Dinner Club: Fried Chicken & Waffles (recipes included)

Dinner Club: Fried Chicken and Waffles.

Dinner Club went down recently at Chez Wilson.  We have had the same 3 couples involved in this dinner club for probably 6 years.  It's hard to keep track.  We rotate homes and the goal is to make something you have never made before for the group. (RECIPES AT BOTTOM)

The Players of dinner club. 

As we have gotten older, greyer, chubbier, and added some kids to the mix (4 kids between the 6 of us with another about to be born, 3 cats and 2 dogs among the crew as well), we meet less often, but the effort seems to be about the same.  Lots of it.  Lots of prep, flavor and love.

Mostly, it's fun to get together and drink wine and have someone else cook for you.

This time however, Team Wilson was on the go.

I have been promising these wild animals a southern meal for months.  I put the menu out for a vote between Fried Chicken or Jambalaya.

The votes were tallied and though it was a tie, the pregnant lady got 2 votes since she's really voting for two.

The verdict? Winner Winner Fried Chicken Dinner.

I've never fried anything before, well, except scallop fritters for our very first dinner club way back when (4 moves ago for me).  I was a little nervous.

Here's the menu line up.  (recipes and links at bottom)

APPETIZER:

A steamed tail-on shrimp. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Spicy Shrimp, Andouille Sausage and Bacon in a Southern Sauce (forgot to photograph, but this was the best part of the meal! )(I added to the recipe as you will see at the bottom)

MAIN COURSE:

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Golden Love right out of the fryer. Who needs KFC?

Waffles with white bacon gravy

Spring Salad (why not pretend something healthy was being served?)
used a basic organic balsalmic vinagrette

Dessert:

Wilson Family Recipe, Gooey Butter with powdered sugar on top and whipped cream on the side.

delicious and deceivingly addictive!

Recipes and/or links below Review.

THE REVIEW:

1.  APPETIZER:  by far in my opinion the best part of the meal. Next time, I would serve this as an entree over rice and with some bread for dipping in the sauce.  If you have been to New Orleans and Acme Oyster House, then you know how our house smelled.  Spicy and awesome.

2.  The Chicken:  I don't eat fried food very often, I thought it was very tasty due to the 24 hour brining process, I think the others liked it better than me.  The next day it was excellent cold.

3.  The Waffles.  Meh.  They were ok.  We didn't do a home made batter, and our timing was a little off so I think that could have made a difference.  Plus, I think you are supposed to offer a gravy AND a syrup.  We only offered the gravy.  I don't like gravy, but they seemed to.

4.  The dessert - gooey butter.  It is deceiving.  It has been served as a holiday breakfast item for decades in the Wilson Family, long before I joined.  At first blush you will not know it's addictive nature, but one bite comes and goes, and then suddenly you realize you need another.  And another.  It is even better the next day.

It was strangely quiet when we were all done.  More wine was poured, Bourbon for some, we sat around and watched the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith, watching Brangelina fall in love all over again on screen.  We were all full and tired, and it was a really good time.

Will I make this particular menu again?  No.  Will I make the Appetizer as an entree again, YES YES YES. And I married into the Christmas Gooey Butter lifestyle, so that will be going on every year!  I do recommend the chicken recipe though, and I hear the one from Ad Hoc in Napa is even better.

ENJOY YOUR WEEK AND YOUR DETOX! (oh wait, that's for me.) :) 

RECIPES AND LINKS
Spicy Shrimp, Spicy Andouille Sausage & Bacon (CLICK HERE) NOTE:  (I altered this recipe by purchasing store bought pre-cooked sausage, cutting into quarter inch slices - I used 3.  I also did 8 pieces of bacon cut into large pieces so all three proteins could be eaten in one bite on a toothpick. ALSO I bought the shrimp peeled, deviened and no tail at Bristol Farms.  I don't like to peel.)


