Strawberries & Cream Cornmeal Bars

with a name like strawberries & cream, you know it has to be good...

The brain child for this dessert literally came from a childhood memory. I had cornbread at least once a week at my baby sitter's house...I'm sure it was more often than that. Anyway, when she served cornbread at dinner we always had butter and jams on hand. I always loved strawberry preserves on my buttered cornbread. So, when I was thinking about this post it only seemed appropriate that I'd create a recipe with these flavors.

But, I needed to sweeten it up a little more, so I thought what pairs well with strawberries? Cream came to mind, but more specifically cream cheese frosting (my favorite). I have to say, I was skeptical of the cornmeal crust. I was worried it might be too gritty, but after trying one of the bars tonight, I'm happy with this recipe. The cornmeal crust gives these bars the crunch they need. Come down memory lane with me and make these dessert bars. Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 12 bars
Cornmeal Crust
Nonstick Baking Spray (with flour)
1 C Yellow Cornmeal
1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1 Stick Cold Unsalted Butter, diced
2 T Granulated Sugar
1/4 C Confectioner's Sugar
 1/4 tsp. Salt

Filling & Frosting
1/2 Jar (18 oz.) Strawberry Preserves
8 oz. Block Cream Cheese (low fat okay), softened
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, softened
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 C Confectioner's Sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8x8 pan with foil, leaving a 2 inch overhang on all sides. Grease the foil well with nonstick baking spray (with flour). Set aside.

In a food processor, combine the cornmeal, flour, butter, sugars, and salt. Pulse to mix together. Add 1 T cold water and continue to pulse until the dough begins to form. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden and browned around the edges, about 25 minutes. Allow the crust to cool.

Once the crust has cooled, spread the strawberry preserves evenly all over the top. Place the bars in the freezer to harden the preserves, about 30 minutes. This helps with spreading the frosting on top.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a medium bowl cream the cream cheese and butter together. Mix in the vanilla and then gradually mix in the sugar. Remove the bars from the pan and frost. Note: you will have extra frosting. Cut into squares and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Enjoy!

Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet w/ Dark Chocolate Chunks

a sweet surprise

I'm staking a claim that my favorite dessert is any form of frozen treat - sorbet, sherbet, ice cream sandwich... There's nothing better than an ice cold sweet treat on a hot summer day. I think America's with me on this upcoming holiday weekend. It's summer, it's hot, and everyone should be eating frozen treats!

So, for this post I've made a somewhat unexpected strawberry sorbet. I've added balsamic vinegar to the mix. It adds a nice tang and pairs so well with the strawberries and dark chocolate. It's official, we've reached the tipping point of summer and the 90 degree days are upon us. Make this creamy sorbet to cool down. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8
1 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 C Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 C Water
6 C Strawberries, hauled & sliced
1 Lemon, peel & juice
4-5 oz. Dark Chocolate Chunks

Directions
Combine the sugar, balsamic, water, and 3 wide strips of lemon peel in a sauce pan. Bring to a bubble and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and rest for 20 minutes.

Remove the lemon peel from the simple syrup, discard. Combine half the syrup, strawberries, and lemon juice in a blender. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Process the remaining syrup, strawberries, and lemon juice. Add to the bowl.

Pour the mixture into the freezer can of an ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your machine to make the sorbet. Put the sorbet into a freezer safe bowl, stir in the chocolate chunks, and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove from the freezer 15 minutes prior to serving. Scoop the sorbet into bowls and serve immediately. Cool off with this unexpected frozen sweet treat. Enjoy!

Farmer's Market Lassi

lassie, lassy, Lassie...no lassi

So many words sound the same (homophone) but have completely different meanings. The same can be said for food. There are many different types of fried potatoes - french fries, home fries, hash browns, Jo Jo's, etc. For this post I've made a lassi, which is like a cross between a smoothie and a shake, but different in a few distinct ways.

Yogurt and fruit are blended together with some unusual ingredients - coconut water & basil. These two ingredients make this drink different from your average smoothie, and fresher, I think. This drink is also different because it's not very sweet making this drink perfect for breakfast or dessert. Make this for our last few warm days left this year. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
1C Nonfat Greek Yogurt
1C Coconut Milk (lite okay)
1/2C Strawberries, sliced
1/2C Pineapple, cut into chunks
3 Leaves Fresh Basil
1C Frozen Purple Grapes
1C Ice Cubes
Garnish: Toasted Coconut & Fruit

Directions
Begin by making the toasted coconut: preheat the broiler to high. Move the oven rack 2 slots from the top. Spread shredded coconut into a single layer on a sheet tray and broil until brown and crunchy. Be sure to check the coconut often and turn it so that it doesn't burn. This will take about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Make the lassi: combine the yogurt, coconut milk (mix well), strawberries, pineapple, basil, frozen grapes, and ice in a blender. Process until smooth and pour into 4 serving glasses. Garnish with the toasted coconut and extra fruit. That's a good lookin' lassi! Enjoy!

Strawberry & Vanilla Ricotta Cream Tart

sweet-tart strawberries meet lightly sweetened vanilla ricotta

All I could think of for dessert with strawberries was strawberries and cream, strawberries and cream...so, that's what I made! This dessert encompasses all the textures I love with a bit of a twist. It has a crunchy crust, creamy middle, and soft strawberry bites on top...it looks like a cheese cake...but boy is that wrong!

