BASIL VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

This dressing is delicious over a nicoise salad of mixed greens, tuna steak and nicoise olives. You can also serve it over fresh sliced heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella salad...or experiment using your favorite vegetables.

It can be refrigerated up to 5 days, but if you are not serving it immediately, don't add the basil until you are ready to serve, about 15-30 minutes ahead, as the other ingredients will wilt the basil.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tbl chopped fresh basil

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 tbl Dijon mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp honey

1/4 kosher salt

1/8 tsp fresh pepper

In a glass cup or jar with a tight lid, whisk together all the ingredients and shake to fully combine.

That's It!

ENJOY!

FETA CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

Every now and then you have to mix up your salad dressings. Vinaigrettes are the dressings of choice and are usually prepared with lemon flavors, dijon mustard flavors, the traditional balsamic vinegar...and so on and so on. Using a good extra virgin olive oil is very important in dressings.

Surprise your guests and spice it up a bit with a creamy feta vinaigrette. This is very smooth and tangy at the same time.

Ingredients:

3 ounces feta cheese preferably French, crumbled
2-1/2 tbl red wine vinegar
1 tbl water
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup + 1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Ground pepper

In a food processor, pulse the cheese with the vinegar, water, oregano and oil until smooth. Seasonn with salt and pepper.

Another fast recipe from your favorite food blogger!!!!????? Haha

Serve this tangy dressing over grilled vegetables, shrimp, cucumber, spinach, tomato salads or in your favorite potato salad recipe.

ENJOY!


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STRAWBERRIES AND BUTTERMILK ICE AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

It's definitely berry season!!!! I am not much of a fruit person, but fresh ripe berries are addictive for me.

This recipe, made notable by Napa pastry chef Deanie Fox, combines the berries with a granita. Making a granita is very simple but time consuming. From beginning to end this dessert takes a little more than 3 hours, but most of the time is spent waiting for the granita to freeze. Very much worth the wait, so plan ahead.

Ingredients:

3-1/2 Tbl sugar
1-1/2 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 pint strawberries cleaned and quartered
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp aged balsamic vinegar
sprigs of fresh tarragon for garnish

In a bowl, whisk 1-1/2 Tbl of sugar and 1/2 Tbl lemon juice until the sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the buttermilk and pour into a shallow baking dish. Freeze until firm, whisking every 30 minutes for about 3 hours.

In a bowl, toss strawberries with 2 Tbl sugar and 1 Tbl lemon juice. Add the lemon zest and vinegar. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Spoon the berries and any juices into glasses. Using a fork, scrape the buttermilk granita into fluffy crystals and spoon over the strawberries. Garnish with the tarragon.

Very refreshing in the hot summer weather!
ENJOY!