A Life in Food
Cherry Crisp is one of those obligatory summer desserts and I for one, happily oblige. Making a crisp couldn’t be easier. It’s nothing more than mixing a few things together and sliding it into the oven. This is a perfect dessert for those just learning how to bake and also those of us who happen to love cherries. No pie filling here or cake mix of any sort. This cherry crisp is made from scratch with only a handful of ingredients.
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Fresh fruit and coconut yogurt make these popsicles guilt-free. A simple blueberry pureé, yogurt and fresh raspberries are the only ingredients in this icy treat. Summer is officially here and this is how I plan to beat the heat.
Recently, I met up with my friend Sue. She generously bestowed upon me pounds and pounds of fresh blueberries from her farm. I have to admit that I ate a quite a few. Have you ever heard someone describe something as “jammy”? Well, these blueberries were most definitely jammy. As in, they tasted like JAM. They were so incredibly sweet, I could help myself. That’s my defense. They were too good, so I had to eat them. Lots of them.
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Blueberry season is here and I couldn’t be happier about it. I’ve been on a bit of a “blueberry bender” as of late. I have “blueberried” everything feasible including barbeque sauce, because, why not? This Blueberry Bourbon BBQ sauce will soon be your go-to for ribs. I paired it with a slab last weekend and it was wildly delicious. The copious amount of vinegar lends itself nicely to fatty pork. The sweet jamminess of the blueberries with the heat from the peppers comes together to make this bbq sauce out of this world.
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Rosé is my summer drink. It’s light, crisp and enjoyed chilled to combat the heat of summer. This rosé sangria with summer fruits is a great way to enjoy a less expensive bottle of wine. Filled with berries, stone fruit and lemons, it is the ultimate summer sangria.
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This week is the kick-off to something new around here. I’ve collaborated with a few of my favorite blogger gals to bring you a week’s worth of dinner ideas! How it works: Every Friday morning, a new meal plan will show up in your email. It will consist of 5 dinner options, plus 2 extras. Those two extras could be side dishes, dessert, drinks, etc. The menus will feature (mostly) healthy, seasonal foods that don’t take all day to prepare. Getting the meal plan delivered to your inbox on Friday morning gives you the chance to make your shopping list and get organized for the week ahead. With all the springtime activities and summer break right around the corner, I hope this weekly meal plan provides inspiration and makes life a little easier… one meal at a time.
One Pot Chicken and Spinach Pasta with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce – Pook’s Pantry
Skillet Pork Marsala with Roasted Asparagus – The Chef Next Door
Chicken Bahn Mi Vegetable and Rice Bowl – Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Crispy Black Bean Burritos – Comfortably Domenstic
Low Carb Chicken Fajita Lunch Bowls – Pook’s Pantry
Smashed Roasted Beets with Pesto and Goat Cheese – The Wimpy Vegetarian
Summer Salad with Roasted Apple Vinaigrette – Pastry Chef Online
Thank you so much for joining us! We look forward to seeing you here every Friday for more weekly meal plans!
Labor Day weekend is behind us, and for me that marks the “unofficial” official end of summer. I’m not quite ready to “pumpkin spice all the things”, and I’m grasping onto the last ripe tomatoes, corn and veggies that summer has to offer, but fall is right around the corner. This summer has brought sweltering temps with it and I for one, am ready for it to cool down just a bit.
This recipe came to fruition based on 2 things: I had puff pastry in the freezer and I had figs that were on the verge of being too soft. Wasting food is a Cardinal Sin in my book, and I needed desserts for a client so it was a no-brainer. I looked through the fridge to see what I had on hand to make this come together; it wasn’t much. Luckily, I had cream cheese and I figured if I sweetened it up just a touch, the finished product would be almost Danish-like.
You want dessert, but you don’t want to spend hours making it… However, if said dessert gave the appearance you had spent all day making it that would be a bonus. Amiright?!
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I love my “swirly” bundt pan, but it’s a tad smaller than the average bundt and I always have leftover batter. This may not seem like an issue, but sometimes I don’t want to make extra cupcakes or little cakes. I just want One Big Bundt! So, after dropping a few subtle hints and finally telling my Mom that I was planning a heist and the prize was her Classic Bundt pan… Voila! She told me that one was on it’s way to me! Thanks, Mom! (sometimes, a girl needs to resort to extreme measures)…
I met Rebecca Lindamood a few years ago at a food blog conference in Orlando. One day, we were talking about trading goods with each other (local food for local food). A few weeks later, much to my delight, a quart of Grape Pie Filling (p.31) shows up on my doorstep. I had never tasted grape pie filling before, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I was in for gastronomic bliss of epic proportions. If you pay attention to things I swoon about, you know THIS is at the top of my list. Think of the juiciest, “grapiest”, most luscious grape you’ve ever had. Now multiply that by 10. That’s Rebecca’s grape pie filling.
When there was talk of this book happening, I was beyond thrilled for my friend. Her food is amazing and creative. It is beautiful and yet, practical. As a former cook and Mom of 5 boys, she knows a thing or two about feeding people. I couldn’t wait to get this book and review it because I knew it was going to be one of my “go-to” guides for canning. I’ve made chutneys and jams, pie fillings and pickles, chow chow and pickled beans… and then they sit there. Sometimes I get around to actually using them and sometimes, I give it all away because I can only eat so much of it. Here’s where Rebecca saves the day: there is a corresponding recipe for all of the things you’ve just canned!!! I can’t even begin to explain my excitement about that!
After all, a beautiful jar of something sitting on the shelf doesn’t do anyone any good unless you know how to use it! -Rebecca Lindamood
If you or someone you know enjoys canning, get this book! There is something for everyone. It would make a great present for any occasion. Or just because it’s Tuesday. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s written in a way that makes it accessible for beginners and at the same time, appeals to experienced canners as well. The recipes are unique and so varied! Everything from the aforementioned grape pie filling to cardamom extract. Make the cherries in red wine syrup this weekend (while you can still get this little ruby fruit) and enjoy the fruits (see what I did there ;)) of your labor in the fall or winter when you use those cherries to make Filet Mignon with Red Cherry Wine Sauce! Make a batch of Ginger Peach Butter now, enjoy Peaches and Cream Baked Oatmeal later! The entire book is like this!!! Can you tell how much I love that? It’s brilliant!
My dream pantry is lined top to bottom with beautiful jars containing their jewel colored treasures. This book has me on my way to achieving that dream. Thank you Rebecca, for reintroducing me to my love of canning.
Here is an affiliate link to Amazon to make getting your book even easier!
Happy Canning!
I’m on a serious cherry kick lately. I can’t get enough of them… We have gone through almost 10 pounds in the last month because they always seem to find their way into my cart. You know, just in case I need more. I’ve been putting them in everything from cakes to oatmeal and this week, I decided to go a savory route. If you are unfamiliar with chutney, let me give you a quick description. It’s like a relish, it has sweet and sour ingredients, usually coming from sugar or fruits and vinegar. It is a blend of sweet and savory. It’s a great condiment to use with grilled meats or vegetables and this chutney went splendidly with a grilled flank steak.
This chutney was paired with grilled meat, but it can also be a great addition to a cheese board or a charcuterie platter or even as a tasty spread on a hearty sandwich.
Cherry season is nearly over, so don’t wait too long to grab a couple of pounds. I’ll be making another big batch before the summer is over to put up on the shelves so I can enjoy them long after they disappear from the stores.
Did you know that July is National Blueberry Month? Let’s make a cake and celebrate!
Last week, I was flipping through an old book and 2 things fell out onto my lap: this recipe and an old black & white photo from a birthday party.
That’s the story of my life. I’m usually a fairly organized person, but little scraps of paper plague my existence. I find them everywhere. I mean, literally everywhere. I scribble down notes or ideas and shove them into a bag or toss them onto the dining room table or kitchen counter. I’m staring at a handful of them as I type this…
I’ve given this recipe a permanent home now, which makes me quite pleased because this cake happens to be one of my very favorite things in all the world. In my humble opinion, crumb cakes are absolutely one of the recipes that should be in everyone’s back pocket. A good crumb cake is a crowd pleaser. Have you ever met someone that didn’t like crumb cake? Me either.
It almost guarantees you’ll get another invite if you bring it to someone’s house. Ask my friends, I’ve taken it a few times 😉
This cake has a Very Generous crumb topping, which is mandatory in my book. The cake itself is surprisingly light, but sturdy enough to support a hefty amount of fresh blueberries. Get them while they are in season, because those plump little blueberries are best in the summer months!
