Grilled Peaches With Vanilla Ice Cream....

This afternoon I took a ride to one of my favorite farms in Hollis, New Hampshire.  What ever the season, Brookdale Farm always has the best and sweetest fruit available.  Today the native peaches were calling my name.   I came home and made this dessert before I even patted my dog Bella.  It's really that quick.

This is so simple it borders on the ridiculous.  Cut the peaches in half and remove the pit.  Spray flesh side of the peach with butter flavored Pam and place flesh side down on the grill.  Grill about 3 minutes or until the peach loses a little of its firmness.  Remove the peach from the grill and immediately place a little piece of chocolate in the middle
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Scoop up some vanilla ice cream, plop on top and enjoy!!

Fresh Tomato Pasta...

This is just the freshest, most delicious summer pasta you can make. Combining a little of Ina's recipe and a little of Giada's recipe sent this easy, light pasta over the top.  Here are the ingredients.

• 3 pints of cherry tomatoes  ( I used regular and heirloom cherry tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves minced garlic
• 18 basil leaves, sliced thin.  (Save a little for garnishing or just add another extra hand full)
•   salt and pepper to taste
• Pancetta diced and fried, to equal about six slices of cooked bacon that has been diced.
• 2 large hand fulls of arugula  ( I just reach into the bag and grabbed one hand full, then another)
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 1lb. angel hair pasta, cooked and drained well.  I saved some of the cooking water and added a little to the pasta, tomatoes and cheese.  Maybe between 1/4 of a cup to about 1/2 cup. 

Combine the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil,salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for about 4 hours. Just before your 4 hour waiting time is up cook your pasta according to directions or al dente.  Drain your pasta and mix with tomatoes in the large bowl.  Add the arugula, cheese and pancetta.  Top with extra basil and cheese.  You are going to love this dish!!!

Eggplant Goodness.....

What do you think, aren't these eggplants just gorgeous?  They are fresh from the farm and ready to be whipped up into something delicious.  I have a day or two to decide on how I'm going to cook these beauties.
It has been my experience that bloggers are some of the most creative individuals, so please put on your chef hats my friends and pour out some yummy ideas for me.  Any and all ideas or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.


After a very long week my computer is back from the shop and in great shape.  It might take me awhile to catch up with everyone.  It's amazing how much I missed reading and commenting on everyone's blog.

Out Of Commission..

My computer is broken. It's getting dropped off at the shop tomorrow.  I hope to get it back on Monday.  I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Time for Lemon Thyme Cookies...

I only make these cookies in the summer time when my lemon thyme is in abundance.  These delicious cookies are crisp on the edges and soft in the middle.  Here is the recipe !!

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp. lemon thyme

Directions...

1. Sift together flour and cream of tartar
2. Cream butter and sugar in separate bowl
3. Add eggs, mix well
4. Blend in the flour until incorporated
5. Fold in lemon thyme
6. Chill for 2 hours then roll into balls the size of walnuts
7. Bake on a silpat sheet for 10 to 12 minutes

I made a quick sugar glaze to spread on top with powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon oil from my King Arthur outing.



 

Summer Herbs And Baked Eggs....

Who doesn't love fresh summer herbs?  I know we are crazy about them around my house.  One of the ways we like to use them are in Ina Garten's baked eggs.

Ingredients  for Herbed- Baked Eggs

• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 extra large eggs
• 3 tbsp. light cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• salt and pepper

Preheat broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.
Combine the herbs and cheese set aside.  Crack 2 eggs into 2 small bowls without breaking the yolks.  You won't be baking them in these bowls.
Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet.  Place 1 1/2 tbsp. cream and 1 tbsp. butter into gratin dishes.  Place under broiler for 3 minutes. Quickly, but carefully pour the eggs into each dish.  Sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, salt and pepper.  Place back under the broiler for 5 minutes until whites are almost cooked.  There will be herb mixture left over.  This recipe is for 4 servings.  Just refrigerate the rest for another time.  My daughter and I like to add baby spinach to the cream and butter when it comes out of the broiler before the eggs go in.  

Enjoy!!
 

Happy Independence Day...

God Bless The Red, White and Blue.

No Blue Ribbons For Me.....

HELP!!!  I am in need of some canning advice.  I researched many different strawberry preserve recipes. Deciding on one that had won twelve blue ribbons seemed like an intelligent  idea.  It appeared to be very straight forward and I followed this award winning strawberry preserve recipe to the letter. Unfortunately my preserves did not set up. There will be no blue ribbons awarded for my batch of  strawberry preserves. What I have now are eight half pints of strawberry syrup. Has anyone ever had this problem and if you have,  how did you remedy it?

Until that time when someone is kind enough to offer up a solution to my soupy preserves problem, you will find me drizzling it over ice cream or pouring it on a short stack of pancakes. Oh,  and by the way there is one more important piece of information I forgot to mention.  Although it may look like strawberry soup, drinking it straight from the jar makes your chin and neck really sticky.  LOL!!! Not really the solution I was seeking, for either my preserves or my waistline.   Thank you in advance for any suggestions.