Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips, by Cheryl

This is the second recipe I chose to make from the cookbook. I thought the orange flavor in the veggies was very tasty. I couldn't find my large Le Creuset because of the move so the only baking dish I had didn't have the vegetables lying flat, which caused the bottom veggies to become too tender. But this was a solid dish and went well with the chicken that we were having. Yum!

Ingredients:

1lb carrots with greens attached
1 lb thin parsnips
1/3 cup small-diced shallots
2 tsps grated orange zest
1.25 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, divided
1/3 cup olive oil
6 sprigs fresh thyme
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
2 tbsp minced fresh flat leaf parsley

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 275.

2) Trim and scrub or peeel the carrots and parsnips. If the parsnips are thick, slice them in half or quarters lengthwise so they are the same width as the carrots.

3) Place the carrots and parsnips in a pot or Dutch oven that's large enough for everything to lie flat. Add the shallots, orange zest, 3/4 cup orange juice, the olive oil, thyme, red pepper flakes, 2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.

4) Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover tightly with a lid or heavy duty foil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 1.5 hours, until the carrots and parsnips are very tender. Discard the thyme. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of orange juice and parsley and season to taste.

Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta, by Cheryl

My friend came to me with an idea that we should start a cookbook club. Each month the host would pick a cookbook for everyone to make recipes from with the host making the main dish and everyone else bringing sides, appetizers, and desserts. We'd then discuss what we made and feast! We held our first one last week and it was a hit! Right now we only have three members.. we want to make sure the people we bring in are chill and we can hang with them, lol. Diane, this is a club that would be awesome for us!

The cookbook we made recipes from was Ina Garten's Foolproof. I chose easier recipes since I'm still digging my kitchen out of boxes. This appetizer is sooooo good! I devoured a lot of them for breakfast the next morning. I will definitely make these again as an hors d'oeuvre! Yum!

Ingredients:

6 oz good feta, crumbled,
2 oz cream cheese, room temp
2/3 cup olive oil, divided
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper
2 tbsp minced shallots (2 shallots)
2 tbsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 lbs ripe heirloom or cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp julienned fresh basil leaves
20-25 diagonal baguette slices, toasted
2 tbps toasted pine nuts

Directions:

1) Place the feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until the cheeses are mixed. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil, the lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Process until smooth.

2) Up to an hour before serving, combine the shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add the tomatoes, stir gently, and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and taste for seasonings.

3) Spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes on top. Put the crostini on plates and scatter with the pine nuts. Sprinkle with extra basil and serve.