Stir-frying Vegetables

You’ve decided to a prepare a healthy stir-fry from scratch, using ingredients you have on hand.

Not sure whether a certain vegetable is a good candidate for stir-frying?

It all comes down to the density and moisture level of the vegetable.

High moisture vegetables that are not too hard, like zucchini, sweet peppers, spinach and mung bean sprouts, can be quickly stir-fried at high heat without the addition of extra liquid.
Denser, low moisture vegetables like broccoli and carrots, on the other hand, require more cooking time. Most recipes call for the vegetables to be stir-fried briefly and then boiled in a liquid such as chicken broth.

Another option is to briefly blanch the vegetables prior to stir-frying.

Many vegetables fall somewhere between these two extremes. Snow peas (also called sugar peas and snap peas) have medium moisture levels and thickness – they can be stir-fried dry or finished in a sauce. Asparagus, on the other hand, is a high moisture vegetable but relatively hard and thick – liquid is usually added.

More Tips on Stir-frying Vegetables:

For all vegetables, cut them into uniform size before stir-frying. This ensures that they will cook evenly.

Be sure the vegetables are thoroughly drained before stir-frying. (A good tip is to wash the vegetables and leave them to drain earlier in the day). Wet vegetables can ruin a stir-fry.
On the other hand, if vegetables become too dry during stir-frying, they can burn. To prevent this, splash them with a bit of Chinese rice wine, dry sherry, or water while stir-frying.

Keep moving the vegetables during stir-frying. This also helps prevent them burning.

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Cooking Tilapia

It is given that baking is the most popular form of cooking tilapia; however, many people are not aware of the proper way of baking tilapia in order to get the most out of it.

In order to be well acquainted with the proper cooking of tilapia, it is good to start by introducing three types of methods to bake tilapia. The first is with the use of garlic and olive oil.

The ingredients are: four tilapia fillets, four cloves of crushed garlic, a chopped onion, three tablespoons of olive oil, and a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Before cooking the fillets, make sure to pat them dry first.

Afterwards, rub the fish with garlic and then organize them in a bowl. Add olive oil and top with onion. Then place the tilapia inside the refrigerator for six to eight hours.

Preheat the oven to 175° Celsius or 350° Fahrenheit.

While you are preheating the oven, remove the tilapia from the refrigerator and arrange onto a baking dish.

At this point, pour the remaining marinade onto the fish and season with a quarter teaspoon of white pepper and a quarter teaspoon of cayenne black pepper. Once done, place the baking dish with the tilapia inside the oven and cook it for 30 minutes. After cooking, serve immediately while it is still hot.

The second baking method for tilapia is the “easy baked” tilapia.

Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Prepare four tilapia fillets, one and a half teaspoons of garlic powder, a pinch of salt, three tablespoons of melted butter, three tablespoons of lemon juice, half a teaspoon of dried oregano, a pinch of paprika and two tablespoons of drained capers. After preparing all your ingredients, place the fish onto a baking dish followed by mixing lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and butter into a container. This time, you can pour the added mixture of oregano, paprika and capers. Bake the fish for 20 to 30 minutes. You can serve the baked tilapia with rice or as is, especially if you are on a low-carb diet.

The third method of baking tilapia is the Hudson’s baked tilapia with dill sauce.

For this baking method, you need four ounces of tilapia fillets, pepper, salt, one tablespoon of any seasoning powder, a quarter cup of mayonnaise, half a cup of sour cream, one lemon sliced thinly, half a quarter teaspoon on garlic powder, two tablespoons of chopped fresh dill and one teaspoon of fresh lemon juice.

First, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit or 175° Celsius. After that, grease the baking dish lightly. Follow by seasoning the fillets with salt, pepper, and seasoning powder according to taste. Once you are done, arrange the fillets into a single layer on the baking dish. Now, place the sliced lemons over the fillets. It is recommended that you use only two slices for every piece of fillet to make sure that it covers most of the surface. At this time, you can start baking the fillets for 15 to 20 minutes uncovered. If the fish can be easily flaked with a fork, remove it from the oven. While the fillets are still inside the oven, prepare a mixture of sour cream, lemon juice, mayonnaise, garlic powder and dill in a bowl.

