Blueberry-Lemon Pound Cake

Here is another dessert I made recently that was also a big hit. 

I made some food to take to the lake cabin for July 4th weekend....sesame soba noodles, curried chicken salad, and this blueberry-lemon pound cake.

This is a very moist cake, so it's best eaten within a day or two. Also, I highly recommend baking it in a bundt pan instead of a regular cake pan. The first time I made it, in a round cake pan, the middle just didn't quite set before the rest started to burn. You could also divide the batter between 2 loaf pans. 

Blueberry-Lemon Pound Cake

S'mores Pie

I love all things s'mores. But, that's face it...nothing "s'mores inspired" (like cupcakes, tarts, cookies, etc.) come close to the real thing.

Except for this pie.

This pie is easy to make and is decadently delicious. It's a very sophisticated way to cure your s'mores craving...especially when it's too rainy (like it was here last month) or too damn hot & humid (like it is now) to build a campfire.

This award-winning recipe comes from Butter & Scotch, a New York bar and bakery, and I made in in a Girls' Night Out class recently at Kitchen Conservatory. It was a hit.

Be sure to use a good quality MILK chocolate; semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate just doesn't replicate the s'mores taste me all know and love. Don't be intimidated by the homemade marshmallow creme. It's very easy to make...and so much better than the jarred version. Trust me.

S'mores Pie

Blackberry Thyme Margarita

Photos by Corey Woodruff

A couple weeks ago, I was invited to preview the reimagined menu at The Grill at the Ritz-Carlton in St. Louis. The Grill chef, Damien Faure (who, incidentally, is married to Simone Faure of La Patisserie Chouquette) has designed a menu highlighted by "traditional as well as communal and shared plates [...] along with classic house-made desserts, signature beverage creations, and an innovative Infused Oil offering." Guests can personalize their menu selections with a variety of house-infused oils. Flavors include lemon verbena & avocado, black garlic & herb, bacon & porcini mushroom, purple basil & brandywine tomato, black truffle, and spring onion & chipotle.

Everything that I sampled was delicious. I tried the New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp & grits with grilled chorizo; Prince Edwards Island Mussels with lemongrass & Kaffir lime; grilled Medjool dates with bacon, Cambozola, & roasted hazelnuts; blackened steak & mushroom flatbread; Tuscan kale & hearts of palm salad with strawberries & goat cheese (one of my favorite dishes that night); hot smoked salmon with tomato coulis; center-cut filet; beer-can chicken (that's right...Chef Faure wanted to represent a "local" dish); grilled asparagus, roasted cauliflower, & twice-baked potato. Dessert was strawberry & white chocolate baked Alaska and profiteroles with hazelnut ice cream.

Yep. It was A LOT of food. I was a happy, happy girl.

Before dinner, we sampled a few of The Ritz signature cocktails.  Why am I not having cocktails at The Ritz Lobby Lounge on a regular basis? They have like a gillion kind of martinis. My favorite was the Blackberry Thyme Margarita: "Sauza Blue, Cointreau, Fresh Lime Juice, Muddled Thyme, House Made Blackberry Simple Syrup, Blackberries."

Here's my recreation:

Blackberry Thyme Margarita

Summertime Potato Salad with Tomatoes & Basil Oil

Summer makes me feel sassy, naughty...makes me want to blow off any responsibilities, sit outside, and drink fruity cocktails.

Summer reminds me of when Cari and I did just that in college. We’d rollerblade across campus to Marty's bar for 4:00 club, then laugh hysterically at each other as we tried to blade back to our apartment after a few beers.

It reminds me of The Sarah & Kelly Summer of Fun '93, when we moshed hard, discovered Bennett Lieberman & his velvet wallpaper, rode in the convertible until our hair was a mess of tangles, played minigolf with Rob & What's His Name, and met the infamous Bench Nickel...

Of being a "Duga"...

Of our summer soundtracks, albums we played over and over, songs that became our personal mottos during those months...

Of listening to The Urge, Fragile Porcelain Mice, My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult, Moby, Pearl Jam, The Smiths, The Violent Femmes, and the beloved Beasties...

Of watching Singles and Reality Bites...

Of wearing cut-off jean shorts, concert tees, backwards caps, and Chuck Taylor's...

Of spontaneous road trips.

Of new love affairs...

Of house parties on Anthony Street...

Of the ocean and wild horses...

Of a 28-inch pizza called The Captain.

Of concerts by the pond.

Of walking around downtown Indy.

Of going back to Eastern with Erin a few years ago on Good Friday and getting into the Counting Crows concert for free.

It reminds me of being younger, carefree and fearless, hopeful...

"And I can’t stop thinking about the [...] months that were hectic and raw and so full of hope and panic that every day seemed like it would collapse in on itself."

Thai Shrimp with Chili, Mint, Basil & Parsley

A few days ago, my friend Rachel posted this on her Facebook page:

Thinking of going to no-cooking for July. I'm tired of doing so many dishes every day and spending time over my stove! What are your favorite healthy, no-cooking (or little-cooking) recipes?

I then remembered that I have a cookbook called No-Cook Pasta Sauces, and I went in search of a new recipe to try and to share with Rachel. I adapted their Shrimp Sauce with Basil, Mint, and Cilantro...taking out the sugar, adding some fresh garlic & red pepper flakes, and substituting some parsley for the cilantro.

As with any recipe, switch out or leave out whatever you (or your kids) don't like. Try this with chicken instead of shrimp, add Sambal for a spicier kick, or substitute sesame oil for the sweet chili sauce.

Thai Shrimp with Chili, Mint, Basil & Parsley

Strawberry Fool

I have an unnatural craving for strawberry desserts. I bookmark and save all kinds of strawberry recipes...cakes, pies, ice creams, cookies...with the plan to try them all during the summer. The thing is, every dessert I make with strawberries doesn't satisfy my craving.

I'm always looking for a light, slightly sweet dessert that captures the essence of ripe summer berries. Recently, I made roasted balsamic strawberry ice cream. Sounds great, right? However, I didn't follow the recipe closely enough and it didn't have that WOW! BERRIES! taste I was hoping for.

My go-to strawberrilicous dessert is strawberry shortcake, but sometimes that's a little too heavy...particularly on these hot-as-balls summer days. No way am I turning on my oven to make shortcakes these days.

I finally made a "fool" tonight, an old-fashioned English dessert (I think I've bookmarked, saved, or pinned every fool recipe I've ever come across), and it was the PERFECT strawberry dessert. Exactly what I've been craving...light, fluffy, just a tad sweet, full of ripe berry flavor. And super easy to make.

This is so good that I ate the entire batch myself. And I'm not at all ashamed.

Strawberry Fool

recipe slighted adapted from Mark Bittman

1 pint strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar, or to taste (depending on how sweet your berries are)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Hull the strawberries, then wash them and chop into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Toss with the granulated sugar & wait 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they give up their juices. 
• Place half the strawberries & the juice in a blender & purée. Pour purée back into the bowl with chopped strawberries. 
• Whip the cream with the powdered sugar & vanilla until cream is stiff and holds peaks easily.
• Fold berries and cream together & serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two hours. 

Tomato Bruschetta Pasta

I've been on summer break since the end of May. A non-teacher friend of mine recently asked me, "What do you DO all day?"

Well, I try not to do too much. I AM on vacation, after all.

But, really, I've been doing a lot...I usually work a few days a week. When I'm home, I try to clean something every day (mop floor, clean windows, etc). I'm keeping up with dishes & laundry around the house as well (something that I don't do very well during the school year when I'm drowning in essays to be graded). I just redid my home office (moved rooms, painted, got new bookshelves & curtains), cleaned out the extra bedroom, & took out a rug in my bedroom. I'm getting new curtains for a couple other rooms this month as well.

Doesn't that all sound totally glamorous and exciting?

Overall, I'm trying to stay fairly productive at home...while maintaining a leisurely "I'm on summer break" attitude...which includes tons of reading. I'm on my sixth book of the summer.

And I've been cooking a lot...eating lots of veggies from the farmers market, baking fruit pies, and making meals to take to my boyfriend's house.

Here is a light pasta dish that features a no-cook sauce, which I made for dinner during our recent 100+ degree weather. It's a perfect way to use garden-fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlic.

Tomato Bruschetta Pasta

Summer Recipes

It's summer! I have two days of school left this week, and then I'm off until the end of August.  My fun summer plans include working at Kitchen Conservatory a few days a week, teaching some classes there, lots of reading (suggestions welcome), and just trying to RELAX for a change.  Things have been stressful--to say the least--around here the past two months, especially the past couple weeks. 

And, since I won't have to worry about the usual never-ending stack of papers to grade, I hope to do more cooking than I have so far this year.

Favorite Summer Recipes

It finally feels like summer here in the midwestern United States...hot and sticky. I think I'm going to have to turn on the AC soon. Like now.

Of course, my appetite has changed with the weather. Instead of comforting pastas, soups, and casseroles, I crave crisp salads and lots of fresh veggies. So, I'll be eating a lot of these kinds of things over the next few months...

APPETIZERS & SNACKS:

Fava Bean Crostini

Fava Bean Salad with Fennel & Mint

Fourth of July Feast: Pickled shrimp, cheddar ale spread, & red velvet cupcakes with blueberries

Sour Dill & Rosemary Garlic Pickles

Spicy Pickled Carrots (aka Firecrackers)

FRESH VEGETABLES:

Beet Ravioli with Poppy Seed Butter

Eggplant Gratin
Fried Morel Mushrooms

Ramp Tart

Roasted Radishes

Tomato Basil Pie

Zucchini Cakes with Feta & Dill

SALADS:

Pasta Salad with Pesto & Peas

Raw Beet Salad

Shrimp Salad with Lemon & Dill

Spicy Cucumber Salad

ENTREES:

Grilled Carne Asada with Cilantro & Jalapeno Sauce
Morel Mushroom Ravioli

Pressed Picnic Sandwich

Rosemary Fried Chicken

Tilapia with Cherry Salsa

SWEETS:

Blackberry Sorbet

Blue Goose Pie (blueberries & gooseberries)

Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler

Chocolate Sorbet

Ginger Peach Galette

Rhubarb Ice Cream

Semifreddo with Pistachios, Lemon & Basil
Spiced Apple Sorbet

Tart Cherry Pie

Vanilla Ice Cream with Raspberry Sauce