in season: fried squash blossoms stuffed with herb ricotta

I'm back!  Apologies for the mini-hiatus, sometimes life and work get a bit out-of-hand and my plate becomes a little too overrunith (not sure if that's word, but I'm using it).
First off, if you haven't caught it already, here's Monday's clip from The Today Show with Kathie Lee & Hoda, featuring some deliciously healthy summer recipes from The Cheater's Diet.  A BIG thanks to everyone at the show...KLG and Hoda, you two made it so easy and comfortable!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/38522660#38522660

Secondly, with just a few weeks of August left, summer entertaining is in high gear. If you're looking for a gorgeous appetizer to start the party off and totally wow guests, squash blossoms are your answer. A summer delicacy, squash blossoms are the golden orange flowers of zucchini plants and come into season in late June/early July. They're high in beta-carotene as a nice nutritional bonus.  

The stuffing-frying process may appear to be a bit complicated, but this squash blossom recipe is amazingly easy. And yes, this nutritionist is actually frying something, gasp! Not to worry, the blossom batter is so light and barely absorbs any oil. The end result is a lovely appetizer that looks unbelievably gourmand and is the perfect start to a warm August evening. Enjoy!

Fried Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Herbed Ricotta over Roasted Tomatoes

roasted tomatoes 

preheat oven to 325 degrees.

toss 1 pint cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt to taste and 2 to 3 cloves of smashed garlic.

place tomatoes on a cookie and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

place warm tomatoes in a large bowl and smash lightly with a spoon or masher to create a chunky puree.

ricotta filling 

1 cup fresh sheep's milk ricotta

1 Tbsp chives, finely chopped

1 Tbsp basil, finely chopped

1 teaspoon tarragon, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.

squash blossom batter

1/2 cup flour

salt and freshly ground pepper

dash of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup whole milk

extra virgin olive oil, for frying

whisk all but milk together. slowly pour in milk while whisking.

stuff 8 blossoms with ricotta filling and twist the tips to create a closure. dip blossoms in batter to fully cover.

heat about 1-inch of extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat (temperature should reach about 375 degrees). fry blossoms in oil for about 1 to 2 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. place on plate covered with a paper towel to absorb any extra oil. serve blossoms on a large platter (or individual appetizer plates) over a bed of roasted tomatoes.

Oscar-Worthy Appetizers

In addition to the gorgeous gowns and Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin's amusing act last night, what better way to take in the Academy Awards than with some good apps, great friends (and a killer cocktail or two)? My apartment may be a studio, but the spacious kitchen is well-used (well, spacious for an NYC studio at least!). Always loving an excuse to cook and invite friends over, I threw together a small Oscars soiree and made 'studio apartment entertaining' chic, flavorful and balanced -- with a healthful and indulgent line-up of dishes. Here's a few of the evening's standouts for your viewing pleasure:

A chic, simple cocktail to start off the night...a perfect pairing with Sandra Bullock's stunning gold gown and her Best Actress win and Tom Ford's dashing, perfectly-refined presence.

“The Oscar”

serves 2

2 oz vodka

2 oz St. Germain (elderflower liqueur)
Splash of fresh lemon juice
Champagne or prosecco

2 large pieces of lemon peel

Fill two martini glasses with ice and cold water, cool glasses for 1 to 2 minutes and discard ice and water.

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add vodka, St. Germain and lemon juice and shake well. Pour mixture into martini glass and top it off with Champagne or prosecco.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel a good-sized piece of lemon peel for garnish.

A little ethnicity and color turns out a lot of healthful flavor without a ton of calories. Perfect with Maggie Gyllenhaal's vibrant printed dress...

