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Salad Taverna

serves 4-6    

Dressing:
1/3 C olive oil                  1/2 tsp Tabasco
3 T lemon juice               1/4 tsp salt
1 clove minced garlic
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8 oz. spinach fettuccine, cooked
1/2 lb. feta cheese, crumbled
2 tomatoes,, coarsely chopped
1/2 C sliced ripe olives

  1/4 C chopped parsley
   1/4 C pine nuts

• Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl
• Pour over remaining ingredients
• toss to coat evenly
• cover & refrigerate at least 1 hour

Apricot Canapes Appetizer

16 dried apricots
8 tsp. crumbled blue cheese
2 oz. chopped pistachios
1/2 tsp. honey

Open each apricot (they have  a slit in them where the pit was removed)
Cut the halves apart
Put a bit of the blue cheese on each half
Sprinkle with the the chopped pistachios
Drizzle with the honey


Salad Nicoise - serves 4

This is a great "No Cook" recipe for these hot days!

1/2  head of romaine lettuce, torn in bit-size pieces
1 tomato, cut in wedges
1 (8 oz.) can green beans, drained
1 (8 oz.) can sliced potatoes
1/2 onion sliced
1 6  1/2 oz. can tuna, drained
8 ripe olives
2 hard cooked eggs, quartered
optional - 1 (2 oz.) anchovy fillets
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2 T wine vinegar
1/3 C olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 T minced parsley

Place lettuce on a platter.
Arrange tomato, beans, potatoes,onion, eggs around the edge of the dish
Mound the tuna in the center (add anchovies, if desired)
Combine the dressing ingredients - shake well
Pour over salad.


Kiwi-Strawberry Spinach Salad   serves 12

12 C torn fresh spinach
2 pints fresh strawberries, halved
4 kiwi fruit, peeled & cut in 1/4 inch slices

dressing:

Combine in  blender:                      

Gorgonzola Cocktail Tarts - makes 45

3 eggs
1 1/2 C  2% cottage cheese
1 C Bisquick
1/4 C melted butter
3 T sour cream
1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp salt  &  1/2 tsp pepper
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Schiacciata all'uva
-Flat bread with wine grapes

2 containers of Pillsbury French Bread
1 T sugar
1 T olive oil
3/4 lb. wine grapes
Leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary
sugar for dusting
Blue or Gorgonzola cheese
  Divide 1 container of bread dough in 1/2 across the center
Press both halves together to form (sort of) a square shape
roll dough to flatten on lightly floured surface
Oil a 9x13 pan
Transfer the dough to the pan
Sprinkle with 1/2 of the grapes & !/2 of the rosemary, & 1 T of the sugar
Lay 2nd batch of dough on top of the grape & herb covered dough.
Cover 2nd layer with remaining grapes & rosemary.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Cover pan with damp kitchen towel, let raise 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes
Sprinkle with cheese last 2 minutes of cooking - until cheese melts
Cool on wire rack until warm
Remove from pan & dust with sugar

Bread can be stored, well wrapped, for up to 2 days & reheated or served at room temperature.

Table grapes can be used, but some of the flavor will be diminished.  You can sometimes buy champagne grapes at Trader Joe's.


Antipasto Salad  - serves 6

Dressing:
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 tsp. dried basil

Salad:
6 oz bag chopped Romaine or Italian blend lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, cut in wedges
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 C sliced strips salami
1/2 C mozzarella, cut into small chunks
1/2 C ripe olives
1/4 C proscuitto, cut in chunks or strips
1/4 C sliced pepperoncini

Place the salad ingredients in a bowl.
Combine the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the salad.

Serve with crusty bread & Pescatore Zinfandel!


Eggplant Parmesan

1 medium sized eggplant, cut in 1/2" slices
1 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese
3 cups marinara sauce - homemade or purchased
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup julienne fresh basil leaves
olive oil

Lay eggplant on brown paper (I use a grocery bag torn open) & sprinkle lightly with salt. Let rest for 1/2 an hour.
Rinse salt off & pat dry
Dip both sides of each eggplant slice in olive oil & place in a single layer (using foil on a baking sheet speeds clean up)
Bake @ 350 for 1/2 hour, or until eggplant is lightly brown, but not mushy.
Spread about 3/4 cup of marinara sauce on bottom of  9 x 9 pan
Place 4 eggplant slices on top of sauce, layer each with mozzarella, sauce, basil & Parmesan cheese
Continue until all eggplant slices are used.
Top last slice with remaining sauce & Parmesan cheese
Bake @ 350 for 1/2 an hour, or until bubbly.


