Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 

8 ears fresh corn, blanched and kernels cut off the cob (about 5 cups)

2 small red bell peppers, diced (about 1 cup)

1 medium red onion, diced 

2 jalapeno peppers, diced and seeds removed 

1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered 

1 bottle Stonewall Kitchen Cilantro Lime Dressing

2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp fresh lime juice

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

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Directions:

• Combine all ingredients except for tomatoes in a large bowl and mix well.

• Cover and chill at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. 

• Right before serving, add tomatoes and fold gently, being careful not to mash. Garnish with more chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature.

 

Delicious served as a summer side dish, spooned over grilled meats or simply scooped straight from the bowl with your favorite tortilla chip!  Add avocado when serving for a creamy twist.

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Strawberry Margarita Punch

1 bottle Prosecco (or Champagne) - chilled

1 bottle (2 liter) seltzer - chilled

3 cups frozen strawberries

1 ½ cups tequila

1 cup triple sec

½ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed

½ cup limeade concentrate, frozen

¼ cup sugar

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

2 limes - thinly sliced

¼ cup kosher salt

 

 

Directions: 

• In a large pitcher (or drink dispenser), add the seltzer and Prosecco.

• To a blender, add the frozen strawberries, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, limeade concentrate and sugar. Blend until smooth and pour into the pitcher. Top with fresh limes and strawberries. Stir to combine.

• Rim your glasses with a slice of lime and then dip them into salt. Add ice to your glasses, and fill them with the punch.

 

Don’t spend the entire evening shaking cocktails and miss all the fun… Margarita punch is an easy and delicious way to serve a crowd.  All the flavors that everyone loves in a margarita with the refreshing hit of bubbly prosecco.  Great for your next gathering.

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Lemon Mascarpone Tartlets

Cream Filling:

1 jar (12 oz.)  + 1 cup lemon curd (we used Mrs. Bridges)

8 oz. mascarpone cream

16 oz. heavy whipping cream

 

Fresh Seasonal Berries

Pistachios, roasted and coarsely chopped

Phyllo Tartlet Shells (we use pre-baked by Athens in the freezer section)

 

 

Directions: 

• Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees.

• Remove shells from packaging.  Place empty shells on baking tray and bake 3 to 5 minutes.  They are fully cooked so just heating to crisp.  Set aside.

• Using a hand or stand mixer, whip 1 jar of curd and mascarpone.  Cream until smooth.

• Gradually add heavy whipping cream and whip on high until the mixture becomes light and airy.  Amount of cream can be adjusted to taste… the less whipping cream used, the stronger the curd flavor. 

• To assemble, place a dollop of lemon curd in the bottom of the tartlet shell.  Fill with cream and top with fresh berries and chopped pistachios.

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Light and easy dessert for summer.  Spoon the cream over pound cake, add any kind fresh berries or fruit… the uses are endless!  And try this same method with other types of curd.  Lime curd and strawberry is a great combination.

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Winter Cranberry Sangria

2 medium limes, thinly sliced

2 large oranges, thinly sliced

2 medium apples, cored and chopped into small pieces (skin on)

1 ½ cups orange juice, low pulp

3 cups cranberry juice

½ cup apple brandy

2 bottles (750ml) fruity red wine (we used Zinfandel Red)

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For Serving:

Club Soda

Frozen cranberries

Ice

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Directions: 

• To a large container, add fruit and muddle slightly with a wooden spoon.

• Add orange juice, cranberry juice and apple brandy.  Stir.

• Add both bottles of wine and stir gently until fully combined.

• Chill for at least 2 hours to give flavors time to incorporate.  Can be made up to 24 hours ahead.

• To serve, add ice or frozen berries to glass and add sangria mixture.  Top off with club soda.  Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

 

Great for your next holiday party… serves 15+ full servings and can easily be converted to a refreshing alcohol-free option by simply omitting the brandy and wine.

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Pumpkin Pie with Orange Marmalade

1 can (1 2/3 cups) pumpkin puree

1 jar (12 oz.) orange marmalade with whiskey (we used Mackays) 

3 Tbs. molasses

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup heavy cream

Your favorite 9” pie shell, blind baked for 15-20 minutes and cooled

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Directions:

• Preheat an oven to 425°F.  In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, marmalade, molasses, sugar, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.

• Add the eggs and cream and stir until smooth.

• Pour the filling into the pie shell and smooth the top.

• Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

• Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool.

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Additional method for easy party appetizers:

Double the ingredients above and mix well.  Pour pumpkin mixture into a lightly greased 9 x12 baking dish and bake using the same instructions.  Bake until the center of the dish is set.   Mixture can be made the day ahead and then scooped into small tart shells or filo cups just before the party.  Top with a dollop of the ginger cream and finely chopped crystalized ginger.

 

Ginger Mascarpone Cream

1 jar (12 oz.) ginger curd (we used Mrs. Bridges)

8 oz. mascarpone cream

16 oz. heavy whipping cream

 

• Using a hand or stand mixer, whip curd and mascarpone cream until smooth. 

• Gradually add heavy whipping cream and whip on high until the mixture becomes light and frothy. 

• Amount of cream can be adjusted to taste… the less whipping cream used, the stronger the curd flavor.

 

Great on holiday pies, over pound cake, with fresh berries… the uses are endless!  And try this same method with other types of curd.  Lemon curd with berries is a great combination.

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Cranberry Brie Bites

1 (8-oz.) tube crescent dough

Cooking spray, for pan

Flour, for surface

1 (8-oz.) wheel of brie

1/2 cup cranberry sauce (we used Mrs. Bridges Cranberry Sauce with Port)

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

6 sprigs of rosemary, chopped

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Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 375° and grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out crescent dough, and pinch together seams. Cut into 24 squares. Place squares into muffin tin slots.

• Cut brie into small pieces and place inside the crescent dough. Top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, some chopped pecans, and a sprinkle of rosemary.

• Bake until the crescent pastry is golden, about 15 minutes. 

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Honey-Roasted Grape Tomato Crostini

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 Tbsp premium honey (we used Fool’s Gold Coffee Blossom Honey) 

1½ tsp olive oil

¼ tsp Kosher Salt

¼ tsp Black Pepper

1 baguette (8 to 10 ounces), sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 60 slices)

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tub mascarpone cheese, room temp

Fresh Rosemary, chopped for garnish

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Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

• Toss together first 3 ingredients on a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet.

• Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until tomato skins burst and begin to wrinkle (do not stir).

• Transfer roasted tomatoes to a bowl, scraping accumulated juices into bowl. Stir salt and pepper into tomato mixture.  Set aside.

• Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees. Arrange baguette slices on two large rimmed baking sheets; brush both sides with oil.

• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes (if undersides are not browning, turn crostini over once during baking).

• Let cool on baking sheets.

• To assemble, smear mascarpone cheese evenly over crostini; top with roasted tomatoes and finish with a sprinkling of fresh rosemary.

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 Figs in a Blanket 

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (we used Napa Valley Fig Balsamic)

3 tablespoons premium honey (we used Fool’s Gold Coffee Blossom Honey)

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup water

24 dried black Mission figs, stems trimmed, halved

1 box of puff pastry, thawed according to package directions 

1 large egg

All-purpose flour (for surface)

6 1/2 ounces plain goat cheese

Poppy seeds (for topping; optional)

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Directions:

• Rehydrate the figs by combining vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and 1 cup water in a medium pot.  Stir well to dissolve honey.  Add figs and bring to a boil.  

• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until figs are softened and liquid has almost evaporated and is a syrupy consistency.  Simmer approximately 7–10 minutes.  Remove figs from liquid and let cool. 

• While figs are cooling, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Beat egg with 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl.  Take thawed pastry and roll into an 18x12" rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cut pastry into 1” strips, each about 4 1/2" long.

• Scoop a heaping 1/2 tsp. cheese and press into cut side of 1 fig half.  Place fig half in the center of 1 pastry strip.  Brush 1 end of pastry with egg wash and roll to enclose.  Transfer seam side down to prepared sheet.  

• Brush top of each pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds. Bake pastries until golden brown and puffed, 15–18 minutes.

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