Mini Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Skewers

Mini Heirloom Tomatoes 

(or those sweet grape tomatoes from the farmers' market are the best!)

 Fresh Mozzarella  

Fresh Basil 

Finish by drizzling on some EVOO, vinegar 

and a little sea salt. 

Easy and delicious party appetizers! 

Fiesta Avocado Salads!

~ Cut avocado in half, take the pit out and cut zig zags through avocado so it slides out easily when you eat it.

~ Top with sliced tomatoes, onions, peppers and whatever else you want! Cilantro? Black beans?

~ Finish with some pepper, and a little EVOO and vinegar. I love my peach vinegar!

Homemade Gruyere, Lemon and Rosemary Bread!

Reminder:

I always see recipes simply as guides; feel free to be creative and add the ingredients you love!

Making bread is such a treat! One of my best friends makes homemade bread. The first time she made it (the house smelled like a bakery) in front of me I thought- now that's a real woman!  This recipe will make you feel like a real woman (or man!) too. :) You will see it really is SO easy and satisfying. I started out with white flour in this recipe because that was all I had but I am going to experiment with whole wheat flour soon! 

 La Creuset makes my cooking adventures so enjoyable and effortless. They are on the pricey side but they are guaranteed for a lifetime! You can pass them down for generations! 

To be successful in this particular recipe, you need a quality cast iron pot (I know Martha Stewart makes one as well). If you don't have one, think about investing! You won't be sorry!

Ready In: 12+ Hrs.
Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

What You Will Need Before Starting:

Materials:

• 5.5 qt. (or so) La Creuset (or like) pot
• Flour to work with
• Plastic wrap
• Mixing bowl
• Wire whisk
• Spatula
• Knife and cutting board

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 t. dry, active yeast
• 1 3/4 t. kosher or sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups warmish water
• 1 1/2 cups shredded gruyere
•  Zest from 1 lemon
• Bunch of chopped rosemary

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 450 F.

2.  Prepare:

 Shred 1 1/2 Cups Gruyere,
 Zest 1 Lemon,
 Chop Bunch of Rosemary.

3.   In a bowl add:3 Cups Flour,1/2 t. Dry, Active Yeast,1 3/4 t. Kosher or Sea Salt.
Whisk.

4.   Add Rosemary, Lemon Zest and Cheese. 
Whisk together.

5. Add 1 1/2 cups warmish water. Mix with a spatula and let sit for 12-18 hours.
Cover with plastic wrap. Do not refrigerate the bread- it won't turn out. Just cover it up and set it on the counter and forget about it!

This is what it will look like after it sits and rises!! So cool!
 It's super sticky so coat your hands with flour before you work it and shape it.

6. Now, shape the bread. 

Put dough on a heavily floured surface. 

Covering the bread with plastic wrap (sprinkle wrap with lots of flour as well) will help you shape the bread easier and prevent your fingers will get sticky and gooey.  I made a round shaped bread. 

I hear some people recommend using a pastry cloth to work on and love it- I have to get one of those!

Heeellllo La Creuset!


7. The weird part- after the oven is preheated, put the covered pot in the oven and bake it by its lonesome for 30 minutes. This will get it nice and hot and ready to bake the dough.

8. Take the pot out of the oven (it's super hot!), open  the lid, sprinkle a little flour inside, place shaped dough inside and bake for 35 minutes. 


MMMMMMMM..... when it comes out, the tops will be golden brown. These pictures do not do it justice at all!

Now You Can Be Proud!!


Break off chucks and dip it into some EVOO and vinegar, make some oven toasted goodness or throw together some mini grilled cheeses!


Recipe Adopted From 'Carbs Gone ARye'

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Ready to Eat In: 45 Min.
Serves: 6
Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon

What You Will Need:

• 12 Medjool dates
• 2 T. goat cheese
• 4 pieces of bacon with no nitrates
• 2 T. real maple syrup
• 12 toothpicks

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Pit the dates: I use a chopstick to do this (anything long and skinny from the kitchen will do)! Push the chopstick through one end of the date and out the other end. Push the pit out and move the chopstick around in a circle to create a space in the date. This is where the goat cheese will go!
3. Create a mini pipping bag: Put the goat cheese in the corner of a small plastic bag. Work the cheese a little in the bag to soften it up. Cut a teeny-tiny hole in the corner of the bag where the cheese is. Place the tiny hole in the date and squeeze the goat cheese into the date.
4. Wrap dates in bacon: Slice each piece of bacon into 3 pieces. Wrap each date in bacon and secure with a toothpick.
5. Bake dates: Place on baking sheet and cook for 10 min. Turn dates over and cook for 8 more min. Pour a little maple syrup on top of each date (or you can use brown sugar if you don't have maple syrup) and cook for an additional 2 min. or until bacon is crispy. (Baking about 20 min total) 

Enjoy!

                       Recipe Adopted from Alton Brown

Oven Baked Kale Chips

Baked and ready to eat!

Trader Joe's

Going in....

If you are turned off to the sounds of this- so was I at first! But, I tried them and I am hooked. These 'chips' are a great healthy substitute for all other fatty, processed chips. They are crunchy, salty and light. Great pre-meal snack! Aren't they beautiful?? Give them a try- they are a 'superfood' too!

Ready In: 15 Min. 

What You Will Need:

• Bunch of Kale; washed and dried (dry really well or they will not be so crunchy when you bake them)
• EVOO to coat 
• Pinch each of S & P
• Sesame seeds to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Wash and dry kale. Coat with EVOO.
3. Sprinkle with S & P and sesame seeds.
4. Lay out on a baking sheet on parchment paper.
5. Bake for 8- 10 min or until crispy (don't over bake!)

Yumm!

Recipe Adopted from Whole Foods