Apricot and Nectarine Salsa

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup dice apricot
• 1 cup diced nectarine
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper
• 1 jalapeno minced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon plump raisins
• 1 1/2 ounces minced onions
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro or 3 tablespoons parsley chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed coriander
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or 3 fresh basil leaves chopped
• 1 lime juice of
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cracked pepper

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together and chill 1 hour

Herbed Batter Bread

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Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs well beaten
• 1/3 cup butter or 1/3 cup shortening melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons liquid honey
• 1 tablespoon minced chives or green onion tops
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons dried basil or dried dillweed or dried marjoram
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl stir yeast into milk until dissolved
• Beat in salt eggs melted butter honey and all the herbs
• Add two cups of the flour and beat for 3 minutes by hand or 1 minute using electric mixer; work in remaining flour to make a very soft and sticky dough
• Leave in bowl; cover bowl and let dough rise for one hour or until doubled in bulk
• Stir dough down and with oiled hands transfer into a well-greased 10-inch tube pan; cover pan and let dough rise for 30 minutes
• Place pan in a COLD oven; turn heat to 350F
• Bake bread for 30 minutes or until golden

Nacho Potatoes

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Ingredients:

• 3 large russett baking potatoes
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 16 ounce can refried black beans
• 1 cup colby-monterey jack cheese shredded
• 1 2 1/4 ounce can sliced black olives
• 1/2 cup mild chunky salsa
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Slice baking potatoes into 1/4 inch thick rounds about 8 slices per potato
• Brush both sides of potato slices with oil can use non-stick cooking spray
• Bake for 20 minutes turning after 10 minutes Remove from oven
• While potatoes are baking heat black beans on top of stove or in microwave
• Top each potato with 1 tablespoon of the heated beans and then sprinkle with the cheese and olives
• Place potatoes back in the oven to melt the cheese about 5 minutes
• Serve with salsa and sour cream

Pan-Fried Spinach Ravioli

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Ingredients:

• 16 ounces spinach
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 4 ounces chive onion cream cheese or 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
• salt and pepper
• 1 -2 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 48 wonton wrappers from a 12-ounce package
• 1 1/2 cups store-bought tomato sauce mushrooms warmed for serving
• chopped parsley for sprinkling

Steps:

• In a large skillet bring 1 cup water to a simmer over medium heat
• Add the spinach and cook until wilted about 3 minutes; drain rinse until cool then squeeze dry
• Chop and transfer to a medium bowl
• Using the same skillet add 1 tablespoon olive oil the onion amp; crushed red pepper flakes if using and cook stirring over medium high heat until softened about 5 minutes
• Stir into the spinach along with the cream cheese parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Lay 12 wonton wrappers on a work surface; place 1 tablespoon of the spinach filling in the center of each
• Working with 1 at a time moisten the edges with water and lay another wrapper on top; seal the edges pressing out any air
• Repeat with the remaining wrappers and spinach filling
• Using the same skillet bring 3/4 cup water 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt to a boil
• Add 12 ravioli cover and cook until tender about 3 minutes; transfer to a platter
• Repeat with the remaining ravioli 2 tablespoons olive oil more water and another pinch of salt
• Spoon the tomato sauce over the ravioli and sprinkle with parsley and parmesan

Pecan Tassies

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pecans coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 dash salt

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Mix all filling ingredients together well
• Using a teaspoon
• carefully distribute filling mixture into pastry-lined muffin cups
• Fill each pastry cup 3/4s of the way full
• The amount needed does vary because there is no standard to the size of mini-muffin cups mine are just about the smallest Ive seen and I use about a 3/4 tsp of filling per tassie
• Bake for 20-25 minutes
• Immediately
• and very carefully using the tip of a pointed knife
• gently knudge out each tassie out of its cup and transfer to a rack to cool
• If they cool in the pan too long
• they are more difficult to remove
• Your first couple may break those are the ones I eat on the spot- the rewards of making them
• but you will soon learn just the right move to remove them perfectly

Salsa Mexicana Fresh Tomato and Chiles

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Ingredients:

• 2 large tomatoes chopped
• 4 jalapenos seeded and chopped
• 2 small white onions chopped
• 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
• 18 sprigs cilantro chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons lime juice or 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Steps:

• Toss tomato jalapeno onion garlic and cilantro together
• Add salt and lime juice or cider vinegar
• Stir and let stand 30 minutes before serving

Tiger Candy

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup instant milk
• 1 tablespoon honey
• shredded coconut or chopped nuts

Steps:

• Mix the peanut butter dry milk and honey together
• Roll it into small balls It is it too dry to roll add a little more honey up to 2 tablespoons
• Roll the balls in the shredded coconut or chopped nuts

Trio of Spanish Nibbles Olives, Almonds amp; Chickpeas

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Ingredients:

• 4 cups mixed good-quality olives
• 3 -4 slices orange peel
• 3 -4 slices lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed 1/3 palm full
• 2 -3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups marcona almonds or 2 cups toasted peeled whole almonds
• 2 15 ounce cans chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

• Make a double layer pouch of foil for the olives Add citrus peel red pepper flakes and fennel seeds to olives then top with olive oil Seal the pouch and shake it to distribute the spices and oil Place in hot oven at any temperature or on outdoor grill to heat them through
• Place the almonds in a small decorative serving dish
• Place chick peas in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook 15 minutes until crisp and dry In the last 5 minutes season the chick peas with paprika salt and pepper If you season them up too soon the paprika will blacken and become bitter
• Place the chick peas in a small serving bowl
• Place the olives on a platter and cut the pouch open to expose them Place the small serving dishes for nuts and chick peas on the platter alongside olives Place a ramekin or other small cup out to collect olive pits