Summer Recipes

[Miss Cassandra]

Would like to start a recipe swap. If any one has any they would like to share, I would love to hear your suggestions, tips, and menus. I know there are some great cooks out there just full of ideas. Looking for anything from A-Z, Please share your specialties!

[Nurvingiel]

You've come to the right place Miss Cassandra! Welcome to the Moot.

There is a thread about cooking and food already. Maybe these two will get merged. No worries.

When it's too hot for the oven, I like eating salads. A mushroom and tomato salad is very refreshing.

Nurv's Awesome Mushroom and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

2 ripe field tomatoes, cut into wedges
5 mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 1/2 Tbsp. cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
dash pepper
dash salt

Directions:

1. Prepare veggies.
2. Combine olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic in a glass and stir vigorously.
3. Pour dressing over veggies. Optional: marinade overnight. This is worth the effort if you actually plan your meals in advance, which I never seem to do.

Serves: 1
Prep time: Less than 20 mins.

Edit: Great idea for a thread by the way! I also recommend cold soups, like vichyswaz, which I can't spell.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Picked fruit today., so, pie crust filling.
Stew chopped fresh rhubarb (3/4 cup) in 1/4 inch of water with 1/3 cup sugar until nicely dissolved. Then turn off heat and add fresh black raspberries to the rhubarb glaze. I wound up using about a quart. Adjust sugar to taste. Fill pie shell and bake, or just eat off the spoon or over ice cream.

Life is simple when the crops are good.
Made blueberry buckle, too.

[Miss Cassandra]

http://www.epicurious.com/ has some wonderful (and interesting!) recipes, I search there often for many tips and diffrerent ideas. Here is one that I found, perfect for a summer dessert.


2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 lb blackberries (5 cups)
2 lb peaches (6 medium), peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons whole milk

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish (3-quart capacity).
Whisk together cornstarch and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl, then add blackberries and peaches and toss to combine well. Transfer to baking dish and bake until just bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.

While fruit bakes, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in another large bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and stir just until a dough forms.

Drop dough onto hot fruit mixture in 12 mounds (about 1/3 cup each), then sprinkle dough with remaining teaspoon sugar. Bake cobbler until top is golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Serve warm.

Cooks' note:
Cobbler can be baked 6 hours ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Before serving, let stand at room temperature 1 hour, then reheat in a preheated 350°F oven until warm, about 20 minutes.

[Miss Cassandra]

For dressing
1 firm-ripe California avocado, quartered, pitted, and peeled
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
l 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper


For salad
4 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (about 1 lb)
4 cups romaine, torn
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup red bell pepper
3 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh serrano chile
Cherry tomatos

Blend dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Toss salad ingredients with dressing in a large bowl until combined well.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Miss Cassandra

http://www.epicurious.com/ has some wonderful (and interesting!) recipes, I search there often for many tips and diffrerent ideas. Here is one that I found, perfect for a summer dessert.


2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 lb blackberries (5 cups)
2 lb peaches (6 medium), peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons whole milk

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish (3-quart capacity).
Whisk together cornstarch and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl, then add blackberries and peaches and toss to combine well. Transfer to baking dish and bake until just bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.

While fruit bakes, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in another large bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and stir just until a dough forms.

Drop dough onto hot fruit mixture in 12 mounds (about 1/3 cup each), then sprinkle dough with remaining teaspoon sugar. Bake cobbler until top is golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Serve warm.

Cooks' note:
Cobbler can be baked 6 hours ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Before serving, let stand at room temperature 1 hour, then reheat in a preheated 350°F oven until warm, about 20 minutes.

I really object. Cooking ripe fruit for 45 minutes should be a felony. Anyone who does it should lose their franchise and their freedom and be forced to subsist on generic canned peaches. Then you want to leave it laying around and cook it for ANOTHER 20 minutes? It's despicable.

It's darn near English. But baking, they can do. Even the English couldn't be held accountable for this one. I think this might require a Constitutional remedy, since Tabby's writing one.

[Miss Cassandra]

I love cooking fruit. Whether it be fresh, frozen, whatever.
Its a matter of opinion really. And what you like. Everyones tastes differ, but I know that I love my pies, cobblers, and jams (and so does everyone else who tries them) Im not asking you to try these recipes, just have an open mind about them. You might learn something new.

If you find a recipe for an 'unbaked' fruit cobbler, let me know. I would love to hear that one...

As for your salad, Nurvingiel, it sounds awesome, and simple. Nice for a really hot day! Cheers

[suncrafter]

"Orc Chicken Recipe"

Real recipe for cooking chicken like an "Orc". Because good cooking is what Orcs are known for.

http://www.orcmagazine.com/ORC_MAGAZ...cken_Beer.html

[Miss Cassandra]

"Orc Chicken"

Lol- So funny. Have you made this before? Its pretty good! Thanks for posting!

[trolls' bane]

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

I really object. Cooking ripe fruit for 45 minutes should be a felony. Anyone who does it should lose their franchise and their freedom and be forced to subsist on generic canned peaches. Then you want to leave it laying around and cook it for ANOTHER 20 minutes? It's despicable.

It's darn near English. But baking, they can do. Even the English couldn't be held accountable for this one. I think this might require a Constitutional remedy, since Tabby's writing one.

Haha! Well, perhaps the Bill of Rights/Fourteen Commandments shall be amended to the Fifteen Commandments?

Orcs are indeed good cooks. I used to live with one. My step-dad, in fact. Best Chicken Parmigana one could make.

[Miss Cassandra]

Cream puffs
3/4 cups water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 large eggs

Filling
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kirsch (clear cherry brandy)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large strawberries, hulled


Strawberry sauce
2 1-pint strawberries, hulled
3 tablespoons sugar

Powdered sugar

For cream puffs:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring to melt butter. Add flour; using wooden spoon, stir vigorously until mixture clumps together, forming ball. Stir 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Transfer dough to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, add eggs 1 at time, beating until dough is smooth after each addition (dough will be slightly soft and shiny).
Using 1 rounded tablespoon dough for each cream puff, spoon dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart and forming mounds about 3/4 inch to
1 inch high and 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Using moist fingertips, gently press tops of cream puffs flatten any peaks. Bake until golden brown, about 37 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack; let cream puffs cool. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

For filling:
Beat cream, 1 teaspoon sugar, kirsch and vanilla in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Combine 6 strawberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl. Using fork, crush berries. Fold crush strawberry mixture into cream.

Cut top third off each cream puff. Place cream puff bottoms, cut side up, on plates. Spoon filling into bottoms, mounding slightly. Ladle sauce over, allowing sauce to spill onto plates. Top with cream puff tops. Dust with powdered sugar.

For sauce:
Puree 1 basket strawberries in processor. Transfer to bowl. Stir in sugar. Quarter remaining strawberries; add to sauce.
Makes about 2 1/3 cups.


Here's one that sisternephew'sgrandma might even like
(oh, but I dont know... might be hard for her to mash the precious strawberries)