2015 - 2016 Schedule

September - Judith & Kristy

October - Lisa & Carolyn

January - Holly & Melissa

February - Chandler  & Heidi

March - Annika & Stephanie

April - Lindsay & Jenny

A Backyard Wedding - Michelle & Annika - June 2015

Michelle and Annika hosted our last evening before Summer break with a Backyard wedding.

 Invites were wood grain with light strands and details tied with a simple sprig of babies breath.

As guests arrived the gate was propped with a fun vintage ladder, chair and chalk board sign leading them to the "Happily Ever After".

The backyard was set up with a couple large canopies over the table and had large burlap balls hanging from the center.

The table was set with clean white linen and had accents of brilliant coral and gold.

The center piece was reclaimed wooden boxes filled with babies breath and a bright coral ribbon around them.

The chairs were so fun with alternating colors and each tied with burlap and a sprig of babies breath.

 Just simple details. 

Place settings were white with gold rimmed china, layered for perfection and gold rimmed goblets.  Each name tag was held by a tree branch cut into a stump to hold each tag.

The coral napkins and gold ware was such a fun detail encasing the menu with a sprig of babies breath as well.

  

 The yard was decorated with different pieces of furniture and signs as well as Annika and Michelle's wedding dresses on display.

 This tri-fold held wedding photos from each of the ladies as well as fun quotes on marriage and love.

 The appetizer table had a lace and burlap banner strung as a backdrop and a fun bright coral "Mr & Mrs" sign.

Appetizers were: 

Mini Watermelon Feta Salads, 

 Cucumber Bites with Herb Cream Cheese,

Strawberry, Lime, Cucumber and Mint Water 

 and Caramelized Gorgonzola & Pear Flatbread.  All light and refreshing. 

We got seated with a Hungarian Mushroom Soup garnished with Peasant Bread.

Next we cleansed our pallets with the yummiest Kiwi Lime Sorbet before leading into

 the main dish which was a Grilled White BBQ Chicken served with a Parmesan Grain Medley and Roasted Ranch Asparagus.

 Dessert, yummy Coconut Bread Pudding with Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt", was served in individual ramekins with a darling wooden spoon that said "Mr. & Mrs.".

 Take homes were on a fun bench with pillows, flowers and a reclaimed wood sign.

Recipes, sparklers with a "Let Love Shine" tag and

the yummiest granola!

We can't forget a couple of these crazy ladies who showed up dressed for a wedding! 

This evening was so pleasant with beautiful weather, yummy food and fun decor. It marked the close of an era for 3 of the gourmet gals. They will be missed, but we treasure the memories and relationships we made sharing our crazy passions for details and all things food!

Caramelized Pear and Gorgonzola Flat Bread

2 small flat breads (such as Naan or homemade)

2 pears (Bartlett), sliced or diced

1 medium onion, sliced

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs. olive oil

handful of Gorgonzola cheese pieces

handful of fresh spinach

Heat olive oil in pan and add sliced onion, pear and vinegar. Caramelize them together for about 8 minutes.  Place the flat bread on a greased cookie sheet. Add pear-onion mix to the flat bread and sprinkle with cheese crumbs.  Bake it for about 6-8 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from oven, add fresh spinach and drizzle additional balsamic vinegar if desired.

Watermelon Feta Bites

2 Tbs. syrupy Balsamic vinegar or glaze

1 small seedless watermelon, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 small bunch basil, chopped

5 oz. feta cheese crumbs

Drizzle a serving dish with balsamic glaze.  Spear one cube of watermelon and top with feta crumbs and chopped basil.  Place bite on prepared dish and drizzle with additional glaze if desired. Serve immediately.

Cucumber Bites with Herb Cream Cheese

4 oz. softened cream cheese

1/4 cup homemade Ranch dressing

2 Tbs. Dill (Thyme is also great)

3-4 long cucumbers, skinned and sliced into 1 inch slices

Cherry tomatoes, halved

salt, paprika and/or Cajun Spice Mix for garnish

In a mixer, combine the softened cream cheese with the ranch dressing and herbs. Mix until combined. Spoon into a piping bag with a star tip.  Prepare the cucumber, remove peel, using fork score the sides.  Slice into 1 inch pieces. Using a melon baller, remove portion of the center of one side of the piece of cucumber, leaving a half moon crater.  Pipe the herb cream cheese into the crater. Enough to stick out of the top about 1/2 inch.  Add a half cherry tomato partially buried into the herb cream cheese.  Sprinkle additional salt, herbs and spice mix for additional color.  Chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

                 

12 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced or roughly chopped

2 c. chopped onion

4 T buttter  (1/2 square)

1/4 c. flour

1 c. milk

1 tsp dill weed, plus a little extra if desired before serving.

