Fruit Salad Ice Pops
1 peach, cut into 1cm slices
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced into 5mm rounds
75g blueberries
110g strawberries, hulled and halved
350-500ml white grape juice
Snugly arrange some of each fruit in eight 75g ice lolly moulds. Pourenough juice into each mouldto justcover the fruit. Insert sticks and freeze until solid, sixhours (or up totwo weeks).
From marthastewart.com
Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips
Serves 10
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
225g raspberries
450g strawberries, diced
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp jam
For the cinnamon chips
10 flour tortillas
Butter-flavoured cooking spray
2 tbsp cinnamon sugar
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all the chopped and whole fruit, the sugar and jam. Cover and chill for at least 15 minutes.
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Spray one side of each tortilla with cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cutinto wedges/strips. Spray again.Arrange on a baking sheet andcook for eight-10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Leave to cool for 15 minutes, then serve with the chilled fruit.
From morganmoore.typepad.com. Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
Cheesecake-stuffed strawberries
Makes approx 12
450g large strawberries
230g cream cheese, softened
3-4 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Digestive biscuit crumbs
Rinse the strawberries under cold water, remove the tops and clean out the centres with a paring knife.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Spoon into a piping bag and fill each of the strawberry cavities. Once filled, dip the tops in the biscuit crumbs. If not serving immediately, refrigerate.
From thesweetlife.com, adapted from the recipe on nutmegnanny.com
Watermelon-Berry Sorbet
Serves six
240ml water
125g sugar
300g watermelon cubes
225g fresh berries (raspberries, strawberries and/or blueberries)
Snipped fresh lemon balm (available from health food stores)
Fresh lemon balm sprigs
Fresh raspberries and/or blueberries(optional)
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine water and sugar, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil gently, uncovered, for two minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Blend the watermelon and berries in a food processor for 30 seconds. Add the warm syrup and blend until almost smooth. Transfer the mixture to a rectangular baking dish and place in the freezer, uncovered, for 1½ hours, or until almost solid.
Remove the sorbet from the freezer. Using a fork, break up the frozen fruit into a smooth mixture. Stir in the snipped lemon balm and freeze for a further hour (if the mixture is frozen longer than the final hour, let it stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving). Break up the ice with a fork and serve in shallow bowls. Top with lemon balm sprigs and afew raspberries and/or blueberries.
From Better Homes And Gardensmagazine
Bite-sized brie
Makes 24 squares
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed but stillcold
1 large egg, beaten
A splash of milk
½ round of brie, cold
80ml cherry jam (or any other flavour you fancy)
Sea salt
Cut the first puff pastry sheet intothirds, then cut each panelinto four pieces. One sheet ofpuff pastry will yield 12rectangles. Cut each rectangle inhalf. These 24 little rectangles will create 12 pockets, so repeat this method with the second sheetof pastry.
Combine the beaten egg andasplash of milk, and brush onto 12 of the small pastry rectangles. Place a lolly stick halfway up the pastry and press ingently.
Place a small sliver of brie (rindand all) on top of the pastry piece, then top it with about halfateaspoon of cherry jam. Takeanother pastry piece and pressbetween your fingers to makethe rectangle slightly larger. Place this on top of the piece holding the cheese and jam, and usea fork to press the edges together. The egg wash will act as a glue. Seal the edges well by crimping with the fork.
Preheat your oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5 and put a rack in the centre. Place the prepared brie bites on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with a touch of coarsely ground sea salt.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or untilthe pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allowto cool slightly before serving. Brie bites are best served warm, but are also delicious at room temperature.
From joythebaker.com
Pressed Italian sandwiches
Serves six
3 red peppers
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
6 small ciabatta rolls (or large buns)
2-3 tbsp butter
Around 250g-300g assorted Italian cold meats
200g mozzarella bocconcini, sliced
Balsamic vinegar
1 large bunch of rocket, rinsed and patted dry
Top, tail, de-seed and slice the peppers, then place, skin-side up, on a baking sheet, pressing gently so they lie as flat as possible. Cook them under the grill until charred, about 10 minutes. Remove and popthem into a sealable plastic bag and put in the fridge for 30-40 minutes. Once cooled, peel off and discard the blackened skin. Place thepeppers in a small bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then set aside.
To prepare the sandwiches, cut your ciabatta in half and butter each piece (you could brush with olive oil, if you prefer, but butter will help prevent moisture getting into the bread). Place a layer of red pepper on the bottom slice and top with agenerous layer of cold meat (five or six slices). Pat dry your mozzarella slices with a piece of paper towel, then add to the sandwich. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with agenerous layer of rocket, followed byyour top slice of ciabatta.
Wrap each sandwich tightly in clingfilm and place on a platter or baking tray. When all the sandwiches are prepared, move them to the fridge and place a heavy frying pan (or another baking tray, plus some large cans) on top to compress. Refrigerate for at least sixhours or, ideally, overnight.
When ready to serve, remove the clingfilm and, if you want to, trim the edges of the sandwiches to enjoy the wonderful colours inside.
