Mango-Avocado Salad

It must be Florida mango season. The mangos at my local food store were $1 each so I bought several. With Cinco de Mayo coming up, the avocados were also a good buy ($1 each). So- how can I use both mangos and avocados together? I recalled a recipe I saw on the Food Network during a Caribbean-themed show. With a bit of searching on their web site, I found it listed under Sunny Anderson.  I tweaked it a bit- made it to go with lunch today and it was fabulous! I was out of plain white balsamic vinegar so I used my white peach balsamic instead. I will definitely make this again while the mangos are ripe and in season.  It was delicious- a combination of the sweet mango, creamy avocado, and savory red onion. The following recipe makes enough for two. Buy more mangos and avocados if you need more servings.
Mango-Avocado Salad 

1 ripe mango, cut into cubes
1 ripe avocado, cut into cubes
1/4 red onion cut into thin slivers
1/2 T white balsamic vinegar (or a fruit flavored white balsamic), or use regular white vinegar sweetened with some sugar.
1/2 T fresh squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Put first 3 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Whisk last 4 ingredients together; pour over mango, avocado, and onion, and toss.
3. Serve immediately or the avocado will turn brown.

"Tabouleh-ish" Barley Salad

Today I was going to make tabbouleh but I didn't have any bulghur wheat or mint on hand so I decided to try a different combination using quick cooking barley instead of bulghur wheat. Trader Joe's carries quick-cooking versions of several grains and I love their barley. It makes a nice chewy substitute for the bulghur and is attractive when plated. You could substitute wheat berries if you don't have barley- the texture will be similar. I decreased the tomato and and increased the cucumber for this "tabbouleh-ish" combination. It worked! (Makes about 4-5 servings)

"Tabouleh-ish" Barley Salad

1 cup cooked, drained barley
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup finely diced cucumber
1/2 cup minced red onion
Juice of one fresh lemon
1 T of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy!

Pepperoncini Crostini

Peperoncinis are those little peppers you often find as garnishes or in Greek salads. Sometimes they are chopped and used in sandwiches. I found this recipe quite a while ago (Martha Stewart, I think) and adapted it to make this version. I used a jar of sliced pepperoncinis to make this. The piquant taste of the peppers goes really well with the yogurt or sour cream. Spread on olive oil toasted slices of baguette- it makes a nice crostini appetizer. This made a small batch for 3 people. Double it for a larger group.

Pepperoncini Crostini

1/2 cup finely chopped pepperoncinis
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise
1/2 tsp onion powder or onion salt
salt and pepper to taste
1 small French baguette
olive oil

1. Finely chop the pepperoncini, reserve about 1 teaspoon.

2. Mix all the ingredients together except for the reserved pepperoncini. Chill for at least one hour.

3. Before serving, prepare the crostini. Slice the baguette and spray (I love my Olive Oil Misto) or spread olive oil on one side. Toast until just lightly browned (about 3 minutes).

4. Before serving, top dip with reserved pepperoncini.

Jammin' Flatbread Pizza

I sometimes cover a block of cream cheese with onion or pepper jam and spread it over crackers- a tasty snack. Or, I might spread a Trisquit with onion jam and a slice of cheddar cheese, and melt it under the broiler. Well,  why not combine the savory jam and cheese mixture in a new venue- flatbread pizza! I make a lot of different types of quick flatbread pizza using flour tortilla shells. So, I decided to try this combination- and what a hit. My husband loved it and now I make these often as an appetizer before dinner (or sometimes just for dinner!). The secret ingredient is onion or peer jam. The combination of sweet and savory onion or pepper jam, combined with melted cheese and other fixings is fabulous. You can find onion or pepper jams (not jellies) in any gourmet market and often you can find them in your supermarket. Be sure to spread it very thin. If you spread it too thick, your flatbread crust will be soggy.  Also, be sure to use a good quality flour tortilla. Absolutely DO NOT use the low carb, high fiber kind. I made that mistake once- when you bake them, they turn to cardboard! Just stick with a really good Mexican flour tortilla. There are all kinds of ingredient toppers you can add, different cheeses you can use, or just do the jam and cheese without other toppings. Here is one of my favorites versions:

Jammin' Flatbread Pizza

1 flour tortilla
about 1 T onion jam
about 1/2 cup grated Mexican cheeses
2-3 small baby sweet red peppers, sliced
1 cooked Italian hot turkey sausage, sliced

1. Thinly spread jam on flatbread leaving about 1/2 inch around the edge.

2. Top with cheese (add more as desired).

3. Top with peppers and sausage.

4. Bake in a pre-heated hot oven (450 degrees) on a hot pizza stone, pizza pan, or a cookie sheet for about 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Keep your eye on it as it will cook fast!

