I have no excuse for this pie. Absolutely none. I could maybe defend it by pointing out the use of fresh fruit, but I’m aware that this is just not something I should be showing you in the dead of summer, also known as Bathing Suit Season.  Maybe I can place the blame elsewhere…specifically, to Saluda Grade Café, the restaurant that I worked at in high school, and the place that gave me the inspiration for this recipe.

The funny thing is, this was not a popular dessert there. It only  showed up for maybe 2 months out of the year, and when it did those pies would sit and sell so slowly that eventually I would take some home to keep it from going to waste. Not that I ever once complained about this. Except when I had to put on a bathing suit. Damn those pies.

I’m convinced that the reason these pies weren’t big sellers is because instead of having our desserts in a display case, customers made their decisions based on a list that we wrote on a chalkboard at the back of the restaurant. Even I will admit that it’s hard to choose “Blueberry Cream Pie” when it’s written next to “Double Chocolate Fudge Cake.”

However, I think that if everyone had realized that “blueberries” meant fresh-picked North Carolina mountain blueberries delivered that morning, and that by “cream” we were talking about the equivalent of melted cheesecake, they may have changed their minds. This pie that I only got to eat twice a year was the absolute highlight of my summers. And totally worth forgoing a bathing suit for.

Blueberry Cream Pie

Print this recipe!

This is a recipe that I came up with on my own, but it tastes exactly like the one at Saluda Grade.

1 baked pie shell
½ cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh blueberries

In a bowl, beat the whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of sugar until stiff peaks form.

In a larger bowl beat together the rest of the sugar, cream cheese and vanilla extract. Once everything is well combined and the cream cheese is smooth and creamy, slowly fold in the whipping cream. Once everything is combined gently fold in the blueberries.

Pour the filling into a prepared pie shell and chill for at least and hour to allow the pie to set up. Now try to stop yourself from eating the whole thing at once.

Raise your hand if you have a coffee addiction!

Whoa! A heck load of you raised your hand. You know what, I used to be ashamed of my coffee habit, vowing every few months to go on some cleanse to nix it, but I’ve read the reviews and coffee is healthy for me (antioxidants, people).

There are actually nights where I go to bed looking forward to the next morning’s cup of coffee.  I’ve finally come to terms with my addiction and am no longer ashamed. In fact, I recently told myself that I was going to find new ways to implement it in food I love. First way? Mocha Popsicles! Shut up…yes, they’re so amazing. So amazing that on my way into work, I dripped one all over that oxford blue shirt you see in the picture.  (By the way, this is a very common occurence with me.) Thank heavens I use my trunk as a 2nd closet. I’m proud to say that I actually had ample choices to change into! Woo hoo!

Let’s talk popsicles…

They have super strong coffee in them. They have chocolate.  And sweetened condensed milk. Basically, these Mocha Popsicles have every awesome thing ever created.  Except cheese. But that’d just be weird.

Have you ever had Vietnamese Iced Coffee? It’s heavenly. Seriously.  This is basically a Vietnamese Iced Mocha…just frozen solid.

You could make these blindfolded–they’re that easy.  All you have to do is mix super strong brewed coffee (or espresso), sweetened condensed milk, a bit of Dutch processed cocoa powder and mix. I recommend that you do a little taste test and adjust accordingly.  If you want it more chocolately…add more chocolate; want more sweetness…add more condensed milk.  Cooking is fun!

And popsicle molds…umm…why are they made so cheaply? The dang piece of plastic snapped off and broke. Next time I’m thinking I’ll skip the tops and just use plain ol’ popsicle sticks. I’m also taking any recommendations on good popsicle molds…anyone?

Mocha Popsicles

Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz

Print this recipe!

Makes 8 popsicles, depending on the size of your molds.

I made super strong coffee using my French press. I put 6 scoops of coffee with 3 cups of hot water and let it sit for 5 minutes.  It came out super strong and perfect.  Also, if you don’t have sweetened condensed milk, David says you could substitute using half & half or milk. I would just add a little at a time to taste.

2 cups (500ml) extra-strong coffee or espresso

2/3 cup (160ml) sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 tablespoon of unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder

Mix the coffee with the sweetened condensed milk. Add the tablespoon of cocoa powder. Taste, and add a bit more milk or chocolate powder, if desired. (A spoonful or two is fine, but any more and the popsicles won’t freeze as hard.)

