Candied Lemon Peel ready to be nibbled on

I use lots of lemons. Lemon Bars. Lemon Ice Cream. Lemon cookies. Lemon water. Lemonade Ice Cream Pie with Gingerbread Crust. Lemon Cloud Tart with Salted Caramel Sauce. And, it occurs to me as I juice the lemons that something could be done with all those peels rather than just throwing them in the green waste.

Candied Lemon Peel and Roasted Lemon Peel Powder. I thought I would try these and see if it really is better to use all those peels.

Candied Lemon Peel

Candied Citrus Peel has been around for a long time. And, after making it I would say that it is the original gummy bear. It was fun to make something so old fashioned and homey. The process of making the candy was long and time consuming- not difficult, but it took two days to complete. The candy can be nibbled on its own, dipped in chocolate for a pretty presentation, or added to something else, like scones, cheesecake, ice cream, or gingerbread.

Here’s how I made the Candied Lemon Peel. There are other ways to make candied citrus peel, and some are easier, but I thought I would go with the trusted source of Irma Rombauer. 

The peels of 6 lemons

Lemons ready to be juiced for something tasty

Peel 6 lemons (don’t worry about taking the pith off, that will be done later) and place the peel in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain, and cover with fresh water, and simmer again until tender. Drain. Refresh the peel under cold water. Scrape away any remaining pith using a spoon. Cut the peel into strips.

The peel has been boiled and cut into strips and placed in the sugar water to be boiled again

Combine 1 cup sugar and ¾ cup water in a large saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves, and add the peel and cook gently over low heat until most of the syrup is absorbed. Cover and let stand overnight.

The syrup has been absorbed and the peel is ready to sit overnight

Heat over low heat, and simmer again, then let cool slightly.

Spread several layers of paper towels on a counter and spread 1 cup sugar over the towels. Roll the peel in the sugar until well coated. Transfer the peel to a sheet of waxed paper and let air dry for at least 1 hour. Candied peel can be stored between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 months.

Roasted Lemon Peel Powder

Roasted lemon peel after being ground to a fine powder in the spice grinder

And, for the Roasted Lemon Peel, I can just say that the fragrance is so wonderful and heady that it may just be something that I have to make on a regular basis. The flavor is a bit more mellow than fresh lemon peel, but the powder has a toasty quality that gives it depth. This idea came from the wonderful Zucchini and Chocolate Blog.

I used three lemons, and ended up with about a tablespoon of powder, so it doesn’t make a lot of powder. But, making it didn’t take much time or much work.

Lemon Peeled with a vegetable peeler trying to get only the yellow and leaving the bitter white part behind

Peel the lemon with a vegetable peeler making ribbons with as little pith (the bitter white part of the peel) on them as possible. Leave the peel out to air dry on the counter for a day or two.

The lemon Peel has begun to dry after sitting out for a day

Then, roast the peel in a low oven for about 15 minutes, or until they start to turn golden. (I left mine in the oven while the oven cooled after I had baked something else.)

The peel turns golden brown after being roasted in the oven

Allow the peel to cool, and grind the peel in a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle. Store the powder in an airtight container.

The Roasted Lemon Peel Powder can be added to almost anything that you would add lemon zest to: scones, gelato, granola, cookies, lemon syrup for beverages, my neighbor even thought it would taste lovely over roasted corn.

The fragrance of the roasted lemon peel is fabulous

Bachelor Party

Stone Levitation Ale

The great thing about serving dinner to a bunch of guys is that they’re so happy to be getting food. Doesn’t really matter what the food is, or how it looks, they’re happy. I think guys just like being taken care of.

I cooked for seven guys for my brother-in-law’s bachelor party. It was a great group of guys who just like having fun. Thanks for letting a girl into the mix! Here’s the menu and a few notes about the food.

(BTW, I can’t believe how busy I’ve been and how many ideas I have for posts but haven’t had the time to write.)

Menu:

Stone Levitation Beer
Peanuts Roasted in the shell
Nacho Cheese
Salsa
Chili
Chips
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Cocktail Ribs
Soft Pretzel Bites
Carmel Corn

No, there wasn’t much “good for you “ food at this event. I like to think of this as guy food. And, guys don’t generally like veggies. But, the salsa is veggies, and I snuck that one in there!

