Tomato, Cucumber, and Red Onion Salad with Mint

 

Ingredients

2 large English hothouse cucumbers
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 large tomatoes, seeded, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup coarsely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation
6 SERVINGS 

Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds. Cut halves diagonally into 1/2-inch-wide pieces. Place in large bowl. Add vinegar, sugar and salt. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour; toss occasionally

Add tomatoes, red onion, mint and oil to cucumbers and toss to blend. Season salad with salt and pepper. 

Add a chunk of crusty bread to soak up the juices!

Variations
Try adding Feta Cheese and Kalamata Olives.
Substitute Basil for Mint.
Top this on grilled Fish or Chicken.

This recipe is from my mother and Epicurious.

Easiest Ever Ice Cream Cake

 I have not tried this recipe yet, but I know that I will.  ~~Shelly

It comes from the blog:  A Beautiful Mess.

You'll need:
a baking pan,
wax paper
ice cream sandwiches (I used around 10 for this square pan)
ice cream for the filling (I used chocolate)
chocolate chips or frosting for the top
5-10 cookies,  (Oreo cookies are great)
and sprinkles. (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Line your baking pan with wax paper, this will allow you to easily remove your cake once it sets.  Fill the bottom layer with ice cream sandwiches.  You may need to cut a few into smaller pieces to fill out the edges of the pan.

Next add a layer of ice cream. You don't have to get the ice cream perfectly smooth. You actually want to work quickly here as you don't want all the ice cream to melt as you work. Then top the layer of ice cream with another layer of ice cream sandwiches.

Cover your cake and pop it back into the freezer.  Chop up whatever cookies you choose.  I highly recommend birthday cake Oreos.  If you are using melted chocolate, go ahead and melt the chocolate and have it ready.

Now top the cake with the melted chocolate and toss on the cookie pieces and sprinkles.
Cover and place the cake back in the freezer.  Once set, you are ready to serve!

VARIATION
Add a peanut butter layer by mixing up some Nutella & PB and smearing it between layers.

A Passion for Goat Cheese

I've found that there is an enormous variety of topics that can stimulate great online conversations, but none elicit such excited and passionate responses as "cheese"!

You'll find everything you need at Harter House and World Flavors!

Here are several interesting ways to enjoy my favorite - goat cheese:

• Goat cheese and avocado sandwich.
• Mix goat cheese with balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a great salad dressing.
• Make a salad with butter lettuce, goat cheese and small cubes of fresh pineapple with a sweet Vidalia onion dressing.
• Asparagus lasagna with a goat cheese bechamel sauce.
• Make a savory goat cheese frosting for cupcakes.
• Chocolate-hazelnut spread and goat cheese brownies.
• Goat Cheese Truffles: Roll balls of goat cheese in different herbs and spices and serve with crackers
• Enchiladas filled with Sweet corn, green chilies, onion and goat cheese - spiced with cumin, garlic, chili powder & cilantro.
• Devils on Horseback: dates stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon.
• Goat cheese, Italian white beans, olive oil, fresh flat leaf parsley, sea salt, & cracked pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Blend goat cheese with the fruit curd of your choice; spread between two waffle cookies & freeze for an hour. Best ice cream sandwich ever.
• Phyllo dough spread with pesto, goat cheese, sundried tomatoes and pine nuts; rolled, sliced and then baked. YUM!
• Lamb chops topped with goat cheese, rosemary, and white wine sauce.
• Goat cheese, strawberries and mint pesto on pizza dough - grill it!
• Add goat cheese to sweet pea risotto and finish with fresh thyme.
• Stuff goat cheese under the skin of a chicken breast and bake in the oven.
• Top homemade pizza dough with olive oil, goat cheese, fresh thyme and caramelized onion; top with a sprinkle of good sea salt.
• Rosemary and goat cheese bread pudding.
• Boil a cut-up head of cauliflower. Drain and beat with an electric beater. Add goat cheese, mayonnaise, butter salt & pepper.
• Goat cheese and scallion scones.
• Semi-hard goat cheese bechamel macaroni & cheese with shaved truffles (or morels) topped with crispy bacon.
• Mix goat cheese with colatura (anchovy sauce) and stuff into halved peppadew peppers; broil until cheese is lightly browned.
• Tomatoes, goat cheese, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, pine nuts!

