Easy Chocolate Cherry Cake

• 1 box devils food (or chocolate) cake mix
  
• 1 can cherry pie filling (20 oz)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (vanilla if you don't have almond)
• 1/2 cup canola or coconut oil (melted)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray 9x13 or bundt cake pan generously. Mix all ingredients together by hand (so not to break the cherries) until well incorporated. It will be thick like brownie mix.  Dump into pan and spread to edges.  Bake 35 minutes or until tester comes out clean.  Cool completely. Frost with chocolate frosting.

You could probably do this with raspberry filling as well.  Or I haven't tried it but I just might; an apple pie filling with spice cake.

Cauliflower Fritters

• 4 cups steamed cauliflower (roughly chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup Pecerino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dry)
• 1/4 cup hot water
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil

In a large bowl combine steamed chopped cauliflower, flour, garlic, eggs, grated cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Add water a little at a time until the batter becomes slightly more dense than pancake batter. On a medium - low heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a 10 inch skillet to coat the bottom of the pan. Measure about 1/4 cup of cauliflower mixture to make Fritters. Cook until golden brown, turn and cook another few minutes. Add a little bit of oil each time and repeat process until batter is gone. (Makes about 24 fritters)

** These make a great substitute for Potato Pancakes.  There are only 3 of us so I'm going to attempt to make the full recipe and freeze the remaining to reheat in the microwave at another time. If I remember I'll come back and try to let you know how that goes.

Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli & Pine Nuts

• 2 (16 oz.) packages prepared gnocchi 
• 5 c. chopped broccoli florets
• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. Sendik’s extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 T. pine nuts, toasted
• 1.5 oz. fresh Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1/3 cup)

Cook gnocchi in a large Dutch oven according to package directions.  Add broccoli during last minute or two of cooking; cook one minute.  Drain.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add butter and oil; cook 7 minutes or until butter browns.  Add gnocchi mixture and pepper to pan; toss to coat. Pour into a shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with  pine nuts and cheese. Serves 6 (unless you have a hubby like mine)

Teriyaki Ginger Mahi-mahi

• 1/2 t Freshly Grated Ginger
• 1 T Soy Sauce
• 1 T Teriyaki Sauce
• 1 T Sendik’s Orange Marmalade 
• 2- 8 oz pieces of Mahi-mahi 
• Black and White sesame seed for garnish

Place grated ginger, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and orange marmalade into a bowl and whisk well.
Add pieces of Mahi Mahi to mixture and turn to coat each piece. Place into a refrigerator and let marinade for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, place fish onto a non stick sheet pan spoon remaining marinade over top and sprinkle the top of each piece with black and white sesame seeds. (I don't go out to especially buy a mixed sesame seed. Toasted, or not, white seeds work just fine)
Place into a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until an internal temperature of 135 degrees F is reached.