A recipe for a refreshing summer cocktail sent to Seduction Meals by Robin:

Ingredients:
•       1 Bottle of white wine (Albarino)
•       1/2 cup Peach Schnapps
•       sugar (to taste, depending on how sweet you prefer your Sangria)
•       2 peaches, sliced (frozen peach slices work well)
•       1 sliced ripe, ruby red grapefruit
•       2 pears, sliced (slightly firm, not quite ripe)
•       1/2 liter of ginger ale or club soda (ginger and grapefruit is interesting together)

Preparation:

1. Pour wine and Schnapps in the pitcher
2. Add sliced peach, grapefruit, and pear.
3. Next add sugar (if you must) and stir gently.
4. Chill mixture for at least one hour.
5. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving.

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Here's an alternative to beef burgers that went over big time for my last BBQ bash. I served this with a tomato, onion dill salad, and grilled corn-on-the-cob. This was paired with ice-cold beer and lime slices.

Grilled American Lamb Burgers
Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Lamb Board
8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground American Lamb
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 8 hamburger buns, split and toasted
• 8 lettuce leaves
• 4 thin slices red onion, split into rings
• 16 tomato slices

Directions

1. In large bowl, combine ground lamb, tomato sauce, oats, onion, basil, garlic powder, seasoned salt and pepper.  Mix until all ingredients are blended.  Shape into eight 1/2-inch thick patties.
2. To Grill:  Cook over medium-hot coals.  Grill 4 inches from coals 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness:  145ºF for medium-rare, 160ºF for medium or 170ºF for well.  
3. To Broil:  Place lamb patties on broiler pan.  Broil lamb 4 inches from source of heat for 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness:  145ºF for medium-rare, 160ºF for medium or 170ºF for well. 

Plating the Dish

1. Arrange lettuce leaf on bottom half of each bun. 
   
2. Top with onion rings, 2 tomato slices, cooked lamb patties and bun top.
   

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For chocolate lovers everywhere, I present this wonderfully creative recipe for German Chocolate mini cakes. This riff on German chocolate cake features individual mini cakes, their sides enrobed in chocolate, topped with the classic caramel-coconut-pecan filling/topping. While traditional German chocolate cake is a sweet, lighter-colored cake-more milk chocolate than dark¬-our version is devil's food and delicious. By the way, German chocolate cake has nothing to do with the country, and everything to do with Sam German, an employee of the Baker's Chocolate Company, who came up with this recipe in 1852.

German Chocolate Mini Cakes
Recipe and photograph courtesy of King Arthur Flour
Yields 12 servings

Cake

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 6 ounces) unsalted butter*
• 1 3/4 cups (12 1/4 ounces) Baker's Special sugar or granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounces) Dutch-process cocoa
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) cool water

*If you use salted butter, reduce the salt in the recipe to 1/4 teaspoon.

Icing

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream

Topping

• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) half and half or milk
• 1 cup (7 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon pecan flavor or pralines & cream flavor, optional
• 1 cup (2 1/2 ounces) shredded or flaked coconut, sweetened or unsweetened, toasted*
• 1 cup (3 3/4 ounces) chopped pecans, toasted*

*Toast the pecans and coconuts till golden brown in a 350°F oven. This is most easily done if you place each in a 9" round cake pan, and put them in the oven as soon as you pull out the finished cake. Bake for about 10 minutes, watching carefully towards the end, as the coconut will brown quickly. Remove from the oven, and stir the coconut to distribute the less-browned and more-browned pieces together evenly.

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Bring your mastery in the kitchen to the big stage. Submit  your tastiest recipe and you can win $1000 in spending money and a trip to New York City to square off against two other finalists at the Bon Appetite Supper Club and Cafe.

Win that and you'll get a package of innovative LG Kitchen Appliances, an opportunity to compete in LG's Global competition in Thailand, and recognition as the best amateur chef in America.

Entering is Easy

1. Submit your Recipe
2. Write a Description
3. Send a Photo
4. Keep your Fingers Crossed
5. Click Here to Enter.
   
6. Good Luck!

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This recipe was submitted to Seduction Meals by Jennifer

"I am kind of a fanatic for fondue, as I think it has to be one of the most romantic meals out there, so I have a fondue recipe to submit. This is my own recipe, too. If you want to add a fun texture and flavor to this dessert, set out plates of shredded coconut, crushed oreos, and graham crackers. You simply roll your chocolate covered treat in the goodies on the plate and enjoy!"