100 Ways to Show Your Love

Enjoy this very special day with your sweetheart, have a wonderful romantic dinner and listen to romantic love songs.

These wonderful ideas brought to you by your favorite neighborhood market - Harter House Supermarket!

Ladies, Just a few of these ideas will make your man feel loved. To show him how truly special he is, pick a bunch of ideas and surprise him with your loving bouquet of sweet sentiments on February 14. From 100 to one, here are lots of romantic Valentine's Day inspiration for you!

Men, These will work for you too!

Of course, my favorite is #1

1. Grab him spontaneously and kiss him like you mean it.

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100. Send your sweetie a sweet, short and sexy text or email. (Not to his work email!)

99. Leave a little note in his briefcase or laptop bag so he will find it when he gets to work.

98. When your significant other gets home, be waiting in the bedroom dressed in your favorite sexy lingerie (or nothing at all!) … you know what happens next.

97. Plan a surprise outing! Start with dinner at his favorite restaurant, then reveal tickets to a show or sports game.

96. Take a hot air balloon ride together.

95. Surprise him with that special something he has been coveting (no matter how big or small).

94. Send flowers or cookies for no reason at all.

93. Take his dog for a walk.

92. Stock his fridge with his favorite beer and his shelves with his favorite snacks. (from Harter House Supermarket)

91. Stop by your sweetie's office around lunchtime with his favorite noontime food.

90. Take a drive together -- car trips provide some of the best time for talking one-on-one.

89. Snuggle after sex -- even if you are tired.

88. Give a back massage.

87. Offer a foot rub -- without asking for one in return!

86. Fill up his gas tank.

85. If he comes home after a boy's night WAY past the time he said he would, let it go.

84. Make breakfast in bed.

83. Stay in bed all day -- pajamas optional.

82. Take a late-night, hand-in-hand stroll.

81. Sign up for a class you know he has been wanting to take together.

80. Make up silly nicknames for each other that you ONLY call each other in private!

79. Make a mousepad (or a mug or a calendar) with your picture on it for his desk.

78. Start a hobby together.

77. Do something nice for his mother, brother, sister, etc.

76. Let him pick the movie this time.

75. Make a special dinner for him.

74. When he gets home, hand him a glass of wine, sit down together and let him talk about his day.

73. Do chores or errands without being asked and without complaining.

72. Put the toilet seat down.

71. Leave a note on the bathroom mirror so he will see it first thing in the morning.

70. Send a sexy picture message to his phone.

69. Leave a note for him to meet at his favorite bar or club. When he arrives, do some fun role-play and pretend you are meeting for the first time.

68. Wash his car for him.

67. Do his laundry.

66. Recreate your first date -- then recall all the feelings you had for each other that very first night.

65. Make a creative coupon book (free massage, free night out with the guys, etc.) without an expiration date!

64. Book a couple's massage.

63. Plan a romantic getaway to a bed and breakfast.

62. Dedicate a day to the one you love -- plan a day filled with his favorite things.

61. Plan a surprise party for him.

60. Send him a nice (or naughty!) card. Even if you live together, mail it!

59. Take out the trash.

58. Buy him a calendar and fill it with important dates (our first dinner together, our three-year anniversary, etc.).

57. Have a romantic/sexy photo session done together or have sexy pictures taken of yourself and make a private album for him.

56. Make a big deal out of the holidays.

55. Scatter rose petals on the bed

54. If he has to work late, have his favorite take-out delivered to the office, and pre-pay, of course!

53. Have a talk about the future and let him know that he is a part of it.

52. Buy his favorite perfume, and simply put it in the medicine cabinet for him to discover on his own.

51. Declare a day of the week "your" day -- always spend that day together, even if you just snuggle on the couch together.

50. Take him home to meet the family.

49. Propose.

48. Go on a picnic.

47. Explore your adventurous sides together -- do something daring that neither of you have tried before, such as bungee jumping or sky diving. The experience will bring you closer.

46. Designate a place as "yours" -- your favorite restaurant or bar -- and frequent it together often.

45. Volunteer together. Work side-by-side at your local animal shelter, nursing home or as you gather donations for your local food bank.

44. Take him to an art gallery or art walk.

43. Arrange to have a house cleaner come to his place and spruce things up!

42. Introduce him to your best friends.

41. Walk him out when he leaves for work.

40. Make him a special bag lunch with a note written on a napkin inside.

39. Get him a subscription to his favorite magazine.

38. If he has a business trip, offer to drive to the airport, so he doesn't have to take a cab.

37. Leave a sweet note on a post-it on his car windshield or steering wheel.

36. Flirt with him unabashedly.

35. If he has been working out extra hard or dieting, compliment him on his weight loss or how big his muscles are getting.

34. Rent some silly comedies and spend the night laughing together.

33. Take a shower together.

32. Offer to shave his face or ask him to shave your legs.

31. Guys, offer to paint your ladies toes.

30. Go stargazing. Bring a bottle of champagne.

29. Try an activity that he loves, such as golf, or that she loves, like shopping! (No complaining!)

28. Get up early on the weekend and do some of the chores he has on his list.

27. Laugh at his jokes.

26. Compliment her on her new hairstyle, shoes, outfit, etc.

25. Frame a picture of the two of you during a special trip.

24. Ask his mother for the recipe to his favorite dish that she made him growing up.

23. Ask her father for her hand and his blessing.

22. Buy a little teddy bear to sleep with when you are not there.

21. Get her oil changed and her brakes checked.

20. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride. (Bonus points if this is at Christmastime or Valentine's Day.)

19. Buy her favorite chocolates and sneak some into her purse.

18. Buy him a new tie.

17. Iron his shirts.

16. Feed each other dinner. Or better yet, dessert.

15. Sneak a sexy note into the pocket of his slacks or into her purse.

14. Kiss him when he leaves in the morning and when he gets home at night.

13. Brag about him to his friends for something really macho that he does.

12. Tell her mother how smart you think she is.

11. Go on a bike ride -- extra credit for using a tandem bike.

10. Baby him when he is sick.

9. Leave lipstick kisses on the bathroom mirror.

8. Go to the park together (even if you don't have kids). Go down the slide, play on the teeter-totter and go on the swings.

7. Let him teach you a new skill.

6. Buy a little gift and surprise him at the end of a long week.

5. Go hiking together.

4. Take a trip to the beach.

3. Watch the sun set or rise together.

2. Share the morning paper and some mimosas over the weekend.

1. Grab him spontaneously and kiss him like you mean it.

The Best Nachos

This recipe comes from Garlic My Soul Recipe Blog.

Everyone loves Nachos, right?

I know I do!   ~Shelly

Type: Appetizer, Quick Meals  

Author: Jennie

Oven Temperature: Broil°   

Difficulty: Easy  

Prep Time: 10 minutes  

Cook Time: 6 minutes  

Servings: 3-4  

Ingredients

• 1 bag your favorite tortilla chips
• 2 cans black beans
• 1 block cheese, shredded (we used Tillamook Sharp Cheddar)
• 1 jalapeño, diced         
• 1 cup fresh pico de gallo
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 ripe avocado, diced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to broil setting - high. Disperse chips evenly across a baking sheet.
2. Drain black beans of excess water and spread evenly over chips.
3. Shred cheese and cover entire chip/bean operation liberally.
4. Place tray on top rack of oven and broil for 2-3 minutes - keep close watch!
5. Rotate, then broil for another 2-3 or until cheese is melted and chips are browning.
6. When the cheese is melted to your liking, remove from oven.
7. Top liberally with pico, avocado, and sour cream for dipping.

Be A Better Hostess

You may know, I think I am the Hostess with the Mostess!

~ Shelly

10 Tips To Help You Become 

The Ulitmate Hostess With The Mostess.

We all want to be the best host or hostess. As we send out our party invitations, we imagine ourselves stress free, floating around the room making sure all our guests are happy and having fun. In reality, we typically find ourselves running into the kitchen cursing the ice maker for jamming up or realizing that you just ran out of cups! We, at Harter House Supermarkets, have put together 10 tips to help you prepare yourself and your house for an event so you really can be the ultimate host(ess) with the most(ess). 

1. Make Time Work For You - Let time work for you, not against you. This means allowing adequate time to plan for the party or event you are throwing. Don’t try to throw a baby shower tomorrow. Give yourself time to shop for supplies, create any party favors or activities, and time to clean your house! Also, don’t try to plan too many things in a short time span. You can’t be everywhere or everything to everyone all the time. You’ll find that there is so much you can do ahead of time (food prep, decorating etc.) that there is no need to be stressing once the party begins. 

2. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate - Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Your friends and family keep telling you they are always here for you, so call in a favor! Get your kids to help with household chores, send your spouse to the store for last minute items so you can continue cooking. Ask your artistic, creative friends to help with decorations. Think about who you know and what their strengths are and as them to lend their expertise. They’ll be touched that you think so highly of them and will enjoy helping you create a fabulous party experience!

3. Choose Food Wisely - If you aren’t a really whiz in the kitchen, pick easy, make ahead recipes. Even if you are a french trained chef. it’s still a good idea to select menu items that can be prepped ahead of time. That way all you’re doing the day off are finishing touches, not creating something from start to finish. Let our experienced personnel at Harter House and World Flavors help with delicious ideas.

4. Set The Mood - People’s moods are very affected by their environment. Choose appropriate lighting (low light for a cocktail party, ample lighting for kid’s party with arts and crafts etc.) Use music to help you out too. If you want the tone to be soft and mellow, playing the new Metallica album probably isn’t a good idea.

5. Have An Emergency Supply - Keep snacks that you would serve to guests in the pantry in case you run low on food or burn one of your dishes! Things like gourmet cookies, biscotti, muffins, nuts, even popcorn could do in a pinch. Also keep plenty of beverages on hand in case you run low.

6. Circulate - Once you’ve set the last dish out, circulate the room. Be sure you introduce people so they feel more comfortable. Think of it like wedding, you want to talk to everyone that made an effort to show up!

7. The Glass Half Full - Keep an eye on people’s beverages. Offer to fill them up before they are completely drained. It keeps people from having to leave conversations or activities the might be enjoying at your party! Be sure to offer a place to “rest” before guest’s who may have over indulged head home. It also helps to keep a local cab company’s number handy.

8. Strategic Seating - You don’t have to have a seat for everyone that attends (unless an activity you are doing requires it). It’s better if you don’t so people are constantly shifting around and mingling.

9. Separate Food And Drinks - Don’t set the drink station right by the food. Otherwise, everyone will stay in the same spot so they can graze. If you put the drinks across the room, they have to move around!

10. Cool As A Cucumber - Your demeanor will greatly affect the tone of the party. So if someone spills red wine, even if you are flaming on the inside, handle it with grace. There are very few things that could happen that are really worth worrying about so relax and enjoy. If you come off as being stressed, you may create a tense environment and that’s not fun for anyone.

Chili's Chicken Crispers (Copycat Recipe)

These are a cross between a tempura texture and a fish and chips texture.  

A smoother, lighter batter.

This is so easy to make and also a great batter for fish too

Chili's recipe does call for MSG, but the copycat recipe swaps out the Accent Seasoning for chicken broth. 
In this recipe it works well to emulate the same flavors.!

Ingredients

• 1 egg beaten
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup self rising flour
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins
• canola oil for frying

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the egg, milk, chicken broth, salt and pepper until well combined.
3. Add in the self rising flour.
4. In a second bowl add 1 cup of flour.
5. Dip each piece of chicken into the batter, then into the flour.
6. Add the chicken to the oil in small batches and fry for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Traditionally served with potato wedges or fries, sweet potato fries, coleslaw, or potato salad.

Chili’s Honey Chipotle Sauce Recipe

• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Add the ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Cook, whisking, for two minutes before turning off the heat.
3. Cool the sauce before serving as a dip or toss the chicken crisper in the warm sauce if serving fully dipped.

Chili’s Honey Mustard Sauce Recipe

• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup honey

1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Chill in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before serving.

FROM: Dinner then Dessert