Tomato Tart

My friend, Diva Karyn, made this for our book club and we went wild over it. Let's be honest, though. We hardly talk about the book. We drink wine and talk about our men and cats.

Bring this to book club or wine club or your next baby shower. I usually hope I'm done going to baby showers, but the food is always great. Maybe I'll go to a few more.

Tomato Tart

1 already made pizza crust like Boboli

4 oz. cream cheese (I like Neufchatel)

a bunch of basil, chopped

a sprinkle of thyme

1 garlic clove, minced

3 plum tomatoes, sliced

1 glug olive oil

Mix cream cheese, basil, thyme, and garlic in a pretty bowl.
Spread on crust.
Top with tomatoes.
Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Bake at 425 degrees for 8 minutes.
Cut and serve.

Make it a meal: Serves ahead of a nice grilled chicken Caesar salad.

Wine: Riesling will cut through the richness of the cheese. Chardonnay will match it. Sangiovese will accompany the tomatoes beautifully. Of course it you are at book club, you may try all three!

Salmon with Lime Sauce

This one is muy easy and the presentation is fabulous. (photo by VirtualErn)

Salmon with Lime Sauce

1-2 lbs. of salmon, grilled any way you like

½ cup lime juice

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

spinach, cooked (I microwave frozen spinach when I am pressed for time and fresh spinach sautéed lightly in olive oil when I my hair and face are already done.)

Mix the lime juice, soy sauce and sugar.
Make a bed of spinach, lay salmon on top, and spoon sauce on top.

Options: Substitute grilled asparagus for spinach.

Make into a meal: Serve with sweet baked potato sprinkled with brown sugar.

Wine: Pinot Noir or Zinfandel

Creamy Orzotto

Orzo is such a nice alternative to rice or potatoes. You can add anything to it. My recipe makes enough for a side dish for four. Increase everything for a main dish.

Look at the directions. There are hardly any of them. This dish is simple. I like to make sure it is the last thing I need to do, so I serve it right away. (photo by Greencolander)

Creamy Orzotto

½ cup dry orzo cooked according to directions

butter for sautéing

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cob of fresh corn kernels cut from the cob or
½ package frozen corn

½ package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

a good squeeze lemon juice

½ cup cream (I use half and half)

¼ cup Asiago

a few good sprinkles goat cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Sauté garlic in butter.
Add corn and spinach.
Stir in everything else.
If mixture is too thick, add a bit of hot water.

Make it a meal: Make more of it.

Wine: Champagne will contrast the creaminess nicely. Of course, if this is your side dish, you may be drinking something more suited to your main dish. Seriously, though, is there anything that doesn’t taste better with Champagne? Winston Churchill enjoyed it with his porterhouse steaks.

Kettle-cooked Crunchy Salmon

This is the ultimate summertime salmon dish. Serve this to your guests as the sun is setting over the lake.

Kettle-cooked Crunchy Salmon

1 ½ lbs. salmon

salt & pepper

a couple of big handfuls of kettle-cooked potato chips (like Lay’s or Cape Cod)

½ capful of lime juice

a few sprinkles of dill

1 glug of olive oil

Lay the salmon on a baking sheet skin side down, then salt & pepper.
Crush potato chips coarsely in a bowl; add lime juice, olive oil, and dill then mix.
Coat the salmon with the potato chip mixture.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes when the chip coating is nicely browned.
Serve on a pretty platter.

Make it a meal: Serve with grilled asparagus and wild rice or scalloped potatoes.

Wine: Pinot Noir

Curry Chicken Salad

Here’s another twist on the sometimes dull chicken salad offering. See my Refined Chicken Salad recipe under the labels chicken, salad, or sandwich for another superior way to serve chicken.

I like to serve this on a hot night in my backyard screened-in porch called the Chardonnay Café. Light the tiki torches and every available candle. Plug in the garden lights and turn on the music. The hotter the curry, the saucier the music selection should be.

As you can see below, my wine choice description is lengthier than usual. Riesling? Pinot Gris? Pinot Noir? Solve the dilemma and try a bottle of each! (photo by jesiehart)


Chicken Curry Salad

Chicken Salad:

2 cups last night’s leftover chicken

small handful parsley

small handful raisins

1 apple, diced (I like Granny Smith)

2 scallions

Dressing:

a squirt of honey

a couple scoops of mayonnaise

a sprinkle of salt & pepper

half a handful of curry

Mix the chicken salad in one pretty bowl.
Mix the dressing in another.
Mix the two together.
Serve on mini-wheat bagels or a bed of mixed greens.
Don't forget, though, even dieting divas need their whole grains and fiber!