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until sold. Mine took about 8 hrs.  To loosen the popsicle out of its mold, hold under warm water until it slides out. Voila! Awesome Mocha Popsicles.

I’m realizing that a lot of my daily life is a simple series of action and reaction. For instance,  I recently read, well, more like devoured, the book “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and after reading something that good there are two logical actions that must be taken: 1) watch the movie on Netflix, 2) order the follow-up book immediately on Amazon.

Another instance is when Lindsay Lohan went to jail, and I the immediate action of people unhealthily obsessed with celebrities everyone was to look up her mug shot.  I would like to tell you that I don’t often follow celebrity gossip news, but my grandmother would disapprove of me to lying to this many people at once.

And now, whenever I make risotto, the immediate reaction the next day will be to make risotto cakes. Although some brilliant bloggers claim that everyone has already heard of the trick of turning leftover risotto into little cakes, I am only just now catching on to this trend. I’m a little behind the times, remember?

I’ve always been hesitant to cook risotto specifically for the reason that leftovers are a waste. Micro-waved day-old risotto is certainly something I’ve ever craved. These little cakes, however, are exactly what I needed in my recipe arsenal. They add in a whole new texture with the crispy fried bread crumbs on the outside, and seal in the melty goodness within that is almost, if not just, as good as the original dish.

Roasted Red Pepper Risotto Cakes

These cakes can be made with any leftover risotto, but I just loved the flavor and color that the red peppers added.

Print this recipe!

1 medium onion, minced or finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 whole roasted red peppers
½ cup white wine
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
5-6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup dried bread crumbs

For the risotto:
Combine the water and vegetable broth in a pot and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion for 2 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add in the garlic and peppers and sauté another two minutes. Add in the rice and stir for another two minutes, just until the rice begins to brown.

Pour in the white wine and stir until all of the liquid has evaporated. One ladle at a time, at the simmering broth to the rice and stir gently to develop the starches. Wait until all of the liquid has evaporated before adding the next ladle of broth. Once most of the broth has been added in, taste the rice occasionally until it becomes tender. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.

For the cakes:
Eat however much of the risotto you want now, and then refrigerate the rest, at least for an hour.

Form the chilled risotto into small balls, and cover both sides with the bread crumbs. Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet and heat on high. Cook the cakes in the oil, 2-3 minutes on each side or until the bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve over mixed greens, or as a side item.

Have you ever noticed that people are straight crazy about how they make their cornbread.  Here are a few proper cornbread do’s and don’ts that I’ve heard over the years:

Do’s: Baking cornbread requires a cast iron skillet. Grease the hot skillet with bacon grease before adding batter.

Don’ts: Never add honey…or sugar…or splenda. Never sweetener. You don’t need to add kernels of corn, just cornmeal. Don’t add frilly stuff…like fruit, particularly pretty blueberries.

People get stressed out about their cornbread. I understand. Trust me. I do. Tradition is a tough thing to break.  And this cornbread breaks every cornbread rule in the book.  It has a 1/4 cup of sugar . Not a ton, but it’s definitely there. I added fresh blueberries, which is so, SO wrong! And I used butter instead of the traditional bacon fat to grease the skillet. But I’m okay with being wrong sometimes; especially when doing so results in a delicious, moist, slightly sweet, cake-like cornbread that is perfect for pairing with dinner or a cup of coffee.

Blueberry Cornbread

Recipe by Sunset Mag

Print this recipe!

Yield: Makes 9 servings

2  large eggs

1  cup  buttermilk

1/4  cup  (1/8 lb.) butter, melted

2/3  cup  all-purpose flour

1 1/3  cup  yellow cornmeal

1/4  cup  sugar

1 1/2  teaspoons  baking powder

1/2  teaspoon  salt

1  cup  fresh blueberries, rinsed

In a bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk, and butter to blend. In another bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Stir flour mixture into egg mixture just until evenly moistened. Gently stir in berries. Grab your 10″ cast iron skillet and heat over medium heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, coating the pan with it.  Note: If you don’t have a cast iron skillet you could also use an 8 inch square pan.

Bake in a 375° oven until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then cut into 9 squares.

I am a huge fan of Looney Tunes. Note: I’m not saying that I was a huge fan as a child, I’m still maintaining my super-fan status now as an adult. I even bought tickets to see Bugs Bunny at the Hollywood Bowl, which means I spent 2 hours watching cartoons on big screens while the LA Philharmonic played the music live. I was happier than a five year old on Christmas morning.

