Happy Flag Day! June 8, 2015.
To celebrate the much under-celebrated Flag Day on Sunday, June 14th, Diva S proposed that we make dishes in the colors of the flag of the particular country they hail from (or somewhere thereabouts, as with all our get-togethers, it's all about the friendship and the fun, so this was not a strict theme by any means). The Divas dined on a colorful, bright, spicy, delicious dinner, and had another glass of sangria while waiting out the passing thunderstorms.
Roasted Tomato Caprese with Avocados
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/4924087.jpg?250)
1 large tomato or 1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used the latter)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh basil
1 tablespoon butter
3 thick slices of country bread
1 garlic clove
1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced thin
Fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
1/2 lemon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Lay cut tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt. If using the cherry tomatoes, toss them with the olive oil and salt and lay them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until wilted, wrinkly and caramelized in parts. When the tomatoes have roasted, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter to melt. Place the pieces of bread in the pan and cook unitl crisp and golden. about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool.
Once cool assemble the open faced sandwiches. Avocado slices line the bottom, next the fresh mozzarella. Add a small pile of roasted tomatoes on top and finish with torn basil leaves, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh basil
1 tablespoon butter
3 thick slices of country bread
1 garlic clove
1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced thin
Fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
1/2 lemon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Lay cut tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt. If using the cherry tomatoes, toss them with the olive oil and salt and lay them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until wilted, wrinkly and caramelized in parts. When the tomatoes have roasted, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter to melt. Place the pieces of bread in the pan and cook unitl crisp and golden. about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool.
Once cool assemble the open faced sandwiches. Avocado slices line the bottom, next the fresh mozzarella. Add a small pile of roasted tomatoes on top and finish with torn basil leaves, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
Chipotle Chicken Meatball Tacos
(From Food Network Kitchen)
Ingredients
2 thick slices white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
1 large egg
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 pound ground chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and chopped
1 14 -ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
Hard taco shells and assorted toppings, for serving
Directions
Combine the bread and egg in a large bowl; add 1 tablespoon water and mash with a potato masher or fork to make a paste. Add half each of the onion and garlic, then add the cilantro, chicken, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix with your hands until just combined. Brush a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Shape the meat mixture into 12 meatballs and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Combine the remaining onion and garlic, the jalapeno, chipotle, tomatoes, thyme and cinnamon in a blender; pulse until smooth. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in the tomato puree, then add the bay leaves and cook until the sauce thickens, about 6 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 more minutes; season with salt.
Bake the meatballs until they just start to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the sauce and gently simmer, spooning the sauce over the meatballs, until cooked through, about 7 minutes. (Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce gets too thick.) Remove the bay leaves. Cut the meatballs in half and serve in taco shells with assorted toppings.
(From Food Network Kitchen)
Ingredients
2 thick slices white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
1 large egg
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 pound ground chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and chopped
1 14 -ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
Hard taco shells and assorted toppings, for serving
Directions
Combine the bread and egg in a large bowl; add 1 tablespoon water and mash with a potato masher or fork to make a paste. Add half each of the onion and garlic, then add the cilantro, chicken, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix with your hands until just combined. Brush a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Shape the meat mixture into 12 meatballs and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Combine the remaining onion and garlic, the jalapeno, chipotle, tomatoes, thyme and cinnamon in a blender; pulse until smooth. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in the tomato puree, then add the bay leaves and cook until the sauce thickens, about 6 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 more minutes; season with salt.
Bake the meatballs until they just start to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the sauce and gently simmer, spooning the sauce over the meatballs, until cooked through, about 7 minutes. (Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce gets too thick.) Remove the bay leaves. Cut the meatballs in half and serve in taco shells with assorted toppings.
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/5266748.jpg?250)
Caprese for Italy!!!!
-The most beautiful, in season tomatoes you can find
-Fresh Mozzarella
-Fresh Basil
-Olive Oil (the good stuff)
-Reduced Balsamic
- S&P
Slice tomatoes and mozzarella, chop the basil. Arrange tomatoes and mozzarella on the plate alternating. Sprinkle with salt and pepper over the whole thing. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic gingerly, the splatter with the fresh basil.
