Shallow Seas Rosé and a Smoky Corn Side Dish recipe

It’s September 10, and I don’t know how the time flew by so fast! I hope everyone had a fantastic summer, and that we are enjoying these last long days of sunshine before we are back to Portland winter weather and getting the much needed rains after this hot and dry summer. I am trying to get in as many more days of dinners on the outside front porch as I can, and I have a really amazing rosé wine I’ve enjoyed a couple times that I wanted to recommend to you. The Shallow Seas Rosé from Real Nice Winemakers, is a local wine that has really stood out this summer from multiple rosés I have had – I’ve brought it twice to two different parties with many foodies as attending guests, and at both parties, it was a huge hit.

Shallow Seas Rose from Real Nice Winemakers

The Shallow Seas Rosé has an AVA that is 100% Willamette Valley, sourced from Hyland Vineyard, Olsen Family Vineyard, and Westmount Vineyard. I first had it in the spring where I brought it to a friend’s birthday party and we paired the wine with roast pig and other side potluck dishes, including my smoky corn side dish that I’ll share the recipe shortly.

Shallow Seas Rosé with roast pork and smoky corn? Yes, it is an unusual pairing I know but it worked because this rosé is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling, and has a beautiful blush pink color. The Riesling grapes in the blend gives this rosé and extra acidity and minerality that paired well with the crispy skin of this Chinese roast pig  and smokey corn. These crisp flavors ground the slightly sweet strawberry and peach of the wine, and is what makes it stand out so much from most rosés and pair excellently with a wide variety of dishes. With an SRP of $18 it’s also incredible value too.

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Tortellini Corn and Tomatoes Salad

Besides strawberries,which I’ve already written about a couple weeks ago with two new recipes, the other summer bounty I love so much is summer corn and tomatoes. This recipe for Tortellini Corn and Tomatoes Salad is my favorite go to during summer and fall to really showcase both these ingredients and letting them shine.
Tortellini Corn and Tomatoes Salad recipe, an easy summer recipe that takes advantage of the fresh taste of summer corn while its sweet and heirloom tomatoes at their juiciest and is perfect for a picnic, potluck, and can be served cold or room temperature
Fresh corn during the summer has a wonderful sweetness that you just can’t beat if you are able to get your ears quickly after they are picked. Cook them how you’d like – Grilled is my favorite but I also provide an optional cheat to add a little sear and smokiness if for convenience you steam or boil them instead, or you want to use niblets to save yourself cutting them from the cob.

As for tomatoes, the ones you get from the Farmers Market are the best – you can get all sorts of different heirloom varieties you may never see at your regular grocery store. This recipe leaves the tomatoes raw and asks for grape tomatoes but you can easily substitute larger tomatoes – I just like grape tomatoes more so they can burst in your mouth as fun texture.

Even better, this batches up really well making it perfect for picnics and potlucks with a larger group, and can be served cold or room temperatures.
Tortellini Corn and Tomatoes Salad recipe, an easy summer recipe that takes advantage of the fresh taste of summer corn while its sweet and heirloom tomatoes at their juiciest and is perfect for a picnic, potluck, and can be served cold or room temperature
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Berry Brie Bites Recipe

This Berry Brie Bites Recipe is a great easy recipe to put together for a party, and with the pretty red berry topping is especially appropriate for February. You can make your own pie dough using your favorite pie recipe (I used this one by Ina Garten) but no shame in also purchasing pre-made pie dough either – you will need 2 discs, and ones made with butter are better then those with margarine. If you use pre-made dough, this recipe only uses 4 recipes! It’s really that easy – and so perfect for a party or potluck.
Berry Brie Bites, an easy recipe using only 4 ingredients, pie dough, brie, berry jam, and berry of your choice. Perfect for a party or potluck. Berry Brie Bites, an easy recipe using only 4 ingredients, pie dough, brie, berry jam, and berry of your choice. Perfect for a party or potluck.
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Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche

Really, this recipe for a Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche I made for a White Elephant Party Potluck is an accumulation of three recipes and a lot of cheating. I was inspired to make a sheet pan quiche in the first place from Smitten Kitchen’s Mushroom and Spinach Sheet Pan Quiche, but then mashed up the idea from Saveur of Salmon and Dill Quiche, and added in the dill sauce from a recipe on Food 52 for Salmon with Dill Slather.

It’s a simple quiche made for a lot of people, but the use of smoked salmon and dill and a side sauce still makes it fancy, at least I think! Sheet pan quiche is so practical for a group while being pretty low effort in the kitchen and can be served warm or room temperature.
Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche

I found recipes that included making the dough from scratch – but I just didn’t feel like putting that much work into it. I also wanted something lighter then pie dough, and so I chose instead to use frozen puff pastry sheets so if people at the party wanted to hold it to eat, they could. They could choose to eat it plain, or add in the dill sauce for a little richness.

Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche

Ingredients:

  • For the Sheet Pan Quiche
    • 12 eggs
    • 4 cups half and half
    • A few pinches freshly grated nutmeg
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 8 ounces smoked salmon, cut into small pieces – add more salmon if you want more fish per bite but I didn’t want it too fishy for the party
    • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
    • 1 tablespoon melted butter
    • Olive Oil or other cooking spray
    • 1 Package Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets, defrosted
  • For the Dill Sauce
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
    • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

Directions:

  1. First, let me emphasize this – puff pastry sheets dry out very quickly. You will want to already have made the quiche filling and have it ready before you start rolling out the sheets. However, you do need the sheets to be softened, so defrost it from the freezer in preparation the night before.
  2. Combine the 1 cup of sour cream and 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt in a bowl. Add in the 1/4 cup of chopped dill, along with a good pinch of sea salt and some cracked black pepper. Mix well and then chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.
  3. Beat the 12 eggs, 4 cups half and half, pinches freshly grated nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper until well blended in a mixing bowl.
  4. Spray an 18″ x 26″ sheet pan with the olive oil. Unwrap the puff pastry sheet and lay out on the pan, spraying between layers. You will have to layer the sheets slightly on top of each other to get them fully across the length of the pan, and need a few on each half to make it thick enough. I left a little bit of an edge along the four sides that was maybe 1/2 inch, and I brushed these with the 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
  5. Pour in the egg and half and half mixture. Sprinkle in the small pieces of smoked salmon and liberally scatter all over with the 1/4 cup of chopped fresh dill.
  6. Bake at 375 F for about 20 minutes or until you see the quiche set.
  7. Let cool before you but it into the size squares you want to serve at the party. Serve with a dollop of optional dill sauce.

Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche Recipe for Sheet Pan Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche

The dill sauce is also pretty much good for everything – people were dipping in veggies into it too! The recipe for the dill sauce comes from something I saw that could be served with a salmon dish – so you could also just make it for dinner with your fish. As in all quiches, this tastes great room temperature or warmed up.

What’s your favorite dish to bring to a potluck party?

 

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Green Beans with Walnut and Feta and Mint Vinaigrette

When I realized that I had way too much feta from my Costco order which I had delivered via Instacart (which I’ve raved about before for bringing me needed items at the last minute right to my door – and I don’t need a Costco membership), I immediately thought of this recipe for Green Beans with Walnut and Feta and Mint Vinaigrette for the next potluck at work in order to help use it up.
Recipe for Green Beans with Walnut and Feta and Mint Vinaigrette, an easy salad to serve cold or at room temperature for a potluck or get together that is vegetarian

I had the recipe idea pinned from The Kitchen is My Playground for a while, with it’s intriguing promise of fun textures of the firm green beans, walnuts, and feta while highlighting a fresh mint vinaigrette.
Recipe for Green Beans with Walnut and Feta and Mint Vinaigrette, an easy salad to serve cold or at room temperature for a potluck or get together that is vegetarian
Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch or so pieces
  • 3/4 cup of diced red onion
  • 1 cup of chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
  • 3/4 cup of olive oil
  • 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of minced fresh mint leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt or to taste
  • 1/2  teaspoon of  black pepper or to taste

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the cut 1 1/2 pounds of green beans and cook for only 3 minutes –  we want it to turn bright green only. Drain the hot water and immediately plunge the green beans into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and pat dry with paper towels.
    Trimmed green beans to length of 1-2 inches, which is enough to be a forkful without having to figure out how to fold it into your mouth!
  2. In a mixing bowl set the dried blanched green beans. Add the 1 cup walnuts, 3/4 cup diced red onion, and 1 cup crumbled feta; toss to combine.
    1 cup walnuts, 3/4 cup diced red onion
  3. In a food processor combine the 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 minced fresh mint, 3 cloves worth of minced garlic, salt, and pepper for 30 seconds or so.
    To make the Fresh Mint Vinaigrette, In a food processor combine the 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 minced fresh mint, 3 cloves worth of minced garlic, salt, and pepper To make the Fresh Mint Vinaigrette, In a food processor combine the 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 minced fresh mint, 3 cloves worth of minced garlic, salt, and pepper
  4. Add the dressing to the mixing bowl and toss everything. Chill for about an hour before serving.
    Easy vegetarian recipe for a potluck or group meal, healthy Green Bean Salad with Red Onion, Feta, Walnuts in a Fresh Mint Vinaigrette

So this salad was definitely great for lunch for a couple days… great for the potluck for a group as it was easy to transport to work and leave out. For later lunches it was a nice crispy side of veggies and nuts with a bit of acid to balance out a grilled cheese sandwich.
Easy vegetarian recipe for a potluck or group meal, healthy Green Bean Salad with Red Onion, Feta, Walnuts in a Fresh Mint Vinaigrette

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