Colors - August 2006

Diva: Michelle

Drinks: Carrie Caselton - Blue (sub for Sara)
Blue Hawaiian Boones Farm!

Appetizer: Tiffany - Green
Caprese

3 vine-ripe tomatoes, 1/4-inch thick slices
1 pound fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch thick slices
20 to 30 leaves (about 1 bunch) fresh basil
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Coarse salt and pepper
Crusty baguette cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Layer alternating slices of bread, tomatoes and mozzarella, adding a basil leaf between each, on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Salad: Erin - Red
Harry’s Strawberry and Tomato Salad

6 ounces (1 cup) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c (about 1/2 pound whole berries) small strawberries, trimmed and halved
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T aged balsamic vinegar
1 T finely grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
½ tsp table salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
2 heads Boston lettuce, halved and cores removed
2 tsp fresh chives, minced

In small mixing bowl, toss together tomatoes, strawberries, oil, vinegar, zest, salt, and pepper. Let marinate at room temperature 10 minutes.

To serve, place lettuce-head halves on 4 plates. Top each with tomato-strawberry mixture. Sprinkle with chives.

Soup: Tamara - Yellow
Sweetcorn and Potato Chowder

550g (20 oz) potatoes
1 large onion
1 sweet green bell pepper
125g (4oz) mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
2 stock cubes
285g (10oz) sweetcorn kernels (1x326g can, drained and rinsed)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp mild mustard (e.g. garlic mustard)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Black pepper to taste

Peel and chop the potato, onion and green pepper. Slice the mushrooms, halving them first if they are large. Chop the garlic finely. Dissolve the stock cubes in a pan with 1 liter (35 fl oz, 4 1/2 c) water. Bring to the boil, then add everything else except the mustard, herbs and seasoning. Simmer for about 25 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Add the mustard and thyme, and simmer 5 minutes more. Season to taste with black pepper and serve.

Side Dish: Mariah – Purple
Cabbage Slaw

3 c shredded napa or Chinese cabbage
1 large navel orange, peeled and sectioned
¼ c chopped watercress
2 T. canola oil
2 T. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
¾ tsp grated fresh gingerroot
¾ tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
Dash of pepper
1 T chopped walnuts

Cabbage Slaw
2 ½ c bagged cabbage slaw mix or shredded cabbage
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 c fresh spinach, torn into bite-size pieces
2 T chopped fresh parsley, if desired
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 T white wine vinegar
1 T light soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp finely chopped peeled fresh gingerroot
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
1 T sesame seeds, toasted*

Toss cabbage, carrot, spinach and parsley in large bowl. Mix or shake vinegars, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and gingerroot. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture; toss. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

To serve, stir in salt and pepper; sprinkle with sesame seed.

Entree: Lovina – Green
Roasted Salmon with Cilantro Pesto

2 lbs. fresh salmon fillets
1 clove garlic
1 c cilantro leaves, loosely packed
2 T. olive oil
2 T. lime juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2 ½ ripe roma tomatoes\raw, seeded and chopped

Preparation Preheat the oven to temperature 400°F. Make the pesto in a food processor or blender; process the garlic, cilantro, oil, and lime juice until creamy. Season to taste. Spray baking pan with oil and place the salmon skin-side down. Spread the pesto on the salmon, cover with the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bake uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes.
(Serves 4)

Dessert: Absent
Chocolate Bars from Ashley’s lottery bags

WildCard: Nicole - Blue
Blueberry-Blue Cheese Dip

This perfect blend of delicate sweetness and tangy, full-bodied flavor comes together in a snap. Serve with fresh raw vegetables, crackers or apple slices.

6 oz. Danish blue OR Maytag blue cheese, crumbled
1 ½ c fresh OR thawed frozen blueberries
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ to ½ tsp. hot chili sauce
½ c finely sliced green onion, green part only
½ c chopped walnuts

Place blue cheese and blueberries in bowl of a food processor fitted with metal blade and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. To give the flavors time to meld, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or as long as 3 days.
Makes 3 cups.

Lottery: Ashley
Colored gift bags and chocolate bars