Lighter Strawberry Crisp

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They've been saying that we've had so much rain here in Southern California that the strawberries have taken a hit this year, but I'm here to tell you "nuh uh!, this year's strawberries are super juicy and sweet!"

This leads me to pick up a pound of strawberries each time I go to the store, and I go to the store quite often, so the strawberries are starting to pile up!

Not to worry.  I have the perfect solution for that...

LIGHTER STRAWBERRY CRISP

Oh yes, please!  Let's make a Strawberry Crisp that is bursting with juicy strawberries topped with a light crunchy topping.  It all but screams summer!  This dish is one of my go to desserts.  It will feed a crowd or a family (depending on how much you eat!).  We actually served this at out 4th of July party and it was the first item go.

Fruit is a wonderful item to create dessert from.  I've made this a little healthier by keeping the sugar content down as well as the butter.  It still has that homey, comforting feeling but is a much lighter and lower carb/calorie version.  Desserts don't have to be laden with fats and empty calories to taste good.  Just try this version for yourself and you'll definitely want 2nds or 3rds.  Go ahead...I won't tell!

Enjoy!

Strawberry Crisp

serves 6

6 c (about 1-1/2 pounds) strawberries, hulled and quartered

1 Tbls fresh lemon juice

2 Tbls all-purpose flour

3 Tbls light brown sugar, divided

1/3 c all purpose flour

1/3 c rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

3 Tbls cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Vanilla Ice Cream (optional topping)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Lightly grease an oval baking dish with cooking spray.

Add the strawberries to the bottom of the dish and toss with lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine the flour and 1 Tbls of brown sugar and mix until combined. Add this to the strawberries and mix to combine. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and remaining brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or by rubbing with your fingers until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the strawberries. 

Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 10 minutes. Serve with ice cream if desired. 

adapted from:  https://diethood.com/strawberry-crumble/

Quick and Easy Watermelon Lemonade

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I just love summertime.  There is nothing like a great summer song, feeling that tingle on your skin from the hot sun, and a cold drink.

I always used to associate summer with Sunkist soda pop.  Do you remember that commercial that played "Good Vibrations"?  To me that' was the epitome of summer when I was growing up.  These days I'm more of a lemonade kinda girl.  I just love the tartness of the lemons, and the thirst quenching flavor on a hot summer day.  

Since the 4th of July is right around the corner I usually serve a pitcher of lemonade to have during our days activities and with whatever items we grill for our All-American dinner.  So let's change up the standard lemonade and give it a little pizzazz by adding some additional fruit infused flavor.

QUICK AND EASY WATERMELON LEMONADE

To make this easier I use a pre-made pink lemonade.  Trader Joe's a wonderful one, but any brand will do.  Just make sure it's one you like.  Next we need to make the fruit puree.  This is where the watermelon comes in.  All you need is a blender to puree the watermelon and a fine mesh strainer to remove any solids so you are left with a nice pure watermelon juice.  Now that you have that, the rest is simple.  The concoction is about a 2/3 lemonade to 1/3 watermelon juice ratio.  Served over ice you will have a frosty piece of heaven in a drink.  One that screams summer!!!

Perfect for the 4th of July or any summer day, this watermelon lemonade will keep you cool on even the hottest of summer days.

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Watermelon Lemonade


serves 8

8 cups of jarred Pink Lemonade (any brand)
3 cups cubed watermelon
1 tbls sugar (optional for sweetness)

Pour ready made lemonade into a bottle or pitcher. In a blender puree the watermelon. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding the solids.  Pour watermelon puree into the pitcher with the lemonade. Stir to combine.  Fill glasses with ice and lemonade.  Enjoy.   

Steak and Potato Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce

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Isn't food on a stick more fun to eat?  Well if you put any kind of meat and vegetable on a skewer we call them kabobs!

Since is grilling season I think it's time to get out there and grill some delicious kabobs!  We love don't eat too much beef at our house although I totally love it.  So when we have it I want a great tasting steak.  So why not take my love for meat and potatoes and turn them into kabobs.

These kabobs scream summer and call for dining alfresco.  Tender pieces of lean sirloin are cut into chunks and threaded on skewers.  Wonderful meaty chunks of beef that pack a lot of flavor and come out juicy and tender.  The potatoes are grilled right along side the beef and turn out tender and flavorful from grilling.  

The kicker to the whole dish is a variation on a chimichurri sauce.  This is a uncooked green sauce from Argentina.  Typically made with parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil this version bumps it up a notch with the addition of mint and sumac.   Sumac is found in many Middle Eastern dishes and have a wonderfully tangy lemon flavor.  If you don't have sumac or can't find it you can substitute lemon zest in the sauce and have similar results.  What ever you do don't skip this sauce!!  The flavor is out of this world!!!!  You can make it easily in a food processor and it takes only minutes to pull together.

Tender steak and potato kabobs doused with a refreshing chimichurri sauce is just what the doctor ordered for summertime grilling!  Perfect for a party or the upcoming 4th of July holiday.  

Get outside and grill! This dinner will be on the table in under 30 minutes and is so easy to through together you'll wonder why you haven't made this before.








Steak and Potato Kabobs with Chimichurri Sauce

serves 4

FOR THE CHIMICHURRI, PURÉE: 

2 cups fresh mint leaves 
1 cup fresh parsley leaves 
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
2 cloves garlic 
2 Tbsp. each red wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice 
1 ½ tsp. ground sumac 
1 shallot 
1 tsp. red pepper flakes 
Salt and black pepper to taste

FOR THE KABOBS: 

6 yellow new potatoes, halved, and sliced into 1/2" disks
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided 
1 ¼ lb. top sirloin, cut into 2-inch chunks

Preheat grill for two-zone grilling, heating one side to medium and the other to medium-high. Brush grill grate with oil.

For the chimichurri, purée mint, parsley, 1 ⁄2 cup oil, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, sumac, shallot, and pepper flakes in a food processor; season with salt and black pepper. 

For the kebabs, toss potatoes with 2 Tbsp. oil; thread potato slices onto each of four skewers so potatoes lay flat. Toss beef with 2 Tbsp. oil. 

Evenly divide and thread beef onto each of four skewers. Season kebabs with salt and black pepper. 

Grill potatoes over medium heat, covered, until brown and soft, about 7 minutes per side. Add beef kebabs to grill; cook over medium-high heat, covered, to desired doneness (about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare). 

Let kebabs rest 5 minutes. While resting, brush kabobs chimichurri sauce. Serve remaining chimichurri on the side.


source:  Cuisine at home

Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler (Family Sized)

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We are hosting a huge summer bash in a couple of weeks for a bunch of friends and I've been researching and testing recipes.  The key is that they must feed a crowd but be simple to make.

Today is all about dessert!  I've been digging through our old family recipes again and came up with my version of a classic.  If you want a super easy and quick dessert to make look no further than this Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler.  I made this particular one family sized in an 8x8 pan for testing purposes, but just double the ingredients and place in a 9x13 pan for one that will feed a crowd.

There's nothing better than this southern dessert during the summer, especially when peaches are in season!  Oh! fresh peaches are the BEST!  We just picked up some delicious peaches that promised to be a 12 on the flavor scale (0-15, 15 being sweetest) and they sure were.  Juicy and sweet.  So make sure to use fresh ones if you can find good ones.  If not then frozen will work perfectly.

This is a cobbler that is cakey, instead of a biscuit topping or a pie crust.  You make a batter and pour it in the pan, then add the peaches on top.  The peaches sink down and the cake rises around the peaches to create a cake like cobbler. Yum!  I also added some cinnamon to the peaches to give it a little homey flavor which I adore.  Leave it out if you prefer just plain peaches.  This is excellent in taste, and couldn't be 

Bring a little South to your menu and enjoy this Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler (Family Sized) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  It can't be beat!

Enjoy!




Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler (Family Sized)

serves 6

1/4 cup butter

1 1lb. fresh or frozen peaches peeled and sliced

1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Add butter to a 8x8 baking dish and place into the oven as it preheats to 375º F to melt.

