Prosciutto Wrapped Pears and Figs

One of my fabulous new Princeton Review co-workers totally gets credit for inspiring this appetizer idea.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE my new job?  Love, love, love.

Anyway – this new work buddy quickly noticed my love of cheese (and food in general) and said she likes to pair fresh figs with a bit of goat cheese wrapped up in some salty prosciutto.  YUM!  Clearly the Zach-o-meter and I needed to try this.  To the grocery store I went to make this…

Prosciutto Wrapped Figs

While perusing the produce section I wondered what a ripe, tangy pear would taste like with the delicious goat cheese, prosciutto combo.  Amazing. That’s what it tastes like!

Fresh Ingredients

And then I decided to take it a bit further…

Prosciutto Wrapped Pear Ingredients
1 to 2 ripe – but NOT soft – green pear(s)
1 small package of plain goat cheese
6 – 8 slices of Prosciutto di Parma
honey
fresh cracked pepper

1. Wash and cut pear into slices.
2. Grab a pear slice and top it with a few crumbles or silver dollar sized slab of goat cheese (if you can keep the cheese from falling apart).
3. Wrap the goat cheese topped pear slice up tight with a thinly shaved piece of prosciutto.  (You might have to cut each prosciutto slice lengthwise into two long pieces.  The idea is to keep the ends of the pear peaking out from the prosciutto wrap.)
4. Repeat until all pear slices are cozy in their prosciutto blankets.
5. Place on serving plate and drizzle all prosciutto wrapped pears with a good sweet, earthy tasting honey.
6. Finally, dust the top of the appetizer bites with a layer of freshly cracked black pepper.
7. Serve.  Eat.  Lick fingers.  Enjoy.

The juicy pear paired with tangy goat cheese and wrapped in salty prosciutto is an incredible marriage of flavors.  However, for me the real kicker is the sweet honey and spicy bite of fresh cracked pepper on top.  Perfect compliment.

Topped with Earthy, Sweet Honey and Cracked Pepper...mmm...

We will definitely have these again. 

Helpful Tip:  Just be sure your butcher slices the prosciutto very thin so you can still pull off a “lady like” bite if you’re serving a crowd.

Prosciutto Wrapped Pears

Zach-o-meter:  liked the prosciutto wrapped goat cheese fig combo, but REALLY loved the pear, goat cheese, prosciutto creation topped with honey and cracked pepper.   He definitely gave it a few “MMMs” and a “Wow, Lando”.  Success!

You can see a little honey on the plate...pretty and yummy...

I’d serve this for a cocktail party for sure.  So easy to put together and quite impressive if I do say so myself.

Hope you enjoy!

Printer Friendly Recipe:  Dine with a Darling – Prosciutto Wrapped Pear Appetizer PDF

Chocolate Butterscotch Noodle Candy

This may be one of the easiest desserts to make and somehow every time I make it I manage to burn the chocolate.  I’m proud to say that as of today I have successfully mastered making Noodle Candy WITHOUT burning the chocolate – such a big girl!!

Pretty little Noodle Candy

These “candies” – aka mounds of chocolatey goodness – are a Schneider family holiday favorite.  Recently I decided to make them for a little friendly gathering at our house and they were a hit!

Below is a snapshot of the Noodle Candy recipe page from my ‘Dine with a Darling’ family cookbook that my mom so thoughtfully made for me.  To read more about the cookbook see this post.

Family Recipe! Z and I with both of our grandmothers

Since I conquered melting chocolate (as if that’s an amazing feat) here are some helpful tips for your kitchen.  Do NOT melt chocolate in a pot directly over a stove top burner…you will burn the chocolate just like I did.  It’s not your fault, it’s just how it works.

How to melt chocolate on the stove without burning it:

1. Fill a pot 1/3 full of water.
2. Boil water in pot and turn down to medium low heat.
3. Place glass bowl (large enough to sit on top of the pot) over boiling water.
4. Put chocolate in bowl and stir almost constantly.
5. Be sure to use a hot pad when taking glass bowl off the boiling post of water!

Noodle Candy Ingredients
package of 6 Hershey Bars
12 oz package of chocolate chips
12 oz package of butterscotch chips
8 oz (1 cup) salted Spanish peanuts
large can of Chow Mein noodles
wax paper

1. Melt all chocolate and butterscotch (see above instructions) until smooth.
2. Remove melted chocolate and butterscotch mixture from heat and add noodles and peanuts.
3. Stir well to coat peanuts and noodles with chocolate/butterscotch mixture.
4. Once everything is incorporated, drop rounded tablespoons onto wax paper and allow to cool and set (about 1-2 hours).
5. Store in airtight container with wax paper in between layers.

Chocolate and Butterscotch

Double Boiler Method - Melting the chocolate and butterscotch

"I'm meeeeeeelting" (little Wizard of Oz reference for ya)

Shmelted and ready for some crunchies.

Incorporating the Chow Mein Noodles and Peanuts

Mixed up and ready to cool down on the wax paper

Noodle Candies chillin' out

Chocolate and butterscotch coated salty crunchiness.  What’s not to love?

Zach-o-meter:  has loved this treat since childhood.  Zach’s Grandma was the queen of noodle candy so it seems I have a chocolatradition to continue!

Ready to eat!

I’m not gonna lie, it was either too hot or too humid here when I made these because they never really cooled and set.  They stayed gooey, but we didn’t mind.  Darn bayou weather.

Hope you like ‘em!

Printer Friendly Recipe:  Dine with a Darling – Chocolate Noodle Candy PDF

Strawberry Basil Martini

One of my favorite restaurants in town, Del Porto, inspired this fantastic flavor combo martini.  Strawberry and basil?  Doesn’t sound like something you’d want to drink, but ohhhhh baby you’ll like it!  Belize me.

Speaking of Belize, this is one of those “beachy vacation” drinks.  Under an umbrella, breeze flowing, looking at the water.  That’s where I imagine myself with this drink.  However, I may never get back in the ocean after watching Shark Week on the Discovery Channel non-stop this entire week.  Is anyone else as obsessed with Shark Week?!  If shark attacks are so rare, then WHY do all of these people have crazy shark stories?  And why are they more and more frequent?!  Global warming…haha!

Woah – WAYYY off topic.  Back to happy hour.

Del Porto Cocktail

Recently I decided to grow my own herbs.  Our yard has too many trees to grow a real garden so I invested in some pots for my “starter” herb collection (basil, mint and rosemary).  That way I can transport the little potted herbs around the yard for optimal sunshine.

Little basil plant

This cocktail is a new favorite in our house because we always have what we need!  Fresh strawberries and basil.  Mmm…

If you don’t have a basil plant, buy some for this cocktail and then make an Italian dish to use the rest.  Granny Pris’s fresh tomato sauce or a little tomato, mozzarella, basil and balsamic salad?!  Yes, please.

Now for our weekend refreshment…

Strawberry Basil Martini Ingredients (serves 2):
7-8 fresh strawberries (save 2 for garnish)
handful of fresh basil
ice
vodka of choice
martini shaker
fruit muddler (or wooden spoon)

1. Wash and cut the stems off the large, fresh strawberries.  Place 5-6 in martini shaker and reserve 2 for garnish.
2. Rinse handful of basil, save a few leaves for garnish and place remaining leaves in martini shaker with the strawberries.
3. Muddle basil and strawberries (squish and mix around) until you create a pulp.
4. Fill up the martini shaker with ice and pour in about 5 or so shots of vodka.  If you want to make these a bit “lighter” as far as the strength of the drink, then you could add some soda water in with the vodka.  Just had a thought that a splash of champagne might be a pretty yummy addition (not that champagne would make it lighter, but yanno).  Might have to try that next time.
5. Put the lid on the martini shaker and shake, shake, shake!
6. Serve in a martini glass and garnish with a basil leaf and strawberry sliced and set on the rim of the glass.

Fresh strawberries and basil

Strawberries and basil in martini shaker read to be muddled...

Shake-ity shake and serve!

'Tini time.

Beautimous.  If you drink the ‘real deal’ and opt out on the soda water, I’d recommend only having one (or two if you’re a hoss).

Summer sweetness!

Fresh, light, summery.  Magically delicious.

Enjoy!

Zach-o-meter:  Do I even have to say?!  Of course he loves this cocktail!  Total party patio beverage.  Only problem is the doggone swamp mosquitoes!!

Printable Recipe PDF:  Dine with a Darling – Strawberry Basil Martini