Marinated Antipasti Vegetables

This is from Alison Ladman of the Associated Press (I'm beginning to admire her recipes more and more!)

This recipe takes a bit of time, but you can do it well ahead of serving. Definitely worth it! So much better than the generic veggie platter. I'm serving it at Thanksgiving this year.

The vegetables can be marinated either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If in the refrigerator, allow the vegetables to come to room temperature before serving. Start to finish: 3 hours (1 hour active). Servings: 6

Ingredients
For the mushrooms:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces white button mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

For the asparagus:
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

For the peppers:
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Zest of 1/2 orange
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

For the tomatoes:
16 ounces cocktail tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Directions
To prepare the mushrooms, in a large skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and wine. Remove from the heat, and stir in the thyme and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside for 2 hours.

To make the asparagus, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Set a bowl of ice water next to the stove.

Add the asparagus to the boiling water and blanch for 3 to 4 minutes, or until just tender.

Remove from the pot, and set in the ice water just until cool. Drain well. In a shallow dish, combine the garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, oregano and zest. Season with salt and pepper, then add the asparagus. Toss to coat and allow to marinate for 2 hours.

To prepare the peppers, using a gas flame, a grill or a broiler, roast the peppers near the heat source until the skin blisters and turns black. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to allow the steam to loosen the skin. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, rub the skin off. Seed the peppers and cut into strips.

In a medium bowl, combine the rosemary, vinegar, garlic and orange zest. Add the peppers, then season with salt and black pepper. Allow to marinate for 2 hours.

To make the tomatoes, in a medium bowl toss together all ingredients and allow to marinate for 2 hours.

Cobbler

It's that time of year. All kinds of fruits coming in. Try this easy cobbler. It's a Betty Crocker contest winner and you can switch up the fruits - not all will be ideal, but the flavor will still be there. I made it with blackberries and with young rhubarb! I have no idea why the original recipe says blueberries won't work, but knowing me, I'm probably gonna try it out anyway because I love the texture of the crust that forms. This is down home food!

In medium bowl, stir together
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blackberries or fruit on hand and
1 cup sugar

Let stand about 20 minutes or until fruit syrup forms or not, in the instance of rhubarb. Heat oven to 375°F.

In large bowl, stir together:
1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir in:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
until blended.

Spread in ungreased 8-inch square pan. Spoon blackberry/fruit mixture over batter.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until dough rises and is golden. Serve warm with cream, whipped cream or ice cream.

Makes 8 servings

Tabbouleh!

Mediterranean Tabbouleh

This recipe originally came from Alison Ladman, but I modified it. It's a great dish for potluck BBQs.

Serves 4

2 cups cooked and cooled bulgar (the original recipe called for farro)

1 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped, oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes (I was grilling, so I threw about 8 cherry tomatoes on indirect heat for 1/2 hour or so)

1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes (I chopped my grilled tomatoes and added some olive oil to them and their juice)

2 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives

1 yellow bell pepper, cored and diced

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss well, then season with salt and pepper.

Basil Green Goddess by the Contessa

My neighbor, Heidi, gave me a nice bunch of basil this week. I already had some pesto, so searched for a new way to use it. This recipe came up and it's great! I'm having Heidi and her family over for dinner tonight to try it.

Barefoot Contessa's Basil Green Goddess

Serves:
6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup good mayonnaise
1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (6 to 7 scallions)
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sour cream
3 heads Bibb lettuce
2 to 3 tomatoes

Directions

Place the mayonnaise, scallions, basil, lemon juice, garlic, anchovy paste, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the sour cream and process just until blended. (If not using immediately, refrigerate the dressing until ready to serve.)

Salmon With Brown Butter and Almonds

Right out of Real Simple Magazine. I made it tonight and it was quick and delicious!

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 20m | Total Time:

Ingredients

* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 1/4 pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
* kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
* 1/4 cup sliced almonds
* 2 tablespoons capers

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season the salmon with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
2. Cook the fish until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to individual plates.
3. Meanwhile, fill a second skillet with ½ inch of water, bring to a boil, and add ¼ teaspoon salt.
4. Add the green beans to the second skillet, cover, and steam until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to plates.
5. Wipe out the green bean skillet and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
6. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until almonds and butter are golden brown (but not burned), 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the capers. Spoon over fish and beans.

Mini King Cakes for Mardi Gras!

This recipe is from the Dash newspaper insert. Mardi Gras is Tuesday, March 8, this year. I can't be there, but I can still party like I am!