The only veggies for the day

I almost didn't get a shot of the cheese, the guys devoured quickly

The nacho cheese is tasty – just a traditional melty gooey nacho cheese so that they could make nachos with the chips, salsa, and chili if they wished to combine any of those.  I think the nacho cheese was gone before I even got back to serve some to myself, and the big bag of chips, well, let’s just say that I really should have purchased two.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

After everyone got some BBQ pork, I went out to check and see how they were doing. I didn’t hear much because they were too busy chomping down. I even saw one guy take four sandwiches. Here’s the simple BBQ pulled Pork procedure that I go by:

BBQ Pulled Pork

pork shoulder (I generally figure ½ to 1 pound per person depending on what else is being served)
BBQ sauce, about 1 bottle per 2 pounds of pork (I like KC Masterpiece)
Water
Canola oil
Small sesame seed buns

Pulled Pork ready to be made into sandwiches

Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat (I did mine on the fifth burner of the grill outside so that I wouldn’t heat up the house). Add enough oil to coat the bottom with a thin layer. Add the pork, allowing to brown. Turn to brown all sides. Once pork has browned, place it in a large crockpot. Add BBQ sauce and enough water to cover the pork. Heat on low heat for about 8 hours. Once the pork is done, it should basically shred itself as you pull it apart with forks.

Serve hot with toasted buns.

Cocktail Ribs ready for the eatin'

yum!

The cocktail ribs are something that my husband always requests. They are sticky and meaty.

Pretzel Bites

As for the pretzel bites, this was my first attempt at making them. I wouldn’t say that they were pretty, but they sure were tasty. I’ll definitely want to work on their appearance, but I’ll make them again. I was going to serve them with mustard for dipping, but no one even asked for mustard- they were devoured too quickly. I did, however, sneak one for myself and try it with the nacho cheese- oh, tasty snack heaven!

The only thing left was the caramel corn, and, well, I never really got around to that. By dessert time, the guys were so full, they didn’t need anything more to eat. If you’re interested in the caramel corn recipe, you’ll have to watch for my cookbook. I’ll be putting that recipe in the “Cupboard Cooking” book that I’m writing. I’m hoping to be done writing it in the next couple of months.

I had a great time cooking and hanging out with those guys. Next up, the rehearsal dinner & then the wedding!!! Yippie!

(with a recipe for Summer Garden Soup)

Summer Garden Soup using the bounty of what's fresh and tasty. This velvety soup has no cream, and is vegan!

Someone asked me the other day where I come up with some of my ideas; where the creativity comes from. This got me to thinking that maybe I should post my response. I have to say that a lot of what I cook has to do with conservation- I don’t want to waste food or money. And, this gives me a chance to exercise my creativity.

Here are some of my core principles for how we eat: conservation, reducing waste, best use of the foods and our money, using locally grown seasonal foods, and sharing the abundance. And, of course, it has to be tasty and (hopefully) healthy. I’ll blog a little more about sharing in another post.

I’ll often buy seasonal locally grown foods. I grow some of my own fruits and veggies, and my neighbors & friends have been sharing produce. (And, I have to say that a home grown tomato is so much better than a store bought one). I like to make good use of the foods, preserving where needed. Sometimes a little creativity is all that’s needed to come up with something new. Food blogs are also a great resource. The Joy of Cooking is another of my favorites. I ask myself how I can use that ingredient in a tasty healthy way that’s a little different.

I’ve had lots of zucchini lately- both from my garden and from the neighbor’s garden. We’ve had our share of zucchini sautéed as a side dish or thrown into a pasta dish. But, I could hollow out the zucchini, stuff it with bread crumbs, onions, some veggies, and herbs, and bake it in the oven. Yum. Can it be dessert? Can it be preserved? I came across a recipe for zucchini martinis the other day, but I haven’t summoned up the courage to try it yet. Maybe, but until then, there are lots of other things to do with the zuccs.

Produce that’s on sale is a great indicator that it’s fresh and in season. Lately, all the stores have had berries on sale. These have been a great bargain! And, since they’re in season, they’re so much tastier! Don’t buy strawberries when they aren’t in season- there’s just no flavor in them, so why bother?

Here are some of the things I think about when faced with seasonal produce…

Can I bake with it? Chocolate zucchini cake. Zucchini date bread. Lemon bars. Banana nut bread.

Grill it? Grilled butternut squash. Grilled zucchini.

Preserve it? Raspberry-lime syrup. Rosemary syrup. Raspberry jam. Lemon marmalade. Peach infused vodka. Sangria. Make a soup stock with all those veggies in the drawer of your ‘fridge, then even freeze the stock in ice cube trays to use later in pasta or rice dishes.

Raspberry Lime syrup- can be added to club soda to make tasty and pretty drinks

Freeze it? Lemon ice cream. Freeze berries for later use in smoothies. Sorbet. I take the heels of bread loaves and pulse them in the blender to make bread crumbs. I store the crumbs in the freezer until needed for zucchini fries, stuffing, or frittata.

Make it into a sauce? Green tomato and tomatillo salsa. Basil Pesto or parsley pesto. Maybe a zucchini pesto?

I’ve been reading about how much food we waste, and here are some facts of waste. It’s a sobering thought. According to an article on Change.org, “reports have estimated food waste in the U.S. to be anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of all the food produced for domestic use and consumption. The average family tosses out 14 percent of food purchased, or an estimated $600 per year.” In addition, when we throw food in the trashcan, the food goes into landfills, and it rots, emitting tons of methane, a greenhouse gas about 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. The resources that went into producing, shipping, and storing that food are also wasted, including water and fossil fuels. Here’s a link to 10 great tips to reduce your waste.

So, there’s the story on some of where my ideas come from. I try to get creative while doing the best I can to conserve. This week I made Summer Garden Soup (I used zucchini, onions, and basil from the garden). It’s really quite an amazingly smooth soup – velvety and creamy without any cream! I love that it’s vegan too. Here’s the recipe:

I garnished the soup with basil flowers- pretty and edible

Summer Garden Soup

Adapted from Gourmet
Makes 4 to 6 servings

¼ cup olive oil
2 pounds (or one 10-inch) zucchini, coarsely chopped
¾ cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 cups water
1/3 cup packed basil leaves

Heat oil in 3 to 4-quart heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add salt and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add water and simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Purée soup with basil in 2 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids).

Season soup with salt and pepper, and serve hot. Garnish with basil leaves or basil flowers.

I served the soup with Parmesan breadsticks

Refreshing on a warm summer day

Peach Infused Vodka

A friend of mine posted this link on Facebook, and it inspired me to try fruit infused vodka. Also, this is a great way to use up some of those over-ripe fruits or veggies that you may have.

Vodka and fruit – that’s it! Any fruit (or herbs or veggies) or combination will work. As for the vodka, I would recommend going with a good quality tasty vodka- don’t skimp here.

Some of the peachy color comes from the peach skins that were infused in the vodka

Vodka (I used Grey Goose)
2 yellow peaches, skins and pits removed, and chopped
2 white peaches, pits removed, chopped (I left the skins of for the pretty pink color they would impart)

Expose the flesh (where the flavor is) of whatever fruit you are using. Slice the fruit into medium sized chunks. Get rid of any pits. And, if you’re using citrus fruit, the white part (the pith) is bitter, so you don’t want that in your infusion, but the rind has lots of citrus oils, so keep as much of the colored part as possible.

Place the chopped fruit in the glass or plastic jar and cover with vodka. The amount of vodka you’ll use is directly proportional to the amount of fruit you have. Place the jar in the refrigerator, or in a cool, dark place.

Allow the flavors to combine. Stronger flavors like citrus can be infused as quickly as couple days, while mellow flavors like watermelon and apple can take a week. Really light flavors like cucumber and lavender can take as long as two weeks. Periodically taste the mixture to see how it’s coming along.

Strain the vodka and fruit through a fine mesh strainer. Push on the pulp as necessary, just be cautious, the fruit will start to puree and make its way into the liquor- though this will make for more flavor and color, and some may be desirable.

You can discard the pulp or, eat the vodka-flavored fruit instead of throwing it away.

Caramelized Onion Dip

Homemade onion dip- rich and creamy. And, I know what all the ingredients are (unlike those packets of dry mix).

