Green Beans with Garlic Vinaigrette

Steam the green beans, (1 lb)... but do not overcook; for the vinaigrette, you need 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped or pressed, juice of one lemon, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
In a small food chopper or a bowl, mix everything together, (except the olive oil)...slowly drizzle the olive oil...you can also use a wire whisk if not using a mini food chopper!

You would think that after MIA (missing in action)...I would come back to post an incredibly (WOW) post; so not happening! You see, since Mother's Day, I've been feeling so 'bummed' out...and carrying such sadness in my heart over the death of my dear friend Dianne's mother's sudden death; right on Mother's Day! She, herself is battling lung cancer (never smoked) for the last 2 years! I've been trying to be a good support for her (age 60). Anybody that says second hand smoking is not dangerous?...think again!

I've been also keeping myself busy with my private chef work...catering, as well! Just have to get my mind off of things that I cannot change. I have made some really nice dishes, and desserts, but just did not take even one photo of them...especially my N.Y. style cheesecake, my Yellow Cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting, my Caprese Ziti Pasta with the fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, just to name a few! I have not gone on any social sites at all...such as facebook, have not visited blogs, or commented;...shame on me!

Pinning on Pinterest has been my only entertainment on the web! You don't have to comment, just keep on pinning on all your favorite boards which can take up hours of your time!

Also, I've noticed how bloggers have just abandoned their blogs...some favorite follower friends stopped commenting; some have totally ignored my previous comments...but I'm sure, that has happened to most of us in the near past!

I am so thankful to you, my sweet food, and other blogger friends that are still active and keep up with your lovely blogs. We all have our private lives, our jobs, families, significant 'others'...and mostly our daily routines, sometimes health related issues to worry about! Life has its ups-and-downs but we have to keep a positive outlook...and sometimes that positive outlook can be clouded by doubts and fears which we have to overcome!

Avocado and Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Also, I have made a really healthy, and yummy bruschetta a couple months ago...I could not upload the photos during that time, and have forgotten all about it! I used the yellow cherry tomatoes, the avocado pieces were diced rather larger, or maybe I should have smashed them, but it's based on the very similar recipe that I found on Pinterest!

Smashed Avocado + Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

Whole grain slices of french bread are toasted to perfection and topped with smashed avocado and a garlicky tomato basil mixture.

Author: Monique

Recipe type: Appetizer, Lunch, Healthy

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 loaf whole grain french bread (or 1 petite loaf), sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 avocados, smashed
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus exta
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3-4 basil leaves, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven on broiler setting.
2. Place slices of bread on baking sheet, spray with olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle with sea salt; broil slices in oven about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from oven and rub with one clove of garlic (make sure to cut it in half before rubbing).
3. In a medium bowl, mix smashed avocado, lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and ground pepper.
4. In a separate large bowl, combine tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Mince other garlic clove and add it into tomato mixture.
5. Spread smashed avocado mixture onto each slice of toast, then generously spoon tomato topping on top. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.

Recipe by Ambitious Kitchen at http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2012/08/smashed-avocado-tomato-basil-bruschetta/

My New York Style Cheesecake...from 2 years ago, and also made it recently...original recipe can be found here; also video as well!
NEW YORK CHEESECAKE...by Joy of Baking

Santa Fe Brownies

At the rate I'm going with my post...I'll be ready for the next holiday; which is Mother's Day! Not doing too well on facebook either, or twitter, for that matter, and forget about Google + which I'm still figuring out, just randomly Google + ing people I don't even know, and try to keep up with friends that I do know!
Aside from the fact of 'social media'...which I seem to be 'anti-social'...I will still carry on with my food blog because I made so many friends there, and consider your friendship as if you lived close by!

Does it happen to you like me, sometimes?...you open up an old unforgotten cookbook, and suddenly see a fabulous dish or dessert that in the past you thought about making it?...but now, in the present, knowing the book is over 20 or 30...maybe even 40yrs old, and you know you have to make modifications...big time! A challenge is what it is; otherwise you will have to stick to more recent recipes, which are on the lighter side; and you can actually see photos...which in some of these old books you're lucky if you have diagram of some drawings and illustrations.

If I remember correctly, I have made a similar amazing decadent and rich brownies with the cream cheese marbleized swirls and posted it on my blog, in the past couple years (not looking for it now) This is Maida Heatter's recipe who's last copyright was in 1992; but I haven't seen any more of her books, since then...she might have even passed on!

Good thing that I always have the basic ingredients on hand, because I made this at the last minute's notice...allowing myself a couple of hours. I took this to my son's house...even though they are all 'health conscious'...a piece or two of brownies is a comforting simple dessert!