I’m sure that my mom was at least a little happy about my love of Looney Tunes, not because she wanted me watching TV, which she normally didn’t, but because those clever cartoonists were smart enough to have the loveable Bugs always munching on carrots. Which meant that I, in an effort to be just like Bugs, also wanted to always be munching on carrots. I can even remember my mother once telling me to stop eating carrots or I would spoil my dinner.

Think about that – while other mothers were trying to keep their kids out of the cookie jar, mine was fighting me off from the vegetable bin in our refrigerator.

I’ve never quite reclaimed the same devoted love of  raw carrots that I had as a 2nd grader, but I definitely can sense some of the same feelings toward this pudding. This traditional Indian dessert is sweet and creamy, and definitely something I wouldn’t mind spoiling my dinner for. I think Bugs would approve.

Gajar Halwa, AKA Carrot Pudding

Adapted from Bon Vivant

Print this recipe!

I was drawn to this blogger’s recipe for two reasons: one, she used butter instead of ghee, which I didn’t have in my kitchen. Two, the idea of a sweet pudding with saffron sounded heavenly, which it most certainly was. The original author recommended serving with vanilla ice cream, but I ate it plain and was just fine.

1 2/3 cups grated carrots
2 cups milk
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon saffron threads

A handful of chopped nuts of your choice, I used pistachios but almonds, pecans or cashews would also work.

Heat the milk and water in a heavy-bottomed pot, stirring occasionally. When bubbles start to form on the surface, stir in the carrots and cardamom. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Stir every few minutes until the milk evaporates, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Add in the sugar, butter and saffron and turn the heat back up to high. Stirring constantly, allow the mixture to boil until the liquid evaporates and you have a soft mush.

Scoop into individual bowls, sprinkle with nuts and enjoy.

Scones! Milky tea! Big hats! Fanciness! Pinkies in the air!

These are all of the things I think of when I hear ‘Tea Party’. So when my friend Johnna was gifted a tea set that’s been in her families for generations, we thought we might break it in with a little tea and our lady friends. Heck yes, tea party!

Wanna get your tea party on? Ooooof course you do. Here’s are a few suggestions for tea party success:

Grab one of your bestest friends in the whole wide world, ’cause you’ll need company when making the grocery list, the shopping, the cooking and cleaning.

{Image via The Cherry Blossom Girl}

Make a cute invite. Girls like cuteness. Trust me.

If you’re gonna have a boy at the tea party, make sure he’s dressed to the nines.

Invite friends. Lots and lots of friends.

Make lots of food. The girls I hang with eat a lot. That’s a good thing.

Make some scones…aaaaand if you just so happen to run out of eggs, improv and make some mini yogurt berry scones. Then pair them with a chamomile infused devonshire cream. Heck yes!

Umm…and if you mess up a cupcake recipe that you’ve made a million times, then grab a bag of chocolate chips, melt them and dip some strawberries in the chocolate. Then top with black lava sea salt. Instant fanciness!

Put Earl Grey tea in shortbread cookies. It’s super lovely.

Cut the crusts off some Wonder Bread (like your mom did) and make Heirloom Tomato Sandwiches. And since people have issues with mayonnaise, swap it out for a feta spread. Dainty awesomeness.

Bake cauliflower in a cheesy sauce to make Cauliflower Gratin. Yum.

Maybe buy a few things from your local bakery, like this Kurtosh. It’ll insure that you have more time to pick out your hat. Don’t worry, I won’t judge you.

Set out board games like Scrabble. I seriously can’t think of a better union than a cup of milky tea and a game of Scrabble.

Drink more tea.

And then when everyone leaves and you start washing dishes, turn your back for a few moments, because you’ll most likely be met with a mischevious puppy that climbed on the coffee table to score some soy cream.  Holy cuteness!

By the way, if you punch your computer screen because this cuteness is too much to handle, I’ll understand. Louie’s cuteness should be friggin’ illegal. I mean….really?!

And then when everything is cleaned up, take a victory picture and walk down to the 7-11 for a Coca-Cola slurpee.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

Recipe by Martha Stewart

Print this recipe!

Makes 8 dozen (Umm…I’m not sure what I did but this recipe yielded me two dozen.)