Adapted from Cooking Light

Serve with hearty crackers or slices of bread.
Makes: 12 servings (serving size: 3 tablespoons)

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups (about 2 large onions) onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup light (not fat free) sour cream
1/3 cup (about 1 ½ ounces) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon soy sauce

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat pan. Add chopped onion to pan and sauté 10 minutes or until golden brown. Reduce heat to low, and add thyme and salt to pan; cook 20 minutes or until onions are deep golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Remove onion mixture from heat. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until blended and cheese melts.

I also served homemade salsa, chips, raspberry jam, crackers, and hummus and pita. A very tasty evening indeed. And, what better way than to spend an evening with good food, good beverages, and great people. I love having Happy Hour at my house.

Peanut Butter Parfaits made with homemade granola, strawberries, and blueberries- breakfast, snack, or dessert

Summer’s here! And, with summer, I find myself craving fruit and simple lighter fare. These parfaits are simple to make, use lots of fruit (use strawberries, blueberries, bananas, pineapple… whatever fruit looks good), and can be kept in the ‘fridge ready to grab as an easy snack, breakfast, or dessert (just put the granola on when you are going to eat it, otherwise, it gets soggy). Your kids will love ‘em too.

Coconut Pecan Granola

I made homemade granola to use in the parfaits. I love to make granola, and I have a couple of recipes that I usually use. In fact, there’s a recipe for Maple Almond Slow Cooker Granola in my cookbook. But, I was inspired to try a new recipe after reading Molly Wizenberg‘s column “Breakfast Outside the Box“. Here’s her recipe for Everyday Granola that I used in the parfaits. And, she’s right, if you like granola, you will love the homemade version so much more, and you’ll probably never go back to the box.

Besides being tasty, the parfaits are healthy too- full of protein and complex carbs.

Use whatever type of parfait glasses you want to make it a special treat

Peanut Butter Parfaits

1 1/4 cups low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup homemade granola
handful of fresh fruit of your choice

In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, peanut butter, and honey.

Place about 1/2 cup of the peanut butter mixture into each of four parfait glasses. Top each with about 1/2 cup of fruit and 2 tablespoons granola. Enjoy!

summer fruit is sweet and yummy

Fresh salsa... dig in!

Just in time for summer! The tomatoes are starting to ripen in the garden & what better way to use them than salsa. MMMM. (Well, maybe a Caprese salad.)

Deconstructed salsa... fresh from garthering from the garden

Here are the onions from the garden too- yellow onions this time

tomatoes

One of the things I love about this salsa is that I’ve made it so many different ways, and it’s always tasty. Just about the only requirement is that you have good tomatoes- if you don’t grow your own, buy some nice ripe ones from a farmer’s market. Or, try the heirloom varieties if your grocery store carries those. I have used regular store bought tomatoes in a pinch, but they just don’t come close to being as good.

chili peppers

The chili peppers that you use in this recipe are very flexible. Jalapenos are nice medium heat chilis- I suggest starting with Jalapenos, as they will give a good flavor without being overpowering. For Mother’s Day this year, I used Poblanos- a mild chili. I’ve made a spicy version, using two Serrano Chilis; I’ve also used Anaheim Chilis for a little less heat. I love to use a red chili pepper- it gives a great color and the flavor of a red chili is a little sweet.

onions

I like white onion in salsa, however I’ve used red and yellow onions before with good results. The white onion will give a clean, mild, and tangy flavor that compliments Mexican food.

cilantro, salt, and garlic

Cilantro can be added according to your taste- if you like lots, add more; this is just a good starting point. I taste the salsa at the end to check for salt, and I always add more. Check it with the chips that you’re going to eat it with to see if the salt is good, or if you need more. As for the garlic, it adds flavor so don’t leave it out, but you can play with the amounts as well- start with 3 and see if it works for you.

Without further introduction, here is my salsa recipe. Please enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Salsa

1 pound tomatoes
2 large fresh jalapeno peppers
3 cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon (plus more to season) salt
½ small white onion, cut into quarters
¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro

Heat the broiler (450° if you can set the temp on your broiler), and arrange the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil tomatoes 4 inches from the heat until they blister, darken, and soften on one side, about 10-15 minutes; turn them over and broil the other side until blistered and darkened, about another 10 minutes.

