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Broccoli Asparagus and Spinach Salad

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This is such a pretty spring salad and takes advantage of both fresh spinach and fresh asparagus! 

Preparation Time:  20 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

What You Need

  • 2 lbs. broccoli
  • 2 lbs. fresh asparagus cut into pieces
  • 2 lbs. fresh spinach
  • 2 tblsp. pineapple juice concentrate
  • 2 tblsp. fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. dark sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 cup mandarin orange segments, drained
  • 2 cup fresh sliced strawberries

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How to Prepare

Steam broccoli and asparagus.  Cool to room temperature.  For the dressing, mix together pineapple juice concentrate, lemon juice, dark sesame oil, soy sauce, and toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl and whisk until blended.  Toss broccoli, asparagus, and spinach.  Pour dressing over vegetables.  Garnish with orange and strawberry segments.

May be served either at room temperature or chilled.

Enjoy!!

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Spinach Empanadas

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Preparation Time: 4 hours (includes 3 hours of refrigerator time)

Cooking Time: 12 minutes

What You Need

For the Pastry Shell

  • 2 – 8 oz. packages of softened cream cheese
  • ¾ cup of softened unsalted butter
  • 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

For the Filling

  • ¼ cup finely chopped onion
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 4 to 5 slices bacon- cooked and crumbled (reserve at least 1 tblsp. of bacon drippings)
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 2 cups steamed fresh spinach
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 egg beaten

How to Prepare

The Pastry Shell

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.  Gradually beat in the flour.  Knead the dough lightly by hand.  Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.

The Filling

In a medium skillet, heat up the reserved bacon drippings.  Add onion, garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion is tender, but not brown.  Stir in the crumbled bacon, the spinach, cottage cheese, pepper and nutmeg.  Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Pre-heat oven to 450*. 

On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry until it is 1/8 inch think.  Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many pastry circles as possible.  Place 1 teaspoon of the filling on ½ of each pastry circle.  Moisten the edges of the circle with the egg wash.  Fold the other ½ of the circle over the filling. Very gently, seal the edges of the empanadas with the tines of a fork (may need to flour the fork to prevent sticking).  Brush the empanadas with the egg.  Using the tines of the fork, prick a small vent into each empanada.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until they are golden.  Serve hot as an appetizer, or make larger ones and serve as a main course.

Enjoy!!

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Fresh Spinach Anyone?

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Spinach is either the bane of your existence, or an eagerly anticipated springtime treat.  I think my initial introduction to spinach was as the frozen vegetable of my youth.  Luckily, today there are so many variations of fresh spinach; frozen spinach is pretty much relegated to memories.  One of my favorite recipes is for spinach empanadas.  When my kids were little they called them ‘bo-peep pot pies’ from the “Arthur” TV show on PBS. 

I didn’t care what they called them as long as they ate them!

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Orzo and Spinach Salad

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Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

What You Need

orzo salad

Orzo Salad

  • 12 oz. uncooked orzo
  • 2 tblsp. olive oil
  • 2  tsp. lemon juice
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 3 tblsp. white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1/8 tsp. dried thyme
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • ¼  tsp. ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 16 oz. Spinach torn into bite size pieces
  • ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into matchstick size pieces
  • 2 scallions minced
  • 1 tblsp. capers rinsed and drained
  • 2 oz. feta cheese crumbled

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How to Prepare

Cook orzo according to directions on packaging.  Rinse with cold water and drain again.  Combine with 2 tblsp. olive oil and toss to coat. 

To make the dressing combine lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, thyme, oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper.  Whisk until well combined.  Add to orzo and toss.

Add the spinach, olives, bell pepper green onions, and cappers.  Toss to combine.  Add feta and toss again.  Taste, correct seasonings, and refrigerate until time to serve.

Enjoy!!

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Strawberry and Rhubarb Crumble

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Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 minutes

What You Need

  • 4 cups thinly sliced fresh rhubarb
  • 6 cups sliced fresh strawberries
  • 1 cup all purpose flour*
  • 1 cup sugar*
  • 1 stick unsalted butter cubed at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup all purpose flour

How to Prepare

Whisk 1 cup of flour* and sugar* together until well blended in a mixing bowl.  Toss strawberries and rhubarb into flour and sugar mixture until well combined.  Let sit for about 1 hour.  This really helps the crumble stay in its shape.  

To prepare crumble, blend the cubed butter, sugar, oatmeal, brown sugar, ½ cup of flour with hands or spatula in a mixing bowl.  Mix crumble ingredients until well combined. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Transfer fruit mixture into a ceramic baking dish.  Pat crumble mixture on top of fruit and pat down lightly to seal.  Cook for 1 hour at 350 degrees.  The strawberry rhubarb crumble is done once the top is browned and fruit juices are bubbly.

Serve in a small dish with and top with creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.

*Amounts of flour and sugar may need to be adjusted to due juiciness of fruit.  More flour and less sugar if using very ripe strawberries.

Enjoy!!