5 Quick Healthy Hors d oeuvres for the Holidays
Greek Salad Cucumber Cups Ingredients: 1 Hot House English Cucumber 1 Tbsp. Finely Diced Red Bell Pepper 1 Tbsp. Finely Diced Red Onion 1 Tbsp. of Finely Diced seedless Kalamata Olives 1 Tbsp. of Finely Diced Tomato 2 Tbsp. of Feta Cheese 3 Tbsp. of Greek Dressing Assembly: Cut Cucumber into 10 even round pieces about 1 inch thick. Square off each round and hollow out center with a melon ball scoop. Combine all chopped ingredients and fill each cucumber with mixture. Tomato Caprese Skewers Ingredients: 1 pint grape tomatoes (a mix of grape and zima tomatoes are nice if you can find them) 1 small ball of fresh mozzarella 1 small bunch of fresh basil Fresh bread Olive Oil Salt and Pepper Assembly: Slice Mozzarella into ½ inch thick slices. With a small round cutter, cut circles of mozzarella. If you do not have a small round cutter, you can cut the cheese and bread into small ½ inch squares. Drizzle some olive on the bread and toast in a pan. Skewer one piece of mozzarella that has been seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil. Next add the tomato, a small piece of fresh basil, another piece of mozzarella, a tomato and top with a fresh crouton. Makes about 25 skewers. Antipasto Salad Bites Ingredients: 2 Sweet Italian Sausage that has been roasted (you can use a flavored chicken sausage as well) 1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts 1 small bag of sundried tomato 1 small jar of roasted red pepper 1 small bunch of basil Assembly: Cut Sausage Links into 15 slices per link, about ¼ inch thickness. Cut artichokes into 4 or 6 wedges, depending on the size. Cut 30 ½ inch square pieces each of the sundried tomato and roasted red pepper. To skewer, place one basil leaf on the skewer, add the roasted red pepper, the artichoke, sundried tomato and then the sausage. Makes about 30 Bites Beef Carpaccio in Shiitake Broth Ingredients: 1 small garlic clove 3 oz. fresh shiitakes, stems removed and sliced thin 6 oz. beef tenderloin 1 cup beef broth 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp. fried capers (regular capers in a jar that have been drained, and fried briefly in hot oil) 1 bunch of micro arugula (you can substitute a piece of baby arugula if not available) Assembly: Wrap beef in plastic and freeze for about 2 hours. In a sauté pan add some olive oil and sauté the garlic briefly. Add the mushrooms and sauté. Add the balsamic vinegar and beef broth and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove beef...
Where Local Flavors ‘Shine in Handcrafted Cocktails
Bloomery Plantation’s Premiere Mixologist Eric Bell shares some of his favorite handcrafted cocktail recipes for the holiday season. The New Old Fashioned 1/2 SweetShine Ginger 1/2 Bourbon Splash of Black Walnut SweetShine Shake. Serve on the rocks in an old fashioned glass. Add a cherry. Enjoy. The Berry Merry ‘Tini 1/3 Gin 2/3 Raspberry Lemon SweetShine Dash of Grapefruit Bitters Shake with ice. Serve in a martini glass. Optional: Add fresh mint and rim the glass with colored sugar. Limoncello Martini 1/3 Vodka 1/3 Limoncello 1/3 Hard Lemonade Shake with ice. Strain into a martini glass. Or serve on the rocks. Optional: Serve with a sprig of cedar, rosemary or lime. Pumpkin Pie Cocktail 1/2 Pumpkin Spice SweetShine 1/2 Apple Cider or Hard Cider Splash of Spiced Rum to taste Splash of Ginger SweetShine to taste Shake with ice. Strain into a glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar. Garnish with cinnamon or nutmeg. Decadent Chocolate Dessert Martini 1/2 Double Espresso Vodka or Vanilla Vodka 1/2 Dark Chocolate Raspberry SweetShine Shake with ice. Strain into a cocoa rimmed martini glass. Garnish with shaved chocolate. Or shake without ice and serve warm in a coffee cup. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream. Mix it up to make it your own unique cocktail, says Bell. For the perfect party, set out several mixers from the SweetShine collection. A few staples are Limoncello, Raspberry Lemon, Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Raspberry, Black Walnut, Hard Lemonade and Peach. Add bourbon, whiskey, flavored vodkas, sparkling wine (Prosecco), club soda, apple cider. Garnishes can include rosemary sprigs, lemons, limes, cherries, slices of clove studded oranges, whipped cream, peppermint sticks, shaved chocolate, spices such as cinnamon, ginger, anise, cardamom, colored or sparkling sugar. To find cocktail shakers, glasses, stirrers, ice buckets and decanters, visit flea markets, thrift shops and antique malls. Also pick up some cocktail napkins, quirky or elegant. Place olives, nuts, a selection of salami, cheese and crackers on trays. Let your guests be creative. Write up some recipe suggestions and place them on the server €“ then you can be a guest at your own unforgettable cocktail...
