Peach Salad with Fruited and Spicy Sausage Balls & Lively Maple Vinaigrette

Peach Salad with Fruited and Spicy Sausage Balls & Lively Maple Vinaigrette

From the Kitchen of Terri N. Bergman

Melt in your mouth Peaches, super ripe Strawberries, poppin Blackberries sit atop a bed of fresh greens and chopped Mint! Now let’s have fun and add Stilton Cheese in a wedge, toasted Pecans and the finale KB’s own Fruited and Spicy Sausage balls skewered in a row! Dress this salad with a light Vinaigrette with a touch of sweetness from Maple Syrup…yes we have arrived.  Enjoy this beautiful and delicious Salad as a lunch or as a deck eating and wine drinking dinner! Not into the Sausage Balls, well add a second cheese (Brie)  more fruit (Blueberries) and a little garnish of compote! Equally delish!

SERVES: 2
LEVEL: Easy – assembly

INGREDIENTS:
2 large handfuls of fresh salad greens
1 large handful of chopped mint leaves

1 ripe Peach, sliced but not peeled
8 large strawberries hulled and halved 
Small wedge of Stilton Cheese halved
½ Cup Toasted Pecans
6 KB’s Fruited and Spicy Sausage Balls

In two large salad bowls/platters place a handful of salad greens, and divide chopped mint leaves if available. Place half of the sliced fruits on each plate, sm. wedge of Stilton, add Pecans and Sausage Balls. I like to put the sausage balls on a skewer for presentation, either fresh Rosemary or wooden spear. 

The dressing is not tossed but drizzled over the salad once it is composed.

MAPLE VINAIGRETTE:
½ C Olive Oil
¼ C Rice Wine Vinegar

1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp of Maple Syrup
Squeeze fresh lemon if available
½ Tsp of Amazing Heat 
Salt n Pepper 

Shake or whisk together and drizzle over salad.  Add salt n pepper to individual salads per taste.

Check out our recipe for:
Fruited and Spicy Sausage Balls

Asian Meatballs

Asian Meatballs

From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman

Asian Meatballs

CATEGORY: Main Event
SERVES: 36 2″ meatballs
LEVEL: Presto, easy!

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS:
1 # ground chicken, 1# ground pork, optional add ¼ # lean ground beef 
1 cup oat flour (finely ground oats) or 1 C Panko
2 eggs
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger powder
1 C chopped Green Onion (finely sliced)
Optional ¼ C  finely chopped cilantro and or parsley (I like both)
1 tsp Amazing Heat

GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp Amazing Rub (or brown sugar/spices)
1 Tbsp minced Garlic
½ C Soy Sauce
1 C Water
½ C Honey
½ C White Wine
1 Tbsp but Optional Hoisin Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Chili Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

MEATBALLS:
PREHEAT OVEN 400 DEGREES
Combine ground meats, 1 Cup oat flour or panko, eggs and all other ingredients. Stir with large fork to mix, try not use your hands. This will result in a much more tender meatball!
Roll balls in a approx 2” meatball (use scooper or spoon) and set on baking dish lined with parchment.
In warmed oven, approx bake time 12-15 minutes. Remove, set aside and sauce the meatballs you will be serving with the great glaze below.

GLAZE:
Stir Ingredients together and gently simmer uncovered, about 10-15 minutes until thickened.
Add Glaze to meatballs to cover, and additional glaze for table side and great in stir-fry veggies and pasta.

If freezing meatballs, very lightly glaze, set on baking dish, freeze and then bag in zip lock.

Great recipe to just have in the freezer for appetizers or quick week night dinner. 

Muddled Blueberry Martini Kissed with Orange

Muddled Blueberry Martini Kissed with Orange

From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman

Muddled Blueberry Martini Kissed with Orange

CATEGORY: Cocktail
SERVES: one
LEVEL: Presto, easy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ oz Vodka
½ oz Cointreau 
2 oz fresh Blueberries Muddled or blended
1 oz Lime Juice

INSTRUCTIONS:
Add all ingredients in a martini shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until blended and cooled.

Pour into your favorite martini glass, add berries and slice of orange.

Enjoy, any season at all!

Half Moon Squash with Baby Greens, Spicy Shrimp, Blueberries and Nuts

Half Moon Squash with Baby Greens, Spicy Shrimp, Blueberries and Nuts

From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman

Half Moon Squash with Baby Greens, Spicy Shrimp, Blueberries and Nuts – Served with “out of this world” Maple Vinaigrette!

