SHRUB
Ingredients:
2 cups of Cranberry Pear White Balsamic (or your choice)
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 Liters (8 cups) sparkling water
Directions:
Add balsamic to bottom of pitcher and pour in half of sparkling water. Stir to combine and then add ice and remaining sparkling water. Add lemons to top of pitcher or add individually to glasses. If you are looking for individual servings for a shrub just add about 1 Tbl per 12 oz of sparkling water and top with a fruit or herb garnish!
SWEET POTATO CROSTINI
Preheat oven to 250 F
Ingredients:
1 sweet potato (skinny 1.5-2.5″ diameter works best) sliced into 1/8 inch thick rounds.
1/4 c. dried cranberries or fresh pomegranate seeds
1/2 c. fresh goat cheese, can substitute gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/3 c. toasted pecans or walnuts
1 Tbl Mediterranean Roasting Rub
1 Tbl unsalted butter
1 Tbl extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/3 cup Pomegranate Balsamic (or other balsamic of choice)
sprig of fresh rosemary for garnish
Directions:
Thinly slice sweet potato into 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch thick rounds. A mandoline works really well for this. Using a half sheet size baking pan rub butter all over pan. Add sweet potato rounds and drizzle EVOO over top and then sprinkle on half of the roasting rub. Put sweet potatoes in oven for one hour and then flip. Once flipped add the remaining roasting rub and bake for one more hour. About 20 minutes before baking is complete heat a 8 inch frying pan to medium heat and add 1/3 cup of balsamic. Reduce balsamic by cooking until bubbly and liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cool and reserve to top the sweet potato rounds. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes and then top!
If you can’t be bothered with a 2 hour bake time we can relate, try slicing the sweet potatoes thicker at inch instead and bake for 10 minutes on each side at 500 F. If you go this route be sure to coat sweet potatoes with olive oil prior to baking.
