Great Summer Salad: Cantaloupe Carpaccio from The Chew

As part of our food fest in Phoenix, we made a recipe Barb spotted on The Chew.  We didn’t change a thing.  It’s absolutely perfect!  Yum!


Mario Batali’s Melon Carpaccio
1 Cantaloupe or Honeydew Melon (thinly sliced)
1/4 pound Spicy Salami (julienned)
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (shaved with a vegetable peeler)
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups Arugula
2 Limes 

Thinly slice the melon and arrange on serving plate. (We used a cheese slicer to make the thin cantaloupe slices.) Sprinkle the salami & cheese over the melon.  Artfully arrange the arugula on top.  Finish with lime juice, olive oil and freshly cracked pepper.  (You’ll note in our photo that we placed the cheese on the top instead). 

A Peach Dessert Beyond "Just Peachy"

It's not too often that we (Barb and Sharon) have the chance to cook together in the same kitchen, but when we do, you can be sure that there will be a bounty of mouth-watering foods.  The other night was no exception (and we'll be sharing some more of the recipes we made in future blogs), but the piece de resistance had to be the original peach dessert Barb concocted.  The elements were simple, but they came together in a most amazing way!

Here's the recipe for you to try for yourself.  You won't be disappointed. 

Caramelized Peaches with Mint Mascarpone (serves 3 or 4)
4 oz. mascarpone
mint, leaves removed from two large sprigs, and chopped fine

1/2 stick butter
3 T. brown sugar
two peaches peeled and cut into eighths
1/8 cup pistachios, finely chopped

In a small bowl, combine mascarpone and mint. set aside. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring often until thick and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Add peaches and toss with caramel, about one minute.

Using a small dessert place (or perhaps a small bowl would be better) divide the mascarpone evenly between the dishes. Top with peaches and some of the sauce, and sprinkle with pistachios. Serve immediately.

Cooking for Two: Bacon, Tomato and Corn Pasta

Well, it has happened. Hubby and I are now "empty nesters" as our one and only went off to The University of Arizona. I worried a bit about cooking for two, as I'd heard many of my friends just "gave up" cooking when the kids left. But I LOVE cooking and enjoy providing hubby with a home-cooked meal.

After a few days of experimentation, I think I'm getting the knack of it. Some of it requires planning, and some of it requires math skills (eek!).

So, from time to time I'll share my recipes, tips and tweaks as I head down this new culinary path challenge.

Bacon, Tomato and Corn Pasta
(revised from The Chew's Michael Symon)

1/2 pound of pasta
salt for pasta water
1 T. EVOO
1/4 lb. thick-sliced bacon, diced
1 ear corn, cut from cob
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 bag baby spinach
1 t. mint, chopped
2 T. butter
parmesan cheese -- grate for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to boil. When at boil, salt liberally and add in pasta. Cook one minute less than box calls for.

In a large saute pan, heat the EVOO and cook the bacon until crisp over medium high heat. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel. Remove all but 1 T. grease from the pan. Add in garlic, tomatoes, and cook and saute for one minute. Add in spinach and cook another minute until wilted.

When pasta is done, drain, reserving one cup of the pasta water. Add pasta to saute pan. Add in mint and butter and 1/4 c. of pasta water. Continue to cook for one minute, adding in pasta water as needed to make a sauce but not make it soupy.

Garnish with parmesan, and cracked black pepper if desired.

Summer Entertaining: Delish But Simple Toothpick Bites

Summer is a perfect time to entertain -- friends, food and cocktails on the back patio or around the pool. But, in the heat of the summer, who wants to spend time in a hot kitchen cooking and baking?  Our friends at the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board have developed 50 cheese-based treats on toothpicks that are easy to assemble, pretty to look at and tasty to eat. Fill a platter with a few of these, mix up a pitcher of refreshing cocktails and you're set for a party -- without breaking a sweat.

Pomp and Circumstance

This month, we both have graduation events at our houses. Barb has a daughter leaving high school and headed to the University of Arizona (Go Wildcats!) and Sharon has a daughter making the transition from middle school to high school. For each milestone event, we're hosting family gatherings that are before or after the ceremonies, so the meal needs to be easy and light, yet festive.

We had just started brainstorming ideas when the latest issue of Relish magazine came out. It was just the inspiration we needed to create a menu based on some of their ideas. 

Our graduates, Berkley and Madison, at The Magic House years ago.

Grad Party Menu

• roast beef/provolone/creamy horseradish sliders with lettuce, tomato and pickled onion garnish

• baby spinach/strawberry/goat cheese/candied pecan salad with champagne vinaigrette

• Greek couscous salad (see Relish for recipe).  We're adding in feta cheese

• fruit salad

• strawberry lemonade cupcakes (from Barb's favorite local bakery, Mind Over Batter)

• iced tea and lemonade

A Bit of Blarney is Good for Everyone!

St. Patty's day is just around the corner.  Being half Irish, I'm proud to celebrate with some good old corned beef and cabbage (paired, of course, with a bit of horseradish, don't you know).  For most of my life, I'd never tried this traditional dish.  My dad, the full-blooded Irishman (Lawrence Michael Patrick Connors), doesn't particularly care for the dish, so my full-blooded German mother never felt the need to serve it.  But my sister Susan decided years ago to start a tradition with her family, that gradually evolved into an annual feast for us sisters and our families.  My mouth is already starting to water just thinking about next Saturday's meal!

 

If you've never tackled making corned beef & cabbage, yourself, give it a go.  It's an easy and inexpensive dish to make.  Here's a good basic recipe from allrecipes.com to get you started. We've never used carrots like this recipe calls for, but it might be a nice addition.  -- from Sharon


Barb's notes: My family grew up on corned beef and cabbage, not because we were Irish (we thought we were a bit Irish until genealogy study a few years ago proved we were Dutch), but because it was a cheap way to feed our family of five. Mom and Dad would stock up on all those after-St. Patrick's Day briskets for sale at the store, and put them in the deep-freeze. Dad would then pull one out, place it in the Crock Pot with some beer, and we'd have a whole roast for dinner that night.


To this day, I stock up on the after-holiday briskets as well. Last year I got them for 49 cents a pound!  I stuffed my freezer with them and cook them up on occasion to make a traditional dinner like the one above, or for lunch meat, or corned beef hash. 


Of course, a corned beef dinner is not complete without a Guinness or Harp beer.