Tomatoes blistered from roasting under the broiler

Meanwhile, heat a dry cast-iron skillet or griddle over high heat, and add the peppers and garlic. Shake the skillet occasionally until the skins are soft and charred, about 10 minutes for the peppers, and 15 minutes for the garlic.

I used an Anaheim Chili, a green Jalapeno Chili, and a Red Jalapeno chili this time. Here are the peppers and garlic in the skillet starting to balcken

Let tomatoes, garlic and peppers cool. The tomato skins will be easy to remove at this point, peel tomatoes, reserving the juices. Pull the stems off the jalapenos (and, if you want less heat remove all the seeds and membranes from inside the peppers).

Here are the cooled peppers and garlic after being skillet toasted

Place the peppers and garlic in a food processor or blender with ½ teaspoon of salt, and process until finely chopped.

Looking in the bowl of the food processor at the salt, peppers, and garlic

Add the onion and pulse a few times until you have a coarse chop. Add the tomatoes along with the reserved juices and pulse again until you have a coarse textured puree. Stir in the cilantro and pulse one or two more times.

Add 2 to 4 tablespoons water, if desired, to reach a smoother salsa. Taste and season with salt. Lime or a dash of cider vinegar could be added as well at this point, if desired.

Serve with chips as an appetizer, or with tacos fixings for a summery dinner.

Happy Birthday Dan!

Homemade version of Baseball Nut Ice Cream

I asked my husband what he wanted for his birthday treat. He said he wanted me to make his favorite ice cream of all time- Baseball Nut.

Now, for those of you who don’t know what that is, Baseball Nut ice cream is from Baskin Robbins. In fact, it’s the flavor of the month this month. It’s vanilla ice cream swirled with a black raspberry ribbon and crunchy cashews.

vanilla ice cream swirled with a raspberry ribbon and crunchy cashews

While we were talking about it, I wondered where this idea of “baseball nut” along with the raspberry swirl came from. So, here’s the history: Originally, Baseball Nut commemorated the Dodgers’ move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.  When the Dodgers arrived in Los Angeles, they were greeted with Baseball Nut, complete with raspberries to “heckle” the umpires.

So, I set to work on the creation of a homemade version of Baseball Nut Ice Cream. I think I was pretty successful. Dan said it might even be better than the store bought version. However, we are going to do a recon mission to taste theirs – afterall, it is his birthday, and he gets a free scoop from them for his birthday. I just hope that my version is really better than theirs! (no, I’m not competitive – hee hee)

So, here’s the recipe of my version:

enjoy!

Seedless Raspberry Jam

This jam has no added pectin (as most jams often do). Adding pectin helps the jam set up, but necessitates more sugar, which dilutes the natural flavor of the fruit. Making jam without added pectin requires more careful cooking, but the extra effort pays off in a deliciously old-fashioned, fruity product. Straining out the seeds takes a bit of time, but is very worthwhile in the final product.

4 cups granulated sugar
4-5 cups raspberries

Place sugar in an ovenproof shallow pan, and warm in a 250°F (120°C) oven for 15 minutes. Warming the sugar beforehand keeps the jam boiling evenly and ensures success.

Place berries in a blender of food processor until pureed. Strain the puree through a sieve pushing the puree through with the back of a wooden spoon to strain out all the seeds. Measure four cups of the seedless puree, and place in a large saucepan, and bring to a full boil over high heat. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add warm sugar, return to a boil, and boil until mixture forms a gel about 5 minutes.

To determine when the mixture gels, use the spoon test: Dip a cool metal spoon into the hot fruit. Immediately lift it out and away from the steam and turn it horizontally. At the beginning of the cooking process, the liquid will drip off in light, syrupy drops. Try again a minute or two later, and the drops will be heavier. The jam is done when the drops are very thick and two run together before falling off the spoon.

Vanilla Ice Cream

This ice cream is rich and creamy, and would be an excellent vanilla ice cream on its own. Just be sure to use a low heat or a double boiler to ensure a smooth ice cream, because there are so many yolks in the mixture that it would be easy to scramble the custard.

