When I initially came across this recipe, I was a tad hesitant, having never even considered roasting grapes before. There are certainly some fruits that lend themselves to savory dishes, but grapes are not one of them – at least I didn’t think so. But after recently making grilled peaches with olive oil and loving them, I decided to give this recipe a go. Good thing I did!

Roasted grapes, for those of you who’ve never had them, are like nature’s candy. While you do roast them in olive oil, the roasting brings out a lot of their natural juices and sweetness, which when combined with the olive oil makes this really scrumptious syrup. After the grapes were roasted and sitting in a bowl next to the crostini assembly area, it was all we could do not to keep sticking our fingers in there for a taste. They were surprisingly delicious! I imagine they would even be good spooned over some vanilla bean ice cream, with their sweet olive oil syrup. Continue Reading

As fall is a season of comfort food, warm spices and hearty meals meant to help you escape the brisk weather, it was only fitting that our company dinner be the same. Each recipe was created with comfort and sharing in mind, incorporating flavors and textures that everyone would love. We started the meal out with several appetizers – including these cheese straws. While they’re something I’ve personally had before, I’ve never made them – even though they are so easy! With just a sheet of puff pastry, some fresh herbs, and a generous sprinkle of cheese you can make better cheese straws then you can buy in a store, and in no time at all!

These are best baked the day of your event, but if you have to make them ahead of time (like I did), stick them back in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up. Works like a charm! While these straws are great on their own, they’re also fantastic dunked into things like hummus and dips. If you prefer another kind of cheese, or different types of herbs, you could alter the ingredients in this recipe to make them all your own. Continue Reading

Continuing on with the recipes from our most recent Dinner Series event, we’re here to share our stuffed tomato recipe today! This is a wonderful summery side – though if you can get your hands on any late season corn, it’s definitely not too late in the season to indulge. It makes for a beautiful presentation, is fantastically flavorful, and relatively good for you – which makes it an all-star recipe.

You begin with pretty little cocktail tomatoes (or larger tomatoes, cut in half) – remove the seeds and flesh inside, then stuff the tomato “shells” with a simple yet tasty grilled corn and pepper salad. Grilling the corn and the bell pepper adds an element of char, which works wonders for the flavor of the salad. That being said, you could make this entire dish without a grill, and I bet it would still be fantastic! Sweet, in-season and super fresh corn stands out here, and takes the stuffed tomatoes from average to extraordinary. Continue Reading

Happy Friday readers! Today we’re bringing you the first recipe from our most recent Dinner Series event, A Strawberry Summer. As we shared with you last Friday, our dinner started with a really fabulous cheese platter, accompanied by these homemade spiced nuts.

If you’re never made them before, I’ll let you in on a little secret – spiced nuts are super easy to make! Adding some sweet and spice is a wonderful way to elevate plain nuts to a whole new level. This recipe is also super adaptable, so if there are certain spices you really love or would rather omit, you’re free to do so. Just follow the loose guidelines, and you’ll end up with a tasty snack you can’t stop eating! Continue Reading