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves, (from about 8 bags–I cut up my tea to make sure it was super ground)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 (8 ounce) sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

Whisk together flour, tea, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

Put butter, sugar, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; slowly mix in flour mixture until just combined.

Divide dough in half. Transfer each half to a piece of parchment paper; shape into logs. Roll in parchment to 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log and force out air. Transfer in parchment to paper-towel tubes; freeze 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Space 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until edges turn golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Heirloom Tomato Sandwiches

Makes 12 finger sandwiches

Print this recipe!

1 loaf of Wonder Bread (or bread of choice)

4-5 (depending on size) heirloom tomatoes

For Feta Spread:

1 4 oz block of feta, cubed

1 large dollop of sour cream

1/4 cup of milk

Slice tomatoes in 1/4 inch slices.  Lay out a few paper towels and place the tomato slices on them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.  Note: In order for the sandwiches to refrain from getting soggy, you want to soak up some of the tomatoes moisture.

In a food processor or blender, put 3/4 of the feta, sour cream and milk and blend until combined. You want it to be the consistency of hummus. If it’s too thick, add a bit more milk, if you it’s too thin then add more feta.

Cut the crusts off of the bread slices and assemble sandwiches by putting spread on both sides of the bread and topping with a few tomato slices. Yum-city!

I don’t know who decided that cucumbers were especially cool vegetables, but I suspect he/she may have coined the phrase “cool as a cucumber” after drinking some cucumber juice. This stuff is by far the best way to eat a cucumber. Granted, it takes a little more effort than just dunking slices in salad dressing, but the extra work most definitely pays off.  And over ice, this drink finally gives meaning to the expression “cool as a cucumber.”

While we’re finding meaning in expressions, can I discuss a few others with you?

Dollars to Donuts – I heard this for the first time about a week ago, and I am already looking for every opportunity available to work it into conversation. Is it bad that I might actually be happier winning donuts instead of dollars? I wonder in that case if I can still use the phrase…

The Bees Knees – this makes no sense. Absolutely none whatsoever. I don’t even know if bees have knees, or if they do, what could possibly be so great about them. I can tell you right now that if I had wings and could make honey on a whim, I wouldn’t be pointing out my knees as my best feature.

The Cat’s Pajamas – If I ever own a cat again I’m buying it the coolest pajamas you’ve ever seen. And taking at least a million photos.

Brownie Points – I think of s’mores, knot tying and campfire songs when I hear this saying. Does anyone else remember being in the Brownies in Girl Scouts? Anyone?

And from now on, when I hear “cool as a cucumber” I will think of sipping this awesomely green juice. Give it a try, cause seriously, this stuff is the bee’s knees.

Cucumber Juice

Recipe adapted from Sunny Anderson

Print this recipe!

The only complaint I had about this juice is that it was a little sweet for my taste, so I cut way back on the sugar. Chase also had a great idea – make this without the sugar and freeze into ice cubes. Pour water over the frozen juice and you have some instant cucumber water.

2 English cucumbers
½ cup sugar
2 cups water

Peel the cucumbers, saving the peel. Chop the cucumbers into small pieces. In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and the water to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the chopped cucumber flesh and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the peels. Blend everything together until smooth, using either an immersion blender or regular blender.

Line a bowl with a cheesecloth. Pour the mixture into the bowl and gather the cheesecloth in one hand to squeeze out all the excess juice. Chill the juice until cool, about 1 hour, and then serve over ice.

A few things I will gladly admit I’m not good at:

Cutting my own bangs. It’s true. I tried it a few days ago because I was too lazy to drive 5 minutes to my hairdresser for a trim….aaaand now I’m grateful bobbi pins were invented. Not good at cutting bangs/fringe. Check.

I’m not good at moving furniture, lifting heavy boxes, using a drill, etc.  Last week I tried to hang curtains and broke out in a sweat which lead to lots of cursing. I’m convinced that this is why boys were invented.

Lastly (because I’m just about perfect at everything else), grilling stuff. There are so many variables with a charcoal grill. Where is the hottest part of the grill?  When are the coals hot enough? Why is there so much stupid smoke? Dangit, there isn’t a thermometer on the cover…blah blah blah. So basically what I’m saying is that this Grilled Breakfast Pizza stressed me out. But I did it. And it was totally worth it. And since I lived to tell about it, I can tell you exactly what you’re not supposed to do and everything you should do so you end up with an amazing pizza. Ready? Annnnd let’s begin….