5. Let cool for a few minutes then slice into wedges.

Veal or Faux Veal Marsala

I tend to avoid veal because of the inhumane conditions veal calves are raised in. However, I did find humanely raised veal in Whole Foods. No, it is not an oxymoron. They are still milk fed calves but they are free to roam with their mothers. However, I will warn you, it is not very tender so you must be sure you cook it the minimum amount of time. Over cooking it will make it very tough. If you use regular veal, you won't have to worry as much (except maybe your conscience). Next time I make this I am going to call it "faux veal marsala". I am going to use slices of pork tenderloin instead of the veal. It's still a "white" meat and I think it will go really well with the Marsala sauce which is the best part of this recipe! I'll let you know how it turns out. My recipe is an adaptation of Giada's. I decreased the meat and increased the mushrooms. Plating the veal or faux veal marsala on top of egg noodles, surrounded by steamed fresh asparagus makes for a very elegant dinner for two. Double this recipe if you are making it for more than 2 people.

Veal (or Faux Veal) Marsala

1 pound of veal cutlets (or thin slices of pork tenderloin- 1/4 inch thick)
1 6 or 8 oz package of fresh mushrooms ( I prefer the cremini)
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup marsala cooking wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Egg noodles (optional)
Fresh herbs (optional- rosemary or chopped parsley)

1. Add 1 T butter and add 1 T olive oil to pan. Heat butter/oil mixture over medium/high heat. Brown the veal or pork,  1.5 to 2 minutes per side, or until lightly browned, then remove and set aside.

2. Add the remaining oil and butter to the medium/hot pan, scrape meat brownings into butter/oil. Add shallot and garlic and stir for about 30 seconds to release fragrance. Add the mushrooms. Reduce heat if necessary and saute mushrooms until limp and water is released. Meanwhile, cut the veal or pork into strips.

3. Add salt, pepper, chicken broth and marsala wine to the pan. Simmer until reduced by half. Add more butter if you want a richer sauce. Once you get the desired consistency (add some cornstarch thickener if it is too watery), stir in the veal (or pork) and heat for about 30 seconds (no longer or the veal will get tough).

4. Pour mixture over egg noodles, sprinkle top with fresh herbs (optional) and serve.

No Knead Crusty French Bread Boule

I used to make my own bread many years ago. It took a lot of time and attention and with my busy schedule, I really couldn't fit it in anymore- not until I discovered the no knead- little attention bread technique originally popularized in a New York Times article. Now I try to make this crusty boule once a week. It is fabulous and the secret to having the crisp, crunchy crust and soft airy interior is the flour-water ration and using the right Dutch oven- I use an enameled Lodge pot (see photo)- I also have a French Fontignac. Both are enameled cast iron. Both also have the heat resistant bakelite sort of plastic (maybe its silicon) knob. My Fontignac says it is resistant to 430 degrees so I cut the temperature down by 20 degrees (the standard directions are for 450 degrees) and wrapped the knob in aluminum foil before putting it in the hot oven. The bread came out perfect even though I decreased the temperature by 20 degrees. If you have an iron top knob on your Dutch oven- keep the 450 degree temp. When you handle the sticky dough- don't flour your hands or else you will change the flour-water ratio. Wet your hands when you handle the dough and it won't stick. This recipe really needs little attention but it does need to be made over 2 days. Start it late in the afternoon and you can finish it the next morning. The basic recipe is below. After making the basic boule, I think I will try adding other ingredients- maybe a kalamata olive bread or  add some fresh herbs like thyme.

No Knead Crusty Boule

3 cups of flour (preferably a good bread flour like King Arthur's)
1/4 tsp instant yeast (make sure it is instant yeast)
1 tsp salt
1.5 cups warm water

You also need parchment paper.

1. Late in the afternoon or early evening, mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. It will look pretty shaggy but that's OK. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it set overnight in a warm place for about 15 hours more or less. After "sleeping" it should be about doubled and bubbly.

