Bruschetta core ingredients:
Fresh mozzarella, cubed
Fresh or sun dried tomatoes, chopped
Virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Fresh basil, chopped or shredded
Artisan bread, lightly brushed with olive oil and broiled on both sides
Optional mix-ins:
Artichoke hearts
Olives
Crisp cucumber, sliced
Crushed garlic
Fresh rosemary, fresh oregano, or fresh thyme
Herbed soft cheese (to spread on already toasted bread slices before topping with mixture).
Notes: Blend of sauce is approximately 4 parts vinegar:1 part oil, or to taste. Fresh herbs are highly recommended and are added to taste. Basil is most traditional but others may be substituted. Garlic can be toasted on the bread and infused olive oils work really well with this recipe. Another option is to put the toppings/sauce on the toasted bread and put it back in the oven until cheese is bubbly.
Pear Hors D'oeuvres
I just used what I had and didn't measure anything, but here are the estimates:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/8 tsp pepper
a couple pears, peeled and sliced
french baguette, sliced
stir together ingredients for spread onto bread and top with pears.
Tortilla Espanola
(To make it look prettier, we should have made it in smaller batches, and then you'd cut it like a pie). Once again, I didn't use a recipe, so here are the estimates:
5-6 potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 eggs
an onion, chopped
garlic to taste
salt to taste
lot o' olive oil!
Saute the onion with garlic in olive oil, set aside
Fry potatoes in olive oil until done, but not browned. Blot on paper towels. Crack eggs and beat. Add salt, garlic and onions. Add potatoes and cook in pan until brown on bottom. Flip and cook 'til brown on bottom and done through the middle.
Leche Frita
http://www.spain-recipes.com/leche-frita.html (Thanks to Chefi Hawley)
I really enjoyed preparing this food and sharing it with you. Thanks for coming and lifting my spirits! I'm grateful to get together with such wonderful people!
4 comments:
PS Don't forget the rich hot chocolate (found at FunFinity) and Spanish olives (some stuffed with feta)! Thanks to Amber and Rebecca for helping us out with the chocolate!
Oh it was all soooo good! Thanks Christie for all you work! I think I will have to get some of that hot coco today!
I forgot to tell the story of my 21st B-day in Spain. All my friends from Chicago were saying how great that would be. Little did they know I'd be at FHE in a Mormon Church House. Little did my LDS room-mate know that the surprise cake she'd bought for me had been soaked in liquor!
PS I'm new at this blogging thing and accidentally posted pics. meant for our fam. blog onto this blog! Luckily, I figured out how to get them off. Oh, well, you're all like fam. anyway!
Thanks Christie for the fabulous dinner. Such a fun memory to have.
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