May 31, 2015

Appetizers

Peach and Cheesy Caprese Bites

PREPTIME: 30 Minutes – START TO FINISH: 1 Hour - Makes 24 bites

¼ cup	Olive oil	½	English cucumber, unpeeled
2 tsp.	Grated lemon peel	1	Large peach (or nectarine), each cut into 24 (1/2-inch) pieces
2 Tbsp.	Fresh lemon juice	24	Fresh mozzarella cheese balls (from 8-oz container), drained
½ cup	Coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves	24	Fresh basil leaves (about 2 oz.)
½ tsp.	Salt	24	Toothpicks or short skewers
¼ tsp.	Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, mix oil, lemon peel, lemon juice, chopped basil, salt and pepper with whisk until blended.

Cut cucumber into 12 (1/2-inch) slices, cut each crosswise in half to make 24 pieces. Add cucumbers, peach pieces and cheese to oil mixture; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Drain cucumber mixture. Thread cucumber, peach, basil and cheese alternately onto toothpicks.

TIDBIT: For a pretty display on your platter, use a variety of frilly skewers or picks to make the bites. Then garnish the presentation with more basil and lemon curls.

Mini Corn Cakes

PREP TIME: 25 Minutes START TO FINISH: 25 Minutes SERVINGS: 24

1 Tbsp.	Butter	½ tsp.	Salt
1/3 cup	Chopped green onions (about 5 medium)	1/8 tsp.	Ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/3 cup	Chopped celery	2	Eggs slightly beaten
1/3 cup	Chopped red bell pepper	1 can (11 oz.)	Whole kernel sweet corn, drained
1 cup	Soft white bread crumbs (about 1 ½ slices bread)	2 Tbsp.	Vegetable Oil
½ cup	Original Bisquick mix	½ cup	Chive-and-onion sour cream potato topper (from 12 oz. container)
1 tsp.	Sugar

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onions, celery and bell pepper in butter 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In medium bowl, stir vegetable mixture, bread crumbs, Bisquick mix, sugar, salt, red pepper, eggs and corn until well blended.

In same skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium heat. Drop 8 tablespoons of corn mixture into oil, spreading each to 1 ½-inch round. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, carefully turning once, until golden brown. Cook remaining corn cakes in 2 batches of 8 each, using 2 teaspoons oil for each batch. Serve with sour cream topper.

Grilled Shrimp Extraordinaire

1 pound	Large raw shrimp	1 Tbsp.	Ketchup
1/3 cup	Olive oil or Canola oil	1 Tbsp.	Asian chili paste
¼ cup	Sesame oil	1 tsp.	Salt
2 Tbsp.	Fresh parsley	1 tsp.	Pepper
2 Tbsp.	Hot sauce	4 Tbsp.	Lemon juice
2 Tbsp.	Minced garlic

Blend all ingredients (except shrimp) in blender, preferably one day in advance, to let the flavors meld. Clean and devein shrimp and put on skewers. 45 minutes before grilling the shrimp, pour marinade over skewers (do not marinade longer than 45 minutes, because the shrimp will toughen if left longer). After 20 minutes, turn the skewers to marinade the other side. Make sure marinade is covering all the shrimp before grilling. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Salad/Soup

Arugula & Strawberry Salad

Serves 4

½ cup	Chopped walnuts	¼ tsp.	Freshly ground pepper
4 cups	Baby arugula	2 Tbsp.	Balsamic vinegar
2 cups	Sliced strawberries	1 Tbsp.	Extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz.	Parmesan cheese

Toast walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and aromatic. 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Mix vinegar, oil and pepper. Set aside. Combine arugula, strawberries, walnuts and Parmesan in a serving bowl. Pour vinegar and oil mixture over the salad; toss gently and serve at once.

Main Course

Best Grilled Pork Chops

Serves 6

“This is a simple recipe adapted from Company’s Coming. It is simple to throw together the marinade in the morning before going off to work and coming home to an easy dinner to prepare at night.”

½ cup	Water	3 Tbsp.	Lemon pepper seasoning
1/3 cup	Light soy sauce	2	Garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup	Vegetable oil	6	Pork loin chops, fat removed

In deep bowl mix all marinade ingredients. Marinade at least 2 hours.

Remove from marinade and cook over medium-high heat on greased grill for no more than 15 minutes or until done. Cooking time for second side is shorter by 1 to 2 minutes. For chops that are ¾” or thinner, 5 to 6 minutes maximum per side; thicker than ¾”, 6 to 7 minutes maximum per side. DO NOT OVER_GRILL, chops will become tough. After 2 minutes grilling on a side, rotate chops 45 degrees for even cooking. Turn over when juices pool on upper surface and meat appears to be cooked half-way through.

Parmesan-Roasted Potatoes

Serves 8

3 pounds	Baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved	¾ cup	Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup	Olive oil	1 tsp.	Finely grated lemon zest
To taste	Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper	1 Tbsp.	Fresh lemon juice
4 oz.	Finely grated Parmesan	1 tsp.	Crushed red pepper flakes

Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Toss potatoes and oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place potatoes, cut side up, on a wired rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; reserve bowl. Roast until golden brown and cooked through, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to bowl; toss with Parmesan. Return potatoes to rack and roast until Parmesan is brown and crisp, 10-12 minutes.

Toss potatoes in same bowl with parsley, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Top with lemon zest just before serving.

Wine

CHATEÂU DES GRAVES

Graves White Appellation 2011

White Bordeaux Wine

65% SAUVIGNON – 35% SEMILLON

Chateâu des Graves is located 15 miles south and east of the city of Bordeaux in the heart of the Graves appellation area. Its soil of gravel is perfectly adapted to the growing of grapes as it reflect stock the heat of the sun.

This dry wine is lively fresh with citrus aroma and nice minerality too. He will suite with all fish and white meat as well as aperitif.

Dessert

Bittersweet Chocolate Torte with Warm Cinnamon Dulce de Leche

20 min. Prep time; 1 hrs Cook time; Serves 12

A bittersweet chocolate torte is made even more extravagant with homemade cinnamon-spiced dulce de leche sauce. This oh-so-easy sauce is simply sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon and vanilla cooked in the microwave until a rich caramel color.

Cinnamon Dulce de Leche

1 can (14 oz.)	Sweetened condensed milk	1 tsp.	McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tsp.	McCormick Gourmet™ Cinnamon, Roasted Ground Saigon

For the Cinnamon Dulce de Leche, mix sweetened condensed milk, roasted cinnamon and vanilla in large microwavable bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) 4 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Microwave on MEDIUM-LOW (25% power) 12 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes or until milk is thick and caramel colored. Carefully remove bowl from microwave with pot holders. Set aside until ready to serve (sauce will thicken upon standing).

Bittersweet Chocolate Torte

1 cup (2 sticks)	Butter, cut into pieces	1 cup	Sugar
¼ cup	Heavy cream	¼ cup	Unsweetened cocoa powder
8 oz.	Bittersweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped	2 tsp.	McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
5	Eggs	1 tsp.	McCormick Gourmet™ Cinnamon, Roasted Ground Saigon

For the Bittersweet Chocolate Torte, preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Dust with cocoa powder. Set aside. Place butter and cream in medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Simmer until butter is melted. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Mix eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and roasted cinnamon in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Whisk in chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake slightly puffed and center is set. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 1 hour (cake will fall in center slightly during cooling).

Use a knife to loosen sides of cake from pan before removing rim. Drizzle torte with warm Cinnamon Dulce de Leche.