I'm Salsa Dancing!

Trying out some new recipes for when Summer's bounty of fresh grown veggies are in abundance.  To me, fresh is always better, but when you don't have fresh, frozen it is.  I did find some fresh corn on the cob in the market this past week and used it as a side dish for a meal.  I cooked all the ears, but had 4 left over.  I didn't want to waste them, so I made some Fresh Tomato Corn Salsa. I had everything else I needed to make it, so my corn was put to good use.  This salsa was dancin' in my mouth, with a tangy lime flavor of some added lime zest and a little bit of jalapeno pepper, what can I say, it just made me want to celebrate......

FELIZ Cinco De Mayo!

Recipe below.

To print recipe, click on it, highlight and print.

To view photos in a larger format, click on them.

I started with a few ingredients, that's all it took for this awesome fresh salsa.

 Cored my plum tomatoes. I use plum tomatoes because they are meatier.

 Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise, and an easy way to scoop the seeds out, use a spoon.

Tomatoes are ready to be chopped.

I used fresh corn, but you can certainly use frozen.  I ran a sharp knife down the side of the cob to cut off the kernels, be careful with the knife!

 I tossed everything in a mixing bowl, zested one of the limes, squeezed on the lime juice from the two limes, tossed it all together, and look how pretty these colors are!  That's a party in a bowl right there.

 Serve with your favorite tortilla chips! Yum.........

 Fresh Tomato Corn Salsa

Ingredients

5 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

4 ears corn, cut corn off the cob, or use 2 cups of thawed frozen corn

1/2 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/2 red onion, small dice

1 jalapeno pepper, small dice

1 small can sliced black olives

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 limes, zest from one of the limes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Prepare all vegetables and add to a large mixing bowl. Add the black olives, cilantro, lime zest, juice from both limes, salt and pepper.  Toss everything together, serve with your favorite chips.  Refrigerate any leftovers. Makes about 4 cups.

Tastes Like Summer!

The groundhog came out of his hole on February 2nd and declared an early Spring.  Sure he did, we have had snow just about everyday since Ground Hog Day!  WHY do we put so much trust, in a furry little animal, that doesn't use any kind of weather predicting devices?  I am tired, tired, tired of this cold, frosty weather, do ya feel my pain? I need some sunshine, please!

So, after a long bout of a flu like sickness last week, I'm back in the kitchen.  I gotta keep moving, trying to keep warm.  I made an after dinner dessert last night, hopefully to remind me of the warmer weather that will soon be in our forecast.  I needed a little of my own sunshine, and to refresh me a little, I made a Strawberry Tiramisu with a hint of lemon, that I know will get me thinking of Summer, the hot sun, being outside without a parka on, or bundled up with gloves, a blanket, scarf, boots, a hat........you get the picture, uh huh.

Recipe below.

To print recipe, click on it, highlight and print.

To view photos in a larger format, click on them.

A few of my ingredients.

 I used an 8 oz container of mascarpone cheese and 4 ounces of regular cream cheese.  Chopped a few strawberries for the cheese mixture.

 Made my own whipped cream, it's cheaper and you can flavor it anyway you like.  Used vanilla bean paste to flavor mine.

It only takes a few minutes, so be careful you don't want to churn it into butter by over mixing it.

 PERFECT!

 Gently fold half into the cream cheese mixture and reserve half for topping.

 Split the ladyfingers and layer in the bottom of a baking pan.  I used a palette knife to spread the cheese mixture it's much easier than a spatula.

 First layer of ladyfingers and cheese mixture.

I sliced up about 8 large strawberries to top the cheese mixture.  Another layer of ladyfingers, more cheese and any remaining strawberries.

 Used a pastry bag with a fitted tip and went all around the edges and in between all the berries, to top the whole tiramisu with whipped cream.  Garnished with a large sliced berry on top, as well as some grated lemon zest.

A slice of Summer, I feel better now!

 Strawberry Tiramisu

Ingredients

8 oz. container mascarpone cheese, room temp

4 ounces regular cream cheese, room temp
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 cup chopped strawberries

2 - 3 oz packages ladyfingers

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

8 large strawberries, sliced (see note)

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 large strawberry for garnish

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese and cream cheese until well combined.  Add the 3/4 cup of confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of zest, blend.  Fold in the chopped strawberries, set aside.

Split the ladyfingers in half, and make one layer of them in the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking pan, set aside. Reserve the other ladyfingers to complete the tiramisu. 

In a medium mixing bowl, pour in the heavy cream, vanilla and 1/4 cup of confectioner's sugar. Beat on high, until stiff peaks form, do not over beat, it will turn to butter, not good.  This should be light and fluffy with the consistency of whipped cream, not cream cheese. Reserve half of the whipped cream, put into a bowl and refrigerate. With a spatula, lightly fold the other half into the cheese mixture.

Layer half the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers, top with sliced strawberries.  Repeat with the remaining ladyfingers, cheese mixture and strawberries.  Right before serving put the whipped cream into a pastry bag and pipe onto the top of the tiramisu.  Top with the large strawberry and lemon zest to garnish. Makes 6 servings.

NOTE:  You could also use frozen berries, or frozen berries in syrup.  I used fresh berries for a fresher taste.