2. Flour a surface and use a spatula to dump the dough out of the bowl onto the surface. Wet your hands and grab the dough pulling all the sides to the middle then turning it over and continue to fold th eends under so you have a nice tight ball shape on top. Keep your hands wet so the dough does not stick to your hands.

3.  Put a square of parchment paper on your counter. Plop the dough, which is in the shape of  a tight ball with the ends tucked under, on to the paper. Lift the parchment paper and put bread and paper into a smaller bowl to rise. Cover bowl with a moist towel and let it rest for about 2 hours. It should just about double in size.

4. About half an hour  before the rest period is over, turn on your oven to 430 degrees (if you have a plastic knob- 450 if not). Put the your pot into the oven and let it preheat for 30 minutes so the pot will be really hot.

5. Remove the hot pot and plop the dough into the pot. If your pot is really well seasoned, you won't need the parchment paper. I leave my bread on the parchment paper anyway so it's easier to lift out. If you want your boule to look more rustic, pinch and twist the top so it looks sort of like a belly button. The more rough it is on top- the more rustic your bread will look. Shake the pot a little bit to even out the dough.

6. Put the cover back on and bake for 30 minutes in the hot oven. Then uncover it and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until well browned.

7. Remove from oven, and let cool. You will hear the bread sing as the crust crackles as it cools!

8. Hopefully you will have a nice crunchy crust with a chewy bread texture that has lots of air holes. lather while still slightly warm with Irish butter and you will be in bread heaven!

Raspberry-Kissed Chocolate Almond Crostada

When I first saw this torte dessert, I ooohhhed and aaahhhed- it was so beautiful. Linda Wilson, my daughter-in-law's mother, brought it for Thanksgiving dessert at Nate and Amy's. Thank you, Linda, for sharing the recipe! I have made this a few times and it's so easy. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare and from start to finish baking- about 2 hours. I use the pre-made pillsbury pie crust but if you like making pie crust- by all means make your own. The rest is quite simple. The only hard part is working the almond paste since it is pretty thick and dense. I think you could try other jams as well- a fig jam would be nice! And top it off with whipped cream!

Raspberry-Kissed Chocolate Almond Crostada

1 can (8 oz) or 1 package (7 oz) almond paste

3 TBSP butter or margarine, softened

1 egg white

3 oz semisweet baking chocolate, melted

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (from 15 oz box), softened as directed on box

2 TBSP seedless red raspberry jam

¼ cup sliced almonds

1.        Heat oven to 375.  Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper (I prefer the parchment paper).
2.       Break up almond paste into medium bowl; add butter and egg white.  Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Beat in melted chocolate until well blended. (Or, in food processor bowl with metal blade, break up almond paste; add butter and egg white.  Cover; process with on-and-off pulses until smooth.  Add melted chocolate.  Cover; process until smooth.)
3.       Unroll pie crust; place on center of cookie sheet.  Spoon almond filling onto middle of crust; spread evenly to within 1 ½ to 2 inches of edge.  Fold edge of crust over filling, forming pleats; press down slightly.  Spread jam thinly and evenly over filling.  Sprinkle almonds over filling and crust.
4.       Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Cool completely, about 1 hour and enjoy!

Pasta with Creamy Clam Sauce

This is one of my favorite, quick, easy "semi-homemade" sauces that I love to make when I a quick dinner. My mother used to make this and really, it is amazing- comfort food at it's best! I always keep cans of cream of mushroom soup and cans of minced or chopped clams in my pantry in case I want to whip this up for a quick, tasty dinner. It's just as versatile as an elegant pasta dish at a dinner party! Any kind of pasta is fine. I particularly like to toss this with wide papparadelle noodles from Trader Joe's. Garnish with chopped chives or parsley. Use chopped clams if you prefer bigger pieces of clam.

Pasta with Creamy Clam Sauce

1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
2  cans of minced or chopped clams (or one can of both)
3 T olive oil
1/2 T minced, fresh garlic
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste
Optional: about 1/4 cup white wine
4-5 servings of cooked pasta

1. Prepare cooked pasta- drain and set aside while making sauce.
2. Open cans of clams and drain, setting aside the clam broth.
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and drained clams. Saute for about one minute being careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Add the can of soup. Stir thoroughly to mix clams, garlic, oil, and soup. Add 1/4 cup of clam broth and simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in Parmesan cheese and pepper. Add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer. Add more broth if needed or white wine (optional). Simmer for about 5 more minutes or until desired thickness.
5.  Toss pasta with clam sauce and serve.

