STRAWBERRY CAPRESE SALAD WITH BROWN BUTTER BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

2 cups sliced strawberries (cut them in a variety of sizes)

1½ cups halved cherry tomatoes

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced

2 tablespoons butter

2½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1½ teaspoons honey

¼ teaspoon dijon mustard

Salt & Pepper

¼ cup basil leaves

Toss strawberries, tomatoes and mozzarella together. Spread on a platter.

In a small skillet, melt butter over a medium-high heat. Once the butter starts to bubbly and turn slightly brown on the edges, swirl the pan in a circular motion until the butter is browned and smells nutty. Remove from heat and transfer to a small dish to cool until room temperature.  In a small bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, honey and dijon together. Slowly whisk in room temperature butter. Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle vinaigrette over salad mixture. Sprinkle with basil leaves.

MEXICAN FRUIT SALAD

2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup or agave nectar)

3 tablespoons lime juice

pinch of salt

¼ - ¾ teaspoon ancho chili powder (use more or less to taste)

2 ½ cups honeydew, diced (~½ a melon)

3 cups watermelon, diced (~½ a melon)

3 cups cantaloupe, diced (~1 melon)

2 ½ cups pineapple, diced (~1 pineapple)

1 ½ cups mangoes, diced (~2 mangoes)

In a small bowl, combine the honey, lime juice, salt and ancho chili powder to taste. Add additional sweetener if you want it to be sweeter or another pinch of salt if you want it to be a little saltier. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the fruit until thoroughly mixed. Dress the salad with as much or as little of the dressing as you like. Add additional chili powder to taste if desired.

APPLE CRISP BAKED APPLES

APPLE CRISP BAKED APPLES

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup (1 ¼ ounces) walnuts, chopped medium fine

1/3 cup (1 ¼ ounces) pecans, chopped medium fine

1 teaspoon firmly packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

¼ cup rolled oats

4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

6 medium baking apples, such as Pink Lady or Jazz

1 ½ cups apple cider

Vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.  In a medium bowl, combine walnuts, pecans, sugar, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and oats.  Add butter and toss to combine.  Peel the top third of each apple and, using a melon baller, scoop out the stem and enough of the core so that the walls of the apple are about ½ inch thick. Take care not to break through the bottom of the apple, or the filling will leak out while baking. Make the hole a bit wider at the top.  Stuff each apple generously using a small spoon or your fingers; mound extra filling on top.

Put the filled apples in a 2-quart baking dish. Pour cider into the pan around the apples, cover the dish with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake, basting every 15 minutes, for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, until apples are easily pierced with a sharp knife (they may split open a bit at the bottom). Serve apples drizzled with the sauce from the pan and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

PLUM & BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE SUNDAE

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, 2 ounces cold, 6 ounces room temperature

2 ounces blueberries (about 1/3 cup), plus more for serving

2 ounces strawberries, hulled & diced (about 1/3 cup), plus more for serving

3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, plus more for serving

1 ¼ cups heavy cream

This recipe makes four blueberry & four strawberry shortcakes. Coat 2 parchment-lined baking sheets with cooking spray.  Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, & baking soda in a large bowl.  Incorporate butter & cold cream cheese into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Transfer to freezer & chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425° with racks in upper & lower thirds.  Transfer half of flour mixture to another large bowl.  Add blueberries to 1 bowl & strawberries to other bowl.  Gradually stir 6 tablespoons buttermilk into 1 bowl, gently folding with rubber spatula until a sticky dough forms.  Do not over mix.  Divide dough into 4 even mounds & place 2 inches apart on 1 baking sheet.  Bake, rotating halfway through, until shortcakes are golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. 

Meanwhile, beat together remaining 6 ounces cream cheese & confectioner’s sugar with a mixer until smooth.  Gradually add cream, beating just until mixture becomes smooth & thick, about 1 minute.  Do not over beat.  Serve alongside shortcakes & berries, with confectioner’s sugar for sprinkling.