1 T Hungarian paprika

1 T. Tamari (soy sauce)

1 tsp salt

2 c. stock or water

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley (opt for garnish) or dill

Fresh- ground pepper to taste

1/2 c. sour cream

      

Saute onions for a few mins in 2T butter.  Salt lightly.  Then add mushrooms, 1 tsp dill,  

1/2 c. stock or water, tamari and paprika.  Cover and simmer for 15 mins.

Melt remaining butter in large sauce.  Whisk flour and cook, whisking a few minutes.

Add milk.  Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat, about 10 minutes, till thick.   Stir in

mushroom mixture and remaining stock. Cover and simmer 10-15 mins.  

Before serving, add salt, pepper, lemon juice, sour cream, and extra dill, if desired.  

Garnish with parsley or fresh dill or small dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Round Peasant Bread

1 pkg. yeast

2 cups warm water

1 Tbs. sugar

2 tsp. salt

4 cups flour

cornmeal

butter, melted

Place yeast, water, sugar and salt in a warm bowl and stir until dissolved.  Add flour and stir until blended. Do not knead bread. Cover and let rise one hour or until doubled in size. Spray a cooking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Flour hands; remove dough and place in 2 rounds on cookie sheet.  Let rise an additional hour. Brush the top with melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 375 degrees and cook an additional 15 minutes.  Remove and brush again with butter. Serve warm.

Grilled White BBQ Chicken

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Tbs. minced garlic

1 Tbs. prepared horseradish

1 Tbs. black pepper

1 Tbs. Spice brown mustard

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix all of the sauce ingredients together with a whisk.  Divide the sauce in half.  Marinate the chicken in 1/2 the sauce overnight. Remove chicken from marinade, but reserve. Grill chicken for 10-15 minutes on each side, basting a few times with the sauce chicken was marinating in while cooking. When done, remove from grill and let rest for about 5 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.

Roasted Ranch Asparagus

1 lb of asparagus

1 -2 Tbs. coconut oil

1-2 Tbs. dry ranch seasoning

Wash, trim and dry asparagus.  Place in a roasting pan with coconut oil and sprinkle with seasoning. Toss to coat well. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring half way. Serve immediately.

Parmesan Grain Medley

1 cup truRoots sprouted rice & quinoa blend (I like to get at Costco)

or

1 cup Trader Joes harvest grains blend

1-2 cans chicken broth

1/2 cup plus garnish fresh Parmesan cheese

Cook grain according to package directions using chicken broth in place of water. When done mix in 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan and grate some on top for garnish.

Kiwi Lime Sorbet

from Browmabakery.com

10 kiwis

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup lime juice

Cut kiwis in half and remove skins (I used a large spoon to scoop them out). Place in blender and pulse 3-4 times; enough for everything to do a once around on the mixing blade. Pour in sugar and lime juice and pulse 6-8 more times, until the kiwis liquefy and no chunks remain. Do not over mix, or you will break the kiwi seeds.

Pour mixture into a plastic bag and seal, removing any air from inside the bag. Allow to chill in freezer for at least 45 minutes.

Once chilled, churn your sorbet in an ice cream machine according to your manufacturer's instructions. Scoop into freezer-proof container and allow to chill for at least 4 more hours, preferably overnight.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt

For a 2 quart ice cream machine

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup 2% milk

27 ounces of vanilla Greek yogurt – plain will make it more tart

3/4 cup half & half

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

2 vanilla bean strands

pinch of sea salt

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and milk until sugar has dissolved. Slit the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds adding to milk mixture. Add in yogurt, half & half, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until smooth and well combined.

Transfer mixture to the ice cream maker bowl. Follow machine instructions. Turn on and churn for about 20-25 minutes. Remove and serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer.