Black Bean Hummus

Hummus is a dip/spread traditionally made with garbanzo beans (chick peas)- but why not try other beans? I love black beans. With a bit of trial and error, I came up with this black bean hummus recipe. Add a splash of Sriracha or other chili sauce if you prefer a spicier version. Serve with veggies, pita chips, or cubes of a nice crusty artisan bread (I used Publix bakery's sourdough jalapeno cheddar artisan boule. It's the perfect bread to go with this hummus).

Black Bean Hummus

1 15 oz can of black beans, drained
5 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp cumin
3 T olive oil
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves and stems
juice of half a lemon

Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Easy!

Guinness Gingerbread

This gingerbread recipe has a unique kick to it as a result of adding a dark beer to the batter. I first saw this recipe on the Food Network and have adapted it to use maple syrup (instead of Lyle's Golden Syrup) and cut back on some of the sugar and it is fantastic! The texture is very, very moist. I recommend you allow the gingerbread to cool to room temperature before serving. This makes a superb holiday dessert!

Guinness Gingerbread

1 1/4 stick of butter
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup of Guinness (or any type of stout)
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups of sour cream
3 eggs

Optional: whipped cream for serving.

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a 9' by 13" pan or line with parchment paper.
2. put first 7 ingredients in a large sauce pan and gently heat on low until butter is all melted. Mix thoroughly and remove from heat.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt into pot of melted ingredients. Batter will be lumpy.
4. Crack eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk to gently mix. Add sour cream and whisk until eggs and sour cream are well mixed.
5. Pour batter into mixing bowl of egg and sour cream mixture. Whisk thoroughly until well mixed and not lumpy or beat on low speed for one minute with an electric beater.
6. Pour into pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before cutting and serving.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Stew

Jamaican Jerk is usually a dry rub or paste of jerk spices used to grill chicken or other meats. I decided to use the ingredients in the rub to come up with a jerk stew. It really turned out fabulous. The allspice gives it a dark color and the blend of spices really make for a delicious aromatic stew which can be served over rice or noodles. I think you could add sweet potato (I would have if I had one). I did chop up a banana and added it to the stew right before serving. The  combination of sweet banana and jerk was heavenly! You could tinker with the ingredients but below describes how I put them together. It worked! I will definitely make this again.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Stew

3 boneless chicken breasts
2 T olive oil
1 large onion
4 medium garlic cloves, chopped
1 small green pepper
1/2 T minced jalapeno pepper
1 16 oz can sliced stewed tomatoes, torn apart into small pieces
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup beer
2 T allspice powder
1 T thyme
1 T black pepper
1 T brown sugar
1 T cornstarch
salt to taste

1. Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Saute in oil until no longer pink.
2. Place chicken in a Dutch oven or stewing pot with lid (I prefer my enamel cast iron Dutch oven for stewing). Add water.
3. Chop onion and pepper into 1 inch pieces and add to pot along with garlic and jalapeno pepper.
4. Add tomatoes, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.
5. Add allspice, thyme, pepper, and brown sugar. Stir thoroughly. Mixture will be dark. Add beer, stir, and let simmer on low with the lid on for one hour. Turn heat off and let it sit and allow the flavors to develop for an hour. Reheat and serve!

Quick and Easy Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Brownies

Chocolate and pumpkin- a winning combination! These brownies are so easy to make. I used a brownie mix to save time but you could certainly make your favorite brownie mixture from scratch if you have a disdain for packaged brownie mix. Really, any good packaged brownie mix like Ghiradelli or super moist and fudgy Betty Crocker work just fine. Baking times may vary depending on how gooey you like your brownies.

Quick and Easy Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Brownies

1 box of a good brownie mix
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 small tub of whipped cream cheese
1 T sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 tsp of cinnamon and 1/8 tsp nutmeg)

1. Make the brownie mix as directed on the package.
2. Beat the egg in a bowl. Add the cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, and spice and beat until thoroughly mixed.
3. Grease a square baking pan and spread half the brownie batter on the bottom of the pan.
4. Layer the pumpkin mixture on top. Put remaining brownie mix on top of pumpkin mix. Swirl top with a knife to get a marbled look.
5. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing into squares.

