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Showing posts from July, 2026

Summer Peach and Blueberry Crisp

Summer is peach time, and I do love a nice hot bubbly crisp. Here I combine delicious summer ripened peaches with blueberries and a crispy granola-walnut topping. As I sliced the peaches, their aroma wafted all around me. That's the thing about summer ripened peaches - they have such a great bouquet. The only thing that could make this any better would be ice cream! Filling 4 large ripe peaches, pitted and sliced 1 pint blueberries 4 Tbsp butter, melted Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 Tbsp cornstarch Crisp Topping 6 Tbsp butter, room temperature, not melted 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup favorite granola 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped 1/2 cup brown sugar Preheat oven to 375F.   Mix together the filling ingredients and let the fruit macerate while you prepare the topping. Use a fork to mix together the topping ingredients in a bowl.   Butter a 9x13-inch dish. Pour in the fruit mixture and distribute evenly. Distribute the topping evenly over the frui...

Grilled Swordfish, Green Chile Cream

This is one of the most satisfying ways to prepare grilled swordfish. A soft bed of sautéed spinach for a nicely grilled piece of swordfish garnished with a creamy tangy sauce bolstered by mild green chilies, all enhanced by sautéed cherry tomatoes, make for a fine summer BBQ offering. 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves 2 Tbsp butter plus 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 shallot, finely minced 4 cloves garlic, minced About 6-8 oz cherry (or grape) tomatoes (I used cherry on the vine) 1/2 cup heavy cream Palmful fresh parsley, minced 1 4 oz can diced green chilies, drained 1/4 cup dry white wine Zest of 1 lemon Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 lb fresh swordfish fillet (ideally at least 1-inch thick) Preheat the BBQ grill. Season the swordfish on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Generously, pour olive oil over fish and flip fish several times. Wilt the spinach in a large skillet with a dash of olive oil. Set wilted leaves aside. In same skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil. Sauté the shallot for about ...

A Summer Angel Hair Number

This dish is literally summer in a pot! Angel hair pasta adorned with fresh tomatoes, caramelized onions, pancetta (or bacon) in a light wine sauce garnished with fresh basil julienne. It doesn't get much more summer than that. 1 onion, sliced 1/4 lb bacon or pancetta, cubed 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp capers, rinsed and drained 1 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), chopped 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 lb angel hair pasta 1 doz fresh basil leaves, cut into julienned strips Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, brown the bacon (or pancetta) with the onions.  Cook over medium heat until the bacon is browned and the onions are slightly caramelized. Add the garlic, capers and sun-dried tomatoes and cook 2-3 minutes more. Tilt the pan to allow bacon fat to separate from bacon/veggie mix. Spoon drained mixture to a bowl. Remove all but 1 tablespoon fat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the...

Honey Lemon Ice Cream

I used this ice cream to make a red, white and blue 250th anniversary 4th of July celebration ice cream pie for a July 4th family gathering. I topped a shortbread base in a springform pan with the ice cream and then topped it with macerated raspberries and blueberries. A dollop of whipped cream adorned the berries. So many people complimented the ice cream. A simple, but big hit. 1½ cups whole milk ¾ cup granulated sugar 2 Tbsp honey ¼ tsp fine salt Zest of 1 lemon 2 cups heavy cream 2 tsp vanilla extract 3 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon) The day before churning the ice cream, freeze the ice cream maker churning bowl for at least 12 hours. Warm the milk with the sugar, honey, salt and lemon zest in a small pot to about 125F, stirring often. Remove from heat and let the zest steep for half an hour. Pour milk mixture into a bowl and whisk in the cream and vanilla. Refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 2-3 hours. Install the turning bowl onto the ice cream maker. Stir the lemon juice...