Caprese Kababs

Need a great, healthy, finger food appetizer for a dinner party or event. Caprese salad on a toothpick are a perfect choice. They look cute and pretty and they make no mess, but be warned they take a little longer to make than you would think. I sat down at about 11:00pm to make these the night before a party thinking they would take me only about 10 minutes... little did I know, I was still siting there about 45 minutes later. But it turns out it was well worth it because they were a huge hit! 

The Recipe: 

1 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 12 oz container of fresh mozzarella balls

Fresh basil leaves- if you have your own plant use that! otherwise just one package will be enough

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

Toothpicks

Slice the tomatoes in half. Slide one half of the tomato on to the toothpick, followed by a piece of fresh basil, mozzarella ball, and the other half of the tomato. You can finish it off with another piece of basil if you would like to. 

Line all of your kababs onto a plate and pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top. Refrigerate up to one night if you are not using it right away. The sooner the better. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Gelato with Toasted Pistachios

It's summer and there is nothing better, in my mind than Gelato any day or time or the week. If you have ever been to Italy I am sure you know what Gelato is, for those who don't know your about to learn what you have been missing out on. Gelato is basically the Italian version of ice cream. The main difference between the two is simply that ice cream is more airy. This makes gelato more dense and more creamy and delicious if you ask me. So go ahead and try this recipe it is simple to make all you need is an ice cream maker. Please note this recipe does not yield a large amount so if you are planning to feed more than about 4 people you may want to double the recipe.

The Recipe: 

Gelato 

3 oz white chocolate, broken into pieces 

3 tablespoons sugar 

1/2 cup whole milk

Pistachios

1 tablespoon warm water

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

For the Gelato: 

Put chocolate and sugar in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine cream and salt; heat just to a boil, then remove from heat and and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate has dissolved and custard is combined, then stir in milk. Chill custard in refrigerator, covered, until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Freeze custard in an ice cream maker.

 For Pistachios:

Heat oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a small bowl, combine water and salt; stir to dissolve salt. Add nuts and stir to combine. Spread mixture on a prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring once halfway through, until nuts are dry and lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Stir nuts into ice cream when it is done in the ice cream maker. Enjoy! (I ate mine over chocolate brownies.)

 

Double White Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

If you are a fan of Take Five Candy bars you will love these cookies! What can be better than sweet and salty?! Sea salt is a very "trendy" ingredient in many desserts, and for good reason. It enhances the sweetness while giving a rich natural hint of salt. This cookie has just the right amount of density, crunch, soft, and added goodies. I had thought I made too many for a BBQ but sure enough by the end of the night everyone was asking for more.

The Recipe:

1 stick softened butter, 8 tablespoons
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips, to melt
1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter (reserve 2 tablespoons to add to melting white chips)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup broken pretzel pieces
1 Cup additional white chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Melt white chocolate chips and 2 Tablespoons peanut butter over a double boiler until melted.  

2. Add melted chocolate chips  and remaining peanut butter to beaten butter and sugars.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

3.  Place flour, baking soda and salt in bowl; mix to combine.  Add to wet ingredients until just combined then pour in pretzels and additional white chocolate chips. 

4. With a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.  With the palms of your hand, gently press down each cookie to about 1/2 inch in thickness.  Sprinkle each cookie with a touch of sea salt.   Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges become golden and slightly crisp.  Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before

Recipe complements of picky-palate

Funky Fusion Fajitas

Who doesn't love a good Mexican themed dinner? On a hot summer night people want to barbeque and share a great meal together. This recipe fuzzes the two together, making for a successful party anytime (and it won the competition in a Bobby Flay Throwdown, need I say more?). The great thing is you really can tailor your meal to your own liking. Adding any type of vegetable and as many as you want can help you get to your recommended 5 servings a day quickly and deliciously. Make the guacamole as mild or as hot as you would like. This recipe may look like it calls for a lot of ingredients but, 1) You may have most of them on hand anyway and 2) It is totally worth it even if you don't! Start your meal with salsa, guacamole and chips, paired with skinny margaritas and you have a party!

Recipe for the Skinny Margaritas:

1 gallon lemonade crystal light
1/2 liter diet 7-up
1 fresh lime, juiced
as much tequila as you feel needed :)
Ice

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and crush to desired consistency. Enjoy!

Recipe for the Fajita:

1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground ginger
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (1 1/4 lb) flank steak (I used organic, free range chicken)
1/2 red onion , sliced into 1/2 inch thick half-moons
1 green pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch wide strips
1 yellow or red pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch wide strips
4 green onions, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
12 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas, warmed
Guacamole (recipe below)
Screamin' sour cream (recipe below)

1. Combine the white wine, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, ketchup, dark brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, ground ginger, 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder in a large bowl and whisk together. Remove about 1/2 cup and set aside for serving. 

