4 cup blood orange, juiced
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Blend all ingredients together and follow above directions for use.

Easter Rice Krispy Pops

Easter Rice Krispy Pops

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
  • 3 tablespoons Butter
  • 4 cups Miniature Marshmallows
  • Lolly or popsicle sticks (amount depends on size of pops)
  • Sprinkles and Frosting (Follow frosting recipe in step 2)

Directions: Step 1

  • In a large saucepan on low heat melt butter. Add marshmallows stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
  • Add rice krispies cereal, stir until well coated.
  • Lay work space with wax paper. Spray hands with non stick spray, Pour out mixture onto wax paper. Work quickly to make shapes so mixture does not harden.
  • Coat hands with cooking spray whenever rice krispies starts to stick to hands.
  • Take a baseball size amount of mixture and hand design each into desired shape; carrot, cross, bunny etc. put pop stick into the ends .
  • Place each pop on wax paper to harden. Prepare frosting

Ingredients: Frosting 

  • 6 cups powder sugar, may need more
  • water
  • variety food color
  • several metal bowls for mixing
  • piping bags
  •  variety of sprinkles
  • plastic bags with ties

Directions: Step 2

  • In a large metal bowl pour in 6 cups of powder sugar add a few drops of water a little at a time mixing constantly, do not add to much water to make sugar to runny. Consistency should be thick well mixed and easy to spread on pops and also to push through piping bags. Place some frosting in individual bowls then add drops of food color.
  • Using small spatula or butter knife spread desired colored frosting and add your sprinkles. If piping. Pipe on pop to create eyes or out lines etc and  then add sprinkles. Let harden between each application if your doing multiple applications. Let sit to dry before packaging.

Great gift idea: Fill small terra-cotta pots with treats and add your Easter Pops.

 

 

 

Protein Pumpkin Loaf

This recipe is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. Protein pumpkin loaves are low calorie and packed with high protein. You will be satisfied and have a lot of energy after indulging in this delicious power snack. Thank you to Rachelle for sharing this recipe with me and now I have the pleasure to share it with all of you.  

Ingredients:

  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 scoop of protein powder (I use quest vanilla)
  • 1/4 cup old fashion oatmeal
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cinnamon and stevia to taste ( When using flavored protein, omit stevia)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350' 

  • Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside
  • In a separate bowl blend wet ingredients using hand mixer , then mix in dry ingredients
  • Spray mini loaf pan with non stick cooking spray, fill equally with batter
  • Bake 25-30 minutes

Note: Serving size one. (To make 8 mini loaves multiply recipe by 4)

 

Jalapeño Cream Cheese Log

Ingredients:

  • 2- 8 ounce blocks Original cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped, extra for garnish
  • 1  medium Fresh jalapeño, finely cut, discard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon Jalapeño tangerine jam, extra for inside roll, or(any flavor jalapeño jam)
  • 1/2 cup Sliced almond, coarsely chopped

Directions:

  • Place chopped almonds aside.
  • In a bowl hand mix all remaining ingredients.
  • Cut 2- 12 inch plastic wrap laying flat, this will be used to roll and wrap log with.
  • Form log making a canal in the middle of log, run along the whole length jam in center 1/4 inch in diameter.
  • Close log without disturbing center.
  • Coat log with almonds.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate before using.
  • Place on serving dish,  garnish with extra cilantro and serve with favorite crackers.

Heidi's Wine Spritzer

Step 1: Preparation

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle Pinot Grigio wine, chilled
  • 3 cups Sparkling water, chilled
  • 2 Small oranges, zested (have extra to cut both citrus into wedges)
  • 2 Lemons, zested
  • Sprigs of Italian parsley
  • Ice cubes

Directions:

  • In a small bowl, zest lemon and orange, then mix together. You can place zest  in ice tray and freeze then add to wine and sparkling water. I prefer to add directly into pitcher using your favorite glass pitcher.
  • Add  sparkling water, wine, zest, wedges of lemon, oranges, ice cubes. Stir, then add parsley sprigs.
  • Prepare sugar rimmed glasses, add any garnishes desired and serve chilled. 

 Step 2: Sugar Lemon Rim

What You'll Need:

  • Sugar
  • Lemon wedge
  • Small plate

 Directions:

  • Pour sugar onto small plate.
  • Take lemon wedge and run along top of glass, then dip into sugar.