To a small bowl add peaches and 1/4 sugar.  Stir to combine.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl add remaining sugar, self-rising flour,  milk, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.  Remove pan from oven and pour batter on top of the melted butter.  Top with the peaches and their juices.  Do not stir.

Bake until the cobbler is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Cast Iron Summer Berry Cobbler

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I grew up with Mom making pies all the time.  She made so many cream pies and because my Dad loved them, and occasional blueberry pie.  Pies along with her favorite apple crisp were staples around our house.  

Cobbler not so much.  However, as we grew older I began to quiz her about cobblers.  She had mentioned that my grandmother made them often, and that she always used a cast iron skillet.  So in honor of my grandmother I decided to try my hand at a Cast Iron Summer Berry Cobbler.  

Other cobblers/crumbles I've made are this Pumpkin Cobbler (Heaven!) and this Blackberry Crumble (similar to a cobbler) and I just love desserts of this sort.  

CAST IRON SUMMER BERRY COBBLER

I chose to make servings two small 6" cast iron skillets that serve 1-2 people.  The recipe makes enough for 2 skillets.  I think individual servings like this are cute and perfect for sharing.  I used these skillets.  Of course, if you want, you can make this in one large 10" skillet.

Cast Iron Berry Cobbler is made with 3 different summer berries.  Plump raspberries and blueberries as well as the sweet tart blackberry.  This combination is a winner and when baked they come out juicy and sweet.  Topped with a sweet biscuit-like topping this dish is the perfect dessert during the summer.

Thanks to my grandmother for the inspiration.  The cobbler tasted divine.  A little scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the hot, bubbly cobbler just made the perfect ending to the day!

Hey, Labor Day is around the corner and this would be perfect!!!  Of course, any time is the right time to make cobbler.  Try this soon before the abundance of summer berries goes away until next year!!!

Enjoy!

Cast Iron Berry Cobbler

serves 2-4

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt, 

1/4 cup sugar plus 2 Tablespoons, divided

2 cups fresh summer berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries mixed

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup milk

Preheat an oven to 400°F. Grease 2 6-inch cast iron skillets with cooking spray.    

In a large bowl combine sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and cornstarch.   Add berries and toss to evenly coat. Stir in vanilla extract and lemon juice. Pour mixture into the 2 skillets.

In a medium bowl, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, flour, baking powder and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut the remaining 3 tablespoons butter into the flour until pea-size lumps form. Stir in the milk to form a soft dough. Drop dough over the berry filling like drop biscuits.

Transfer the skillets to a baking sheet and place in the oven and bake 10 minutes, then cover with foil so the biscuit topping does not burn and continue to bake another 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.  

Labor Day Bash: Butter Burgers

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It's time to celebrate the American Labor movement and all the workers that have strengthened our country!  Labor Day Weekend is the time to have a great big bash with lots of food and fun.

It also is the unofficial end of summer, but we won't dwell on that.  I'm still dreaming of summer and all the fresh bounty that is produces such as this Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade and this Farmers Market Bounty Summer Vegetable Soup with Chicken.

So let's talk about a main dish for your bash.  Let's talk about BUTTER BURGERS.  Yes, I said "BUTTER" burgers!  You've never tried one?  Well let me tell you that if you want a juicy, moist burger you have to try a butter burger.  It makes sense really...if you want juicy, and not dry meat, you add a fat.  In this case, butter!  I have to give credit for the idea to Paula Deen as she was the first person I saw doing this.  Now when you google it, you'll notice there are more and more versions of the butter burger out there.

BUTTER BURGERS

Today we are making both beef and turkey burgers with the secret ingredient being "butter".  MGG loves turkey burgers and I gravitate toward beef so why not make both at your next gathering.

They are simple to assemble by seasoning your meat, forming a patty and then placing a tablespoon pat of butter in the middle of the patty and surround it with the meat, so it's hidden.  That's my technique and it works wonderfully.  The butter warms and melts as the burgers cook, then it distributes throughout the patty and when you bite in to it....OH!  Boy is that a moist, juicy burger!