FRIED CHICKEN CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE I COPIED EXACTLY

Waffles, we just did basic Aunt Jemima waffle mix (due to lack of time)

Gravy 
Go here:
http://www.food.com/recipe/waffle-gravy-454194 

Honestly, this isn't the exact recipe but I can't find the one we used, this was close though.  Also we added little bacon chunks, because as any semi - intelligent person knows - EVERYTHING IS BETTER WITH BACON.  Duh.  

Gooey Butter Recipe:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter
1 egg

blend together with a fork and pat in the bottom of a 9x13 greased pan.

2 eggs
1 box powdered sugar
1 8oz block Philly cream cheese

Mix together (easier with a stand or hand mixer) and pour over the top of cake mix.
Bake at 3500 F for 35-40 min (temp shoudl be 325 if using a glass pan)

Eat until you pass out.  I'm telling you, it's addictive!!



HAVE YOU LIKED THE WILSONS' EATING TOUR ON FACEBOOK YET?  WILL YOU SHOW US THE LOVE BY CLICKING HERE???

Sesame Crusted Ahi with Soy/Honey Ginger Drizzle - Recipe

For Easter Dinner I decided to buck tradition and go with something a little lighter and with an Asian flair.

I prepared a sesame crusted Ahi with Brown Rice and a Frisee Salad.  Husband poured the Konsgaard Chardonnay that he keeps locked up in his own special fridge (seems so paranoid to me that he worries I'll slurp up his "good" stuff when he's gone and I "get in a mood.") But indeed I did slurp / classy lady style - downed the good wine while I cooked / started fires.

The meal was a success - with a few modifications that I will recommend to you!

Also, A word to the wise, you put out a kitchen fire with FLOUR.  Do not pour water on it.  Needless to say, we had ourselves a little kitchen fire as I was heating my oil in a stainless steel pan.  Guess my stove runs hot because kaboom, fire.  Alarms.  Flour flying.

Despite the fire and flour everywhere, I switched to a cast iron skillet and away we went.

Recipe for Sesame Crusted Ahi with Soy Ginger Drizzle:

(I snagged this recipe off of a blog that is just stunning and seems really user friendly for foodies like me who opt for simple recipes.  Check out this cool blog, Jacob's Kitchen and thanks Jacob for the killer recipe!)

Start with high grade Ahi and pat it dry with paper towels.
Season both sides with salt and fresh ground pepper
Fill a plate with regular sesame seeds
Coat the Tuna all over with the sesame seeds
Get your pan super hot (Per above, I used cast iron, the stainless steel caused a fire!)
then just a couple teaspoons of vegetable oil is plenty.
depending on the size of the tuna sear each side anywhere from 90 seconds to 2 minutes (ask your butcher!!!)

**My Tuna was probably a little too thick, nearly 2 inches, I recommend going a little smaller.  I did 2 minutes per side.  For something this thick, I'd add another 30 seconds.
If you have an inch and a half or so maybe 90 seconds per side.

MEANWHILE
THE SAUCE!

Get this started before you sear the Ahi as it takes 5/10 minutes.

In small sauce pan mix and simmer the following for 5/10 minutes:
1/3 cup low sodium soy
1/3 cup honey
few slices of fresh slices of ginger
a few smashed garlive cloves
Pinch of Chipoltle or Cayenne pepper (I used Cayenne)
Once it's syrupy in 5/10 minutes, I strained it to get the ginger and garlic out.
You will use this drizzle over the Tuna right when you pull the tuna out of the pan.


THE BROWN RICE:
USE THE Wilsons' Eating Tour Recipe to make it perfecto 
Click here to get it!!!

For the Frisee Salad - I just let the drizzle from the sauce serve as the dressing to the entire dish. As you can see I stacked it all up, drizzled away and it was divine.

Enjoy and let me know what you think and if you try this!

THE TAKE AWAY! USE FLOUR FOR A KITCHEN FIRE!!!

Thank you husband for saving the day while on a work call with the fire alarm blaring in the background, the animals in a panic and the baby seeming to not notice (Thank G*d).