1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
7 large egg yolks
1 ½ cups half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla

In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and salt into the egg yolks until thickened and pale yellow. Set aside.

Bring the half and half to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan or double boiler. Slowly beat the hot half and half mixture back into the pan and place over very low heat or back in the double boiler. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the wooden spoon. Be careful not to let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble. Remove from heat and pour the hot custard through a strainer into a large, clean bowl. Allow to cool slightly, and stir in the cream and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight.

Stir the chilled custard, and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Swirl in the raspberry jam. Remove from the ice cream maker, and mix in the about ¼ cup of toasted salted cashews.

When finished, the ice cream will be soft, but ready to eat. For firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze at least 2 hours.

Vanilla scented zucchini date bread

I love walking out on my front door in the morning and finding homegrown zucchini and yellow crookneck squash that my neighbor left for me. Thanks, Monica!

Here’s a joke for you…

A woman grew the world’s largest zucchini, so she went to her friend’s house to show it off. The zucchini was so huge, it stuck out the car window and she couldn’t lock the car. After stopping at the grocer’s for a few things on the way, she returned to her car to find something awful happened while she was in the store… someone had left her the world’s second largest zucchini too!

It’s true that a zucchini plant produces lots and lots of fruit. But, what do you do with too much zucchini? Oven baked zucchini fries. Fried zucchini slices. I used some in sandwiches. I love trying new things with the squash! Oh, and zucchini bread…

Quick breads are nice because, well, they’re quick for one thing. They’re usually moist; some are even more cake-like than bread-like.

A woman who runs a bed & breakfast said this was her mom’s recipe for zucchini bread – though I cut back on the sugar to make it a little less sweet. Zucchini doesn’t have a strong flavor, but it keeps the bread moist, and adds some nutrition. I grated the zucchini on a box grater; this way, I was able to make sure most of the shreds had some nice dark green on them. But, you can also grate the zucchini in a food processor if you wish.

Zucchini grated on a box grater

Be sure to use good quality fresh dates- they will give a chewy honey-like flavor to the bread. You could add ½ cup of walnuts to the batter as well. You could even guild the lily by drizzling icing over the bread once it has cooled. This bread freezes well, so if you want to save some for later, you can.

Three loaves of zucchini date bread

Vanilla Scented Zucchini Date Bread

Makes 3 small loaves or 2 large loaves

2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons vanilla (that’s right, 3 tablespoons!)
1 ½ cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup dates, chopped
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until just blended. Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes. Breads are done when a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Sailing classes are still going on, so, sandwiches are still in order. See my post for sandwiches (week 1) for additional sandwich ideas. I learned a lot about making sandwiches over the last couple weeks, and I have some tips to share at the end of the post.

We started off this week having hamburgers from the grill on Sunday night. Yummy (sorry, no photos of this). I like to put avocado and BBQ sauce on my burger, while Dan had a simple cheeseburger. (confession: I also really like onion rings on my burger, and those frozen rings from the grocery store cook up pretty tasty. They’re just really not so good for you!)

Night 1

Caprese sandwich with a delicious brownie that my neighbor made

Caprese sandwich: pesto "chicken", roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and lettuce on a sesame seed bun

Night 2

Egg salad (made mostly with egg whites and very light mayo) with fresh spinach, herbs (mine has basil and Dan's has thyme), on country wheat bread

Tip: Use a pastry cutter to make sliced eggs or to make egg salad. For the egg salad, make several cuts with the pastry cutter until you get the desired size.

Night 3

Roasted turkey with garlic herb spread, smashed avocado, spinach, and cranberries on onion rolls

Dan's turkey sandwich with Orangina

My version with tomatoes instead of turkey

Sandwich Tips:

1. Bread: The bread is the first thing people see, and it should look inviting. I don’t think sandwiches made on supermarket sliced bread look all that good. Sliced bread is great for toast, plain bologna sandwiches, or for making grilled cheese (though I grill the bread with Parmesan then). Try different types of rolls or focaccia. Toasted or grilled bread will generally have more flavor. And, be sure to use fresh bread- stale bread should be used for making French Toast. In general, I’m not a fan of using baguettes- too hard and too difficult to eat.