Make into a meal: Serve with spinach salad (if not already atop greens) and a tiny bit of potato salad.

Wine: Many suggest a nice Riesling, but I find the sweetness masks the curry taste. Riesling might be good if you use a high heat or spicy curry. I tend to use mild. For mild curry lovers in their chicken, try a Pinot Gris or a Pinot Noir. They’re lovely.

Maxine

Three cheers for Maxine! Diva Mandy sent me this one. Laughed my butt off...almost...damn thing's still there.

Are you a Martha or a Maxine?

*Martha's Way*
Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of an ice cream cone to prevent ice cream drips.

*Maxine's Way *
Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake! You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it, anyway!

*Martha's Way*
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

*Maxine's Way *
Buy Hungry Jack mashed potato mix. Keeps in the pantry for up to a year.

*Martha's Way*
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.

*Maxine's Way *
Go to the bakery! They'll even decorate it for you.

*Martha's Way*
If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant 'fix-me-up.'

*Maxine's Way *
If you over salt a dish while you are cooking, that's too bad. Please recite with me the real woman's motto: 'I made it, you will eat it, and I don't care how bad it tastes!'

*Martha's Way*
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

*Maxine's Way *
Celery? Never heard of it!


*Martha's Way*
Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.

*Maxine's Way *
The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg white over the crust, so I don't.


*Martha's Way*
Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

*Maxine's Way *
Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink! 'All' your pains go away.

*Martha's Way*
If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.

*Maxine's Way *
Go ask that very cute neighbor if he can open it for you.

*Martha's Way*
Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

*Maxine's Way *
Leftover wine??????????? HELLO!!!!!!!

*Maxine's Way *
As usual, if you don't forward this to 1 of your friends within the next 5 minutes, your belly button will unscrew and your butt will fall off.

Really...it's true! Have I ever lied to you?!

Chocolate Dipped Milano Cookies

This little diva went to the market. And when she did, she picked up cookies.

Mia’s favorite food is watermelon (pink food). Her favorite thing to do is anything her big brother is doing. She likes making up the rules, running the show, and demands a lot of attention—all behaviors I encourage. A diva after my own heart!

Chocolate Dipped Milano Cookies

Any Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies (Mia likes original, I like raspberry)

Chocolate sauce

Jimmies

Heat chocolate sauce and pour into a cute custard dish.
Put jimmies into a matching dish.
Dip the ends of Milano cookies into the sauce first, then the jimmies.
The next step depends on you.
Mia: bite right away, then double dip.
Chardonnay Queen: Arrange on a pretty plate and serve to your guests. When no one's looking, double dip.

Make into a meal: Serve with milk, followed by popcorn and a movie.

Wine: Mia’s too young to drink wine.

Broccoflower Gratin with (or without) Ham

This is not a diet-friendly recipe. This is for once in a while. When I suggested removing the ham in order to make it a tiny bit more healthy, the man in my life blanched, since everything tastes better with meat.

Broccoflower gratin is rich and creamy and cheesy. Kids love it. Enjoy this as a nice side dish on a cold, rainy night. Then retire to the living room, and curl up on the floor next to the fire. Divas love curling up next to fires after being well fed. Put the kids to bed first, though. Or send them home.

Broccoflower Gratin with (or without) Ham

butter or olive oil for sautéing

½ onion, chopped or sliced

cooked ham, cubed (I use about two handfuls)

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup milk

4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

salt & pepper

1 head of broccoflower, cut into florets

3 sprinkles of bread crumbs

a bit of thyme

Sauté onion in butter until soft.
Add the cream, milk, cheese, dashes of salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil.
Add broccoflower and ham.
Simmer until thickened.
Transfer to a casserole dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes until broccoflower is tender.

Options: Substitute cauliflower for broccoflower. Skip the ham or substitute chopped Prosciutto.

Make into a meal: This is so rich and filling a small bowl is a meal. Otherwise serve with roasted turkey legs, cranberry sauce, and sliced French bread.

Wine: Full-bodied oaked Chardonnay, Semillon, or a silky Malbec to accommpany the goat cheese flavor

Blue Cheese Marinated Mushrooms

These are simply de-lish. Serve them with a bunch of pretty pink toothpicks or any other color toothpick that matches your color scheme (which isn't pink??). Serve the mushrooms as part of a brunch spread or an elegant evening buffet.

Blue Cheese Marinated Mushrooms

1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

1 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

hot sauce to taste

2 cups fresh mushrooms, stems removed

Mix together the blue cheese, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, seasoning salt, sugar, dry mustard and hot sauce.
Stir in the mushrooms.
Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Make into a meal: Darling, these are a meal. If you must, serve with crusty French bread, tomato bruschetta, and olives in or out of a martini.