BERRY SHORTCAKES WITH WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, 2 ounces cold, 6 ounces room temperature

2 ounces blueberries (about 1/3 cup), plus more for serving

2 ounces strawberries, hulled & diced (about 1/3 cup), plus more for serving

3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, plus more for serving

1 ¼ cups heavy cream

This recipe makes four blueberry & four strawberry shortcakes. Coat 2 parchment-lined baking sheets with cooking spray.  Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, & baking soda in a large bowl.  Incorporate butter & cold cream cheese into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Transfer to freezer & chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425° with racks in upper & lower thirds.  Transfer half of flour mixture to another large bowl.  Add blueberries to 1 bowl & strawberries to other bowl.  Gradually stir 6 tablespoons buttermilk into 1 bowl, gently folding with rubber spatula until a sticky dough forms.  Do not over mix.  Divide dough into 4 even mounds & place 2 inches apart on 1 baking sheet.  Bake, rotating halfway through, until shortcakes are golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. 

Meanwhile, beat together remaining 6 ounces cream cheese & confectioner’s sugar with a mixer until smooth.  Gradually add cream, beating just until mixture becomes smooth & thick, about 1 minute.  Do not over beat.  Serve alongside shortcakes & berries, with confectioner’s sugar for sprinkling.

STRAWBERRY-BLUEBERRY PIE

2 sheets roll-out pie crust
2 tablespoons butter, melted
White sanding sugar, for top of crust
4 cups strawberries, washed and hulled
1 cup blueberries, washed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll out 1 sheet of the pie crust and put in a 9-inch pie plate, crimping the edges for a pretty presentation. Roll out the other sheet and cut into 1/2-inch thick strips with a sharp knife or pastry wheel. *Cook's Note: For a fancier crust: use a 1 to 1 1/2-inch circular cookie cutter and cut out circles. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together all of the filling ingredients and pour into the crust.
Arrange the strips over the top of the pie in a lattice pattern, tucking in the edges, or layer the circular shapes on top of the strawberries. Brush the top with the melted butter and sprinkle the sanding sugar. Bake the pie for 25 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake until the top is golden brown, another 30 minutes. Let cool before serving with Strawberry Whipped Cream, if desired.

Adapted from here.

SUGARED CRANBERRIES

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water

2 cups fresh cranberries

¾ cup superfine sugar

Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves.  Bring to a simmer, remove from heat.  [Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.]  Stir in cranberries; pour mixture into a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid if desired.  Place superfine sugar in a shallow dish.  Add the cranberries, rolling to coat with sugar.  Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.  Makes 9 servings.

ALMOND-GRAPE TUNA SALAD

1 can water-packed tuna

1 bunch romaine lettuce

¾ cup sliced seedless red grapes

¼ cup slivered almonds

¼ cup pine nuts

¼ cup mayonnaise or your favorite salad dressing

Toss ingredients.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

PEAR AND CREAMY SWISS CHEESE SALAD

I didn't have raisins or craisins so I used strawberries

Mixed greens of your choice

1 fresh pear, sliced

1 container of The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Original cheese triangles

½ cup raisins and dried cranberries mixed

¾ cup shelled pistachios

1 bottle Dark Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing from Nordstrom Café

Place greens in salad bowl.  Arrange pear slices in a circular pattern.  Place cheese triangles in between each pear slice in circular pattern.  Sprinkle craisins, raisins and pistachios on top and serve with dressing on the side.

KIWI TOWERS

Dollop kiwi slices with agave nectar-sweetened sour cream & chopped pistachios.

JULIE'S FRUIT DIP

8oz strawberry cream cheese
1 jar marshmallow cream
1/4 c powder sugar.

Mix together and serve with fruit.

LYAL’S TOSSED FRUIT SALAD

2-3 kinds of lettuce greens, torn in pieces
Mandarin Oranges
Pineapple
Sliced avocados
Celery
Red Apple Chunks
Pomegranates

Dressing
¼ cup vinegar
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup sugar
¼ cup onion
½ cup salad oil

Mix and pour on salad. Top with slivered almonds.

MILE HIGH RASPBERRY PIE

10 inch traditional pie crust OR 2 store bought graham cracker crusts
In LARGE mixing bowl combine:
1 12 oz pkg frozen berries, thawed and drained
1 cup of sugar
A shake of salt
2 large egg whites
2 TBSP lemon juice

Beat on high for 10-15 min.- It should fill a large bowl. Gently fold in 1 8oz cool whip(thawed). Pile into the pie shell and freeze. No need to thaw before serving.

YUMMY FRUIT SALAD

1 pkg (3oz) vanilla pudding
1 32oz container vanilla yogurt
1 16oz container cool whip
1 bag frozen mixed berries

Mix all together. Keep vanilla pudding as powder. Keep berries pretty frozen, thaw just a little.