It's the end of my Peach week! I have gone through the box and there's nothing more to make. It was a challenge trying to incorporate peaches into recipes for an entire week and not get sick of them. Each recipe was different so I suppose that's why we didn't get fed up so easily. Well with my last recipe, I had my mom's help, because I don't I could stand cutting one more fuzzy peach and I was losing inspiration. So she helped in finding the recipe and making the filling while I was being lazy and did the crumble top. Sometimes it's just best to step back. Well here you are, the last of the peach concoctions.
Ingredients:
For filling:
• 8 large peaches, peeled, pits removed and sliced • 3 tbsps bourbon • 1 1/2 tsps pure vanilla extract • 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon • 3 tbsps all-purpose flour • 3/4 cup brown sugar
For topping:
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour • 3/4 cup old fashioned oats • 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans • 3/4 cup brown sugar • 1 1/4 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces • Dash salt It feels like fall with the rains coming back and I cannot wait until I am no longer hot, sweaty and gross. So to slowly introduce my favorite season and get rid of the summer time heat here's one of my favorite fall songs:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl combine all topping ingredients and stir until its crumbly.
In a separate large bowl, combine all of your filling ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
Next in a 12x9 greased pan, lay your peaches down. Then evenly coat the top with your crumble mix.
It's the weekend and the husband and I have little to nothing planned. This is the first weekend in a while where we won't be running all over town doing this and that, no, we're going to the farmers market up north and then doing nothing. Sometimes we take Saturday and Sunday and try to just shove everything to do into the day, but weekends are meant for relaxing, recouping from the week and enjoying having nothing to do. Let's kick our feet up and enjoy our home with a nice cocktail and each other's company, wouldn't that be grand?
This is a for crap photo, the excitement got to me and I just didn't care
Ingredients (makes for 1 cocktail):
2 shots vodka
2 shots lemon drop mix
1/4 peach
So I just started putting hip hop on my blog, I had reservations before just because I know a lot of people think of every stereotype possible when it comes to this form of music. Lately, I have had to explain to people (A LOT) that hip hop isn't the misogynistic, auto tuned crap you hear on the radio and maybe it's because of the area I live in now but I'd like to TRY and set it straight. It's a true art form and an excellent venue for expression, like all other forms of music it is poetic and you have to dig to get to the good stuff. So if you are a bit curious in getting into hip hop but have no idea where to start, I will show you my first ever introduction into it and the song that made me fall in love:
Directions:
In a martini glass, pour your vodka and lemon drop mix.
Next, I literally took the quarter of a peach and squeezed with my hands, the juice out of it into my martini. (I love squishing things).
Being tired has been a regular part of my day recently, I take naps more than I used too and just feel exhausted even though I know I haven't really done much in the short time that I have been awake. I might start taking iron pills just to see if it makes a difference. The sad thing is, sometimes I don't want to let my exhaustion go because it leads to absolutely wonderful and hilarious delirium. There's really only a few people in my life that I feel ok being completely delirious around (Thanks for today Emilie), with no fear of judgment. It's just better that your state of being is contagious to the person next to you and before you know it you've both been laughing at nearly nothing for hours on end. It's absolutely sublime. But since I'm alone right now, it's just me and the kitchen. It doesn't really pick up on nuances or like puns, so it's of little help to me. Pizza on the other hand. Pizza gets it.
Ingredients:
1 pizza crust, already pre-baked
8 oz brie, shell removed and cut into thin chunks
6-7 slices proscuito, ripped into smaller pieces
1 peach, skin removed and cut into thin slices
1/4 thinly cut yellow onion, cartelized
I think I'll watch one of my favorite movies tonight, a musical of course, please enjoy this number from the wonderful movie Gigi, a song that captures how I want to feel every night:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
On your crust spread your onion slices evenly. Then in a circular pattern place your peach slices.
Next add your prosciutto, then evenly place your pieces of brie on top of everything.
Bake for 15 minutes or until brie is nice and melted.