Japanese Restaurant-style Salad Dressing

I love the dressing they put on salads at Japanese restaurants. I searched for some recipes and came up with one that I modified and it turned out spectacularly well! Instead of peanut oil, I used canola oil and peanut butter and added more ginger. Oh my gosh, this is so delicious I could practically eat it like soup! I can't wait to put it on my salad greens tonight. I made a small batch that will last me for the week. Double the recipe if you wish to make more.

Japanese Restaurant-Style Salad Dressing

 

1/4 cup minced onion
1 T minced celery
1/2 T minced ginger
1 heaping T of minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup canola oil (or any vegetable oil)
1 T peanut butter
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 t soy sauce
1 T ketchup
1 T honey (or use white 1 t white sugar)
1 t fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
couple dashes of pepper

Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend on high speed for about 20 seconds or until it is smooth and well-pureed.

Chocolate-Cinnamon Cucumber Cake

What do you do with those big cucumbers in your garden that go to seed? I usually throw them on my compost pile. Today I was about to pitch a bunch of overripe cuc's when I had an idea- why not use them the same way I use grated zucchini in baking recipes?  They really aren't that much different. I went online and actually found a variety of recipes for "Cucumber Cake". So- my idea of using grated cucumber wasn't that far-fetched after all. After searching through some of the recipes, I decided to adapt my old recipe for zucchini chocolate cake, substituting cucumber for zucchini. To give it a bit more zing, I added Vietnamese cinnamon- the best cinnamon in the world. Really- if you don't have Vietnamese cinnamon, then go on line and order it from Penzey's Spices. You will never buy cinnamon in the supermarket again! This cake was super moist and you would never know there were cucumbers in it! I think next time I might add a Nutella or cream cheese frosting. 


Chocolate-Cinnamon Cucumber Cake

2 cups flour
1.5 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I prefer Ghiradelli brand)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon (I prefer Vietnamese cinnamon which I get at Penzey's SPices- much more intense than supermarket cinnamon)
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 cups grated cucumber, peeled with seeds removed (drain or squeeze off excess water before measuring)
Optional: 3/4 cup of walnuts, pecans, or golden raisins

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add eggs, oil, and yogurt and mix thoroughly with beater or by hand. Batter will be somewhat stiff.

3. Add cucumber and any optional nuts or raisins. Stir thoroughly to mix.
4. Spread in a 9 by 13 greased baking pan. Bake at 350 for about one hour or when knife inserted into cake comes out clean.
5. Cool and cut into squares- Enjoy!

Garden Harvest Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken Sausage

I threw this recipe together with grilled veggies from my garden and sliced chicken/apple sausage. It was easy, delightful, and  a nice way to use fresh vegetables from my summer garden. This year I grew some orange cherry tomatoes that are the sweetest cherry tomatoes I have ever tasted. I tossed them in olive oil and roasted them at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes until they just started to shrivel. They added so much flavor to the pasta dish! This recipe makes enough for 4 servings.

Garden Harvest Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken Sausage

15-20 roasted cherry tomatoes (see directions above)
2 medium zucchini
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 T minced garlic
4 chicken-apple sausages (or any flavor of chicken sausage)
1/4 cup olive oil (or 3 T  real butter)
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 package of angel hair pasta
S & P to taste

1. Slice sides of peppers so you have 4 large slices.
2. Cut zucchin1 longitudinally in thirds.
3. Spray or brush both sides of zucchini lightly with olive oil.
4. Place veggies and chicken sausage on a hot grill. Grill until done (veggies should have char marks on both sides)
5. Remove veggies and sausage. Slice sausage into pieces and chop veggies into 1 inch pieces.
6. Bring water to a boil and cook angel hair pasta as directed.
7. Meanwhile, add olive oil (or butter if you prefer) to large stir fry pan or pot. Saute garlic briefly to release flavor. Add veggies and stir.
8. Add drained angel hair pasta and stir thoroughly, adding more olive oil or butter if needed. Add parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Aunt Barb's Warm German Potato Salad

Memories of family cookouts: in the summer my mother would make a warm German potato salad for a family cookout. The recipe was passed on from her sister-in-law, my Aunt Barb, who made a unique version I haven't seen in cookbooks, that included cucumber. I still think this is the best warm German potato salad recipe I have ever tried. This year I used red, white, and blue potatoes for our 4th of July family dinner. The drawback is that it does contain bacon fat but I have cut back on the fat as much as I could to still maintain the flavor. Try this version- if you are a fan of German potato salad, I think you will enjoy this version!