-The most beautiful, in season tomatoes you can find
-Fresh Mozzarella
-Fresh Basil
-Olive Oil (the good stuff)
-Reduced Balsamic
- S&P
Slice tomatoes and mozzarella, chop the basil. Arrange tomatoes and mozzarella on the plate alternating. Sprinkle with salt and pepper over the whole thing. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic gingerly, the splatter with the fresh basil.
Greek Flag Trifle
For the pound cake: (by Martha Stewart)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon cake flour (not self rising)
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 egg whites
1 tablespoon warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Heat over to 325, with rack in lower third of oven. Sift flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Repeat the sifting four times.
Beat egg whites and the warm water with a mixer on low speed until foamy. Add salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. (If you forget to sift half the sugar with the flour and need to add all the sugar now, it will still work! : ) ) Raise speed to high, and beat until peaks are stiff and glossy (but not dry), about 2 minutes more.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Sift flour mixture over egg-shite mixture in six parts, gently folding in each addition with a rugged spatula. Gently pour batter into a 10-inch tube pan. Run a knife through the batter to release any air bubble, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched, 40-45 minutes.
Invert on a wire rack, and let cake cool about 1 hour. (To do this, the tube part of the pan will be resting on the rack, and the rest of the pan will be a few inches off the rack. Don't worry--the cake won't fall out.) Carefully run a paring knife around side of cake to loosen, then unfold onto the wire rack.
For the blueberry sauce:
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoons salt
2/3 cups water
3 cups blueberries
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
In a saucepan, stir sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and water until smooth. Add blueberries, and put the pan on medium heat. Cook until the liquid thickens and becomes clear, about 10 minutes. It will thicken more on longer cooking.
Remove from heat and add vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let cool and refrigerate up to a week.
For the whipped cream:
1 c heavy willing cream
2/3 cup marscapone
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whip to soft peaks
Layer Pieces of pound cake, blueberry sauce, and then whipped cream. Do this twice. Serve!
For the pound cake: (by Martha Stewart)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon cake flour (not self rising)
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 egg whites
1 tablespoon warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Heat over to 325, with rack in lower third of oven. Sift flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Repeat the sifting four times.
Beat egg whites and the warm water with a mixer on low speed until foamy. Add salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. (If you forget to sift half the sugar with the flour and need to add all the sugar now, it will still work! : ) ) Raise speed to high, and beat until peaks are stiff and glossy (but not dry), about 2 minutes more.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Sift flour mixture over egg-shite mixture in six parts, gently folding in each addition with a rugged spatula. Gently pour batter into a 10-inch tube pan. Run a knife through the batter to release any air bubble, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched, 40-45 minutes.
Invert on a wire rack, and let cake cool about 1 hour. (To do this, the tube part of the pan will be resting on the rack, and the rest of the pan will be a few inches off the rack. Don't worry--the cake won't fall out.) Carefully run a paring knife around side of cake to loosen, then unfold onto the wire rack.
For the blueberry sauce:
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoons salt
2/3 cups water
3 cups blueberries
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
In a saucepan, stir sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and water until smooth. Add blueberries, and put the pan on medium heat. Cook until the liquid thickens and becomes clear, about 10 minutes. It will thicken more on longer cooking.
Remove from heat and add vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let cool and refrigerate up to a week.
For the whipped cream:
1 c heavy willing cream
2/3 cup marscapone
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whip to soft peaks
Layer Pieces of pound cake, blueberry sauce, and then whipped cream. Do this twice. Serve!
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/9776649.gif?133)
Spanish Flag Strawberry Pineapple Sangria
750 ml bottle of semi dry white wine
1 1/2 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup silver rum
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup simple syrup
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup diced strawberries
3-4 sprigs mint, gently squeezed with hands to release the oils
Stir together the liquid ingredients, then add fruit and mint. Allow the sangria to sit for a few hours before serving.
750 ml bottle of semi dry white wine
1 1/2 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup silver rum
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup simple syrup
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup diced strawberries
3-4 sprigs mint, gently squeezed with hands to release the oils
Stir together the liquid ingredients, then add fruit and mint. Allow the sangria to sit for a few hours before serving.