Watermelon Salad

an easy and refreshing side dish

Ingredients:

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 cups watermelon juice*

1 1/2 cups white grape juice

1 tsp. shredded lemon or orange peel

1 1/2 cups assorted chopped fruit (I used peeled peaches and nectarines and green grapes)

optional topping: 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese and mint leaves (I know it sounds weird, but the recipe I found called for it and so I listened. It tastes quite good)

1. In a medium saucepan sprinkle gelatin over watermelon juice. Let stand 5 minutes. Then cook over medium until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in grape juice and citrus peel.

2. transfer half the mixture to an 8x8 baking dish. Add fruit. Cover and refrigerate about 1 1/2 hours or until it is set. (keep remaining watermelon juice at room temperature).

3. Spoon remaining juice mixture on top. Cover and refrigerate for and additional 1 1/2 hours or more.

4. Top with feta and mint (at least try the mint if you can :) before serving.

serves 9

* to juice watermelon, puree chunks in the blender and strain to remove pulp. It took about 1/3 of a melon to make 2 cups.

Grilled Portobello Melt

I'm so happy that the Summer weather has come (kind of) and have been utilizing the grill as much as possible!

Ingredients:

4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed

1 large red bell pepper, cut into quarters

1 large red onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices

4-8 slices cheese (I was hoping to try pepper jack but only had monterey jack so I added some herbs and crushed red pepper flakes)

for sauce combine:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 Tbsp. honey

1. Brush onions, peppers, and tops of mushrooms with olive oil and place onions and peppers on hot grill.

2. When they are browned with good grill marks on one side turn over. Add mushrooms, cap side up and pour sauce on top.

3. When liquid boils top mushrooms with onions and peppers and cheese slices (and herbs and spices if desired).

4. When cheese is melted, remove mushrooms from the grill and serve.

makes 4 main dish servings

Grilled Peaches With Honey Nut Cream

So easy to make and so delicious!

Ingredients:

3 peaches, halved and pitted (make sure they are nice and ripe)

1 Tbsp oil

sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling

4 oz cream cheese

1 Tbsp honey (plus extra for drizzling)

2-3 Tbsp chopped pecans

1. Preheat the grill for medium heat.

2. Brush peaches with a light coating of oil. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

3. Mix cream cheese with honey and nuts.

4 Grill peaches cut side down for about 5 minutes or until they have nice grill marks. Turn over and place a dollop of the cream cheese where the pit was. Grill for another 2 minutes. Drizzle with honey and serve immediately.

makes 6 small servings

Mango and Berry Tarts

These were so good and were actually pretty easy to make. The dough can be made a couple days ahead of time which I did, though unintentionally. Due to a busy week (my husband's baby brother just got married!), I didn't get around to putting the tarts together until Sunday, which was just as well because we had family over :)
These are very versatile; you can do all tropical fruits or just berries or a combination.


For the pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 and 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces 
1/4-1/2 cup ice water


Filling (suggestion):
1/2-1 mango, thinly sliced
1 small banana, sliced
8 medium strawberries, chopped
24 (or thereabouts) blueberries
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
sugar, for sprinkling


whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving.


1. Make the pastry. In a food processor or blender, pulse the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse until it is the size of small peas. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture and pulse until the pastry starts to come together. Transfer to a work surface and knead gently a few times until thoroughly blended. Divide pastry in half and flatten into disks, Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about an hour.  (if you chill it like I did for almost 3 days, you will need to let it sit at room temp for at least a half hour or soften in the microwave for a few seconds).
2. Preheat the oven to 400. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the disks 1/8 inch thick. Using a 5-inch plate (I found a plastic lid about the right size) as a guide, cut out 3 rounds and transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with rest of the pastry. Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.
3. Make the filling. Arrange the mango, banana, strawberries and blueberries (or whatever fruit you have chosen) on top. Bring the pastry edges up and around the fruit, pinching firmly to firm a pleated rim on each tart. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 35 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipping cream or ice cream.


makes 6 servings

Broccoli Salad

here's a variation on a traditional broccoli salad

Ingredients:
5-6 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (about 8 minutes at 300, stirring once)
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed, or fresh
1/2 cup raisins (which I didn't add, but it just tastes better with them)


1 cup plain yogurt (or mayo. I'm not a huge mayo fan, but I found out it does taste better with it. I tried making my own for the first time. I need to try again :)
The yogurt is the healthier way to go)
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1/4 cup honey


Combine broccoli, bacon, almonds, onion, peas, and raisins. In a separate bowl whisk together remaining ingredients. Add to salad and chill before serving.


serves 4-6

Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie

A refreshing drink perfect for a Memorial Day barbecue or for any outdoor occasion


Blend together in a blender until smooth:
3 c. frozen strawberries
3 c. watermelon, cubed and frozen
1/2 c. vanilla yogurt (or plain plus 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract)
1/2 c. cream
1/4 c. lemon or orange juice
sweetener if desired (I added just a little agave nectar)


serves 4

Steamed Artichoke

frost kissed but still just as tasty

1. Pull off any smaller leaves towards base and on the stem, cut excess stem, leaving up to one inch. You can also trim the top and the tips of the leaves, but I think this is more for looks.
2. Fill large pot with a few inches of water (for more flavor you can add a garlic clove, bay leaf, and lemon slice) and insert steaming basket. Add artichokes, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook 25-45 minutes or until outer leaves can be easily pulled off.
3. Serve with a dipping sauce. I like a lemon and garlic butter sauce or a mayo, sour cream, and parmesan sauce.


For first time artichoke eaters I found some very helpful instructions. Don't be intimidated, they are a lot of fun to eat. Our 3 year absolutely loves them, probably because she has a blast pulling off leaves and dipping them.

1. Pull off outer petals, one at a time.

 

2. Dip white fleshy end in melted butter or sauce. Tightly grip the other end of the petal. Place in mouth, dip side down, and pull through teeth to remove soft, pulpy, delicious portion of the petal. Discard remaining petal.

 

Continue until all of the petals are removed.

 

3. With a knife or spoon, scrape out and discard the inedible fuzzy part (called the "choke") covering the artichoke heart. The remaining bottom of the artichoke is the heart. Cut into pieces and dip into sauce to eat.

 

Roasted Potatoes

A great side dish for any time of the year

Ingredients:

potatoes (I like red or yukon gold)

salt (preferably coarse sea salt) and pepper to taste

 1/4 c.+ olive oil

herbs (dried or fresh)

1. Preheat oven to 450. Cube potatoes and boil for 3 minutes. Drain well. 

2. Spread out in a single layer in a roasting pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs (if using fresh sprinkle during the last 5 minutes of roasting). Toss everything together until evenly coated.

3. Roast for about 25 minutes or until golden and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Pinapple-Mango Salsa

This salsa is so fresh and good and easy to make (and reminds me of summer!)

It is yummy with tortilla chips or on top of chicken or seafood.

Ingredients:

2 c. chopped fresh pineapple

1 c. chopped mango

1 c. chopped red or orange bell pepper

1/2 c. sweet onion, finely chopped

1/4 c. lemon juice

3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or more if you like spicy)

1. Mix ingredients in bowl, cover and and chill 4-24 hours.

Apple Muffins

1. mix together in medium bowl:
2 c. flour (I did half whole wheat and maybe all whole wheat would work well)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2. beat together:
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1 c. sugar (I did half white and half brown)
3. then mix in:
1 1/2 c. apples (1/2 chopped and half peeled and grated)
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
4. gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin pan.
5.  For topping mix 1/3 c. brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. flour, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and cut in 1 Tbsp. butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on tops of muffins.
Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean