Mouth-Watering Recipes

TEXAS OLIVE RANCH PEACH BALSAMIC SUMMER SANGRIA

Sangria is the perfect, easy drink solution for a summer party. It’s incredibly easy to make, delicious, and only gets better as it sits. The addition of balsamic vinegar to this sangria helps balance out the sweetness from the residual sugar in the wine and the fruit.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bottle of a light, fruity white wine, chilled (something higher in acid like Pinot Grigio or sweeter like Moscato)

• 1 bottle of sparkling wine, chilled (we recommend Prosecco if you’re serving with one of our other Italian-inspired dishes)

• 1 cup Brandy

• ¼ cup Peach Balsamic Vinegar

• Juice from 1 lemon

• 3-4 white peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into cubes

• ¼ cup of super-fine sugar

• A handful of raspberries, for garnish

• Sprig of mint, for garnish

PREPARATION:

1. Place all of the fruit at the bottom of a bowl or drink dispenser

2. Add the wine, brandy, balsamic, lemon juice and sugar.

3. Stir the ambrosial potion until the sugar is dissolved, and that’s it! Seriously, it’s that easy. Serve over ice and add garnishes!

GREENS FRITTATA WITH MOZZARELLA AND PROSCIUTTO

YIELD: 4 - 6 servings | TIME: About 15 minutes

This savory frittata will take about 15 minutes, including the cooking time, putting weeknight dinner on the fast track. Add ribbons of raw greens to beaten eggs, then proceed to make the frittata, flipping it like a big pancake. The greens are cooked in the process, and the flavor is phenomenal.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 to 6 ounces arugula, spinach or chard, stemmed and sliced into 1/2-inch ribbons

• 2 small garlic cloves, minced

• Salt and pepper

• Olive oil

• 8 large organic eggs

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• 2 tablespoons grated parmigiano

• ¼ pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

• 3 or 4 slices prosciutto, torn into strips.

PREPARATION:

1. Put the greens in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Toss the greens with your hands to coat the leaves.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Add the red pepper flakes and parmigiano. Pour the egg mixture over the greens and stir them together.

3. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or 9-inch omelet pan on medium-high. Pour in a film of olive oil and let it heat. Add the frittata mixture and let it cook briskly, lifting the edges with a spatula and tilting the pan to help the bottom set. Reduce the heat to prevent the bottom from over-browning and quickly arrange the sliced mozzarella and prosciutto over the surface. Cook for about 3 minutes.

4. Place a large plate over the pan, then carefully invert the frittata onto the plate. Return the pan to the heat, add a touch more olive oil, and slip the frittata back into the pan, uncooked side down, for another 2 minutes. (Alternatively, leave the frittata in the pan and finish under a broiler). Slide the frittata onto a platter. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.

CROSTINI WITH ROASTED VEGGIES & SMOKED MOZZARELLA

YIELD: 8 -12 servings (20-24 Crostini)

INGREDIENTS

For the ROASTED VEGETABLES:

• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 red bell pepper

• 1 small zucchini

• ½ medium purple onion

For the CROSTINI:

• 1 baguette of French bread

• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 clove garlic

• 6 ounces Smoked Mozzarella, sliced as thinly as possible

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

• Thyme sprigs

PREPARATION

For the VEGETABLES | Preheat oven to 400F

1. Mix the olive oil, garlic, salt & pepper in small bowl; save

2. Stand the bell pepper up vertically and slice from the stem end downwards. Cut off a quarter of the bell pepper, each time, leaving the stem and seeds to discard.

3. Cut zucchini in half, lengthwise, slice the halves again vertically so that you have 4 slices of zucchini each about ¼ inch thick.

4. Slice onion into four slices horizontally like onion rings.

5. Place vegetables in small roasting pan and spread out so in one layer, drizzling with olive oil mixture.

6. Toss vegetables so that they are well coated with the oil. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

7. Using a fork, turn the vegetables and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until the vegetables are golden brown.

8. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool to temperature that is easy to handle. Using a sharp knife cut the bell pepper and zucchini into strips ¼" wide. Separate the onion into rings. Set aside.

For the CROSTINI | Preheat broiler to high

1. Cut the baguette at a diagonal angle into 1/3" wide slices.

2. Sparingly coat both sides of the bread with olive oil using a pastry brush and place on a baking sheet. Place 3" below broiler. Lightly toast the bread on both sides. (Alternatively, place the slices of bread in a panini grill and cook until the bread is pressed flat and toasted on both sides.)

3. Remove the toasts from the broiler and rub each toast lightly on one side with a whole garlic clove. Turn the oven to 350F.

4. Return toasts to the baking sheet. Top each piece of toast with slices of mozzarella to cover the surface of the bread.

5. Arrange the strips of vegetables in a pattern, with zucchini at one end of the slice of bread, the red bell pepper in the center, and the onion at the other end.

6. Transfer crostini to the oven and bake for a very brief period, < 5 minutes, until the mozzarella just begins to soften and melt. Remove the crostini from the oven and sprinkle with fresh thyme and pepper.

7. Place on a serving platter and garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Serve immediately while still warm.

COMEBACK CREEK SWEET ONION CRACK DIP

YIELD: 4 - 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, very softened

• 1 cup mayonnaise (note: or, we did ½ cup mayo and ½ cup sour cream with good results)

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

• 1 cup diced sweet onion

• 1 Tbsp freshly cracked black pepper

• Crusty bread or crackers

PREPARATION: Preheat the oven to 350F

1. In a bowl, place the cream cheese. The cream cheese must be very soft (like spreadable butter) to allow all the ingredients to blend evenly. If your crema cheese needs to soften more, place it in the microwave for a few seconds.

2. Add the mayonnaise, Parmesan, onion, and pepper and mix until everything is thoroughly combined.

3. Pour the mixture into a 6-inch baking dish or any oven-safe dish. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, so all the ingredients meld together. When the top crust is brown and almost burnt-looking, the dip is ready. The darker brown the crust becomes, the better the flavors are. Serve with your favorite crusty bread or crackers.