Angela Beckman - Easter Brunch

Pear and Blue-Cheese Pastry Triangles

Notes: Puff pastry is typically packaged two sheets per box. Any pastry sheet 9 by 9 inches or larger will work. Because the pastry is delicate, do not overload the toppings, and keep the dough cool (if it warms, the butter will melt and the pastry will lose its ability to puff). Prep and Cook Time: about 1 1/2 hours.

Yield: Makes 36 to 48 pieces

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 sweet (Walla-Walla, Maui, or Vidalia) or yellow onions (2 lb. total), peeled and sliced very thinly

1 firm-ripe pear (8 oz.), rinsed and cut in half crosswise, then lengthwise

Salt and pepper

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed but kept cool

7 ounces (1 1/2 cups) crumbled gorgonzola or other blue cheese

Preparation

1. In a 12-inch frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the sliced onion and reduce heat slightly (between medium and medium-low). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and turn brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, trim the pear quarters to remove seeds, then cut into thin slices; set aside. When onions are done, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 375° (convection oven not recommended). Line two 14- by 17-inch sheet pans with parchment paper and transfer one sheet of pastry dough to each. Roll out pastry lightly with a floured rolling pin to flatten any creases.

3. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the pastry sheets into triangle, wedge, or diamond-shaped pieces about 2 inches wide (don't worry if you cut through parchment). Slightly separate pieces so that they are not touching.

4. Lay a pear slice in the center of each wedge (trim the slice so that it doesn't cover the entire pastry). Top with a small pile of caramelized onions and about 1/2 teaspoon of the gorgonzola or blue cheese.

5. Bake in oven until fully puffed and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Do-ahead tips: Cook the onions up to 2 days ahead. Store onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Slice pears, prepare puff pastry, and bake just before serving.

Party short-cut: Hosting a bigger crowd? Buy extra puff pastry and get creative with toppings. Try sliced mushrooms and fontina cheese, or thinly sliced cooked red potatoes, thyme, and sea salt.

Fruit Salad with Lemon Yogurt

Ingredients

7 ounces Greek yogurt (recommended: Fage Total)

1/3 cup good bottled lemon curd

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups sliced strawberries (1 pint)

1 cup raspberries (1/2 pint)

1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 lemons juiced and grated peel

1 banana, sliced

Fresh mint springs

Directions

For the lemon yogurt topping, whisk together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey, lemon juice and grated lemon peel, and vanilla and set aside at room temperature.

For the fruit salad, carefully toss together the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and sugar. Allow them to stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to let the berries macerate with the sugar. Gently fold the banana into the mixture.

Asparagus, ham, and mushroom strata

Assemble this dish ahead of time and refrigerate it unbaked for up to 2 days. It’s up to you whether or not you trim the bread crusts-they give the strata a heartier texture.

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 Tbs unsalted butter, more for the pan

1 lb. asparagus, ends snapped off, cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 ½ oz. mushrooms (shitake or white mushrooms), stemmed and thinly sliced

6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, whites and greens separated (2Tbs. whites, ½ cup greens)

9 large eggs beaten

2 ¾ cups milk (preferably whole)

1 large loaf (about 1 lb) rustic white bread (like ciabatta), cut into 1-inch cubes

½ lb. thinly sliced deli ham, cut into 1-inch strips

3 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar (about 8 oz.)

Directions

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the asparagus, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook stirring occasionally, until the spears start to brown and soften, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and scallion whites and cook until soften.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Whisk the eggs with the milk and ½ tsp. each slat and pepper. Spread the bread in a single layer on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half the egg mixture and then cover with half the ham, cheese and asparagus mixture, and scallions. Then repeat layers. Cover with plastic pressing down so the bread is completely submerged in the egg mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days before baking.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350. Let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Bake until the custard sets and the top browns, about 30 min. Loosely cover with foil and bake for another 20 min. Let cool for 10 min. before cutting.

Shortbread and Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients

*for shortbread

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 300. Let butter soften to room temperature. By hand, gently cream together butter and brown sugar. Carefully fold sifted flour, salt, and baking powder into the cream mixture, handling as little as possible. Dough will be crumbly. Lightly press dough into small torte pans (2 ½ inch diameter). Bake at 300 for 15- 18 minutes or until golden. Do not over bake!

Ingredients

*Ice cream balls

Dreyers vanilla bean ice cream

Dreyers chocolate ice cream

Sweetened coconut

Skore Bar Chips

Strawberries

Chocolate chips

Using a small scoop to create vanilla ice cream balls, roll them in coconut and freeze. Make chocolate ice cream balls and roll them in score bits. Freeze.

Melt 8 oz. milk chocolate chips.

When ready to serve assemble balls of ice cream, one of each kind, on shortbread. Add a strawberry and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Baked Italian Couples Night

Jennie Russon and Kymberly Burgess

Eggplant Parmesan Napoleons

1 eggplant (about 1 lb.)

1 C. flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

Extra-virgin olive oil for frying

8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese, 1/4 in. thick

8 slices tomato, 1/4 in. thick

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice eggplant into 1/4 in. thick rounds; season with salt and pepper. Place flour, eggs, and panko into separate shallow dishes. Bread teh eggplant by first dipping in flour, then egg, and finally panko. Heat 1/4 C. oil in large saute pan over med-high heat. Fry half the eggplant slices until golden on both sides, about 4 min. total, then transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Fry remaining eggplant (use more oil if needed). Top each of the four eggplant slices with a slice of tomato and a slice of mozzarella. Layer with a second slice of eggplant, followed by another slice of tomato and another slice of mozzarella. Bake until cheese melts, about 15 min. Sprinkle Napoleons with Parmesan.

Citrus Salad

2 TBSP. fresh lime juice

2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. of honey

3 C. jarred or fresh ruby red grapefruit segments, drained

3 C. jarred or fresh orange segments, drained

2 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh basil

kosher salt to taste

minced zest of 1 lime

Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and lime zest in a bowl for the vinaigrette. Combine citrus segments in a large bowl; toss with vinaigrette. Garnish each serving with sliced basil and a basil sprig.

Garlic Buns

6 frozen dinner roll dough balls

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Kosher salt to taste

Thaw balls of dough according to package directions. When soft, cut each in half and reshape into rounds. place rounds 1-2 inches apart on a baking sheet that's been lightly coated with nonstick spray. Cover rolls loosely with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let them rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Bake rolls until golden, about 15 min. Warm butter, oil, and garlic in a small saucepan over med-low heat. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 5 min. But don't allow butter to brown. Brush rolls with garlic butter. Transfer rolls to a bowl; toss with parmesan, parsley and salt.

Brie and Ham sandwiches

4 center-cut slices sourdough or country Italian boule (1/2 in thick)

2-3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 lb. brie cheese, sliced , divided

4 oz. deli-sliced ham, divided

1/2 C. grated tart apple

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. whole-grain mustard

1/2 tsp. sugar

3 C. mesclun greens

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Brush bread with oil; arrange slices on the prepared baking sheet. Toast bread under broiler. Remove bread; leave broiler on. Top each bread slice with 2 oz. brie and 1 oz. ham. Broil until cheese melts, 1-2 min. more. Whisk together grated apple, 2 Tbsp. oil, vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a bowl. Add mesclun; toss to coat. Season greens with salt and pepper. Divide greens among four toasted sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into four pieces.

Main Course

Lasagna:

Prepare in a 9X13 Casserole Dish

Cottage Cheese 16 oz.

1 Egg

Lasagna Noodles

Medium Cheddar Cheese

Mozzarella Cheese

Marinara Sauce:

2 lbs. Of Hamburger

1 Green Pepper Chopped

½ Onion Chopped

1 small can of Mushrooms

28 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes

2- 15 oz Cans of Tomato Sauce

Salt, Garlic Salt, and Pepper

Fry Hamburger, Onion, and Pepper with seasoning. Add Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce (use 2 to 1 ½ cans depending on how much juice you want). Simmer for 10 minuets. (We use this sauce for Spaghetti also).

