Spinach Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

Last week, as you may or not recall from this blog post, my number two son brought me an abundance of fresh berries. Rather than freezing them - that can sometimes compromise their texture and flavor - I sought creative ways to incorporate them into meals. This morning, inspiration struck, leading to a delightful spinach salad that not only featured these berries, but also transformed them into a star component of a tasty vinaigrette.

Spinach Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

The salad was a vibrant mix of:

Fresh Spinach - The base of our salad, providing a robust, earthy flavor.
Homemade Croutons - Adding a delightful crunch and a touch of rustic charm.
Red Onion - For a sharp, contrasting flavor that complements the sweetness of the berries.
Blackberries - Adding bursts of color and sweetness.
Feta Cheese - Offering a creamy, tangy element to balance the sweetness.
Macadamia Nuts - Bringing a buttery, rich texture to the ensemble.

To elevate this already delicious combination, I topped it with blackberry vinaigrette. What an explosion of nutrition and taste!

Blackberry Vinaigrette

1 c. fresh blackberries
⅔ c. light olive oil
⅓ c. raspberry vinegar
¼ t. dry mustard
1-2 T. sugar
1 t. sea salt
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a mini food processor. Process until the mixture is well emulsified.
Note: You have the option to strain out the seeds for a smoother texture; however, I chose to keep them in for added texture and nutrition.

This vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator and will keep for 5 to 7 days, making it perfect for multiple meals or for sharing with friends.

The result was nothing short of brilliant; the vinaigrette not only highlighted the berries' flavors but also added a sophisticated touch to a simple salad. Whether you choose to strain the seeds or embrace the rustic texture, this vinaigrette is sure to impress. Enjoy the fusion of flavors and textures, and let your culinary creativity shine with every bite.

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Macadamia Nut Bars

For the most part, I don’t consider myself a baker. I don’t particularly enjoy baking, and I tend not to do it all that often. One has to wonder, then, why I subscribe to Bake from Scratch magazine. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. It’s just one of life’s puzzles. But when a new issue arrives, I do page through and place markers in amongst the pages to remind me of the recipes that I would like to try.

Over the weekend I actually did try one of the recipes (that I honestly find quite cumbersomely written) for a delicious looking nut bar. This recipe employed the use of honey. If you like honey, then use it; don’t divide it up, as I did, by using honey, and both light and dark Karo syrups. I find honey to be cloying, and despite its use in most of the pecan pie bar cookie recipes that I’ve seen, it doesn’t belong there. You will never find honey in a pecan pie. It’s just wrong! So, what you will find below is my version of their recipe. Because I didn’t need a huge pan of these, or have the desire to take out a home loan in order to buy the macadamias, I cut their recipe in half and baked it in an 8” x 8” pan. These little rascals are addicting!

Macadamia Nut Bars
Adapted from Bake from Scratch

Crust:
½ c. +1 T. unsalted butter, softened
¼ c. + 1 T. firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ t. fine sea salt
1½ c. all-purpose flour

Topping:
½ c. unsalted butter, softened
½ c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/8 c. honey*
1/8 c. light Karo syrup*
1/8 c. dark Karo syrup*
1/8 c. granulated sugar
1/8 c. heavy whipping cream
½ t. fine sea salt
1½  c. macadamia nuts
1 c. pecan halves
½ t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray an 8” x 8” pan with PAM. Line pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang on either end; set aside.

Beat together butter, sugar, and salt until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly add flour and beat until the dough comes together and forms large clumps. Press into the bottom of prepared pan (a tart tamper works well for this). Using a fork, prick the dough all over.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes until edges are light brown. Let cool until it is warm to the touch.

Reduce oven temperature to 325° F.

Topping: In a large saucepan bring butter, brown sugar, honey, both syrups, granulated sugar, cream, and salt to a boil over high heat stirring constantly. Cook until an instant read thermometer registers 243° F. Remove from heat and stir in macadamia nuts, pecans, and vanilla. Pour onto prepared crust.