2. Spread: The spread doesn’t have to be plain mayo or mustard. Sure, use those if you like them, but since I don’t care for either, I have to be a little bit more creative, or my sandwiches would be dry. Try hummus- great when you are eating the sandwich right then, but not so good on a pre-made (i.e. soggy) sandwich (note tip #3). Try a cream cheese based spread like garlic and herb or a sweet spread like strawberry.The pesto spread added a great flavor. You could jazz up a store bought mayo by adding chopped herbs or chipotle. Or, try BBQ sauce as a spread.

   Get creative with your spreads.

3. The soggy factor: If you are making the sandwich ahead of time, you don’t want the bread to get soggy. Use lettuce or spinach to your advantage: place the washed and patted dry lettuce on the bread before adding the juicier ingredients.This will act as a barrier and keep the bread from getting soggy.

4. Layers of flavor: A sandwich is just that, layers of flavor. Keep the flavors complimentary and building upon themselves. For the caprese sandwich, I baked the “chicken” in the pesto and added the pesto as a spread to the sandwich, then I layered with roasted red peppers and fresh creamy mozzarella. You don’t want a boring one dimensional sandwich.

5. Preparation: Prepare all of your ingredients before you start assembling the sandwich. Making a flavorful sandwich requires many levels, so you don’t want to start spreading the bread with mayo and then realize that you have to wait for the chicken to cool down. Have everything sliced and ready to place on the bread. And, once assembled, put your sandwich in the container; This will help keep the sandwich from drying out. I use sandwich sized travel containers, though you can wrap your sandwich in waxed paper as well.

6. More isn’t always better: Portion control is key. You don’t want too much of a good thing, or it will overwhelm your sandwich.

7. Presentation: I always slice sandwiches in half. I think it’s easier to eat them that way, and it just looks good. Besides, if you get full on half and want to save the other half for later, it’s easier to do so.

We are in week 2 of sandwich week(s). However, Sprouts had blackberries on sale for $.99 each. I couldn’t pass that up, so I bought a few containers and made a blackberry pie. MMMM. You can’t have blackberry pie without ice cream, so I served it with store bought vanilla ice cream or buttermilk sherbet.

Blackberry Pie with Buttermilk Sherbet

The lightly tangy buttermilk sherbet was a great accompaniment for the sweet pie, and was really easy. It has a texture somewhere between ice cream and sorbet, and, it’s a great use for leftover buttermilk (we made pancakes with it previously).

Here are both the buttermilk sherbet and the pie recipes. Please enjoy!

Buttermilk Sherbet

Makes about 1 pint

5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat egg yolks until thick and pale.

In a small saucepan heat sugar and water over moderately high heat, stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 215°F. Remove pan from heat. With mixer on low speed, add sugar mixture to egg yolks in a slow stream. Increase speed to high and beat the mixture until thick and ribbon-like. Whisk in buttermilk.

Freeze in an ice-cream maker following manufacture’s directions.

Blackberry Pie

Fruit pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

Fruit pies are pretty easy and pretty forgiving. All you need are a few ingredients, and you can even be pretty experimental with the amounts. I used all blackberries, but you can use any combination you want-blueberries, apples, cherries, peaches, pineapple, anything. Sour or tart fruits may require more sugar- taste your fruit. Juicier fruits may need more thickener- berries are pretty juicy while apples are straightforward. I like tapioca for my fruit pies- it thickens without adding too much flavor and doesn’t change the color of the filling. I find that cornstarch adds a gritty feeling while flour makes a creamy filling.

5 cups sliced fruit or berries
¾- 1 ½ cups sugar
3-4 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca, cornstarch, or flour
½ to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Mix the fruit, sugar, thickener, lemon juice, and salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into the pie crust, and dot the butter over the top of the filling. Cover the filling with the second pie crust, and slice several slits in the top crust to allow for steam to escape.

Bake the pie in the lower third of the oven for 20-30 minutes. If it starts to brown too much, cover the edges with foil. Slip a baking sheet under the pie, and reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Continue to bake for about 30 more minutes, until thick juices bubble through the vents.

Allow pie to cool. It can be served warm from the oven, but the filling will not set up as much.

Hot out of the oven, the filling doesn't set up as much, but the melty ice cream makes it so worth it!