Aunt Barb's Warm German Potato Salad

5 cups sliced potatoes, cooked
1 large (or 3 small) cucumber, thinly sliced
4 slices of bacon
2 medium onions sliced in rings
2 T flour
2 T sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp celery seed
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar

1. Cook bacon until very crisp. drain and crumble, leaving bacon drippings in the pan.

2. Saute onion and cucumber in bacon drippings on medium heat for about one minute until slightly softened.

3. Blend in flour, sugar. salt, celery seed, and pepper. Add water and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened and bubbly. Once thickened, add the potatoes and crumbled bacon, tossing lightly to mix.

4. Serve warmed or at room temperature. Makes about 8-10 servings.

Red, White, and Blue Pretzel Dessert

Texans really know how to do hospitality! I recently went to Denton, TX to do a workshop for their school district. When we broke for lunch, the curriculum coordinators hosted a lovely luncheon for a small group of us in their conference room. While the rest of the group had lunch on paper plates and plastic utensils, at the head of the table they put out a place setting for me with a lovely linen placemat, napkin, china, and flatware. How nice to be treated so special. But the highlight of their luncheon was waht they called "Strawberry Pretzel Salad." Not only was it lovely to look at, but it was delicious. I had to have a second helping. The combination of sweet and salty was perfect. Kathy Morrison, the Science Coordinator for Denton, sent me the recipe. I decided to modify it to make a "Patriotic Dessert" for the Fourth of July. I think you can adapt this recipe for a variety of seasonal fruits and change the Jello flavor accordingly. I cut back on the butter and sugar a bit and also added walnuts to the base. You can skip these if nut allergies are an issue. My son, Chris, who is not a big dessert eater, devoured this!

Red,White, and Blue Pretzel Dessert

2 cups small pretzels broken up into tiny pieces

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 butter at room temperature

2 cups of boiling water

1 package (6 oz.)  strawberry flavored gelatin

8 oz. cream cheese or mascarpone, at room temperature

1/2 cup of sugar

1 cup of whipped topping

2 heaping cups sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400° F/

2. Combine crushed pretzels and walnuts with 3 T of the sugar and butter. With a spatula, press pretzel mixture into the bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking pan to form a crust. Bake 6 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely.

3. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over strawberry gelatin. Stir until melted and let cool until it just barely begins to gel.

4. Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and whipped topping until combined. Spread evenly over cooled crust.

5. Add strawberries to cooled gelatin, stir and let thicken slightly (make sure it is not runny). Once it is slightly thickened and cooled, spread strawberry gelatin over the cream cheese layer. Dot the top with blueberries.  Refrigerate until firm.

6. Cut into squares to serve.

Blueberry-Rhubarb Cardamom Bread

Beginning of July- time to pick the last remaining stalks of spring rhubarb. Next month the blueberries will be ripe so I had better use up the ones I froze from last year. I saw a recipe for an apple cardamom bread and decided to modify it for blueberries and rhubarb. I brought cardamom back from India- one of my favorite spices that I am always looking for new ways to use. It's very moist so I would caution you to put it in the fridge to cool before you slide it. Also, if I make this again, I will increase the amount of cardamom as its flavor was very faint. Tip: If you use frozen blueberries, shake them with a tsp of flour first to coat them. That way they won't discolor your batter. Overall- a great recipe for rhubarb and you could substitute the blueberries for diced apple, raspberries, or blackberries.

Blueberry-Rhubarb Cardamom Bread

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 6 oz container of plain Greek yogurt
1/3 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup diced rhubarb
3/4 c blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Mix the butter and sugar together. Add eggs and mix well. Add yogurt, milk, and vanilla and mix throughly or beat on low with electric mixer.
2. Mix dry ingredients together and add to batter. Thoroughly mix or beat on low until smooth and blended.
3. Fold in berries and rhubarb.
4. Grease a loaf pan. Pour batter (will be thick) into loaf pan.

5. Bake at 375 degrees F for 50 minutes or until done.

Dark Chocolate- Rhubarb Ghirardelli Brownies

Rhubarb is one of the first things I pick in my spring garden. Typically I make pies, muffins, kuchens, or jams from the rhubarb. This time I decided to do something different. Voila- brownies with rhubarb. Since applesauce adds moisture and fiber to brownies without changing the taste, I thought rhubarb might do the same. I opted to use a good brownie mix for this recipe. I think Ghirardelli makes the best brownie mix. I used their Dark Chocolate brownie mix and modified the adding of ingredients to the mix. This is what I came up with and it was superb- very moist, chocolatey, and perfectly textured! Next time I might make a warm rhubarb-strawberry compote to serve over the brownie.