Wine: Stick to the martini.

Broccoli Salad

Be warned, this calls for overnight refrigeration. Make the dressing one day ahead, and then just combine all the other ingredients before guests arrive. Now you have plenty of time for your own dressing. Pick something pink and sparkly!

This is a great dish to bring to summer BBQs. Because of all the broccoli, it looks healthy. You’ll be a hit. (photo by wanko)

Broccoli Salad

1 cup mayonnaise (I use light)

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. vinegar

1 package fresh broccoli

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup raisins (I like golden)

1/2 cup red onions\raw


Combine mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar to make the dressing and refrigerate overnight before mixing with broccoli.
Combine remaining ingredients and serve with the dressing, cold.

Options: Substitute cran-raisins for raisins which gives the salad extra color.

Make it a meal: Serve salad with grilled salmon and Super Fast Potatoes.

Wine: Chardonnay, of course.

Smoked Paprika Roasted Salmon

At first I wasn’t crazy about this recipe. However, by the third bite of my salmon, I was hooked. The smoked paprika put out by McCormick made a big difference.

The salmon only needs to be marinated for 30 minutes, but I make it ahead of time and let it soak all day. Then there's more time to soak in the tub before dinner.

The original recipe that I tried from a cooking magazine called for orange peel, but I just can’t stand it. I do not like orange peel or lemon peel in my food. I like the juice and the fruit of these foods, but not their packaging. While a more sophisticated palate may enjoy the Lemon Pledge taste of orange and lemon peels (they call it zest—isn’t that fun), you won’t find that ingredient in my recipes. (Photo by krosssbow)

Smoked Paprika Roasted Salmon

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided

1 teaspoons Thyme Leaves, divided

1 pounds salmon fillets

1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon Smoked Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt


Mix orange juice, 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme in small bowl.
Place salmon in glass dish, pour in marinade, turn to coat.
Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor.
Mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and sea salt in small bowl.
Place salmon in greased foil-lined baking pan.
Discard any remaining marinade (that means pour it down the drain).
Rub top of salmon evenly with smoked paprika mixture.
Roast 10 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Options: Add a package of slivered almonds

Make into a meal: Serve atop sauteed spinach.

Wine: Pinot Noir

Hot Crab Dip

This one disappears at parties. Serve this with crackers. I like Wheat Thins because they are small. With a larger cracker, I take a bit and bits of cracker and glops of dip crumble all over the place. Most would be mortified when this happens to them at parties. Divas are, too, but they laugh it off. Then they reach for the Wheat Thins.

Reheated crab dip is great on English muffins the morning after the party.


Hot Crab Dip

8 oz. cream cheese

1 small chopped onion

3 tbsp. mayonnaise

3 tbsp. horseradish

1 can crabmeat

a few dashes of hot sauce

Mix well and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Make into a meal: Serve ahead of Elegant White Fish with steamed asparagus.

Wine: Chardonnay with the crab dip

BBQ Beef Pie

The coolest part of the recipe is the crust. The crust is made from roasted red peppers. I got the idea from a Rachel Ray magazine. She probably roasts her own peppers. I get mine from a jar. In doing so, there is no need to grease my pie plate.

There are lots of things you can do with this pie, because it is basically a meat loaf pie. I’ll give you my ingredients and approximate amounts (you know how I am about preciseness).

BBQ Beef Pie

½ jar (24 oz.) roasted red peppers

1 2/2 cups shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar)

1 lb. ground beef

¼ cup salsa or diced tomatoes

¾ cup BBQ sauce (my favorite is Jack Daniels original)

chopped onion to taste

¾ cups bread crumbs

salt & pepper

1-2 eggs

Line a pie plate with roasted red peppers.
Sprinkle a little cheese.
Mix the beef, salsa, BBQ sauce, onion, bread crumbs, salt & pepper, and eggs.
Spread atop red pepper pie crust.
Spread a bit more BBQ sauce on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle a ton more cheese atop the pie.
Bake for another 35 minutes.

Options: Ditch the BBQ sauce and increase salsa; season with oregano or parsley; add hot sauce or red pepper flakes; mix chopped spinach into the beef mix for powerful nutrients.

Make it a meal: Serve BBQ pie with steamed green beans.

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, or Shiraz

The Best Marinade

This is without a doubt, the world's best marinade. It is put out by Goya and is called Mojo Criollo. You can find it in the Hispanic section of the supermarket.

I use it on chicken and pork all the time, but it can be used for steak, too. It is garlicky and tangy. The directions say to marinate meats for 30 minutes, which works, but I go all day. This is a staple in my pantry. A diva is never without her Mojo.