Honey Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

The other night our lovely neighbors had us over to their house for dinner. My husband and I scrambled around a bit coming up with something we could cook on the fly as a starter. I think our powers combined to make a fantastic dish! I've made it several times since and cannot get enough of the sweetness of the honey and the tartness of the tomato and goat cheese. It's definitely one for the rotation!

Honey Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1Tablespoon of Honey

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Oregano

3 Pinches of Salt

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

2 Cups of Cherry Tomatoes

2 Cloves of Garlic

4 Tablespoons of Chevre (Creamy Goat Cheese)

2 Slices of Toast

Cooking:

Place your tomatoes on a cookie sheet with one of the cloves of garlic. Drizzle first the honey, then the olive oil over the tomatoes. Add the seasonings. Toss to coat the tomatoes evenly. Place the pan into the oven on broil. Watch the tomatoes carefully. You want a bit of char, but obviously, don't want them burned. Once they start to char a bit on the top and seem to be releasing the juices (this probably only will take a couple of minutes, depending on how hot your oven.) Give the tomatoes a stir, trying to get the non-charred side to the top and place back in the oven to finish cooking both sides. Take the tomatoes out and set aside. I don't own a toaster, so I toast my bread in the oven. After the bread is toasted, rub the top of the toast with the remaining garlic clove. This just gives the essence of garlic, without overwhelming the dish. Next spread each toast with 2 tablespoons of Chevre, then top with your tomatoes and drizzle some juice on top. Serve and enjoy!

Zesty Marinated Olives

Olives are one of my favorite foods and this has become one of my go to dishes for a quick and easy get-together. I love how fast it is to make, but also love that it looks a little fancy (at fancy, read: tongue in cheek.)

Zesty Marinated Olives

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Mixed Olives

4 Pieces of Lemon Zest

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon of Chili Flakes

1 Clove of Garlic, Very Thinly Sliced (Think Goodfellas)

Preparation:

Mix all the ingredients together and let sit at room temperature for 30 min to 1 hour before serving. So easy!

Summery Grilled White Fish Packets

I love breaking this recipe out at the start of summer when the fresh heirloom tomatoes start coming off the vine. The citrusy lemon with the tangy tomatoes and flaky fish are so aromatic! It's always a crowd pleaser and it's so simple to put together! Though still a little early yet for summer heat, with sunny spring weather rolling in, it's delightful!

Tomato, Lemon and White Fish Packets for the Grill (or Oven)

Ingredients:

2 Fillets of Tilapia (or other white fish of choice! I have made this with Mahi-Mahi with equally delicious results)
1/2 Lemon, Sliced into Wedges
1 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes, Split
8 Leaves of Basil
2 Cloves of Garlic, Peeled
2 Green Onions, Chopped
Salt and Pepper

Tools:
Aluminum Foil (or Parchment Paper in the Oven)

Cooking:
Lay out a 12" square piece of aluminum foil. Place your Tilapia right below the centerline of the foil. Salt and Pepper your fillet. Lay the basil leaves on top, and add one or two wedges of lemon. Add in half of the tomatoes and green onions, and one of the cloves of garlic. Fold the foil over the fish and vegetables, and begin at the left or right side, fold over the edges continuously until you make your way to the other side and the packet is completely sealed. Ideally, you want a bit of air in your packet, to allow the steam to cook the fish. Repeat with other fillet. Place the packet on a hot grill, or an oven at 350 degrees, for approximately 10 minutes. Open the packet and serve!

Crane Creek Vineyards

I first visited Crane Creek Vineyards last fall, and was completely charmed by the unpretentious, scenic vineyard. Since last fall, I have been back three times! I cannot get enough of the relaxing atmosphere and the light, refreshing vinos.
Crane Creek Vineyards is located in Young Harris, Georgia, which is a short 2 hour drive from Altanta, or if you're staying in the mountains for the weekend, just 45 min from Blue Ridge. Seated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the vineyard's lovely grounds make the trip worth the car ride.
Being a wine novice, I get excited to soak up some wine knowledge, and at Crane Creek, the staff are great teachers. The full tasting, which can include up to 15 varietals, is only $3 a person! A super good value for an informative lesson on native Georgia grapes and the wines they can produce. Crane Creek grows 8 different grapes, including two native American varieties, Catawba and Norton.
On to the wines! My new favorite is the Seyval Blanc, with its light, crisp, green flavor reminding me of my trip to Barcelona. The Hellbender red varietal, which is made with the Norton grape, has won multiple awards. Sweet Sally, named after a beloved vineyard dog, is a wonderful white dessert wine made from the native Catawba grape. Last September, when it was about 90 degrees out, we bought a bottle of Sweet Sally and sat around the vineyard enjoying the view and the last of the summer heat.
The vineyard is laid back, and family friendly. You can order a glass of wine and the soup of the day, or a block of cheese, and sit out on Adirondack chairs facing the vines whiling the day away. It's a wonderful place to take friends, especially if they are from out of town, and at Crane Creek you have the opportunity to buy truly local wines that are also delicious!

Braised Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers and Onions

I usually buy a whole chicken when we want chicken. I buy organic meat as much as possible and it's often much cheaper to buy whole and butcher it yourself, which I must admit, I highly enjoy for some strange reason. Also, you get the added benefits of having the carcass for stock, the chicken livers for a nice appetizer and the bits off the boiled carcass (after making stock) for chicken salad! It's the gift that keeps on giving. This recipe is my favorite go-to recipe for the chicken breasts and legs. It's an adapted version of a recipe which I saw Mario Batali make on his road-trip through Spain. So easy and really tasty! I especially love it over buttery couscous.

Braised Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers and Onions

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
6 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1 Onion, Halved then thinly sliced
2 large Roasted Red Peppers, Sliced
2 Dried Chiles
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Paprika
Salt and Pepper, for Seasoning Chicken
2 Chicken Legs and Thighs
2 Chicken Wings
1 Cup of White Wine (Do not use a wine that you wouldn't drink, because it will not be tasty in your food either)
1 Cup of Chicken Broth

Cooking:

In a large Dutch Oven, pour in your olive oil, and toss in your onions, chilis and garlic. Saute until these are translucent and starting to brown slightly. Meanwhile, season your chicken pieces on both sides with the cumin, paprika and salt and pepper. Once the onions have a slight bit of color on them, add in your chicken pieces, making sure that the chicken is touching the bottom of the pan. Your trying to brown them a bit, so you can sort of slide the onions aside. When the chicken is golden brown on both sides, add in your roasted red peppers. Next pour in your liquids. Turn the heat down to med-low and cover. Cook for 40 minutes and you will have unbelievably moist tasty chicken with a sauce that is fantastic over any starch you care to use as a side!

Dark Chocolate Torte with Chambord Cream

I have recently noticed more and more people with gluten allergies. This is a really delicious dessert which is gluten free, but will also appeal to gluten lovers. It's very dark and rich, which makes the light and fluffy Chambord cream a perfect compliment. It's also very easy to make!

Dark Chocolate Torte

Ingredients:

16 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Chopped or Chips
1 Cup of Unsalted Butter
2 Tablespoons of Chambord
9 Eggs, Separated
1 Cup of Sugar

Tools:

9" Spring Form Pan
1 Round of Parchment Paper, Cut to fit the inner bottom of the pan

Cooking:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a double boiler, or if you don't have one, I use a pyrex bowl on top of a saucepan of boiling water, pour in your chocolate bits, butter and Chambord. Melt slowly while stirring. Turn off heat once completely melted and allow to cool. Rub butter across the interior of a spring form pan very uniformly.Place your parchment paper inside the pan and smooth across the bottom. In a mixer, whip your egg whites into soft peaks. Remove from mixing bowl and set aside. Add to the mixing bowl your egg yolks and sugar, mix until a creamy, soft lemon color. Add 1/3 of your yolk mixture into your chocolate and combine. Repeat with remaining thirds until the mixture is incorporated. Remove 1/3 of this mixture and reserve for icing. To the remaining yolk/chocolate mixture, fold in 1/3 of your egg whites very gently. Once it is just incorporated, add another 1/3, and repeat until all the egg whites have been incorporated. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into your pan and bake for approximately 45 min, until the sides start to pull away just slightly. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Unlatch spring form sides, and gently lift away. Place a cake plate upside down on the cake top and pick up the whole assembly and flip gently. Remove spring form bottom and parchment paper. Ice the top of the cake with the reserved batter from earlier.

Chambord Cream

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
2 Tablespoons of Chambord

Cooking:

In a mixer, whip all of the ingredients on high speed until cream forms peaks. Cut your cake and serve with a huge dollop of Chambord Cream on top!

When You Don't Have the Energy to Cook

I work a full-time job during the day, and sometimes that means I get home around 8pm or later. On those days, it's really nice if you have something in the fridge that can be quickly warmed up. My go-to dish recently has been this Spicy Carrot and Tomato soup. It's dead simple and you can make a huge batch to store for the week. In the winter, I use canned tomatoes, but in the summer you could use fresh.

Spicy Carrot and Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, Diced
4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
2 Dried Chilis, Crushed
1 Bunch of Carrots, Chopped into 1/2"-3/4" pieces
1 28 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes
1 Teaspoon of Herbes de Provence
4 Cups of Broth, Your Choice
1/2 Cup of Heavy Cream (You can substitute milk for a lighter version.)
Salt and Pepper and Your Favorite Hot Sauce to Taste (I use a Habenero version because I like it hot!)

Cooking:
In a large Dutch oven, toss in your olive oil, onions, chilis and garlic. Sweat the onions on medium heat until they are translucent, then add the carrots and Herbes de Provence. Cook the carrots until they have a glossy, bright orange color, just a few more minutes. Add in the tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the carrots are fork tender, meaning you can easily slide a fork into one, usually about 30-40min. Remove the soup from the stove top. Let cool slightly. Use a stick blender or your regular blender and puree until smooth. Add the cream and seasonings. You can serve right away, or put it in the freezer or fridge.