The fires here in Washington are just horrible this year, the smoke is sticking on to the city and you can't help but think about the people who have lost everything, in immediate danger or the firefighters out there everyday fighting to protect people's livelihoods and the Indian Reservations at risk right now. It's just awful, COME ON RAIN. Isn't that something we're suppose to be good at here in Washington? Rain? Here in the country our view of the mountain is almost completely hidden by how much smoke there is in the air. We just need to keep busy and hope for the best. So here's me staying busy.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup diced onion
1 medium avocado diced
1 large peach peeled and cubed
1/2 of a hot house tomato diced
1 tbsp dried cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Juice from 1/2 of a lime
Having a good time with my good friend Chance the Rapper playing over the speakers. Been playing this all the time lately, it's my jam:
I am on a roll! This house brimming with the fresh peaches, and speaking of brimming so were our glasses last night! The husband and I finished our day off with a smorgasbord of meats and cheeses and of course some libations! I took the recipe from the Peach Bellini and made a few adjustments for the tequila. When it comes to tequila, I am the last person to do shots and the first to suggest covering it up, probably because I've never really sprung for the good stuff. Anyway, down the hatch!
Ingredients makes about 4 drinks:
2 fresh peaches skins removed, cubed
1/2 cup triple sec
2 tsp sugar
2 shots silver tequila per drink
ice
Had enough peach stuff yet? Well too bad. This is happening, now listen to some 90's jams and enjoy your drink!
Directions:
In a blender, place your peaches, triple sec and sugar. Blend until smooth.
Place your 2 shots in a glass with your ice. Pour peach mixture over the tequila and stir well.
My Peach Week continues! I have done three recipes so far and have about three more to go. Boozey, sweet and savory goodness. Right now its the sweet side of life, a good old fashioned cobbler that you can make in jiffy instead of getting fancy. Sit back and enjoy this simple summer treat. This is straight out of grandma's kitchen and you won't regret a single delicious bite.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
5 peaches, skins removed and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
You knew this was coming:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In an 8x8 pan pour your melted butter.
In a bowl mix together your flour, sugar, baking powder and milk.
Place mixture on top of your butter.
Lay down in layers, your sliced peaches.
Top with last 3/4 cup of sugar.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
I made an icing to go over the top, but you don't have too.
It's peach season! All those ripe juicy peaches are ready to be made into whatever our little hearts desire! The husband and I went out to the farms this weekend to get ourselves some freshly picked ones, but when we got home I realized I have a giant box of peaches... what am I going to do with them all!? So the planning begun, a whole week of different peach recipes, made in savory, sweet and scrumptious ways. Ergo Peach Week. I will be posting new peach recipes all week long for you, so you can get out and grab your own peachy goodness! First recipe of the week is to replace my usual Sunday Funday Mimosas. The classic recipe of a Peach Bellini, no syrups no artificial junk just you, the peaches and some champagne.
Ingredients:
2 tsps natural cane sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 bottle chilled champagne
2 ripe peaches, pit removed and peeled
Watched a great femme fatal, mystery, murder film today starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell, Jane is one of my all time favorite old time actresses and she sure did have a voice. She has a Rita in Gilda vibe to her in this film, but you know, less self-destructive. So here you are from the film Macao, here's Jane:
Directions:
In a blender combine peaches, sugar and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
In a champagne flute add 2 1/2 tbsp of the mixture, pour champagne slowly over the top, stir well to combine.
I absolutely love mushrooms. Many a meatless Monday has been full with oyster, portobello, crimini, shiitake and morels. Maybe it's the juices or the meaty texture, but in any form these little guys are awesome. They not only provide full stomaches with low calories, but they also give us an excellent source of vitamin D AND they help boost your immune system (will be eating a lot in the fall, hopefully to ward off the cold season). Needless to say you should learn to acquire a taste for these little guys if you haven't already, they're just waiting to be your friend.
Ingredients:
4 large Portobello mushrooms, grill parts scooped out, stems removed and set aside
5 oz crab meat (tinned)
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Dollop of butter
1/8 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp Old Bay seasoning
black pepper
5 Tbsp grated Parmigiano cheese
4 Tbsp mayo
1 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
paprika to taste
I have been thoroughly enjoying this man's work lately, much against my right mind. I find myself having a bit of a conundrum in liking him just because his voice has the same sound of most of the country artists that I hate BUT his lyrics are ten fold better their's will ever be. He's playing tricks with my mind:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, fry your green onions, and mushroom bits in the butter until soft. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, shred your crab meat and add your thyme, oregano, old bay and pepper. Then mix in your mushroom and onion bits.
