Mango Vinaigrette

Our recipe today is the second in a series by Chef John Lynch. This is a fabulous dressing that goes well with yesterday’s salad, Green Salad with Goat Cheese and Spicy Pecans. It’s a party for your palate.

½ Cup cider vinegar

2 tsp of Dijon mustard

½ tsp minced garlic

1 ½ tsp honey

1 tsp freshly squeezed Lime juice

1 ¼  Cup diced mango

1 ½ cups olive oil

½ cup minced cilantro leaves

1 jalapeno pepper seeded and deveined

2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Put vinegar, mustard, garlic, honey, lime juice, and mango in a blender. Blend at medium speed till smooth. While motor running, remove lid and slowly drizzle in the oil. The mixture should be thick and emulsified. Fold in the cilantro, jalapenos, and scallions. Add salt and pepper. Serve at once or store dressing in a air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.

Green Salad with Goat Cheese and Spicy Pecans

This fantastic salad is our first recipe in a series showcasing Chef John Lynch. Each day this week we will be featuring a different course in a meal created by him. John is also the creator of the Cripple Creek BBQ sauces.

6 Cups of baby spring mix lettuce

1 Cup of Mango vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1 2/3 Cup of soft goat cheese (about ½ pound)

1 ½ Cups Spicy Pecans (recipe follows)

Salt and Fresh ground pepper to taste

Place the greens in a bowl and add dressing. Toss to coat evenly. Divide evenly to 4 chilled salad plates, drop teaspoons of goat cheese around the edge of the plate. Using about 1/3 Cup for each serving.  Sprinkle the salads with the pecans, season each with the salt and pepper.

Spicy Pecans

4 Cups pecan halves (about a pound)

½ Cup of honey

¼ C Brown Sugar

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

½ tsp salt

Toast the pecans in a 350°F oven for 6 minutes on an sheet pan sprayed with pan spray or wiped with olive oil. While warm toss with remaining ingredients and return to oven for 6 more minutes. Prior to them being completely cooled, stir the nuts to ensure they release from the pan.

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.

Healthy Juice Punch

The kids rave over this punch recipe. And why wouldn’t they? I got it from an 7 year old.

2 C cranberry juice

2 C grape juice

4 C apple juice

1. Mix together. Chill & Serve!

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.

Raspberry Custard Pie

Summer is a great time to pick fresh raspberries. I usually eat more than I pick to be honest! But if you happen to leave the berry patch with a little over a cup they are scrumptious in this pie!

1 pkg (6oz) fresh red raspberries, divided (1 1/4C total)

2 3/4C cold milk

2 pkgs (4-serving sizes each) vanilla flavor instant pudding & pie filling

1 ready-made Graham Cracker Pie Crust

2 oz white baking chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, grated

1. Reserve 16 raspberries for garnish. Set aside
2. In large bowl, beat milk and pudding mix with whisk for 2 min. Fold in remaining raspberries. Spoon into crust.
3. Sprinkle chocolate in center of pie.
4. Arrange reserve raspberries in center of pie. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until set.

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

This recipe uses “sweet milk” which in some of your grandma’s recipes is referring to whole milk. It was a term used to differentiate regular milk and buttermilk when things weren’t so complicated.

1C sour cream

1 ½C sugar

3 egg yolks

1 ¾C flour

1t soda

1/2 C sweet milk

2 squares chocolate

1t vanilla

3 egg whites

1. Beat sour cream, sugar and egg yolks well.
2. Add flour and soda slowly to mixture.
3. Boil sweet milk with squares chocolate.
4. Cook until thick-add chocolate and vanilla to cake mixture.
5. Beat egg whites and fold into cake batter.
6. Pour into long pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

If you don’t have chocolate squares you can substitute 3 ½T cocoa & ½T butter for 1 square chocolate.

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.

Cheezy Salsa Dip

This dip goes fast in our family. You have to stick close to it to get your fair share!

1 pkg (8oz) softened cream cheese

1 C Salsa

1 C Shredded cheddar cheese

1. Spread cream cheese in pie plate with a spatula.
2. Top with salsa then cheese.
3. Microwave in 30 sec intervals until warm and cheese is melted.

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.

Vanilla Fruit Salad

Not your ordinary fruit salad!

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 pear, peeled, cored and diced
10 to 12 medium size strawberries, halved
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 banana, sliced
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, vanilla extract and salt. Season with pepper, to taste. Set aside.
2. Place all of the fruit and the nuts into a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Add the dressing, toss and serve.

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.

Cranberry Raspberry Spinach Salad

This tangy dressing goes great with spinach or on other vegetable or fruit salads. Walnuts, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds add interest for the eye and the palate!

1-10oz package frozen red raspberries in syrup, thawed

1/4C sugar

2t cornstarch

1/2C cranberry-raspberry juice cocktail

1/4C red wine vinegar

1/4t celery seed

1/4t ground cinnamon

1/8t ground cloves

10 oz fresh spinach

1/3C broken walnuts

1/4C dried cranberries

2T sunflower seeds

3 green onions

1. Fresh raspberries for garnish, optional
2. For dressing, blend raspberries until smooth. Add juice and blend. Strain through a sieve to remove seeds. Discard seeds.
3. In a medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in raspberry mixture, red wine vinegar, celery seed, cinnamon and cloves. Stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir for 2 minutes more. Chill in a non-metal container until serving time.
4. Remove stems and tear spinach. Toss in a salad bowl together with walnuts, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and green onions. Drizzle with half the dressing (dressing is very strong but good, use sparingly). Arrange on plates and garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.
5. Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing in non-metal container for up to a week to use in other vegetable or fruit salads.

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.

Buffalo Shrimp

Spicy shrimp appetizer. Serve with yesterday’s recipe: Blue Cheese Dip.

1/4C flour

1/4t salt

1/4t cayenne pepper

1 1/2lb large shrimp, shelled, deveined and tails intact

1T olive oil

1T unsalted butter

2t hot red pepper sauce or garlic flavor

Chopped fresh parsley or chives

Carrot and celery sticks

1. In a shallow bowl, combined flour, salt and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp, tossing to coat.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil, butter and hot pepper sauce. Add shrimp and cook, stirring constantly until lightly browned, 3-4 min.
3. Top blue cheese dip with parsley and serve with shrimp, carrot sticks and celery sticks.

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.

Blue Cheese Dip

Make this quick dip with a vegetable tray, to dip your hot wings in or pair with tomorrow’s recipe: Buffalo Shrimp.

1/2C  low-fat sour cream

1/2C low-fat mayonnaise

1/4C low-fat milk

4oz blue cheese, crumbled (1C)

1T fresh lemon juice

1/2t salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl & mix.
2. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Learn more about Western Style, Rustic Decor, South Western Jewelry and Western Design from Heather Christensen & Thea Marx at Contemporary Western Design.com.