Roasted Tri Color Veggie and Gorgonzola Salad with Basil-Balsamic Dressing

I'll be perfectly honest with you - I grilled this salad.  I just love the smokiness grilling the vegetables imparts.  But for those of you too timid (or sensible) to wander outside in the snow to use the grill, I'm sure the roasting method will do just fine!

This is easy to make and is a lovely vibrant dish that could be served as a salad or side dish.

Yield:  2-4 servings

Salad Ingredients:
2 cups assorted cherry tomatoes, halved (I was able to buy both yellow and red at my local grocer)
2 bell peppers (one yellow, one red)
1 large red onion, sliced 

Dressing Ingredients: 
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped  
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Garnish:
1 cup Gorgonzola or other cheese (feta or Mozzarella would also be good choices!)

Directions:
Start by roasting the tomatoes and onion.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and roast in a 400 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes, turning once, until the vegetables are soft and have begun to char in places.

While the veggies are roasting, grill the bell peppers over an open flame (the stovetop works fine for this!) until the skins blister and blacken.  Set aside to cool and then remove the skins (or you can do the trick where you place the peppers in ziplock bags and then the skins sort of fall off - whatever works for you!).  Once you have peeled the peppers, remove the stems and seeds and slice into thin strips.  Add to a large bowl.

Remove the tomatoes and onions from the oven and add to the bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until combined and season to taste.  Gently toss the salad with the dressing and sprinkle with the Gorgonzola cheese.  Refrigerate to cool, then serve.  Enjoy!

Salt Crusted Potatoes with Cilantro Mojo Dipping Sauce

Potatoes and salt, a match made in heaven!

Yield:  2-4 servings

Ingredients for potatoes:
2 pounds small potatoes (I chose a selection of fingerlings with a few red potatoes thrown in)
Sea salt (I used Maldon)

Cilantro Mojo Ingredients:
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

Directions:
Place the potatoes into a wide pan in a single layer.  I used a large skillet.  Add 4 tablespoons of salt and enough water to cover the potatoes.  Bring water to a boil and allow to boil rapidly until all of the water has evaporated.  Turn the heat down to low and cook in the dry pan for an additional 5-10 minutes, turning the potatoes occasionally, until they are dry and the skins begin to wrinkle.  The skins should be covered with a thin crust of salt.

Make the mojo dipping sauce while the potatoes are cooking.  The sauce is very similar to a chimichurri and could be made spicier, if desired, with the addition of a bit of cayenne or more pepper.  Using a blender or food processor, combine all of the vegetables and blend until smooth.  Add the oil, spices, and vinegar and mix until combined.  Season to taste and reserve.

To serve, place potatoes on plate with the mojo.  If your guests desire, they can wipe a bit of the salt off of their potatoes before dipping in the mojo sauce.

I served this as a side dish to a delicious strip steak, as you can see, but it could also be served as an appetizer.  Enjoy!

Red Velvet Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream Cheese

 

I saw this recipe on a website and how could I not make it!?!  I added my own twist with the whipped cream; I figured- you can't have red velvet without cream cheese!  This is a great decadent holiday treat - hot chocolate made from scratch really does taste amazing!

Yield:  4 servings

Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
1/3 cup white sugar
12 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons red food dye
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Cheese:
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons white sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon clear or regular vanilla extract

Optional Garnish:  Mini marshmallows

Directions:
Pour milk into a saucepan and heat on medium, being careful not to scald it.  Add chocolate, vanilla extract, red food dye, and sugar.  Stir until chocolate is completely melted and milk is hot, then reduce temperature to low.

To make the whipped cream cheese, pour the heavy cream into the bottom of a mixing bowl and whip on high.  Add sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla extract and whip until peaks form or desired consistency is achieved.  Note - clear vanilla extract can be purchased at craft or specialty food stores and will keep your cream a brilliant white.  If you don't have it, no worries, there is no flavor difference!

To serve, ladle the warm hot chocolate into mugs and top with a dollop of the whipped cream cheese and a handful of mini marshmallows.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

 

Holiday Martini Trio

Planning a holiday cocktail party?  What better way to celebrate than with a trio of festive martinis!

Here are a few of my favorite recipes.  Enjoy!

Candy Corn Martini

Eggnog Martini

Caramel Apple Martini

Serve and repeat!  Cheers!

Eggnog Martini

Mmm... boozy egg nog!

Yield:  2 martinis

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups eggnog (store bought or homemade)

3/4 cup Frangelico, or other hazelnut flavored liqueur

3/4 cup plain vodka

1-2 teaspoons of nutmeg, for garnish, if desired

2 cinnamon sticks, for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Combine eggnog, vodka, and Frangelico in a martini shaker and add ice.  Shake until chilled.  Strain into martini glasses and sprinkle with nutmeg, then add cinnamon stick.  Serve while chilled.  Cheers!

Note:  Another way to garnish this would be to dampen the rim of the glass and roll in the nutmeg or in cinnamon sugar.

Caramel Apple Martini

There are a lot of fun ways to garnish this martini; rim the glass with green sugar or peanuts, or dip the apple slice in caramel and nuts.  Any way you serve it, it's delicious! 

Yield:  2 martinis 

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sour apple schnapps
1/4 cup butterscotch schnapps
1/4 cup vanilla vodka
Caramel glaze (Hershey's works fine!)
Apple slices, for garnish (if desired)
Peanuts or chopped nuts, for martini glass or apple slice (if desired)

Directions:
Fill martini shaker with cocktail ingredients and add ice.  Shake to chill.  Dip rim of martini glass in sugar or nuts, then drizzle caramel sauce around the sides of the glass, rotating the glass as you go to create a ripple effect.

Fill glass with martini and add apple slice, if desired.  Drink up!  Cheers!

Cointreau Cranberry Relish

This is a breeze to make and so much better than that cranberry-flavored canned jelly creature that no one ever eats!

Ingredients:
12 ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup Cointreau or Grand Marnier (orange flavored liqueur)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 oranges, zested

Directions:

Bring cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil over medium heat until the berries begin to soften, or about 10 minutes.  Add the spices and reduce heat, then add the liqueur.  Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes or until desired thickness is achieved.  Remove from heat and stir in half of the grated zest, reserving the rest for the top.  Chill and serve with reserved zest as garnish, if desired.  Enjoy!

Pepperoni Pizza Biscuit Wreath

This is a perfect holiday appetizer recipe; it's easy to make, adorable, and delicious! 

Yield:  5-10 servings

Ingredients:
2 cans buttermilk biscuits (I used Pillsbury Grands)
60 (approx) pepperoni slices
1 pound Mozzarella cheese (note: I used block cheese, cut into cubes) 
1 egg, beaten
1/8 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
1 cup marinara or pizza sauce
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Start with the first can of dough and separate the biscuits.  Take 2-3 pepperoni slices and a piece of cheese (if using shredded, about a tablespoon of cheese) and wrap the raw dough around the filling, pinching the edges to seal and form a ball.  Repeat with the remaining biscuits.
 
Place the empty bowl that you plan to use for the pizza sauce in the middle of the pan.  Arrange the pizza balls, seam side down and sides nearly touching, into a ring on the baking sheet.  Remove the empty bowl and brush each ball with the butter and then the beaten egg (this will add shine and flavor).  Sprinkle the entire wreath with Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt, if desired.

Bake the wreath for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.  Warm the pizza or marinara sauce in the microwave and arrange a few basil leaves on top for garnish, if desired.  Remove the pizza wreath from the oven and place on a serving platter.  Place the dipping sauce in the center of the wreath and garnish with additional leaves.  Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese over the top, if desired.  Serve immediately, while piping hot!