CATEGORY: Main Event or Side Salad/Luncheon
SERVES: 4 Dinner Salads or 6 Luncheon Salads
LEVEL: Presto, easy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Medium Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and sliced in full round, half rounds
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp The Amazing Rub
20 Large Shrimp, Cooked and Shelled
2 Tbsp Corn Starch
1 Tbsp Amazing Heat
1 Cup Blueberries
1 Cup Toasted and Salted Whole Pecans
8 Cups Spring Fresh Salad Greens
*Optional 1 cup chopped fresh mint/or basil

INSTRUCTIONS:
Take the butternut squash slices and toss with small amount olive oil, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, sprinkle generously with the Amazing Rub Seasonings (or your house spices)

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, turning carefully and bake for addition 5-10 minutes until tender and golden. Remove from oven and set aside.

Next, place cooked shrimp in a bowl and dust with cornstarch and Amazing Heat. Heat a non stick skillet with oil and quickly cook the shrimp( do not over crowd) to slightly golden and seasoned, flip and remove from pan. Place on paper towel until assembling salads.

Take 4 large salad plates and put 2 cups of greens on each. Assemble squash and shrimps in rows on greens, then toss over the blueberries and pecans.  Dress with House Maple Vinaigrette, Salt and Pepper to taste.

MAPLE VINAIGRETTE:
1/8 C Maple Syrup
1/8 C Rice Wine Vinegar
¼ Light Vegetable Oil (could use Olive Oil also)
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Amazing Heat (or house seasonings)
¼ Pummull Seasoning (or Cinn)

Stir or shake together and add salt and pepper directly to salads

Asian Chicken Thighs and Pineapple Slaw

Asian Chicken Thighs and Pineapple Slaw

From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman

Asian Seared Chicken Thighs with Pineapple Slaw…served with Peanut Sauce

CATEGORY: Main Event
SERVES: 4
LEVEL: Presto, easy!

INGREDIENTS:
4 Chicken thighs
2 Tbsp The Amazing Rub (or Brown Sugar w/Ginger)
1 Tbsp vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Hot Sauce
1 Tbsp Lemon/or Lime Juice
2 Cups Fresh Pineapple bite size chop

SLAW INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp The Amazing Rub (or Brown Sugar)
4 C Coleslaw mix (your favorite) or fine Shred Cabbage and Carrots
½ C Dried Fruit/Nut Trail Mix (no choc!)
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Oil (light here)
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
½ Tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil to finish
Fresh Herbs as in Cilantro, Mint or Basil – fine chopped or 2 Tbsp dried Basil or Amazing Herbes

PEANUT SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
½ C Peanut Butter smooth
¼ tsp Pummull Spice (or Cinn blend)
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Rice Vinegar (or white)
½ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ C hot water (start with 1/8 C and add to desired consistency)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare Chicken thighs by skinning, deboning and cutting into small strips. In a large bowl add chicken, Amazing Rub, oil, soy sauce, hot sauce and citrus juice (lemon or lime). Toss to coat the strips of chicken and set aside for 15-30 minutes or cover and refrigerator overnight.

Drain Chicken from marinade before searing. Get a skillet hot with oil, and place chicken pieces in skillet, do not over crowd, looking to sear these and create a nice golden brown surface on all side. Remove chicken that is cooked thru (no pink in centers) and continue to cook all chicken, set aside on warm plate. In same pan as cooked chicken, add a little more oil and cook the chopped, drained pineapple looking to toss coat and brown (add a little sprinkle of Amazing Rub to season and brown)

Assemble the Slaw with Cabbage/Carrot mix, ½ C Trail Mix, and toss dress with lime juice, oil, soy sauce, hot sauce- when all coated, finish with a drizzle of Toasted Sesame Oil if desired.

Place a cup of dressed Slaw in center of each serving dish, top with seared pineapple and lastly with chicken strips. Can be garnished with a little more trail mix, or chopped basil or Herbs as noted.

The Peanut Sauce recipe above is delicious as a side dressing to use in the entire plated salad or for a dressing for the chicken. This is so very packed with flavor, and you’ll be shouting “encore”. I have found that a prepared plated salad with all ingredients is also delicious to refrigerate (cover with wrap) and do a quick 1 minute warm in micro.  Enjoy!!!

Iced Coffee à la Kitchen’s Bounty

Iced Coffee à la Kitchen’s Bounty

So playing with my daughter in laws favorite coffee drinks this morning! Chilly Iced Americano, topped with Cream kissed with vanilla! So for this MIL the only kind of coffee was hot, well I’m here to tell you it was time to open my horizons! So girls, I think I’ve got this, Starbucks…look out, 2 Iced Coffees, and for Memere double shot espresso, a little cream and yes, a little Kahlua (no clocks here). Out playing with KB’s French Velvet Roast and *Thunder and Lightening Espresso (named after my childhood dogs/ dark and awesome Shepherds). Who wants my job??!