Dark Chocolate- Rhubarb  Ghirardelli Brownies

1 cup of rhubarb (about 2 stalks)
2 T sugar
1/4 cup of water minus 1 T

1 box of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup of plain yogurt
2 T water

1. Chop rhubarb into 1/2 inch piece (remove strings if stringy).
2. Put rhubarb in small saucepan. Add next 2 ingredients. Bring to a boil and then simmer until rhubarb is soft and mushy. Remove from heat and stir rhubarb with a spoon until it is a soft and mushy consistency.
3. Mix together eggs, cooking oil, yogurt, and water until smooth. Add brownie mix and stir until thoroughly mixed.
4. Spread into a greased 8 by 11 pan or 9 by 9.
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Pimiento Cheese

Pimiento cheese: It's a Southern Thing is an NPR article I read recently that reminded me how much I enjoy pimiento cheese when I am in one of the southern states where it is as common spread for sandwiches, crackers, or celery. I first tried pimiento cheese when I was in South Carolina and loved it! A tub of pimiento cheese can be purchased in the cheese section in the supermarkets but it is not nearly as good as the fresh, homemade kind. I prefer mine without mayonnaise, and I like it chunky. After tinkering a bit, I came up with this blend. It's both  smooth and chunky, spreads nicely on bread, and has a nice bite.

Pimiento Cheese

1 8 oz package of sharp cheddar cheese
1/2  8 oz package of low fat cream cheese, softened
1 4 oz jar diced or sliced pimientos
couple dashes of salt

1. Put cream cheese in bowl and let soften.
2. When cream cheese is soft, finely grate 2/3 of the cheddar cheese into the bowl. Thoroughly mix the cream cheese and grated cheddar.
3.  Drain pimientos, reserving 1 teaspoon of liquid (if using sliced pimientos, dice into small pieces). Add pimientos and liquid to the cheese mixture and stir thoroughly until well mixed.
4. Cut remaining 3rd of cheese into tiny diced pieces. Stir diced cheese into pimiento cheese mixture. Makes about 1 cup of spread.

Spread on bread for open-faced sandwiches; substitute for cheese in a grilled cheese sandwich; spread on slices of baguette, crostini, or crackers for an appetizer; serve with bagels; stuff celery; the many ways to use delicious pimiento cheese are endless!

Pasta with Asparagus-Pistachio Pesto

It's asparagus season - the time of the year when I like to find new asparagus recipes to tinker with. I recently watched a Rachel Ray episode and decided to tinker with her asparagus-pistachio pesto recipe. I used a cappellacci pasta (from Miccucci's Italian Grocery) which tends to form a nice substrate for sauces to adhere to.  I also added olive-oil and garlic grilled shrimp- you could add chicken or just enjoy the vegetarian version.

Asparagus-Pistachio Pesto

1 bunch of asparagus
1/4 cup pistachio nuts (shelled)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 T olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 T lemon juice
salt to taste
Pasta of your choice (for 4-5 servings)
Optional: 3/4 lb of uncooked shrimp (shelled)

1. Cut the asparagus into bite-size pieces. Cook in boiling water for 2 minutes then take out and plunge into ice water to blanch.
2. Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions for the pasta you chose. Drain and set aside.
3. If using shrimp, toss the shrimp with olive oil and minced garlic and place under broiler or on grill until done. Set aside.
4. Place olive oil, garlic cloves, pistachio nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, and salt in a food processor. Add 1 cup of the drained asparagus.
5. Blend until smooth with tiny, gritty pieces of asparagus.
6. Toss warm pasta with pesto and remaining asparagus pieces (and optional shrimp).

Shrimp and Veggie Shmear

There is a bagel shop near my office in Maine (Bagelmania) that makes the best veggie cream cheese spread for bagels. One day I bought some and mixed shrimp and Old Bay seasoning into it to make a seafood bagel spread. I was hooked and now make my own, preferable with fresh Maine shrimp, and serve it as an appetizer spread with crostini, crackers, or bagel chips. This makes about a cup of spread. Enjoy!