Top the with lettuce, tomato, and some good mustard, and don't forget the pickle and fries on the side!  The perfect meal to celebrate the holiday.  All American burgers made better with butter!

So try something new and indulge in a moist and juicy Butter Burger this Labor Day Weekend!

Enjoy!





Butter Burgers 

serves 6

1 lb 10% ground sirloin
1 lb 7% ground turkey (white and dark meats)
4 tsp burger seasoning (I use this or this)
6 Tbls of unsalted butter, divided into 6 tablespoon portions
6 hamburger buns
For serving:  lettuce, tomato, mustard

Preheat the grill to medium.  Grease the grill grate by brushing it with oil.
In separate bowls add the beef and turkey meat.  Add 2 tsp. of burger seasoning to each meat and lightly rake through the meat to distribute.  Form each meat into 3 patties about 1-inch thick. Place a tablespoon in the center of each patty and mold the meat around it so it is hidden in the center.  Place on a baking wax paper covered tray.

Place the burgers on the grill, cover and cook, turning once, until the burgers reach the temperature you like.  (About 10-12 minutes for medium, more for well done)  Toward the end of the cooking place the split buns on the grill to toast.  Remove from the grill to a platter for serving.
Assemble the burgers on the buns and top with lettuce, tomato, and mustard.  

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Fresh Ribbon Salad with Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette

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So maybe you know what you are cooking for you main dish this coming 4th of July but aren't sure about all the side dishes.

Everyone loves a good green salad right?  We eat a lot of them (MGG being a rabbit and all...) so let's amp up the everyday salad a bit.  Let's create an IRRESISTIBLY FRESH summer salad.  When I think "fresh" I think of lots of raw in-season vegetables.  But I want the presentation to be special, a little over the top, something that draws the eye.  That's when I broke out the Spiralizer!

Using a Spiralizer to cut your vegetables into ribbons give them the panache I'm looking for to take this salad to the next level.  What's prettier than a bunch of curly fresh vegetables?  So we are going to create a Fresh Ribbon Salad with Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette.  I used this Spiralizer by Paderno which I just love.  But don't fret if you don't have one.  You can create long ribbons using a potato peeler (which will create long thin strips) or a mandolin (which allows you to control the thickness).  I think that by hand a mandolin might be best if you have one.  Using the Spiralizer I chose the blade that give you medium curls or ribbons.  The thickness and the texture is just perfect for fresh vegetables.

Now for the veggie choice.  Right now is the perfect time for zucchini, carrots, and cucumbers, so we'll use those.  Once you cut your veggies into ribbons you can mix them with some packaged salad greens.  I chose a French mix which had butter lettuce and radicchio mixed for body.

Once that is all done you only need a FABULOUS salad dressing.  You want the FRESH ribbon cut vegetables to be the star so a tangy but light dressing is in order.  One that you can whip up quickly and just drizzle dollops over it.  That dressing just happens to be Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette.

Fresh squeezed lemons join jarred pesto sauce along with some really tasty olive oil to form a unique vinaigrette that is well balanced, yet carries just a bit of bite.

This is the perfect topping!
Seriously...it's light and refreshing, and has that POW! that makes you reach for more.

So when you are thinking of side dishes for your 4th of July bash....or any summer meal to come, make sure to make this eye-catching Fresh Ribbon Salad with Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette.  People will think you are Martha Stewart!

Enjoy!





Fresh Ribbon Salad with Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette

serves 4

Salad: 1 zucchini, washed
2 medium carrots, washed and peeled
1 English cucumber, washed with skin left on
1/2 7 oz. package of salad greens (such as Ready Pac Bistro Lafayette)

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons jarred pesto
salt & pepper

Using a Spiralizer, cut your vegetables into ribbons.  Set aside.  On a large bowl or platter place the packages salad green, then top with ribbon vegetables.  

In a small bowl or mason jar add dressing ingredients and shake or whisk well to combine.  Drizzle over the salad.  Serve.