This is super easy to make ahead and great for a party. Bake the tart shell, whip the filling, and slice the strawberries all before the party starts. Just before serving, fill the tart shell with the cream and top with the sliced strawberries in any design you like. Make it before your next shin-dig...

Recipe - Serves 8 (11 in. tart pan)
Tart Shell
1 1/2 Sticks of Butter
4 1/2 T Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp. Fine Salt
1 3/4 C All Purpose Flour (more as needed)

Vanilla Ricotta Cream
3 C Ricotta Cheese, full or half fat, or mix
1/2 C Granulated Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Vanilla Bean, split and seeds removed
Pint of Fresh Strawberries, halved or sliced

Directions
Start by making the tart shell. In a medium heat proof bowl, melt the butter. I usually microwave it for 30 second intervals. Add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Begin adding the flour, a little at a time, and stirring until a soft dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour until you can handle it. Press the dough into the tart pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 350 and make the filling. In a large bowl, whip the ricotta and sugar with a hand mixer. Whip for approx. 2 minutes or until the sugar is completely incorporated into the ricotta. Add the vanilla extract and seeds. Whip until incorporated, about another minute. Cover and refrigerate.

Bake the tart shell: Remove the plastic wrap and prick the crust all over with a fork. This will keep the crust from getting bubbles. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the crust to cool completely.

Just before serving, assemble the tart. Smooth the vanilla ricotta cream into the cooled tart shell. Decorate with the halved or sliced strawberries in any pattern you like. Slice with a serrated knife and have your guests try to figure out what this dessert really is...hint: it's not cheese cake.

Strawberry-Balsamic Salmon with Blue Cheese Polenta & Arugula Salad

strawberry wine and balsamic vinegar - saucy goodness

Steven and I visited South Haven, MI in the spring of 2009. It was a quaint, artsy town full of bed and breakfasts, shops, local restaurants, and, best of all, wineries. We visited a few, most featuring fruit wines. We aren't huge fans of these types of wines for drinking, BUT they are quite tasty when used for cooking.

It was about time I opened this bottle (nearly 4 years later) and cooked with it! Inspired by this wine and the fruit used to make it, I could think of no better pairing but salmon. The sweetness of the strawberry-balsamic sauce cuts through the fattiness of the salmon for a balanced spring main.

For a well rounded meal, I paired this dish with a simple blue cheese polenta and arugula salad. Have it for your next dinner. Here's how...

Recipe - Serves 4
Strawberry-Balsamic Salmon
1/2C Semi-Dry Strawberry Wine
1/2C Balsamic Vinegar
3 Shallots, thinly sliced
8-10 Strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 lbs. Center-Cut Salmon w/ skin on
Salt & Pepper

Blue Cheese Polenta
1C Quick-Cooking Polenta
4oz. Blue Cheese, crumbled

Arugula Salad
2C Arugula
1 Orange, zest and juice
Salt & Pepper
1/4C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions
Begin by making the sauce, combine the strawberry wine and balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan. Put the pan on medium heat and allow the mixture to reduce by half; approx. 20 minutes. Be sure to turn on your vent, the vinegar will clear your sinuses!

Meanwhile, slice the shallots and strawberries and put them in a small bowl. Also, preheat the broiler to high and place your rack 2 slots down from the top. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon, skin-side down, on the baking sheet and season with salt & pepper; broil for 10-12 minutes.

After the sauce has reduced, pour it over the shallots and strawberries. Allow the mixture to maserate for no more than 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Make the polenta: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Salt the water and add the polenta, whisking constantly. It will come together quickly. Turn the heat off, stir in the blue cheese, cover & keep warm.

After the salmon has cooked, top with the strawberry-balsamic mixture and return to the broiler for another 2 minutes.

Make the salad: In a bowl combine the orange zest, juice, salt, and pepper, and whisk in the oil. Toss with the arugula.

Serve the salmon topped with the strawberries, shallots, and sauce along side the blue cheese polenta and arugula salad. To enhance the flavor, serve with a glass of the strawberry wine. Now that's a spring supper!

Simple Strawberry Spinach Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

ruby red gems sparkle in this simple salad 

Red is the first color in my rainbow and begins this first series. Strawberries, being in season, are lush, sweet, and tangy. They scream eat me!

I've been making this simple strawberry salad since college. I was inspired by a salad I had from the Miami Rec Center after a long workout. I was looking for something that wouldn't spoil all my hard work. I found this berry salad and it was so light, refreshing, and different. I knew I had to come up with my own recipe to share with others. I hope this salad tantalizes your taste buds like it always does mine...


Recipe - Serves 4-6
Salad
12-15 Strawberries, sliced
4oz. Blue Cheese, crumbled
1/3C Sliced Almonds, toasted
5oz. Fresh Baby Spinach



Champagne Vinaigrette
1 Shallot, finely diced
1/8C White Balsamic or Champagne Vinegar
1/4C Champagne
1T Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/4C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions
Begin by making the dressing, combine the shallot, vinegar, champagne, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. The dressing will separate as it sits, just whisk again before serving or dressing the salad.

Make the salad by arranging first the spinach, then the strawberries, next the blue cheese, and finally the toasted almonds.

Serve the salad dressed or with the dressing on the side. Enjoy post workout (or whenever)...it won't negate all those calories you just burned!