Enjoy
The Wilsons

Thanksgiving Recipes!

Hi W.E.T Readers!:

It's the BEST time of year. Time for family, friends and holiday festivities which all leads to ONE THING. FOOD. Food, More food, and naps.

We have posted a fantastic recipe on Truffle Butter Roasted Turkey (from Ina Garten) as well as some of our famous Family Side Dishes, as well as a ton of other ideas we found trolling the Food Network websites!

We have posted all these recipes on our other blog, Conquer The Monkey, so this time, go there to check them out!!!

We would love to hear about YOUR FAMOUS FAMILY RECIPES!!!

Gobble Gobble,
THE WILSONS

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Champagne Chicken

Champagne Chicken!

I was in a pinch for dinner last week and hadn't gone to the Market - having been way too busy! I assessed my fridge and freezer. I had some raw chicken strips and I was going to make a homemade marinade, but I had nothing with acid - no lemons - nothing.

So, I pulled out my one of my favorite Salad dressings -- Girard's Champagne Salad Dressing -- that I have loved since college. I wasn't sure if this would work as a Marinade so I did a quick Google search and sure enough, the Girard's website they recommended using the dressing as a Marinade.

To Do:
* Marinade the Chicken in the dressing for a couple hours.

* Heat a saute pan to medium/medium high, drizzled a bit of good Extra Virgin Olive Oil and saute the chicken until it is golden brown all over. (about 4-5 minutes per side depending - just monitor closely)

HOW EASY IS THAT - AND it tastes much fancier than it obviously is. You could EASILY use this to serve for company because it tastes rich and complicated. The Chicken was tender & had a nice tang, slight bit of spice, and really just was one of the most delicious and easy pieces of chicken we've had in a very longtime.

Serve It With:
* Porcini Mushroom Risotto
* Green Salad with a light but creamy dressing

Let us know if you try this and what you think! If you haven't had Girard's you gotta try it. It makes a great salad dressing for a special occasion too - especially if you don't have time to make something from scratch!

Do what you do, eat what you like!
-The Wilsons

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Interview with a Yacht Chef: From Corporate America to Yacht Chef!

Image via Wikipedia

Interview With a Yacht Chef:
From the Corporate World to Yacht Chef!

We recently caught up with a young yacht chef. What was extremely interesting was that this young woman went from a very structured corporate job to becoming a chef on a yacht in pretty short order.

This is - I think - an undeniable courageous and gutsy move, and I wanted to learn more about this yacht chef and what makes her tick, as well as if she's had any run ins with Jay Z and Beyonce! (who I perpetually think of on a yacht!)

We will call our chef, Delicious Lola, because she isn't really allowed to talk about the yachts she's worked on / or is working on because the very fancy clientele likes to keep their life as anonymous as possible!

But first, check out this video titled "I'm On A Boat." If you haven't seen Andy Samberg (SNL) & T-Pain on this yacht, you gotta click here! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7yfISlGLNU I was hoping Lola would tell me this is what it's like on the yachts, but you watch this and read the interview and tell me :) (and yes, I have been looking for an excuse to post this video!)

Can you give our readers a little background on yourself?
I live in Naples, Florida, but only in the interim while I'm off work. I'm 35 years old and have a background and formal training in the medical field, but have in the last 6 months taken a sabbatical from the corporate world and am working as a chef on private yachts.

What is a normal day like being a chef on a yacht?
Your day starts at 7 or 7:30 a.m. and ends when the galley closes or when your guests or owners are finished with the eating bit. But, generally speaking, it all depends on the boat and the people on board.

What are the kitchens like on a yacht?
It all depends on the boat, but the last kitchen (known as a "galley" in boat terms) that I was cooking in, was a bit like cooking in a fancy industrial restaurant kitchen complete in stainless steel and everything you need to cook pretty much whatever you want.

You typically have walk in refrigerators and freezers that hold enough food for up to 6 months. The boat where I was cooking had an original plan to make a 7 year trip around the world prior to losing a fortune in the Madoff scandal. Upon entering the freezer for the first time, I found a huge (as long as me, but skinnier, especially after chefing) Mahi Mahi. The previous charter included Russians that spent the majority of time fishing and caught huge fish like that which were stored in the freezer.

What is the strangest request you've gotten (food) to make?
Actually, to sit back and watch the owner make his own carrot cake (while he was ten sheets to the wind) which was the most disgusting thing I've seen to date in the galley. Oh, and then to have to sterilize the entire galley after finding out that the night before, he christened the entire galley with one of his concubines.

Are you on call 24/7 to make food for the people on board?
He*% No.

What are the rooms like?
The rooms are lovely and not at all like the servant quarters some people perceive. I have stayed in very nice rooms with lavish linens and plasmas on the wall. You usually have a nice kitchen seconds from you with anything you need, and of course, I usually bring my cappuccino maker on board as well as my own wine (which I'm learning is a bit unnecessary).

What has become your most popular signature dish on the yacht?
Sea Bass (secret concoction but with Asian spices and a miso soy teriyaki glaze finished with rosemary and fresh herbs). I also love to make a tagliatelle Bolognese which is not your typical Tuscan style Bolognese. I'm not a huge chicken fan, but I have made some great roasted chicken as well as my favorite things to make including: crab deviled eggs, pan seared Ahi tuna, grilled Lobster tails, roasted brussel sprouts, crab cakes/salmon cakes/tuna cakes, Texas cowboy burgers, and of course good ole mashed potatoes or Parmesan risotto.

How did you come to be a chef on a yacht?
I pretended to be one. I have no formal culinary training, but grew up in an Italian family with an Italian mom, and most recruiters and owners/captains in yachting agree that there isn't really any difference for these purposes. I have always been an intense home chef and get so passionate with fresh herbs, organic meats, and amazing carbs ... yes, the best things in life like pasta, Naan bread, orzo, gnocchi, and risotto.

What is the interview process like to get a chef job on a yacht?
Lots of phone calls and submitting of menus or maybe menus that would work for that particular owner or guest depending on their preferences. As you can imagine, most of them have extremely specific preferences as would anyone that is spending the cash for their own yacht (up to 150 K per week to charter) and staff for a week or more. Then, you are usually on a trial period to see if you "work out" with the owner/guests, captain, and other crew members.

Have you seen Jay Z and P Diddy yet?
Jay Z and P Diddy cannot afford yachts like the ones I'm working on, and I recently saw Jay Z's boat in Ft. Lauderdale, and it is a smaller boat. I don't want to sound uppity, but I know that Jay Z does charter in the Mediterranean because his boat cannot functionally go there, and these artists don't have the cash for this. The only people chartering large boats that I know of from the musical world include Barbara Streisand and Diana Ross. Most of the large boats are privately owned and would never let P Diddy charter their boat (I have personally heard these words!)

How did you make the decision to leap from Corporate America to being a yacht chef?
I always felt that although I had been well trained for what I was doing in medical, I did somehow possess other gifts. In America and really everywhere, we sense this attachment to our careers and once we have met our goals, we lose (or at least I did) a sense as to why I was there and really not caring that I had succeeded financially in my mind.

I really do enjoy cooking and after working in a very left brain world reading clinical data, I was hoping and craving something in which to explore my creative vibe and artistry. It sounds a bit cheesey, but I cannot say more positive things about making this shift in my life, and yes it IS scary to change. We all really don't want too much change. And, when you make lots of changes, and if you have this Type A think going on, like me, you occasionally freak out. But, life is a journey and you ARE the one on this journey, but you do not always have to control everything in your life. Don't expect your happiness to come from wealth, ego or approval from your family and friends. Allow yourself to create your own individual happiness, and if this means that you need to make a career change, then don't deprive yourself of this, whatever it costs.

