Our Fabulous Bites

We recently had a group dinner with friends and we were to bring this dressing.  My friend sent me her recipe but she let me know there are several versions of this.  I don't know about all the versions but we thought this was yummy.  I'm told it is similar to a Cafe Rio dressing. Ingredients 1 packet of buttermilk ranch dressing 1 cup mayo 1 cup buttermilk 1 bunch of cilantro (cut off the stems at the bottom of bunch but don't worry about getting all the leaves off the stems) 2 tomatillos, husked 1 jalapeno, seeded garlic powder, just a few shakes juice from 1 lime Instructions Blend all ingredients in a blender until creamy and smooth.  Let chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

These beans are good with rice, or in a taco salad.  Just a simple recipe. Supposedly these are like beans at Cafe Rio.  It doesn't make a lot, maybe enough for 2 or 3 people, depending on how much you want a serving to be. Ingredients 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 1/3 C. tomato juice 1/2 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro Instructions In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it.  Add beans, tomato juice, and salt.  Stir often until heated through.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro just before serving.  Taste and add salt if needed.

This is a subtle but pleasant salad.  I think it is great for a ladies luncheon.  As is often the case with pasta salad, this will get better as the salad sits for a bit. * Ingredients : 2 1/4 cups dried penne 1 lb. plum tomatoes, chopped 10 oz mozzarella, drained and cubed 1 lemon, grated rind & the juice 4 Tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 15 shredded basil leaves salt & pepper, to taste *sometimes I double the dressing ingredients if I feel the flavors aren't popping enough. Directions : Cook pasta according to directions on box and drain. Mix oil, vinegar, lemon juice & zest, basil, salt & pepper in large bowl. Add chopped tomatoes & cubed mozzarella to bowl.  Then add cooked pasta. Taste and salt or pepper according to taste.

This too was part of our Easter dinner. The lemon basil syrup was delicious on the berries, and I would gladly eat this every day if I could. Lemon Basil Berry Salad Salad 1 c fresh strawberries 1/2 c fresh blackberries 1/2 c fresh blueberries - honestly just use whatever fresh berries your heart desires. these are what i used - Lemon Basil Syrup 1 c water 1/2 c sugar 1 c fresh basil leaves 1 lemon Prepare syrup by bringing water and sugar to a boil (I actually did this step using the microwave, this time around); once boiling, remove from heat, stir in fresh basil leaves and juice of 1 lemon, and cool completely. Combine berries in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp lemon basil syrup (or more to taste). Store syrup in the refrigerator. Remove basil leaves prior to storing. Bon Appetite!

We had this for our Easter dinner. It was a hit with all four of us, and I'd gladly make it for any fish lover. Rosemary & Garlic Roasted Salmon 3 garlic cloves 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, about 1 tbsp chopped 1 1/2 to 2lbs salmon fillet 1 tbsp evoo sea salt and pepper Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and chop garlic, and rosemary, and set aside. Place salmon on a baking sheet (covered in foil for easier cleanup). Distribute evoo evenly over salmon. Add s&p over the fillet. Then add rosemary and garlic and lightly press into salmon. Place in oven. At this time I also threw in some fresh green beans lightly coated in evoo and s&p. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes until the salmon is flaky and green beans are tender. Voila! Quick, easy, and delicious. Bon Appetite!

I like this cool pasta salad, very good on a hot summer night. Makes about 8 cups, or 4 main-dish servings. Ingredients 8 ounces penne or bow-tie pasta 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and each cut in half 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon water 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1-2 medium tomato, chopped Directions 1. In large sauce pot, cook penne as label directs 2. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat 1 inch water to boiling over high heat.  Add green beans and 1/2 teaspoon salt; heat to boiling.  Cook beans until tender-crisp, 8 minutes or so.  Drain beans and rinse under cold running water and drain again. 3. In blender at high speed, combine basil, oil and water and puree until almost smooth, stopping occasionally and scraping down sides with rubber spatula.  Transfer bail puree to large bowl; stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. 4. Drain pasta; rinse under cold runnin...

First time that I had buttermilk syrup I thought it was amazing.  Then I made the recipe and realized how much butter there is and realized, this will need to be a once a year kind of thing.  :)   Buttermilk Syrup   1 cube butter 1 cup white sugar ½ tsp. baking soda ½ cup buttermilk Bring to a boil for a minute, turn off heat, then add 1 tsp. vanilla