Fruit Salad with Amaretto Mint Vinaigrette

This is one of my favorite summer recipes and it is super easy! I serve it at every cookout we have and it is always a hit. I also always save some for myself in the freezer because whatever I put out for guests is always gone.

* I recommend a melon baller for this. You can find them at any grocery store for a couple of dollars. If not, you can cut your fruit into cubes.*

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh mint chopped

1/4 cup of lemon juice (about one lemon)

1/4 cup simple syrup (recipe follows)

1/8 teaspoon amaretto (or more... it won't hurt)

Small watermelon

Other fruit of your choice - cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, etc.

1. In blender combine mint, lemon juice, simple syrup and amaretto. Blend until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.

2. Hollow out the watermelon. When doing so, make balls of watermelon with the melon baller by scooping it like you would ice cream. Freeze hollow watermelon for at least one hour but overnight is best. Carve melon balls from the other melons. Freeze all fruit balls in freezer bags also.

3. Toss fruit together in vinaigrette and put fruit in hollow watermelon right before you are ready to serve.

Simple Syrup Recipe

1/2 cup of water

1 cup of sugar

1. In saucepan combine water and sugar over medium heat.

2. Brig to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Remove from heat and allow syrup to cool.

The Monte Cristo

Who doesn't love a Monte Cristo? I think this is a quick hot meal with relatively easy clean-up that is super yummy and kid friendly. You can serve 4 people sandwiches and fries for under $15. Now, If you are lucky enough to live somewhere that has a Bennigan's, just skip this because I can't top theirs. Bennigan's has the mother of Monte Cristos. If you haven't had one from Bennigan's you should make a point to try one.

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Ingredients :
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup of flour
Dash of cinnamon
8 slices of 1/2 inch thick white bread (I use Italian or Texas toast.)
8 slices of Swiss cheese
4 slices of American or Cheddar Cheese (This is is an optional bonus for Cheese Lovers like me.)
6-8 ounce of ham, turkey or both
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
Powdered sugar
Strawberry Jam or Preserves - I know it sounds crazy but it is good!
(I serve mine with shoe string french fries.)

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Now this is an easy recipe and there are only 2 ways that you can screw it up. Since I have had more kitchen failures than successes, lets address these first.

* Putting too much cinnamon in the batter.
* Cooking it too fast which will not only burn it, but make the bread soggy and nobody is going to want to eat that. Trust me.

1. Mix eggs, flour, milk and dash of cinnamon in bowl until it is smooth.

2. Turn on your griddle to 325-350 degrees. If you don't have griddle, use a large skillet on med-high heat.

3. Make your sandwiches. I layer bread-swiss-ham-cheddar-turkey-swiss-bread. The melted cheese will hold it all together.

4. Dip sandwiches in batter and coat both sides well.

5. Cover griddle or skillet with a thin layer of butter. Slap on the sandwiches. *Remember not to cook them too fast. *



6. Cook sandwiches until they are a nice golden brown and flip. You can put a little butter down again for the second side if you want.



7. Remove from pan, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with strawberry jam or preserves.

Side Note:
Another option is to deep fry the sandwiches. But as my grandmother would say... "What's good to you isn't always good for you."

MUST-HAVES

There are a few things that I think you really really need in your kitchen to make cooking go smoothly. Don't get me wrong, I am a sucker for cool kitchen gadgets but they really aren't all that practical. So in addition to your basic kitchen stuff, I am going to try to narrow the must-haves down to a few essentials that will save you time and increase the quality of your dishes...

1. A good olive oil. You can find them at any grocery store.

2. At least one or two really good, really sharp kitchen knives. You can get these at Williams-Sonoma or a kitchen store. I have found some good ones that weren't too expensive at TJ Maxx but that can be hit or miss.

3. A griddle - not just a griddle pan but one that has a cord with a temperature setting. I have a Presto griddle from Target that was around $40 and I love it. This is a must-have for pancake lovers and I mean a MUST.

4. A George Foreman grill. I recommend a decent sized one that will fit at least 4 chicken breasts. Go larger or smaller depending on the number of people you typically feed. Mine has a digital timer which I think is great. Mine does not have removable plates and I promise you the next one I buy will. Make sure you have some non-stick spray for this. Store brands work just as well. I use Kroger brand or Target brand Canola Oil spray for everything.

5. An industrial quality baking sheet. I have three that I "got" from a restaurant. I have seen the exact same ones for sale at Sams. I think 2 are less than $20. You will also want a roll of parchment paper for these. You can reuse parchment sheets over and over and over. It saves you from having to clean them and from them going from shiny to dark.

6. High quality vanilla. Go to Williams-Sonoma and drop the $30 bucks on it. It will last you for years and makes a huge difference in baked goods.

First Things First...

Welcome to my blog! I started this in response to many people asking me for my recipes and asking about cooking techniques. I thought a blog would be a great way to share my information. I am a busy working mother but I try to prepare a hot meal for my family most nights. I know that it can be expensive to cook at home so I try to make things that are budget friendly, fast and yummy! Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions. Enjoy!