Canapés for lunch!

It was a rainy day and Wesley and I were stuck inside all day. What better way to spend a rainy day than hanging out with a toddler and snacking?? I didn't eat a proper lunch, but I made several delightful snacks that I thought would be fun to share with you. I basically played around in my kitchen using up what I had and felt satisfied both by the taste and for not letting good ingredients go to waste!

Watermelon, Pickled Shallot and Feta Salad
This dish would be perfect for a summer picnic as it is fresh, sweet, acidic and quenches your thirst!  The pickled shallots should be made 3-48 hours ahead of time so that they can properly marinate. Although I have never done it, but based on the flavor profile I think this salad would be delicious with a nice, juicy steak!

Ingredients
Watermelon, diced
Pickled Shallots
Feta
                                         Fresh basil leaves, whole or sliced
                                         Pepper

Method: 
1) Pickle the shallots by slicing them very thinly (a mandolin works best) and putting them in a ziploc baggie. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar for each medium sized shallot. Add a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of fine white sugar. Refrigerate the baggie and shake it every once in a while to keep the juices moving around. Eat the pickled shallots within 2 days.

2) Dice the watermelon into small cubes.

3) If you are serving the salad as a canapé, build each portion by placing a basil leaf on the bottom of the spoon or dish. Add watermelon cubes, pickled shallots and feta, in that order. If you are serving it as a side dish, slice the basil leaves and stir in with the watermelon. Mix all components together and serve!

Prosciutto Wrapped Dates 

There are endless variations and possibilities for this tasty snack and today's recipe is based on what I had on hand, and not necessarily my favorite version of wrapped dates :)
Here are my favorite combinations for the stuffing. I would love to hear other combinations that you may come up with!

1) Gruyere cheese and almonds.
2) Mascarpone cheese and fresh basil.
3) Parmesan flakes and pine nuts.
4) Feta and crushed walnuts.
5) Goat cheese and slivered almonds.

Method: 
1) Slice each date down the middle on one side and remove the pit. Don't cut all the way around because you are going to close the date back up before cooking!

2) Fill the dates with the stuffing of your choice. Seal the date back up by pinching the two sides together with your fingers. Today, I had feta cheese on hand, which is always a delicious option with dates.




3) Wrap each date with a piece of prosciutto. Don't worry about if the prosciutto tears, just keep wrapping and it will be fine.  Each piece should be 5-7 inches long.Also, be sure to leave the white, fatty part of the prosciutto on; it adds a ton of flavor and moisture!

4) Bake for 10 minutes at 350F.

5) Drizzle with olive oil, a balsamic reduction or a balsamic drizzle.  Click for a Balsamic Drizzle recipe!

Lemon Cream Stuffed Raspberries

5 minute prep time!! Only 3 ingredients!! And it tastes like heaven!!  Have I sold you yet?
The trick is to buy large raspberries that have a generous well in the center. Simply mix equal parts whipped cream cheese and lemon curd. Add the cream to the center of each raspberry and enjoy!!


Click  Easy Lemon Curd to find out how I make it from scratch. (It is part of the sour cream and lemon pie...)