Coconut Bread Pudding

3/4 cup white sugar

5 eggs

1 – 14 oz can coconut milk

1 3/4 cup Silk coconut milk (refrigerated section)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups flaked coconut, divided

1 – 1 pound loaf French bread, cut into 1” cubes

Coconut Sauce

1/3 to 1/2 cup white sugar

1 Tbs. flour

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup Silk Coconut Milk

Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or spray. In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, coconut milks, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut. Fold in bread cubes until evenly coated. Let sit 30 minutes to soak up liquid stirring occasionally. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup flaked coconut.  Continue baking 25-30 minutes, or until center springs back while lightly tapped. While baking mix all sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat on medium heat. Stir continuously until the sauce begins to thicken. Pour over bread budding while warm and enjoy.

Nutty Granola

4 cups oats

1 1/2 cups crisp rice cereal

4 T. flax meal

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup honey

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup steel cut oats

1/2 cup 9 grain cereal

1/4 cup millet

1/4 cup sesame seed

1/4 cup sunflower seed

2 T. chia seed

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or cacao chips (optional)

1 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Mix until everything is moistened and fully incorporated. Press into a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until top is lightly golden brown. Baking time depends on if you want your bars/granola chewy or crunchy.

Let cool completely. If desired, cut into bars and wrap individual bars in wax paper, seal with a sticker or tape, and store in a airtight container.

* you can substitute any grain with an alternative if you don't have it or don't like it

Spring Brunch - Holly & Melissa - May 2015

Holly and Melissa hosted a beautiful Spring Brunch at their clubhouse in May.

The tiny little succulent was a darling invite and I have mine flourishing in my pot garden.

The colors they chose were bright and refreshing yet calm and inviting. They had fun banners and tissue balls hung at the entrance and over the mantel adding just a pop of color.

Their chalkboard signs and mason jars placed around were darling and a fun accent.

The table. Lets talk about this table.

The centerpiece was my favorite part of the entire evening. Hydrangeas, peonies, gorgeousness!  All placed in mason jars inside a fun wooden crate box.

Plus, they were so brilliant and beautiful and smelt amazing!

The place settings were perfect. Chalkboard paper place mats, clean simple white plates, 

the cutest mason jars with lids and a chalkboard sticker for our names.

And these darlings.  All the ladies just raved about the ceramic mason jar measuring spoons. Seriously to cute.

After we gawked at the details the were ready for us to indulge in appetizers.

Wedge Salad Skewers, 

Deviled Eggs with Crab and Chipotle aioli,  

Avocado with Bacon deviled eggs

and Poppyseed Cucumber & Strawberry Salads.

Everything tiny and cute and tasty.

Menus got us excited for the rest of our night and ready to taste the evenings flavors.

Pomegranate, Pear & Pistachio Salad with Creamy Pomegranate Dressing.  It was so good and beautiful!

Main course was a quiche trio:

Sausage & Gruyere, Gorgonzola & Bacon with Red Onion, Spinach & Artichoke and a Caprese Orzo Salad with Prosciotto wrapped Melon. Fun distinct flavors in different shapes and sizes to enjoy.

Dessert was a Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Tart and a Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberry. Everything was delicious with great flavor.

The take home had a fun quote about Spring with bags of homemade granola for us, our recipes and we got to take the cute measuring spoons from the table with us as well.

It was a delightful evening, so fun to be together again and enjoy every ones company.

Props to Holly and Melissa who were great sports about changing their theme along the way and pulling of a fantastic evening! 

Cranberry Pineapple Spritzer

Ingredients

• 8 ounces pineapple juice, chilled
• 8 ounces cranberry juice, chilled
• 8 ounces orange juice, chilled
• 8 ounces sparkling water, chilled
• crushed ice

Instructions:  Put handful of crushed ice in each of 4 glasses. Pour 2 ounces of each; pineapple juice, cranberry juice, orange juice and sparkling water over crushed ice. Garnish with orange slices and fresh cranberries. Serve immediately.

