pineapple

Tropical Dip

This recipe is from customer Bridget L. of Norwalk and it won 1st place at our 2018 Iowa State Fair Party Dip Contest!

INGREDIENTS

Dip:

Crackers:

DIRECTIONS

Dip:

  1. In a blender combine cream cheese, crushed pineapple (minus ¼ cup), and ¼ cup pineapple juice. Blend for 30 seconds.
  2. Add diced jalapeño, cashews, salt, cilantro, and Asiago cheese. Blend well and transfer to serving dish.
  3. Refrigerate until you are ready to eat.

Crackers:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. In a food processor, add flour, sugar, and salt and pulse to blend.
  3. In a small bowl, mix water, lime olive oil, and pineapple balsamic together. With the processor running on low, slowly pour in the liquid mixture till it just forms a ball.
  4. Roll dough out on a floured surface. Cut into strips and dock with a fork. Brush with Persian lime olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes.

To Serve:

  1. Finely chop 1/2 of a jalapeño.
  2. Create a dent in the middle of the dip and place 1/4 cup crushed pineapple and diced jalapeño.
  3. Drizzle with one tablespoon each of Persian lime olive oil and pineapple white balsamic.
  4. Serve with freshly-baked crackers!

 

Have you made this recipe? Share your experience with us in the comments below.

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Grilled Fruit With Gorgonzola and Smoked Olive Oil

Grilled fruit with cheese, drizzled with smoked olive oil, makes a wonderful first course for a nice dinner, or a relatively healthy dessert.

INGREDIENTS

4 – 6 Satsuma mandarin oranges, peeled and cut horizontally into equal thirds
OR 1 fresh pineapple, cored and peeled and sliced into long spears
OR 4 – 6 fresh peaches (or other stonefruit), halved and pits removed
3 – 4 Tbsp Gorgonzola dolce,* pinched into small pieces
2 Tbsp Olive Wood-Smoked Olive Oil
1/4 Cup fresh mint or basil leaves, cut into very thin strips (a chiffonade)
1 Tbsp pomegranate arils (seeds, optional)

STEPS

Prepare a charcoal grill for cooking on direct heat, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Lightly oil the grill so that the fruit does not burn and stick to the grate.

When the charcoal or the gas grill is ready, place the cut fruits on the medium-hot grill. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes per side, or until a grill marks appear. Remove fruit from grill and arrange on a serving platter.

Distribute the cheese over the grilled fruit, then drizzle with the olive wood-smoked olive oil. Sprinkle the chiffonade of mint or basil over the top, then garnish with the pomegranate arils, if desired.

Serve warm, just-off-the-grill, or save for later and serve at room temperature.

*Gorgonzola dolce is a milder version of the blue cheese. If this is not available, try Cambozola, or Saga, two other kinds of milder cheese. (Or just substitute about 1/4 cup of your favorite soft or crumbly cheese).

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Champagne Holiday Punch

You freeze the ice ring (water and orange / lemon slices frozen in a Bundt pan) and make the simple syrup a day or more beforehand, but the rest of the punch recipe comes together in a few minutes right before serving.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 Cups genever (aka “Dutch gin”), chilled
1/2 Cup orange curaçao, chilled
1/2 Cup Simple Syrup*
10 dashes aromatic bitters, such as Angostura
1 Cup sparkling water
3/4 Cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 Cup sparkling wine or Champagne
Freshly-grated nutmeg

For garnish:
Fresh pineapple slices
Star anise

Make a really fancy punch, by chilling it with a fruit-laced “punch ice” ring you made the day before.

STEPS

*Make your own simple syrup by combining 2 Cups granulated sugar and 1 Cup water in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Stir boiling sugar-water until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture thickens, about 3 – 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, and allow syrup to cool considerably before transferring to a small, seaalable bottle or jar. Once syrup is completely cooled, keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Combine the genever, orange curaçao, simple syrup, and bitters in a punch bowl. Add the sparkling water, fresh lemon juice, and sparkling wine or Champagne just before serving.

Unmold the punch ice ring and gently lower it into the punch bowl (so as not to splash and waste any punch). Grate nutmeg over top of the bowl, and garnish punch with pineapple slices and whole star anise.

Recipe 0 Comments , , ,

Korean Barbecue Sauce (Kalbi)

INGREDIENTS
1 tsp Sesame Seed, Hulled White
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar (plain or experiment with flavors like Apricot, Pomegranate Quince or Honey Ginger)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp Roasted Sesame Oil
2 kiwi fruit, peeled or 1/2 Cup crushed pineapple
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp Dried Ginger, Crushed
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Pinch black pepper

STEPS
Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden. Transfer seeds to a bowl.

Place remaining ingredients, minus green onion, in a blender and pulse until components are just incorporated. Stir in chopped green onion and sesame seeds.

Use to marinate Korean-style ribs or other thin cuts (1/2″ thickness or less) of beef or pork. Also makes a great dipping sauce for grilled appetizers.

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Basil Lemonade

INGREDIENTS

1/4 Cup granulated sugar or Granulated Honey
1/4 Cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
2 Tablespoons Lemon White Balsamic (also great with Raspberry, Mango, Pineapple or Strawberry Balsamics!)
1/4 Cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
water
ice

STEPS
Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 45 seconds, or over medium-high heat in a saucepan on the stovetop. Stir mixture until sugar is completely dissolved and liquid is clear. Set aside to cool.

In a tall glass or a small bowl, use a muddler (or the flat wooden base of a wooden spoon) to “muddle” together the lemon juice and basil leaves. This will infuse the lemon juice with the flavor of the fresh basil( not a big deal if you don’t have this available). Essentially, you want to “smoosh” the flavor out of the fresh basil leaves and let it steep into the fresh lemon juice.

Add 2/3 Cup of cold water, desired flavored splash of balsamic vinegar and sugar syrup, and stir to combine. Adjust ingredients to taste. Strain over ice (to remove the basil shreds) and serve!

*Adapted from Love and Olive Oil.

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