Cook Lasagna Noodles as directed on box

Mix 1 Egg into cottage cheese

Grate Cheese (you need a lot)

Layer:

Noodles

½ Marinara Sauce

½ of the Cottage Cheese Mixture

Cover with Cheddar

Cover with Mozzarella

Repeat one more time

Cook at 350 for 20 to 30 minuets till hot (not covered) let sit for 10 to 15 minuets.

Harlican Dessert – We make this typically in a 10 inch pie plate – but you can also do it in about 8 ramekins.

1 pkg of Graham Crackers

¾ Cube of Butter

1/8 cup Sugar

1 Tblsp of Cornstarch

½ cup of Sugar

1 ¾ cup of milk

4 Eggs – Seperated

1 pkg of Knox Gelatin

¼ Cup of Water

1 square of Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate

1 tsp Vanilla

½ Cup Sugar

½ Pint of Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Chocolate Candy Bar

Crust:

1 of 3 pkgs of Graham Crackers in a box

¾ of a cube of butter

1/8 cup sugar

Put your graham crackers in a Ziploc and remove the air then with a rolling pin crush the crackers until they are fine. Add Softened butter, and sugar and cut in with a knife until it is well mixed. Press into pie plate of ramekins.

Pie filling: There are 2 layers that you make at this point.

In a small bowl mix: 1 Tblsp Cornstarch, ½ Cup Sugar stir together well.

In a heavy sauce pan mix: 4 Egg Yolks (keep the whites for later), 1 ¾ cup of milk

Slowly stir in cornstarch and sugar mixture. Cook this over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens like a runny pudding. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl mix: 1 pkg. Of Knox Gelatin, and ¼ cup of cold water - add this to pudding mixture.

Divide Mixture in ½ (if you like less of a chocolate layer divide it by 1/3 for chocolate layer and 2/3 for custard layer).

In another small bowl melt 1 square Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate in the microwave – remove and stir in 1 tsp. Of vanilla. - add this to ½ of your pudding mixture, beat it with beaters until mixed well. Pour this over your graham cracker crust, put it in the fridge to cool.

In a mixing bowl beat your egg whites that you kept until they form peaks. Slowly pour in ½ cup of sugar while beating with mixer. With a spoon, fold in remaining ½ of pudding mixture. Pour over Chocolate in pie plate. Refrigerate for 2 or more hours. We usually make it in the mid morning for an evening dinner.

When you are ready to serve beat ½ pint of heavy whipping cream (sweeten your whipping cream with powdered sugar to taste – about a ¼ cup - and a tsp of vanilla) Pour over custard. Shave a chocolate candy bar over the top with cheese grater. - Good luck with this one, hope you have a good dishwasher when it's over!

Michelle Beattie- Cornish Game Hens - February 10, 2011

Cheesy Roasted Red Pepper Dip

7oz jar roasted red peppers (about 1C diced)

*I used a 12oz jar and it came to about 1C diced

4 C grated pepper jack cheese (3/4 lb)

8oz cream cheese (I use low-fat)

3/4 C mayonnaise

2 T minced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350. Remove peppers from jar and blot excess water with paper towels. You want to make sure they are dry so they don't add moisture to the dip. Then dice 'em up. In a bowl, soften cream cheese in microwave so it will be easier to stir. Add in mayo, onion, garlic, and dijon. Stir to combine and then add in grated cheese and the diced peppers. Place in an 8x8-ish dish (pie plate works). At this point you can pop it in the fridge if you're going to cook it later and you can even make it a couple of days ahead of time. Place in the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes. Baking time depends on the dish. It will start to bubble and brown on the outside edge, and you want it to be bubbly all the way through to the center. It will be nice and golden brown on top, especially around the edges. Mine usually takes 40-45 min.. Serve immediately. If the dip is done and your party hasn't started, just keep it warm in the oven. If you're eating left-overs, or you cooked it ahead of time, reheat in the oven as well. Funky things happen in the microwave. You can serve it with anything that sounds good- tortilla chips, pita chips, crackers (choose a plain flavored one), veggies, or warm baguette slices.

