Festive Fruit Salad

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The late Mr. O-P was New Jersey born and bred. In New Jersey, his friends and family referred to this as “fruit cup.” Here in the heartland, we call it “fruit salad.” Whatever way that you refer to it in your part of the world, this is my absolute favorite combination of fruits. It has no added sweeteners, is best when served one or two days after you make it (What could be more convenient than that?), and is always welcome. It contains a unique blend of fruits, both fresh and dried, as well as crunchy, toasted walnut halves.

 

This salad features something a little different in the pink pineapple. I like using pink pineapple because all of the colors blend so well. It’s not particularly easy to find, so feel free to substitute yellow for that little splash of sunshine. Serve it topped with flaked coconut, a sprig of fresh mint, or, if serving it after a meal, with a pungent wedge of Stilton on the side.

Festive Fruit Salad

1 Melissa’s Pinkglow pineapple, peeled, cored, and cubed
1 c. Melissa’s red Muscato grapes, cut in half
1 15-oz. can Bing cherries, drained
¼ c. golden raisins
1 c. walnut halves, toasted

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or up to three days. Serve topped with shredded coconut, mint leaves, or a dollop of whipped cream.

 

Warm Almond Cakes with Cognac Grapes

It seems almost sinful that something this easy should be so good, but trust me when I tell you that it is. This luscious dessert -- that I contend would be equally good at breakfast or brunch as it is at dinner (Yes, I did have it for breakfast, if you must know.) -- simply must be added to your recipe repertoire. It’s like a cross between a rich almond cake and a chewy almond cookie. The grapes have a wonderful sweetness that adds an additional component to both taste and texture of this dessert to make it absolutely wonderful.

Warm Almond Cakes with Cognac Grapes

Adapted from epicurious.com

¼ cup Cognac

1 cup Melissa’s red Muscato grapes, halved

¾ cup whole blanched almonds*

½ cup sugar, divided

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

¾ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

The day before you plan to make this dish, cut the grapes in half and soak them in the cognac. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.

In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse almonds and 2 tablespoons of the sugar until finely ground. Pulse in flour and salt; set aside.

Beat together butter and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in extracts. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and beat in ground almonds, flour, and salt mixture until just combined.

Divide batter among 4 shallow 1/3-cup (1/2" deep) gratin dishes (I used these), and press grapes lightly into batter (discard Cognac). Bake in dishes on a baking sheet until cake is firm and pale golden with slightly darker edges, about 20 minutes. Transfer cakes to a rack and cool slightly in dishes before serving.

*I used what I had on hand -- Blue Diamond Low Sodium Lightly Salted Almonds that I buy in 16-oz. bags and keep in the freezer. In this case, I did not add the additional salt. I like the speckled look the whole almonds with their skins gave this dessert. Really, you can use whatever you have, just measure it out, and grind it up.

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If you love almond like I do, then you will enjoy this Almond Yogurt Pound Cake.

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DIY Collagen Treatment

This blog post is a bit different from most. You get a recipe, not to worry, but it’s not a recipe for something that you can eat. This recipe is for a skincare treatment. Now, I have no idea whether this works or not, it’s strictly experimental, but I thought I would give you the recipe in case you wanted to take this journey along with me, and we can compare results. My goal is to use it three times a week for a month, and see if it has made any difference.

When you get to be my age, things start heading south at a rapid pace. So, when I read online that you can make your own collagen treatment, I decided to give it a try. I mean, what did I have to lose? It was a combination of olive oil, raw honey, and grapes, all of which I had on hand. So, after reading about the benefits that honey, olive oil, and grapes provided skin, I knew that I had to try it.

Honey can help to moisturize your skin, fight the effects of aging, and fight bacteria. Plus, it’s loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. Win!

Olive oil penetrates deeply into the skin, but doesn’t clog pores, and provides a gentle cleansing effect while acting as a moisturizer. Win!

Grapes contain antioxidants known as polyphenols, thought to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. They also contain resveratrol, known to boost the production of collagen. 

BIG Win!

With all of this in mind, I decided to toss these ingredients into my little Ninja Blender, and give it a whirl, both literally and figuratively. I applied it evenly to my face with a cotton pad. I looked a bit like something out of a horror movie, because while the honey and the olive oil had emulsified, I ended up with little bits of grape skin all over my face, giving me a bit of a “zombie” look — trendy, yes, but not particularly desirable.

I was not deterred! I decided to use this time to relax, so I got comfortable in my favorite chair, had a little relaxation music playing in the background, and set a timer for 15 minutes. After the time was up I rinsed my face over the kitchen sink, patted dry, and was amazed at how great my skin felt. Dare I say that the tone of my skin seemed more even? I felt like I was positively glowing. Let me warn you not to do this over your bathroom sink. I can only imagine, over the course of time, the grape skins that could build up in your drain resulting in a clogged mess. Also, it would be wise for you to look in the mirror after you wash your face. You wouldn’t want to, say, greet the FedEx man at the door to sign for a package of Omaha Steaks with a little piece of grape skin stuck just above your left eyebrow. Not that I would know anything about that, mind you, but I can imagine how embarrassing that might be for you.

 I am going to try this three times a week, and see if I notice any difference. I will let you know. Meanwhile, here is the recipe that I used.

DIY Collagen Treatment

15 Melissa’s Organic red Muscato grapes 

2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons raw honey

Put everything into a small blender (I used this Ninja Blender), and whir until emulsified. Dab all over your face with a cotton pad, and relax for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse your face thoroughly and pat dry with a soft towel. Store extra in the refrigerator for a week. Be sure to give it a good stir, and allow it to come to room temperature before using. Do this three times a week. Make up fresh treatments as you need them.

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This post is linked to:

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Over the Moon

Celebrate Your Story

Wonderful Wednesday

Funtastic Friday
Best of the Weekend
Pink Saturday
Snickerdoodle Create Bake & Create

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