Zinful Chocolate Cake

for the cake:
1 box of chocolate cake mix
1 small box of raspberry Jello
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup of Zinfandel wine
1/2 C canola (or other vegetable oil) oil

for the glaze:
2 T room temperature butter
1/2 C Zinfandel wine
1 C powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325.  Spray a bundt pan with no-stick baking spray with flour.
Mix all the cake ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds.  Increase the speed to medium & beat for 1 minute, scraping the bowl occasionally.
Pour the mix into the bundt pan.  Tap the pan on the counter to help release any air bubbles.
Bake for 40 minutes in center rack of the oven.
Cool for 10 minutes.  Invert onto cooling rack. (May be necessary to loosen the sides of the pan with a knife)

Prepare the glaze:
Combine the zinfandel, sugar, & butter in a medium pan.  Bring to a boil & remove from the heat.
Stir in the vanilla & chocolate chips.  Stir until the chocolate chips have melted.
 
Drizzle over the cake, reserving some for individual slices.

Lamb & Zucchini Fusilli with Basil Butter

1/4 C butter                                8oz. ground lamb
1/2 C chopped fresh basil      1 lb. zucchini grated (3 1/2 cups)
2 T olive oil                                 1/4 C dry white wine*
1 onion chopped                       2T fresh lemon juice
3 large shallots, chopped        1 lb. fusilli - cooked
3/4 C Parmesan cheese

Melt butter over medium heat.  Stir in basil & set aside.
Heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions & shallots.  Saute until soft (about 5 min.)
Add lamb & saute until cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high.  Add zucchini & saute until it is wilted (about 7 min.)
Add wine, reduce heat & simmer until reduced by half (about 5 min.)
Toss all with hot pasta.  Season with salt & pepper.  Sprinkle with Parmesan.
                        
Serve with Syrah or Petite Sirah.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

* 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

* 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

* 2 large eggs

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

* Streusel topping, recipe follows

* 1/2 cup caramel topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.

Streusel Topping:

* 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

* 1 cup all-purpose flour

* 1/2 cup quick cooking oats

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Yield: approximately 3 cups

Enjoy with our Zinfandel!

Blue Cheese Horseradish Sauce
1/3 C dijon mustard
1/3 C light sour cream
1/3 C light mayonnaise
1 T horseradish
2 T crumbled Blue Cheese
1 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Combine all and chill.
 

Party Steak Spiral - 6 to 8 servings         

Marinade:
1/2 C olive oil                                  1T chopped parsley
1/4 C red wine vinegar                      1/ tsp ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Steak:
1 (1 1/4 lb) flank steak butterflied                 24 basil leaves
2 roasted red bell peppers cut in quarters       3 T Parmesan cheese
3 T chopped parsley, divided                        pepper to taste
6 -8 thin slices of proscuitto

Marinate steak  2 - 8 hours
Remove steak from marinade -reserve marinade - place steak on foil. Place peppers on steak. Sprinkle with 1 T parsley & cover with proscuitto. Layer basil leaves over proscuitto, sprinkle with Parmesan, 2 T parsley & pepper.

Lift steak away from foil, roll tightly from the long side as for a jelly roll. Tie the steak every 2-3 inches with kitchen string.
Place steak in a shallow baking dish & pour the reserved marinade over.   Bake to desired doneness, basting twice during cooking,
Bake @ 400/30 -45 min. (medium rare -medium)
Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Cut into 1/2 inch slices, removing string as you cut. Arrange on a platter or individual plates.

Spiced Sweet Potatoes - Serves 8

3 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled, halved & sliced  1/2" thick
3 small yellow onions, quartered
1 T olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

heat oven to 425*

in a large bowl combine all ingredients until potatoes are well coated

spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray

roast 15 minutes

turn & roast 10 -15 minutes more, or until potatoes are tender