Summertime Orzo Salad

Here's another one from Diva Karyn. I couldn't stop eating this salad. I love every flavor in it. I can't wait to make it again.

Summertime Orzo Salad

frozen corn defrosted

crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup olive oil

green pepper, diced

8 oz crumbled feta

1 cup basil leaves thinly sliced

4 cups orzo, cooked

1 1/2 lbs. grape tomatoes halved or quartered

1 red onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 3/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp black pepper

cayenne pepper to taste

Roast the corn with crushed red pepper flakes and olive oil.
Add green pepper, feta, and basil.
Meanwhile mix the orzo, tomatoes, and onion.
Make a dressing with the vinegar oil and seasoning.
Pour dressing over orzo mixture and refrigerate at least an hour.

Make it a meal: Serve with your favorite BBQ foods.

Wine:Dry Rosé

Pesto Orzo Salad

Simple, simple, and quick. When you make this ahead of time, it is even better. I like to serve it at room temperature; my man likes it heated. He's a barbarian. I like to take leftovers to work for lunch, but I hardly ever have any. (photo by faeryboots)

Pesto Orzo Salad

1 cup orzo, cooked (I throw chicken boullion into the boiling water for extra flavor)

a few scoops store-bought pesto

chopped tomatoes

crumbled feta

pepper

Mix everything in a pretty bowl.

Make it a meal: Serve with grilled salmon.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Butternut Squash Pasta

This dish is gorgeous. And it tastes good, too. This comes from Diva Barbara. Like me, she doesn't mind whole wheat pasta. I used penne.

Butternut Squash Pasta

1 butternut squash- peeled and cut up (I find the already cut up squash is
not as tasty)

4 shallots sliced (onion ok)

1 tsp. sage

3 tbs. brown sugar

2 tbsp. olive oil plus a bit

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix squash, sage, olive oil and brown sugar in large bowl.
Place on baking sheet and put in the oven
After 15-20 minutes, turn, and cook for another 15 min until soft.
Take out of the oven and put back in the bowl and add a little more olive
oil.
Serve over pasta with fresh grated cheese.

Make it a meal: Serve with side salad.

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

Mushroom, Herb, & Feta Tart

I made this for my husband recently. Big mistake. He scraped all the mushrooms off, ate the puff pastry and declared it was delicious. I think I'll make it for the book club ladies next time.

You can use any kind of mushrooms. Try using three to four different types. I used Baby Bella for the flavor and color of them.

Mushroom, Herb, & Feta Tart

1 puff pastry (the frozen kind that come two to a box), thawed

5-6 oz. mushrooms, sliced thin

butter or oil for sautéing

thyme

parsley

garlic pepper

feta cheese

Parmesan cheese, grated

Lightly oil a baking sheet and put puff pastry on it.
Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes until golden.
Remove and let cool.
Sauté mushroom in butter or oil.
Sprinkle with thyme, parsley, and garlic pepper.
Sprinkle with feta cheese.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, again at 400 degrees.
Remove, let it cool, and cut it into squares with a pizza cutter.

Options: Use goat cheese instead of feta.

Make it a meal: Serve with other lovely appetizers at book club...no men allowed.

Wine: Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon

Turkey Panini with Avocado Dressing

I make all my paninis in my George Foreman grill. Put the sandwich in, bring the top down, it’s as easy as opening up a box of doughnuts for breakfast. It’s small, it’s light, and it’s super easy to clean. I don’t have time to spend all day cleaning things.

If you are an accomplished chef, you could probably grill this in a pan, turning once without the insides falling out all over the place. I’m not that person. Or if you are gadget-girl and have a panini press, feel free to haul that thing out from wherever you store it, and go to town. You probably keep it to the left of the quesadilla-maker in a cabinet you need to stand on a chair to reach. I’m not that kind of cook, either.

Turkey Panini with Avocado Dressing

panini

Arnold’s Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins (see Food Article) or any bread you like

olive oil

deli turkey slices

a few slices tomato

cheese (Colby-Jack or Gouda)

dressing

2 small spoonfuls ranch salad dressing

½ small avocado, mashed

Brush the outside of each bread slice with oil.
Place bread oil sides down.
Top half the slices with turkey, tomato, cheese and dressing.
Top with remaining bread slices, oil sides up.
Place in a George Foreman grill and let her rip.

Options: Add bacon and your man will give you a foot rub tonight.

Make it a meal: Serve with potato chips or carrot sticks. I’ll diet tomorrow.

Wine: Chardonnay

Shrimp Waldorf Salad

Spring is here and summer is not far away. Busy divas will be invited to many a soiree. Always the gracious guest, divas will offer to bring something nice. This salad is perfect. I brought it to a graduation party recently where it was a hit.

For divas hosting their own backyard garden parties, this salad can be made ahead of time.

Shrimp Waldorf Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I like light)

1/2 cream

2 squirts lemon juice

1-2 tsp. tarragon (I prefer less)

1-2 tsp. Dijon mustard (I prefer more)

1 large apple, diced (Pink Lady is my favorite)

1 handful red seedless grapes, halved

3-4 stalks celery, diced

2 cans tiny shrimp or 1 lb. fresh shrimp,cooked and chopped

lettuce to line the pretty bowl

chives to sprinkle on top

Mix the mayonnaise, milk, lemon juice, tarragon, and mustard and set aside.
Mix the apples, grapes, celery, and shrimp in a large bowl.
Add the mayonnaise mixture.
Line a pretty bowl with lettuce and fill with the salad.
Sprinkle chives on top.

