Georgia Peach Galette

The weather has been perfect this summer in Iowa.  The temperatures this week were moderate compared to the usual temperatures in the high 90's coupled with high humidity.  We didn't even have the air conditioner on today, and the highs have been in the low to mid 80's this week.  When I went for my walk this morning the temperature was in the mid 60's.

I have been hungry for good ole' Iowa Pork chops, so Doug bought some at the grocery store, and we invited my brother and my sister-in-law over for dinner.  What says summer more than grilling and enjoying dinner on the patio?
Peaches are in season, so I made a fresh Georgia peach dessert.
Delicious!

Fresh Georgia Peach & Blueberry Galette

The basic fruit filling for this recipe comes from baking911.com, but I added fresh blueberries.  The pastry is a prepared pie crust.

Ingredients: 

1 Prepared Pie Crust

PEACH FILLING

4 ripe fresh peaches 

1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained

2 - 3 tablespoons white sugar 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or more, if desired

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar, for sprinkling on galette

Peel and slice 4 fresh peaches.

Sprinkle sugar and spice mixture over peaches and flour .  Also add rinsed and drained fresh blueberries.  Mix until fruit is well coated.

Arrange fruit over pie crust placed on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Fold and pleat crust over fruit filling.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until crust is golden and fruit is bubbling.

Serve warm or cool.  May be topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Printable version: Fresh Georgia Peach and Blueberry Galette

This recipe is easy to make, and with a rustic pie crust, you can't go wrong.

 The ingredients are Georgia peaches, fresh blueberries, white sugar, ground cinnamon,
nutmeg, ground ginger, and flour.

 Mix sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg  together in a small bowl.

Blanch and peel 4 medium peaches.
To do this:
Drop the peaches into a pan of boiling water for a few seconds.
The skin will loosen, and start to pull away from the peach.

 Immediately plunge into a bath of ice water.

 When the peaches are cooled, peel them.
The skin will come right off.

 Cut peaches into wedges,
and pour the sugar and spice mixture over the peaches.

 Sprinkle the flour over the mixture.

 Add rinsed and drained blueberries.

Toss the mixture together until the peaches and blueberries are coated.

 Unroll a single prepared pie crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

 Arrange the peaches and blueberries in a circular pattern.

 Carefully roll the dough up around the peaches, folding and pleating the dough around the filling.
Sprinkle with 1 tsp. of sugar.

 Bake the galette at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until
 golden brown and the fruit is simmering.

 Keith & Ethyl enjoying the dessert on a perfect summer evening!

Best if served the same day.
Can also be served with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

As I mentioned, Doug grilled some thick, juicy Iowa pork chops on the grill.
Then, he covered them with this delicious sauce.

Mushroom-Sage Wine Sauce

INGREDIENTS

4 center-cut pork chops, about 1 1/4 pounds

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound fresh white mushrooms, sliced (about 5 cups)** we used 1/2 lb. button mushrooms

and 1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms

1 cup frozen pearl onions (from a 16-ounce package)

1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers (from a 7-ounce jar)

2 ounces sliced proscuitto, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

1/4 cup dry white wine** we used 1/4 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Sprinkle pork chops with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, dividing evenly.

In a large skillet, heat oil until hot. Add pork chops; cook until golden brown on both sides, 6 to 7 minutes, turning once. Remove to a serving plate; cover with foil; set aside.  We cooked the pork chops outside on the grill.

To skillet add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are just golden, about 3 minutes. Add onions, bell peppers, proscuitto, chcicken broth or wine, garlic, sage, black pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over reserved pork chops.

Printable recipe: Pork Chops with Mushroom-Sage Wine Sauce

This recipe is from (Cooking.com/porkchopswithmushroomwinesauce)

Cremini Mushrooms

What is a Cremini Mushroom?

cre·mi·ni noun \kri-ˈmē-nē\

Current Facts

Cremini and Portabella mushrooms are the same strain. After planting, the Cremini mushroom will be ready for harvest in about 40 days. If left to grow just 5 days longer it will turn into a 3 1/2" to 4" Portabella cap. Cremini mushrooms are also known as Crimini, brown capped, classic brown mushrooms, Roman, baby bellas or golden Italian. 

Description/Taste

Usually a little larger in size with a light brown cap, the Cremini mushroom resembles its relative, the domestic common White mushroom, but is actually a small Portobello. The Cremini has an earthy, meaty texture and mild flavor. 

Nutritional Value

Mushrooms provide protein, fiber, a substantial amount of vitamin B, vitamin D, vitamin K, copper and other minerals. 

Applications

Cremini mushrooms can hold up to high heat such as baking, roasting or stewing. Cremini may be stuffed whole, added to sauces and soups or simply prepared. May also be prepared raw in salads. The stems are completely edible; pair with red wine, stock, mozzarella cheese, tomato-based sauces, fresh herbs and beef. 

Geography/History

French horticulturists were the first to cultivate Cremini mushrooms in the 1700s. England and Sweden began mushroom cultivation in the late 18th century and it wasn't until the early 1900s that mushroom production began in the United States. Today, the United States is one of the leading growers of cultivated mushrooms with Pennsylvania being the fungi-growing industry leader. In the 1960's the cremini was the only cultivated mushroom widely available. 

from http://www.specialtyproduce.com

Motherlode Gazpacho

Cool, refreshing summer soup!

I discovered the cool, refreshing flavor of gazpacho two summers ago when Doug and I dined at a local restaurant.  Gazpacho was the featured soup of the day, so I gave it a try.  It has since become one of my favorites.  It can be a little labor intensive to chop all of the vegetables that go into the soup, but it makes a large batch, and it is worth the effort.  The taste just gets better the longer it chills in the refrigerator and marinates.

