Lunch at the Beach

Last weekend, Gaby from What's Gaby Cooking, organized a pot luck with fellow food bloggers.  The destination, Will Rogers Beach, life guard station 6.  Everyone brought something delicious.  Carrie ( Organically Delicious) made  oatmeal cream pies and a yummy chicken salad, Brooke ( Food Woolf) made a fabulous cocktail, Marla ( Family Fresh Cooking ) made a salad with everything but the kitchen sink, Gaby made cookies WITHOUT butter, and Esi (dishingupdelights) brought nutella cupcakes - which made my kids happy.  Jamie, Eli's friend, also came to the beach with us and made a moist and delicious carrot cake muffin.

I made Gazpacho which is like eating veggies in a bowl. I love this recipe and so does everyone else who happens to try it. This is great party food! I also made sables; chocolate/orange, hazelnut w/shaved bittersweet chocolate, and almond/lemon.

Gazpacho
serves 12

ingredients

1  purple onion, coarsely chopped
1  red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1  garlic clove
2  large tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1  English cucumber, peeled and seeded, coarsely chopped
1  2-oz jar of pimento's drained
3  cups organic tomato juice
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
3/4 cup vegetable stock
dash or two of Tabasco
fresh ground pepper to taste

instructions

put the garlic, onion and red bell pepper in the work bowl of a Cuisinart and pulse until diced fine.  add the cucumber and the pimentos and pulse some more.  add the tomatoes and pulse until you get the consistency you like ( I like mine pretty fine however like a little bits of chunks).

throw veggie mixture into a large glass pitcher.  add the tomato juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, veggie stock, Tabasco, and pepper.  give a good stir.  chill for several hours before serving.

condiments

croutons
avocado
chopped egg whites
diced red onion

I like to serve this in small coffee mugs or espresso cups.  This is the perfect dish if you want to serve a large crowd.

fun day!