Besides the fact that my son Joe is an artist, and has a full time job; he has a huge project that he is involved with, and is the founder of it... cleaning up our beaches in Palm Beach county...called,
 BE OCEAN
which you can find on facebook!

This surely is a proper balance of light and delicious dinner: Steamed, and sautéed Kale...Baked Spaghetti, and Baked Salmon, (rubbed with a raspberry spice rub)...yumm!


 Maida Heatter's Santa Fe Brownies from one of Maida Heatter's chocolate dessert cookbooks.
Cake Ingredients

1 ½ c		unbleached flour
1 ½ t		baking powder
¾ t		salt
6 oz		unsweetened chocolate
6 oz		semi-sweet chocolate
8 oz		unsalted butter
5		eggs 4 eggs
1 ¼ c		sugar 1 cup sugar
1 ½ c		brown sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T		vanilla 2 teaspoons
8 oz		walnuts optional

Line a 9-by-13 pan (with vertical sides, if possible) with aluminum foil. Put a few dabs of butter in the pan and put it in the oven to melt the butter. Then use some crumpled plastic wrap to spread the butter over the foil Spray pan with Pam, or other brand name veg. or butter spray, and also the aluminum foil as well.. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. no need to sift!Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. you can melt it in the microwave oven, adding a few drops of water to the chocolate. Follow instruction for melting chocolate!Mix the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the chocolate mixture, then the dry ingredients. Stir in about 2/3 of the walnuts. Set aside 2¼ cups of the mixture, and spread the rest in the pan.  Cream cheese topping ingredients
(This may be doubled for very cheesy brownies.) I did not double the ingredients (no need to)

12 oz		cream cheese
3 oz		butter
1½ t		vanilla
¾ c		sugar 1/2 cup sugar
3		eggs 1 egg

Warm the cream cheese and butter to room temperature. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then beat in the vanilla and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Pour the cheese mixture over the chocolate in the pan. Soften the remaining 2¼ cups of cake mixture by stirring it briskly. Then pour it over the top of the cheese mixture in the pan. Cut diagonally through the top two layers to marblize them. Lay the remaining walnuts on top.

  Bake for 75 minutes. If you doubled the cream cheese, bake for about another 30 minutes. When the top is sufficiently brown, put some foil on it, especially around the edges, to keep the cheese from burning. Total bake time is 35-40 minutes. The instruction for bake time in the original recipe is totally incorrect!Put the whole business in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, turn the cake out of the
pan onto a board, peel off the foil, and carefully

cut the cake into small pieces. Wrap the pieces in wax paper to keep them from sticking together.

As soon as brownie cools down, you can lift it out with the foil that is hanging over, and start cutting up the brownies; as I have in my top photo shown!

Red Gold Tomato Giveaway

Red Gold has been producing premium quality tomato products since 1942, focusing on growing local in the Midwest, while it's cold in the winter, has the perfect growing season for tomatoes; perfect angle of the sun, perfect temps-and even the winter is good for tomatoes, as it breaks up the soil for tiny root systems.

Red Gold produces premium quality canned tomatoes and tomato-based products for retail, food service, private brands, and club stores. The Red Gold family of consumer brands includes Red Gold, Redpack, Tuttorosso, and Sacramento. Exceptional quality and operational excellence are the shared values that contributed to the employee-created mission statement: “To produce the freshest, best tasting tomato products in the world”.

Red Gold has graciously contacted me if I would sponsor a giveaway for their product...of course I said "yes"! I received a selection of 5 different diced tomatoes, along with recipe index cards...my most favorite choice was the Red Gold Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Oregano...I made delicious cheeseburgers with it and topped it off with slice Provolone cheese. Photo and recipe to follow!


The gift pack for the giveaway will include a sample of Red Pack goodies (ketchup, Red Gold w/Green Chilies, Red Gold Lime Juice & Cilantro), as well as coupons and recipes for a Spicy Tomato Burger and Caribbean Chicken Burger.

Look for the Red Gold Summertime Grillin' Party-  on their Facebook page. It stated on July 24th the first day of the promotion!

To enter: click on the Grillin' Party image that's posted on their Facebook header. The direct link is: https://www.facebook.com/RedGold/app_349542138512669

The promotion for the Red Gold Giveaway will end on Sunday, Aug, 4th 2013 11.00PM EST. and the winner will be determined by RANDOM.ORG

So far...no restriction apply that I'm aware of, so you can all apply (until further notice)

Thank you for all your kind comments, they are truly appreciated! xo

linking to: Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherines Corner 

                        Full Plate Thursday@Miz Helen's Country Cottage