"Ocean Spray" @ Marcie's

* Drink *

Caribbean Dream ~ Brennan

{NEED TO DOUBLE}

1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream

1 ½ cups pineapple sherbet

1 ½ cups tropical fruit salad, drained

½ cup frozen banana-orange juice concentrate

½ teaspoon rum-flavored extract (should be non-alcoholic)

1. Place ice cream, sherbet, fruit salad, concentrate and extract in blender.  Blend on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and well blended.
2.  Pour into serving glasses.  Serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings

* Appetizers *

Crab and Artichoke Dip ~ Megan

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish (or to taste)

½ pound crabmeat

Crackers, crostini, or celery sticks

1. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together all ingredients except for crabmeat.
2. Place mixture in a medium saucepan, and cook over low heat, stirring, until cheeses are melted.
3. Add crabmeat, and gently stir until heated through.  Pour into a serving dish, or into a chafing dish over a low heat source.
4. Serve with crackers, crostini, or celery sticks.  Makes about 4 cups.

Kicked Up Pimento and Tuna Deviled Eggs ~ Jamie

8 hardboiled eggs, peeled and cut in 1/2lengthwise, yolks removed and reserved separately

1/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped black or green olives

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1 tablespoon chopped pimento, plus thin strips for garnish, if desired

2 teaspoons minced parsley

1 teaspoon nonpareil capers, drained

1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon hot paprika, plus more for sprinkling on top for garnish

3 tablespoons drained and flaked light tuna packed in olive oil, preferably Italian

In a small mixing bowl mash the egg yolks with the back of a fork. Add the mayonnaise and olive oil and mix until smooth. Add the olives, onion, pimento, parsley, capers, vinegar, salt and hot paprika and mix well to combine. Add the flaked tuna and fold gently to combine, trying to keep the tuna flakes intact. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Using a small spoon, divide the filling evenly among the wells of the cooked egg whites and garnish the top of each filled egg with 1 or 2 small strips of pimento, if desired. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for up to overnight before serving.   Serves: 16 deviled eggs, 6 to 8 servings.

(Note: if refrigerating overnight, sprinkle with the paprika just before serving.)

* Entrée *

Mahi-mahi Crunch ~ Marcie

{NEED TO DOUBLE}

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups brown sugar, packed

2 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

6 tablespoons salad oil

8 mahi-mahi fillets (3 oz each)

Mix together cilantro, salt, pepper, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger.  Rub mixture evenly into the mahi-mahi fillets to coat, and let stand for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy skillet.  Cook mahi-mahi fillets in butter for about 2 minutes on each side or until brown.  Serves 4.

* Side *

Salmon, Asparagus and Shiitake Salad ~ Denise

¼ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon or ¾ teaspoon dried tarragon leaves

1 pound small salmon fillets, skinned

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed

¼ pound shiitake mushrooms or button mushrooms

Additional salt and black pepper

8 cups lightly packed torn romaine and red leaf lettuce

Combine vinegar, oil, juice, peel, 2 teaspoons mustard, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl; spoon 3 tablespoons dressing into 2-quart glass dish to use as marinade.  Reserve remaining dressing.  Add tarragon and 2 teaspoons remaining mustard to marinade in glass dish; blend well.  Add salmon; turn to coat.  Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.  Transfer 3 tablespoons of reserved dressing to medium bowl; add onion, tossing to coat.  Thread asparagus and mushrooms onto wooden skewers.

Remove salmon from marinade; discard marinade.  Season salmon to taste with additional salt and pepper.  Lightly oil hot grid to prevent sticking.  Grill salmon over medium-hot coals 2 to 4 minutes per side until fish flakes when tested with fork.  Grill asparagus and mushrooms over medium-hot coals 5 to 8 minutes until crip-tender.  Cut asparagus into 2-inch pieces and slice mushrooms; add to onion mixture.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Toss lettuce and onion mixture in large bowl; arrange lettuce on platter.  Break salmon into 2-inch pieces; arrange salmon and vegetables over lettuce.  Drizzle with remaining reserved dressing.  Serve immediately.  Makes 4 main-dish servings (8 side dish servings).

 

* Desserts *

Tropical White Chocolate Cookies ~ Danielle

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3 teaspoons grated lime peel

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate chips

1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut

½ cup chopped macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat first four ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Add eggs, beating until blended.  Add lime peel and lime juice.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well.  Stir in white chocolate chips, coconut and macadamia nuts.  Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly brown.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes about 4 dozen.

Island Breeze Cheesecake ~ Janet

{MAKE THE NIGHT BEFORE}

1  cup  graham cracker crumbs

1  cup  finely chopped almonds

1/4  cup  butter, melted

3  tablespoons  sugar

4  (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1  cup  sugar

3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour

1  tablespoon  vanilla extract

4  large eggs

1  cup  sour cream

Fruit Topping (see below)

Garnish: toasted coconut

Fruit Topping

1  small papaya

1  mango

2  kiwifruit

1  (12-ounce) jar apricot preserves

1  tablespoon  rum

1  cup  pineapple tidbits

Peel and cut papaya, mango, and kiwifruit into small chunks.  Stir together apricot preserves and 1 tablespoon rum in a large bowl; add papaya, mango, kiwifruit, and pineapple, tossing to coat.  Cover and chill 1 hour.  Drain before spooning on top of cheesecake.

Directions:

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, chopped almonds, melted butter, and sugar.  Press crumb mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan.

Bake crust at 350° for 10 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.
Beat softened cream cheese at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth.  Gradually add 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.  Add sour cream, and beat just until blended.  Pour mixture into prepared crust.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until center is almost set.  Remove cheesecake from oven; cool on wire rack.  Cover and chill 8 hours.  Gently run a knife around edge of cheesecake, and release sides of pan; spoon chilled Fruit Topping over top.  Garnish, if desired.  Makes 10 to 12 servings