Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Plate - Insalata Caprese

Want a great holiday appetizer? Try Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Plate - Insalata Caprese:

Recipe Type: Salad and Salad Dressing, Tomato, Appetizer, Mozzarella Cheese Cuisine: Italian Yields: 4 servings Prep time: 10 min Ingredients: 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices* 3 to 4 medium fresh tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices 1 bunch of fresh basil leaves Extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons capers rinsed and drained * Purchase Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese Making Kits, and Mozzarella Cheese Slicers at What's Cooking America's Cooking Store. Preparation: In a circular design around the side of a serving plate, alternate fresh mozzarella slices on a large platter (or on individual plates if you are doing individual portions) with sliced tomatoes, overlapping for effect. Tear fresh basil leaves and sprinkle liberally over the slices. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Sprinkle capers over the top. Just before serving, drizzle on some top-quality extra-virgin olive oil. NOTE: Insalata Caprese should never be allowed to sit in oil for any length of time and become soggy, and no vinegar of any kind goes on true Insalata Caprese! Makes 4 servings.

Reese's Peanut Butter Martini

Prep Time 5 minutes Recipe type: Cocktail Serves: 2 Ingredients • • Reese’s Peanut Butter Martini • 2½ ounces Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cup Infused Vodka, recipe below • 4 ounces milk • 1 teaspoon Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup • 4 mini peanut butter Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, for garnish • • Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Infused Vodka • 6 ounces good quality vodka (I used Tito’s) • ¼ cup Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Instructions 1. To prepare the infused vodka, combine vodka and Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups in a clean mason jar. Close jar tightly and store in a cool dry place for 7 days. Give it a good shake once or twice per day. 2. Once vodka has been infused, strain into a clean mason jar using a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth. Store in a cool place or in the freezer. 3. To prepare the martini, combine infused vodka, Hershey’s chocolate syrup and milk in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake for 30-40 seconds and pour into two small martini glasses. 4. Garnish with Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Watermelon Salad with Balsamic Dressing

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar • 1 medium seedless watermelon, diced • 1/4 cup canola oil • 1 red onion, thinly sliced • 1/4 cup olive oil • 3/4 cup fresh mint, chopped • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 8 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled • 1 tablespoon honey • black pepper, to taste • 1 clove of garlic, minced • salt and pepper, to taste Preparation In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, canola oil, olive oil, mustard, honey and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Spread 2/3 of watermelon on serving platter. Top with onion, mint and cheese and season with pepper. Pour dressing over salad and garnish with remaining watermelon cubes. Excellent with grilled shrimp or chicken.

Roasted Cabbage with Bacon Bits

• Roasted cabbage. INSANELY delicious, easy, inexpensive & healthy ~Frisky 1 tsp olive oil (5g) 2 tbsp real bacon bits (14g) 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (more or less to taste) 1 Medium Head of Cabbage Preheat the oven (or the grill,) to 425 degrees. Mix the olive oil, bacon bits, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to make the marinade. Prepare the cabbage. Rinse it under water and remove any yucky loose leaves. Cut the head in half on the core.. Then cut the halves in half again… …to make quarters. Lay each wedge on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap it up in. Spoon about 2 tbsp of the marinade on top making sure to get it in all the nooks and crannies. Wrap each wedge and bake for 20-30 minutes. I say 20-30 becuase they will continue to cook once you pull them out and I like mine still crunchy. So I let them sit for a little while pull them out around the 20 minute mark. However, some like to cook them up to an hour for softer cabbage. The wedges reheat wonderfull in the oven or the microwave!

South Carolina Coleslaw published in Southern Living--Ah the taste of summer

State Champion Coleslaw Recipes Tart, sweet, creamy, crunchy—there's so much to love when it comes to slaw. Here's how we're serving it up.|Francine Maroukian, Tony Aiazzi; Produced by Jennifer V. Cole, Hunter Lewis South Carolina Slaw Place 1/2 head thinly sliced cabbage (about 1 lb.) and 1 cup grated carrot in a bowl. Whisk together 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. celery seeds, 1 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper in a saucepan until sugar dissolves; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over cabbage mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Martha Stewart shares multiple ways to use canned tuna

Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole Good old tuna casserole is new again with the addition of red bell peppers, artichoke hearts, and scallions. This casserole freezes very well, so make an extra to save for a busy night. Choose best-quality tuna that's packed in olive oil for this dish. Even after draining it, you'll get moister, richer results than if you used water-packed tuna. Everyday Food, October 2007 • Prep Time 35 minutes • Total Time 55 minutes • Yield Serves 8 Add to Shopping List Ingredients • 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for baking dishes • Coarse salt and ground pepper • 1 pound wide egg noodles • 2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 5 cups whole milk • 4 cans (6 ounces each) tuna in olive oil, drained • 1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and thickly sliced • 5 scallions, thinly sliced • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square (or other shallow 2-quart) baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until 2 minutes short of al dente; drain, and return to pot. 2. Meanwhile, in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add bell peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer. 3. Remove from heat; add mixture to noodles in pot, along with tuna, artichoke hearts, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper, and toss. Divide between prepared baking dishes, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Cook's Note Prepare through step 3; cool to room temperature. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and freeze up to three months. To Bake from Frozen: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, covered with foil, until center is warm, about 2 hours. Uncover, and bake until top is browned, about 20 minutes more. To Bake from Thawed: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake, covered with foil, until center is warm, about 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake until top is browned, about 20 minutes more.

Fresh Cucumber Salad Perfect for Summer

7-cups unpeeled pickling cucumbers sliced thin (about 7 large dills) 1-cup sliced onions 1-cup sliced green peppers 1-tbsp salt 1-cup white vinegar 2-cups sugar 1-tsp celery seed 1-tsp mustard seed We used red pepper Mix cucumbers, onions, peppers and salt; set a side Put vinegar, sugar, celery seed and mustard seed in a pot and bring to a boil Remove from heat and let cool for one hour Pour mixture over cucumbers Put in jars and store in refrigerator Will keep up to 2 months Makes 2 quart jars

Woodford Reserve Chocolate Cake-For all you bourbon fans out there

Woodford and Chocolate? Yes please. Our very own Chef Mark Williams is creating this Bourbon Chocolate Cake at the New York Chocolate Show this weekend. Who wants a piece? Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Chocolate Cake Created by Chef Mark Williams, Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville, Kentucky Makes one 10-inch cake Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 6 ounces of Valrhona Grand Cru Dark Baking Chocolate Caraibe Pinch of salt 8 eggs, separated ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2 cups ground toasted hazelnuts 2 tablespoons Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Pinch of cream of tartar Butter and flour a 10-inch cake pan and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the butter, chocolate and salt in a metal bowl over simmering water and stir until smooth. Beat the egg yolks and the ¾ cup sugar in a mixing bowl until the mixture is pale yellow and falls in folds from the beaters. Stir in the chocolate mixture, the hazelnuts and the Woodford Reserve Bourbon. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form; then add the 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Stir one-fourth of the egg white mixture until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 45-55 minutes. Set the cake aside to cool in the pan. Once cool, unmold the cake, slice it and serve it with Bourbon caramel sauce, Bourbon chocolate sauce and whipped cream, if desired.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

Pumpkin Pie Martini: (Just in time for the fall holiday season) 1/2 - 3/4 Can of pumpkin pie filler 1/2 cup or so of Whipped Pinnacle Vodka 2 teaspoons Cinnamin (Goldslager might work too!) Lil Nutmeg