King Cakes are a traditional Mardi Gras treat in which a plastic trinket is slid inside after baking. Tradition says that whoever finds it has to make next year’s cake.

Ingredients:
¾ cup raisins
¾ cup apple cider, hot
2 (17.5 oz) cans jumbo cinnamon rolls with icing
¾ cup chopped pecans
Yellow, green, and purple sugar crystals

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl, pour hot cider over raisins to plump. Let sit 5 minutes. Drain.

2. Unfurl cinnamon rolls. Place two strips next to each other, pinching seams to create one wide strip. Sprinkle bottom half with raisins and pecans. Fold over; press to seal. Twist dough into a circle. Seal ends. Repeat with remaining rolls.

3. Bake cakes a few inches apart on a tray, 17–20 minutes. Ice them while they’re warm; sprinkle with sugar crystals.

Makes 5 mini cakes.

Avondale's Bananas Foster Sundae

I haven't had this yet, even though I frequent their happy hour, but I plan to soon. It sounds wonderful!



2 thick slices banana bread

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup dark rum

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 banana, sliced on diagonal

Chocolate syrup

Vanilla (or rum) ice cream

Melt butter in sauté pan. Add brown and granulated sugars and cook over medium heat, stirring until sugars are dissolved. Add water, rum, salt and vinegar, stirring to combine. Simmer one minute. Add sliced bananas and toss to coat in the sauce, cooking about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

To Assemble: Place one slice of banana bread on each of two plates. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Place sautéed bananas on top in decorative pattern. Place ice cream on top or on the side and drizzle entire plate with the rum sauce.

Serves 2.

Ina Garten's Lemon Bars

This recipe is from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. Very, very easy and even more delicious than easy! You can make them early in the day, cut them, dust them with sugar and you have a dessert everyone loves!

Ingredients
For the crust:

* 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 2 cups flour
* 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:

* 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
* 3 cups granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
* 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 cup flour
* Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Bittersweet Chocolate-Caramel Mousse

Just in time for Valentines - I made this yesterday for dinner guests. It's really rich and the flavor is very intense. So chocolaty! I didn't worry about crystallization of the caramel so there were some nice crispy, sugary chunks in the mousse.

This recipe comes from Carole Bloom's newest book, "Intensely Chocolate: 100 Scrumptious Recipes for True Chocolate Lovers,"

Bittersweet chocolate-caramel mousse

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 12 minutes

Chill: 2 hours

Makes: 10 small servings

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (66 to 72 percent cacao)

1/2 cup each: granulated sugar, light brown sugar

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste*

2 cups whipping cream

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1. Melt bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on low power in 30 second bursts, stirring after each burst. Set aside, stirring occasionally.

2. Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, water, honey and vanilla paste in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Cook over high heat until mixture comes to a boil. To prevent crystallization, dip a pastry brush in water and run it around inside of pan where mixture meets the pan; repeat. Cook without stirring until it turns amber, 6-8 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat 2/3 cup of the whipping cream to a boil over medium heat. Slowly add hot cream to caramel mixture, stirring constantly with a long-handled heat-safe silicone spatula. Be careful; mixture will bubble and foam. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in butter until completely melted; stir in melted chocolate thoroughly. Transfer mixture to a heat-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place on a rack; cool to room temperature.

4. Whip remaining 1 1/3 cups whipping cream to soft peaks. Reserve 1/2 cup of the whipped cream for garnish. Fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture in three stages, blending thoroughly. Divide mousse among dessert bowls or glasses, or pour into a 1 1/2-quart bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; chill until set, about 2 hours. Top with remaining whipped cream.

* You can buy vanilla paste here http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/vanilla-bean-paste-4-oz - but I used 1 teaspoon vanilla with the seeds from a vanilla bean scraped into it - then I put the remnants of the beans into a bottle of vodka for a treat later on.

Minturn Saloon's BBQ Sauce

This is one of those recipes that is just thrown together, 1st thrown by Mike Blake, reprobate extraordinaire. Quicker version at bottom.*

2 cups chili sauce
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 stick butter
1 1/3 cups molasses
1 1/3 cups white vinegar
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup black pepper
1/6 cup ground ginger

Throw it all in a saucepan, cook on low til it's done, stirring occasionally. If you like a smokier flavor, throw in some liquid smoke.

*Easier, quicker version - go to the Saloon and order Pancho Villa's Ribs.