When the tilapia is cooked, serve it together with the sauce.

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Indoor Grilling

With indoor grilling, you can whip up healthy grilled food no matter what the weather.

After a summer enjoying your favorite grilled foods, it’s hard to give them up, isn’t it? You can get a nice grilled flavor without the outdoors fuss with favorite the indoor grill.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard of at least one particular brand of indoor grill — the George Foreman grills. These two-sided electric grills have detachable, nonstick plates (top and bottom) with raised edges that make the traditional grill marks. This type of grill has been around for about 10 years, each year bringing new models and new improvements.

If you’re looking to do indoor grilling, there are basically two things you need to know: whether it makes a difference to you if the temperature is adjustable (some grills have only one heat setting), and how much grilling space you need.

Some grills have enough space to cook for four, others with enough to prepare just two servings.

There are two styles of electric grills to choose from: The open grill, on which the food is cooked from the bottom and needs to be flipped, and the contact grill, where the lid cooks the topside of the food. Here are some details about both:

1. Open Grill Style. If you get this type of indoor grill, make sure you choose one that comes with a lid (most of them do).

It gives you more indoor grilling options and keeps the smoke and steam contained.

Some examples of the open grill are the DeLonghi Alfredo Healthy Grill BG24 and the DeLonghi Perfecto Indoor Grill, the Sanyo Smokeless Indoor Grill, and the BonJour Power 1800 Reversible Grill and Griddle.

2. Contact Grill Style. Make sure the top and bottom grill pieces detach easily so you can easily wash them by hand or in the dishwasher. And here’s a bonus: a contact grill easily doubles as a panini sandwich maker. Some brands include Cuisinart Griddler GR-4, George Foreman, Hamilton Beach MealMaker Express Grill, and the Krups Universal Grill and Panini Maker.

The contact grill is particularly good at cooking:

fish fillets
steaks
pork chops
hamburgers
vegetables

Is Indoor Grilling Safer?

You may have read that outdoor grills can produce chemicals (heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) that increase your risk of certain cancers. And the smoke from burning coals and dripping fat just add to the danger.

Think about it — using an indoor electric grill eliminates the burning coals, the smoke, and the dripping fat that cause those nasty flare-ups.

Is Indoor Grilling Healthier?

Most contact grills are designed with a slant so liquids drip from the food, off the grill, and into a tray. But I’ve found that it’s mostly watery juices from the meat or vegetables I’m grilling that end up dripping off. If you start with lean meat, there will be precious little fat collecting in the tray.

And I’ve got to say if you’re grilling meat with some visible fat in an outdoor grill, the same amount of “fat” is probably going to drip off there, too. There just isn’t a tray to show you how much liquid melted off.

Indoor Grilling Recipes

Here are a handful of recipes to help you think outside the indoor grilling box. There’s a rub for pork chops, an easy rendition of an old favorite (chicken Parmesan), and a new way to cook up portabella mushrooms.

Sweet & Spicy Pork Chops

You’ll have about 5 teaspoons of the rub left over for another time. If you don’t want to use Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, use 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar instead.

So, what do you think; can indoor grilling be for you? YES!

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New Year’s Eve Party Ideas

New Year’s Eve Decorations

Creating “vice stations” with all the indulgences people tend to give up in their New Year’s resolution is a cool, easy way to decorate for your party. Fill a candy table with clear glass jars of colorful candies and scoopers and bags where guests can fill their own.

For a cookie and dessert buffet, load platters of different size and heights with your favorite desserts on another table. If video games are your guilty pleasure, set up a gaming area. And if your goal is to quit smoking in the New Year, set up a retro smoking area (outside and away from non-smokers, natch) with upscale ashtrays and cigarette holders.

