spicy watermelon margarita

Watermelon Jalapeño Margaritas

Serves 4.  Simple syrup is an easy combination of equal parts sugar and water, boiled to dissolve the sugar, and cooled.  We usually have some in the refrigerator.  You could make this a frozen concoction by freezing the watermelon wedges and adding 3 c. of ice into the mix but I just don’t care for frozen drinks much.  Serve in a sugar-rimmed glass. 

            3½ c. watermelon chunks (without seeds!)                    

            ½”-thick jalapeño slice, with seeds       

            ¾ c. silver tequila (tequila blanco)

            ½ c. simple syrup

            ¼ c. fresh lime juice

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.  Serve on the rocks.      

loving fresh peaches....peach tarts

Fruit Tarts

Makes 6.  This is a flexible recipe, seen as Plum Tarts with Honey and Black Pepper in the July 2014 issue of Bon Appétit magazine.  These can be baked 4 hours ahead.  Keep at room temperature. 

            1 sheet frozen puff pastry (one 14-oz. pkg. or half of a

              17.3 oz. pkg.), thawed

            1 lb. fruit (red plums, apricots, peaches, apples, pears, berries…),

              pitted (if needed) and cut into ½” wedges (leave berries whole)

            ¼ c. granulated or raw sugar

            ground or fresh spice (try black pepper for plums, nutmeg

               for apricots, cinnamon for peaches, or cardamom or ginger

               or rosemary…)

            1 Tbs. honey or maple syrup

            flaky sea salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut puff pastry into 6 squares or rectangles, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and prick all over with a fork.  Top with fruit, leaving a ½” border.  Sprinkle with sugar; season lightly with the spice.

Bake tarts, rotating pan halfway through, until edges of pastry are puffed and golden brown, 25-30 minutes.  Drizzle with honey or maple syrup and sprinkle with salt just before serving.    

grilled lamb chops

These have the wonderful notes of cumin and mint mixed in.  Thanks Bon Appetit!  http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/mint-and-cumin-spiced-lamb-chops

avocado and shrimp salad

A nice cool dish for a hot summer day, thanks to Food and Wine magazine:  http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/avocado-and-shrimp-salad-with-red-goddess-dressing

a new take on a bacon burger

Bacon-Burgers with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce

Serves 8.  You mix the bacon in with the ground beef here!  You can choose to make the 8 burgers specified in this recipe from the July 2014 issue of Food and Wine magazine but we prefer to turn it into 16 sliders.

            1 c. plain Greek yogurt            

            2 jalapeños, chopped                          

            1 c. cilantro, chopped                          

            ¼ c. minced fresh ginger                      

            ½ small red onion, chopped                 

            1 tsp. sugar                                          

            2½ tsp. kosher salt                              

            2½ lbs. ground chuck                          

            ½ lb. bacon, minced (1 c.)                   

            6 green onions, white and light green parts only, minced

            ½ c. chopped fresh mint

            ¾ c. grated Parmesan cheese

            1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest

            2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

            ½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

            ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

            vegetable oil, for brushing grill

            8 toasted regular burger buns, or 16 toasted slider buns

            sliced tomatoes and onions, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, 

             and Sriracha for serving

In a food processor, puree yogurt, jalapeños, cilantro, ginger, onion, sugar, and 1 tsp. of the salt until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl.

In another bowl, mix ground chuck with bacon, green onions, mint, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and the remaining 1½ tsp. salt.  Form into eight 1”-thick patties (or 16 slider patties).

Heat grill or cast-iron griddle and brush with oil.  Cook burgers over moderate heat, turning once, until charred outside and medium within, 6 to 8 minutes.

Spread some of the yogurt sauce on the bottom buns, top with the burgers and layer with toppings.  Close the burgers and serve with the accompaniments. 

mmm - fried egg sandwich

Thanks to Cooking Light magazine for turning a BLT into a great breakfast (or lunch, or dinner) http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fried-egg-blt-sandwiches-50400000135969/

blt pizza

BLT Pizza with White Sauce

Makes 8 slices from a 10” pizza.  I had some leftover fresh pizza dough and saw this unusual recipe in the July 2014 issue of Cooking Light magazine.  I like the notion of using oven dried tomato slices with the mayonnaise sauce.  It is a great combination of flavors with a calorie count of 177 per slice.

            1 lb. ripe tomatoes, seeded                  

              and cut into ¼” slices             

            1 tsp. dried oregano                             

            ½ tsp. black pepper                             

            ¼ tsp. sugar                                         

            ¼ c. mayonnaise                                  

            1 Tbs. olive oil                         

            1 Tbs. minced fresh chives

            2 garlic cloves, minced

            4 center-cut bacon slices

            10 oz. fresh pizza dough

            1 Tbs. cornmeal

            2 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

            cooking spray

            1 c. baby arugula leaves

Place a pizza stone on bottom oven rack.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange tomato slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with oregano, pepper, and sugar.  Place baking sheet directly on pizza stone.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until tomatoes are no longer wet.  Remove tomatoes, keep stone in oven.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.

Combine mayonnaise, oil, chives, and garlic in small bowl. 

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels.  Break into pieces.

Using well-floured hands, pat dough into a 10” circle.  Place dough on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal.  Pierce dough with a fork; transfer to preheated pizza stone.  Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes. 

Using peel, slide partially cooked pizza round out of oven (leave stone in oven).  Brush mayonnaise mixture all over crust, leaving a 1” border; top with tomatoes and bacon.  Top with cheese; coat crust edge with cooking spray.  Transfer back onto pizza stone and bake 10 minutes or until cheese melts and crust browns.  Remove from oven, let cool for a moment, then top with arugula and cut into 8 slices.