August 2008—Hillary & Nanette

Sail Away Gourmet Club Box Lunches
August 2008—Hillary & Nanette

Little Italy Chicken Pitas with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Herbed Marinated Mozzarella & Tomato Pasta Salad
Pina Colada Fruit Dip

Blackberry Lemonade

White Chocolate Raspberry Bars
Chocolate-Caramel Slice


Little Italy Chicken Pitas with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Use oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to prepare the vinaigrette for this zesty sandwich.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
1 Tbsp chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 3/4 pound)
1 cup chopped tomato (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
6 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
3 cups mixed baby greens

Preparation:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, tomato, cheese, and basil. Line each pita half with 1/4 cup greens. Divide chicken mixture evenly among pita halves.

**Notes—we doubled the first 5 ingredients and split them in half, using the second half as a sauce to drizzle at the end.


Herbed Marinated Mozzarella & Tomato Pasta Salad

6 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup of pine nuts
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp capers drained and chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chives
1/2 cup basil
2 cups bocconcini mozarella at room temperature (9oz)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
3/4 lb pasta

Toast pine nuts:

1/2 tsp oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast for 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towel to drain, season to taste with salt.

Whisk vinegar, capers, garlic, and 6 tablespoons oil in slow stream. Whisk until combined. Add remaining herbs, mozzarella, and tomatoes. Let stand at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.

Cook Pasta with salted water. Reserve 1/4 cup of cooking water while draining pasta in colander.

Transfer hot pasta and reserved cooking water to bowl with marinated mozzarella and tomatoes. Let stand 1 minute.

Gently toss pasta and cheese mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pine nuts.


Pina Colada Fruit Dip

1 carton of Cool Whip
1 8-oz carton of Yoplait yogurt orange or pina colada
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to both.

Serve with fresh fruit.


Blackberry Lemonade

About 6 lemons
4 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup picked-over fresh blackberries
Garnish: lemon slices

With a vegetable peeler remove zest from 4 lemons and squeeze enough juice from these and remaining 2 lemons to measure 1 cup.

In a saucepan boil 2 cups water with sugar, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add zest, lemon juice, and remaining 2 cups water and cool.

In a food processor or blender purée blackberries and stir into lemonade. Pour blackberry lemonade through a sieve into a pitcher or other container and chill. Chill lemonade, covered, at least until cold and up to 2 days.

Serve lemonade over ice in tall glasses, garnished with lemon slices.


White Chocolate Raspberry Bars

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
4 oz bar of white chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Line with a piece of parchment paper, providing an overhang on each side. Spray the paper with non-stick spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and butter. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture until butter resembles coarse crumbs. Add oats, coconut and pecans. Mix well using your hands.

Press half of the crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of pan. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate. Spoon jam over the top (put the jam in the microwave if it is hard to spoon out). Sprinkle the top with the remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool in pan completely. Remove from pan using parchment overhand. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Rookie’s Notes: I accidently used regular, old-fashioned oats. And guess what, the world didn't come to an end. It worked just fine. So I say, use whatever you have.


Chocolate-Caramel Slice
Bon Appétit May 2007
Servings: Makes 20 to 24 slices.

Ingredients:

Crust

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Tbsp ice water
1 large egg yolk

Toppings

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, diced
2 Tbsp golden syrup (such as Lyle's Golden Syrup) or dark corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 Tbsp whipping cream
Flaked sea salt (such as Maldon)

Preparation:

For crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 11x7x2-inch metal baking pan. Blend first 4 ingredients in processor. Add butter. Using on/off turns, blend until coarse meal forms. Add 1 tablespoon ice water and egg yolk. Blend until moist clumps form. Press dough onto bottom of pan; pierce all over with fork. Bake until golden, piercing if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.

For toppings:

Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, butter melts, and mixture comes to boil. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Boil gently until caramel is thick and temperature registers 225°F, whisking constantly, about 6 minutes. Pour caramel evenly over crust; cool 15 minutes to set.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate with cream in microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring occasionally. Spread chocolate over warm caramel; sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD! Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Cut dessert lengthwise into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 5 or 6 slices. Transfer to platter and serve.