white peach cooler

By 7 Comments

white peach cooler, glass

Summer has bestowed itself upon us. It’s hot. This is a wonderfully light and refreshing cocktail perfect to sip on while basking in the sun. It’s made from fresh white peaches, peach infused vodka, and a hint of lime.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can make the peach purée in advance. It will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, or you can pop it into the freezer in ice cube trays. Seeking out peach vodka is definitely a must. It really enhances the natural flavor of the white peach (you can always substitute with regular vodka, but it won’t quite taste the same!)

Make a big batch of this cooler for your next barbecue party and you’ll have friends for life.

Now if I could only get that inground pool…

white peaches, ceramic measuring bowl

chopped white peacheswhite peach puree, ceramic measuring bowl

sliced white peaches

white peach cooler
 
Print
Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
Puree:
  • 6 white peaches
  • 1-2 tbsp. of sugar, depending on sweetness
  • ¼ c. water
  • 2 limes
Drink (for 1 person):
  • 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) of peach puree
  • 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) of peach vodka, such as absolut
  • 1 tsp. lime juice
  • splash of club soda
Garnish:
  • 1 bunch of mint
  • extra limes
Instructions
  1. Wash and pit your peaches. Leave the skin on.
  2. To make the puree, chop up your peaches and pour them into a large pot. Add the sugar, water, and the juice of 2 limes. Simmer over medium heat until the fruit is soft and broken down. This should take about about 20 minutes.
  3. Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
  4. If you want a smooth puree, strain the mixture. This step is optional. Set aside to cool.
  5. Fill a large glass with ice. Stir in your peach puree and vodka. Add a splash of club soda and lime juice, and give it a taste. Adjust to your liking. Garnish with mint and extra lime.
Notes
* This recipe yields enough peach puree for 6-8 drinks. The ingredients above makes 1 drink. * Freeze any extra puree in ice cube trays. Store in freezer bags. They will keep for about 3 months. * If you can't find white peaches, substitute with regular peaches or peach nectar.

how to cook garlic scapes

By 5 Comments

garlic scapes, jar

 Fiesty little things, no?

These are garlic scapes. I had no clue what they were until they popped up in my CSA box last week. Garlic scapes are the tops of a growing garlic bulb. They are mild in flavor (think roasted garlic) and asparagus-like in texture. You can grill them to serve with juicy steak, top pizzas, or dice into cheesy omelettes. No matter how you prepare them, the smell of warm, fragrant garlic will tantalize your senses. Delicious.

Just make sure to cut off the scraggly tips before cooking. They can burn easily. Like asparagus, the ends tend to be tough as well so you should trim them down.

sauteed garlic scapes, sliced lemon, olive oil

 If you’re intrigued but not quite ready to take on Medusa’s mane, give this easy recipe a try. It’s a simple sauté finished with a hint of citrusy lemon. A subtle yet flavorful introduction.

how to cook garlic scapes
 
Print
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch of garlic scapes
  • 1 tb. unsalted butter
  • olive oil
  • lemon
  • salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Trim the ends and tips off of your garlic scapes. Cut into manageable pieces that will fit into a large skillet.
  2. Over medium heat, warm the butter and a splash of olive oil.
  3. Add your garlic scapes to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and sautee for about 3-5 minutes. Add a splash of water and cover with a lid. Continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.
  4. Your garlic scapes are finished when they are crisp tender.
  5. Transfer to a serving dish and squeeze over some fresh lemon. Add salt and pepper to your liking.

carrot and leek soup

By 5 Comments

carrot and leek soup, lentils, creme fraiche*Very first post entry!

Cliché, I know. The clever carrot…carrot soup? No, no my friend. This blog is not about my love for carrots or 1,001 new carrot recipes. You see, when I joined the world of blogging the very first entry had to be this recipe. It’s a creamy and colorful soup chock full of carrots, leeks and even red lentils. It’s something that I make often, thus inspiring the name. More on that here.

When I made this the other day, I was all excited to start writing about it. I would talk about how easy it is to prepare, and that you should make a double batch to freeze, and that even the kids will like it. I had it all planned out. Yet when I sat down with my laptop I had nothing to say. Not one word. Tic. Tock. Tic. Tock.

Really? A radiant orange soup beaming me in the face and I had nothing to say? Clearly I’m not cut out for this blogging stuff. I just wanted to eat the soup! So that’s what I did. I slammed my laptop shut, got myself a spoon and dove in.

I might have succumbed to writer’s block this time, but for those of you who don’t know- I’m the girl who’s in love with all things food and can’t wait to tell the world what I made for dinner last night…in detail. Who needs words anyways. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

red lentils, herbs

 

 

Carrot and Leek soup
 
Print
Author:
Serves: about 2 quarts
Ingredients
  • 3 cups of sliced leeks (about 3 leeks, white and light green part only)
  • 5 cups of sliced carrots (about 10 medium carrots)
  • ⅓ cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
  • 2x 1 liter cartons of low sodium organic chicken stock or veg. stock
  • 2 tb. unsalted butter
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 bunch of scallions
  • creme fraiche
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, heat the butter and a splash of olive oil. Medium heat is good.
  2. Wash, peel and slice your carrots. The thinner you slice them the faster they’ll cook. Saute the carrots until tender, about 7-10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice your leeks vertically and then cut into half moon shapes. Submerge the sliced leeks into a large bowl of water. Use your hands to separate and remove the dirt. This step is very important as leeks can be very sandy. Dry thoroughly with a salad spinner or a clean kitchen towel, and then add to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until soft, not brown.
  3. Add your red lentils, 1½ cartons of stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook away with the lid on for about 30 minutes or so. You want everything to be nice and tender and the lentils to be completely soft and broken down. While the soup is cooking, chop up some scallions for your topping.
  4. When the soup is finished, puree in batches in a food processor or blender. You can also use an immersion blender for this. If your soup seems too thick, add more chicken stock.
  5. Return your pureed soup back to it’s original pot and adjust seasoning to your liking. Top with chopped scallions and a dollop of creme fraiche.
Notes
* Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months.