From seasonsandsuppers.ca
Frozen strawberry mojito
Serves a few friends
330ml frozen limeade (rarely found in the UK, so make yourown, as below)
165ml rum
300g frozen strawberries
Fresh mint
2 limes
For the limeade concentrate
375g caster sugar
250ml water
375ml freshly squeezed lime juice
First make the limeade concentrate. Heat the caster sugar and water in amedium saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the lime juice. This makes 750ml of concentrate; it can be frozen for up to six months.
To make the mojito, combine the frozen limeade, rum, strawberries, fresh mint leaves and the pulp of two limes, and blend until smooth.
From heatherross.squarespace.com
Coconut chicken with sweet chilli dipping sauce
Serves six
900g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
150g all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
280ml coconut milk
115g panko breadcrumbs
70g desiccated coconut
140ml vegetable oil, divided into two 70ml measures
140ml sweet chilli sauce
Chopped coriander
Cut each of the chicken breasts into six diagonal strips. In one bowl, combine the flour and salt. Inanother, whisk the eggs and coconut milk until combined. In athird bowl, stir together the panko breadcrumbs and coconut.
Pour half the vegetable oil into alarge heavy-duty griddle pan and heat over medium/high heat until itis just below smoking.
While the oil is heating, coat each chicken strip in the flour and salt mixture. Then dip into the egg/coconut milk and finally coat each in the breadcrumbs and coconut.
Place about six strips in the pan at once. Fry for two-three minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Place on a plate with apaper towel to drain and cook the next batch, adding more oil ifnecessary.
Serve immediately with sweet chilli sauce to dip in. Garnish with chopped coriander.
From budgetbytes.blogspot.co.uk
Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad
Serves four to six
350g cherry tomatoes, halved
225g fresh "mini" mozzarella pearls
4 tbsp olive oil
18 basil leaves, chopped
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
Put the tomatoes and mozzarella in a medium bowl, and drizzle over the oil. Add the basil, salt and pepper, and gently toss all the ingredients.
From savorysweetlife.com
Salad Sicilia
Serves four to six
1 small head of radicchio
1 head of chicory
1 bunch of rocket
1 head of fennel
1 apple (rather sour)
4-5 small radishes
1-2 carrots
2-3 (blood) oranges
White wine vinegar (optional)
Olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of sugar
1 handful of almonds (with or without skin)
1 handful of pistachios (with or without skin)
Fresh ricotta or goat's cheese to serve
First wash and prepare your salad ingredients. Discard any limp radicchio and chicory leaves, then cut into thin strips. Rinse under cold water, together with the arugula (cut off thick stems beforehand), then spin dry and put in a huge bowl. Quarter the fennel, trim and shave as thin as possible (if the fennel has some nice-looking green attached, chop that and add it, too). Quarter the apple (no need to peel it), remove the core and stem, then shave thinly. Cut the radishes into thin slices (orshave them, too). Peel the carrots and cut into julienne strips. Peel the oranges and fillet them (hold them above a bowl to catch the dripping juice, additionally squeeze the remaining parts and reserve for the salad dressing), then cut into smaller chunks. Use your hands to gently mix all the ingredients together.
Now dress the salad with the reserved orange juice, vinegar (ifdesired), plenty of olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar. Mix well and arrange on a huge plate. Coarsely chop the nuts and sprinkle all over the salad. If you have fresh ricotta or soft goat's cheese to hand, you can crumble some over the salad, too.
From deliciousdays.com
Roasted lemon garlic herb shrimp
Serves three-four
80ml olive oil
1 lemon, zested, then half cut intothin slices and the other halfinto wedges
3-4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spaghetti/pasta, couscous or rice forserving
2 tbsp butter
½kg fresh shrimp, medium-sized, de-veined with tails off
5 cloves garlic, minced
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. In a glass baking dish combine the olive oil, lemon zestand thyme. This should liberally cover the bottom of the dish. If it doesn't, drizzle in a little more oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes, checking every few minutes. If it looks as if it is getting too brown, remove and proceed tothe next step. Meanwhile, cook the pasta, drain and toss with apatof butter or olive oil.
Remove the dish from the oven, add the butter and move it around alittle to melt, then add the shrimp, garlic and the thin-sliced lemons (don't squeeze them); tossto coat with oil mixture. Bakefor 8-10 more minutes or untilthe shrimp turn pink and just start to curl. Serve over pasta,couscous or rice tossedwithadditional extra-virgin olive oil and freshly-squeezed lemon, with additional lemon wedges for serving.
From Cinnamon Spice And Everything Nice.
Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking.
White bean salad with courgette and parmesan
Serves four
800g cannellini beans, drained andrinsed
100g green beans, trimmed andthinly sliced diagonally
2 small courgettes, trimmed, quartered lengthways and thinly sliced diagonally
50g parmesan, crumbled
25g fresh basil leaves, torn
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Place the beans, courgettes, parmesan, basil, lemon zest and juice, and oil in a medium-sized bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
From marthastewart.com