Wedge Salad Skewer

Ingredients

• 8 (1-inch) wedges iceberg lettuce
• 4 strips *candied pepper bacon, cut in half (*see recipe below)
• 8 grape tomatoes

• 8 bamboo toothpicks
• 8 teaspoons blue cheese salad dressing or *Green Goddess Dressing (*see  recipe below)
• 8 teaspoons crumbled blue cheese, or more to taste

Directions

Thread each lettuce wedge, bacon piece, and grape tomato onto each toothpick, respectively. Arrange toothpicks on a serving platter. Drizzle 1 teaspoon blue cheese dressing over each and sprinkle with blue cheese.

*Candied Pepper Bacon

Thick-Cut bacon slices (Can use peppered bacon for an extra kick)

Dark Brown Sugar

Fresh Ground Pepper

Instructions:

-Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

-Arrange 7 or 8 slices of bacon on top of the parchment. 

-Sprinkle with 2 or 3 Tablespoons of dark brown sugar. 

-Season liberally with fresh ground pepper. 

-Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

-Watch the bacon carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn, as the sugar will caramelize as it cooks. When the bacon looks almost done, turn over and bake on the other side for the last 5 minutes of cooking time, until the bacon is chewy-crisp but not charred. 

-Remove from pan and drain (sugared side up) on paper towels. Don’t leave the bacon on the paper towels too long or they may stick to the candied bacon.

Green Goddess Dressing

3/4- 1 cup heavy cream (to desired consistency)

1 c sour cream

3 TBLS chopped chives

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp black pepper

Mix and refrigerate before serving

Deviled Eggs with Crab and Chipotle Aioli

Eggs

8 Hard boiled eggs

4 T. Mayonnaise

1 T. Dijon mustard

¼ t. Salt

Hard boil the eight eggs and let cool to room temperature. Cut in half lengthwise and remove the yolk. Place into a bowl and break up with a fork until lumps are gone. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and salt. Whisk with a fork until creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Chill for one hour.

Chipotle Aioli

½ C. Mayonnaise

1 T. Chives, finely chopped

1 Garlic clove, finely minced

½ t. Lemon juice

1 large Adobo chili

Salt and pepper

Add all of the above ingredients into a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Place into a container with a lid and refrigerate until ready to use.

Toppings

1/3 C. Crab, lump meat

1 T. Chives, minced

To assemble:

Place the egg halves onto a platter. Put the egg yolk mixture into a piping bag and use the star tip to pipe into the egg halves. Once you have that complete, then top each one with a pinch of crab. Then add a tiny dollop of the chipotle aioli and garnish with a small pinch of chives. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Avocado Deviled Eggs with Bacon

Yield: 24

Ingredients:

• 12 large eggs
• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 Tb. lime juice
• 1 Tb. chile garlic sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Garnishes: 1/4 cup crumbled bacon and/or  1/4 cup pomegranate arils
• *Can use recipe for candied peppered bacon for extra flavor!

Directions:

1. Place the eggs in a large pot and fill with cold water until it covers the eggs by 1 inch. Put the pot on the stovetop over high heat and bring to a boil. The moment the water starts boiling, set the timer for 12 minutes. At exactly 12 minutes remove the pot from the heat, set it in the sink, and run cold water into the pot until it remains cold. Then add ice to the pot to chill the eggs all the way through. If you have time, put the eggs in the fridge for a few hours to chill--cold eggs peel easier than warm eggs.
2. Tap the hard boiled eggs on the counter and roll gently to crack the shell all the way around. Peel the egg shells off. If you're having trouble, run them under cold water as you peel. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and pop the egg yolks into the bowl of your food processor. Lay the white on a platter.
3. Now spoon the avocado flesh into the food processor, followed by the lime juice, chile garlic sauce, and salt. Puree until completely smooth. Scoop the mixture into a piping bag with a medium tip (or into a zip bag then snip the corner off) and pipe the filling into the center of each egg. You should have plenty of filling to create nice tall mounds.
4. Top each avocado deviled egg with crumbled bacon or pomegranate arils. Loosely wrap and chill until ready to serve. Can be made up to 4 days ahead.

Poppyseed Cucumber & Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

• 2 large cucumbers, spiralized (with the ribbon setting)
• 4 cups strawberries, sliced
• ½ cup feta, crumbled
• ½ cup Poppyseed Dressing (Recipe below)
• Mint leaves

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, toss cucumbers and strawberries together.
2. Divide among four plates, sprinkle with feta and pour 2 tablespoons dressing over each salad, garnish with mint and serve immediately! *This salad holds wonderfully in the fridge for a make ahead meal. Just add salad dressing before serving.

*For a tutorial on how to spiralize, see Ali at Inspiralized!

Poppyseed Dressing

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup vinegar

1 TBSP plus 1 ½ tsp onion juice

1 cup oil

1 TBSP plus 1 ½ tsp poppy seeds

Directions:

Mix together sugar, mustard, salt & vinegar. Add onion juice & stir thoroughly. Add oil slowly, beating constantly until thick. Add poppyseeds & beat for a few minutes. Store in a cool place or in fridge. Yields 1 ¾ cups. 

  

Pomegranate, Pear, Pistachio Salad with Creamy Pomegranate Dressing

Adatped from Jen@CarlsbadCravings.com

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 sweet apple, chopped
• 1 pear, chopped
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup roasted and salted pistachios
• 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/2 cup Feta cheese
• 
  
  Creamy Pomegranate Dressing
• 1 5.3 oz. Greek Yogurt with Cherry Pomegranate (I use Fage)*
• 1/4 cup Sweet Red Chili Sauce (found in Asian section)
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Whisk together all of the Creamy Pomegranate Dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the salad.
2. Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. If serving entire salad immediately, drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss to coat. If there might be leftovers, drizzle dressing on individual salad servings. Top with freshly ground salt and pepper.

Notes

*You may substitute 1/3 vanilla Greek yogurt (won't be pink or have as much pomegranate taste but still delicoius) or substitute 1/3 cup strawberry yogurt which is a little sweeter than the Cherry-Pomegranate yogurt but still delicious 

Sausage & Gruyere Quiche

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

 1 pound of sausage (or bacon)

1 ½ cups milk

½ tsp salt

2 cups gruyere or swiss cheese

2 TBSP flour

Dash of cayenne pepper

4 eggs

Directions: Heat oven 350. Mix eggs, milk, seasoning. Mix well. Toss cheese with flour. Add cheese mixture & sausage (or bacon) to egg mixture. Pour into pie shell & bake for 40-45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Gorgonzola Quichettes with Red Onion & Thyme Confit

(makes 24)

200 g shortcrust pastry* (ready-rolled) or phyllo cups

1 tbsp butter

1 medium red onion (peeled and thinkly sliced)

1 heaped tsp brown sugar

1 tbsp good balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp thyme leaves

pepper

2/3 cup gorgonzola

2 egg yolks

4 tbsp mascarpone

2 tbsp single cream

salt, pepper

Prepare the pastry cases in advance. Pre-heat oven to 400+. Line 24 mini shallow bun or muffin tins with shortcrust pastry or phyllo dough (I have a non-stick and a silicone mould, so don't need to grease it, but do so if your tin requires it), the dough shouldn't be thicker than 1-2 mm. Cut off surplus dough and smooth round the egdes. Prick with a fork, then line with small pieces of grease-proof paper and fill with baking beans or pulses. Place tray in the oven and blind-bake pastry for 10 minutes, it should be cooked through, but not too brown on the edges. Leave pastry shells to cool, then store in an air-tight container.

For the onion confit, melt the butter in a non-stick pan, fry the onions until browning, then add the sugar and let caramelize. Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar and cook over a low heat, enough for the onions to soften through and the vinegar to lose its edge. This should take about 15 minutes. Add the thyme leaves and season to taste.

The confit will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a week.

To finish the quichettes, pre-heat oven to 350.

Beat the egg yolks with the mascarpone and cream, season to taste. Fill the pastry cases with roughly half a teaspoon full of gorgonzola, then top with a teaspoon full of the egg/cream mixture. Make sure the cases are not filled all the way to the top as the filling will rise.

Put into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the mixture has set and is browning on top.

Meanwhile, gently warm the onion confit in a pan or the micro-wave to make it easier to handle.

Remove the mini-quiches from the oven and leave to stand for a few minutes. Top with half a teaspoon of onion confit and serve while still warm.