Abundance of Berries - Fresh Berry Fruit Tart

WOW, the supermarkets are loaded with berries. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, I love them all.  Put them in desserts, cereal, smoothies, on ice cream, make some jam or put them in salads (yes that's right, I do it all the time and they are fantastic!) They're all "good for you" foods too, so take advantage, because after summer they will disappear or the prices will skyrocket.

  I have to go to the big box stores at least twice a week for berries, because e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y in my house eats them.  I bought some extra and made a Fresh Berry Fruit Tart yesterday for dessert.  Warm weather equals cool desserts for me and this ones fits the bill.

Recipe below. To print, click on the recipe, highlight it and print.

Can you believe these few simple ingredients make a delicious dessert?  Well they do!  Use whatever fruit flavored cream cheese and fruit that you like, it doesn't have to be berries.

 Cookie baking and almost done.

 Mixed up the cream cheese and sugar.

Cookie baked and cooling.

 Berries washed and drying on a towel.

Spread the cream cheese mixture on the cooled cookie. 

 Slice up the strawberries and decorate using your own creativity!  Come on, it's easy.

 Lookin' Good!

 Can't wait to cut it up and eat it.

Up close and personal with the fruit tart, it's almost too pretty to cut and eat, naaaaaa.....

Fresh Berry Fruit Tart

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

1 - 16.5 oz. roll of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

2 - 8 oz. containers of strawberry cream cheese, softened (do not use whipped)

1 cup of confectioner's sugar

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup blackberries

1/2 cup red raspberries

lemon zest and fresh mint sprigs for garnish (omit if you don't like it)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a round pizza pan with cooking spray.  Break the dough into 5 pieces and drop four of the pieces around the sides of the pan and one in the middle of the pan.  Press the dough evenly into the pan with your hands (but not to the edge of the pan), until all of it is flattened and it looks like a big cookie.  Bake until lightly browned.

While the cookie is baking, mix the cream cheese and the sugar with an electric mixer until all is combined. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use it (take it out about 15 minutes before spreading on the cookie, so it will be spreadable).  Wash all the berries and lay them to dry on a clean dish towel.  Hull and slice the strawberries, then zest the lemon and set them aside.

When the cookie is baked, take out of the oven and let it cool completely.  When it is cooled, spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the top of the cookie.  Decorate the top with a pattern of all the berries, sprinkle with lemon zest and garnish with mint sprigs. Makes 8 - 10 servings.

Sweet Old Marmalade

Orange Marmalade is my all time favorite fruit spread, strawberry is second.  This marmalade is full of orange flavor and is really delicious on a good English Muffin, there is nothing like it.  I also use marmalade in cooking.  I have basted Cornish hens and chicken with it, either in the oven or on the grill.  Pair it with soy sauce and honey and you have sticky, tasty chicken.  This recipe is easy and fast, because that's the way I roll (like to cook)!

   Start with oranges and sugar.  Zesting the oranges.

 Peel the pith (remaining white peel) off the oranges and cut in half.  Remove the white vein that goes down the center of the oranges.

 I put my oranges through the food processor.  Put all ingredients into a medium saucepan.

 Cooked down and ready for pectin to thicken it up.

Canned and ready to eat!

 Up close you can see all the good pieces of orange and zest in there!

Homemade Orange Marmalade

Ingredients

7  large oranges

2 ¼ cups of sugar

3 tsp pectin

Directions

Rinse  3 – ½ pint canning jars in very hot water.  Place the metal rings and seals in a pan of water and bring to a boil, then turn the water off and leave the lids in the pan.

 

Bring a big deep pot with water to a boil.  It should be deep enough with water to cover the jars once you lower them into the bath to seal them.
 

Prepare the fruit:  Zest the oranges by going down the sides with a zester to get somewhat long pieces.  Don’t go to deep, you don’t want the white pith.  When all the oranges are zested, cut the longer zested pieces in half and set aside.  Peel the oranges with a knife by cutting them down the sides, carefully removing the white pith (it’s bitter, you don't want to use this part) but try not removing too much of the orange. Next, cut the oranges lengthwise and remove the white vein that is in the center of all the oranges.  Chop the oranges up, I use a food processor to chop my oranges, but if you do not have one finely chop them up so there are no big chunks.

Add the zest, oranges and sugar to a medium size saucepan.  Cook on medium - high heat until it comes to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, stirring so it doesn’t stick to the pan.  Reduce the heat to medium (slow boil) and cook for 10 minutes more.  When you are ready to gel it, add the pectin and stir it in quickly.  Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

Set the jars out and using a canning funnel and a ladle, fill the jars to ¼  inch below the rim.  Immediately place the lids on the jars and twist on the ring, but not tight, leave them a little loose.  Put jars in the boiling water with a pair of tongs, be careful not to tip them, and boil for 10 minutes.  Remove from water, with tongs, and place on a cooling rack.  You should hear the lids pop (seal) a few minutes after removing from the water.   After the jars have cooled run your finger lightly over the center of the lid, if the center button on the seal is not concave the jar is not sealed. You can either put that jar in the refrigerator or heat the jam back up and re-can it with a clean jar, new lid and rim.

Refrigerate any unsealed jars after they’ve been opened.