Chilled Carrot-Tomato Soup

Tomato, Bean and Mozzarella Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Mediterranean Chicken Salad Wraps

Pecan Dream Bars

Chilled Carrot-Tomato Soup

Serves 8
2 lbs Carrots, peeled and diced
2 16-oz cans  Diced tomatoes and juice
1 Medium onion, minced
4 Tbsp  Butter
3½ Cups Chicken broth
1 Cup Whipping cream
1 Tbsp Chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 tsp dried tarragon)
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion in butter until tender.  Add carrots and tomatoes.  Stir in stock and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes). Add tarragon and simmer for 10 more minutes.  Purée in blender, add cream, and chill before serving. (Also good served hot!) Serve with fresh tarragon and/or finely grated carrot on top.  This is a delicious and very pretty soup!

Tomato, Bean and Mozzarella Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Serves 6
Salad:
3-4 Large Vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
1 lb Fresh haricot verts, tender crisp (or frozen whole green beans, thawed)
8 oz
Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh basil to garnish

Basil Vinaigrette:
2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp White balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Shallots, minced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
¼ Cup Minced fresh basil
¾ Cup
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

To prepare the salad: On each plate or on a single serving platter, arrange tomato slices, cheese slices and beans.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

To prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or food processor, combine the vinegars, mustard, shallots, garlic, and basil. Gradually add oil until the dressing is emulsified.  Drizzle over salad and serve at once, garnished with additional basil leaves. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator about a week.

Variation: The basil vinaigrette is good drizzled over grilled chicken or fish.

Make Ahead Tip: The vegetables and cheese can be arranged on the plates (or platter) a day in advance. The vinaigrette can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator in a squeeze bottle. The salad is delicious served chilled or at room temperature.

Mediterranean Chicken Salad Wraps

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Salad Wrap:
8 Flour tortillas
1 or 2 Hearts of Romaine, finely shredded
½ Cup Finely chopped marinated artichoke hearts (drained)
2 Tbsp Finely minced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 Tbsp Finely minced pitted Kalamata olives
4 Slices Bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/3 Cup Grated Romano Cheese
2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cooked and finely chopped

Greek Goddess Dressing:

1 clove
Garlic, minced
6 Tbsp Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
2 Egg Yolks (from pasteurized egg or coddled egg)
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Mint
2 tsp Finely Chopped Fresh Oregano
Dash Tabasco
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the wraps: Spread tortillas with a bit of dressing. In a large bowl combine the remaining salad ingredients with enough dressing to moisten. Spread on tortillas and roll. Refrigerate until serving time. Slice in half on the diagonal immediately before serving.
For the dressing: In the bowl of a food processor or blender combine the garlic, lemon juice, egg yolk, mint, oregano, and Tabasco until smooth. With the machine running, add olive oil in a slow steady stream until dressing is emulsified.  Adjust seasonings.

Tip on Coddling Eggs: Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Lower a room temperature egg (still in its shell) into the water. Leave for 2 minutes. Remove and shock in ice water until cool enough to handle. Crack the egg, separate the yolk, discarding the white. Use as you would a raw egg yolk.

Pecan Dream Bars

Makes about 20

For the Crust:
1 Cup
All-purpose Flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, cold, cut into pats

Pecan Filling:
1 1/8 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
2 cups Chopped Pecans
2 Tbsp All-purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 large Eggs, beaten

Icing:
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp Milk
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, Melted
3/4 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
To prepare the crust: Grease a 9X9-inch baking pan. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cold butter, sugar, and flour until it resembles oatmeal.  Pat evenly over the bottom of the pan to form a crust. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes until golden.

To prepare the pecan filling: In a bowl stir together all the filling ingredients.  Pour over the crust.  Return the pan to the oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes until set.  Cool to room temperature.
To prepare the icing: Stir together the icing ingredients until smooth.  Drizzle evenly over the top of the cooled bar cookies, then very carefully smooth the icing with an offset spatula to cover completely.  Chill.  Cut into squares to serve.