Alright grilling pizza goes super fast, so you wanna get all your toppings prepped and ready to go.  The trick with grilling pizza is you want to put the toppings on when the dough is on the grill.

So you’re gonna start with getting your grill nice and hot. If you’re using a smallish grill, make sure to put all the coals to one side of the grill so you have an area that isn’t super hot. You’ll need this later.

Then you’re gonna put your dough on the hottest part of the grill.  Now watch it carefully. Check it about every 30 seconds, making sure it doesn’t burn. You want the grill marks, but you don’t want it charred.

You’re going to then flip it and move it to the a place on the grill that doesn’t have a direct flame. Then you’re going to crack the eggs onto the dough. When I cracked the eggs on the pizza they wouldn’t stay put, and almost slide off the dough into the grill. I was one egg dropping away from a grilling meltdown. But they didn’t and they stayed. So if this happens to you, don’t fret–it’ll allll work out.

Place the grill’s lid on for 2-3 minutes.  When the eggs look like they’re just about set, add the cheese, bacon and salt and pepper. Cover for another 1-2 minutes or just until cheese is melted. Move promptly from the grill and then sprinkle with the parsley, chives and scallions. Voila. You just made an awesome Grilled Breakfast Pizza. This means you’re a genius. The end.

Grilled Breakfast Pizza

Print this recipe!

Recipe adapted from The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook

Makes 1 pizza

Now, I know the title of this recipe has the word “breakfast” in it, but please, don’t let that stop you from making this for lunch and/or dinner.  This pizza is really an anytime meal. Also, you may think I’m a gigantic genius, but I actually learned how to grill pizza from this post over at The Kitchn.  Hop on over for step-by-step pictures.  I followed the instructions loosely, catering it to this recipe since it dealt with needing to cook the eggs longer.

3 bacon strips

12 ounce pizza dough (This is my go-to recipe)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 cups grated mozzarella (low moisture* this is important!)

3 eggs

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepoer

1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon minced chives

1 whole scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 shallot, minced (I didn’t have a shallot on hand so I skipped it)

Generously dust the surface of your kitchen counter with flour and roll pizza dough to a 1/4 inch thickness.  Drizzle both sides of dough with olive oil and set aside on a plate. Gather all the toppings and dough and move outside next to the grill.

Once your grill is nice and hot, place the pizza dough on the hottest part of the grill, making sure to check it every 30 seconds or so to ensure proper cooking. Once grill marks appear, flip it and move the dough to a place on the grill that does not have direct heat. Crack the three eggs onto the dough and cover for 2-3 minutes.  Once the eggs are just about set, sprinkle the cheese, bacon and salt and pepper. Cover for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Move promptly to a plate and sprinkle with parsley, chives and parsley.

*If you’re not in the mood to spark up the grill, then here’s the way to cook it in the oven. My advice is to get yourself a “pizza stone” from Loews or Home Depot. Simply pre-heat your oven to 450˙F, roll out the dough, crack the eggs on top, sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, then add the pieces of bacon and salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes, checking on it after 5 minutes and rotating it if necessary. When the crust is golden, the cheese is melted and the eggs yolks are cooked to medium, remove from the oven.

There are a lot of remakes going on in Hollywood right now. Every week there’s a movie coming out either based on a book, or a remake of a classic older film, which isn’t exactly my favorite thing. I am definitely the girl that will read a book, go to see the movie, and spend the entire time making a mental list of everything that they changed. When I saw the movie version of “The Phantom of the Opera” I could even tell you when they had changed individual words in the songs. Yes, it bothers me. If something is good, just leave it alone. I see no reason why some snotty director or writer needs to come along and “make their mark” on a classic. Basically, I’m a big fan of the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Therefore it surprised even me when I decided to change up what is considered a Southern classic – peach cobbler. If you live in the South and manage to go an entire summer without eating a gallon of this, then you obviously live in some sad, dark cave and you have my sympathy.

However, this weekend as I started slicing the peaches to make a cobbler for the 4th of July, I had an itching to try something a little different. I knew it was risky, I mean, how do you improve on peaches and sugar baked in a pie crust? You wouldn’t immediately think that things could get much better. However, I found that if you add a little oatmeal to the crust, and a little almond liquer to the peaches, cobbler can actually achieve new heights in perfection. I guess sometimes a remake can be better than the original.

