Ah, summer – hot weather, cool drinks, fresh produce, grilling. For me, summer is mostly about air conditioning and trying not to get sunburned; but there are times when I get excited about it – beach trips, BBQ’s, long days. On one of these bouts of enthusiasm I decided that I wanted legit summer food, so here it is. (more…)
The end of strawberry season was drawing near and I wanted to relish those last moments. So I decided to make a juicy and complex sorbet with strawberries, balsamic vinegar, and basil.
I am so excited about zucchini season it isn’t even funny. I have literally been dreaming about zucchini! The very first thing that I wanted to make was this gorgeous vegetable tart. Flaky, buttery puff pastry is topped with thinly shaved zucchini, bright peas, tangy feta, and fresh mint. Yum, oh yum. (more…)
It has gotten hot, hot, hot out here – plants and people alike are wilting in the heat. On days like these where you can’t bear to be outside for more than 5 minutes, slaving over a stove is out of the question. These shrimp rolls are the perfect thing for oppressively hot days: fast, easy, cool, and refreshing.
All you have to do is mix together cold, cooked shrimp with celery, scallions, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Put a piece of butter lettuce on a bun, top with the shrimp mixture, done! Dinner in less than 10 minutes.
Creamy Shrimp Rolls
adapted from Real Simple
Makes 4 rolls
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs cooked medium shrimp, cut in half crosswise
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup sliced scallion greens
4 soft buns
1 small head butter lettuce, torn into pieces
In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Fold in the shrimp, celery, and scallions. Line the buns with the lettuce and fill with the shrimp mixture.
Cruising around on Pinterest I found two very similar recipes for crescent rolls stuffed with chicken, and another two for a casserole made with hashbrowns. In each case, I couldn’t decide which recipe I preferred over the other; so I decided to settle it with a recipe showdown. I would make one pair of recipes one week, and the other the next, in order to decide the winners. (Note that none of these recipes are particularly healthy…) (more…)
So sorry for the break – we have been on vacation in the gorgeous coastal town of Cannon Beach, Oregon where my husband grew up.
While we were there, we stayed at the Stephanie Inn and I highly recommend it to anyone planning a visit. The rooms are fantastic (especially if you get one with a giant jacuzzi tub and a beach view), the staff are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and the amenities are stellar. (more…)
Rhubarb season is one of my favorite times of year and what better way to celebrate it than with the ultimate classic: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Buttery, flaky crust is the perfect background for the tart early Summer fruit flavors, and strawberries cut the tartness of the rhubarb without overwhelming it.
A mixture of strawberries, rhubarb, cornstarch, orange juice, and orange zest is loaded into the bottom crust and dotted with butter. (more…)
This eye-catching pie is made with strawberries, bananas, and fresh pastry cream for a fresh summer treat.
Slices of banana are layered into a cinnamon laced graham cracker crust along with a custard made from eggs, milk, sugar, and butter. (more…)
I love all things coconut, especially during the summer. I also love all things pancake – so when I saw this recipe for sweet and salty coconut pancakes posted on G+ I just had to try it.
Coconut milk is used in the pancake batter to give it coconut flavor. But what really makes these pancakes stand out is the coconut syrup made with maple syrup, coconut milk, brown sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt to bring in that Thai flavor combo of sweet and salty (like coconut sticky rice, or salted caramel).
These are some seriously tasty pancakes. Really. Make them. Right now. (more…)
Fresh ripe strawberries, sugar, cream, and a little lemon juice – that is all you need to make this creamy summer treat. And in this recipe there is no cooking involved, so the flavor of the fresh strawberries comes through really well.
No-Cook Strawberry Ice Cream
adapted from Gourmet
1 lb strawberries, trimmed, halved if large
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups heavy cream
Coarsely mash strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and salt using a potato masher in a large bowl. Let stand, stirring and mashing occasionally, 10 minutes.
Transfer half of strawberry mixture to a blender and purée with cream until smooth. Return strawberry cream to bowl with remaining strawberries and chill, stirring occasionally, until very cold, 3 to 6 hours.
Freeze mixture in ice cream maker. Transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer to firm up.
Ice cream keeps 1 week.