Lettuce Wraps with Shrimp & Thai Dipping Sauce

makes 10 to 12

Shrimp

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp jalepeno, minced
Juice of 1 lime

Lettuce wraps
1/2 cucumber, sliced into thin matchsticks
1/2 mango, sliced into thin matchsticks
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into thin matchsticks
1-2 scallions, diced1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped

1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp jalapeno, minced
*crushed peanuts and extra whole mint leaves for serving

10-12 full leaves of Butter or Bibb lettuce

Dipping sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp mirin (rice wine vinegar)
1 1/2 tsp agave nectar (or 2 tsp sugar)
1/2 tsp Asian chili sauce
2 tsp scallions, chopped
Juice of 2 limes

Marinate shrimp for about 30-60 minutes.

On a grill or in a grill pan, grill shrimp over medium-high heat about 2 minutes on each side until done.

Combine cucumber through jalapeno for lettuce wrap filling and toss to mix well.

Arrange lettuce leaves on a large serving platter. Place 2 to 3 shrimp in each leaf and top with cucumber-mango mixture. Sprinkle each wrap with crushed peanuts and top with a whole mint leaf for garnish. Whisk all dipping sauce ingredients together and set aside in a small bowl to place with serving platter.

Up the indulgence factor just a tad. These small bites pack in a ton of flavor, but their size will keep calories in check (just be careful, they're addictive -- 2 or 3 and you're good to go!). Well-paired with Demi Moore's seriously haute peachy-pink dress and sculpted arms.

Bacon Wrapped Dates with Manchego
Makes 18 dates

18 pitted Medjool dates
18 thin pieces of manchego cheese, cut into 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch slivers
9 thin slices of applewood smoked bacon, cut in half
18 toothpicks

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Stuff dates with manchego and wrap each with a slice of bacon. Secure with a toothpick.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until crispy.

Golden Globes: the dresses...and a winning appetizer

Continuing with the fashion-food theme of the past week, I thought a few of the killer frocks donned last night at the Golden Globes were certainly worth a quick mention...as is my friend Courtney's AMAZING truffled egg toast appetizer (a recipe straight from the cookbook of one my hands-down favorite NYC restaurants, 'inoteca on the Lower East Side).

Even with Ricky Gervais hosting, the multiple pleas for Haiti and mentions of NBC's blown contract with Conan, and of course Kate Hudson's stunning stark white Marchesa gown...the truffled egg toast absolutely stole the show. If you're looking for an easy appetizer guaranteed to make some friends very happy, this is definitely it. Wondering what's so special about toast, eggs and a little fontina cheese? Yet again, simple ingredients, accessorized by a bit of truffled olive oil and asparagus, come together as major standouts and become something indulgently rich. Serve up the toast and cut it into bite-sized pieces to keep calories in check and you're ready to eat.

So here's the recipe and a few of my favorite dresses from the evening. And as a quick side-note, Courtney's talents extend beyond the kitchen. Keep your eyes out for BounceBack, her new no-nonsense relationship website dedicated to helping you get back on your feet fast after a break-up, with plenty of awesome resources in-hand. The site launches in just a few days!

Serves 4

asparagus 4 spears
extra virgin olive oil
2 thick slices good quality bread like Pullman, crusts removed ('inoteca gets their bread from Sullivan Street Bakery)

salt and freshly ground pepper
2 egg yolks
about 2-3 oz fontina cheese, thinly sliced
2 to 3 tsp white truffle infused olive oil , or simply white truffle oil

Trim the asparagus spear ends, and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill or roast the asparagus for about 5 minutes, and cut into small 1 or 2-inch pieces.

Lightly toast the bread at 450 oven for 1 or 2 minutes. Remove and cut out a small square in the middle of each slice, but not completely through the bread, you'll want to keep a cradle for the egg yolk. Place the yolks in the hole and place fontina slices around the outer edges of the bread. Bake the bread-egg-cheese for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese melts. The yolks should still be runny. Arrange asparagus on a plate and place the egg toast on top. Drizzle truffled olive oil or truffle oil over top and lightly around the toast and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon, Marion Cottilard in Christian Dior, Sandra Bullock in Bottega Veneta, Kate Hudson in Marchesa.