DiFalco Recipes

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees or you could use an air fryer
• Wash and cut the head of cauliflower into bite-size florets, drain
• Toss florets with extra light olive oil (this is okay for high temperatures), sea salt, pepper, and Shawarma spices (see recipe in sauces & rubs section) until coated
• Roast until tender and golden brown, baking for about 25 minutes
• Aladdin’s drizzles tahini sauce on top or you could substitute lemon juice, or nothing

Serve with Mediterranean Salad and Chicken Shawarma thighs.

• Boil yams with skin on until they are tender.  A fork should go right through
• Drain yams and cover with cold water so that they cool down.  Don’t let them sit in water too long or they get water logged.
• As soon as cooled, drain yams and peel them.  Slice in half.  If really large, slice each half in half again.
• Fry until browned on each side.  You can use a combination of butter and oil (extra light olive oil or avocado oil) or only fry in oil – your choice.
• Place in a 9 by 12  pan
• For each 9 by 12 pan, when you are ready to bake the yams, in a frying pan melt 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar until bubbly then pour over the top of the yams.  The mixture does not need to be evenly spread.
• Bake at 350 degrees until the topping is bubbling all over.

• Peel, wash, quarter, and pat dry the russet potatoes
• Fry on each side in extra light olive oil until brown
• Place potatoes in a pan to bake, adding large garlic pieces or small cloves, and the leftover olive oil in the pan
• 350 degrees until can easily poke a fork through them

Delicious.

4/14/25 – Learned that these have to be made last and served hot.  Once they sit they lose something. Served them with fried chicken and I did the chicken last.  Put the potatoes back in the oven to heat up and they weren’t as good.

• Cut potato in half
• Face the halves up on a baking sheet
• Spray with olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Turn over so face is down
• Olive oil, salt and pepper
• Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes

Soak then rinse the rice

For every 1 cup of rice add about 1 1/4 cup water

3 cups rice use 4 cups water

2 boxes frozen broccoli (or 1 bag)—cooked. (The chopped, cheapest kind works best)
½ lb. Velveeta
1 stick margarine or butter
1 cup rolled ritz crackers

Spray 2 quart casserole with olive oil or Pam. Put drained, cooked broccoli into casserole dish. Slice margarine and dot broccoli. Cover with cheese, then crackers.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

INGREDIENTS
4 medium-large zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise
4 medium-large yellow crookneck squash, trimmed, halved lengthwise
3 Tablespoons light olive oil
DRESSING
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/3 cup grated fresh pecorino romano cheese (used a little more)
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons light olive oil
Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Place zucchini and crookneck squash on large baking sheet; brush all over with 3 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grill vegetables until tender and brown, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to plate and cool.
Put the basil, pecorino romano, balsamic vinegar and light olive into the food processor and blend. Spread this mixture over the zucchini. Then cut zucchini into large pieces diagonally. Layer in bowl or place on platter.

• Brussel Sprouts
• Craisins
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Honey
• EVOO
• Salt
• Pepper

DIRECTIONS:  Trim rough ends off brussel sprouts, cut in half, then rinse.  Dump them onto a large sheet pan.  Add a handful of craisins. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, honey and extra virgin olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat all well.  Place sprouts flat side down so they brown underneath and crisp on top.

You could roast at 425 degrees until sprouts are tender for 20 to 30 minutes.  I added to a 350 degree oven while cooking something else and they were perfect in about 40 minutes.