Perfect Potluck Dishes

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We recently had a potluck at work and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try out some new summertime appetizers. These recipes are all along the lines of "whatever I have in the fridge." These three dishes can be easily prepped the night before a party or potluck and they all withstand the brutal summer weather very well. They all three seemed to be crowd pleasers- especially the fruit brushetta!  Spicy Tropical Brushetta Ingredients: 1 pint of strawberries 1 peach 1 small mango 1/2 medium sweet onion 1-2 jalapeno peppers (optional) 3 tbsp fresh basil 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp ground red pepper (optional) Directions:     Rinse all fruits, basil and peppers.                   Finely chop strawberries, peach, mango and fresh basil. Place all contents in a medium-mixing bowl.     Add finely chopped jalapeno and onions     Add in balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and ground red pepper.     Serve cold with goat cheese and crackers or a french baguette. Caprese Salad Ingredients:  3 vine ripe tomatoes 1 ball fresh mozzarella 1 bunch fresh basil Salt and pepper to taste Drizzle of balsamic vinegar/olive oil Directions:         Rinse tomatoes and fresh basil under cold water.         Slice tomatoes and mozzarella approximately ¼ inch          Pluck fresh basil leaves from stems.          Layer tomato, basil, and mozzarella on a plate.         Drizzle with olive oil and or balsamic vinegar. Pear and Gorgonzola Flatbread Ingredients: 1 package of Garlic naan bread (2 pieces) 1 Bartlett pear 1/3 cup of Gorgonzola cheese crumbles 1 red onion 3 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar  1/4 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1 tbsp butter Olive Oil Directions:      Rinse pear and slice into 1/8 inch slices.      Peel and thinly slice the entire red onion.      Over medium heat, add the slice red onion. Cook on medium for approximately 5 minutes, once the onions begin to become translucent, add balsamic vinegar and sugar. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Set aside when onions have caramelized.     Add sliced pears to the pan that the onions were cooked in. No need to clean in between; it will season the pears well. Cook on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes.     Rub naan bread with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.      Arrange cooled pears and onions evenly across the flatbread. Add chopped green onions, pecans and Gorgonzola crumbles.     Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-14 minutes or until the crust becomes brown and slightly crispy. Note- Gorgonzola cheese does not melt like traditional softer cheeses so do not wait for the cheese to melt!

  

We recently had a potluck at work and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try out some new summertime appetizers. These recipes are all along the lines of "whatever I have in the fridge." These three dishes can be easily prepped the night before a party or potluck and they all withstand the brutal summer weather very well. They all three seemed to be crowd pleasers- especially the fruit brushetta! 

Spicy Tropical Brushetta

Ingredients:

1 pint of strawberries

1 peach

1 small mango

1/2 medium sweet onion

1-2 jalapeno peppers (optional)

3 tbsp fresh basil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp ground red pepper (optional)

Directions:

1.     Rinse all fruits, basil and peppers.              
   
   
   
2.     Finely chop strawberries, peach, mango and fresh basil. Place all contents in a medium-mixing bowl.
3.     Add finely chopped jalapeno and onions
4.     Add in balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and ground red pepper.
5.     Serve cold with goat cheese and crackers or a french baguette.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

 3 vine ripe tomatoes

1 ball fresh mozzarella

1 bunch fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle of balsamic vinegar/olive oil

Directions:

1.         Rinse tomatoes and fresh basil under cold water.
2.         Slice tomatoes and mozzarella approximately ¼ inch 
3.         Pluck fresh basil leaves from stems. 
4.         Layer tomato, basil, and mozzarella on a plate.
5.         Drizzle with olive oil and or balsamic vinegar.

Pear and Gorgonzola Flatbread

Ingredients:

1 package of Garlic naan bread (2 pieces)

1 Bartlett pear

1/3 cup of Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

1 red onion

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 tbsp butter

Olive Oil

Directions:

1.      Rinse pear and slice into 1/8 inch slices.
2.      Peel and thinly slice the entire red onion.
3.      Over medium heat, add the slice red onion. Cook on medium for approximately 5 minutes, once the onions begin to become translucent, add balsamic vinegar and sugar. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Set aside when onions have caramelized.
4.     Add sliced pears to the pan that the onions were cooked in. No need to clean in between; it will season the pears well. Cook on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes.
5.     Rub naan bread with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. 
6.     Arrange cooled pears and onions evenly across the flatbread. Add chopped green onions, pecans and Gorgonzola crumbles.
7.     Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-14 minutes or until the crust becomes brown and slightly crispy. Note- Gorgonzola cheese does not melt like traditional softer cheeses so do not wait for the cheese to melt!