We invited our niece and her Dad over for dinner. Demonstrating that a) she knows Aunt Steph loves when she says that and b) this process is easier now that we have matching Girl Scout cookbooks, Cutie asked what she could make.
Usually I prefer to do the food myself - when I invite folks over, it's to have fun and great conversation
[Note: This rule is suspended for holidays, in which case you are welcome to bring a stuffed turkey, squash casserole for 12, or the pumpkin cheesecake that I can never get quite right but maybe you have a knack for it... ?]
But when the offer is from a kid who's going places with this "cooking" thing, it's a yes. Always.
Since we were having grilled chicken I flipped through the award-winning, on-all-the-talk-shows Girl Scout cookbook and picked out a few side dish recipes for her to choose from.
The watermelon salad was fabulous, and she did an A+ job on presentation. It could easily have been on a magazine cover as an example of summer yumminess - broad lettuce leaves lining the platter, watermelon and onion as the next layer, and feta cheese scattered prettily on top.
But even better was hearing all about how her year in sixth grade is shaping up. I sometimes can't believe how lucky I am to have two nieces and three nephews with such sweet, vibrant, funny personalities.
And that's worth saying a blessing over.
Watermelon Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Carleigh & Lorrie, local Scout troop fundraising cookbook
Balsamic Vinaigrette (note: this makes a lot. When I make this I'm going to halve the dressing quantities).
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil and 1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
Mix all, refrigerate until ready to serve.
Salad
1 medium seedless watermelon, cubed
1 red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup fresh mint, chopped (torn, or snipped with kitchen scissors, will work if a young cook doesn't use sharp knives yet)
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
[Cutie arranged all of this on a bed of dark green lettuce leaves. Deelish!]
In a large bowl or serving platter combine watermelon, onion, mint and cheese. Season with pepper. Pour dressing over salad, or pass dressing at the table.
Showing posts with label fruit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fruit. Show all posts
Monday, August 20, 2012
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Mother's Day for the Uninitiated
The most important thing to know - right now - about Mother's Day is that it was two weeks ago. So if you forgot, you're SO screwed and there's no making it up. Like you'll need to buy Mom her dream car in her favorite color, invite her to move in with you, or just head down to the senior center, pick out a new one, and start over.
As childfree couples with mothers way-out-of-state go, Sweetie and I had quite the shindig. No, the dogs didn't put their furry heads together and hatch some gopherrific scheme to surprise me (thank God). Rather, we brought brunch and conversation to a friend who lost her young adult son earlier this year. Oddly enough she preferred to have it at her house, on her porch overlooking her array of beautifully cultured gardens, instead of in our little dining room with its view of the kitchen. We aim to please.
This is one area of life where I have an embarrassment of riches. My own mother? Fabulous. My mother-in-law? We're truly, genuinely friends. My "other mother-in-law", who I know through Sweetie and to whom we brought brunch? She's terrific. I'm SO blessed. Note that our Moms are out of state, so we sent chocolates (I highly, highly recommend godiva.com and johnandkiras.com).
It seems oddly appropriate to note that our golden retriever has sought out a Russian grandmother of his very own, and there is sheer joy on their faces when they spot each other. Our neighbor's mother lives with him, and she doesn't speak much English. But she pets well (presumably), and she and Henry Dog have struck up a friendship like nothing I've ever seen. He runs to her when he sees her. She bends down and coos endearments into his big, floppy ear. They smile at each other. It's one of those little serendipitous, joyful things that makes you happy to be a small part of it.
Our brunch was very simple, including a platter of gorgeous fresh strawberries. These Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins are also a terrific brunch dish. They can be made (and frozen, if necessary) ahead of time. If raspberries are too tart for your taste, substitute blueberries.
RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS
Cooking Light - June, 2003Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 muffin)
2/3 cup (5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (blueberries if you don't care for raspberries)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in raspberries and walnuts.
Place 24 foil cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake at 350° 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.
As childfree couples with mothers way-out-of-state go, Sweetie and I had quite the shindig. No, the dogs didn't put their furry heads together and hatch some gopherrific scheme to surprise me (thank God). Rather, we brought brunch and conversation to a friend who lost her young adult son earlier this year. Oddly enough she preferred to have it at her house, on her porch overlooking her array of beautifully cultured gardens, instead of in our little dining room with its view of the kitchen. We aim to please.
This is one area of life where I have an embarrassment of riches. My own mother? Fabulous. My mother-in-law? We're truly, genuinely friends. My "other mother-in-law", who I know through Sweetie and to whom we brought brunch? She's terrific. I'm SO blessed. Note that our Moms are out of state, so we sent chocolates (I highly, highly recommend godiva.com and johnandkiras.com).
It seems oddly appropriate to note that our golden retriever has sought out a Russian grandmother of his very own, and there is sheer joy on their faces when they spot each other. Our neighbor's mother lives with him, and she doesn't speak much English. But she pets well (presumably), and she and Henry Dog have struck up a friendship like nothing I've ever seen. He runs to her when he sees her. She bends down and coos endearments into his big, floppy ear. They smile at each other. It's one of those little serendipitous, joyful things that makes you happy to be a small part of it.
Our brunch was very simple, including a platter of gorgeous fresh strawberries. These Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins are also a terrific brunch dish. They can be made (and frozen, if necessary) ahead of time. If raspberries are too tart for your taste, substitute blueberries.
RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS
Cooking Light - June, 2003Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 1 muffin)
2/3 cup (5 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (blueberries if you don't care for raspberries)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat well.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in raspberries and walnuts.
Place 24 foil cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake at 350° 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Power of Three
I'm supposed to eat more ginger. Long story, but I'm trying out this "anti-inflammatory" way of eating (yup, no more flamethrowing serving utensils) and ginger is one of the foods at the top of the list.
Some of my favorite foods have ginger - gingersnaps, gingersnap gelato, pumpkin cheesecake... shall I go on? Alas, that's not really what they meant, and also not helpful in banishing the 15 pounds that I want lost and never found.
I wish I knew who to credit with this dessert, because it's amazing. And this sauce would go really, really well with chocolate or vanilla ice cream, too.
Honeydew Melon with Strawberry Ginger Sauce
Puree 2 tablespoons fresh gingerroot (peeled) with one pint of hulled strawberries. Adjust to taste (add more ginger or more strawberries as you see fit). Drizzle over sliced or cubed honeydew.
Some of my favorite foods have ginger - gingersnaps, gingersnap gelato, pumpkin cheesecake... shall I go on? Alas, that's not really what they meant, and also not helpful in banishing the 15 pounds that I want lost and never found.
I wish I knew who to credit with this dessert, because it's amazing. And this sauce would go really, really well with chocolate or vanilla ice cream, too.
Honeydew Melon with Strawberry Ginger Sauce
Puree 2 tablespoons fresh gingerroot (peeled) with one pint of hulled strawberries. Adjust to taste (add more ginger or more strawberries as you see fit). Drizzle over sliced or cubed honeydew.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
The Curse of Costco
There are many, many things to like - in large quantities - about Costco. Thirty percent off magazines, great deals on just about anything, really. Staggering around the store, clinging to the cart, glassy-eyed and babbling something about "Do you know what 36 of these would cost at Publix???"
And of course there's the Costco hangover. The fuzzy-tongued, WTF? day after spent wondering where to put ten rolls of duct tape. The last, desperate Google for "recipe - six cups of mustard."
Hey, it happens to the best of us. We were suckered in - twice - on cherries, which are crazy expensive. One giant pod of cherries just looked great for snacking. Unfortunately for all so did other treats of the season. Too much competition, too short a shelf life.
The other crate of cherries was put to good and prolific use. Sweetie decided to make cherry ice cream (terrific). Oatmeal isn't my favorite summer breakfast, but it goes well with cherries so oatmeal it was.
Fortunately I came across this recipe for a cherry (tired of that word yet? I AM) streusel coffee cake. If you have both a bundt (fluted/ridged/pretty) pan and a tube (plain) pan, use the tube pan. Streusel tends to get caught in the fluting and it stays in the pan instead of deliciously on the cake.
*Generally, I follow the "never have any kitchen utensil that only has one use" rule. Of course, carried to its most extreme Depression-era form all anyone would ever need is a knife and a spoon, since most kitchen utensils are derivations of one of those items. A cherry pitter is an exception - it's money well-spent that keeps me from looking like a horror movie extra splattered with cherry juice.
Cherry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Cooking Light
Streusel
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup regular oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 TBSP chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 TBSP frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (I used regular orange juice)
1 TBSP canola oil
Cake
Cooking spray
1/4 cup canola oil
2 TBSP butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 cups all-pupose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fat-free sour cream (ICK - I use reduced-fat sour cream. I won't allow fat-free in the house)
2 cups pitted fresh cherries, coarsely chopped (if they're too roly-poly to manage chopping with a knife, put them in a large measuring cup and slice through with scissors from different angles)
1. To prepare streusel, lightly spoon whole wheat flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine whole wheat flour and next 4 ingredients. Add concentrate and 1 TBSP oil; stir until crumbly. [Note: this is a fairly sandy streusel]
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. To prepare cake, coat a 9-inch tube pan with cooking spray. Combine 1/4 cup oil and melted butter in a medium bowl. Add granulated sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg white; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.
4. Lightly spoon all-purpose flour in dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine all-purpose flour and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately to egg mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in cherries.
5. Spoon half of batter into prepared pan; sprinkle with half of streusel. Spoon in remaining batter; top with remaining streusel. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; run a knife around outside edge. Cool completely in pan.
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