Peanut Butter Buttercream

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Strawberry Lemonade

From Emeril Lagasse on Foodnetwork.com Next time strain the strawberries.

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
The peel of one lemon in strips (used a veggie peeler)
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
4 cups cold club soda


In a medium saucepan, melt the sugar in the water over med low or low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon peel and lemon juice, stir, and remove from the heat. Let cool and remove lemon peel.

In a blender, puree the pint of strawberries and add to the pitcher with the lemon juice. Stir well to combine and refrigerate until well chilled.

Add the club soda and some ice to a pitcher and stir well.

Lemon herb marinated feta

I never would have looked at this recipe from Whole Foods website and decided to make it but a block of feta was the Friday special at Whole Foods one day and while I was walking through they had this dish to try. It was very tasty and full of flavor. Even those in the house who were not really feta lovers thought it was great. Changes - I did not use whole peppercorns since I didn't want to buy a whole bottle just for this dish (we aren't pepper lovers) and I used a little extra lemon peel since we love lemon.

1/2 pound feta cheese, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary
4 to 5 wide strips lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Olive oil

Put feta cheese into a glass pint jar or plastic tupperware container. Gently tuck thyme, zest, bay leaf and peppercorns into jar then cover contents with olive oil. Seal tightly and chill for at least 2 days or up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving. Drain and save olive oil before serving. Serve over some lettuce with mini toasts.