Dates for a Date!

Ingredients:

• Medjool dates
• Goat cheese
• Pistachio nuts, chopped

Preparation:

1.   Slice open the date, leaving it intact at the bottom.

2.   Remove the pit.

3.   Smear in some goat cheese.

4.   Sprinkle the crushed pistachios on top, allowing them to stick to the cheese.

Roasted Beets

Ingredients:

• 6 – 8 medium sized red and/or golden beets
• ¼ cup Blue Cheese, crumbled
• 10 – 14 Turkish apricots, snipped into small pieces
• ¼ cup candied pecans or walnuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Wash and wrap beets in foil, bake at 400 for 60 minutes. Let cool completely (several hours).
2. Wearing kitchen gloves, rub the beets gently and the skin will fall right off.
3. Clean up the beet tips.
4. Chop into bite sized chunks.
5. Add crumbled blue cheese, chopped turkish apricots and (optional) the chopped, candied pecans.
6. Drizzle with good quality balsamic vinaigrette (I use fig) and sprinkle a tad of salt and pepper.

Prep time: 20 minutes of before and after baking time; 60 minutes to bake

Serves: 4

Phyllo Spinach Fish Pie

Ingredients:

• 12 -14 ounces tilapia fillets
• Zest and juice of one lime
• 1 bag prewashed baby leaf spinach
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup crème fraiche
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaf, chopped
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup cashew nuts, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh grated nutmeg, to taste
• 5 sheets phyllo pastry
• Olive oil, for brushing
• 4 tablespoons panko
• 4 -6 ounces mild brie cheese
• 2 tomatoes, sliced or 10 cherry tomatoes, halved

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cube the fish, sprinkle with limejuice and set aside.
3. Mix together the spinach, eggs, sour cream, basil, green onions, garlic and cashews, and the zest of the lime.
4. Add seasonings to taste.
5. Brush a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with olive oil.
6. Brush a sheet of phyllo with olive oil, layer in the baking dish, sprinkle with some breadcrumbs, repeat with all the sheets overlapping each time and using the breadcrumbs; you will have lots of pastry hanging over the side of the dish.
7. Drain the fish, mix gently with the spinach mixture and pour in the pastry-lined dish.
8. Top with the cheese and then the tomatoes.
9. Roll the overhanging pastry up and over the edge of the dish, ending up with a tight roll all the way around the pie, then brush the pastry roll with olive oil.
10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, let stand for 5 minutes, before cutting into squares.

Prep time: 35 minutes, Bake time: 30 – 35 minutes

Serves: 4

Roasted Artichokes

Ingredients:

• 6 Artichokes
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Dried thyme
• 12 Garlic clove
• 2 lemons, thinly sliced

Preparation:

1.    Choose artichokes that are 3 to 4 1/2 inches wide. Break off and discard small outer leaves. With a knife, slice off artichoke tips. With scissors, snip thorn tips from remaining leaves. Trim dark base from stem ends and, with a knife, peel coarse fibers from stems and artichoke bottoms.

2.   Place trimmed artichokes into boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and let cool for comfortable handling. Cut artichokes in half lengthwise.

3.   Choose a pan in which the artichokes fit close together in a single layer (6 halves fit in a 9- by 13-in. pan); if there are large spaces, the juices will scorch.

4.   For each artichoke, pour 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil into pan and add 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme. Roll artichokes in oil to coat, and turn cut sides down. Slide 1 thin lemon slice and 1 peeled garlic clove under each artichoke half. Seal pan with foil.

5.    Bake in a 375º oven until artichoke bottoms are tender when pierced, 40 to 50 minutes.

6.   Turn artichokes over for 5 more minutes of roasting, center-side up.

Prep time: 20 minutes, cook time 60 minutes

Serves: 6

Artichoke Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup(s) mayonnaise, light
• 1 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
• 1/4 cup(s) lemon juice, fresh
• 1 tablespoon mustard, dijon-style
• 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, black ground, freshly ground

Preparation:

1.    Blend all the ingredients together, season to taste preference.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

Roasted asparagus

Ingredients:

• Fresh asparagus
• Garlic, chopped
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1.    Wash asparagus spears and allow the stems to dry. Trim woody bottoms of stems.

2.   Place stems on baking tray. Sprinkle chopped garlic over stems.

3.   Drizzle with olive oil. Using your fingers, spread olive oil and garlic pieces throughout stems.

4.   Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

5.   Bake in 350 oven for 2 minutes, turn stems over, and bake for 2 more minutes.

Prep time: 10 minutes, roast time: 5 minutes

Serves: 3

Red Pepper Cashew Sauce, for Asparagus dipping

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dry roasted cashews
• 1 medium red pepper chopped into 2 inch pieces (seeds and stem removed)
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp chopped shallot

Preparation:

1.    Blend all ingredients together.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Serving size: about 2 cups

Dessert: Pears with crème fraiche and bananas with chocolate sauce

Ingredients:

• Ripe pears, sliced and peeled
• Crème fraiche, seeasned with fresh nutmeg, a drop of vanilla, or cinnamon

Preparation:

1.    Get cozy with your sweetie.

2.   Slowly run sliced pear through crème fraiche dipping sauce.

3.   Feed to your sweetie.

4.   Lick your fingers.

5.    Repeat.

Ingredients:

• Firm bananas, peeled and slice into strips
• Dark chocolate
• ½ cup cream

Preparation:

1.    Melt chocolate in a double boiler and allow it to cool, until tepid.

2.    Blend in the whipping cream, mixing well and serve.

3.   Eat and enjoy following pear recipe!

This is the meal that we will be cooking up later this week at In the Kitchen at the Cooking for Heart Lovers Class. Yum!