Strawberry Gazpacho .

(Serves approx. 8)

2 quarts strawberries (about 2 lbs.), rinsed, hulled, and halved

1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled, and diced

2 kiwis, peeled and diced

¼ cup sugar or sugar to taste

1 cup white grape juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

½ cup vanilla low fat yogurt

Dice one cup strawberries; combine in a small bowl with mango and kiwi. Reserve and refrigerate ½ cup. Puree remaining halved strawberries with the sugar in food processor until smooth. I don't have a food processor, so I used a blender and needed to add some of the grape juice at this point to help it to blend well. I also didn't make it super smooth because I wanted it a little more chunky. Pour into a bowl; stir in grape juice, lime juice, and remaining diced fruit. Refrigerate at least two hours, or up to one day. To serve, ladle gazpacho into individual bowls. Top with yogurt and reserved fruit.

Winter Fruit Romaine Salad .

1 Head Romaine

1 Head red leaf lettuce

1 Pomegranate

1 Pear – cut into pieces

1 Apple – cut into pieces

1 can mandarin oranges

Cut up lettuce and place in large bowl. Place all fruit on top. Can put pear and apple in Ziploc bag and add a little lemon juice to keep from browning before serving. Mix up dressing and add to salad just before serving.

Dressing

½ cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

½ tsp salt

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup oil

2 tsp poppyseed

Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon-pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 Cornish game hens, about 1 1/2 pounds each, rinsed and dried thoroughly
• 1 green bell pepper, large dice (I used less, maybe 1/2 green bell pepper)
• 2 stalks celery, large dice
• 1 onion, large dice
• minced garlic (optional: I added it to the recipe myself!)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, lemon pepper, dried basil, poultry seasoning and I also added a heaping teaspoon of garlic powder. (I also 1 1/2 to 2 times the seasoning mixture to make it more flavorful.) Rub olive oil all over the hens and season each with the salt mixture. For best flavor season the cavity of each hen also. Place the hens on a baking sheet pan with plenty of space between them. You may need to use 2 pans. Mix together diced bell pepper, celery, onion and minced garlic. Loosely stuff the cavities of each hen with mixture. Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.

TIPS: Line the baking sheet pan with foil under the wire rack for an easy clean-up. The veggies and herbs stuffed in the cavities of the hens will impart flavor to the meat as it cooks. Be sure not to crowd the hens on the baking sheets or else the skin won't crisp up properly and they will take much longer to cook.

Green Bean Bundles .

(Serves 6-8)

1 lb. fresh green beans

Olive Oil

S&P

1 Clove Garlic, chopped finely (optional)

6-8 Slices of Center Cut Bacon

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Blanch green beans for 3 minutes. Toss them in olive oil, S&P, and garlic.

3. Bundle about 5-6 green beans and wrap piece of bacon around the bundle. You can secure with a toothpick. (You can place bacon in microwave for a minute or two before wrapping to speed up cooking time).

4. Place on cooling rack placed in baking sheet and roast for about 10-15 minutes until bacon is cooked.

* This is what I did:

Pre-cook bacon on stove, but not all the way. Then in bacon drippings saute garlic. Add the beans, a bit of olive oil, and salt and pepper and saute but don't cook all the way. Then go back to steps 3&4.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

1. 2 1/2 pounds unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
2. 3/4 to 1 stick of butter, room temperature
3. 1 cup Romano cheese, grated (or a parmesan/romano cheese blend)*I actually used an italian blend and a parmesan blend.
4. 5-6 cloves roasted garlic, chopped
5. Salt, to taste
6. 1 teaspoon dried oregano
7. Chives, for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm; drain. Stir in butter, cheese, garlic, salt and oregano. Mash with a potato masher. Top with snipped chives when ready to serve.