 

 2. Tenderize the meat by piercing it all over with a fork. Place the meat in a resealable plastic bag, pour the rest of the marinade into the bag, and seal. Refrigerate the meat for at least 2 and up to 4 hours. 

3. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling. 

4. Heat the grill to medium-high

5. Remove the meat from the marinade, discarding the marinade, and season with salt and pepper. Grill to your desired doneness. Let the meat rest for 10 min. while you cook the vegetables.

6. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and remaining marinade, and pepper to taste. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. 

7. Slice the meat into pieces across the grain. Spread each tortilla with guacamole and top with meat, vegetables, and some sour cream, and a drizzle of the reserved marinade if desired. 

Recipe for the Screamin Sour Cream:

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons hot sauce 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Recipe for the Guacamole:

1 avocado

2 overflowing tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

2 jalapenos, finely chopped (more or less depending spicyness preference) 

1/2 lime, juiced

Add all ingredients and grind until slightly chunky 

Serve all together in a warm tortilla and enjoy the wonderful, fresh as it gets, Fajita!

Recipe for fajita and sour cream complements of Bobby Flay's Throwdown cookbook

Black Bean Brownies

These are the BEST brownies I have ever made. They may have one ingredient that is a bit uncommon but it is what makes them sooo good. The black beans add moisture and density but you really cannot taste anything but chocolate! Black beans in the brownies even add some great nutrients and fiber to a sweet dessert.

The Recipe:

  1  15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed very well 

  3 large eggs

  3 tablespoons canola oil

  3/4 cup granulated sugar

  1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, optional

  1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  Pinch salt

  1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Place the black beans in the bowl of a food processor (I don't have one so I used a blender) and process until smooth and creamy.  Add the eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, peppermint extract as desired, baking powder, and salt and process until smooth.  Add ¼ cup of the chips and pulse a few times until the chips are incorporated.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips.

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before slicing into 2-inch squares.

Banana Bread

This is my all time favorite banana bread recipe. Every time I come home from being away my mom has a fresh loaf waiting for me to enjoy.  Nothing can beat this bread fresh out of the oven. It is warm and moist on the inside and slightly crunchy on the top. If is great with peanut butter, nutella, butter, or just plain. So bake it for breakfast, a snack, or dessert the next time you have a couple old bananas laying around.

The Recipe:

2 Ripe Bananas (cut into pieces)
1/2 Butter, chilled, cut into 6 pieces
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Add bananas and butter, process until finely 

 chopped about 20 seconds. 

 

 

Add remaining ingredients process for 10 seconds. 

Do not over process. 

Turn into greased 9x5 pan about 55 to 60 min.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Caramelized Mango Butterceam

This may sound like an interesting combination but sometimes thats the best right? Absolutely with these! It is always good to try something new and mix it up a bit. Beware with these though they are quite labor intensive and are not easily whipped up last minute. Also beware not too completely over indulge they are anything but healthy but I guess that's what makes them so good!

The Recipe:
Cupackes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 (3-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
Cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 teablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons molasses

1. Combine the granlated sugar, fresh ginger, and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the sugar has melted and the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let infuse for 30 minutes. Then strain the ginger syrup before using.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350. Line muffin cups with paper liners and spray liners with cooking spray.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves into a medium bowl.

4. Whisk the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, eggs and molasses together in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.

5. Fill each paper liner to 1/4 inch below the top of the liner. Bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops liberally with the ginger syrup. Let sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing. Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

For the Frosting:
With this frosting cutting the recipe in 1/2 should make more than enough 

2 cups (4 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened but still cool, cut into small pieces
2 ripe mangos, coarsely chopped
6 large egg yolks
Cooking spray
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup finely diced candied ginger, for garnish

*Caution* This frosting is not super quick and easy allow yourself time to make this!

1. Heat butter in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the mangoes and cook until caramelized and soft. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.

2. Beat egg yolks at medium-high speed until creamy and pale yellow, about 5 minutes.

3. In a nonstick saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a full rolling boil without stirring and cook until it reaches soft-ball stage (238-242) on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour the mixture into a buttered measuring cup to halt the cooking.

4. Add a small amount of the syrup to the beaten egg yolks, turn on the mixer to high speed and beat for about 5 seconds. Continue stopping the mixer, adding syrup, and beating in the same manner until all of the syrup is incorporated and the mixture is cooled completely.

5. Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, and beat until incorporated before adding the next piece. When all of the butter has been blended in, add the vanilla and some of the mango puree and continue beating until combined. Fold in candied ginger.