Thank you Delicious Lola, and happy yachting! Let Team Wilson know when you are in NYC, your signature dishes sound FAB!

Cheers,
The Wilsons

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Lunching & Drinking With the Ladies

It's been a little quiet here over at Wilsons' Eating Tour. That is because we have had some fabulous friends in town, so there was much food and wine to consume.

My girlfriends and I went to Mercer Kitchen in SOHO on Saturday for "Lunch." It was a bit of a mini-reunion with two of my college friends that I hadn't seen in awhile, we'll call them Rabbit & Fealey.

I showed up with our "agenda" for the day all typed up, starting with Mercer Kitchen at 1 pm. Naturally, we started off with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and then spent awhile trying to decide what we should order, each of us afraid to be "out ordered."

We started off with a shrimp cocktail, flanked by 3 sauces (which lead to a conversation on sauces. I think Fealey will be writing a guest post devoted to sauces). It was pretty good, nothing to write home about.

Instead of ordering 3 entrees like good healthy girls should, we ordered a fourth entree (pizza) for the "Duck." The Duck being a recently published children's book by Rabbit's little sister. ( We will be reviewing the Duck With No Legs soon on www.conquerthemonkey.com, stay tuned!) The waiter probably thought it odd that a cartoon duck needed a pizza, but some how it made us feel "justified." Duck's gotta eat, no?

Lunch was pretty good, the food was ok, the service a little slow and they tried to keep our wine bottled chilled at a location away from our table (we rectified that). A bottle of wine and champagne later we missed out on shopping and barely made it to Bliss spa for part II of our day (loving Bliss Spa's newest tag line for their "Gorilla Marketing" seen above). Then onto more wine at Chez Wilson, and more food up in our hood (Nice Matin) for burgers at 10:30 PM.

This was one of those days that food served a purpose, but the main event was the laughter with my two dear friends. I am so thankful that they came to play in the Big Apple -- I haven't laughed that hard in a really long time. There were many hilarious quotes from the weekend, but one of my favorites was from Rabbit who - when talking about her dog's personality (a Chihuahua) said she "had the balls of a burglar." I still giggle thinking about that.

Now, the husband and I are gearing up for a weekend in Newport RI. We plan to follow Giada de Laurentis weekend get away guide and hit up all the spots she suggested. We will have much more to post next week!

Have a great week and weekend, please email us some tips, recipes, or foodie experiences, or ask us anything you want!

Cheers!
The Wilsons

Eat Chicken Red Curry & Save at risk Children!

Image by panduh via Flickr

Cooking & Children's Charity go hand in hand.

One of the most beautiful things about food and cooking is that transcends borders. Food can literally take us to other parts of the world, even though we are in our own kitchen.

I work with a non-profit called "The Sold Project." SOLD is dedicated to raising awareness about and preventing forced child prostitution around the world. SOLD made a documentary on the issue in Thailand and the founder is currently living there. SOLD employs creative methods of raising awareness on these issues by hosting vision dinners (anyone can host one) where lovely Thai food is served and discussion on the topic is shared. Below is one of the "go to" dishes that has been a huge hit at these dinners. Enjoy & Please read more about SOLD at www.thesoldproject.org (feel free to contact us as well).

Chicken Red Curry

This authentic spicy coconut milk based red curry uses homemade red curry paste. Flavored with both fresh and dried spices, kaffir lime leaves and fresh sweet basil leaves it is a harmonious dish with chicken. Finish the cooking with the addition of fish sauce to taste and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless chicken breast
• 1 can bamboo shoots, sliced
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 fresh red chili, sliced diagonally
• 1/2 cup Thai sweet basil leaves (bai horapah), torn
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp palm sugar
• Thai sweet basil leaves (bai horapah) for garnish

Preparation

Wash the chicken, slice diagonally into 1/2 cm thick, 3 cm wide and 3 cm long pieces. Thinly slice the bamboo shoots (if not already sliced).

