What are your favorite things about summer? One of mine is PEACHES. Yum. Love them. I get so annoyed, however, that every time I buy them, the baggers at the grocery store seem to put them at the bottom of the bag and they end up all bruised by the time I get home! Dislike. Here’s a good recipe from Barefoot Contessa to use up some of the great fruit in season right now.
Summer Fruit Crostata From Barefoot Contessa At Home cookbook
For the crust:
1 cup flour
1/8 cup sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup cold butter, diced
About 3 tbsp ice water
For the filling:
1 lb peaches
1/2 lb black plums
1/2 pint blueberries
1 tbsp + 1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp + 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
2 tbsp orange juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup cold butter, diced
Instructions for the crust:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Use a pastry blender (or a fork, or your hands) to mix the butter into the dry ingredients. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling. Then remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll into an 11-inch circle. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Instructions for the filling:
Slice the peaches and plums into wedges. Place in a large bowl with the blueberries. Add one tablespoon of flour, one tablespoon of sugar, the orange zest, and orange juice. Place the fruit in the middle of the dough, and leave a one-inch border.
Combine the remaining flour, sugar and butter in a small bowl. Mix the ingredients together with a pastry blender or your fingers until it comes together. Spread the mixture evenly over the fruit. Fold the border of the dough over the fruit. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
I served with whipped cream. It would be great with vanilla ice cream too!
This is one of my favorite recipes my mom used to make in the summertime when we were kids. Green beans + bacon = good. She probably put the bacon in to get us to eat our vegetables, but hey, it worked. Hi, Mom, if you are reading this! This side dish goes well with anything cooked on the grill.
Mom’s Green Beans
1/2 lb green beans
3 slices cooked chopped bacon, or 1/2 jar Bacon Bits (the real bacon ones, not the crunchy ones you get at the salad bar)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, diced
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, then cook the green beans until desired tenderness. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet. Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Then add the green beans and bacon, toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Note: a quick way to cook bacon is in the microwave. Cook for about one minute per slice (3 slices = about 3 minutes).
Here’s a recipe I whipped up the other day when John was gone at a work event. He must have thought the picture I posted on twitter of them looked good, since he asked me to make them for him when he got home.
Asian Noodles with Potstickers Serves 2
1/2 pkg Rice noodles (found in the Asian aisle of the grocery store)
1/2 Package of frozen stir fry vegetables (or whatever you have on hand)
Frozen potstickers
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal
Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch into the soy sauce. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Once boiling, drop the noodles into the water and remove from heat. Soak until tender. Set aside. Meanwhile, cook the potstickers according to package directions.
Heat the vegetables in a medium skillet, according to package directions. Add the soy sauce mixture, honey, and sesame oil and stir. Add the noodles and potstickers, tossing to coat in the sauce. Top with green onions and serve.
Here’s my attempt to catch up on my blog! We are all settled in Colorado and are hoping for some visitors sometime soon. I promise to cook for you if you come visit!
We went to the Boulder Farmers’ Market on Saturday and picked up some various things, including a baguette, strawberries, the best tortilla chips ever, some corn, and a yellow watermelon.
I used the baguette from the farmers’ market to make these toasts, inspired by a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.
Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Toasts
Baguette, sliced 1-inch thick on the diagonal
Goat cheese
Roasted bell peppers (make your own, or from a jar)
Caramelized onions (see below for instructions)
Basil
Balsamic vinegar
For the caramelized onions:
Slice one onion thinly. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and brown.
To assemble:
Drizzle the baguette slices with a little olive oil. Toast in the oven at 350 degrees until golden brown. Spread with goat cheese. Top with caramelized onions and then the roasted peppers. Garnish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of basil. Season with salt and pepper.