Cake Balls

Serves: 36

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package cake mix
• 1 (16 ounce) container prepared cake frosting
• 6 ounces of chocolate flavored confectioners coating disks or bar (available in white chocolate, dark or milk)
• Food Coloring (optional)

Favorite combinations:

• *Red Velvet Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting and dipped in white or milk chocolate coating
• *Strawberry Supreme Cake/Strawberries and Cream Frosting - Dipped in Chocolate Coating
• *White Cake/Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting - Dipped in Chocolate Coating
• *Caramel Cake/Chocolate Mocha Frosting - Dipped in Chocolate Coating
• *White Cake/Wild Cherry Vanilla Frosting - Dipped in Dark Chocolate Coating
• *French Vanilla Cake/White Chocolate Almond Frosting - Dipped in Chocolate Coating
• *Dark Chocolate Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting - Dipped in White Chocolate Coating
• *Spice Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting - Dipped in White Chocolate Coating
• *Lemon Cake/Lemon Frosting - Dipped in White Chocolate Coating
• *Confetti Cake/Vanilla Frosting - Dipped in White Chocolate Coating

Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box. When cake is finished baking allow to cool for 30 minutes. Crumble the cake into a large bowl. Add the frosting and mix until well combined. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Line a baking tray with wax paper. Use a melon baller as a scooper to form balls with the cake mixture. Place on wax paper. Once you have used all of the cake mixture, place the baking tray in the freezer for 1 hour. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl of the microwave, stirring every 5-10 seconds until smooth. At this point you can add a bit of food coloring if you are using white chocolate.

Remove the balls from the freezer. Using one toothpick, pick up the balls one at a time and dip in the chocolate. Use a second toothpick to slide the ball off the first toothpick onto the wax paper lined baking tray. If desired, top it with a sprinkle of cake crumbs, small candies, or other decorations while the coating is still wet.
NOTE: If the balls fall off the toothpick into the chocolate, they are not firm enough to work with and you'll need to place them back in the freezer for additional time

Once you have covered all the balls in chocolate coating place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate coating is set. At this point you can drizzle other chocolate on the balls for decoration.

Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Strawberry Valentine

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 cube melted butter

1 cup chopped nuts

Mix together like a pie crust and spread in a 9x13 pan and bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cool and break up until crumbly. Set aside 1/4 of the crumbs for topping.

Filling:

1 carton thawed strawberries

1 cup sugar

3 egg whites

8 oz tub of Cool Whip

Beat together all but Cool Whip at high speed for 15 minutes until fluffy. (When I use my Kitchen Aid mixer instead of a hand mixer it takes less than half the time.) Fold in an 8 oz tub of Cool Whip and spread on top of crumbs. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs and freeze. Set out 5 minutes before serving. (My kitchen was nice and warm and I probably got them out too early. It should still be pretty frozen when you serve it!)

Michelle Thurber's Indian Night

Michelle started the year off with a bang at gourmet group last night. She went with an Indian theme and it was awesome. Many of us went back for seconds on the main course and it became difficult to finish the beautiful and tasty dessert - no worries I succeeded! You can click on some of the recipes that are underlined if you want to go to the "linked" page. The main dish recipe came from a website "thepioneerwoman.com" which Michelle highly recommends!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

• 3 whole (to 4) Chicken Breasts
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Coriander
• Cumin, To Taste
• ½ cups Plain Yogurt
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 piece (approximately 2 Inches) Chunk Fresh Ginger
• Garam Masala (I found it at Target)
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes
• Sugar
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• 2 cups Basmati Rice
• _____
• OPTIONAL:
• Fresh Cilantro
• Chili Peppers
• Turmeric
• Frozen Peas

Preparation Instructions

Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with some kosher salt. Next sprinkle them on both sides with some coriander and cumin. Then coat the chicken breasts completely with the plain yogurt. Set the chicken on a metal cooling rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and place it about 10-12 inches below a broiler for 5-7 minutes per side. Watch carefully so as not to totally char the chicken. It should have slightly blackened edges. Remove from oven.

Next dice one large onion. In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and sauté until they are slightly browned. As the onions cook, mince your garlic. Next, cut off the outer skin and mince or grate a 1 by 2 inch chunk of fresh ginger. Add the garlic and ginger to the onions. Also throw in about 1 tablespoon of salt.

