Italian Style Zucchini
   
Serves 1

This simple to prepare dish is as flavorful as it is colorful. Enjoy it as a fantastic side dish to chicken and fish or over hearty pasta cuts like rigatoni or farfalle.

Ingredients:
2 tsp. Oil, olive, extra virgin
1/4 C Onion, Spanish, 1/4" dice
1 lb. Squash, zucchini, 1/2" slice
1 Garlic clove, fresh, minced
1 Tb. Basil, fresh, finely sliced
To Taste Salt and pepper
1/4 C Tomato sauce, prepared
1 Tbl Cheese, Parmesan, grated

Directions:
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add oil and heat through. Add onions and gently saute until tender and barely beginning to caramelize.
Add zucchini and toss well. Raise heat to medium-high and cook zucchini about half way. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomato sauce and heat through. Fold in the basil, taste for seasonings and sprinkle with cheese.
The zucchini should still be a touch al dente.

Cantaloupe w/ Prosciutto and Aged Balsamic Vinegar
   
Serves 4

With three ingredients and about two minutes worth of work you can prepare this truly elegant, yet simple starter for your next meal. Its all about having the best ingredients to start with. Look for melons that exude great fragrance and have lots of scarring. They are the sweet ones.

Ingredients:
4 Cantaloupe, pieces, cut 1 x 1 x 6
12 Prosciutto, slices, paper thin
2 oz Aged Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 C Basil or Mint, fresh for garnish and aroma

Directions:
Lay prosciutto in four groups of three, side by side, slightly overlapping to form four 6x6 sheets. Place one piece of melon across the center of each of the sheets and draw up top and then bottom to wrap the cantaloupe completely in prosciutto.

To serve:
Cut each serving into six slices each and arrange decoratively on serving plates. Fill four shot glasses half full with the aged Balsamic and place next to cantaloupe on each plate. Garnish plates with basil and serve.

Shaved Anise with Lemon Vinaigrette
   
Serves 4

This is one of the simplest and most refreshing salads that you can make. The crisp texture of the anise, combined with tangy lemon and olive oil make for the perfect start to a meal. Consider trying this dish between fish and meat courses, as a palate cleansing intermezzo or even right over a steak of freshly grilled tuna.

Ingredients:
1 head Anise, tops removed
1 ea. Lemon, juice of
2 Tb. Olive oil, Extra Virgin
To Taste Kosher or Sea Salt and Black Pepper,
freshly ground

Directions:
Using a very sharp knife, mandoline or electric slicer, shave the anise into paper thin slices.
Place the anise in a medium mixing bowl and add the lemon and olive oil. Season with a touch of salt and pepper. Toss the ingredients well and taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

To serve:
Place in a bowl and garnish with slices of lemon, fennel fronds and an additional drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Spinach Salad
With Toracco Sicilia Oranges, Serrano Ham and Toasted Almonds    
Serves 6

This modern take on the classic Lancaster county sweet and sour salad combines delicate baby spinach leaves, full flavored oranges, thin slices of crisped Serrano ham and toasted almonds for a lighter, more upscale rendition. Whether carefully stacked or casually tossed together, the combination will have your guests asking for more.

Ingredients:
1 Tbl Champagne vinegar
1 Tbl Orange juice, fresh
1 tsp Sugar, granulated
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbl Olive oil, extra virgin
1 Tbl Oil, vegetable or canola
1/2 tsp Shallots, minced
To Taste Kosher or sea salt and black
pepper, freshly ground
4 C Baby spinach
4 Toracco Sicilia oranges, rind removed,
1/4 " thick slices
1/4 C Almonds, slivered, toasted
1 Tbl Chives, finely sliced
12 Serrano ham, paper-thin slices,
crisped in a dry skillet
To Taste Kosher or sea salt and black pepper,
freshly ground

Directions:
To make the dressing, combine the first seven ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve:
Place three slices of orange in the center of each individual serving plate. In a larger mixing bowl, combine the spinach and chives with just enough dressing to lightly coat. Place a small mound on top of the oranges. Top with a few pieces of the ham. Add more spinach, a few more slices of orange and the remaining ham. Top with the remaining spinach and sprinkle the salads with toasted almonds. Drizzle the plates with any remaining dressing and serve immediately.

Minty Strawberry Lemonade
Courtesy of Sunkist    
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 C Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
6 C Water
1 C Sugar
16 Strawberries,small or sliced,stems removed
16 Mint leaves
4 each mint sprigs

Directions:
Combine fresh-squeezed lemon juice, water, and sugar. Blend well to dissolve sugar, chill. In a standard 16-compartment ice cube tray, place one strawberry and one mint leaf in each compartment. Pour 1 cup chilled lemonade into ice cube tray, keep remaining lemonade chilled. Freeze ice cube tray.

To serve:
Place four strawberry-mint ice cubes in a glass and pour 12 oz. chilled lemonade over ice, garnish with one mint sprig and serve.