Pea, Almond, and Blue Cheese Salad

This scrumptious pea salad recipe is from my wonderful sister-in-law (who is truly like a REAL sister to me). The flavors in this pea salad might sound interesting but they work together beautifully especially with the vinaigrette of mustard, olive oil, garlic, mint, green onions and lemon juice. It's savory, tangy, and has excellent textures from the pop of the peas to the crunch of the toasted almonds. I've made this salad twice since Marg gave me the recipe, once with goat cheese crumbles and once with blue cheese and I must say the blue cheese is much better. But if you aren't a blue cheese or goat cheese fan it would also be delicious with chunks of fresh mozzarella or even grated fresh Parmesan cheese. It only takes as long to make as it does to boil the peas and goes great with just about anything you're making for dinner! 


Pea, Almond, and Blue Cheese Salad
From my lovely sister Margaret
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 package of frozen peas
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted in a pan for about 5 minutes over medium low


Directions
Boil peas in salted water according to directions on package. Drain and cool, the pat to remove excess water. In a large bowl whisk all of the remaining ingredients except for the blue cheese and almonds. Add the peas to the vinaigrette and combine. Top with blue cheese and sprinkle with almonds. 

Strawberry Blueberry Mint Spritzer

This refreshing drink is a wonderful summer cocktail and although it's not red, white, and blue, it's got the red and blue component!  Fresh strawberries, blueberries, and mint leaves are muddled together then mixed with freshly squeezed lemon juice, champagne, sake, and seltzer water. I fell in love with the recipe when I saw it called for Sake! A friend gave us a bottle of Sake as a going away present since we will be living in Japan in less than a month. This cocktail was the perfect use for it!

 I served these cocktails when we had a dinner party and everyone loved it! It can also be made without the alcohol, just substitute additional seltzer for the champagne and sake.

Strawberry Blueberry Mint Spritzer
Modified from LindaWagner.net
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 bottle of Sake
1 bottle of champagne
1/2 pint of strawberries
1/2 pint of blueberries
6 lemons
6 sprigs of mint
2 cans or 24 ounces of seltzer water

Directions
Slice strawberries into vertical slivers and halve the blueberries. Tear the mint leaves roughly and all all to a large pitcher. Squeeze the lemons into the pitcher and gently muddle using a fruit muddler or wooden spoon. 

Add the seltzer water in and stir. Add equal parts sake and champagne. Pour into individual glasses and garnish with additional fruit if desired. 

Peppermint Pattie Brownies

A confession: I did not have any part in making these. My Momma made these and I got to eat them. That's the beautiful thing about coming home for the Holidays. I can blog the yummy things my Mom makes and share them with you without having to put in any of the work except for snapping some photos and blogging. That is why there are only pictures of the end product. No ingredient photos, no step by step photos, just the lovely fudge covered brownie and peppermint ice cream photos that I took right before eating a huge bite!


Except for the peppermint patties, everything is made from scratch. I guess that must have been a lot of work for my Mom. :) I think while she was making them I was taking a nap. If you are mint and chocolate person, you really need to make these. They are thick, rich and perfect for this time of the year when you can actually buy peppermint ice cream in the stores. 

Peppermint Pattie Brownies
From the York Peppermint Patties Bag
Printable Version


Ingredients
24 small (1 1/2 inch) York Peppermint Patties
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, melted
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for glass baking dish). Remove wrappers from peppermint patties. Grease a 9X13X2 inch baking pan. Stir together butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add eggs and beat until well blended. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and blend well. Reserve 2 cups of batter. Spread remaining batter in prepared pan. Arrange peppermint patties about 1/2 apart in a single layer over batter. Spread reserved 2 cups batter over patties. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares to serve. Serve with mint chocolate chip or peppermint ice cream.