Strawberry Tartlets
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 1 pint strawberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon rosewater
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried crushed rose petals
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice the strawberries into rounds. Toss them with the granulated sugar and rosewater in a small mixing bowl. Allow them to rest for at least five minutes.
Cut the pastry into 12 hearts using a 3 ½ inch wide cookie cutter or cut into 10 to 12 rectangles.
Lay the hearts or rectangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet and top with the cut strawberries. Shake any excess sugar or moisture off the berries. Leave a ¼ inch border on each tart.
Bake the tarts for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and puffed on the edges.
Remove the tarts from the oven, allow them to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before dusting with the powdered sugar and dried rose petals.
Classic Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails intact
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- zest from 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons minced parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Place a large skillet over medium heat. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and the oil together. Add shallots, garlic and pepper flakes and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add shrimp and continue to sauté for 3 minutes, until shrimp begin to turn pink. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer shrimp to plate.
Pour wine into skillet and simmer for 1 minute. Melt remaining butter and return shrimp back to skillet. Continue to cook until shrimp has just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove skillet from heat and top with parsley and lemon zest. Serve.
Champagne Cocktail
Ingredients 
- 1 bottle dry champagne or sparkling white wine
- 1 oz strawberry simple syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup strawberries
- Strawberries and blackberries to garish
- cocktail picks for garnish
Instructions for Strawberry simple syrup
Add the water, sugar, and strawberries into a saucepan. Let the mixture simmer until sugar has dissolved and berries are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let it cool completely.
Strain into a bottle or jar, making sure to squeeze any excess juice from berries.
Instructions for cocktail
Add 1 oz of strawberry syrup (or more to taste) in a champagne coupe or glass. Top off with chilled champagne or sparkling white wine.
Cut extra strawberries into hearts and skewer the hearts and the extra blackberries on a cocktail pick (as shown in the photo of the cocktail). Garnish the cocktail with a finished pick and enjoy. Cheers!