Shrimp and Veggie Shmear

1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 T of finely minced green pepper
1 T of finely minced red pepper
1 T of finely minced red onion
1 T of thinly sliced scallion or minced chives
1 T of finely minced carrot
1 T of finely minced cucumber (seedy pulp removed)
1/2 T Old Bay Seasoning
1/4  lb of medium size cooked shrimp
salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop shrimp into pieces (5-6 pieces per shrimp).
2. Let cream cheeses soften. Once softened, mix in all ingredients.
3. Stir thoroughly to mix. Let set for a couple hours in fridge for flavors to develop.

Curried Hummus

Hummus is an Arabic dip made from garbanzo beans (chickpeas). But did you know hummus means chickpea in Arabic? I love hummus in a variety of flavors but I think curried hummus is my favorite. Traditional hummus is made with tahini. My version does not use tahini. Enjoy!

Curried Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained except for 1 T of liquid
1/4 cup olive oil
1.5 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp curry powder
salt to taste

Put garbanzo beans and liquid in food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy (I tend to prefer mine a bit stiffer). Add more olive oil if necessary to get the right consistency. Serve with pita chips and veggies.

To make your own pita chips, cut pita bread into small triangles. Brush lightly with olive oil and toast in a 400 degree oven until they just begin to brown (about 5 min.). Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt.

Kale Chips

Kale is one of the super vegetables- very high in Vitamins C and K, beta carotene, and calcium and supposedly contains substances that facilitate DNA repair and block cancer cell formation. I heard about kale chips but never tried them. I wish I had known about these when my children were younger as I think they would have liked them as a healthy snack. I bought a bag of chopped kale at Trader Joe's and thought I would try making kale chips this weekend while Chris was home. Now that I have made a batch and tried them- I'm hooked. Really- these are so easy to make and good for you.

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale (or bag of chopped kale)
1/2 T olive oil
sea salt

1. Remove ribs from kale and chop leaves into 1-2 inch pieces (or remove ribs from chopped, bagged kale). Chop enough to cover a baking sheet in one layer. Make sure kale is thoroughly dry.
2. Toss kale with olive oil or spray kale with olive oil mister.
3. Spread on single layer on baking sheet, rubbed with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.
4. Roast at 275 degrees for 10 minutes, toss and turn, and roast an additional 10 minutes or until crisped (taste to see if kale is crisped as it is hard to tell from looking at it).
5. Let cool and serve as chips.

Rosemary and Chipotle Roasted Nuts

One of our former office colleagues, Janre Mullins, passed this recipe on to Meghan Southworth who brought these into the office one day and - wow! I was hooked. I lost my copy of the recipe but fortunately found the Ina Garten version on the Food Network web site.  These are absolutely the yummiest roasted nuts I ever tasted. The chipotle gives it a nice zing. Coming home from Florida yesterday, I stopped at Trader Joe's in Portland and stocked up on nuts. I think you could extend this by adding Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamias, and even hazel nuts. Trader Joe's has such a good variety of nuts and cheap too! I tweaked the recipe a bit and made a smaller batch. I used raw cashews and almonds but you could use the roasted variety as well.  Go for the unsalted if possible to cut down on the sodium. These would make great gifts at Xmas time wrapped in colorful paper cones. Since Chris picked me up in Portland and is spending the weekend at home with me, this is my gift to him!


Chipotle-Rosemary Roasted Nuts

1 cup cashews
1 cup walnut halves
1 cup of pecan halves
1 cup almonds
1 T olive oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 T light brown sugar, packed
2 T freshly squeezed juice from an orange
1 tsp of chipotle powder
1 T of rosemary leaves (preferably fresh but dried will do as well)
salt to taste (use less salt if using salted nuts)

1. Put all nuts in a bowl.
2. Pour in olive oil, maple syrup, and orange juice and mix thoroughly.
3. Add brown sugar, chipotle, and rosemary leaves and mix thoroughly.
4. Spread out on an oiled baking sheet in one layer (I prefer to line my pan with parchment paper).
5. Sprinkle with salt and roast at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, turning nuts at least once through the roasting process. pecans will darken the most. Nuts should have a nice glazed sheen.
6. Remove from oven and let cool, turning several times to keep nuts from sticking together or spread out on parchment paper to cool.
7. Serve when nuts come to room temperature (or slightly warmed).