Cucumber Flowers with Herbed Cream Cheese

Cucumber Flowers with Herbed Cream Cheese, garnished with carrots and chives

These are beautiful appetizers, lovely on a buffet or table; they taste just as good as they look.  A dressed-up alternative to herb dip and crudites, these are simple to prep, and a great way to get everyone to eat their raw veggies!  Makes about 30

1 Medium English cucumber, washed and dried

4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

2 Tablespoons sour cream

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon fresh chives, sliced very fine

1 teaspoon finely-minced cilantro

1 teaspoon finely-minced fresh dill

2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

Carrot or radish, sliced paper thin

Fresh chives or herb of your choice

Slice the cucumber on a mandolin or with a knife 1/4" thick.  Place the slices on a sheet of paper towel and pat dry with another paper towel.  Use a small flower-shaped cookie cutter to cut the cucumber slices into flower shapes.  Place on a serving platter, or a sheet pan if serving later.

Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until light; add the sour cream and mayo and beat until well combined.  Add the remaining ingredients and beat until very smooth. 

Fill a pastry bag with a plain tip, or a plastic freezer back with one corner snipped off with the cream cheese mixture.  Squeeze a dollop onto each cucumber slice.  Cut the carrot or radish slices in half or quarter, and arrange a piece on the cheese.  Cut the chives or herbs into small lengths or pieces and add to the flowers in a manner that appeals to you. 

Serve immediately, or carefully cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate.  Serve within 8 hours.

Berry French Toast with Maple Greek Yogurt & Crispy Sweet Almonds

Berry French Toast with Maple Greek Yogurt & Toasted Sweet Almonds

This is a great weekend dish! The recipe just came to me one Saturday morning as I looked through the kitchen and refrigerator for breakfast inspiration. This is what I ended up creating; a scrumptious French toast combination that isn't just sweet, like most French toast, these flavors and textures are totally satisfying!  Make the nuts and prep the yogurt the night before (let it come to room temperature while making the toast) to make final preparation the next morning quick and easy!  Serves 4

Make the Berry Topping:

2 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Combine the berries, syrup, and lemon zest in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and cook until the berries break down and are very soft.  Combine the water and cornstarch and whisk into the berry mixture.  Bring to a boil and cook for a minute, then reduce heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

Make the Sweet Toasted Almonds:

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Generous pinch of salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

Heat a non-stick medium skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the almonds, sprinkle with salt and swirl and toss until they begin to toast and brown.  When the almonds are light brown, sprinkle with the sugar, swirl and stir until the sugar melts and the nuts are all a medium golden brown and coated with the sugar.  Remove from the heat and pour onto a plate to cool.

Make the Maple Greek Yogurt:

2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1 1/2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Make the French Toast:

8 slices sturdy, stale white bread (I used Crusty Country White Bread)

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Combine the eggs, milk, zest, and extract in a pie plate.  Whisk really well, until the eggs are smooth and the mixture is smooth.  Dip each slice of bread into the mixture, pressing a bit, then turn and repeat.  Place the slices on a sheet pan as they come out of the egg mixture.

Place a serving platter in a preheated 180-degree oven. 

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat until hot.  Spray with non-stick spray.  Add 2-3 slices of bread to the skillet and cook until the first side is a deep golden brown and the top begins to look a bit dry.  Turn the bread and cook until the other side is golden brown.  Place the toasts on the platter in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve.  Repeat with the remaining bread slices.

To serve:

Place 2 pieces of French toast on each plate.  Top with several mounds of yogurt, pour Maple Berry Mixture along each side of the yogurt, then sprinkle with the almonds.

Serve immediately.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

My curiosity about the use of chia seed as a thickener lead me to this experiment.  Though not my first choice for dessert, it is an alternative to traditional pudding, without dairy or gluten.  I ground the chia seeds, as I don't care for the look of the whole seeds in a pudding, but you could leave them whole if that is your preference.  This is unusual, but worth a try if you're looking for a healthy dessert option. Serves 2

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

3 Tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

3 Tablespoons chia seeds, ground fine(I used a spice grinder)

pinch of salt

Place milk, honey, vanilla, and cocoa powder in the blender and blend on high until completely smooth.  Add the chia seeds and salt and blend for about one minute.

Pour into individual serving glasses or a serving bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  Garnish with chocolate or white chocolate curls or shavings.

Consume within 2 days.

Chocolate Pastry Cream

Chocolate Cream Pie made with Basic Pie Crust, filled with Chocolate Pastry Cream, garnished with Whipped Cream That Won't Fall Flat, and topped with shaved milk chocolate.

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/4 cups best-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like Ghiradelli)

In a medium bowl whisk together egg yolks, sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. 

In a saucepan bring the milk and heavy cream up to a simmer.  Whisk 1/2 cup of the mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan, mixing thoroughly.  Bring the mixture back up to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, then cook for 2 minutes longer, until the cream is thick.  Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips, whisking until they are melted.  Transfer to a bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.  (For pie, cool to room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, then spread into the baked pie shell, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before garnishing and serving.