I Spy Raspberries

Remember this book from the early 90's?

Author Jean Marzollo certainly came up with a winner when she created this book I Spy in 1992. She now has a whole series of I Spy books which encourage children to think, learn and explore on each page.
Today when I was out in the garden this book and the game of I Spy popped into my head as I was looking for raspberries. I only managed to find a few, but with a late cold and wet spring, I am not surprised. 

Since the price of raspberries is more reasonable this time of year, I am settling for store bought over home grown for this recipe just until my crop comes in (hopefully). 
The recipe is a  great summer salad with many options; grilled chicken can be added, feta or Gorgonzola cheese, honey roasted almonds or walnuts, cucumbers, blueberries or dried cranberries, using prepared raspberry vinaigrette or making a homemade dressing.  

Spinach Raspberry Salad  

Salad Ingredients:

• spinach greens
• honey roasted almonds
• feta cheese
• blueberries
• raspberries
• red onion slices
• prepared raspberry vinaigrette

Homemade dressings

#1

2 Tb. raspberry vinegar

3 TB. olive oil

whisk together and drizzle over salad

#2

1/4-1/2 olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup apple juice

 3 TB raspberry jelly

2 TB. white sugar

1 tsp.Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. pepper

use a blender to mix all these ingredients

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Cook's notes: The following raspberry sauces can be drizzled over pound cake, lemon, chocolate or almond cake or ice cream

Peach Raspberry Melba Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1-10 oz package of frozen raspberries in syrup thawed
• 1/3 cup red currant jelly
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 TB. cornstarch
• 1 TB. Grand Marnier
• 1 cup raspberries
• 2 sliced peaches

Directions:

• In saucepan add thawed raspberries with the juice, orange juice and cornstarch
• Add jelly, whisk till smooth and bring to a slow boil, stirring frequently
• Boil 1 minute till thickened
• Add whole fresh raspberries, Grand Marnier
• Cool sauce and refrigerate

Serving Suggestion

Place cake on plate, add sliced peaches, ice cream and drizzle with raspberry sauce 

Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh raspberries
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 2 TB. cornstarch 
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup cran-raspberry juice or cherry juice 

Directions:

• Mix cornstarch with orange juice and cran-raspberry juice in a saucepan
• Add sugar and cook on low heat till thickened
• Remove from heat, add fresh raspberries, cool and refrigerate

Optional adding in 1 TB brandy