Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Crostini

1 baguette, cut into ¼”-thick slices
extra-virgin olive oil for brushing, plus 1 tsp.
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. pine nuts
1 ½ tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp. finely chopped basil
½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
goat cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil. Bake until lightly browned and crispy. Cut one clove of garlic in half and rub the cut side on the baguette slices while still warm. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Spread each baguette slice with a thin layer of goat cheese.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine one clove of garlic, the red pepper, pine nuts, Parmesan, parsley, basil, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread a spoonful of the red pepper pesto onto each baguette slice.

Menu - Grilled Flank Steak Tacos

Appetizer – Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Crostini, Margarita Shrimp
Salad – Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinagrette
Main Course – Grilled Flank Steak Tacos with Roasted Poblano Chilies and Greille Onions Served with Avocado-Lime Salsa
Dessert – Blackberry Tart with Honey Mascarpone Filling

Kahlua Espresso Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 3/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Kahlua
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
6 large egg yolks
1 1/2 t vanilla

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, sugar, Kahlua, espresso powder and cocoa powder.

Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks until thickened.

Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks.

Gradually add the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream, to the hot cream.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, ad the vanilla and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to keep a skin from forming.

Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.

Remove from the refrigerator and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze overnightt, until very firm.

Italian Wedding Soup

(Source: The Brown Eyed Baker - http://www.browneyedbaker.com)

I have always wanted to try to make this soup. This one sounds like a great recipe. I'll let you know how it goes after I try it.

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, grated
4 T. grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
2 T. bread crumbs
1 tsp. dried basil
1.5 tsp. dried parsley
2 egg whites

Combine all ingredients and shape into small (1/2″) meatballs. I refrigerated mine for a few hours and it helped to set the shape so they didn’t fall apart in the soup.

Shredded chicken:
Place 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a stockpot and cover well with water. Bring to a boil and boil until completely cooked. Shred chicken and set aside. Empty water from stockpot.

Soup:
2 T. butter
1 small onion, diced
1/2 c. sliced carrots (approximately 2 carrots)
1/2 c. sliced celery (approximately 2 stalks)
1 clove minced garlic
12 c. chicken broth
Salt & pepper to taste
3/4 c. acini di pepi or other small pasta (I used orzo because we had it in the house)
8 oz. fresh spinach

Melt butter in stockpot. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, and cook until veggies are tender, but not too soft.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat down, cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drop in meatballs and cook about 7 minutes. Add pasta and cook for an additional 6 minutes. Add spinach and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add in shredded chicken. Cover again and allow to simmer for another 30 minutes or so. You can eat as soon as the chicken is re-heated, but allowing it to simmer for a little longer allows all the new flavors to meld together.

Great with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese sprinkled on top.

Beth's Gooey Butter Cake

Ridiculously yummy...

4 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick margarine, softened
8 oz. cream cheese
1 lb. confectioners sugar

Beat 2 eggs, mix in cake mix and margarine. Put in 9 x 13 pan.

Beat 2 eggs, sugar, and cream cheese.

Put cream cheese mixture on top - spread to about an inch from the edge.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Orzo and Shrimp Salad with Asparagus

INGREDIENTS
12 extra-large shrimp
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 quarts water
8 ounces orzo pasta
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey mustard
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Peel shrimp, reserving the shells. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic and shrimp in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring frequently to keep the garlic from browning. When shrimp are cooked through, remove from heat, cool and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Bring water to a boil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add shrimp shells, boil for 5 minutes, then strain out shells and discard. Stir in the orzo and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the asparagus pieces and continue cooking until the pasta is al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain into a mesh sieve, and rinse in cold water.

Toss pasta and asparagus with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, shrimp, and green onions until evenly coated. In a separate bowl, whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and basil until incorporated. Pour over pasta mixture and toss well; season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for 2 hours.

Beer Cheese Dip

Jerry makes this recipe as often as I do...

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons ranch dressing mix or 1 package ranch dressing mix
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped,tops only
1/3-1/2 cup beer, any flavor or non-alcoholic beer

Directions
In a bowl, combine cream cheese and ranch dressing mix.
Stir in cheese, green onions and then beer until desired consistency.
Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight.