12 Saturday Mar 2016
Posted in dressings and vinaigrettes, Recipes
Tags
Beautifully Simple!!
FRENCH WALNUT OIL VINAIGRETTE
4 tablespoons Roasted Walnut Oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from La Tourangelle
08 Tuesday Dec 2015
Tags
balsamic, basil, easy, family, fast, fresh, friends, healthy, Italian, mozzarella cheese pearls, quick
While visiting with family over Thanksgiving, we got to hear lots of fun and fabulous stories about their summer adventures. They spent some time in Italy, where their youngest developed a taste for Balsamic Vinegar, and Caprese salads were served at almost every evening meal.
The wonderful combination of fresh basil and tomatoes, creamy mozzarella and tangy balsamic sounded so appealing, I made sure to have all the ingredients on hand once we returned home.
INSALATA CAPRESE
1 (10-ounce) package of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 carton (8-ounces) of fresh mozzarella cheese pearls
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
balsamic vinegar
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, mozzarella cheese pearls and olives. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving, drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, December 2015
16 Monday Mar 2015
Posted in Recipes, Vegetables
Tags
balsamic, De Nigris, goat cheese, left overs, roasted, Salad, vegetable, vinegar, watermelon radish
Content sponsored by #DeNigris1889; all opinions are my own.
I am usually a precise and meticulous recipe follower – and I don’t like to waste food. However, as is the nature of cooking, a recipe may use a little bit of an ingredient leaving a lot left over, or there will just be a lot of left overs from a meal.
Oftentimes I will search for another recipe to use up an ingredient we have an abundance of, but I definitely need to get better about doing that and being more creative with repurposing leftovers. My favorite ways to use left overs are chopping them into omelets and soups, spooning them on top of baked potatoes or soft polenta, or stacking them into sandwiches.
My husband was out of town for a conference this past week, and I had invited a friend over, thinking it would be easier to entertain at home than try and find a sitter and go out. We had been attempting to get together for a while, but our schedules and the kids numerous activities had made it difficult to find a time.
I mixed an aperitif and set out an appetizer, then, as our conversation continued, what was going to be a cocktail and quick catch up, turned into a sit-down meal.
I had roasted different vegetables during the week for a variety of dishes – and after warming them in the oven, they came together beautifully with the addition of the De Nigris Balsamic Vinegar, olive oil and sprinkle of cheese. The left overs transformed into a whole new, exciting dish, creating the perfect dinner. It enabled me to serve a friend a delicious and delightful meal, with minimal preparation, fuss and time, while our conversation expanded and lengthened.
ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD WITH DE NIGRIS BALSAMIC VINEGAR
– Plating the Roasted Vegetable Salad at the Counter
– Left overs transformed and on the Table in a matter of minutes
2 to 3 cups of roasted vegetables (I used golden beets, red beets, butternut squash, red peppers, zucchini, yellow squash and carrots)
2 watermelon radishes, sliced
arugula
crumbled goat cheese
De Nigris balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
rosemary sprig
Warm roasted vegetables if desired. Stack on plate with radishes and arugula. Sprinkle with goat cheese, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with a rosemary sprig.
Enjoy!
12 Monday Jan 2015
Posted in Appetizers
Although I could swear I had never heard of The National Championship before today, I’m sure, at some time, I have unwittingly watched a game, and served the appropriate, tasty, fun, Football watching, finger foods.
GRILLED PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED SHRIMP WITH MARSALA GLAZE
3 cups Marsala
3/4 cup currant jelly
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
15 prosciutto slices, each about 3 X 7 inches, cut lengthwise in half
30 large uncooked shrimp, peeled, tails left intact, deveined
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
Boil Marsala, currant jelly and balsamic vinegar in a heavy medium saucepan, until reduced to 1 1/3 cups, about 15 minutes. Cool glaze for 15 minutes.
Spray a grill rack with nonstick spray, prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place 1 prosciutto strip (1/2 slice) on work surface. Dip 1 shrimp into glaze, place almost at the end of one strip. Sprinkle with thyme. Wrap prosciutto around shrimp, enclosing completely. Dip into glaze, place on platter. Repeat with remaining prosciutto, shrimp and thyme and glaze as needed. Grill shrimp 2 minutes (I cooked mine in the oven under the broiler), brush with glaze. Turn shrimp over, brush with glaze. Grill until shrimp are opaque in the center and prosciutto is crispy, about 2 minutes longer.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2006
24 Monday Nov 2014
Posted in Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetables
Tags
acorn squash, almond, bacon, balsamic, cauliflower, green beans, maple, olive, ranch
Delicious ideas for Thanksgiving sides to compliment your Turkey.
BALSAMIC MAPLE ACORN SQUASH
Heat oven to 400F. Cut 1 acorn squash lengthwise in half, remove and discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut sides down on a cutting board. Cut each half crosswise into 6 slices, place in a large bowl. Mix 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg until blended. Add to the squash, toss to evenly coat. Spread onto a foil-covered rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, or until squash is tender, turning after 25 minutes.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Kraft Foods
OLIVE ALMOND GREEN BEANS
Cook 1 pound of trimmed green beans in boiling water in a large saucepan for 3 minutes or until crisp tender, drain well. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, swirl to coat. Add green beans, 1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds, 3 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives, and 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook bean mixture 2 minutes, tossing well.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, January/February 2013
BACON RANCH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
Heat oven to 450F. Toss 4 cups cauliflower florets with 1/3 cup ranch dressing in a medium bowl. Spread onto a foil-covered rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tender. Place in a medium bowl, add 6 slices of cooked and chopped bacon, and 2 thinly sliced green onions, mix lightly.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Food and Family, Fall 2014
28 Monday Apr 2014
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES WITH BALSAMIC AND BLACK PEPPER SYRUP
04 Wednesday Sep 2013
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
arugula, balsamic, blue cheese, feta, grilled, prosciutto, watermelon
Watermelon screams summer, thirst quenching and high in lycopene, it is perfect for the sultry days of the season.
Information varies on whether this is actually a fruit or a vegetable, and I even read it is a type of berry!
One fact that does seem consistent is that Watermelon is originally from Africa, it has been around a very long time, and China is currently the worlds largest watermelon producer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon.
My husband tells a darling story about his beloved Grandmother – she intensely disliked watermelon, all her life, but when offered a piece in her later years while suffering from Alzhiemers, she ate it with delight!
I have never enjoyed watermelon more than in either of these salads – when paired with cheese, greens, balsamic, and a sprinkle of pepper.
WATERMELON FETA AND ARUGULA SALAD WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE
1 5-ounce package of baby arugula
8 cups 3/4 inch cubes of seedless watermelon
1 7-ounce package of feta cheese, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar glaze
Arrange arugula over large platter, or on individual plates. Scatter watermelon, then feta over. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with pepper.
Enjoy!
GRILLED WATERMELON WITH BLUE CHEESE AND PROSCIUTTO
3 (1/2 inch thick) watermelon rounds, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces of sliced prosciutto
4 ounces of blue cheese, crumbled
fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons bottled balsamic glaze
Heat grill to medium high heat. Brush both sides of the watermelon quarters with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Grill watermelon quarters, 1 minute on each side.
Transfer watermelon to a serving plate, top with blue cheese, prosciutto and fresh basil. Drizzle watermelon with balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Southern Living, August, 2012
www.southernliving.com/food/