Here are more ways to spark your creativity however you choose to spend the holiday:

Wild New Year’s Eve Cocktail Party

Since you’re not planning a sit-down affair, you have room to adorn tables with funky hats, party poppers, tiaras, noisemakers and streamers. And since New Year’s is second only to Valentine’s Day in kisses, leave baskets of mints in your bathroom to get everybody ready for action.

Start your party with a bang by putting a large bowl of party poppers by the front door. As they arrive, guests get a gift and a great conversation starter. Not only do they have to look for someone to open the popper with, they’re then armed with the corny joke and goofy party hat usually packed inside.

Snack bowls placed strategically around your home are handy for keeping guests munching without having to fight the crowds at a snack table. Fill some bowls with confetti and place them within easy throwing reach for midnight.

Glitzy New Year’s Eve Dinner Party

As guests arrive, greet them from the cold with a room lit by candles. Blowing out the candles when it’s time to eat not only gives guests a clear signal to sit down at the table, it also hides any mess in that area.

Set your table with shimmering black-and-silver accessories — napkins, napkin holders, chargers, runners and vases. These set an elegant, old-Hollywood tone and are easy to coordinate with your all-white basics. Use a decorative clock as your centerpiece. This clever finishing touch is holiday-appropriate and helps ensure that you don’t miss the countdown.

Get the group excited for the ball drop by artfully displaying party hats and noise makers around your TV area. Keep your guests comfortable with lots of floor pillows if there aren’t enough seats.

Sophisticated New Year’s Day Brunch

A fancy but low-key brunch on New Year’s Day is a great way to welcome the brand-new year. Tasteful, understated decorations in icy-cool silver tones are a welcome break from the glitziness of the night before.

Although sparkling wine is the signature drink of the previous evening, splurge on nice champagne glasses for your brunch (plastic is fine, especially if you’ve invited a lot of people). Whether you use them for mimosas or just straight juice, a nice glass makes everything taste better.

Make your buffet table the focal point by dressing it with a silver tablecloth. A sprinkling of silver stars on the table or a tiara or horn incorporated into a flower arrangement are a nice, subtle reminder of the holiday.

For visual interest, put your dishes in bowls and platters of varying heights. Not only will each dish stand out better, you’ll be able to fit more on the table, and guests will have an easier time reaching dishes simultaneously.

Champagne

Sparkling wine is a must on New Year’s Eve, but do you know the basics on bubblies?

Our Champagne primer will tell you everything you need to know before you pop the cork.

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Activities

You can’t just sing “Auld Lang Syne” all night and wait for the ball to drop. To get your guests mingling, plan a poker tournament or crank up the Wii.

Organized activities that are fun both to watch and play are a great way for guests to get to know each other, which frees up the party hosts from having to make introductions and keep people entertained.

Food

Fortunately, sparkling wine pairs with everything, so your New Year’s menu is limited only by your imagination. Each of these three inspiring menus is a decadent way to take you from the old year and into the new.

New Year’s Day brunch

You can never have enough champagne. In addition to classic eye-openers like mimosas, dress your dishes in champagne sauces and vinaigrettes made with champagne vinegar.

Southern tradition dictates that eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will bring you luck and prosperity for the whole year. If you serve black-eyed peas with delicious jerk pork, your guests will feel very lucky indeed.
Decadent dinner party

You know you’re going to try to eat healthfully in the New Year, so live it up before then. New Year’s is the night to indulge in all of your favorite gutbombs. When you’re planning your party menu, think of all the foods that make guests go “Oooh” when you bust them out. Be sure to satisfy all sorts of cravings — from salty and sweet to sour and spicy, in any number of magical combinations.

Crowd-pleasing snacks don’t have to be complicated: An assortment of chips with bowls of creamy and spicy dips start the night off right. For dinner, indulge in favorites like mac and cheese, fried chicken, buffalo wings and mashed potatoes with gravy.

