New Year's resolutions can be delicious.
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The Divas kicked off 2012 with a delicious dinner inspired by our New Year's resolutions. The Divas' resolutions took on a decidedly international flare for 2012, with French cheese spread (resolution: learn to speak French), Greek salad (resolution: cook something from every cookbook Diva K owns and master basic dishes), Mexican pulled pork tacos (resolution: use the slow cooker), South African dessert (resolution: go to South Africa), and a skinny cocktail that's good anywhere and everywhere (resolution: try new bars and cocktails)!
Lyonnaise garlic and herb cheese
2 cups ricotta
1/2 shallot, minced, rinsed, and patted dry
1 garlic clove split, germ removed, and minced
2 T snipped fresh chives
1 T minced fresh parsley
1 t minced fresh tarragon
2 t red wine vinegar
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Drain ricotta for a few hours to thicken its texture. Put it into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and cover with a large plate or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to use it, discard liquid and add remaining ingredients to cheese. Mix everything together lightly with rubber spatula--don't beat the cheese and risk thinning it. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Taste and season again if needed before serving. Serve with crackers or bread, or raw vegetables like radishes.
1/2 shallot, minced, rinsed, and patted dry
1 garlic clove split, germ removed, and minced
2 T snipped fresh chives
1 T minced fresh parsley
1 t minced fresh tarragon
2 t red wine vinegar
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Drain ricotta for a few hours to thicken its texture. Put it into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and cover with a large plate or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to use it, discard liquid and add remaining ingredients to cheese. Mix everything together lightly with rubber spatula--don't beat the cheese and risk thinning it. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Taste and season again if needed before serving. Serve with crackers or bread, or raw vegetables like radishes.
Sweet n Spicy Skinny Cocktails
Muddle:
12 mint leaves
4 jalapeno slices
the juice of 1 lime
3 packets of truvia (or an comparable amount of agave nectar)
Add 1 1/2 oz of rum. Muddle again.
Add ice and shake. Pour into glass and add a splash of soda water.
12 mint leaves
4 jalapeno slices
the juice of 1 lime
3 packets of truvia (or an comparable amount of agave nectar)
Add 1 1/2 oz of rum. Muddle again.
Add ice and shake. Pour into glass and add a splash of soda water.
Traditional Greek Salad
7 oz Greek feta cheese
romaine lettuce, sliced
4 tomatoes, cut into fourths
1/2 cucumber, sliced
12 Greek black olives, pitted
2 tbsp chopped mint
for the dressing:
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper
Serves 4
Makes the dressing by whisking together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cut the feta cheese into cubes about 1 inch square. Put the lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber in a salad bowl. Scatter over the cheese and toss together.
Just before serving, whisk the dressing, pour over the salad greens and toss together. Scatter over the olives and chopped herbs and serve.
romaine lettuce, sliced
4 tomatoes, cut into fourths
1/2 cucumber, sliced
12 Greek black olives, pitted
2 tbsp chopped mint
for the dressing:
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper
Serves 4
Makes the dressing by whisking together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cut the feta cheese into cubes about 1 inch square. Put the lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber in a salad bowl. Scatter over the cheese and toss together.
Just before serving, whisk the dressing, pour over the salad greens and toss together. Scatter over the olives and chopped herbs and serve.
Malva Pudding (South African Baked Dessert)
Recipe courtesy of Food.com
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
For the Pudding:
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 T apricot jam (i used orange marmalade, cuz that's what i had)
2/3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T butter
1 tsp. vinegar
1/3 c. milk
For the sauce:
3/4 c. cream
4 T. butter
slightly less than 2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. hot water
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a square dish (i used 8x8).
3. Beat the sugar and eggs until thick and lemon-lemon colored. Then mix in the jam.
4. Melt the butter and add it.
5. Add the vinegar and mix.
6. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, soda and salt.
7. Add the dry mixture and the milk to the egg mixture. Beat well.
8. Pour into greased sih and bake until pudding is brown, 30-45 minutes (i took mine out at about 27 minutes).
9. While the pudding is baking, in a pot over low heat melt together all the ingredients for the sauce and stir well. Continue stirring until the sauce has thickened and darkened (caramelized) a little (i think i stirred for 15ish minutes). Don't let it boil.
10. Pour the sauce over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven.
11. Let the pudding stand before serving (so it has time to soak in the sauce). Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
For the Pudding:
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 T apricot jam (i used orange marmalade, cuz that's what i had)
2/3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T butter
1 tsp. vinegar
1/3 c. milk
For the sauce:
3/4 c. cream
4 T. butter
slightly less than 2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. hot water
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a square dish (i used 8x8).
3. Beat the sugar and eggs until thick and lemon-lemon colored. Then mix in the jam.
4. Melt the butter and add it.
5. Add the vinegar and mix.
6. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, soda and salt.
7. Add the dry mixture and the milk to the egg mixture. Beat well.
8. Pour into greased sih and bake until pudding is brown, 30-45 minutes (i took mine out at about 27 minutes).
9. While the pudding is baking, in a pot over low heat melt together all the ingredients for the sauce and stir well. Continue stirring until the sauce has thickened and darkened (caramelized) a little (i think i stirred for 15ish minutes). Don't let it boil.
10. Pour the sauce over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven.
11. Let the pudding stand before serving (so it has time to soak in the sauce). Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream.