Bruschetta

Avocado BLT

Festive Strawberry Salad

Southerners certainly do love their fruit salads! This strawberry salad is made with frozen strawberries, cream cheese, marshmallows, pecans, and pineapple.
Ingredients:

Ingredients
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen sweetened
strawberries, partially thawed
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 can (12 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
8 ounces whipped topping (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Preparation:

Directions
Combine all ingredients; pour into a mold or freezer-safe dish and put in freezer. Freeze thoroughly. Take salad out 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges or squares to serve.
Serves about 18 to 20.

California-Inspired Roll

Catch a wave with this groovy sushi roll! Tender smoked salmon, smooth cream cheese, and zesty garlic are combined into an unforgettably tasty sushi roll that will have everyone at the table reaching for seconds. This simple sushi roll featuers crunchy cashews and delicate flavors for a truly original and delicious meal. Pair with miso soup and seaweed salad for a wonderful dinner that brings the flavors of Japan – and California – right to your table.


Ingredients:
2 sheets nori
1 c. uncooked medium grain white rice or sushi rice
1 ¼ c. water
1 ½ Tbsp rice vinegar
1 ½ Tbsp white sugar
¼ tsp salt
3 oz cold cream cheese, cut into thin strips and divided
2 tsp crushed garlic, divided
2 green onions, minced
2 Avocados
2 oz smoked salmon, cut into thin strips and divided
1 Tbsp crushed cashews
soy sauce and wasabi paste, for serving

Directions:
Wash rice in a colander or strainer until water runs clear. In large saucepan combine rice and 1 ¼ c. water and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until cooked through, apr. 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 20 minutes more to steam.
In large bowl combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Add rice and using a wooden spoon, mix to combine. Spread rice out on a metal sheet pan or aluminum foil to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place nori in oven for 4 minutes to soften. Remove and place shiny side down a plastic wrapped bamboo mat. Press a layer of rice onto nori leaving a 1/2-inch margin at the top of the roll. Sprinkle with ½ tsp garlic, ½ of the crushed cashews, and half of the green onions. Arrange half of the strips of smoked salmon, avocado and cream cheese on the rice.
Pick up edge of bamboo rolling sheet, fold bottom edge ofs heet up to enclose the filling, and tightly roll the sushi into a firm cylinder, pressing firmly to seal. Wrap in mat and gently press and roll to seal.
Repeat with remaining nori and ingredients.
Cut each roll into 6 slices using a very sharp, wet knife. Chill until ready to serve, and serve with soy sauce and wasabi paste.

Vegetarian Samosas

For the Samosa stuffing:
2 cups boiled and cubed potatoes
1/4 cup cooked green peas
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Red chili powder
1/4 tsp Ginger paste
1/4 tsp fennel seeds or powder
For the Samosa covering:
1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
Water to form dough
Oil for deep frying

Samosa recipe Preparations:
Mix flour, salt and 1tbsp oil
Add water little by little, form tight dough and keep aside
Mix all the stuffing ingredients together in a bowl
Take a lime sized ball of dough and roll out in a circle of about 6″ diameter on a rolling board using a rolling pin
Cut the round into half, each half makes one Samosa
Add a big tablespoonful of the stuffing on one piece, fold into a triangle, holding the stuffing in carefully. Press the edges together to seal.
Form all the Samosas in the same way
Heat oil for frying and keep it on medium heat
Add the Samosas into the hot oil and fry on both sides till they are golden brown
Remove and drain well

Halibut Kebabs

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds halibut, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat broiler.
Place fish and bell pepper in a shallow dish. Drizzle pesto and vinegar over fish mixture; toss to coat. Let fish mixture stand 5 minutes.
Thread fish and pepper alternately onto each of 4 (12-inch) skewers; sprinkle evenly with salt. Place skewers on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Broil for 8 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once.