Sun-Dried Tomato Deliciousness!

I’m really happy to be writing about this recipe because it’s one of my all-time favorites. It’s actually the first recipe I ever made out of “Savor the Moment” and, in my opinion, one of the best so far. I’ve made it many, many times; at our first Savor the Moment Dinner Club in 2006, various holiday parties throughout the year, and generally whenever out-of-town guests visit for the weekend. Recently, I had a special request for it and once you make it, you’ll understand why. I am talking about the Sun-Dried Tomato Mousse (pg. 72), a delicious and versatile appetizer that your guests will absolutely love!
Don’t be put off by the term “mousse” or that the recipe requires a springform pan to make. I must confess, I rarely ever use a springform pan, opting to serve it in a decorative bowl instead and the “mousse” simply results from blending the ingredients in your mixer – no special French technique needed! It is a delicious mixture of butter, cream cheese, garlic, dried basil, tomato paste and chopped, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes – how can that possibly NOT be good? It has a very low degree of difficulty (yay!); if you can place ingredients in your mixer, you are pretty much there. I like to make it the night before serving, which gives the mousse time to set up and lets all the flavors meld together and make friends. If you do decide to use the springform pan, which does make a nice presentation, be sure to place the pan in hot water prior to releasing. I serve it with Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuits (highly addictive) or Carr's Table Water Crackers with Roasted Garlic & Herbs, but it would taste great on just about anything. Use any leftovers the next day spooned onto a dish of pasta – delicioso! It's a great dish to bring to a holiday party and the bright, red color looks very festive on a Christmas-themed table. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and/or chopped, fresh parsley then sit back and await the compliments!
The special request for this dish came from my good friend, Christina Price who was re-opening her store, the Linen Closet, here in downtown Delray Beach. She sells fabulous and affordable linens for bed, table and bath as well as chic home décor items such as Lampe Berger and Seda France candles. She also just introduced a beautiful stationery and accessory line from Sigrid Olsen. If you're in the mood for some holiday shopping, check out the Linen Closet at it’s new location: 303 NE 4th Street, Delray Beach, FL 33483.