Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

This is so easy and elegant! A fun appetizer for parties or a simple picnic treat.
Asparagus
Prosciutto
Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar

Clean and remove the tough ends of the asparagus. In a small sauce pan, stir the balsamic vinegar and sugar together and simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely until syrupy. Sautee the asparagus in a pan over medium heat with a tiny splash of olive oil, salt and pepper, for about 5 minutes. The asparagus should remain crisp and not over done. Remove from the pan and wrap prosciutto around the asparagus (individually or in bundles). Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the asparagus just before serving and freshly grate parmesan cheese on top.

Balsamic Watermelon Skewers

These are so pretty, refreshing, and delicious!  I made a pretty picnic for my husband the other night and these were on the menu.  We both loved the cool, crisp watermelon with the creamy mozzarella and fragarant basil with the sweetness of the balsamic reduction. 
What you’ll need:
Watermelon cubed
Mini fresh mozzarella balls
Fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar

In a small sauce pan, heat the balsamic vinegar and sugar over medium heat. Don’t boil, simply simmer until the sugar is dissolved and remove from the heat to let cool completely. The reduction will become thick and yummy!
Skewer your watermelon, basil leaves and mozzarella alternately. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Drizzle the reduction over the skewers just before serving.

Goat Cheese & Olive Flatbread

I’ve recently found that on our Friday night pizza nights, I’m stuck with some leftover dough. I’ve tried to create some fun desserts like this and that, but now I’ve just been putting the extra dough in a zip lock and putting it in the fridge. You know what I’ve discovered? A day or two later, the dough looses some yeast power and makes great flat bread that gets really crispy! It’s awesome!




Here is our latest creation:
left over pizza dough
olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 Tbsp. goat cheese
1/4 c. kalamata olives, chopped
fresh basil leaves, torn (about 5 large leaves)
freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Roll out your dough, brush with olive oil and spread the crushed garlic over it.  Crumble the goat cheese on the pizza, followed by the olives, basil and parmesan cheese.  Finish with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and bake at 450 for about 10 minutes until brown and crispy.  Great as a snack or appetizer!

Avacado Cheese Dip

It's Superbowl Weekend, so how about an amazing dip!!! This one once again comes from my dear friend Lyric
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened (we use neufchatel cheese)
1 1/2 c. shredded white cheddar or monterey jack
1 ripe avacado
1 small onion
1 clove of garlic crushed
1 4 oz. can of green chilies drained
Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until very smooth
Serve with veggies, chips, crackers, pretzels or just eat it with a spoon!

Texas Caviar

Here’s a way to get in your black-eyed peas for the New Year!
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans black-eyed peas, drained (If this is hard to find, use the dried beans and follow the directions on the bag to soak)
2 med. tomatoes, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 med. green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 med. red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 (8 oz.) bottle Italian salad dressing (or you can make your own vinaigrette)
Combine all ingredients except Italian dressing; mix well. Pour salad dressing over mixture; cover and marinate at least 2 hours in refrigerator. Drain and serve with corn chips or tortilla chips. Makes 7 cups.

Pizza Pinwheels

Lay out pastry dough and sprinkle with grated cheese, pepperoni and any other pizza toppings you'd like.  Roll up and cut into 1 inch wheels.  Bake until golden.  Serve with a dish of hot pizza sauce for dipping.

Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts

A Christmas favorite! 
Wrap bacon around whole water chestnuts, place in baking dish in oven at 400 for about 15 minutes.  Add sticky sauce (catsup, mustard, brown sugar) and bake until bubbly.  Serve pierced with toothpicks and enjoy!