Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, Cherry Tomato and Spinach Tart

this was an awesome food weekend, and because I'm waking up at 4, this is going to be a short entry without the recipes. but don't fret, I have pictures and if anyone wants the recipes, you got it! 

first course was Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Citrus Vinaigrette. 

I never used to love beets like I do now... in fact, I hated them.  I thought they were up there with brussels sprouts.

but after having them cooked deliciously (roasted is my absolute fav.), I'm a beet-liever. I love how earthy they are, and their subtle, almost meaty flavor. (I mean meaty in the sense that it's a substantial vegetable. not as in animal meaty.)

They're roasted with olive oil, little bit of balsamic, salt and pepper. that's it.We roasted these babies for a good

 1.5 hours, as they were a little smaller than baseballs... 

the mom made a super easy citrus vinaigrette with an orange, its segments and the juice and a little olive oil. 

I toasted a crostini for each plate, as the crunch, beets, and cream of the goat cheese work so well together. 

next, was my dish... Cherry Tomato and Spinach Tart. 

I made the tart shell from scratch, it's a buttery, flaky, savory crust that works so well with the vegetables. I roasted the

 tomatoes with some garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper for about an hour... they get carmelized and super sweet - almost like sun dried tomatoes. The spinach was cooked in a big pot with some butter, tiny bit of water, nutmeg,

 and salt.... then drained. in between the layers is some parmesean cheese which makes it that much more delicious. 

so so good. we added some roasted chicken to complete the entree, with a light lemon butter sauce. I'm really pleased with this recipe but would alter it slightly. Coarsely chopping the spinach would make it easier to eat, and I would use less than the recipe called for... but it was overall so delicious and I would definitely make it again. 

that's all for this weekend. tune in soon for more delicious food and recipes. 

Lentil Lettuce Wraps with Thai Shrimp

These are simply delicious. I apologize for being away for so long. I got a new job as a barista, which takes up even more of my time that I don't have. I used french and regular, cheap-o grocery store lentils with this recipe and either type works beautifully. I am going to start blogging about restuarants in town. I figure, I dine out on a weekly basis, and I love food enough that I could spend some time at my UNF job blogging. Without further ado, here's the newest recipe:

Lentil Lettuce Wraps with Thai Shrimp

Filling Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter (I sub'd earth balance and it turned out great vegan)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 shallot, finely choppedn (white onion can be substituted, but shallots have great flavor)

3 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped

1 cup lentils

1 cup mushrooms, quartered/choppped

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

3-4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

salt and pepper to taste

Marinade Ingredients:

1/2 pound - 1 pound fresh, uncooked shrimp - peeled (de-veining is optional.. i don't mind it)

2/3 cup sweet thai chili sauce (find it in the asian and mexican section of the grocery store. by the soy)

1 cup soy sauce

juice of 2 limes

2 cloves of garlic, minced/finely chopped

1-2 Tbsp. of chopped/minced ginger (optional. and if you love ginger, add more)

2/3 - 1 cup cilantro (I add a cup, I love the stuff)

The Rest:

2 cups sour cream (I used fat free)

1 cup cilantro, chopped

Iceberg lettuce - carefully take the leaves off, keeping them in tact (it is, after all... for lettuce wraps)

Directions:

Combine all the marinade ingredients, add the peeled shrimp. Multiply the marinade if you use more shrimp, they should be coated nicely and covered with the marinade. Let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. While it marinates, if you plan on grilling them (which you should), soak your wooden skewers in water so they don't burn!

When you grill the shrimp, they should only take about 5 minutes total. Shrimp cook quickly, and people often overcook them.

In a deep saucepan on medium heat, melt butter with olive oil, add garlic and shallots and saute until soft and translucent. add lentils and coat with the mixture. Add 2 cups of broth, carrots, tomatoes, and mushrooms.

Note: 1 cup of white wine can be substituted for 1 cup of vegetable broth. It adds a bit more flavor and a little decadence.

Cover the pan and let simmer on low-medium heat, until the lentils are tender. Add the remaining broth as needed, you should use all of it, and the lentils will plump up a bit. The carrots and mushrooms will be tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. It took about 20-30 minutes for the lentils to get nice and tender. Taste things as you go!

Mix chopped cilantro and sour cream and serve with everything. It adds a nice cool, creamy texture to the wraps.