The Taste of Summer's Bounty {Recipe: Garlic Basil Dressing with Tomatoes}

This is a great summer salad when there are plenty of vine ripe tomatoes and fresh basil available. We enjoy this salad with sliced fresh mozzarella and a baguette, it
makes for a light, cool meal for hot summer days. 

Garlic Basil Dressing with Tomatoes

This is an adaptation of a recipe found in a my Cookwise Cook Book by Shirley O. Corriher. 

1 garlic clove

1 shallot

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup olive oil*

15 basil leaves

Place garlic clove and shallot in a food processor or blender and mince. Add the vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard and sugar. With the processor or blender with the lid on and fill lid removed, slowly pour in the olive oil. Add the basil and pulse until basil is coarsely chopped. Drizzle over freshly sliced tomatoes. 

*Original recipe uses canola, corn, or vegetable oil. I prefer olive oil, but it is a bit thicker than the other oils, especially when refrigerated. 

Makes about a cup of dressing 

Note: The Cookwise Cook Book serves this dressing over 1-1/2 pounds of fresh green beans cooked to crisp tender in a pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon salt. After the green beans are cooked to crisp tender (about 6-7minutes), drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Refrigerate until cold, then toss with the amount of dressing to taste. Add tomato slices on top, drizzle with a bit more dressing and serve. 

Enjoy!

Homemade Hostess {Recipe: Creme Filled Chocolate Cupcakes}

 

My mother rarely bought packaged baked goods, but there was a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet near the business she and my father owned and she would occasionally buy treats for us kids there. I loved them all, but at the time Twinkies were my favorite. Now as an adult I realize that homemade is way better! Although I have occasionally purchased them for my kids for nostalgic reasons, I think they would agree that homemade is better as well. 

Creme Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

Prepare 24 of your favorite chocolate cupcakes, our favorite is the recipe found on https://es.republicadelcacao.com/blogs/recipes/cupcakes.  This recipe makes 40, but I halved recipe and got 24. 

For Filling:

1-7-ounce jar marshmallow creme

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup softened butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon or so of water, if needed

Using an electric mixer, mix together marshmallow creme, powdered sugar, butter, and salt until light and creamy. If mixture is too dry, add water a teaspoon at a time until desired consistency

is achieved. 

For Chocolate Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons milk

Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla. Slowly add milk, until a spreadable consistency reached. 

Assembling Cupcakes:

Fill a pastry bag fitted with an extra large plain piping tip with filling mixture. Push piping tip into the center of the top of each cupcake and fill until you see and feel the cupcake expand a bit. Once all of the cupcakes are filled, spread the tops of the cupcakes with about one teaspoon or so of glaze. 

If using sprinkles on top of the cupcakes, sprinkle each cupcake immediately, the glaze hardens quickly and the sprinkles may not stick if you wait. If there is left over filling, it can be used to make the trademark swirl on top of the cupcakes using a small plain piping tip. 

Enjoy!