When it comes to dessert, think bold combinations and splashy presentation, like a multi-layer ice cream cake, an over-the-top trifle, frosted brownies and banana splits.

Wash it down with a spiked milkshake cocktail. To make, add coffee liqueur to a chocolate shake, and spice up a vanilla milkshake with vanilla vodka or a shot of rum.
Cocktails & hors d’oeuvres

A dollop of caviar goes a long way to adding great fishy flavor and sophistication to your menu.

Skewers made with meat and/or vegetables are easy to eat and to serve. Leave out a bowl or glass where guests can deposit the wooden skewers after licking them clean.

Chocolate is never wrong, especially when it’s flavored with nuts or coconut and rolled up into a delicious truffle.

New Years Eve Drinks

Juice up your sparkling wine with these champagne cocktails. A Kir Royale is the perfect twist for bumping up your bubbly.
Kir Royale

5 parts champagne
1 part crème de cassis

Pour crème de cassis first, then top with champagne.

So there you have a few ideas to make your New Year’s Eve party lots of fun!

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SALMON RECIPES.

Boiled salmon.

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Ingredients:- 6 oz. of salt to each gallon of water, sufficient water to cover the fish.

Mode:- Scale and clean the fish, and be particular that no blood is left inside; lay it in the fish-kettle with sufficient cold water to cover it, adding salt in the above proportion. Bring it quickly to a boil, take off all the scum, and let it simmer gently till the fish is done, which will be when the meat separates easily from the bone. Experience alone can teach the cook to fix the time for boiling fish; but it is especially to be remembered, that it should never be underdressed, as then nothing is more unwholesome. Neither let it remain in the kettle after it is sufficiently cooked, as that would render it insipid, watery, and colourless. Drain it, and if not wanted for a few minutes, keep it warm by means of warm cloths laid over it. Serve on a hot napkin, garnish with cut lemon and parsley, and send lobster or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter to table with it. A dish of dressed cucumber usually accompanies this fish.

Time. 8 minutes to each lb. for large thick salmon; 6 minutes for thin fish.

Note. Cut lemon should be put on the table with this fish; and a little of the juice squeezed over it is considered by many persons a most agreeable addition. Boiled peas are also, by some connoisseurs, considered especially adapted to be served with salmon.

Salmon and caper sauce.

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Ingredients:- 2 slices of salmon, 1/4 lb. batter, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, 1 shalot; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste.

Mode:- Lay the salmon in a baking-dish, place pieces of butter over it, and add the other ingredients, rubbing a little of the seasoning into the fish; baste it frequently; when done, take it out and drain for a minute or two; lay it in a dish, pour caper sauce over it, and serve. Salmon dressed in this way, with tomato sauce, is very delicious.

Time. About 3/4 hour.

Collared salmon.

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Ingredients:- A piece of salmon, say 3 lbs., a high seasoning of salt, pounded mace, and pepper; water and vinegar, 3 bay-leaves.

Mode:- Split the fish; scale, bone, and wash it thoroughly clean; wipe it, and rub in the seasoning inside and out; roll it up, and bind firmly; lay it in a kettle, cover it with vinegar and water (1/3 vinegar, in proportion to the water); add the bay-leaves and a good seasoning of salt and whole pepper, and simmer till done. Do not remove the lid. Serve with melted butter or anchovy sauce. For preserving the collared fish, boil up the liquor in which it was cooked, and add a little more vinegar. Pour over when cold.

Time. 3/4 hour, or rather more.

Curried salmon.

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Ingredients:- Any remains of boiled salmon, 3/4 pint of strong or medium stock, 1 onion, 1 tablespoonful of curry-powder, 1 teaspoonful of Harvey’s sauce, 1 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, 1 oz. of butter, the juice of 1/2 lemon, cayenne and salt to taste.