Next add your mayo, lemon juice, parsley and 3 tbsps of your cheese.
Then you will add the mixture to the middle of each mushroom cap evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of each one.
Very rarely does a sweet recipe make its way onto my blog unless it's in cocktail form. I must say it's mainly because I don't trust sweets. Artificial flavoring and they're addictive, plus they offer up no nutritional value. But alas, they make people feel good, something about baking for people makes them smile and in return you smile as well when they fall in love with the taste. So I suppose I will make one occasionally here and there for people, the things I do for you!
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsps baking powder
½ tsps salt
½ tsps ground cardamom
2 tbsps poppy seeds
1½ cups sugar
zest from 2 oranges
2 eggs
½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
15 oz of ricotta cheese
For the glaze:
1½ cups powdered sugar
3 tbsps freshly squeezed orange juice
zest from 1 orange
I've been really feeling the 80's jams lately. They know my heart and summer soul, plus I love all things heavy beats and resonant guitars, and so should you. Please enjoy this little known ditty from The Mighty Lemon Drops and I hope you find your 80's heart:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease with non stick spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and poppy seeds. Stir, then set aside.
Next, in a large bowl, combine sugar and orange zest. Mix gently until well incorporated. Add butter to the mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs one at a time, whisking them in. Beat in the orange juice, vanilla and ricotta cheese. Make sure it is mixed well.
Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until there are no dry clumps. This dough is a lot more moist than regular cookie dough because of the ricotta
Dollop 2 tbsp of dough for each cookie on a baking sheet. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.
Remove from oven and and let them cool so you can add your frosting.
For the glaze: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice and zest well. Then drizzle an even amount onto each cookie (roughly 1 tsp). Let the glaze harden.
This meal is not only fun to say but also just plain delicious. You literally need to make this ASAP. Fusing two different cuisine flavors to make one beautiful hybrid is impressive, also beautiful. We can all get along through food. Peace unity and cheese people.
So sorry I've been slacking in posting for you guys but it's summer, I'm busy. Concerts, baseball games, trips, birthdays, festivals, etc. There's too much going on and I love it! Since is has taken so long to post a new recipe, I will give you one of the most delicious ones I have tried yet. Here you go!
Ingredients:
1 anahiem pepper cut into thin strips
2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1/2 head of cauliflower, roughly cut to 1/2 inch chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 medium onion, dice long ways and skinny
1 cup corn kernels
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
2 1/2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups salsa your choice
2 ounces baby spinach leaves
9-10 corn tortillas, halved (I used corn flour tortillas)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream and thinly sliced scallions for toppings
Because I am still reeling from the awesome concert last night, here's a bit of a band that conveys some of the greatest musicianship I have ever seen at a concert, plus you know, my love for Jeff Tweedy that has yet to die. Love Wilco, love that they preformed this song:
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Grease a cookie sheet
Place all veggies but garlic and spinach on sheet.
Drizzle oil and add the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add your salt and pepper to taste and toss with the veggies so they are all coated well.
Roast for 35-40 minutes or until the cauliflower and potato is easily stabbed with a fork.
Prepare an 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray.
In a small bowl combine the cilantro into the salsa. Then spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the pan.
Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/2 cup of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Repeat the process then cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes. Get that cheese melty!
Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares.
Top with sour cream and a few pieces of the sliced scallions.
You know how, when you go to an asian restaurant, and you order your favorite appetizer and you just want more and more, or at least more than the four tiny morsels the waiter sets in front of you? Well I do, spring roll, rangoon, skewer, I want them all; and I always hope when I will sit down that they will offer a form of the appetizer in main dish proportions. Well blessed be the Appetizer Gods that descended upon my kitchen today. I got to make one of my favorite appetizers into a pizza... I nearly weep at the joyous thought...
Ingredients:
1 pizza crust (pre-cooked)
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz imitation crab
1 cup shredded mozzarella
sweet chili sauce
1/2 cup arugula
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
An ode to one of my favorite tracks to play during the summer. Sun bathing, sipping', and soaking in the glory of a classic oldie that I'm sure we all know and love:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spread your cream cheese over your crust evenly.
Then top your pizza with your crab, mozzarella, garlic and arugula.
Bake for 10-15, or until your cheese is bubbly.
When your pizza is done, drizzle your sweet chili sauce onto it, slice and serve!
