Spinach, Gouda, and Feta Dip

Recipe: Spinach, Gouda, and Feta Dip

Event: Halloween Party 2011

Verdict: Awesome. Will make again, in smaller quantities.

This one is all mine. Sadly, I don't really have exact amounts for ingredients. I'll post what I used, and you can adjust according to how much dip you want to make. This version served the 20+ people at the party, and there were enough leftovers for two households.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• About .80 lb smoked gouda, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (see below for instructions)
• 12 oz. crumbled feta
• Red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Combine heavy cream, wine, cream cheese, and gouda in large saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat, and cook until cheese is melted, stirring frequently.
2. Squeeze excess water from spinach while cheese mixture is simmering. Wrap spinach in an old towel or cheese cloth (something you don't mind possibly getting stained), and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Messy, but worth the effort.
3. Add spinach and feta to cheese mixture. And continue to simmer until spinach is warm and feta is melty (I couldn't get it to melt all the way).
4. Add red pepper flakes to taste and serve. Goes great with bread, crackers, or veggies.

Chicken & Blueberry Pasta Salad

Recipe: Chicken and Blueberry Pasta Salad
Event: The Great Blueberry BBQ
Verdict: Tasty, although perhaps not my favorite dish ever.

I found this dish on the Eating Well website, so not only is it tasty, but it's also healthy! The slightly modified recipe is:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used 2 frozen chicken breasts)
• 8 ounces whole-wheat penne
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1.5 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Put chicken in a saucepan full of water. Heat to boiling then simmer for 10-12 minutes. Then shred it into bite-sized pieces.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package.
3. In a skillet, cook the onion in the olive oil over medium-low until softened and starting to brown. Add chicken broth, feta, and lime juice and cook until the feta starts to melt.
4. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Grilled Strawberry and Goat Cheese Sandwich

Recipe: Grilled Strawberry and Goat Cheese Sandwich
Event: The Great Strawberry BBQ
Verdict: Awesome. Needed to make more.

We used a recipe found on myrecipes.com. Based on results from the BBQ, I'd suggest no arugula and more basil. We found that the arugula did nothing for the sandwich, and the basil wasn't as strong after being hit with heat. Modified recipe is below.

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of whole wheat bread
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 4 tsp. red pepper jelly
• 1 c. strawberries, sliced
• 32 basil leaves

Directions:

1. Spread jelly on 4 slices of bread.
2. Spread goat cheese on the other 4 slices.
3. Pile strawberries onto the goat cheese. Press in a little bit to make them stick.
4. Now layer the basil onto the jelly.
5. Put halves together and grill.

Makes: 4 sandwiches

Notes: This should work for indoor on the skillet as well, though you might want to butter the outsides first.

Strawberry Mojito

Recipe: Strawberry Mojito
Event: The Great Strawberry BBQ
Verdict: Absolutely delicious, will definitely make again.

We found the recipe on allrecipes.com and modified it slightly. We did not bother to rim the glasses with sugar. Also, as many of the reviews suggested, we cut the amount of sugar in half (reflected in the recipe below).

Ingredients

• 2 large limes, quartered
• 1/2 bunch mint leaves
• 7 strawberries, quartered
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup white rum
• 2 cups club soda
• 8 cups ice cubes

Directions

1. Squeeze the limes into a pitcher, then toss in the squeezed limes.
2. Add mint, strawberries, and sugar.
3. Mash everything in the bottom of the pitcher.
4. Add rum and club soda. Stir.
5. Serve over ice.