Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips, Gnocchi Salad, and Lofthouse "Taste Alike" Cookies

Summertime means eating outside, grilling, and fresh fruits and vegetables.  Celebrate the season with Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips and Gnocchi Salad.  Homemade cinnamon sugar tortilla chips are the perfect sweet "scooper" for this addicting salsa.  The Gnocchi Salad can either be a vegetarian main dish or side dish.  


And what is a picnic without dessert.  These "Lofthouse Style" cookies are cake-like and delicious.  Since this recipe makes a lot of cookies, freeze the leftover cookies.

Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips

Serves 8

2 kiwis, peeled and diced

8 ounces raspberries

1 (16 oz) carton of strawberries, diced

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons strawberry jam (I used homemade strawberry freezer jam)

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Cooking spray

Cinnamon sugar:

1 cup white sugar

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat one side of each flour tortilla with melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle tortillas with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Using a pizza cutter, cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Gnocchi Salad

Serves 6-8

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Juice from 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Salad: 

1 package gnocchi (about 3 cups worth)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1/3 cup parsley, chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

2 cup fresh pineapple, chopped

1 tbsp agave nectar

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and process until the cilantro is chopped to your liking. Refrigerate in a covered container until ready to add to the salad. Can be made a day ahead of time.

Boil gnocchi according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water. Pour into a large borlw. Add the remaining salad ingredients to the bowl.  Pour prepared dressing over salad and refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss the salad before serving.

Lofthouse “Taste Alike” Cookies

Makes 4 1/2 dozen

Cookies:

6 cups flour, divided

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt

Frosting:

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4-5 cups powdered sugar

6 tablespoons 2% milk

Food coloring gel

Sprinkles

In a medium bowl, whisk 5 cups of flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the flat beater attached, cream the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla and yogurt and beat at low speed until combined.

Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed. Dough needs to obtain the right consistency for rolling, so add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until this is achieved (up to 1 cup more flour). Divide dough into two sections. Flatten into rectangles about 1 1/2 inches thick, then wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

Generously flour a work area and rolling pin. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes, until pale golden. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and vanilla. Slowly beat in 4 cups powdered sugar. Once smooth and creamy, add in milk.  Add in additional powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired spreading consistency is achieved. If desired, add food coloring and beat until combined.

Once cookies have cooled completely, frost and add sprinkles. Allow frosting to set, then store in an air-tight container.