Crust-less Spinach Artichoke Mini Quiche

PREP: 10 MINS COOK: 20 MINS TOTAL: 30 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

·   1 (14.5-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

·   1 package frozen spinach, drained

·   5 eggs, whisked

·   3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

·   2/3 cup milk (any kind)

·   1/2 cup chopped white onion

·   1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

·   2 cloves garlic, minced

·   1/4 teaspoon salt

·   1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 12 baking cups by either spraying them liberally with cooking spray, or lining them with paper liners.

Stir all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until combined. Portion the mixture into the 12 prepared baking cups so that they are all nearly full.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the eggs are set and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the quiche comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Mediterranean Pesto Orzo Salad

Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Servings:12

·      Ingredients

·      1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (more as needed)

·      1 whole Lemon, Juiced

·      1 clove Garlic, Minced

·      8 oz jar of prepared pesto

·      Salt And Pepper, to taste

·      12 ounces, weight Orzo Pasta, Cooked, Drained, And Cooled

·      1 cup Red Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes (cut in half)

·      1 cup Yellow Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes (cut in half)

·      1 cup Kalamata Olives (cut into 1/4ths)

·      1 cup+ bocconcine mozzarella cheese (or cubed)

·      1 cup Chickpeas, Drained.

·      1/4-1/2 whole Red Onion, Diced

·      1/3 cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds

·      4 Tablespoons Minced Fresh basil

Preparation Instructions: Cook pasta, set aside to cool.  In a jar or bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper until totally combined.  Place the orzo and all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the top, stir in pesto.  Stir to combine, taste and adjust seasonings, and refrigerate at least an hour before serving. Top with basil, pumpkin seeds and serve.  If you make this ahead of time, you'll need to "refresh" this. Just add a bit more olive oil, salt and parmesan before serving. This salad is best, though, room temp, or even slightly warm.

                                              Rustic Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Tart

~makes 1 tart~

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but still cold

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 Tbsp. heavy cream

1/3 cup lemon curd, homemade or store-bought

1 pint raspberries

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam, warmed

Powdered sugar

Directions:

For the tart: Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Unfold the thawed out puff pastry on a lightly flour dusted area and gently roll into a 10x11 inch rectangle. Carefully transfer to your baking sheet.

Brush edges with a little bit of water and fold over all 4 sides to create a lip. Using a fork, poke holes all over the center of your tart. Gently brush the entire tart with an egg wash and sprinkle about 2 tsp. of sugar over the center. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully with the back of a spoon press the center back down if it has puffed. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the filling: In a bowl combine softened cream cheese and sugar. Mix with a hand-mixer or by hand until smooth and the sugar is well incorporated. Add the heavy cream and mix for about 1 minute. Fold in the lemon curd.

To assemble the tart: Carefully spread your lemon cheesecake mixture over the center of your cooled tart crust. Arrange berries decoratively over the curd and drizzle with the warmed jam. Dust the tart with powdered sugar.

Notes: This tart is best made and eaten on the same day. You can prepare the tart along with the cheesecake filling ahead of time. Refrigerate the filling and assemble the tart right before eating.

                                                          Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries

1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp almond or vanilla extract

1 quart strawberries, capped

Chocolate shavings

Directions: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and almond/vanilla extract until smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. (You could also use a ziplock baggie, and just cut the corner). Chill for 1 hour (I have skipped this step and they still turned out great). Quarter strawberries from tip to stem end without cutting them all the way through. You could also cut them the opposite direction, like the top picture, but then they don't stand up. Pipe cream cheese mixture into strawberries. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Chill until ready to serve.

Brown Butter Maple Granola

Yield: About 5 cups granola

Ingredients:

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup chopped pecans or cashews

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 Half Stick (1/4 cup) Land O Lakes® Unsalted Butter

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, almonds, pecans/cashews, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt. Set aside.

3. In a small saucepan, melt the Land O Lakes® Unsalted Butter over medium heat and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and pour into a medium bowl. Add the maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Pour the brown butter maple mixture over dry ingredients. Stir until dry ingredients are well-coated.

4. Pour the granola mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread granola into an even layer. Bake for 35 minutes or until granola is golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in dried cranberries. Let the granola cool completely. Store in an air-tight container for up to 1 month.

Note-any dried fruit is great in this granola.