1 (80z) container soften light cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon orange juice

2 (2.1) oz package frozen mini-phyllo pastry shells

sliced fresh strawberries

Stir together the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Spoon cream cheese into the center of each pastry shell.  Top each with one fresh sliced strawberry and dust with orange zest.  yields 28 tarts

**you can make the cream cheese filling the day before and store in the refridgerator…garnish and fill pastry shells an hour before guests arrive.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup cinnamon applesauce

1 large granny smith apple, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.  Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer.  Add in the vanilla and eggs and beat until fluffy.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  The batter will be thick.  Add in the applesauce and mix with electric mixer.  Stir in applesauce.  Using an ice-cream scooper scoop the batter into the muffin tins.  Bake for 22-25 minutes.   Cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes and then on a wire rack completely.

2- 1.9oz packages of mini phyllo pastry shells (in the freezer section)

4 oz- ham cut in bite size pieces

4 oz-shredded swiss cheese

strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 375.  Divide ham into the phyllo shells and sprinkle shredded cheese.  Top each with a 1/8 teaspoon of strawberry jam.  Bake for 6 minutes.  Serve & Enjoy!! Yields 2 dozen.

2 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup chilled butter pieces cut into pieces

3/4 cup fat free butter milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1.  Preheat oven to 450

2.  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with knife.  Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through nutmeg).  Cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles a coarse meal. 

3.  Combine buttermilk and pumpkin in a small bowl and add to flour mixture.  Stir just until moist.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 5 times. 

4.  I drop the biscuits by the spoon full onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 11 minutes. 

5.  You can roll them out and cut with a biscuit cutter.

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter

2 cups of sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 lbs. Granny Smith apples cored, cubed and peeled.

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted.  Stir together butter and next 3 ingredients until blended.    Combine flour and next 3 ingredients.  Add flour to butter mixture and stir with a wooden spoon in a large bowl.  Stir in apples and one cup of pecans.  Spread batter in a lightly greased 13×9 pan.  Bake for 45 minutes and cool completely on a wire rack.  I sliced mine up and served in mini ramekins for guests, but it is just as delicious served from the pan.

1 loaf honey wheat bread (sliced)

honey walnut cream cheese (I purchased mine at Panera Bread)

fresh sliced strawberries

strawberry preserves (not jelly)

1. Working with 2 slices of bread at a time spread at least one tablespoon of cream cheese on each slice of bread.

2.  spread a tablespoon of strawberry preserves on top of the cream cheese

3.  place strawberry slices on one piece of bread so they touch each other but do not overlap

4.  press the two bread slices together and using a cookie cutter press out heart shapes or any other shape you would prefer.

6 cups mashed ripe peaches (about 2 1/2 pounds)

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoon all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups milk

1 cup whipping cream (I use half and half to cut down on fat)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine peaches and one cup of sugar in a large bowl and set aside.  Beat eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until frothy. Combine one cup sugar, flour and salt.  Gradually add sugar mixture to egg mixture, beat until thickened.  Gradually add milk, beat until blended.  Pour custard into a large heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium heat and stir constanly until thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon.  (About 25 minutes) Remove from heat and set pan in a bowl of ice water.  Stir gently until cool.  Stir in peaches, half and half, vanilla and pecans.  Pour mixture into a freezer container of a one gallon freezer.  Follow manufactors instructions on freezing ice-cream.  Enjoy!

3 small tomatoes sliced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 ball of pizza dough

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup fresh corn kernels

1 grilled 8 oz chicken breast sliced

8 oz Monterry Jack cheese

3 tabelspoons fresh whole torn basil

1.  Place tomato slices on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. 

2.  Roll out dough and cut into individual size pizzas (about 4)

3.  Grill dough for about 3 minutes until it starts to puff up

4.  drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper evenly over dough

5.  spread corn, chicken, tomatoes, basil and cheese over top each pizza

6.  Grill for another 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted

ENJOY!

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans trimmed

2 pounds peeled, medium size raw shrimp

basil vinaigrette divided (recipe below)

6 cooked bacon slices crumbled

1 1/3 cups shredded parmesan cheese

3/4 cup chopped toasted almonds

cornbread

1.  Pre-heat grill to 350-400 (medium high)

2.  Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover for 4 minutes and drain.  Pat dry and set aside in a large bowl. 

3.  Combine shrimp and half 0f  the basil vinaigrette in a large zip bag and chill for 15 minutes.  Remove shrimp from marinade and place in a foil lined grill basket.  Discard marinade.

4.  Cook bacon until crisp.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings and add green beans back into the pan of bacon grease.  Cook green beans for anther 2 minutes.

5.  Grill shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side until they turn pink. 

6.  In a large bowl combine, green bean mixture, shrimp, cheese and the remaining vinaigrette.

7.  Serve over warm corn bread.

Basil vinaigrette:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

4 large shallots minced

3 garlic cloves minced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup olive oil

1.  Whisk together first 7 ingredients and gradually add in the olive oil until blended.  Enjoy!

The Southern Living Farmers Market Cookbook  a fresh look on local flavor

Here is why I love this book (there are many reasons)

1.  The book is divided by seasons so it is very helpful for someone like me who knows enough about produce, but still gets stumped in the dead of winter on what side dish to prepare.

2.  The ingredient lists are very minimal and very simple.  Most of the ingredients you can get a farmers market or you local grocery store

3.  The pictures are amazing!  I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the pics!!  I actually eat my cereal in the morning and decide what I am going to cook that day from the book.  It makes me happy to start my day looking at the pictures.

4.  Each season is divided into groups (apps, dessert, main course, sides and drinks). 

5.  Nothing is too complicated.  I have not found one recipe that seemed too over whelming to make.

6.  The food is delicious!! I promise you will love anything you make from here.