Peach – Almond Cobbler

Print this recipe!

This crust recipe was tweaked from one that Joy the Baker recently posted since I thought buttermilk & crust was too heavenly a combination to pass up. I forgot to add butter to the filling and it turned out fine, but feel free to add a couple of tablespoons on top of the filling just before covering with the crust. It’ll add a nice creamy texture.

Crust:
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
¾ cup rolled oats
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup cold buttermilk

Filling:
5 cups peeled & sliced peaches** (about 7 large peaches)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons amaretto
2 tablespoons corn starch
½ teaspoon cinnamon

To make the crust:

In a food processor, grind up the rolled oats until they are the consistency of flour. In a large bowl, sift together the oat flour, all purpose flour, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into cubes and blend into the flours using the food processor (you can also work the butter in with your fingers.) Once the flour-butter mixture begins to resemble coarse crumbs, place it back in the bowl and make a well in the center of the mixture. Add in the cold buttermilk and mix together with your hands. (yes, this will be sticky)

Roll the dough onto a floured surface and form into a rough disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour. It will last in the refrigerator for 3 days if you decide to make it ahead of time.

To make the cobbler:
**If you aren’t sure how to properly peel & slice peaches, here’s the trick – blanch them first, by placing the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds and then moving them directly to ice water. The peels should now come right off, and they’ll slice more easily. I simply used a paring knife to slice pieces away from the core.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the filling ingredients. Place in your baking dish. Roll out the dough until it is roughly ¼ of an inch thick, and then place it over top of the baking dish. Trim away the edges, and then flute the crust along the top with your fingers. Be sure that the crust hangs a little over the edge and that you press it firmly to the baking dish, otherwise the filling may bubble over and drip into your oven – you can tell I experienced this a bit with mine.

Beat an egg and brush the top of the crust with the egg wash. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream – mmm-mmm!

If you’re looking for a party in your mouth, look no further. Please meet my new infatuation: grilled fruit.  This recipe is by far the most impressive dessert I’ve had in quite some time, while simultaneously being the easiest and quickest. What really makes this special is the contrast of flavors going on.  First, there’s the hot and cold action due to the ice cream with the just-off-the-grill -fruit.  And then there’s the bite from the balsamic vinegar, the hint of olive oil, and the awesome sweetness from the ice cream, fruit and honey. This is definitely a super special recipe.  So if you’re not in the mood for slaving over the perfect pie crust, then this is an awesome alternative.

{A little olive oil}

{Balsamic vinegar, plus honey and a little salt and pepper}

{Grill on each side for 1-3 minutes, depending on how hot your grill is}

{Place grilled nectarines over softened ice cream.  Pour remaining balsamic mixture…}

{…and then enjoy perfection}

Grilled Nectarines

This recipe comes from my friend, Lauren.  A few things she recommends:  playing with the balsamic vinegar amount to taste. I think the 2 teaspoons is perfect, but if you want it more sweet rather than having the acidic bite, then I’d scale it back to 1 teaspoon.  An other thing she recommends is using white raw honey rather than clover.  I loved the white honey, but if you don’t have it, then just go with clover.

Print this recipe!

Recipe by Lauren Morelli

2 Ripe Nectarines

2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons of olive oil

2 teaspoons of honey (I used white raw honey per Lauren’s request)

1 teaspoons of vanilla extract

vanilla ice cream

Halve and core the nectarines and place in medium bowl. Pour vinegar, oil, honey and vanilla extract over nectarines and let marinate for a few minutes. Make sure to reserve some of the liquid for brushing while the nectarines are on the grill.

Place the fruit cut side down on the grill for 1-3 minutes, then turn the slices up and spoon some of the marinade over. It will pool in the center and caramelize. Grill for an additional 1-3 minutes, until fruit is very soft to the touch.

Place a few scoops of ice cream in a bowl and top with the nectarines and the remaining balsamic mixture. Voila!

In other 4th of July happenings, I have a few recommendations. These Blueberry Crisp Bars are awesome. I think you should make them.

Do you hate mayo in your potato salads? If so, this Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad is made with a mustard mixture. All sorts of amazing.

…and Cherry Couscous Salad. A super pretty salad.

And two awesome recipe for 4th of July that aren’t so American, but totally awesome:

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Sandwiches

and Horchata.  I sometimes dream of bathing in this Horchata. It’s that good.