Conquer Stress
By Cathy Embrey CMT, LMEI Stress does not discriminate by sex, age, social standing or profession. Whether an overcommitted student, an employee fearful of losing his/her job, the employer concerned about payroll, or a family in need of rescue, €œstress kills. It paralyses the mind, stiffens the muscles, stirs-up the organs and increases pressure inside the body. Everyone knows someone who suffers from one or more of these medical conditions: depression, panic, brain fog, aches and pains, indigestion, acid reflux, heart burn, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, high blood pressure, heart condition, insomnia, overeating, rage, weakened immunity, increased inflammation or accelerated aging. More children are experiencing muscle spasms, migraine headaches, exhaustion and upset stomach. All of these symptoms could be attributed to stress. Reflecting on ways to conquer stress one realizes it is a positive and negative; when out of balance a negative effect ensues. Stress is also internal and external, something done to us as well as something we create ourselves. One secret is realizing that everything has stress. Getting fired or married could have equal stress. Because it is good or brings joy does not preclude the fact that one may experience overwhelming stress. Another secret to balance is massage. People receive a massage to feel more at ease. By releasing physical tension one experiences increased anatomical balance interpreted as relaxation. When living in balance, one may navigate challenges with more clarity and compassion. Life is like a teeter-totter. Children go up and down, others join in or drop out and with each change teams adjust. Change creates an imbalance at the center of the teeter-totter, playmates recalculate weight, adjust players, have friends take turns, etc. But when the teeter-totter itself it is out of balance and there is no center strength in its construction, disaster could befall the participants. The fascination with making the teeter-totter perfectly balanced for a friend to ride both sides while straddling the middle is crushed when one side attempts to get the other side to fall off. Yes, teeter-totter is a game for children, yet in many ways it reflects life. With a strong core adjustment are made, one may ask for help, take a break, or search for alternatives. Someone is always willing to help and someone else is looking for ways to take you down. Children spend countless hours going up and down, yet never look at the middle support, the very mechanism that makes it teeter and totter. This often is true in life, there is a centering core for stress relief but most have never been told what it is or how to begin. There are seven points...
Fall soup to warm your soul
Sausage, Bean & Pasta Soup with Spinach Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 55 mins Serves/Yield: 4-6 Ingredients Canola or olive oil 2 fresh Italian or chorizo sausage (hot or mild) 1 onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 cups water 1 cup dry fusilli or other small pasta 14 oz can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 tsp dried oregano or basil Salt and pepper (to taste) 2 cups fresh spinach, loosely packed, or 1 cup chopped kale 2 cups cooked white or red kidney beans, or a 19 oz can, rinsed and drained Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving Instructions In a large saucepan set over medium heat, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Add the water, pasta, tomato sauce, stock, oregano, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the spinach and beans and cook the soup for another 3 to 5 minutes. If it seems too thick, thin it with a little extra stock, tomato juice, or water. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with grated Parmesan while still...
Treat everyone to an autumn favorite
With the autumn on the horizon, foodies are starting to think about the bevy of fresh foods that seem to symbolize the season. From squash to apples to aromatic seasonings, foods cooked in the fall are awash in flavor. Autumn can be the perfect time to handpick foods from a nearby farmer’s market or orchard. Pumpkin picking is a favorite this time of year, and those impressive orange spheres are more than just jack-o-lanterns. Freshly picked pumpkins can be used to make muffins, breads and, of course, the ubiquitous pumpkin pie. The following recipe for “Ultimate Pumpkin Pie With Rum Whipped Cream” from Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa Foolproof” (Clarkson Potter) is a spirit-infused take on the classic pumpkin pie recipe. The recipe can be prepared with fresh pumpkin puree or the canned variety found at stores. Ultimate Pumpkin Pie With Rum Whipped Cream Serves 8 to 10 1 unbaked Perfect Pie Crust (recipe follows) Dried beans for blind baking Filling: 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pie filling) 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons grated orange zest 3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons dark rum, such as Mount Gay Rum Whipped Cream (recipe follows) Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line an 11-inch pie pan with the unbaked pie crust and place it on a sheet pan. Line the crust with parchment paper. Fill the paper three-quarters full with the beans and bake the crust for 15 minutes, until the edges start to brown. Remove the beans and paper (save the beans for another time), prick the crust all over with the tines of a fork, and bake for another 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, orange zest, eggs, cream, milk, and rum. Pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the filling is just set in the middle and knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Set as side to cool completely. Serve with the rum whipped cream. Rum Whipped Cream (Serves 8 to 10) 1 cup cold heavy cream 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon mascarpone or creme fraiche 1 tablespoon good dark rum, such as Mount Gay 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Place the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the...
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