I hope it doesn't sink

I thought it was terrible when they re-released the Titanic movie a couple weeks after the Mediterranean Cruise ship sank off the coast of Italy. It only recently hit me, that maybe it was because of the 100 year anniversary! I seriously thought it was just a morbid fascination with cruise ships sinking! My bad. I may have been extra sensitive as my company's sales incentive trip is a cruise this year! Maybe?

Well, it did remind me of  a great story Matt and I like to share about our Alaskan Cruise. It was early in the morning and Matt got up to get a cup of coffee, and find out the news of the day. As he was walking down the hall, pictures started falling off the walls, and he started getting really nervous as the ship was listing at a very unusual angle. He came back to the room in a state of alarm, and told me to get dressed, that he was certain that something was wrong. Fortunately, very soon afterward, we found out our Cruise Ship had rescued a commercial fishing boat and it's 3 fishermen that were sinking! We were the closest vessel to the sinking boat, and the fishermen got quite a reception! They were soon celebrities, and they even had a press conference and were answering questions in the ballroom. I hope if I'm ever sinking, a luxury cruise liner is the closest boat! 

So I'm thinking, how can I tie-in food to this story (cause you know how I like to do that). And so Seafood it is! And yes, lent is over, so you could have steak instead...

If you go to Confessions of a Direct Seller on Facebook and like this status - you might be Fan of the week! And a new Rub from my line will be in your mailbox soon if you are chosen! 

Homemdae Cocktail Sauce

Cause you know, you always forget to buy it! 

Classic Cocktail Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco(R) pepper sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:
1.  Combine ketchup, horseradish, pepper sauce and lemon juice; mix well. Spoon into Small Bowl.

Yield:  1 1/4 cups

Cook's Tips:  To make Classic Shrimp Cocktail, fill Medium Bowl with 4 cups of crushed ice, leaving a small well in center of ice. Press Small Bowl securely into well; fill with Classic Cocktail Sauce. Arrange cooked, peeled, tail-on shrimp over edge of bowl. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh parsley, if desired.

(C)The Pampered Chef, Ltd. 2012

An Old Favorite of mine! 

Shrimp Wonton Cups

Ingredients:

24	wonton wrappers
1	tbsp (15 mL) butter, melted
10	oz (300 g) shelled, deveined, cooked medium shrimp, divided
4	oz (125 g) cream cheese, softened
1	garlic clove, pressed
1/2	tsp (2 mL) Worcestershire sauce
2	green onions with tops, finely chopped
1/3	cup (75 mL) grated carrot
4	oz (125 g) shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup/250 mL)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly spray Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan with nonstick cooking spray. Brush one side of wontons with butter. Press wontons, buttered side up, into wells of pan. Bake 8 minutes or until edges turn light golden brown. Remove pan from oven.
2. Reserve 24 shrimp; chop remaining shrimp. In large bowl, whisk cream cheese, garlic and Worcestershire sauce until well blended. Add chopped shrimp, green onions, carrot and mozzarella cheese; mix well.
3. Fill each wonton cup with about 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the cream cheese mixture; top with a reserved shrimp. Bake 5 minutes or until wontons are golden brown and filling is bubbly. 

Yield: 24 appetizers

Nutrients per serving: (1 wonton cup): Calories 70, Total Fat 3.5 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 30 mg, Carbohydrate 5 g, Protein 5 g, Sodium 115 mg, Fiber 0 g

Glazed Peppercorn Salmon

Ingredients:

2 1/4	tsp (11 mL) coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1	orange
2	tbsp (30 mL) white wine vinegar
1	tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped shallot
1	tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
3/4	tsp (4 mL) salt, divided
6	tbsp (90 mL) olive oil, divided
4	skinless salmon fillets (4-6 oz/125-175 g each)

Directions:

1. Place 2 tsp (10 mL) of the black pepper in (8-in./20-cm) Sauté Pan. Cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Zest orange to measure 1 tbsp (15 mL) zest. Juice orange to measure 1/4 cup (50 mL) of juice. In a small mixing bowl, combine juice, zest, vinegar, shallot, mustard, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) of the salt and toasted black pepper. Slowly add 5 tbsp (75 mL) of the oil, whisking constantly. Set aside 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the glaze.
2. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. Brush salmon with remaining oil and season with remaining salt and black pepper. Grill salmon, covered, 2-3 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn salmon over using BBQ Flexible Turner; brush with remaining 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the glaze. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with reserved glaze.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 400, Total Fat 33 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 65 mg, Carbohydrate 4 g, Protein 23 g, Sodium 590 mg, Fiber 1 g

These are a few of my favorite things...