Make it a meal: Serve with whatever your man is grilling.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay

Boiled Blue Potatoes

Vary the amounts depending on how many you are serving. I saw one version of this that called for 50 lbs. of potatoes. That’s one big cocktail party! The chives come from my own small garden. Small is all I can handle. I limit the amount of cheese, since my man is not crazy about blue cheese. In addition, I sprinkle bacon bits on his serving.

Boiled Blue Potatoes

3-4 red potatoes, diced

salt & pepper

chives, chopped

blue cheese, crumbled

margarine or butter

Boil the potatoes until tender, 15-20 minutes.
Mix in a bowl with all the other ingredients.

Make it a meal: Serve with pot roast with red wine (see recipe minus the potatoes) and green beans.

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon

Divine Slow Cooker Pot Roast

It is spring, but it is cloudy and windy out here in New England. It is also Sunday, so it is perfect for a pot roast. Curl up with a good book or an old movie and let your dinner cook all day.

Divine Slow Cooker Pot Roast

3-4 lb. beef shoulder

olive oil for searing

a couple of potatoes, sliced

1/2 onion, chopped

8-10 mushrooms, whole or sliced

4-6 cloves of garlic, halved

2 pinches thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup red wine

1/2 cup beef broth

2 spoonfuls sour cream (I like light)

Salt and pepper the beef.
Sear the beef in olive oil on all sides.
Layer the potatoes and onion in the bottom of the crock pot.
Add the beef, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, bay leaf.
Pour the wine and broth over the top.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours until beef falls apart.
Stir in the sour cream the last 30 minutes to thicken the gravy if needed.

Options: Add in carrots and/or a can of diced tomatoes.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed green beans with herb butter (see recipe)

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz

Horseradish Mustard

Shopping recently, I came across a specialty mustard, horseradish mustard. It cost nearly six dollars for a small jar. I made mine with items already on hand: mustard and horseradish. Divas always have horseradish on hand for emergency Bloody Marys.

Use the horseradish to dip pretzels, atop baked salmon, or on hot dogs.

Horseradish Mustard

Dijon mustard

horseradish

Mix.

White Beans and Lemon

Divas love to do lunch and here is a nice salad to serve at the next one. Beans are a great source of fiber and protein and they look so pretty in this salad.

White Beans and Lemon

1 can white beans like Great Northern or Cannelli, drained

3 squeezes lemon

2 sprinkles parsley

Put in all in a bowl, mix, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Bring them to room temperature before you serve.
Put them on top of a pretty, leafy salad mix.

Make it a meal: Serve with Rosemary Salmon (see recipe) or just a side of fruit.

Wine: Chablis

Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken

I love lemon chicken and this recipe makes it easy. The sherry adds rich flavor. Divas adore anything rich. (photo by kochtopf)

Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken

3 1/2 pounds chicken (breasts, thighs, or a mixture)

Salt and pepper

1 shallot, chopped

2 dashes oregano

1 dash parsley

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup dry wine, sherry, or chicken broth

3 tbsp. lemon juice

Salt and pepper the chicken.
Throw everything into the crock pot.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Make it a meal: Serve with Blue Potatoes (see recipe) or wild rice and roasted broccoli (see recipe).

Wine: Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

Divine Deviled Eggs with Salmon & Capers

These are a delight. And if there is anyone still out there on the Atkins diet, these are for you. I had three for lunch and will have two for breakfast. I love how the salmon makes these a little bit pink.

Divine Deviled Eggs with Salmon & Capers

5 eggs, hard boiled

a bit of leftover salmon, smashed

2 scoops mayonnaise

1 scoop Dijon mustard

1 squeeze lemon

1-2 pinches dill

a bit of pepper and salt

3 dashes of hot sauce

Paprika and capers for garnish

Cut the boiled eggs in half and remove the yolk.
Mix the yolk with all the other ingredients except the garnish.
Fill the mixture back into the eggs and garnish.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Asparagus Lemon Chicken (see recipe)

Wine: Champagne

Blue Potatoes

My current man is not crazy about blue cheese, so I was surprised that he gobbled this up, as did the rest of the men I was entertaining last night. Of course, I soon realized the recipe calls for bacon! He'll eat bacon off of anything. Trust me.

For some reason none of the wives and girlfriends could not make it. Alas, what's a diva to do? I had them drinking white sangria out of pink cups in no time.

Blue Potatoes

5-6 new red potatoes

a few splashes of olive oil

a few spoonfuls sour cream (I use light)

a toss of blue cheese

bacon bits

a small spoonful Dijon mustard

sprinkle of parsley

Cut the potatoes in half, then toss them in a bowl and coat them with olive oil.
Place them cut side down on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
Let them cool a bit, then scoop out the pulp.
Mix the pulp with the sour cream, cheese, bacon, and mustard.
Fill each potato skin with the mixture.
Sprinkle with parsley.
Here you can serve right away or refrigerate and reheat when you are ready.

Make it a meal: Serve with chicken that has been marinated with The Best Marinade (see Food Article) and Broccoli Salad (see recipe).

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc or Rose

White Sangria

Enjoy a little sparkle and bubbles on a hot Spring night. I sipped on this in front of my manly beer-drinking friends. Before long, they requested a bit for themselves. I love a man confident enough to drink from a pink cup.

White Sangria

1 bottle dry white wine

1 bottle club soda, lime flavored

a few splashes brandy

1/4 cup sugar

1 small bunch grapes

a few slices apple, lime, and lemon

pink cups for serving

Mix it all together and serve over ice.

Make it a meal: Serve with lovely nibbly things like shrimp spread (see recipe) and Simple Bruschetta (see recipe).