Next you are going to add about 3 tablespoons Garam Masala spice. And if you like it hot, this is also when you will add your hot chili peppers. Serranos work well. Now you are going to add your can of diced tomatoes. Continue cooking and stirring, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add about 1 tablespoon sugar. Let this mixture simmer on medium for about 5 minutes.

To a rice cooker add 2 cups Basmati rice, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon Ground Turmeric and 4 cups water. Cover, turn on your rice cooker and walk away. If you do not have a rice cooker, cook your rice as usual but make sure that you use Basmati rice.

After the Tikka Masala sauce has had a chance to simmer for a little bit, add in the 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. Now, chop up your chicken breasts into chunks and stir them into the Tikka Masala sauce. A handful of chopped fresh cilantro is a nice addition if you like cilantro. You can also throw some frozen peas into the cooked rice, give them a stir, and allow the heat of the rice to cook the peas. It tastes great and gives another nice dash of color. Serve the rice with the Chicken Tikka Masala over top. Make sure to have some Nann bread handy, too.

Creamy White Bean and Artichoke Spread:

1 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp garlic, chopped
4 Tbsp celery, diced
1 cup artichoke hearts, cooked (frozen and thawed)
4 oz low fat cream cheese, room temperature
½ can (15.5 oz) BUSH’S® Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed (reserve ½ can for salad)
1 pinch cayenne (optional)*
2 Tbsp chives
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Near Eastern Chickpea Dip
1 can (1 lb. 4 oz) chickpeas
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup chopped black olives
1/2 cup sour cream (optional) I didn't add it in.

Mix in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Feta Cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Dip - Htipiti

Ingredients:

• 2 large red peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded (used jared)
• 1 Anaheim (mild chili) pepper, (see picture) seeded and chopped
• (You could also substitute a jalapeno pepper)
• 1 lb. Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup Ricotta or Cream Cheese
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• a pinch of red pepper flakes

Preparation:

You can roast the red peppers in the oven or on the grill. I prefer to grill them until the skin is blackened and blistered on all sides. I allow them to cool, then peel the skin off and remove the seeds.

Chop the red peppers into large chunks and set aside. Carefully chop the Anaheim pepper and remove the seeds. Anaheim peppers are considered medium hot peppers - be careful not to touch your eyes with your fingers after handling the pepper or the seeds.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the feta cheese, the Ricotta (or Cream Cheese) and the chopped peppers. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and process until smooth. Add the paprika and red pepper flakes and mix until light and creamy.

No food processor? You can use a blender or try the traditional method of beating the ingredients in bowl or using a mortar and pestle.

Curried Cashew, Pear, and Grape Salad

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cashew halves
• 4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Dressing:
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt and black pepper to taste
• Salad:
• 1 (10 ounce) package mixed salad greens
• 1/2 medium Bosc pear, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup halved seedless red grapes

Directions

1. In a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast cashews until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove cashews to a dish to cool slightly.
2. Return skillet to medium-high heat, cook bacon strips until crisp on both sides, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and soak up grease with a paper towel. Coarsely chop bacon, and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together butter, rosemary, curry powder, brown sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, and toasted cashews. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, stir together white wine vinegar, mustard, and honey. Slowly whisk in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
5. In a large salad bowl, toss dressing with greens, pear slices, grapes, and bacon, and sprinkle with nut mixture.

Naan

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
2. Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
4. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

(I mixed it in the breadmaker)

White Chocolate Fruit Tart

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• FILLING:
• 1 (10 ounce) package vanilla or white chips, melted and cooled (I used the private selection white chips from Smiths. They were the only ones I could find that had cocoa butter instead of partially hydrogenated oil)

• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
• GLAZE:
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour; mix well. Press into an ungreased 11-in. tart pan with removable bottom or 12-in. pizza pan with sides. Bake at 300 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
2. For filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat melted chips and cream. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. (I mixed in my kitchenaid until it was light and fluffy). Spread over crust. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice; set juice aside. Arrange the pineapple, strawberries, oranges and kiwi over filling.
3. For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool; brush over fruit. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.