No, I'm not talking about Salzburg, or the VonTrapp family singers... which definitely are in my top 10,  I'm just in the mood to go on vacation today, far far away. My mind was drifting off to my favorite place in the world, Italy. The first "premier" trip (premier=very fancy) I earned in my direct selling business was a trip to Rome, Italy. I had never been to Europe. And in 2003, we had not yet had two nickles to rub together to save for a nice vacation. So when my company announced the trip to Rome, I set it in my sights. Not to bore you with the grueling details... I did earn the trip, and Matt and I left for the most fabulous trip of our lives.

Hands down, the most fun thing we did was go on a Roman Wine Village Tour. We went to Moncada Castle in Lanuvio and toured the wine cellars, with an empty cup in hand and poured the vino straight from the barrels! But after our "sampling" we went to the back of the castle and on large grills they prepared the most delicious appetizer that I have every tasted. Grilled Italian bread, drizzled with olive oil, lightly salted and served with a fresh tomato bruschetta. I had never had bruschetta before, but I am happy to say, I have had it a million times since.

Thank you, Italy. Thank you, direct selling business.

Here are a few recipes that remind me of that... there are tons of versions... but my favorite is a light drizzle of olive oil, with a sprinkling of sea salt...

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad
Ingredients:
4-5 medium plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
7 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Snipped fresh basil leaves
Grilled or toasted baguette slices

Directions:
Arrange tomato and cheese slices alternately in rows on Rectangle Platter.
Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper; garnish with basil. Serve with baguette slices.
Yield: 4 servings

Easy Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

By: Kristen Oliveri

Fresh tomato bruschetta is a perfect appetizer to serve at parties and family gatherings. The treat is actually low in fat and high in lycopene, a cancer fighting agent found in tomatoes. You can whip up this appetizer with one quick trip to the market. It's best to use the freshest ingredients. Once you make your bruschetta, you can refrigerate it for a few days to serve later in the week.

Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

Ingredients You Will Need:
8 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
1 pinch crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 loaf of Italian bread

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, oregano, olive oil and garlic. Mix thoroughly and add the salt and pepper. Refrigerate the mixture for about 15 minutes. On a cutting board, slice the Italian bread on an angle in very thin pieces. Preheat your broiler. On a baking sheet, line up your bread and brown the slices on each side. Spread the mixture on your toasted bread and prepare on a platter. Serve immediately to guests.

Tomato Bruschetta Recipe Variations
Instead of using Italian bread, baguettes or ciabatta bread also work well for this tomato bruschetta recipe. For an extra kick, try adding chopped fresh parsley, one teaspoon minced fresh tarragon and one tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice. Other variations call for four ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese cut into ¼ inch cubes. Place the mozzarella on top of the tomato mixture before serving.

Taken from Life123.com

Italian Olive Bruschetta
They also grew olives at this winery and sold the most fabulous olive oil!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (50 mL) finely diced red bell pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) Italian seasoning
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups (500 mL) small pitted ripe olives, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30 mL) snipped fresh parsley
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
2  tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
24 slices French bread, toasted

Directions:
In (8-in./20-cm) Sauté Pan, combine bell pepper, oil, seasoning, garlic and pepper flakes; cook and stir using Square Slotted Spoon over medium heat 1-2 minutes or until bell pepper is crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in olives, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Serve olive mixture with bread slices.

Yield: 12 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 200, Total Fat 4.5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 35 g, Protein 6 g, Sodium 510 mg, Fiber 2 g