Gazpacho  is a soup made of raw vegetables and served cold, usually with a tomato base, originating in the southern Spanish region of  Andalusia.  Gazpacho is widely eaten in Spain and neighboring Portugal,  particularly during the hot summers, as it is refreshing and cool. (from wikipedia)

Benefits

Gazpacho soup is full of antioxidants and vitamins. There is healthy fat from the olive oil, and this soup has no cholesterol and is generally low in calories.   A bowl of gazpacho soup will go a long way toward satisfying the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. (from ehow.com/ what is gazpacho)

Doug and I went to Colorado in June, and we visited the beautiful town of Breckenridge with all of its lovely shops.  We played the tourists and browsed the local establishments.  We stumbled upon a shop called Motherlode Provisions.  
We sampled their out-of-this-world Bloody Mary Mix.  

When the flavor of this mix hit my mouth, I thought, "This would be great in homemade gazpacho!"

Ingredients:

• 3 cups tomato juice
• 2 large finely diced tomatoes
• 1 finely diced red pepper
• 1/2 medium diced seeded cucumber
• 1/4 medium finely chopped red onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup Motherlode Bloody Mary Mix
• 1 chopped roasted jalapeno
• 2 tsp. vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. jalapeno sea salt or regular sea salt, to taste
• Pinch red chili pepper flakes
• Garnish of chopped cilantro, avocado, salad topping (lightly salted crispy jalapenos)

Printable version: Motherlode Gazpacho

 Gather the ingredients.

 In a large bowl, pour 3 cups tomato juice.

 Finely dice 2 large tomatoes.

 Roast a seeded jalapeno pepper.

To roast, seed a fresh jalapeno.

Place skin side up, and place under broiler until the skin bubbles and is brown,
about 7-8 minutes.

 Remove roasted jalapeno from oven and place in a bowl.

Cover until it cools, then skin will peel off easily.

 Dice 1 red bell pepper.

 Remove the seeds and

dice 1/2 medium unpeeled cucumber.

 Finely chop 1/4 medium red onion.

 Mince 2 cloves of fresh garlic.

 Drizzle 1 tbsp. olive oil into vegetable mixture.

 Measure and add 1/2 cup Motherlode Bloody Mary Mix.

 Chop one roasted jalapeno that has the skin removed.

If you want more heat, you can add more peppers.

 Add 2 teaspoons vinegar.

 Blend half of the mixture until smooth.

 Add the blended mixture into the the other half of the chopped vegetables.

This will give the soup a nice texture.

 Season to taste.

Add salt and pepper.

We also added 1/2 teaspoon jalapeno sea salt.

 We like a little heat, so we sprinkled in red chili pepper flakes.
Chill in refrigerator 1 hour or up to 24 hours before serving.

 Chop fresh cilantro, avocado, and for crunch, add lightly salted crispy jalapenos.

Enjoy!

This just gets better, the longer it marinates!

About Motherlode Provisions
Motherlode Provisions was founded in 2010 in the wake of Boulder, Colorado's Four Mile Fire. Dedicated to the creation of all-natural recipes that evoke the adventure and spirit of the Rocky Mountain wilderness, the Motherlode Provisions product line includes three barbecue sauces, two hot sauces, steak sauce, and our premium Bloody Mary mix. Motherlode products can be found in select U.S. States in grocery stores such as Whole Foods Market, Alfalfa's Market, Lucky's Market, Rouse's Market, and Natural Grocers/Vitamin Cottage. Motherlode's Bloody Mary mix is also available in liquor stores and bars/restaurants throughout Colorado.
Motherlode's Bloody Mary mix has been exhibited at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen for three summers and was named one of Colorado's top 25 food products by EdibleAspen magazine in 2012. It was featured in the VIP tent at the 2013 World Cup downhill ski races in Beaver Creek and again at the 2014 American Ski Classic in Vail. Our Bloody Mary mix is the only Motherlode Provisions product currently available for online purchase. (from http://motherlode-provisions.myshopify.com/pages/about-us)

Color Run- Faithful Friends-Colorful Cupcakes

Colorful  Cupcakes

My friend Cathy & I participated in the Color Run again this year.  Our team was Faithful Friends
including Garrett, Liz, Duncan, Camden, Aiden, and Doug.

Cathy brought this beautiful decorated cake the night  before The Color Run.

The night was definitely colorful.

Here are some pictures of the big day.

 I prepared these Colorful Cupcakes a couple of weeks after the Color Run to celebrate summer with family.

Gather colorful ingredients...
Orange cake mix, purple frosting, colored ice cream cups and sprinkles.

 Prepare a colorful Funfetti Cake mix according to directions.

Spoon cake batter into ice cream cups about 2/3 full.

 Wrap aluminum foil around the bottom of the ice cream cone cup,
so it doesn't fall over during baking.

Bake  at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes.

When cupcakes are cool,
frost with colorful frosting and top with sprinkles.

 Enjoy!

More summer fun!

Ice Cream Cupcakes.

 Bake a chocolate cake mix according to directions on the box.

 Instead of cupcake liners, pour batter into canning jelly jars
that have been coated with non-stick cooking spray.
They need to be canning jars so they can be put into the oven.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes.

 Cool, and then press down cake to half the size of the jar.

 Then, top with softened ice cream.
I used Birthday Cake Ice Cream.

 Smooth ice cream over cake.

Put lids on canning jars and freeze.

Top with Magic Shell.

 Return to freezer until ready to serve.

 Remove from freezer a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

More summer fishin' fun!

 Aiden caught his first two fish today!

 Camden is taking a stroll around the lake.