Mode:- Cut up the onions into small pieces, and fry them of a pale brown in the butter; add all the ingredients but the salmon, and simmer gently till the onion is tender, occasionally stirring the contents; cut the salmon into small square pieces, carefully take away all skin and bone, lay it in the stewpan, and let it gradually heat through; but do not allow it to boil long.

Time. 3/4 hour.

Salmon cutlets.

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Cut the slices 1 inch thick, and season them with pepper and salt; butter a sheet of white paper, lay each slice on a separate piece, with their ends twisted; broil gently over a clear fire, and serve with anchovy or caper sauce. When higher seasoning is required, add a few chopped herbs and a little spice.

Time. 5 to 10 minutes.

Salmon a la genevese.

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Ingredients:- 2 slices of salmon, 2 chopped shalots, a little parsley, a small bunch of herbs, 2 bay-leaves, 2 carrots, pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, 4 tablespoonfuls of Madeira, 1/2 pint of white stock, thickening of butter and flour, 1 teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, the juice of 1 lemon, cayenne and salt to taste.

Mode:- Rub the bottom of a stewpan over with butter, and put in the shalots, herbs, bay-leaves, carrots, mace, and seasoning; stir them for 10 minutes over a clear fire, and add the Madeira or sherry; simmer gently for 1/2 hour, and strain through a sieve over the fish, which stew in this gravy. As soon as the fish is sufficiently cooked, take away all the liquor, except a little to keep the salmon moist, and put it into another stewpan; add the stock, thicken with butter and flour, and put in the anchovies, lemon-juice, cayenne, and salt; lay the salmon on a hot dish, pour over it part of the sauce, and serve the remainder in a tureen.

Time. 1-1/4 hour.

And there you have it, a few salmon recipies for the ordinary cook.

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Recipes With Rosemary

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs – its clean, spiky scent pervading my kitchen takes me to the South of France on a warm summer’s day.

It is the hardiest plant in my herb garden, surviving our driest summers and putting out new growth as soon as the winter rains begin. You can pick from it all year round and it has useful medicinal properties too.

I love Roast Lamb with generous amounts of rosemary and garlic tucked underneath as it cooks or else I take Nigella Lawson’s advice and mince the garlic and rosemary to a paste with some olive oil and tuck it into small incisions in the meat before cooking.

After that the meat just cooks itself (as long as you remember to switch on the oven for it!) and you have a marvellous Sunday lunch for very little effort. A dash of red wine added to the juices from the roasting dish and warmed through gives you a ‘jus’ that any five star restaurant would be proud to own – do spoon off the excess fat first though. For a totally low effort lunch serve the roast lamb with a generous green salad and boiled new potatoes, or expend the effort you’ve saved with the meat on producing loads of crispy roast potatoes, baked butternut squash and tender green peas.

The following rosemary with pasta sauce recipe came from experimenting with a recipe from Marcella Hazan’s Marcella’s Kitchen.

To her tomato and rosemary pasta sauce I added some tuna to create a nutritious and delicious meal for my kids – the balsamic vinegar gives a mellow, rounded note to the sauce and is not in the least overpowering as I thought it might be.

Penne with Tuna, Tomato, Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar

For 450g/1lb pasta
8 tablespoons olive oil
3 or 4 cloves garlic
2 sprigs rosemary
450g/1lb tinned tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tin of tuna drained

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Put the olive oil, thinly sliced garlic and rosemary sprigs in a frying pan over a medium heat.

When the garlic starts sizzling add the tomatoes, with salt and pepper and cook for 10-12 minutes.

When the pasta is just cooked – really al dente – drain and put back in the pan and toss with the sauce over the heat for 1 minute. Add the tuna, stir, then off the heat stir in the balsamic vinegar and serve immediately.

There is a wonderful recipe for a Rosemary Cake in Nigella Lawson’s book ‘Feast’.

