t o m a t o e s & t e q u i l a

I had forgotten about this recipe until I had to make a somewhat last minute appetizer on Saturday. I was browsing my recipes, looking for something easy, and suddenly I flipped to this page and thought - why haven't I made this in like two years!

This is a great recipe and I'll tell you why:

• It's healthy
• There is no dairy or mayo so it can sit out basically all day
• It can be served cold or at room temperature
• It takes about 3 minutes to make
• It is pretty to serve because it is so bright green - looks great on a white serving platter
• It's cheap
• It is easy to keep the ingredients on hand - and if you are like me you always have frozen peas and sun-dried tomatoes around.
• It can be served with crackers, bread or veggies - again, whatever you have on hand.

And if those aren't enough reasons to try it, it's really, really tasty!

SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND PEA DIP RECIPE
(Giada De Laurentiis)

1 lb. frozen peas, thawed
8 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, drained (about 3/4 cup) (I use tomatoes not packed in oil for lower fat and calories)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine the peas, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse the machine until the peas and tomatoes are finely chopped. Add the olive oil and pulse until the olive oil is incorporated and the mixture is minced but not yet pureed. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the salt and pepper.

Last weekend the hubby and some friends and I went camping outside of Salida, CO. There were some pros and cons to the trip:

Pros:

• Gorgeous aspen groves at our campsite
• A perfectly clear alpine lake to swim in
• Salida was adorable
• Kayak competitions in town on the Arkansas river
• Beautiful views of the mountains

Cons:

• No campfires allowed! UGH!
• Some rain
• The hubby and I forgot a ton of cooking stuff, oops
• The campsite was pretty crowded
• The general dull noise of generators

The highpoint I think was definitely the town itself. The feeling reminded me a little bit of where I grew up - a mix of an old, smallish town with the revved up culture of water sports and the people they attract. I am from an area of California where lakes (some very near by and Tahoe about an hour away) and rivers abound (Bear River, American River, Yuba River, etc.)



Despite being in the middle of nowhere, Salida had what looked like great restaurants, hippy-ish coffee shops, and tons of art galleries and boutiques that were fun to browse.

If you are from Colorado, definitely make the trip to Salida. You can hike, river raft, etc - and then enjoy a nice dinner in town.

My two very good friends visited over the 4th of July weekend from California. It was soooo good to see them. And, it was the hubby's 29th birthday weekend. I decided friends in town+hubby's birthday was as good a reason as any to throw a party - who doesn't love a party?!?. Of course, I was thrilled to get to cook a bunch. It seems that I haven't had much time to cook lately so this was the perfect opportunity.

The Menu:

• Chickpea and Olive Crostini
• Cheese Plate
• Tomato and Goat Cheese Flatbread
• Potato Salad Stackers
• Honey Marinated Chicken Skewers
• Strawberry Cupcakes

More on the Strawberry Cupcakes in a second, but first I have to mention that the hubby and his good friend have been brewing beer together for the past couple of months. They brewed all the beer for the party and we made these awesome little labels for the beer. The Steam Beer (something like Anchor Steam) was a big hit.



Now, back to cupcakes. I have made this Strawberry Cake recipe a few times and every time it has been a MEGA hit - no seriously, people freak out over this cake. I decided that cupcakes made more sense given we were outside playing games, etc. and this recipe easily translates to them. The batter (yes, I lick the bowl) tastes like fluffy strawberry ice cream and the baked cake maintains an amazing amount of moisture - making these light yet decadent. Fresh strawberries at the peak of ripeness are the key, don't sacrifice on them, it's worth it.



STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE RECIPE
(Cooking Light Magazine)

Cake:
1 1/4 c. sliced strawberries
10 ounce all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 c.)
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 c. low-fat buttermilk
1/4 tsp. red food coloring
Cooking spray

Frosting:
1/3 c. (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 tbl. Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur - I use regular fresh squeezed orange juice and it works wonderfully well)
3 c. powdered sugar
12 whole strawberries (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, place sliced strawberries in a food processor; process until smooth.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in egg whites. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add pureed strawberries and food coloring; beat just until blended.

Divide batter between 2 (8-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 1/3 cup butter, and liqueur in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, and beat just until blended.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Cut 1 whole strawberry into thin slices, cutting to, but not through, the stem end. Fan strawberry on top of cake just before serving, if desired. Cut remaining 11 strawberries in half. Garnish cake with strawberry halves, if desired.