Oh endive, how I've never used you...

Looking through one of my Cooking Light cookbooks I found a recipe that I thought I would try. It was a simple appetizer/salad option that included endive leaves which I'd never used before. If you want a small bite sized dish with tons of flavor this is it!

Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts


Ingredients:
1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
2 tbsp. honey (divided)
Cooking Spray
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. orange juice
16 Belgian endive leaves (about 2 heads)
16 small orange sections (about 2 naval oranges)
1/3 c. crumbled goat cheese
1 tbsp. minced fresh chives
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper


Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine walnuts and 1 tbsp. honey - spread onto cooking spray coated baking sheet and bake for 10 min. stirring after 5 minutes.
3. Combine 1 tbsp. honey, vinegar and orange juice in small saucepan. Bring to boil and cook until thickened.
4. Fill each endive leaf with 1 orange section. Top with 1 tsp. cheese and 1 tsp. walnuts. Drizzle vinegar mixture evenly over leaves and sprinkle with chives and pepper. 
8 servings of 2 leaves each.


FYI: Endive only has a shelf life of 2 or 3 days after you purchase then it starts to get dark and even more bitter. So, it's something that you buy the day of or day before you need to use it.

Fun earrings to make

I recently went through my files and came across a pattern that I printed out years ago. The pattern is from jewelry maker/designer/teacher, Tammy Powley, who is on About.com.  So, I thought I would try to make them --And it's super easy!
The pattern/directions for these earrings are here. Below are some of the pairs I made. All of them incorporate three stitching techniques: the ladder stitch, the brick stitch and fringing.

Vodka Sauce --revisited

Tonight I'm attempting my first vodka sauce. Which normally is a rich creamy sauce made with vodka (of course). This recipe is a little more figure friendly- being a Weight Watcher recipe.

Ingredients


1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium shallots; minced (about 1/2 c.)
2 medium garlic cloves minced
2 tbsp. parsley, fresh minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt, or other course salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
3 tbsp. canned tomato paste
2 oz vodka
12 oz uncooked penne
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
20 leaves basil, fresh, cut into ribbons


Instructions


Add butter, garlic and shallots to large heated skillet (med/low heat)- sauté until shallots start to carmelize, about 3-5 minutes. Add parsley, sea salt and pepper stirring once or twice. Add tomato paste and mix to form paste. Cook for about 5 minutes, moving paste around pan occasionally; add vodka. Scrap bottom of pan with a wooden spoon and cook for about 5 minutes more.


Cook pasta according to directions; drain.


Add cream to tomato sauce; reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Add pasta to sauce and mix to coat and absorb; top with basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.


1 cup per serving.