She allocates it to her Funeral Feast section, as rosemary has always been the herb of rememberance, but this cake is great for any occasion when a light, not too sweet, plain sponge is required. It has apple in it too and the combination of that and the rosemary, gives a moist but aromatic cake. A long sprig of rosemary adorns the top of the cake and as it cooks releases more aromatic oils into the cake. Try it.

To make use of the health boosting properties of rosemary try a cup of rosemary herbal tea.

One sprig with a cup of boiling water poured over it and left to stand for five to ten minutes, makes a revitalising and stress-relieving tea. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and aids circulation, helps with stress, anxiety and depression and improves memory and concentration. It also is a useful source of easily absorbed calcium, far more effective than taking pills.

So plant a rosemary bush in your garden or in a pot on a balcony for your own free, energy-boosting calcium supplement!

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Edible Flowers

Edible flowers are flowers that can be eaten.

Edible flowers may be preserved for future use using techniques such as drying, freezing or steeping in oil. They can be used in drinks, jellies, salads, soups, syrups and main dishes.

Flower-flavoured oils and vinegars are made by steeping edible flower petals in these liquids.

Candied flowers are crystallized using egg white and sugar (as a preservative).
Flowers have traditionally been used in many types of cooking: European, Asian, East Indian, Victorian English, and Middle Eastern. Early American settlers also used flowers as food.

Today, there is a renewed interest in edible flowers for their taste, color, and fragrance.

Edible flowers can be used fresh as a garnish or as an integral part of a dish, such as a salad. Squash flowers can be fried in light batter or cornmeal. Some flowers can be stuffed or used in stir-fry dishes. Edible flowers can be candied; frozen in ice cubes and added to beverages; made into jellies and jams; used to make teas or wines; minced and added to cheese spreads, herbal butters, pancakes, crepes, and waffles.

Many edible flowers can be used to make vinegars for cooking, marinades, or dressings for salad.

Herbal flowers normally have the same flavor as their leaves, with the exceptions of chamomile and lavender blossoms, where the flavor is usually more subtle.

Pesticides for use on fruits and vegetables have undergone extensive testing to determine the waiting period between treatment and harvest and potential residuals on food. Pesticides used on flowers and ornamentals have not been evaluated to determine their safety on food crops. Do not eat flowers from florists, nurseries, garden centers, or flowers found on the side of the road. Consume only flowers that you or someone else have grown specifically for that purpose. If you have hay fever, asthma or allergies, it best not to eat flowers since many allergies are due to sensitivity to pollen of specific plants. It’s best to introduce flowers into your diet one at a time and in small quantities.

Growing Edible Flowers

Growing edible flowers is essentially the same as growing flowers for ornamental purposes.

Most flowers require a well-drained soil with a pH around 5.5 to 6. Soil test. Use a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch to reduce weeds, conserve soil moisture, maintain uniform soil temperatures, and reduce the amount of soil splashed onto the plant during a heavy rain. Irrigate to keep plants actively growing and flowering; most plants will need 1 inch of water per week. If possible, avoid overhead irrigation because moisture on the leaf surface for extended periods of time can increase the chances of disease development. Irrigating with a soaker hose works well.

Chemicals for pest control for edible flowers should be avoided, if possible.

Hand-pick harmful insects. Beneficial insects, such as lady beetles and praying mantids, can be used to decrease insect populations. Growing different flowers together provides diversity to support a good beneficial insect population and keeps pest problems low. Many gardeners locate their edible flower garden away from other plants to avoid chemical spray drift.

Many edible flowers can be successfully grown in containers.

Harvesting Edible Flowers

Flavor can vary with growing conditions and cultivars. Conduct a taste test before harvesting large amounts of a particular flower. Flowers should be picked in the cool of the day, after the dew has evaporated.

For maximum flavor choose edible flowers at their peak.

Avoid flowers that are not fully open or that are past their prime. To maintain maximum freshness, keep flowers cool after harvest. Long-stem flowers should be placed in a container of water. Short-stemmed flowers, such as borage and orange blossoms, should be harvested within 3 to 4 hours of use, placed in a plastic bag, and stored in a refrigerator. Damp paper towels placed in the plastic bag will help maintain high humidity.

Because pollen can distract from the flavor, it’s best to remove the pistils and stamens. Pollen may cause an allergic reaction for some people. Remove the sepals of all flowers except violas, Johnny-jump-ups, and pansies.

For edible flowers such as calendula, chrysanthemum, lavender, rose, tulip, and yucca, only the flower petals are edible.

The white base of the petal of many flowers may have a bitter taste and should be removed from flowers such as chrysanthemums, dianthus, marigolds, and roses.

Now that you know a little something about edible flowers, bon apetit!

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A Summer Appetizer

No matter the time of year, I always appreciate an appetizer I can serve that looks awesome, tastes wonderful and can be prepared ahead of serving time.

During the summer, bruschetta is my choice. Bruschetta (bruce-KEHTA), toasted slices of baguette, serve as small crunchy, yet chewy plates that can be topped with just about whatever you can think of. Typically, the first thing that comes to mind is the traditional Italian topping of tomatoes, garlic and basil. I like to add fresh mozzarella to that topping. When fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes are available, this topping can’t be beat.

Sweet bell peppers are also approaching their seasonal peak in my area and also make a great appetizer.

I buy several green and red peppers at the farmers market, roast them and once sliced, I marinate them in an olive oil and vinegar mixture, along with some minced fresh basil and parsley. The marinating peppers can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. I like to pile the marinated peppers onto bruschetta that’s been slathered with Creamy Cheese Spread, a mixture of goat cheese, cream cheese and gorgonzola or blue cheese. When I don’t have bruschetta, I like the cheese spread and marinated peppers on tortilla chips. It’s a wonderful medley of texture and flavors.

Marinated Pepper Topping makes a winning topping for grilled hamburgers, too. Try melting some fresh mozzarella on the burger before piling on the marinated peppers. It’s crazy delicious.

The Bruschetta Appetizer with Creamy Cheese Spread and Marinated Pepper Topping can be assembled just before guests arrive and arranged on a platter.

Or, do what I do. Put the bruschetta, the cheese spread and the marinated peppers out so guests can assemble their own appetizer. They’ll love it. And, they’ll love you for serving this amazing summer appetizer.

Marinated Roasted Pepper Topping

3 large red bell peppers
3 large green bell peppers
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 chubby garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Wash peppers and place on foil-lined baking sheet. Place under broiler as close to the heat source as possible. As the peppers blister and blacken, turn them often. When peppers are uniformly charred, remove from oven and immediately transfer to large glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the peppers to steam for at least 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Peel the skin off the peppers and remove any seeds and membrane. Slice the peppers into 1/2-inch thick strips. Place in a glass bowl. Mix with remaining ingredients. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving. (The peppers can also be roasted on the grill over hot coals.) Makes about 2 cups.

Creamy Cheese Spread

4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
A little half-and-half for thinning, if needed

Combine all cheeses in a food processor or with a handheld electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add a little half-and-half to the mixture to thin if it is too thick. Chill, covered, for up to 3 weeks.

Bruschetta

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 long baguette

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons olive oil with minced garlic. Slice the baguette diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Use a pastry brush to coat one side of each slice with garlic olive oil. Toast both sides of prepared bread slices on the grill over hot coals, with the olive oil side down first. Transfer from grill to serving platter. This can be done earlier in the day you plan to serve the bruschetta.

To serve this appetizer: Slather toasted baguette slices (bruschetta) with Creamy Cheese Spread. Top with Marinated Roasted Pepper Topping.

Blueberry Salsa

Blueberry Salsa Sparkles with Flavor!

Pepper in fruit salsa?