Caramel Almond Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:

• 1 (9.5 ounce) Bag of Dove chocolate with caramel centers, wrappers removed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
• Strawberries
• Bananas, sliced one inch thick
• Pineapple, cut in one inch cubes
• Brownies, cut in one inch cubes

  Directions

1. With a double boiler, melt the chocolate with caramel centers.
2. Slowly add cream, stirring constantly, until you have reached the desired texture. It should be silky smooth, without chunks of chocolate.
3. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top and serve in a fondue pot.
4. Use the strawberries, bananas, pineapple, and brownies as dippers.

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Impress your sweetheart at a candlelight dinner for two by serving the romantic Love POM Martini, a blushing purple cocktail featuring POM Blueberry juice.  Serve this Love Martini with an enticing appetizer such as Asian Shrimp Salsa with Pomegranate Vinaigrette and Wonton Chips, or Seared Scallops with Peach and Ciantro Salsa, or  go all out with an exotic dish like Seared Cointreau Foie Gras.

Love Pom Martini
Recipe per cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. POM™ Blueberry, 100% juice
• 1 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. Alize® Wild Passion™

Directions:
1.   Combine in cocktail shaker over ice.
2.   Shake and strain up into a chilled martini glass with garnish of choice.

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In celebration of summer, here is the third recipe in our Peach Trilogy from the extraordinary  Martin & Fitch Events. Place this dish before your guest and I am sure they will never look at an empanada in the same way, a dessert to be savored with each bite taken.

Peach empanadas with vanilla ice cream and mint
Recipe courtesy of chefs Maura Martin and Phoebe Fitch
Photography: Noelle Grosso

Ingredients

Empanada crust

• 1.5 cups of all purpose flour
• 1.5 T sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut in small pieces
• pinch of salt
• 3-4 T ice water

Peach filling

• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1.5 T corn starch
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 large ripe peaches pitted and cut into large dice

• 1 egg white
• 1 T sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Take butter, flour, sugar and salt and mix with a pastry cutter until granular
3. Gradually add ice water until dough forms a ball
4. Set aside
5. Combine lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and spices
6. Add peaches and vanilla and mix
7. Roll out dough on a floured flat surface
8. Cut out large rounds
9. Fill 1 half of the round with peach filling
10. Fold over and close edges with a fork
11. Cut two slices in top of empanada
12. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar
13. Place in preheated 450 degree oven for 5 minutes
14. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown
15. Serve warm with a high quality vanilla ice cream and mint garnish

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In celebration of summer, here is part two of our Peach Trilogy from superstar catering company Martin & Fitch. The combination of sweet summer peaches wrapped in smoky paper thin sheets of ham kissed with mustard vinaigrette...a simple yet tantalizing summer delight. Enjoy!

Prosciutto wrapped grilled peach salad with whole grain mustard vinaigrette
Recipe courtesy of chefs Maura Martin and Phoebe Fitch
Photography: Noelle Grosso

Ingredients

• 2 firm peaches
• 8 slices prosciutto
• Olive oil for brushing
• 4 cups mixed salad greens, like frissee, arugula, watercress, tot soi (an Asian salad leaf)
• ¼ cup cucumber, cut into small squares
• ¼ cup cherry tomatoes
• ¼ French feta cheese, cut into squares

Salad Dressing

• 2 T whole grain mustard
• 2 T honey
• 3 T white balsamic or dark balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup fruity XVOO

Grilling Peaches
Quarter peaches and remove stone.
Wrap each piece with 1 slice of proscuitto and brush with a little olive oil.
Grill briefly on each side until you have nice grill marks. This can be done on indoor or outdoor grill. Set aside

Preparing the Salad
Mix salad greens, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and feta with just enough dressing to coat.

Plating the Dish
Divide between 2 plates. Place 4 peach pieces on each plate and drizzle with a little dressing.
Reserve extra dressing for another day. Serve immediately.

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If you are ever in need of an exceptional catering experience here is one hot tip....check out Martin & Fitch Events. For the past two decades Maura Martin and Phoebe Fitch have been serving up their celebrated dishes in New York and Hollywood's most discerning circles.  Happily, an exclusive invitation is no longer necessary to savor their stylish and satisfying cuisine.

Having combined their talents, the duo Martin and Fitch are fulfilling their dream of bringing vibrantly modern home cooking to all New Yorkers.  From market-fresh organic meals for home entertaining, to *innovative* food for any business event, to your most elegant affair, Martin and Fitch have the culinary range (literally) and expertise to suit your palette as well as your lifestyle.

Celebrating Summer: I am honored to share a Peach Trilogy, 3 amazing peach recipes in my next three posts, from Martin & Fitch. We start with a main course of seared scallops. This can be served as an appetizer or main course.

Seared Scallops with Peach and Cilantro Salsa
Serves Two
Recipe courtesy of chefs Maura Martin and Phoebe Fitch
Photography: Noelle Grosso


Ingredients:

• 8 Sea scallops
• 1 tsp sweet butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper

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