Pour 1 cup of coconut milk into a wok. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Add the curry paste, stir until red oil comes to the surface. Add the chicken and saute until it turns white and is cooked through.

Add the remaining coconut milk, follow with the bamboo shoots. Season with fish sauce, sugar, and salt and bring back to a boil. Sprinkle with kaffir lime leaves, chilies, and sweet basil leaves. Turn off the heat. Arrange on a serving dish and garnish with sweet basil leaves before serving. Serve over rice.

Serves 5.

For more information: www.thesoldproject.org

(This recipe is from templeofthai.com)

Do good things with food!

The Wilsons

Cameron's Kickin' Crispy, Cheesy, Wrap That Husbands Will Love

Cameron's Kickin' Crispy, Cheesy, Wrap That Husbands Will Love

My husband has declared on at least a dozen occasions over the past few months that he could "Whack down about 5 more of these" and that he could "Eat these at least 6 nights a week" about my Crispy, Cheesy Wrap Sandwich.

For me, the best part is that it's super easy, super fast, and it's actually pretty healthy!!!

What You'll Need:

*Wholewheat Wrap
* 1 slice of fat free American Cheese
* 1 slice, or a couple of pinches of any other favorite cheese, (shredded Mexican Cheese, Provolone, etc)
* 1 grilled chicken breast (or buy a rotisserie chicken from the market)(I usually grill up some chicken to start the week, or get it pre-grilled from the local gourmet market to save time)
*1/4 Red Onion roughly chopped
*Pinch of fresh thyme
*Pinch of fresh chopped basil
*(optional) 1/2 clove of garlic finely chopped
*Dash of organic low sodium chicken broth
*Lemon Juice
*Your favorite Salsa
*Tablespoon of Smart Balance Light
*Olive Oil drizzle for saute
*Kosher Salt & Black Pepper for taste.

To Do:

*In a large skillet on med/high heat melt your Smart Balance Light and drizzle in a bit of really good extra virgin olive oil.
*While your Smart Balance & olive oil is getting ripping hot, chop up your red onion & garlic and drop in to saute/or even caramelize if you want.
*Add a dash of Kosher salt & black pepper

Chicken Mixture:
*Meanwhile, slice up your chicken breast (previously cooked) or use a fork to shred some of the rotisserie chicken breast. Set aside.
*When your onions and garlic start looking like they are on the verge of caramelizing, toss in the thyme, basil, a squeeze of lemon, and then the chicken.
*Add a dash of the low sodium chicken broth to help bring the previously cooked chicken back to life. (I also usually add a splash of dry white wine).
*Add another dash of salt and pepper.
*Once the mixture is nice and coated and the chicken is warm (1 min) set aside the mixture in a bowl.

Wrap:
*Now, on a plate tear up your slice of fat free cheese and put it on the wrap focusing mainly on going up the middle, and a little on the sides.
*Next sprinkle or shred a little bit of a regular cheese of your choosing (Mexican flavored shredded, provolone, cheddar etc) on both sides of the wrap
*Spray the same skillet you used to make the mixture with a light coat of Pam
* Put the wrap (w/ the cheese on it) in the skillet
*Carefully place a nice layer of the chicken mixture that you had set aside down the center of the wrap
*On med/to med/ high heat, put a lid over the wrap so that the cheese can melt while the bottom of the wrap crisps up.
*Once the cheese starts looking melty (couple minutes), check the bottom of the wrap. Add a quick squeeze of lemon juice to the chicken mixture, and few dollops of your favorite salsa to the top of the chicken mixture (but not enough to soak the wrap). Once the wrap has started to get golden brown on bottom, fold the right & left side over the middle, and push down a little so the cheese helps it stay in place
*Put on plate, cut in half, and serve with a super duper chilled Guinness!!!

5 TIPS To Ensure A Yummy Wrap:
1. The thing with this sandwich is I never make it exactly the same twice. I use whatever I have on hand to mix it up, spruce it up, etc.
2. For example, I had some left over prosciutto from a dinner party so last night I chopped that up and let it crisp up with the onions & garlic. It added a nice salty crunchy texture, without overwhelming the grilled chicken.
3. If you have some inexpensive chardonnay or white Burgundy - that is also yummy - pour yourself a glass to drink while cooking, and then add a mini splash to the saute.
4. The key to this sandwich is that you should always have certain items on hand, that way, you can whip it up really quickly with whatever protein, herbs and cheeses you have on hand!
5. The trick to getting huge flavor when you are making basics like this is: fresh herbs. Experiment to figure out what your favorite fresh herbs are and try to keep them around. I love basil, thyme, cilantro, and rosemary. I also always have fresh garlic, onions, scallions, lemons, white wine and low sodium chicken broth, smart balance, and nice extra virgin olive oil. Seems like anything is possible from there.

Cheers to all things crispy & cheesy!
The Wilsons
(and dare we say kinda healthy too!)

Antipasto Salad, Fabulous for Summer, Healthy & Easy!

Image by Andrionni Ribo (in the Philippines 7/14 - 7/28) via Flickr

Antipasto Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette!

Ingredients You'll Need:

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and leaves chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Antipasto Salad:
1 pound whole wheat fusilli pasta
1/2 cup hard salami, cut into strips
3/4 cup roasted turkey, cut into strips
1/4 cup provolone cheese, cut into strips (can use lowfat cheese)
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
3-4 tablespoons of roughly chopped artichoke hearts
4 tablespoons roasted red peppers, cut into strips (save time, buy jarred peppers!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Vinaigrette: In a blender, add the basil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and
pepper. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped. With the machine running,
drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta
and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally,
about 10-11 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta with the remaining salad
ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss! (I did not use all of the dressing, I reserved some on the side & kept in the fridge to add as needed for leftovers or other snacks!)

TIP 1 Wine Pairing: Try a nice Pinot Noir with this - it goes well with the heat and smokiness of the salami & cheese!

TIP 2: Store your basil in damp papertowels in the fridge, it will last a little longer and smells fannntastic!

**The recipe above is slightly different take on Giada de Laurentis Antipasto Salad. We love Giada in this house and have ALL of her cookbooks!!

We'd love to hear what you think of this recipe, and hear about your yummy foodie experiences!

Good Food & Good Wine = a Very Good Time!
The Wilsons!

Blueberry & Strawberry Breakfast Tart: Delicious, Fancy & Easy

Blueberry & Strawberry Breakfast Tart: Delicious, Fancy & Tasty!
I found this recipe in "Real Simple" Magazine. I modified it slightly by doing the tart half in strawberries, half blueberries. It looks fabulous and tastes light, crispy/flaky, slightly sweet, and with the zing from the berries.

You'll Need:
Flour for work surface
1 - 8 oz sheet frozen puff pastry - thawed
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries

Directions:
*Heat oven to 375 F. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the puff pastry and roll it into a 10 x 12 inch rectangle. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet (or just use lots of Pam)

*Using the tip of a butter knife, score a 1-inch border around the pastry without cutting all the way through. Brush the border with the egg and sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Bake until golden and puffed (18-22 minutes).

*Using the tip of the butter knife, re-score the border of the cooked pastry without cutting all the way through. Gently press down on the center of the pastry sheet to flatten it. Let is cool to room temperature, 15 minutes or so.

*Meanwhile, use an electic mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth. Then add the cream, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of hte confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth. Spread the mixture evently within the borders of hte pastry.

*Arrange the Blueberries in a single layer covering half of the tart, adn sliced up strawberries over the other half (or could use just one or the other). Sprinke the remaining tablespoon of confectioners' sugar over the top of the tart, cut & serve!

Voila, this would be great for a family brunch, or even used for a nice summer dessert! It is super easy but will impress your family and friends.

Enjoy,
The Wilsons!