Bake until topping is bubbly and nuts around edges are mahogany colored, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Remove from pan, cut into bars. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.

 *Get yourself a set of these.

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Stone Fruit Crumble with Raspberries

 

Isn't it amazing how our tastes change from season to season?  In the winter, I never think about fruit. Winter is all vegetables for me, and in all sorts of warming comfort food dishes. Once the weather warms though, I can't wait to sink my teeth into the fruits of summer. 

I am a big “stone fruit” fan, and, yes I love every one of them from the myriad available. This morning I was eyeing two boxes of stone fruits from Melissa's, one package of plum bites, and the other of peach bites.  At the same time that I was eyeing these, I was thawing a bag of frozen raspberries that my dad found in his freezer and gave to me. The wheels started turning, and thus I give you, the amazingly easy, super delicious, Stone Fruit Crumble with Raspberries!  This, my friends, is how a recipe is born.  Served hot or at room temperature, with ice cream or not, it is a wonderful taste of summer that everyone will enjoy.

Stone Fruit Crumble with Raspberries

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup macadamia nuts

Pinch of salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes

1 bag frozen raspberries, thawed and drained

1 box (1 lb.) of Melissa’s Organic Peach Bites pitted and large diced

1 box (1 lb.) of Melissa’s Plum Bites pitted and large diced

1/4 -1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Pulse flour, sugar, macadamias, and salt in a food processor until nuts are chopped and all is mixed. Add butter and pulse until mixture begins to clump.

Place fruit in a medium mixing bowl and toss gently with sugar.  Taste the mixture to avoid over or under sweetening.  The amount you need depends upon the tartness of your fruit.

Spread fruit in an 8” deep-dish pie plate and cover evenly with topping, mounding in the center.

Bake crumble in middle of oven until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.  Cover with foil if topping begins to get too brown.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday

Create It Thursday

Inspiration Gallery Thursday
Home and Garden Thursday

Home Sweet Home

Be Inspired Friday

 Show and Tell Friday 

Foodie Friday

Old-Fashioned Coconut Sheet Cake

 

I am not much of a cake baker.  The other day I was thinking about this, and trying to figure out why.  I think the reason for my lack of cake baking love is that, after thirty some odd years, I’m just tired of using the same recipes over and over again.  Almost like magic, enter the newest creation from Hoffman Publications, Amazing Cakes and Cupcakes too! a part of their “All-American Cooking” series.  Eighty four new recipes, right at my fingertips.  Recipes for layer cakes, Bundt cakes, sheet cakes, frozen cakes, cheesecakes, cupcakes, fillings, frostings, and glazes.  Wow.  For the first time in a long time I was excited about making a cake.

For some reason the Old-Fashioned Coconut Sheet Cake called my name, and at 9:00 on Sunday night I set out to make one.  I could hardly wait for it to cool so that I could frost it and have a slice.  I wasn’t disappointed.  This cake is delicious.  It gets flavor and moisture from coconut milk and coconut extract (And I am as surprised as you are that I had both on hand on a Sunday night.), something that is in the cake and the frosting as well.  The topping of coconut and salty, chopped macadamias is truly inspired.  It gives the cake that je ne sais quoi that makes it extraordinary.

The recipe says it will keep in the refrigerator for three days.  I did refrigerate it, removing it an hour prior to serving, and it was still a bit cold and stiff, so I wouldn’t recommend this at all.  It seems to get more moist and flavorful as the days pass (but no more than four) so this is a definite make-ahead dessert that only gets better with age.  And, really, don’t we all?

Here is the recipe right from the magazine, but you’re going to have to buy the issue for the rest (and don’t those peanut butter cupcakes on the front look mouthwatering?!).  

No, I was not compensated in any way for this post.  Consider this post as a message of public service.

This post is linked to:

Wow Us Wednesday
Work It Wednesday

What’s It Wednesday

Create It Thursday 

Full Plate Thursday