If you think it sounds odd, just try this colorful salsa. Blended with blueberries and other fruit, dashes of red and black pepper add just enough heat to kindle a delicious combination.
Serve this lively flavored sauce with ice cream and pound cake, as shown here. Or try it as a side with smoked ham, grilled pork chops or chicken.
Fresh blueberries are available year round and are most abundant in midsummer-ready to blend into smoothies, toss into your favorite chicken salad, or sprinkle over lemon meringue or cream pie. You should know that blueberries are loaded with antioxidants. Studies show that antioxidants may help reduce the buildup of cholesterol that contributes to cardiovascular disease, stroke and other age-related diseases.

Spicy Blueberry-Fruit Salsa

4 cups fresh blueberries
11/2 cups diced mixed fruit (such as melon, grapes, pineapple or kiwi)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
In a small bowl, combine blueberries, mixed fruit, sugar, lime juice, lime peel, allspice, red and black peppers and salt. Serve immediately or refrigerate covered, up to 4 hours.
Yield: 51/2 cups
Per half-cup portion: 55 calories, 0 g fat, 14 g carbohydrate.

Mildly spiced blueberry salsa adds zest to dessert.

Tips For Spicing Up Seafood

The allure of exotic spices launched Columbus on his journey of discovery. Today, home chefs can explore new taste sensations by using spices and other flavorful ingredients to add a new world of flavor to fresh fish and seafood.
“There’s nothing like the fresh flavors of herbs and spices for cutting unhealthy calories without sacrificing taste,” said Red Lobster Executive Chef Michael LaDuke, who offers the following simple tips for enhancing the natural flavor of fresh fish and seafood:

World of Seafood Flavors:

An easy recipe that turns fresh fish into an exotic dish is topping tilapia with a mixture of soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, fresh ginger, garlic and cilantro. To produce a richer flavor, make the soy sauce mixture at least 24 hours in advance and refrigerate the sauce overnight. Serve the sauce at room temperature or slightly warmed. With its sweet, mild taste and firm, flaky texture, tilapia will soak up the flavors and take on a deliciously Asian flair.
If you prefer a delicately flavorful fish such as halibut, complement its medium-to-firm texture with bold spice blends such as curry or chili.

Healthy Oils for Seafood:

The key to making flavorful oils for a simply elegant and heart-healthy meal is to add herbs and spices, such as basil, garlic, salt and pepper, to olive oil over a low heat on the stove, similar to making tea. This allows you to adjust the intensity of the flavor. After heating the olive oil, strain the mixture and remove the herbs and spices. For a special touch, place the olive oil on your table surrounded by sprigs of the fresh herbs and spices.
Be adventurous! Add a variety of flavorful herbs and spices to your oil mixture, such as exotic peppers, chives, dill, lemongrass or mint. If you serve olive oil over salmon, you’ll also enjoy the heart-health benefits of essential omega-3 fatty acids found in this delicious fish.

Cooking Seafood With Wine:

Wine is not only good for drinking, it’s also great for cooking. Pour white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc, over a firm white fish like mahi-mahi and season it with chili powder to intensify the flavor. Mahi-mahi is light enough to bring out the crisp citrus taste of this popular wine. But remember, your sauce will be only as good as the wine you choose, so always cook with a wine you enjoy drinking.

Adding Some Zest to Seafood:

Add the tangy flavor of citrus by generously squeezing lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit juices over your favorite fish or seafood and garnishing with freshly grated zest. When using fruit zests as a garnish, it is best to slightly poach them beforehand in sugar water, as raw zests can taste bitter.
For quick, tasty meals, make a citrus butter ahead of time by combining melted butter and citrus juices, cooling the mixture and storing it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Citrus juices mixed with melted butter also make great dipping sauces for succulent lobster and shrimp.
Studies show eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon, at least twice a week is good for the heart.

Using an array of herbs and spices offers endless opportunities to bring out the best in all varieties of fresh fish and seafood.